From what I understand... We will be able to design custom sport plays, fight moves, cars, ect. and store them on the VMS, take them to Arcade and use them on the Arcade machines. What about the people who have not bought a DREAMCAST? (yet)

Why not sell the VMS units at the Arcades and have a device that lets one customize the different cars or moves at the Arcade?

After playing at the Arcade with a custom car the person will buy a DREAMCAST so they can try it out at home.

I know that SEGA wants to sell the VMS units to people who own DREAMCASTS but couldn't it work the other way around also?

What do you think?

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Actually Sega isn't calling the Dreamcast PDA units "VMS" anymore, they're just "VM" now...

Selling VM units at the arcade, you know what, I never thought of that. I don't think Sega has either, or if they have, I think they have concluded it wouldn't work. Think about it like this: when you're at the arcade, you want a quick gaming fix. You want to sit down, step on the accelerator and zoom off. The last thing I would want to do at an arcade is say, "hold on, let me buy a 20-30 dollar VM unit, customize my silly car and then race." At least I'm pretty sure that's what the general public would say to the idea...

IMHO, there are a few factors that will kill or cripple the DC when it launches here:

Sport games are crucial since they are a big chunk of the market and also help sell hardware. Sega needs quality football, basketball and hockey titles to match Sony's PSX2 line-up. But, SOA has a track record of CRAPPY sports titles(NHL All-Star Hockey, NBA '98, Joe Montana FB). EA, whose sports games are getting shittier all the time, hasn't said much about it's DC development plans. The only other option is the VR Sports line(shudder).

SOA itself-the mindset is probably the same as in the Saturn and Genesis days. Remember how they would create shit games(Taz, X-men, Bug, 3 Dirty Dwarves) and promote their own shit instead of quality SOJ games (Gunstar Heroes, Guardian Heroes, Panzer Zwei). You can see it again with Geist Force. The game looked worse at TGS than what they showed at E3(which was probably a FMV clip). Not to mention the fact that the title is being designed with a Hollywood company specializing in special effects(SOA+Hollywood=Shit game). Imagine how much advertising will be wasted on this piece of turd next fall.

An early launch of PSX2-Sega needs at least a year headstart to gain a decent userbase and a good library of titles. We all know that Sony's machine will churn out more polygons, have more memory and possibly include DVD. But, if Sony can get their machine out early, with more features, plus add their marketing muscle to it, Sega has no chance. You guys know that the average gamer thinks Sega is another word for failure, while Sony is king right now. So, which machine would most people buy if they both launched at nearly the same time.

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Sports: Visual Concepts is working on a football and basketball title for the US launch. If you were lucky enough to see the images of the two games before Sega made me take them down, well, they look great. Visual Concepts developed the NBA Action '98 on Saturn, which wasn't half-bad. The company isn't proven at football titles though. EA Sports, thought not officially announced, will be on board the Dreamcast development boat come next year. Let's face it, EA ports their games to any viable format; the ease of portability from PC to Dreamcast is probably making EA drool right now.

Well, Geist Force hits Japan this December, and if it's as bad as it was at TGS expect it to get absolutely panned by Japanese publication and US websites. Something tells me Geist Force is in contention for worst selling Dreamcast title in Japan. Let's hope Sega of America gets the message.

Too true, but if Sega has fall of '99 all to themselves I think they'll be able to win back that user base.

People have been bitchin about how the DC controller is bad for this and sucks at that I dont know if its true or not cause I have only heard reports but thats not what I'm writing about. I wanted to express my hope of what can be done with it, mainly the dual analog trigger buttons under the controller. Imagine a racing game where you can control the gas and brake perfectly and get that semi-arcade feel or a 1st person game wich lets you control your gunfire from a few shots every couple of seconds to fifthty in half a second. This could be used for so many other things its just great maybe revolutionary. What do you guys at seganet think. Also is there anything new about Metal Gear DC.

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
It's a little known fact, but the NiGHTS pad also had analog triggers. That was used in what, two, three games? Besides, using the trigger for accel. and brake isn't comfortable for me; I rather use the triggers for shifting.

