-LNUSMPG1

Anoop Responds: Flag to Flag is the title formerly referred to by Sega as Cart Racing, and known in Japan as Super Speed Racing. Whew . . ..

- Lsetiawan9

Says Anoop: GD-ROM is the name of the format used by Sega for the Dreamcast games. The GD in GD-ROM stands for Gigabyte Disc. Sega created this term for the DC software format because the format can hold just beyond 1 gigabyte of information (it actually may be between 1 and 1.2 gigabytes of storage).

CCR

Anoop Says: No, no, no . . . the whole Monkey thing ended when I took over the Q&A. If you want to definitely get something printed here, you need only ask a question about Ys, The Red Company, Evangelion (unless it's a question about an Evangelion game coming to the DC, as I haven't a clue regarding the matter), Cosmic Fantasy, Panzer Dragoon (unless it's a question about a Panzer Dragoon game coming to the DC, as I haven't a clue regarding the matter), and maybe Shenmue.

As to your question, Sega hasn't revealed the specifics of their networking plans just yet. You'll most likely be able to use your existing internet account, though, and connect to a gaming service provided by Sega. Sega hasn't announced the pricing details for the service (or whether or not it will be free), so you're going to have to sit tight for the information.

- BenPaz

SNK has told us that they are indeed interested in bringing out more games for the DC. They haven't been very specific, but I'm willing to bet that some of their major franchises are under heavy consideration. Metal SLUG (not Metal Gear) is something that we'd like to see, and we were sure to let them know our feelings.

Best regards,
Bert Chen

Oops . . . in my Shenmue preview, I mentioned that the QTE portions of Shenmue had been compared by people to Dragon Slayer. Of course, I actually meant to say "Dragon's Lair." Let us be thankful that the QTE portions of Shenmue do not transform the game into an old school 2D Falcom PC game.

- Hari

Hmm . . . Es un "Gran Dia," no? I'd never have had the thinking-juice to put together that explanation, Hari, but barring another definition of Grandia, your's takes the prize.

- ThDoors420

The Doors, eh? Hmm . . . The Doors.

Uhh, on to your question. Street Fighter Alpha 3 is the American name for the Japanese Street Fighter Zero 3. Simple as that. The Dreamcast release date for Street Fighter Zero 3 has already come and gone, as the game was released to the Japanese market a while back. Street Fighter Alpha 3 is expected in October.

-Michael A. Ruppert

Sorry, Michael. I can't give you the title of "dumbass of the day" for two reasons. First off, I've decided to change the category from "dumbass of the day" to "Stupid Dumb Idiot of the day," since "dumbass of the day" is already taken by Next Generation, and some people out there are offended by the word "dumbass." Also, the first prize goes to the following letter:

- Priscila

People who cannot take a joke will be labeled the "Stupid Dumb Idiot of the day" from now on.

Gord Jenkins.

A while ago, it was mentioned throughout the 'net that a real-time strategy game based on the original Star Trek universe was scheduled to be released on both the PC and the Dreamcast, and that the developers were attempting to make internet play between users of the two formats a possibility. We've heard nothing regarding the matter of late, though, and given that the DC won't have an online game network until next week (if Bernie Stolar is to be trusted), don't expect anything until next year at the earliest.

matthew

Projection TVs are prone to burn-in, which occurs if a still image is left in place constantly on the television for hours (more than twelve hours, actually). You should be fine with regular use of your console, especially since the Dreamcast games tend to have lots and lots of movement in them. Just don't leave a game paused for a long period of time.

Wildkat01

This is actually a problem in the Japanese version as well, Wildkat01. The effect is heightened in the English version, though, as the voice actors took longer to say their lines (actually, it's not the voice actor's fault - saying something in English tends to take more time than saying something similar in Japanese). Lip-synching can be very difficult, and it's not something that's automatically built into the system. I believe AM2 is trying to do proper lip-synching for the characters in the Japanese version of Shenmue.

Rick

Oops . . . I forgot to address the guy's question, which is indeed a legitimate one. Sorry . . .. I don't know if the Dreamcast is going to succeed or fail; I can't look into the future. I do know that the system is selling in record numbers to pre-order in America, though, and that Soul Calibur looks like it's going to drive sales through the roof in Japan. I'm pretty sure that the system won't be a "here today, gone tomorrow" system, though. Remember, Sega's going to have to make due with what they can sell on the hardware; there'll be no magic 256-bit system to save them the next time around. So, they're going to have to assure that everybody who buys a Dreamcast is kept happy, happy enough to buy Sega's next system.

I'm almost willing to make the prediction that titles like Ecco the Dolphin, Shenmue, Dead or Alive 2, Floigan Brothers, Project Ares, and Virtual On 2 are going to be the 2nd generation titles that do for the Dreamcast what Sonic did for the Genesis - keep it viable as a new, more powerful system rolls out.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the management that's running Sega today is entirely different from the management that ran Sega in the past. I'm willing to be that if you go to Sega of America, you'll recognize hardly anyone from the Genesis/Saturn years; this is certainly true of the company's upper management.

Hope that helps . . ..