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I was browsing the internet the other day for any new information on the Dreamcast. On a few forums I noticed a rather disturbing trend; posters were complaining that the Dreamcast wasn't powerful enough, and would ultimately fail. To be specific, the DC was only capable of performance at the Model 3 arcade level, and that it should have been able to push 5 million polygons/sec or more. Now after all the ignorant posts that I have seen in my days of videogaming these comments take first prize for Cluelessness. Sorry, I am trying to be as nice as possible; but it amazes me as to how blind and ignorant some gamers are. If the Sega DC is destined to fail, it will not be due to factors such as graphical prowess; more than likely it will be whether or not Sega can convince gamers to put aside the past, and not judge the company for its previous mistakes. I was just wondering how many of you have ever played a Model 3 arcade game? It is a legitimate question, because they are few and far between in American arcades, which are dominated by the likes of Namco and bloodbaths like Mortal Kombat. The Model 3 board is not cheap, and the games cost too much for most small arcades to justify the purchase. However, for those who have witnessed such a game, pictures cannot do it justice. The most beautiful fighter I have ever seen is VF3. It cannot be disputed the graphics are phenomenal, but you have to see this game in motion to truly appreciate it. The animation, fluidity, and overall graphic presentation surpass any game that I have seen in person; I emphasize in person because apparently Konami's Cobra hardware is supposed to have similar performance capabilities. I don't know because I've never witnessed it first hand. I do know that I have seen two arcade games at present that are graphically beyond any of the competition; and they are without a doubt VF3 and Super GT. Namco's Tekken 3 is fun, but VF3 is more of a piece of art, and in my book it is more fun to play as well. And I even play Super GT at one dollar a shot, just because it reminds me of how much enjoyment I used to get out of Daytona. But more importantly it is the most immersive game that I have ever experienced; and the most fun I have ever had playing a racing game. One reason that I will import the DC is that these two games are already likely confirmed launch titles in Japan; and I personally cannot wait to play them in the comfort of my home. So the question remains what if the DC can only do Model 3 graphics? How many people ever believed that we could obtain an absolutely arcade perfect translation of any videogame at home? To their credit, Namco has come close, but they were limited graphically by the hardware of the PSX; to make up for this they added extra features and made some stellar translations. However, there have been no arcade perfect translations for the home market yet. Now the DC is not claiming to be able to make a perfect arcade translation; we are talking about translations which are better than the original! The same graphics with all the effects, and extras for the home market like the tradition that Namco started. Doesn't that get you just a little excited, even if you are upset with Sega and the mistakes they have made in the past? Besides, there is good evidence leaking out of the gaming community that the DC is indeed more powerful than the Model 3 arcade board, so as long as the system is supported with quality software there should not be any complaints on performance issues. American attitudes tend to lean toward what have you done for me lately; and for the majority the days of brand loyalty are in the past. Gamers are concerned with playing the best games regardless of the platform, and as such most serious gamers own more than one system. Those who do not believe in the DC because it doesn't seem to be better than the top of the line arcade board are ignorant and foolish; but that is their loss, not yours or mine. -- Written By Robert |