'Marathon' mode on US DBoxes

[SSJ2Engels]

I heard that the 'Story Mode' on the original Japanese boxes was replaced by the 'Subtitles' menu on the US ones. Supposedly they had to make room for that option and so something was cut. Well, if that's the case, then why they simply added one more episode into the 'select episodes' menu on the discs to four when needed, whereas in the originals it was always just three?

Even EX's review of the first box seemed to hint at such a thing...though I suspect I'm missing something here .

And if it isn't the case... perhaps what reason can be pointed out for the 'story mode' to have been chopped out? Well, it isn't that big of a deal, but what do you guys think? Even about the simple fact that it is unavaliable in the NA boxes, I guess.

[SSJ2Engels]

BTW, this is an old question of mine, but it popped again in my head while watching the 4h or 5th disc of my recently-acquired DBox 6.

[Paradox295]

Use the "Next Chapter" button to skip through credits and shizz. Works for most TV shows on DVD.

[jpdbzrulz4sure]

Even if the NA DBoxes had story mode, I wouldn't use it. When I watch my shows, I watch every opening, every ending, etc.

As for why it was left out, I think it's because the complete opening and ending credits and next episode previews were used as selling points, and including a marathon feature would've defeated the purpose. Not that it would've made or broke the release for me, but still...

[Ashura]

My guess is that the way the branching was set up for the next episode previews might've made it too complicated to add in even more branching for the marathon mode, though it's the one area of DVD production I never really messed with back in the day.

[Pokewhiz7]

My guess is that the way the branching was set up for the next episode previews might've made it too complicated to add in even more branching for the marathon mode, though it's the one area of DVD production I never really messed with back in the day.

Slightly off topic, but I don't understand the next episode preview thing. Don't they actually have English next episode previews for the Freeza arc narrated by Dale Kelly/Sean Schemmel? I don't know if they sync or not, but I know they have them.

[KiddoCabbusses]

Would you really want this in your Dragon Box?

(A comparison between that and the JP NEP would be nice.)

[Pokewhiz7]

Would you really want this in your Dragon Box?

(A comparison between that and the JP NEP would be nice.)

It wouldn't matter to me since I watch it only in Japanese.

[laserkid]

Previous to the dragon boxes the english dubbed next episode previews were the ONLY ones available in the US.

[KiddoCabbusses]

Previous to the dragon boxes the english dubbed next episode previews were the ONLY ones available in the US.

Anyway, along with the mention of the NEPs, IIRC I don't think FUNi did any NEPs for the "Ultimate Uncut" series, even on the Cartoon Network runs. This would mean they wouldn't have a complete set of NEPs to work with for such a project.
I also don't even know if they kept the masters for their NEPs, or they're lying around in the Cartoon Network vault somewhere. Although it's probable to assume they did since they kept the masters for a lot of their other stuff for future remastering.

[Cipher]

My guess is that the way the branching was set up for the next episode previews might've made it too complicated to add in even more branching for the marathon mode, though it's the one area of DVD production I never really messed with back in the day.

I'm guessing it's something like this.

Every time my girlfriend and I watch a next-episode preview on her Mac, it freezes for a bit before the next episode's opening theme and says it's "skipping over damaged area." It does this almost every time, and since the problem doesn't occur on any other player I've found, nor does it happen if we just skip the preview, I have to assume there's something overly complicated about the way that particular chapter is programmed that screws with her DVD program.

[Mountain]

Would you really want this in your Dragon Box?

(A comparison between that and the JP NEP would be nice.)

That was completely terrifying! Lol.

[jubei]

My guess is that the way the branching was set up for the next episode previews might've made it too complicated to add in even more branching for the marathon mode, though it's the one area of DVD production I never really messed with back in the day.

I'm guessing it's something like this.

Every time my girlfriend and I watch a next-episode preview on her Mac, it freezes for a bit before the next episode's opening theme and says it's "skipping over damaged area." It does this almost every time, and since the problem doesn't occur on any other player I've found, nor does it happen if we just skip the preview, I have to assume there's something overly complicated about the way that particular chapter is programmed that screws with her DVD program.

My guess is that the simple reason for the lack of "Marathon mode" is the inability for Funimation to implement the seamless branching feature of DVD.
In fact, most of the DVDs that we can buy from the market are authorized by using Scenarist which is able to implement all DVD features but seamless branching - a feature which can only be implemented by Warner Bro's hardware DVD authoring tool and Apple's DVD Studio Pro.
As for what "seamless branching" is, it is how this marathon mode exactly works: with seamless branching implemented, the DVD playback will not have a little "pause" when u are trying to go directly from NEP to RECAP and skip over the OP and ED; in other words, the DVD will not pause no matter the marathon mode or "play all" is selected. This is a very advanced feature of DVD which can only be done by Apple's DVD Studio Pro for companies that do not own the expensive hardware authoring tool. I am guessing Funimation just do not want to spend the time to implement "seamless branching" by passing its Scenarist-authorized DVDs to Apple's DVD Studio.
As for people claiming that there is a marathon mode on Funimation's season sets, I kinda doubt whether seamless branching is implemented into those sets. A simple test: try playing the seasons sets in its marathon mode. Should there be a little pause inbetween episodes, there is no seamless branching.

[SSJ2Engels]

Alright, thanks for the answers (except for the first one, which clearly missed the point of the topic ) and discussion. (althought I do wonder if the original JP boxes used this ''seamless branching''...?)

[Paulo Gabriel]

Just some basic necroposting to start the day off.

[Ajay]

Let's not.