It was great to read how a new version of Caslevania is going to be developed for the Dreamcast. However, your reliable source told you that Konami's American division is making it. What the hell is Konami thinking? No offense to the guys at Konami's American division, but this is a distinctly Japanese series and I cannot foresee the greatness of something like the last Castlevania being overshadowed by a non-Japanese developed Castlevania. We all know why no one plays Contra on the PSX. So, please tell me that the game is being overseen by one of the original guys from Konami's Japanese branch.

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Ack, ack, ack. Yes, my source was as shocked as you are to be informed that Konami of America is working on the title. The reasoning behind this is beyond me, maybe it's because American programmers have a better grasp of Direct X and Konami wants to code to WinCE instead of SegAPI? I just can't imagine what's going on, but the game is so "secret" right now, there's no way Konami would make an official comment on it. We're just going to have to wait and see until Konami goes on the record with the game.

Hello again. Today I have a few more questions.

1. Will there be a Street of Rage 4? Yes, I know they're making Dynamite Deka 2 but what about the original Streets of Rage? I would rather take that in 3D that some gay thing called Dynamite Deka with a Die Hard license on it.

2. I'm a little worried about the launch titles for the Dreamcast. We know that the Dreamcast is much more powerful than Model 3 but if the games are hard to translate, and those are the first games, it'll make the Dreamcast look like it isn't powerful like the Virtua Fighter port for the Saturn. Also EGM played some of the Dreamcast games and said they were disappointed. According to them Godzilla sucks because there's a 2 second delay between your button press and onscreen movement, (since Sega wanted to make it realistic) Pen-Pen is supposivley boring, etc. Really they just liked Sonic and Blue Stinger. Your comments?

3. Yes, I know your going to reply with "your a crack head" or "what the hell is wrong with you?!?" but I was wondering if the Saturn BASIC kit can make FMV games. I know I would need a seperate program to convert them to CPKs, but could Saturn BASIC program that? If so, what program would I use to convert the videos to CPK?

4. What about a Lunar 3?

5. Since Saturn games are un-copiable (spelling???) how do people that make games in Saturn BASIC put their game on a CD? I tried backing up SF3 on my CD Recorder (BACKUP...I already own it!) but it wouldn't work. Do the games only have copy protection if their liscenced?

6. This is really just a statement but, I know the perfect game that should have been translated to all the systems. Yes this is old and you probably haven't heard of it, but Strife. It used the Doom engine so it wuldn't be hard to port, but it used interlinking maps to create an RPG world. You could go from the twon map to the prison map and back and so on. There were over 30 locations (maps) and it lasted about 40 hours, and since it used the Doom engine it wouldn't have been hard to port. So...why didn't they? Any answers?

7. I think that Sonic Adventure video on the Sega of America website would be perfect as a commercial. It's got almost ALL game footage, it has music that will draw people in, and it's 34 seconds. Just cut a second of it since commercials can be 33 seconds and that would be a perfect commercial. By the way, I know they would never do this but this would be a funny commercial to advertise the Dreamcast system itself: They should have all gameplay shots in the background and have an announcer say something like "We here at Sega know we've had problems in the past. But we fired those CRACK HEADS" (Cut to shot of people smoking crack) "who thought of the Sega CD and 32X." (Cut to shot of Bernie Stolar saying "Your fired bitch!" to old Sega employees.) "We're a brand new Sega ... yadda yadda yadda ..." Point out how good the system is, and how they'll actually stick by it. Mention Namco, a Resident Evil Dreamcast Exclusive and that's basically it. Sega has to make a deal where Tekken 4 is a DReamcast only game and that along with Sonic Adventure, and a RE Exclusive will sell the system in America. As for Japan, VF will sell the system there. My main point...well I dunno. The Dreamcast will do real good in the begining but then as usual I think Sega of AMERICA will FUDGE it up! They FUDGED up everything except the Genises. Wow Sega of America....1 (In most people's opinions) for God only knows how many systems. 8 I think. Pico...that was gay. Game Gear...they killed it themselves! I still don't understand how that piece of sh't Game Boy with its no color games beat out the Game Gear. 32X...What the FUDGE was Sega SMOKING??? Sega CD...Yeah that was ok. Saturn...I love(d) it. Etc. Well those are my ramblings. Please comment.

