The words of the hour goto the big phat elf fat kick smurf ass
sega site on the net.....segadreamcast...opps seganet.
Lets see EvilOtto will suck up some more so you post this e-amil..
ARR ooh baby seganet needs a Fraggle Rock page that would kick some
pink punk ass EvilOtto thinks as if so. lala laal alal ooh right
email.
Evil Buyrite sons of feet fungus F8')Ked EvilOtto over time and
again. The story goes...EvilOtto goes to Buyrites site and see some
damn fine games EvilOtto would want, they are GRANDIA, VAMPIRE SAVIOR
AND THUNDER FORCE V & 5 in 1 right ooh a dary ooh, so i like lasers
you like lasers..All together it was like $180 or so. EvilOtto sends
a nice little big money order and a week later EvilOtto gets back
from work at 12:30 at night EVIL DAY. EvilOtto gets home killing all
the damn blue 3apple high smurfs as getting home as fast as unhuman
as EvilOtto can. See the nice little box and open it..dump it out
onto
EvilOtto desk and see all 3 games but no smuking 5 in 1. EVILOTTO IS
YELL OUT OF MR.PUGS ASS "NO DAMN 5 IN 1! H o w the smuk is EvilOtto
going to play these damn fine games????? Lucky as a flamming tic on
the ass of a butt monkey! After many many many evil e-mails they say
nothing or do nothing or send anything damn sons of
moon_over_my_hamy!
What is a nice sega player going to do??
EvilOtto puts in one of his memory cards 3rd party as is and two
games work Gran_Freaken_dia and thunder force V. Wow they work
WOOHOOO! Vampire Savior didnt work at all DAMN. EvilOtto is still
e-mailing evil Buyrite but nothing, so go down to a game store in
town that have a 5 in 1 or 4 in 1, so buy that for 40 bucks. ARR
NEver ever ever look buyrite in the face they will bite your local
nuts. Its been some time now, like five months and not a word from
the hippie eating spam suckers in the nude buyrite games.
Make the Fraggles come back!
Thats it e-mail over going back to cave.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
I don't know what's more sad, the way this e-mail was written, or the fact that I understood what he was saying...
I love your site I think it is one of the best on the net thanks for all
your hard work. I just wanted to drop you a line on the US Dreamcast
launch. First off to all those people that think that the average Dreamcast
launch in Japan will reflect the American launch are on crack. Sega gave
themselves an extra year to get as many AAA launch titles as possible. As
far as I can tell so far the US Dreamcast launch will be the best ever.
Sega can take the best from Japan (Sonic, VF3 and RE Veronica) and add to
that new titles that are being developed by American companies. Shortly
after the US DC launch many companies will be starting their second and
third DC titles which will be much better than the first generation titles.
Sega also gave themselves an extra year to develop and perfect their
NET-Services. Sega's Net play will be one of the DC biggest attractions and
now that they will have a year to make it perfect is great. Sega also
bought themselves a year to try to improve their image with the public, the
industry and retailers. I think it is very important for Sega to hide in
the shadows and to reinvent themselves. Sega also gave themselves a year to
hustle 3rd party developers. With how bad Sega was doing they need time to
get the best developers back on the Sega bandwagon. So what does this mean
to us gamers in the good old USA? First off Sega will have an incredibly
strong launch line up the best ever. Here is a possible launch line up
Sonic Adventure, VF3, Sega Rally, RE Code Name Veronica, Castilvania,
Powerstone, Granada 2, football and basketball. Does that not sound awesome
or what. Now that Sega has fixed its reputation with retailers. Employees
at big name retailer will push the Dreamcast instead of steer gamers away
from Sega. When you get your shiny new DC home you will be able to go right
on line with out a problem. Lastly with so many launch titles and a 100 mil
USD ad campaign many consumers will see Sega in a new light not the company
that has botched things in the past. Sega has a great chance to have one of
the most successful launches of all time and take back the number 1 position
in the console market.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
It all sounds good except for that Grandia 2 bit, I doubt Grandia 2 will be out in Japan by next fall, never mind the states! Game Arts is taking their sweet old time with the game, so don't expect it until winter '99 at the earliest, with a 2000 release date more probable... and that's in Japan! Sega of America's RPG of choice will end up being Climax Landers or maybe even Evolution (or both!)
When can we expect to see a Sega Rally 2 section? I pre=ordered the game
and I still want to see more pictures, movies, and other facts about the
game.
I would also like to add that, in the future.. Once the U.S. Dreamcast
releases, I know for a fact that there will be people out there who will
figure out a way to modify the import systems(specially when it's the
early version of the system--take PSX for example). All you will need is
the Internet software and register with the U.S. network for the first
time.. After that, just buy U.S. games and play online at no cost! You
will see... It will happen. There's always a way to go around the
territory lock-outs. Keep up the good work and happy gaming!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Once I get my hands on the game you'll start seeing some serious coverage; don't worry, I don't plan to leave any stone unturned...
I just finished reading the editorial regarding the success or failure of Dreamcast due to its third party support, and I couldn't agree more with your assesment. However, a couple of points:
1) Sega means loyalty. Anybody who'll stick through the crap they've dumped on us and still gush over their new system is a loyal Sega fan. As a matter of fact, I think Sega fans (including myself) are, on the whole, more dedicated to their machine than Playstation or N64 owners. Sega owners are the importers, the quality-criers. The ones who kept Sega even breathing during their raping of our console markets with the 32X and Sega CD (and, to a lesser extent, Saturn). So what's my point? Simple: Working Designs. You cannot forget this creative team, the publishers who have stood by Sega through thick and thin. They are the battle cry for Sega loyalists everywhere, and their recent publishing of Magic Knight Rayearth this far into Sega's demise is testament to that. Sega had better get off their asses and woo WD back to the team, because on Sega is where they belong, right next to Sonic Team, Camelot and Team Andromeda.
2) Enix is a VERY important third-party for Sega to have. Didn't I hear that Enix is now an official publisher? Maybe not so much so in the states, in Japan Enix would be a major coup. A Dragon Quest game could do nothing but good for Sega overseas, especially with Square dragging their feet on jumping aboard.
3) Their greatest weapon--after satisfying all the Capcom Street Fighter fans and the Konami Castlevania hounds--should be unequivaical support of their in-house developers. Sonic Team is absolutely their best weapon (as Sonic Adventures proves).
4) They need Treasure. I don't care how popular their games are on this side of the ocean, a Sega platform is no good if there's nothing from Treasure. Ahh, the splendor of Guardian Heroes, Silhoutte Mirage, Gunstar Heroes, Radiant Silvergun and numerous others. Sega simply cannot afford to be without their uniqueness. It'll upset the loyal Sega followers, and as we all know some can get a little... fanatical.
Looking across my pretty decent collection of Sega Saturn games, I noticed an interesting trend; nearly all games were published by Sega. Only my Working Designs games and Night Warriors were by outside publishers. Draw your own conclusions.
I think Sega has the right tools and the right BEGINNING to set up what they need. The American launch is crucial, and it needs main-stream games as well as specialty genres to succeed. I think this time they've finally gotten the bastard right. About goddamn time (I'm tired of buying into a game system that dies two years before it's main competition) if I do say so myself.
By the way, do you really think Namco is going to keep it's flagship titles away from DC? Personally, I like their lesser known games better (Klonoa, Soul Calibur, Point Blank) as opposed to RR and Tekken (bleech) and I wouldn't mind at all if they only ported smaller titles. Realistically, however, I realize that the bigger games are going to win the day. Any chance you could elaborate on why you think Namco's so gung-ho for Playstation 2?
Thanks for listening, and once again--a great editorial.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Thanks, but, um, I didn't write that editorial! Re-check the byline, funny, I get this e-mail on the day I ask people to use the contact page to e-mail specific staff members, grrr.
1. Sega doesn't need to woo back Working Designs, if Sega is as committed to RPGs as they say they are they'll find someone willing to port over the games. Perhaps they'll port the games over themselves. Either way, the days of Working Designs being the only hope for English ports of Japanese RPGs are long gone. Besides, name one true, turn-based RPG that WD ported over to Saturn that was worth anything. Exactly, aside from Dragon Force and Iron Storm, WD's Saturn tenure can best be remembered for delays and cancellations - the game industry has enough of that as it is. Last point: WD has pretty much said that they expect the Dreamcast to fare comparable to the 3DO, both parties involved are less than eager to have each other back.
2. Enix was somewhat Sega friendly on Saturn and you can expect the same sort of relationship on Dreamcast. Look for them to make an announcement this summer.
3. Done and done...
4. Considering Treasure has already been confirmed to be working on Naomi, you can expect a Dreamcast game to surface as soon as their Naomi title does!
1. Yeah, I heard somewhere that after Namco announces Tekken 4, Square
will announce Final Fantasy IX for DC. The real shocker, though, is
that Nintendo will announce Super Mario 64 2 for the DC early in 2000.
That name, by the way, is confirmed. Furthermore, all three
announcements are expected within one week of each other, in
mid-February. My question is, given these surprising developments, do
you think the DC Twisted Metal IV announcement will be made before or
after the US launch? (which has been moved up to April)
2. So Lobotomy is part of Crave, eh? Where would I find their site?
Are they working on any projects at all? I remember your article saying
they were taking a "wait and see" approach to DC involvement, which is
surely unfortunate. Maybe after Powerslave 2 for PSX, they'll come out
with Super Powerslave 2 Turbo:Solid for DC. One can hope.
3. Konami: okay, so they're dogging out 2d development. Well, I guess
we'll just have to get them to make a DC Metal Gear. You did say THREE
games, right?
4. What the heck happened to Fighting Vipers 2? Arcade? DC? What
about Virtual On 2 for DC?
5. What's the word on Street Fighter EX 2? Arcade? DC?
6. What does Eidos have planned?
Thanks again.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
2. Yep, Lobotomy moved into Crave a long, long time ago, around spring of '98. Anyhow, I can't really say much about their plans after Caesar's Palace 64 but I don't see a Powerslave game in the cards.
3. Actually, I know of four Konami Dreamcast titles: Flight Shooting, that music game, Castlevania, and a baseball game (Bottom of the Ninth?) It's funny, but Metal Gear is the one title that hasn't been mentioned by sources inside Konami. It's either not in the works, or just really early.
4. Fighting Vipers 2 hit Japanese arcades last year, I don't think it ever made it to the states. Don't expect a Dreamcast version. Virtual On: Oratio Tangram is in the works for a release in the second half of the year.
5. I don't remember, I think it came out in Japan last year, I don't see it heading to Dreamcast though.
6. Eidos has a lot of plans for Dreamcast, though the only game they have mentioned publicly is the mysterious Herdy Gerdy - E3 should shed some light on things.
Hey Fernando,
Long time reader, first time writer.
I was wondering if you could answer a question I have about the Castlevania
game for the Dreamcast. I heard that the game won't be released in Japan
until after the American release of the system and game. I was curious to
find out your thoughts on this. If my source was not correct (I hope!), do
you have any speculation as to when the release of the game would be? This
has been bugging me since I heard it, and any clarifications on it would be
great.
Steve F Cukierski
P.S. Great site! Keep up the good work!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Heya Steve,
I'm really proud that you have been able to read for a long time, and I'm even more excited that you have decided to make your first writing an experience an e-mail to the mailbag! Congratulations, your writing skills are remarkably advanced for a self-proclaimed novice.
Don't expect Castlevania to hit the Japanese Dreamcast any sooner than the American one; the game is being developed in the states and is scheduled to go final just before the US launch of the Dreamcast. The Japanese port will probably hit Tokyo late '99/early 2000.
I was just stopping by because of what I heard from my friend that the PSX2
first game's picture is out, I went to PSX of IGN site, and I saw the picture,
tell you the truth, I wasn't impress at all, but still, the DC had only been
out for a few month, and the PSX2 info is already seeking its way out to the
web, I fear that Sega might need more time to establish a steady user base in
US, since the article said it (might) will come out during Winter of '99, if
you haven't stop by at PSX. IGN, check out the article and let me know what's
your thought about it.
Well, finally all the trouble in my mind is out, I was happy to see that SoA
decided to subtitled Shen Mue, guess they learned their lesson, and there is
one more thing, I remembered reading EGM Magazine about DC, one of the thing
they said was that DC controller can have 2 VMU plug in together, is that
true? And one last thing, EGM reported that Frame Gride will have the feature
like summoning dragon and ancient beast, all that might sounds great, but I am
not sure about it unless I heard it from SegaNet, so, can you clear this thing
up for me? Thanks. BTW, your site rocks! Oh well, I couldn't think of anything
better to say about your site since most of the visitors did the "Great Site"
part for me =)
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
PSX 2 or whatever you want to call it will not hit the USA this year, I'm willing to bet on that. Still, the current word is that the system will hit Japan this winter, which makes Sega's summer activities that much more important.
Shen Mue being subtitled isn't 100% confirmed, so I wouldn't start jumping around just yet. It is highly probable that the game will retain the Japanese speech, mainly due to the amount of speech Sega of America would have to re-record. You never know though, someone at Sega could get some crazy ideas, send the janitors into a recording stage and tada: English language Shen Mue ala crap.
Yep, you can plug two VMU/VMS units into the Dreamcast controller at the same time... Not sure about the Frame Gride information though, it sounds plausible, but the official webpage doesn't mention it...
Glad you enjoy the site, hope my reply helped out!
And you say you're a football fan!! If Sega give Arsenal ｣2.5m a year, what
would that buy? One of Ronaldo's feet? Arsenal's revenue comes from ticket
sales, merchandising and TV rights. The shirt deal is small potatoes.
But personally I'd love to see Sega (preferably Dreamcast) logos on the
Arsenal shirt - particularly on Marc Overmars and Dennis Bergkamp - two
Dutch players who saw to the removal of Argentina from the world cup lest
we forget!!!! I'm still remembering that long pass up the right side of the
field - one touch of control on the left foot from Bergkamp, one powerful
volley from the right and BANG - the South American scum are out! YES!
Ahahahahahahaha!!
Mention Raul all you want but it was the referee who won you the game
against England - DON'T YOU FORGET IT! (or need I mention your guy handling
the ball in the area and the perfectly good goal disallowed...)
ENGLAND FOREVER!!!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Small potatoes in the overall standing of the team: yes. Small potatoes for a shirt deal: no, it's the most lucrative one signed yet. Besides, I was just reporting what the football publication reported, so don't shoot the messenger, you bitter, bitter Brit.
Raul? What the hell are you talking about? Raul is my middle name, Argentina's goalie is Roa - were you even watching the game? Or are you just trying to forget? I can understand why you would want to, it was rather painful for Englishmen to watch their World Cup hopes shattered at the hands of Roa!
Why do you always reply to messages from the MailBag like you
just had an enima? Anyway, i've heard alot of people making
they're own speculations about how the DreamCast will connect
users in the states in head to head gameplay. Some say Sega will
use Heat.net, some say Direct Dialing, and some say by dialing up
a server relative to Xband's. What do you think? I sure hope
it's anything but Direct dialing. When i first started playing
online with my NetLink, my phone bill topped $3,000 the first month
i started playing. Recently i've had to give up on dialing long
distance, and play a half ass local dude in Duke Nukem all day.
If we have to dial into a server, that could be good news for
some, and bad for others. If there's not a local server near you
to connect to, your phone bill may look alot like mine. This was
a reoccuring problem for some on Xband. Anyway, quit slacking off,
and post this damn message in your MailBag so i can see your
sarcastic replies to my letter. :D
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
First of all, don't call me "fern", if you're too lazy to type out my full name just call me "Fer." Oh, and sarcasm isn't just to answer e-mails, it's a way of life.
I don't have to think this one out, I know it: DC online play will be done through either TCP/IP or dialing up to Sega's server. Direct-dial might be offered as a secondary option, but I doubt it. There you go, no more 3, 000 dollar phone bills (which I'm sure was from the 976 numbers and not from online gaming)
In regard to the letter in the email section today regarding Buy Rite,
they also royally screwed me on my DC, I ordered a week before Xmas, I
called to confirm my order they said it would ship that day, (overnight)
needless to say I didn't recieve my DC until December 31rst. I called
the Better Business Bureau of Raliegh, North Carolina to file a
complaint against them for false advertising and purposefully misleading
customers ie. lying to them, their local BBB told me that they're widely
renownd for their poor customer service, and that had already received
"Hundreds" of complaints against them already. With as much disdain as
people seem to have for Buy Rite it's really a wonder to me how they are
still open.
Just thought I'd let you know that this incident is obviously not an
isolated incident, it seems to be the norm rather than the exception.
Thanks,
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Thanks for the follow up, but I'd like to point out that most of the BuyRite claims are common knowledge - the entire store was addressed in one of the earlier mailbags, as well as discussed on Usenet countless times.
1. Could you please put up a list of known launch titles? A broader
list of confirmed/expected would also be great, if possible.
2. Whassup with Lobotomy? Three fantastic games for Saturn (oh, how I
wish they had done Doom and Hexen) in Powerslave, Duke, and Quake, and
nothing since. Powerslave 2 for DC at launch? We can only hope. Oh,
and Powerslave is the best 1-player Doom game ever, with all due respect
to the (admittedly more graphically impressive) n64 corridor titles. Do
you know where the Lobotomy website is?
3. My compliments to your affiliate, UK:R.
4. How reliable is this 9-9-1999 release date?
5. Will the DC still be white in the US? Will the controllers come in
different colors?
6. Has there been any further word from Namco regarding DC/Naomi
development? You say you'll believe it when you see it and I must
concur. They better hurry up with their damn Tekken 4 announcement.
Marcus Lai's editorial on Tuesday ("Konami, Capcom, Namco and
Dreamcast") properly throws cold water on this hope and I'd love Soul
Calibur (stupid wrong spelling), but I still do not consider Tekken 4
impossible.
7. Square: I hear what you're saying with the Chocobo's Mysterious
Dungeon. That would be awesome. But Chrono Trigger 2 would be the
beginning of Sega's rule of Planet Earth if it were a DC exclusive.
FFIX I doubt will happen for DC and would expect it to be a PSX2 launch
title. What odds would you give for any Square-DC involvement? When
will we know about their mysterious announcement?
8. Now that we know about Castlevania, we need Konami to come up with an
old-school, 2d Contra. Thoughts?
Loren Smith
PS - thank you for answering these rambling, stupid questions.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
1. I rather wait until the official list comes out, no sense in speculating about games now. We know how accurate official lists are, so just think how accurate a speculative list would be...
2. Lobotomy, as reported many moons ago, is now part of Crave. They're currently wrapping up a gambling game for the N64... I can't say much about their Dreamcast plans (for fear that they'll kill me), but it doesn't look good right now.
3. Cool, be sure to let them know.
4. As reliable as we have right now, as reliable as speculation can be.
5. My guess is that the Dreamcast will stay the same color for the USA launch, especially considering SoA is circulating images of the Japanese unit through their press firm/webpage. Different color controllers should be available a few months or so after launch (I'm guessing they'll hit Japan this summer).
6. Nod.
7. Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon? I was being sarcastic, guess I didn't convey that well enough. Like I said before, my Square sources are shit, and I'm not going to humor you with wild guesses pulled out my ass.
8. Sadly, it seems that Konami is content to ride the 3D hype and phase out 2D development rather quickly. Two horrid, American made Contra efforts on the PSX might have killed the series, I really don't know. Maybe the Japanese Dracula X team will deliver a 2D game of some sort, but outside of that, it looks pretty grim.
No problem, always a pleasure to answer your e-mails.
It seems odd that Majesco, who've repackaged existing Genesis (and soon, Saturn) games and consoles are getting into programming. Or are they? There are still some decent games for Japan which require little to no knowledge of Japanese, such as Pen Pen and possibly Buggy Heat among others. Is it possible that Majesco's games will just be a selection of aged games that might have made a good import? This idea would rule out seeing titles such as To the North, but it would explain Majesco's involvement.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
You're right, they'll just be bringing over easy ports, it might work out rather well...
Tuesday, January 26, 1999
Oh, and BTW, please be sure to send e-mails addressed at specific staff members directly to those members! E-mails sent to personal addresses are still eligible for being published in the mailbag, so don't worry about using the addresses in the contact page.
Note to self: Get multiple e-mail accounts at Yahoo and Hotmail.
Sega Rally 2 will support the analog triggers.. Yes! That would be cool.
I never played the other games you mentioned which took advantage of
that, so I'm really looking foward to this. I will send you a review on
VF3(the only game I have right now) soon. I need to play it a bit longer
and look at certain things which I haven't noticed yet. Do you know if
Half-Life will be ported over to DC? I've seen this game in action and
it blows everything away when it comes to first-person shooters. I know
there will be some type of modification on the Japanese DC when the U.S.
DC releases.
Putting games aside(not really), where do you live? Have you been to
Gameworks? One just opened in my area(about 1ｽ hour away) and Sega has
its name all over it. I'm sure I will see the latest from the Naomi
board to the A&M departments. Now I can see what to expect on my DC. The
place is huge! When I go, I'll write some initial impressions on the
latest games. Till then.. See ya!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Yea, you better send in that read review, you greasy, webtv-using thug! Get your damn paws off the Dreamcast pad, you're not fit to handle it, you have to hold it like my rubber do.. er girlfriend, nice and gentle.
Half Life, as far as I know, isn't heading to Dreamcast. By the time it would be ready to be released in the states (the primary market for first person shooters), the game will be outdated. As a matter of fact, it's likely that Unreal might not make it to Dreamcast, though I'm sure some Unreal engine derivative will.
I live inside a Model 2 chipset used in a Virtua Fighter 2 machine somewhere on the East Coast. I have ingrained myself into the circuitry, the current of Sega flows through me and gives me the energy to put together this site. That, and I get to cyber with Sarah and Pai whenever I want, woohoo!
I was just wondering if you could send me the pros and cons for all the light
guns used for Virtua Cop 2 for Sega Saturn, and also tell me the which one is
the best one. Thanks
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Considering I have only used one Saturn light gun, I can only recommend one: Sega's Stunner. It's nice and sturdy, fairly accurate, probably the best in the marketplace anyhow. From what I hear, the third party guns are pretty much rubbish; anyone else have a thought on this?
Hey Fernando! SegaNet is quite the site. I've tried reading other sites,
but for some reason I just always count on you guys for the best coverage.
I even cancelled a subscription to a certain publication because you focus
on what I want to hear.
I have never mailed you before, but I thought this would be the day. Okay,
I read Greg Mitchell's editorial today, and his comments about getting
Square to publish are dead on. *grin* I especially like the comment about
submitting their wives for prostituion, etc.. good tactic. I'm sure it's
been done before, why not? Anyway, my question. Is Square a
gamer-friendly company? How devoted ARE they exactly, to their fanbase?
Would they be willing to change their minds about Sony and develop
exclusively on the Dreamcast if we gamers were to produce enough reasons
and cries out to them regarding development for our new system? I, for
one, would like many Sega heads to begin flooding them with pleas, with
yelps for help. Please, Square. I realize that we have many other viable
RPG developers, but something about Square just appeals to almost everyone.
They are becoming more and more of a household name, churning out ads on
the best spots on TV, the best networks, expensive airtime, showcasing
their games. Sure, they use the FMV extensively to highlight the games,
but it seems to work for the droves of Americans interested in pure eye
candy. Square seems to be insanely on top of things; they've got the cool
eye candy & fx as well as the money to saturate everyone here in our earth.
As I plummet into my closing, the message is clear. Square's arrival on
the DreamCast would mean gobs of new customers. Everyone is getting into
RPG's, and Square's have the reputation of being good, (though the hardcore
concensus would say otherwise in some cases) further penetrating new
markets. Hell, my girlfriend has recently gotten severely into RPG's, and
has exclaimed her interest to me on several occasions. Parasite Eve, Final
Fantasy VII, FF Tactics are all on her list of things to get for the
Playstation. I was forced to get one because she beat all of the RPG's I
owned on the Saturn. (Shining Wisdom, Dark Savior, Lunar SCD and Snatcher
SCD.) Her brother who is in the "cool crowd," a 16 year old hipster with
the attitude to match, now has a Playstation and FFVII. Cripes, what does
this say?? I say we bombard Square with what we know we must, and if this
leads to the imminent production of Dreamcast titles, great. If not, it's
still a damn good try. I feel that to get them on our side would be
guaranteed success, earning Sega a place in the utmost threshold beginning
late this year. The rest will follow... the sports titles, the mascot
products, and hopefully more original and creative masterpieces which would
only surface because of the penetration of the system.
I'm really sorry this has been such a long piece, and I understand if you
think it's too long, but I really had this on my mind and had to get it
out. And congrats on getting Greg into your wing. He and I have known
each other for at least 5 years, and I was excited to see him accepted, as
he is truly an elite gamer and writer.
Thanks Fernando for reading this... best wishes, and be well.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Sniff, sniff, you sure you aren't Greg in disguise? I smell something fishy, and it's not Greg's stank breath!
Square, like most other game companies, isn't a "gamer's company", they're a money making company. They'll go where the most money is, and right now the most money is in being a Sony only developer. Perhaps time will change that, perhaps not...
Fernando, whose contacts at Square plain suck (i.e. I don't have any, fool!)
Hello Fernando, please help me out with the following problem!
Before this happened, every readers of SegaNet already know the problems
associated with http://www.buyrite1.com/ Although I am too well aware of
their problems, they still have the lowest prices on the net.
Last night, I browsed around their website in search of some import Saturn
games. I found 2 titles, Thunderforce V for $25.99 and Metal Slug for
$49.99, and ordered them through their secure online ordering form. So I
put down Thunderforce V for $25.99 and Metal Slug for $49.99 as the items I
wanted to order, and clicked "send form". Then the unthinkable thing
happened this morning. A guy from BuyRite called me, and said I put the
wrong price down for Metal Slug. I put $49.99 as it is posted on their
website, but he told me over the phone it is $69.99! I said your website
listed it as $49.99, then he went on to say he couldn't find that listing
anywhere and said even if it does listed as $49.99, that section of the
website has not been updated. I insisted it is $49.99, but he wouldn't do
a thing, so I ended up canceling the order.
I got enough of these craps from BuyRite. Can you please report this to
some Government agencies, something that deals with consumers and false
advertising? They asked me to tell them where on their website the game is
listed as $49.99, but I refused to. If you need any proof, go to
http://www.buyrite1.com/ then on the main page, right above the Sega Rally
2 pic, there is a link called "Weekly Specials". Click there and scroll
down, and you will see Metal Slug for Saturn for $49.99 And if you call
them and ask for the price, they will tell you it is $69.99 instead. I
really want the government to close this place down, or at least give them
a huge fine. And please tell this to every major videogame websites, and
post it in SegaNet, so no gamers will buy games from them and experience
this BS from BuyRite ever.
Thanks for listening.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Don't let those "low" prices full you, BuyRite is, and always has been total and complete ass. Anyhow, you need to take matters onto your own hands and contact the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org). Good luck!
I was the one who made that shenmue semi wallpaper. Anywayz, I wanted to give
you this new one I made of the dreamcast controller. Actually, I wanted to
send this to Sega of America, but all I found on the site was their tech
support address. So could you forward this to them? I would also like an
opinion to the new concept controller I made with my meger computer art tools
(ie MS paint, and MS Picture It! Express). You think its too much? I know its
already a good controller, but I always imagined it would be something more
spectactcular and versitile, more so than the Sony controller. I know that tis
a one in a billion shot that SEGA would actually USE this, but I would sure
want them to consider it. Anywayz, thanks.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Don't worry, Sega has heard gamers' complaints about the Dreamcast control pad more than once (you think they don't browse usenet and the web?), but so far they have decided to stick with their guns and go with what they have. I don't think the pad is all that bad, but the improvements you suggest would make the thing that much better (save for perhaps the extra triggers, two is fine for me). The best thing I can do is post the image in this mailbag and let the readers rant and rave about it - who knows, perhaps Sega will see it and take some action!
First off, I'd like to congratulate yourself on a fine and informative site
you have! There are sites which may equal your site, but what make your site a
cut above the rest is that you update your site early in the day.
Well, I heard rumours that Sony's next system will be call Sony
Playbase...they wanted it to start off with "Play" because it would allow
other people to have a sense of familiarity. Also, I heard that Sony's system
will be pushing 6m polygons per second
Although this is a very high amount, I doubt gamers will see much of a
difference from the Dreamcast because if you compare PSX to N64 the graphical
difference isn't huge, its just enough to notice...plus look who's winning the
war. Nevertheless, you can't underestimate Sony because they'll release a
product of high quality (look at their tvs and camcorders), plus Sega is
facing an uphill battle, especially in the states.
Also, I heard that Sonic Adventure will get improvement in sound, graphics,
English translations and bug problems for the American release to raise Sega's
popularity. The bad thing is, Shen Mue will probably not get a full English
translation because it would take too long to do (its been a year for the
Japanese dialogue). Instead they'll put subtitles.
Before I leave, I'd like to ask a few questions (I know you hate them, but oh
well).
1. How many polygons does Sonic Adventure push? (I heard it was 600, 000)
2. Do you have any idea what the price of the DC will be in the U.S?
3. Is it true that Naughty Dog left Sony to join with Sega? (heard this from
psx2.com)
4. Out of ten what would you give the Dreamcast controller? What are the main
faults?
5. And to finish it off, are there any plans of a game gear 2? I hope they
make it an 8 or 16-bit system with colour, they shouldn't make it any more
cause it would cost too much and not hit it off with the public. Plus, it has
to be way smaller than the game gear.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
1. I started counting, got to around 100, 000, got distracted and lost count. No way in hell I'm going to start over!
2. Sega says below 200 USD.
3. Naughty Dog, as far as I understand, can develop for any system they wish. No word on any Dreamcast titles.
4. I would give it a 7 if I had to pick a number. The VMS is nice, the controller feels pretty good, but it could use some changes. More buttons on the face for one, a little better digital d-pad, and maybe some tweaking on the analog disc, it hurts my thumb when I play with it for too long.
5. Nope, after Nomad and Game Gear Sega is content to stick to the home/arcade market. Besides, they have the VMS and the Neo Geo device as entries into "portables."
The following was posted on the NCSX.COM "What's New" page for
today.
Jason
tnasoft@yahoo.com
Step Down Transformers
Some information that a customer of ours graciously supplied us
with. Sega of Japan's position on the use of step down transformers
with the Dreamcast is that they are unnecessary. The power supply on
the Japanese DC is rated to work within a + or - range of 20 volts
which is in line with the voltage here in the United States. Sega also
felt that a surge suppressor would be more useful when using the
Dreamcast in a territory outside of Japan to protect the unit against
external electrical shocks. However, the power adaptor in most new
electronics, including the Dreamcast, have buffers against these types
of shocks. Bottom line: Owners of the Japanese Dreamcast need not use
their console with a step down transformer. Any worries or concerns
based on the voltage are unfounded based on information from Sega. The
DC console heats up quickly inside but this is normal and proper
ventilation and operation of the fan will pipe the heated air out of
the unit.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Funny, that's what I have been saying...
Hey whats up guys? I am a big fan already of the Dreamcast launch in the States and i am just wondering what do you think the estimated price will be. I heard everything from $350 to $250. Most people i talk to say it will be around $250, but i wanted to ask someone who really knows. Also with the new controller for the Dreamcast, will you be able to pick sports plays on the little screen on the controller. Like if i was playing you in madden would i be able to pick my plays on my controller without you seeing my plays? Cant wait for the release!!!!!!
Thanks alot
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Man, if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me how much the Dreamcast is going to go for at the US launch, well, I'd have a couple of hundred dollars sitting around. Anyhow, Sega has said to the press that the US Dreamcast will hit America at less than $200. As for the VMS unit letting you pick plays on a sport game, well, I guess it's possible, though I myself have not seen the unit interact with the user while plugged into the controller and playing a game. I'm sure it can be done though...
You've got the best Sega site, so keep up the good work. I just wish
you could drop those Imagine Media losers and their slow-ass server.
Maybe all of us Segaphiles could send you $20 a piece and you could get
your own server :)
Anyway, hearing that Shen Mue will be subtitled, I had to bitch that
Sega(and Square,GameArts and others), if they weren't so arrogant, could
hire English-speaking voice actors to work in Japan, so that they could
do simultaneous English soundtracks. Maybe it would cross their minds
that English is essential to selling in North America, and is the most
common second-language in the world. A dozen voice actors would cost
less than one closet-sized apartment in Tokyo or dinner for four at any
Japanese restaurant.
All Sega fans should thank Capcom for all their efforts on Sega's
behalf. It seems almost charity that Capcom will release a game a month
for DC, especially since it'll be years before Sega can have an
installed base close to Sony's.
Do DC games still have to be modified for PAL? Can the machine simply
modify the resolution and framerate automatically?
Do you see any original games coming out of Sega's Arcade teams?
Daytona 2, HOTD2, VF3 are great fun, but hardly inspired.
The new Yu Suzuki game sounds like trouble, using 4 Naomi boards, which
kinda kills the point of doing decent ports. Maybe someone should tell
him that the arcade market is dying and that what money there is to be
made is in the low-end, where Namco, Capcom, Midway rule. I can
understand that Sega wants to be on the cutting edge, but those deluxe
machines just don't sell.
There were some retailers(Kay-bee, Circuit City, etc) that got burned by
Sega's mistakes from years past who will probably never carry the
Dreamcast. Will this have an impact on Sega's success?
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Best Sega Site? Leave IGN? Pay me 20 dollars? Hah, if only it were so easy...
Shen Mue being subtitled is likely, but not confirmed - the news that it would be subtitled is purely speculation by the fansites.
"...the Shen Mue development team has decided to include the option to enable Japanese subtitles to appear during the speech. The decision probably has to do with facilitating the play of Shen Mue without sound turned on, but it also hints as to how the game will be ported over into English by Sega of America."
That's hardly an official "Shen Mue will be subtitled" announcement, but it is a strong indication as to how things will go. I wouldn't worry too much about it either way, hell, Panzer Dragoon Saga was subtitled, and that was considered to be the best game of the year by a lot of people.
Capcom has other motives for releasing games on Dreamcast, starting with the use of Naomi as a cheap arcade board alternative, a step up in technology, and of course, everyone's favorite, making sure Sony doesn't get too big for its britches.
PAL games still need to be "reprogrammed", that's what the rest of the world gets for not going with NTSC! Hahaha.
Don't sell? They sell quite well, at least for the "deluxe" market they're aimed for - I'm sure Japanese arcades and the GameWorks/Dave & Busters of the world are going to pick up Ferrari F355.
Kay-Bee didn't get burned, they just got pissed that they didn't get in on the Saturn's early launch. Oh well, probably saved themselves some money! Anyhow, that doesn't matter now, Kay-Bee remembers how well the Genny sold for them, and they're going to carry the Dreamcast. If what Bernie Stolar says is true, the Dreamcast won't have any trouble at all getting into the proper retail channels.
1. From Friday's mailbag: "Okay, I admit it, I slacked off yesterday
more than I should of." Dammit, Fernando, you mean "should HAVE!"
Other minutiae: I notice Sega Otaku seems to have moved to the same
superior site format as you. Also, thank you for eliminating italics
from the mail. Your site kicks ass.
2. What's all this tripe about FFIX coming out this September? Nothing
kills a franchise faster than low-quality, cranked-out sequels. I'd
love to see Tobal 3 or an improved Final Fantasy Tactics 2 (without that
stupid zodiac system). What are your thoughts on this whole
Square/DC/FF deal?
3. Is Shen Mue a US launch title? Are they going to change the name? I
hope they do, I like Asians and stuff, but change it.
4. Is KoF'98 coming over here? It had better or heads will roll.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
1. Believe me, you don't want to encourage me to slack off, you'll start seeing the site fall into a SegaWeb like state... yikes!
2. I haven't heard anything about Square on Dreamcast from anything resembling a reliable source, so I'll hold off on speculating. Pretty pointless to start ranting and rambling about something that's pretty much just a rumor. There's enough confirmed stuff to blow off steam about as it is.
3. Sega hasn't announced their US launch titles, and I really don't have a clue if Shen Mue will be one. My intuition says no: the title isn't hitting Japan until April (I'm counting on some delays, so let's make that summer), and there's plenty of translation work to be done. Besides, it really doesn't seem like a "launch" title, I think we'll get it for Christmas '99... with the same name.
4. Um, er, unless SNK gets something "cooler" out this year, then yes, we'll more than likely see KoF '98. Then again, it is 2D, and it's a relatively obscure fighting game series here... perhaps it won't make it out at all. Who cares though, SNK games are always import friendly!
Last night, I had a dream that I bought a Dreamcast with Sonic Adventure and was having a blast playing. In my dream, I was on the Casino Level (I think. It was just a dream). Am I crazy, or just plain weird? Anyone else had a dream about a Dreamcast of their very own?
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
I seem to recall several dreams about the Dreamcast before and after owning the damn thing... anyone else? My latest was about playing a beta, buggy ass version of Blue Stinger - looked cool I must say!
Ok Fernando.. No more slacking off, you hear!? There really isn't
anything new to read concerning Dreamcast news except for small tidbits.
The last thing I want to see is a small whimpy mailbag. Ok, that out in
the open, I can start with the questions now.
Concerning Friday's mailbag.. Someone said that Square would be
announcing a sequel for the Dreamcast. Well, I wish it's FFIX, but
according to another well respected site, they said it could be Chrono
Trigger 2. Regardless of what the sequel is, I think having Square
developing games for Sega is just enough to satisfy any DC owner.
I also have a question about Sega Rally 2 for the Dreamcast.. How many
cars and tracks will the home version have? I like to have a good
variety to choose from.
Since you'll most likely have to dial into the Dreacast Network in Japan
in order to play online games(sucks for importers). Is there a special
program or fee you can pay the phone company to dial international
unlimited calls at no extra charge? This might sound stupid, but
actually something like that exists. In my house, we pay an extra $40 to
the phone company and we can call the next county(not country) unlimited
at no extra charge(we have many friends we call on the county next to
us) and saves us money even when an extra $40 dollars seen alot.
Keep up the good work.. Get some sleep and no more slacking off. =)
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Slacking off? Me? Hah, I see you haven't submitted a Dreamcast reader review yet, what's up with that? You better get to it, or no more mailbag privileges for you! I'll ban your IP from the mailbag directory faster than you can say "Dream Delight" You better get back inline, mister!
Note to self: banning the entire webtv ISP from the mailbag directory might not be such a bad idea...
Forget Chrono Trigger 2 or FF 9, I want Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon 2 and I want it now! Wait, it's already coming out for Playstation, damn... Just as well, considering Square's Dreamcast development is pure rumor right now.
Ten tracks in Rally 2, not counting mirror, reverse, and all that other junk. Four tracks from Sega Rally original, four tracks from Rally 2, and two brand new tracks.
Do I look like AT&T customer service to you? Those bastards have an 800 number - use it!
Well this is just to follow up of Richard Kazanowski's mail, well what he says is pretty true. Here in Singapore, Dreamcasts are selling for nuts (Asian version, no modem) and I have myself a Dreamcast, an arcade stick, 2 VMSes and 4 controllers but not once have I seen anywhere with Naomi machines (HOTD2) containing VMS ports, I mean if its a NAOMI cabinate or something shouldn't there be "slots"? Well just to tell, here in Singapore, we have all the new SEGA arcade sets out like HOTD2, Spike Out 4 player, Star Wars Trilogy, Daytona 2 Power Edition (go NORMAL car!), a underwater shoot-fest game (I can't remember the name) and a dune buggy game (also can't remember). All of them really rocks. And its all per game for $1 singapore dollar.
Also it seems that Evolution, Sega Rally 2 and Blue Stinger are already out in store here and I'm attempting to buy SR2 and Evolution for S$100 each. Since I've already completed Sonic Adventures and I must say Super Sonic looks cool! Like Super Saiyan Level 2 of Son Gouki (Wukong) in Dragon Ball Z.
Well just some tidbits.
P.S: The arcade stick is far more superior than Saturn's arcade stick, its directional joypad is now at the right tension level, unlike Saturn's stiff stick (no porn related joke here).
See ya!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Well, just because a game runs off the Naomi arcade board doesn't mean that the cabinet that it's contained in has to have the VMS slots. After all, not all Naomi games have compatibility with the VMS units!
Rally 2 and Blue Stinger out already? Are you sure? Blue Stinger is scheduled for March and Rally 2 is due out at the end of the month, I don't see why they would be out early in SG. Care to double-check?
Ok I have seen many previews of Sonic Adventure and I must say that I wll be
purchasin a Dreamcast. Now I was looking at these shots and an idea came to
my mind. I know that Sonic Adventure is a single player game but why not ad
in a multiplayer game later on? If sega has the modem capabilties they could
pull this off. I mean they already have the great single player Sonic but a
multiplayer would be even better. Thats why I can't wait for the game
Everquest. Speaking of RPG's like Everquest I have heard rumors of Grandia 2
being 2 player? Now if this was the case then u can drop thw whole sonic idea
to begin with. Damn I can't wait to see Grandia 2!
Loyal Reader,
Doug
P.S. I was just wondering. Will there be many different characters to choose
from in Climax Landers? I have already noticed that their are like 6
characters. So I was hoping if being able to pick different guys. Oh yeah
and speaking of Climax Landers is it gonna have a battle systm like Zelda's or
FF7's? Thats all for today and keep up the great work!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Well, Sonic Adventure does offer 1.5 play, but I doubt this is what you're looking for (1.5 play is like in Sonic 2, where a second player can control Tails while the primary player is playing with Sonic). I'm not sure how well a modem enable, two player Sonic Adventure would work - I imagine the lag might screw things up. No idea on Grandia 2, anything could happen with it, but considering it's not coming out for at least a year or so...
Again, no idea how many party members you can have in Climax Landers, but I do know that the battle system is turned based (ala FF7, Lunar, etc.)
Hey Fernando, as you know the buzz going around town in Japan right
now is this "industry shaking" announcement Squaresoft is going to make
regarding a sequel to one of their popular series, and as you may know
insiders in Japan are revealing that it may be dreamcast bound. As you know
FFIX is slated for 9-9-99 release only 7 months after FFVIII's 2-11-99 release
date, doesn't it seem odd that a sequel would be released so soon?? - when in
the history of videogame sequels have you ever heard of anything so
ridiculous,FFVIII may barely be localized by the time its sequel comes out in Japan,
it's just unheard of. Second thing, doesn't it seem odd that the Dreamcast's
U.S. debut 9-9-99 coincides quite nicely with FFIX's release date 9-9-99, not
to mention the fact that Squaresoft has had development kits longer than any
other development team. I'm tellin' ya, FFIX's Dreamcast bound, I just have a
hunch. What do you think??
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
I think I'm getting very sleepy and that I'm not in the mood to speculate on something I don't know all that much about. How's that for a grumpy old 'tude?
Hey Fernando,
Love the site, seems like everyone else slacks when it comes to dreamcast
news, anyways I'd just like to agree 100% on Brandon Suzuki's comment, that
sega shouldn't charge "pay for play". As an avid gamer I simply wont pay
for no damn online gaming (to hell with that, unless of course you live in
the boonies with no other type of communication with the outside world)and
i know tons of people here that are willin to dish out anything for a
dreamcast!(especially me!)but are simply not interested in paying just to
play over the net. Let me just say that sega would hurt itself by tryin' to
do this.
I was wondering about shen-mue: is it going to be one of then damn "push
the correct button at the correct time" type game?(ex.dragon's lair) cause
if it is, i'm not to sure about it, but it does look damn good. And could
you please fill me in on all the flight sim games, drivin' games, and
anything that involves complete destruction of a realistic looking city!?!
Sega-holic,
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Of course, pay for play would not fly at all in the USA - hell, most PC games come packed in with some free online gaming service, and of course there's HEAT, SegaSoft's free online deal. We'll see what happens, but I have an idea that this pay for play thing will stay in Japan and perhaps not even there for that long. The first thing that needs to happen is for someone to get their paws on Rally 2 to see how the online gaming system works on there.
Shen Mue has the QTE scenes, the adventure scenes, and the misc. scenes, I think I covered the game's play system to death in older news stories, so go check those out.
Hi Fernando, and guys from Seganet
I'm writing to you for a crazy story that I read in a brazilian magazine
: Sega of America will launch a Shining Force III Collection. Yes,
that's it. All of three scenarios in one pack... Is it true ? When I
read this I said : "Paia!" (Insane!). SoA just killed Saturn...
If it was SoJ, no problem. But SoA ?
About SA, it's a pity. Maybe Micro$oft is giving some lessons to SoJ...
tsck tsck...
Well I'll wait for DreamCast in Brazil... I'm patient...
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Sega of America will not release anymore Saturn product, so, um, I think that Brazilian mag has been hanging out in the rainforest too long. In other words, hell no, no Shining Force III collection pack from Sega of America!
Believe me, Sonic Adventure's "flaws" are there, but they're really not that bad...
Ouch, I guess you'll be getting American import units in Brazil? Might take awhile, I would guess until 2000, but what do I know?
You put an article up recently about submitting reader reviews. Would
you be willing to accept reader reviews of older sega games for older
systems? I got a pristine Genesis I and CD this morning. Recently I got
Virtua Fighter 2 for Gen and Snatcher for SCD, and I'd like to write
reviews of them if you'd post em.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Sure, send those in, I'll find room for them. I'm actually looking into starting a "retro" affiliate, possibly covering the Genesis and SMS (or perhaps one affiliate for each generation). I don't suppose you would be interested in getting one off the ground, would you? Anyone? Drop me a line.
For those of you in the Indianapolis area, the local Sega City is being
remodeled into a Gameworks studio. They plan having it fully operational
by mid March and are expecting over 60 games to come in. The manager
even told me that they are planning on linking a few Harley Davidson
machines together plus some other Naomi and Model 3 stuff. So goody for
us. And don't forget on Tuesday nights, $10 will get you unlimited play
until close (10:00pm). Now before I begin let me say that this is not a
review, but observations based on a few hours of unlimited play.
House of the Dead 2: The game I've been dying to see. I wanted to see
the Naomi board in action, since I've got a Dreamcast! And on March 25,
DC owners won't be disappointed. The game is fun to play. If you liked
HotD then you'll love HotD2. It is a lot more graphically impressive by
the old Model 2 game. The level of detail was astonishing. What really
amazed me was no matter how close the zombies got there was no loss in
graphic quality (i.e no pixelation, slowdown, or loss in resolution).
The game is still a blast to play and this time around the zombie are
really coming for you. So you've got to be quick and accurate. My
favorite effect in the game is in the darkened corridors, your gun has a
flashlight attached and you have to use it to look around and illuminate
darkened areas. Very cool!!
Star War Trilogy: Well I wasn't really knocked over by this one. Don't
misunderstand me, the the graphics were amazing (as expected from a
Model 3 game) and the audio was very good but what digs a grave for this
game is the gameplay. There is one joystick with 2 buttons (both do the
same thing..shoot), and an 'event' button that you use in certain
sequences. And you just shoot at targets with limited control. I won't
go as far as to say that Dragon's Lair has more playability, but if you
like the movies you may like this game (and there were many older gamers
really enjoying it). The lightsaber fighting is really cool, the force
feedback when you block Boba Fett's shots is a nice touch. And the fight
with Vader is somewhat intimidating. But they only last for like 30
SECONDS!!! I may get a home version if they add a little bit more (some
extra options or levels). This is not a 'meaty' enough for a hardcore
gamer, besides I'm getting a little sick of the Star Wars license.
Daytona 2-Power Edition: Very good, and Sega seems to have tweaked the
control from Daytona 2. New beginner course (but I like the old one
too), and some modifications to the expert course (it is nearly
impossible to beat now). They also threw in the original 'Hornet' car,
and it moves like a monster. I had a blast playing Daytona2PE, but then
again who doesn't?! I hope we get both versions on the DC plus the
original Daytona courses. Yeah I can wish can't I? Great game, solid
gameplay!! I definately want this one to come home!
Bass Fishing: Yeah I know it's not new, but I've been playing a with Big
the Cat in Sonic Adventure. This is what kinda got me into the whole
fishing game mood. I always see people waiting to play, so tonight I
finally gave it a shot. I must sadly admit that I really liked it. But
honestly if you've got Big accessible in Sonic Adventure, and if this
section is compatible with the upcoming Puru Puru pack, then you can
fish in the privacy of your own home. Let's move on.
The Ocean Hunter: I posted some impressions on this Model 3 title
earlier this weak. Let me just state again that the character designs
and the theme really catch your attention. The gameplay demands a more
accurate level of shooting than HotD, and the movement of the aquatic
sealife is absolutely amazing! You've definately got to play this game
at least once if given an opportunity. Absolutely amazing bosses!!
Any questions or if anyone wants a more detailed description of any of
the above mentioned titles then just drop me a line. Just wanted others
to hear what's happening on the Sega arcade side since so few
publications even discuss arcade games. Later...
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Thanks for the impressions, keep them coming!
Well, I could'nt believe my eyes! I picked up the latest issue of EGM,
and they actually gave VF3tb a favorable review! They just stopped short of
saying it was a perfect port! Now when was the last time you heard a "fan-
zine" say something so positive about a Sega product. Now, I've been around
the internet and read most of the reviews of VF3tb, but something about seeing
a good, solid, favorable review of this game makes me very, very, happy. (in
print)
I applaud EGM for not jumping on the "Sega-they burned us so many times"
bandwagon, and stood up and admitted that VF3tb is a great looking, great
playing video game! I can't believe I have to wait until the fall to get my
hands on a DC!
With much kudos for Seganet,
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Cool, perhaps this is a sign of things to come... Sega getting a fair shot in the media, who would of thought?
Just a quickie... I was "reading" the latest issue of Dreamcast Press
(I only know about 600-700 kanji) and from what I could gather from
the article Sega Rally 2 will support network play in the form of up
to 4 players competing simultaneously via a system similar to
blizzard's Battlenet (i.e. chat, find some buddies then launch into a
game). They called the mode "Battle Mode" and it clearly showed in
one of the pictures the option to select "Network Play" from the main
menu, and a person selecting which server to utilize after having
logged onto Sega's Sega Rally 2 network. Just a quick note. The
artice appeared to have no information regarding a pricing plan, but
considering that most people will have to pay their ISP and NTT (phone
company) for online time I would hope Sega won't smack the consumer
again with charge for using their servers... anyway... thanks for
listening...
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Just a quickie? Funny, that's the same exact thing I told Britney Spears before one of her body guards gave me a stern and powerful kick to the shin - ouch man, that smarts!
The four-player deal will work with a modem game in conjunction with the split-screen (two players per TV); still no rock solid details on the Rally pricing plan, I hope to have something worth reporting by next week.
hehehe, Sorry Fernando, nic = network interface card. What i meant was do you anticipate sega releasing a network interface card option to replace to modem for compatibility w/ cable modems/adsl? Gee, come to think of it if you hooked em up to a hub you could have lan games!!!! man oh man! ........btw, where did you obtain your dreamcast? I am getting sick and tired of waiting for Kenji to send me mine from Japan....he's not replying to my e-mail's.....i'm gonna whoop his ass when he gets back to canada!!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
OK, that makes some sense now, I think I have the vague and undecided speculation you're looking for:
Sega has said to the press that high-speed connections are much more popular in the states than in Europe/Asia, and that they are indeed considering some sort of Ethernet card adapter to let us use our cable modems and T1s. In related news, I'm current considering walking through the streets naked, still doesn't mean it will actually happen. Maybe for a free Naomi board and a decent ad service...
Oh, and I bought my DC from NCS (link in the links section).
Get rid of it. It is the worst sight that you could possibly imagine. With comedy even more grotesque than Jerry Lewis comedy. So please do your great site a favor and get rid of the parasite that is leaching of your popularity.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
I rather like it, oh well! And why are you dissing Jerry Lewis, the French love him! Oh, I see now, good point...
So Ferrari F355 will be using four Naomi boards. Does this mean that
the Dreamcast's future for arcade ports is automatically bleak? Perhaps
not.
Sure, the arcade game will use four boards. Don't forget that it's to
handle three screens consecutively. It's handling three completely seperate
areas, each with their own rules of physics. Perhaps it's roughly one Naomi
board per screen, with the fourth to co-ordinate events? If gameplay isn't
overly reliant on watching the two outer monitors, a port might not be out
of the question.
Also, Sega is in the minority in their use of high end arcade boards.
Considering the abundance of CPS2, CPS3, and System XX boards in the arcades
it seems unlikely that the majority will suddenly pay the extra to compete
with Sega's best tech.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Guess we'll find out when the game gets released.
I have a few questions about Shen Mue and House of the Dead 2.
1. Noooooooooooo! Please tell me that this is just a joke or false info. I
read on very reliable sites that Sega of America is not gonna port Shen Mue
to the American Market just because of the Asian content. If this is true,
then SoA is F---ing up another system much like the poor Saturn. Next to
VF3tb, Sega Rally 2, and Sonic Adventure, Shen Mue is goona be one of/ the
best game ever. With graphics and gameplay like that SoA must be smoking pot
or some other $hit not to release the one title that could determine sega's
place in the future. And they are doing this because of the Asian content.
Screw that. Most of our Favorite Arcade games are made in Japan but have a
highly American feel and look. [ Gunblade New York, Top Skater, Virtua Cop,
LA Raiders, and most of the racing and fighting game characters and settings
look american] If SoJ dosn't care about what race and nationality the
characters are, why dose SoA have to. If its true, then it shows that SoA is
once again acting like @$$holes when it comes to video games.
2. After hearing about what SoA was gonna do about Shen Mue, I decided that
I will import a Dreamcast instead of waiting for the domestic release. I
don't have one yet [ I'm waiting for the price to lower] but I do have a
offical white VMS and the green godzilla one. I thought that even though I
couldn't use them to the most capacitey yet, I thought that I could use
them for Naomi arcade titles instead. Just a few days ago, I was in New York
City at the XS arcade and they had the first Naomi title there, House of the
Dead 2. The game was great but their was no place to insert the VMS. I
thought Naomi titles were VMS compatable. First I was dissaponted to see
that Daytona USA 2 wasn't compatable, Now this. Did Sega do this on purpose?
Thanks.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
1. I'd like to know what the "very reliable site" is, can't be all that reliable, considering they're dead wrong. Guess that means pretty much the rest of your e-mail is worthless, doh!
2. Considering no VMS units are even out in the USA, it wouldn't make any sense to have the damn slots on the machine. Besides, only games that elect to have the compatibility will have it, HOTD 2 just didn't make sense. Just wait and you'll get your damn VMS arcade compatibility! Like it's even going to be that BIG of a deal...
Ever since the announcment of a new SEGA machine, every single SEGA fan,
has been worried sick about a possible PSX 2 release, either before or
after the release of our own favourite console. Well these worries are
pretty useless, as it doesenｴt really matter when the PSX 2 i released,
its release can only help SEGA, and that in a major way. You might think
Iｴm a complete nuttcase suggesting this, but think about it for a while.
More or less from the beginning of time (well 20 years or so at least)
there have always been at least two consoles out in the market, from (in
recent years) Nintendo vs. Master System in Europe, to SNES vs. Genesis
in America and PSX vs. Saturn in Japan. And what has come out from all
this competition? Greater sales and, most of all, better sales. The only
way to push the market forward is by competition, and therefore the PSX
2 should be wellcomed. The PSX and N64 are soon dead, due to the fact
that more and more developers want to move on to better systems, and
what a great situation if they could choose between to superb consoles.
Now on to some questions:
1: Do you now if Naka-san has got any NiGHTS or BR follow-ups planned?
2: Whit all the discussion concerning Team Andromedas being or not, do
you know of any plans regarding a Panzer Dragoon sequel, or maybe a
completely new and original game?
3: What is the cheapest DC-deal I can get? I want a DC (obviously), two
controllers, two VMSｴs and Sonic Adventure.
4: What is your opinion on Shen Mue? From what Iｴve seen and read, it
will be the closest thing to real life so far produced, and it seems
absolutely awesome.
Well thatｴs it from the land of the north (Sweden), and I wish you luck
with your homepage, as itｴs the best out there.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
1. Since I'm a close friend of Yuji Naka, I tend not to talk business while we're together. That said, I did manage to take a peek at this diary while he was in the bathroom, and here's what it said:
You'll need a Japanese font to make sense of it, but here's what I could make out of it:
"Wow, Fernando is a really great friend of mine, I wish he would come over to my apartment more often. It's a shame we had to rush the release of Sonic Adventure so much to make it out for Christmas - Fernando gave me a good spanking for all the times he fell through the walls. I guess I'll make sure I fix all those things for the English version, after that, who knows what I'll work on?"
2. Beats me, I used to have an informant at Team Andromeda, but he left after the team told him he couldn't do his Lagi impersonations anymore, nuts!
3. The cheapest? Get your ass to Japan and pay retail!
4. My opinion is that it looks good from the movies and screens I have seen; I'll reserve further judgement until I play it.
I've been visiting this fine site for about 6 months now and I personally
find this site to be the all-around best one when it comes to covering
Dreamcast information. Only Sega-X even comes close. Anyway, I have already
sent my personal reader review on Sonic Adventure (reader review #4) and sent
my thoughts & impressions on the Japanese Dreamcast I have owned since
December 5th or so. As a proud owner of a DC, I am quite happy with it so
far. I am really very impressed with Sega's progress so far as they have
managed to sell over 500 thousand DC's in Japan and Asia so far in under two
months' time. I am sure that for sales of a home console, that number is
something of a marvel, given its short amount of time in the marketplace. If
I have one complaint about the DC, and this one isn't a really big deal as it
really only affects the Japanese and Asian market for now, its this: Software
delays. I am disappointed that titles such as Sega Rally 2 and Climax Landers
get delayed, but on the other hand I feel relieved that Sega is actually
making good on the commitment to ensuring that the software that does come out
for the DC is really up to snuff. For that, I commend Sega for doing this at
the risk of losing some initial sales to disappointed gamers that want the
games out now. It really shows that Sega is really a 'changed' company.
(After completing Sonic Adventure, I only wished that Sega would have delayed
it a month or two to get rid of those damned camera glitches, but I know that
some major title needed to be out to bolster DC's somewhat anemic software
presence.)
This brings me to my point. If people who don't own the Japanese DC are
going to complain about Sega, or it's current software line-up, or whatever:
don't buy the system now. Wait to see if there is something that you really
want on it to appear in order to warrant its purchase. Back in October 1994
when the Playstation came out in Japan, Sony didn't have any really, really
killer titles out at launch in Japan, save for Ridge Racer. It's launch was
rife with incredibly mediocre titles (4 crappy, ill-received and reviewed
mahjong titles!) that, for the most part, could've been produced on a SNES
with little difference. That set of launch titles did nothing to really show
the advantages of owning a PSX. That was almost four and half years ago.
When the U.S. launch for PSX happened a full year later in the 1995, Sony had
the time to gather and develop plenty of visually impressive titles (at least
good enough to look appealing on the back of game packaging and in magazine
ads). This provided enough initial depth of titles to look promising enough
to own. Saturn's launch in Japan was only really well received initially
because of the popularity of Virtua Fighter, which came at launch for the
system. However, gamers were extremely disappointed with the quality of VF's
crappy conversion, the lack of appealing original titles on the horizon and
mostly left to side with Sony's camp. It didn't hurt that Namco and Capcom
brought out killer titles not too long after Sony's launch in Japan. Despite
having a mediocre showing at launch, Sony had a strong follow-up wave of
software that provided a deep variety of titles not seen since the NES days.
However, it also topped NES in the area of extreme quantities of total crap
software as well. The U.S. Saturn launch really was a bit of a surprise in
its timing and also an extreme letdown. They launched in May of 1995 (seven
whole months after the Japanese launch), didn't make good use of their 4 month
lead time on Sony by not releasing any titles during that time, and refused to
competitively price when Sony's machine hit the market at $299 compared to
Sega's $399. With the terrible Saturn launch and the 32X fiasco before it,
Sega really hit the bottom when it came to mass-market reputation in the U.S.
That was the 'old' Sega of America.
Now, Sega seems to have learned from these mistakes. Dreamcast's specs are
downright incredible, especially for the price. As I have read in interviews
with developers, DC's programming environment is more developer-friendly.
Sega's marketing is effective enough to sell DC's at brisk pace without having
to rely on just one killer title (Virtua Fighter isn't bearing all the weight
this time). The software line-up is looking brighter and brighter, despite
some major titles being delayed. Third-party relations are at an all-time
high. With the likes of Capcom and their firm stance of support for the DC
--an exclusive Resident Evil game plus tons of marquee 2D fighters! Or how
about Namco and their possible release of Soul Caliber and maybe the Tekken or
Ridge Racer series on the DC. And most importantly, exclusive and original
titles from third parties like Game Arts with Grandia II. Sega seems to be
doing everything right this time.
Having spent $1,100 for my Dreamcast system (plus all four launch titles)
back in early December, I have to say that I have never once been disappointed
with system so far. I know how Japanese launches are in regards to software
and I knew what to expect. I am actually quite impressed thus far and am
really looking forward to upcoming titles such as Shen Mue and Sega's U.S.
launch in September.
If this current situation that Sega is in reminds me of anything, it reminds
me of when Sega was going to release the Genesis in the U.S back in November
of 1989. Sega's Master System had failed miserably, losing to Nintendo's NES
in the states and Japan (it sold great in the UK, however). The reason: bad
marketing, little to no third party support, and some very stupid decisions
regarding peripherals and software compatibility. Sega wanted to release
their follow-up 16-bit system before Nintendo's new 16-bit one, but while the
8-bit NES was still king and had started to look a little long in the tooth
graphically. Sega bided their time with the Genesis, as it had graphics and
sound that made the NES look like crap, while still being cheap enough to
consider owning at home.
In 1991, Nintendo released SNES and initially blew Genesis away in sales and
shock value with some great launch titles. However, Sega kept whittling away
at the SNES's market with cheaper prices overall, and a bigger, more diverse
software library that included outstanding titles like EA' s original Madden
Football. Then in 1991, Sonic was released and really blew everyone away with
it's colorful 3D-ish graphics, blazing speed, and cool mascot/lead character.
Later in '93, the whole Mortal Kombat-blood thing happened and Sega benefited
from their decision not to censor, hence Sega was seen as a cool company that
didn't mind a little controversy. This, plus many other factors lead to
Sega's eventual sales dominance over SNES in the U.S. Then, Sega dropped the
ball in '94 with the 32X and a lack of constant flow with the software on the
Genesis.
This leads us to the Saturn, with SOA' s really bad overall marketing, bad
judgement on what titles got advertised and promoted, and bad choices about
what titles got localized or brought to the states. Too bad, Saturn was a
great system, with great potential, and with great games -- in Japan, anyway.
Enter Sega's Dreamcast. SOA has been completely overhauled. Their attitude
is no longer the smug, complacent one resting on its laurels of past
achievements. This is probably the same Sega at the time of Genesis launch in
1990 -- minus Al Nilsen and Tom Kalinske at the helm of SOA. Sega has finally
delivered a system that meets or exceeds its hype (IMHO), and has nothing
wrong with it in terms of specs, development environment, cost, marketing, and
overall presence.
If you look at the situation with the Genesis back in 1989, Dreamcast could
really be in that same position that the Genesis was in: The PSX would replace
the NES and the DC would replace the Genesis and that's what we have today as
the situation. Sega, with nothing left to lose, everything to gain, and
coming off of a crushing defeat has a killer attitude toward winning and is
hell-bent about doing so. The DC is outrageously superior in terms of graphic
power compared to the N64 and PSX (it's a little hard for me to even really
look at the PSX and N64 graphics anymore), it will be priced competitively,
and have a great selection of software. Sega finally has the right tool, the
right approach, and the ability to be competitive with present and future
systems from both Sony and Nintendo. By the time the new Sony system comes
out, Sega will probably be able to undercut PSX 2's price by a huge and
substantial amount, while still delivering very competitive audio/visuals as
well as things like internet access and network play. I seriously doubt that
Sony will be able to make their new system even close to twice as powerful as
the DC while still trying to be price competitive with the DC.
In addition, I feel that a lot of the third party developers working on the
PSX really don't want Sony to completely dominate as they now do. I mean,
right now there are way too many developers and publishers on one platform.
This situation makes sales much more difficult for any given title as there
are more mouths to feed than there is available food. Smaller publishers and
developers simply can't afford to spend as much as the bigger companies do to
advertise and promote their titles -- this doesn't even include development
costs. Why do you think that there is all of sudden this great surge in
titles being released for the N64? It's a less crowded ship. While everyone
and their mother were shoving their way onto Sony's ship, Midway and Acclaim
were making bank on the N64 side of things. Less competition and a healthy
audience on the N64 to sell product to equal more percentage of profit on that
platform by not having to share the limelight with too many others third
parties -- even despite higher production costs associated with cartridges.
Expect third parties to be more even handed when it comes to developing for
more than one system. This means that some traditionally platform-exclusive
companies will be more interested in spreading their development costs
around. Get ready to see more multiple platform releases in the coming year,
as many companies don't want to place all of their gambling money on just one
horse.
Sega has definitely come down a long and winding path to its present place in
the industry. I hope that companies are more receptive to the 'new' Sega and
give the system a chance -- this goes for gamers, too! Long live SegaNet!!
P.S. Sorry about being so damned long-winded.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Damn, that was a long ass e-mail! You made some excellent points though, and everything made sense so I don't really mind. Next time you have so many thoughts on your mind, you should go ahead and write an editorial...
I値l start by saying that your site is damn fine, I visit whenever I get a couple of minutes to myself, especially now I got an import Dreamcast (Thanks to Tronix). However the point of this letter is that when I read you had signed a UK website I thought COOL!! at last some UK specific information like how to sort out compatibility problems with UK TV痴 and import Dreamcast痴 and the usual stupid bastard letters like I poured tea inside my Dreamcast why don稚 it work? But sadly NO. All I can say is that not all british people are a few mad cow痴 short of an asylum. No wonder we get stuff years after Japan and the US they probably think we池e all insane.
Ever since Sega Saturn Magazine died a few months ago I致e been looking for somewhere else to find UK related information on Sega痴 next console but now I think I値l stick to this site because UK: Resistance seriously BITES.
Oh well it痴 not you fault you got the last chicken in the shop, you never know they might get better! Still, now that I got my import Dreamcast anyone out there need any info you can E-Mail me at M_Gregory@Mailcity.com
Thanks all the same!!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Not a UK:R fan, but you were a SSM reader... interesting. I have some shocking news for you, Gary from UK:R is the Gary Cutlack from SSM. HAH! If that doesn't mess up your head, I don't know what will.
You have so many e-mails with so many long opinions on them, let me get straight to the point: Sega's existance lies in their ability to successfully launch the Dreamcast in America. That's it. That is all they need. They've go the tools to do so, what with the modem and internet being so much more popular this side of the ocean and first-person shooters being at the height of their own popularity and their genre booming here. The games will have been out for nearly a year by the time they reach American shores, well enough time to fix any collision detection in Sonic, or speed problems in Rally 2, or camera bugs in Blue Stinger. This is absolutely going to make or break Sega this time around, and if they toss as much money as they say they're going to at advertising ($550 million I heard), it should prove a giant success.
Just wanted to wish them good luck, that's all.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
550 Million US Dollars on advertising!? Are you mad!? Where did you hear this figure at? Last I heard, the figure was closer to 100 million.
I was wondering how they plan on working their multiplayer. As it stands now it "appears" as if Sega Rally2 is going to be their first online multiplayer game.
Well, how are they going to handle the multiplayer aspect of it? Are players able to do point-to-point connections (house to house) or will we be restricted to playing over the net? If that is the case playing over the net would be kinda choppy for those of us in the western hemisphere (even w/ cable/adsl). What I am wondering is if we can host our own game servers? Would sega ever consider releasing some source code/game server package so that we could host our own Dreamcast multiplayer game servers? Maybe SOA would consider this but I doubt SOJ would. Now, of course Sega will probably want to charge for online gaming but think of the profits they would reap if they didn't and they allowed us to host our own servers (say, you had a cable/adsl connection and a P2 based server of sorts), I'm sure they would BENEFIT far more due to the customers they would attract versus charging for it and turning some away. id software and other highly successful game co's do it.....Sega should follow suit. If they do not.....I'm sure SONY WILL do it for PSX2....they will need an edge and that would do it! So, in closing to SEGA "Don't give Sony an edge to use, Don't charge for online gaming!!!"
Sincerely,
Brandon Suzuki
ps.- Do we know when Sega will be releasing a Dreamcast nic to replace the modem?
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Still no specifics on Sega of American or Sega of Japan Internet play, all I know is the SoJ has some sort of deal with Dwango, so that's probably how the Japanese gamers will play... at least to start off with. It's a pretty good bet that SoA will use some sort of tcp/ip deal, unless they want gamers to rape and pillage their HQ!
If I knew what a "nic" was, I might have an answer - enlighten me.
Where the hell is Blue Stinger? What the hell happened? One minute we're
being fed large doses of images from the game and then suddenly, Poof?!.
Blue Stinger no more? Did the game have a serious problem or was it delayed
to fill a gap in Sega's game release timetable? On another note, why has
Sega opted for Sega Rally2 instead of Super GT? I would imagine other than
VF3 most gamers would rather a dreamcast port of Super GT. When I first
learned of the Dreamcast's ability to duplicate Model 3 games Super GT along
with VF3 immediately came to mind. So what's the problem? After seeing how
close Sega came to arcade perfection with VF3 one has to wonder if Super GT
can be done at all, what with its reflective surfaces and all. By the way,
Sega Rally2 was no where as stunning as Super GT in the arcade. Was Super GT
done on some sort of upgraded Model 3 board-Model 3b I believe it was
called-that would explain why Sega is in no hurry to attempt a Dreamcast
port. Last but not least, are there any software companies working on a way
to shorten the time it takes to develop 3-D games? I've read on some game
developement sites that the current crop of pc and console games take
anywhere from 18 months to 4 years and sometimes even 10 years to develope.
Worst of all some of these titles that take so long to develop never see the
light of day. Somewhere somebody has to be working on a way to dramatically
cut back the time it takes to develop a game. Be it in the programming
department or art/3-D modeling department. Till next time, make mine
Dreamcast!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Slow down there Lisa, one topic at a time! Blue Stinger wasn't delayed due to scheduling conflicts, it was delayed because it needed it. The camera needed tweaking, the puzzles fixing, and the game finishing. It's pretty typical to see first generation games to get delayed; developers need to learn a new console, develop a quality game, and at the same time deal with all the usual game development conflicts - all of this is amplified by the fact that this is CG Studios first video game project. Blue Stinger still shows a ton of promise, the version that was on hand at the TGS was impressive but had serious camera issues. It's also important to note that none of the puzzles were implemented in the TGS version, it was just straight up action (just as well, considering the time limits and such that are enforced at the crowed TGS). I have a feeling that Blue Stinger will be a fun game once it finally comes out this March.
Boy do you have your Super GT facts messed up! First things first, Super GT was developed on the original Model 3 board not the step 2 unit that later games used. Super GT has been ported to Dreamcast - sort of. One track from the game was used as a tech demo to show off the Dreamcast to potential third party developers. The demo was on display for public consumption at TGS; Sega's official word for Super GT on Dreamcast is that it's not going to port such an old game. My theory is that Sega wants to port as few Model 3 games to Dreamcast as possible and move on with the upcoming Naomi ports, as you may remember, Naomi ports can be done fairly easy. So, why was Sega Rally 2 ported over? Well, a PC port of Rally was in the works; originally Sega was going to use the PC port as a basis for the Dreamcast version of Rally 2. Sega went ahead and did this, but the public didn't buy it - gamers and the media at TGS bashed videotape of Rally 2 Dreamcast.
On average it takes 12 months to develop a game; I doubt that this figure will change anytime soon, if anything, development times will only increase as game projects gets bigger and require even more planning.
Yo, Fernando, dis site be mad phat, mad phat, mad crazy phat! Word!
Just kidding. I personally abhor poor grammar and diction. In any event, I
just wanted to send a fairly coherent message complimenting you on your
fantastic site. You should be commended for the excellent tone and format,
which achieves a difficult blend of genuine enthusiasm and objectivity.
Rather than offer a slew of questions, I'll just offer a "wouldn't it be cool"
section, akin to Seinfeld's "did you ever notice" routine.
Wouldn't it be cool if...
1) The Fallout series from the PC was brought over to Dreamcast?
2) Panzer Dragoon was revisited, either in another shooter or RPG format? Just
imagine...the Guardian Dragon resurrected with beautiful Dreamcast quality
graphics!...urk!...heart...failing...
3) Starcraft managed to surface on DC?
4) Phantasy Star V really did emerge, crushing every other RPG under its
heels?
Well, that's just my silly wish list. Once again, keep up the good work. Oh,
can you place the following quote?
"Welcome to the Fantasy Zone...GET READY!"
Hang in there,
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Thank you for the kind words and support, it's nice to see that unlike some other sites, I bother to at least spellcheck my articles. Then again, we all know that running a spellchecker does not constitute proofreading; offenders, you know who you are.
1. I wouldn't mind it, but I doubt Sega would approve the game unless a possible "Fallout 3" made the move to a completely 3D, texture-mapped engine.
2. Drool...
3. Ehm, I already have the PC version, don't see the need for an awkward console port.
I was wondering if Acclaim will be developing there upcoming wrestling game
titled "WWF Attitude"? If you have any any information on this topic, do
you know if it will have more features than the N64 and PSX?
By the way, I read on ign that the PSX won't be released in Japan for
around another 18 months!!! Well, it looks like Sega's time to dominate
the video game industry once again will take place this year!!! Keep up
the great work on your site!!!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Considering Acclaim was one of the first five American publishers announced to be supporting Dreamcast, it's a good bet that all major Acclaim franchises will eventually make their way to Dreamcast. No official confirmation of WWF Attitude, but I have a feeling a revised version of that game, or perhaps a sequel will appear on Sega's new console.
Playstation not to be released in Japan for another 18 months? But it came out in '94, after the Saturn... oh, you mean Playstation 2! Well, anything IGN is reporting on PSX 2 is far from official, so I'd wait until Sony makes an official announcement before claiming victory...
Hello Fernando.
I have a couple of questions regarding the Dreamcast(what else!?).
Are the VMS units universal? I've seen pictures of the VMS with japanese
text on it. Could you use the same VMS unit on a U.S. system and get
english text? I don't think it would be a problem. The same N64
controllers and memory cards work in Japan and U.S. Same with PSX, but I
wanted to get it from an expert. =)
Are First-person shooters such as Goldeneye and Quake big in Japan as
they are in the U.S? I read that Unreal and the next Quake will be
coming to the DC. I wasn't sure if it's a U.S. release only.
Last, I read some specs on the DC and it states that the cd-rom drive is
12-Speed.
It says 12X-Speed when running CAV(circualting angular something..I
think) and when it runs CUV, it's another speed. I got this information
from a U.K. magazine. They even said it has two speeds.. Any truth to
that? If so, what's the other speed?
That's it for now. I would like to say that this is the first time I
ever buy a product with "Sega" on it. I have a good feeling in Sega's
success this time around.
Such a good feeling that I imported the system(another first!). No
matter what Sony throws at them, Sega has the power this time around
with the ability to port arcade games(which Sega rules in) to perfection
or near-perfection at the least on a home system.
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
VMS Units - No idea if the VMS units will be universal, I would hope they are, but I won't know for sure until Sega finalizes their territory lock out plan for Dreamcast (and makes it public).
First person shooters (FPS) aren't nearly as big in Japan as they are here. This is mainly due to the fact the Windows PCs don't have the market penetration in Japan that they do in other markets. This is also explains why the Internet isn't as popular in Japan as it is here.
CAV and CUV is referring to how fast the drive is at a certain point; most drives don't read at a constant speed, instead they change position depending on where the date they are currently reading is located. This doesn't mean much for Dreamcast, the load times are quick and efficient.
First off Id like to say that your webpage is the bomb! i come here every
single day to read the mail and the reviews! I really followed sega ever
since they had mentioned the first little itty bitty news on the So called
new system called Katana(Or as we call it now, the mighty console god the
DREAMCAST!) and now that the system came out, everybody is talking about it
and, mostly all negitive stuff is coming out about it! But i know sega has
the potential to turn things around. I know everybody is talking about the
Psx 2 and that its gonna kill the DREAMCAST! what i don't understand is,
that why are people talking about the Psx 2 when it does not even Exist
yet( hey don't get me wrong people, im not trying to talk bad about sony!,
I play my psx all the time) I don't see how a console, that doesn't even
exist yet, can kill another console that does exist! All i know is that
people from psmonline and other psx website are talking bad about "the
ultimate console to date" Id jus like to say to them that you people are
underestimating SEGA and when the time come, you'll be sorry that you ever
said anything bad about the dreamcast ! Cause the dreamcast will reign
supreme!( I believe that sega learned their lesson and have more experiance
than sony, WATCH UR BACK SONY!) Ok, now for my questions!( sorry for the
long speech!)
1.I read a lot about the modem on the Dreamcast and people said that you
could connect to a server in japan, but it will cost you a lot! now my
question is that why could we not connect to our local internet server
providers? could it be cause sega don't have a server in the U.S yet?
2.and I also wanted to know When the U.S Dreamcast come to America, Will
be able to use our import Dreamcast modems to play online with the people
who have the American version? if so, will it be the same cost of
connection for both brands of DC systems?
3. I heard a rumor that the modem for the U.S version will be faster than
the Import Japanese version! is this true?(My opinion is that I don't think
that SEGA will make a better modem because it will cost more money to
upgrade the u.s systems and the price i think will have to raise! and i
personally don't think that they will make the U.S version better than
their Japanese version!)
4. And i also wanted to ask you if sega confirmed that we won't be able to
play u.s games on our import Dreamcast! and if we can't, will there any
chance in the WORLD, that we could possibly but a modchip or a upgradable
thing so we could play u.s games?
5. 1 more question, will the cost of the U.S dreamcast be like 250$ or
299$? isn't that the price of the psx and saturn when they first came out?
why so cheap?
PS: Thank You Seganet for reading and having the time to even bother
with this long list of questions! I wish best of luck to Seganet ! keep up
the wonderful and outstanding work! I really hope you guys find it in your
heart to post this up in your Mail section! not only will I be honored to
have my letter in your website, i also think my questions are very
important to us Dreamcast Owners! Thank you very much. (if you don't post
it up, I'd be so thankful if you write me back with my anwsers! )
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
1. You must of misunderstood, you only need to connect to the Japanese server once, for under a minute, to register your console for online use. Once this is done you can use whatever ISP you want to use.
2. Who knows? Sega's online plans haven't been revealed to the press, so I can't even begin to guess on issues like this. That said, my guess is, if you find a way for a JP unit to play the American game then yes, you'll have the same functionality as an American console.
3. Sega has talked about a possible Ethernet card adapter/add-on for the console; rumors have also circulated about a 56k modem as a pack-in for the USA machine. Both could very well happen, especially how slow 33.6k will sound this fall.
4. This question has been answered a million times, hit the archives.
5. Bernie Stolar has promised a sub-200 launch, I don't doubt it, considering the Japanese system retails for ~260 USD. You have to remember that the technology and market that the Dreamcast is launching in is very different from the Saturn and Playstation launch...
I noticed that you have recieved a lot of mail on the subject of 'sub-par' Dreamcast titles. (warning - this is a loooooong letter!) The thing is, very few of these letters (if any) put their criticisms in perspective. Take the things being said about Sonic Adventure:
1. The game has pop-in.
For the most part of the game, you have to actually look to find pop-in, (excluding a couple of levels, which are rather bad in places) and then nearly all the things that pop in are fairly small game objects. (rings, small platforms, trees, etc) The actual landscape, however, draws almost infinitely in nearly every area. Furthermore, the game has NO fade-in either. Add on top of this the sheer amount of detail the game has in every scene, and you get a game that is technically unparallelled on ANY home system. (in fact it blows away most arcade games) Put it next to any game on any other console, and show me one game that has a real-time 3D environment that is superior...
2. The game has dodgy collision detection.
This goes into a similar bracket as point one. For the most part, there are no problems, and while I have encountered places where you slide for no reason, I have yet to fall through a floor where it wasn't intentional. (eg: on top of the trees in the Lost World, or at the bottom of the stone snake pit in the temple) Sure it gets a bit shaky in places, but once again, I don't know of any 3D games of this sort with flawless collision detection.
3. The camera gets stuck, etc.
Once again, every game of this sort has some problems with the camera system. The ones that don't get stuck in walls, usually don't let you change the camera, or just don't give you the view you need. Even new games have some camera problems. (even Zelda on N64 gives me the shits in places)
Having made these points, now consider the good things, and just how damn good they are!
1. The graphics.
Technically speaking, this game throws more polygons around than anything that has ever been seen in the home before. It uses some of the most incredible hi-res textures, the characters are extremely well modelled and animated. The levels are large and well designed, with some really clever ideas that aren't found anywhere else.
This game is simply beautiful! Aesthetically speaking, there isn't a realtime game that can touch this one! Climb up high almost anywhere in the game, and hit your L or R button for panoramic views that can't be matched in any other game I can think of! Not to mention the little touches that were added in just for our viewing pleasure! (take the dolphins that jump over you at the end of Emerald Cove)
2. The gameplay.
One thing that is rarely mentioned as a complaint, is how the game plays! This game is incredible! The controls are simple and responsive; power-ups and rings are plentiful; the stages are varied, both in look and play styles; you get 6 different characters, each with their own actions, play styles, and missions; and the difficulty level rises at a nice pace. (well, right up until the last couple of stages where is starts to get cheesy) Add to this, the various mini-games (the snowboarding, or the Panzer Dragoon-style plane sections) and the A-life Chao creatures. There are a LOT of reasons to keep playing this game!
3. The sound.
While for the most part the sound effects aren't anything extrordinary, the soundtrack ROCKS!!! The music is just great! Run this game through your stereo and turn it up - you won't be dissapointed! This is one of the very few games that has a professional quality, original, soundtrack. (most other games with professional tracks, are just licensed from existing artists albums)
Now, I'm not about to go in-depth on other Dreamcast games, (collective sighs of relief from the readers. ;) ) but all the other games I've played are far better than the talk on the net would lead you to believe. (with the exception of Godzilla - which is, to put it bluntly, crap in almost every respect.)
Virtua Fighter 3tb is an incredible conversion with very few flaws. Sure, it's not arcade perfect, but I don't mind shelling out $100 for it instead of $30,000 for the arcade machine! Besides, it still looks, sounds, and plays better than any other 3D home fighting game. (Tekken 3? Please....) Even PenPen is great fun, yet it hardly recieves any praise. Maybe most of the people out there have only played it on their own, because it's great fun with two players! (And I think it'll be funny as hell with four!) It also has great graphics - while the scenery is nothing incredible, the PenPens themselves are smooth and very well animated. There is no pop-in that I have noticed, and the game maintains it's super smooth frame rate, even in split-sreen.
The simple fact is that people are expecting every game to be perfect, which, let's face it, is rediculous. The games are all first generation titles, yet they better almost every other game in their respective genres. They play great, look incredible, and are only the tip of the iceberg! Just shut up and enjoy it!
Fernando Mosquera Replies:
"Just shut up and enjoy", hum, then where would all the professional reviewers be? Here's one for you, how about submitting some reader reviews of these games that have been criticized out of conflict? Don't forget to check your spe