Well I guess that's it. I'll probably ramble on more next week.

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
1. My magic 8-ball broke today, so you'll have to ask me again when I buy a new one; feel free to mail me one to get an answer faster!

2. I haven't played any Dreamcast titles, so I'll reserve comments for now. If you're interested in varying opinions on what Sega had to offer, go to most major sites and read everyone's report, not just EGM's. Also, try to keep in mind that what you read was the opinion of one person at IGN. Other EGM staffers have significantly different opinions about some of the DC titles.

3. Hum, to be honest, I don't know. Perhaps you should send the question to Romar, or post in the GB Forum?

4. Game Arts has its hands full with Grandia 2 and Sankoshi (strategy RPG). Once these two titles are wrapped up (what, mid-99?), then we can start thinking about Lunar 3. Right now, Lunar 3 probably consists of design sketches and rejected concept proposals. 5. You can copy Saturn games, else, how would game makers burn different builds of their development titles? They got to test their games somehow before going to final print. Case in point, Working Designs sent me a pre-production Rayearth to review, it's just a basic CDR. The thing with Saturn CDRs is that you can't copy the copy-protection track, so you need to either swap, use a key-disc, or get a mod-chip installed to play the things. There's a Saturn-swapping FAQ in the FAQs page.

6. Strife eh? Probably because game companies didn't think it would be viable in the console market. If they don't think they can make money with it, it doesn't get made.

7. Haha, good points, bad spelling. Sega's marketing, I thought, was fairly good for Saturn, it just didn't get enough air time. Now, for the Hard Stuff campaign, oh man, that was the worst piece of shit in the world. The guys who thought that thing up are asses (go read the logs) and the campaign was generally bad. I'm happy to see those guys go. As for me, I think Sega should air the Japanese Dreamcast ads with English sub-titles but, um, heh, I don't think the American public will buy it.

First of All I just want to say that Seganet rocks keep up the good work. One of the best Arcade Machines of the year if not the best is Top Skater, is it coming out for the Dreamcast(please say yes). My second question is referring to the modem and playing over the net. With the Dreamcast will I have to pay Sega and log into their server or can I use my own ISP which could be good as long as you don't have to play someone with massive packet loss and getting all Lag. Finally will the modem have flash ROM in it to upgrade later on.

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
Top Skater? Sadly, no. The game is a Model 2 arcade game, and Sega isn't looking to reach back that far in its arcade line-up for Dreamcast titles (they have enough Model 3 and Naomi titles to port as it is). Perhaps we'll see a Top Skater 2 for Naomi or something; worse comes to worse, you'll have to make do with Cool Boarders, a neat snowboarding title.

You can use your own ISP for games that support TCP/IP, the other option is direct dial. The modem won't employ flash ROM, but it will be upgradeable (you can remove it and add a new one).

Ok, I've been pumped up for the Dreamcast release just as much as anyone else is, but I'm still really pissed off about the controller's lack of buttons. This is almost enough for me to wait for Playstation2. I mean, I'm not saying that every game needs an overwhelming amount of buttons, there are a lot of good ones, like Resident Evil. However, Tomb Raider seemed to have just enough buttons to cover Laura Croft's moves. I couldn't imagine playing that with two less buttons.

Then, a few days ago I made a realization while playing Turok. The digital pad can act as a set of four extra buttons, as well, if the programmers really need it. And then I thought "Duh! It's coming out with a keyboard and a mouse!" That seems like more control than anyone needs. But then I thought of something else.

The reason why Sega probably decided cut down on the buttons was because the idiot gamer kept getting confused. With a keyboard and mouse, sure, you can have ton of extra gaming possibilites, but how many games can you make with a keyboard and mouse AND a controller being both compatable? If they make a game that can use the keyboard and mouse, it's going to have to be able to fit on the controller first. People getting pumped over the PC conversions? I don't see how a lot can be done with six buttons and a start button.

So, I guess I have to thank here is Sega, for deciding that people weren't smart enought to discern more than 7 or 8 buttons on a controller, and all you idiots who couldn't play games in the first place and made Sega accomodate your lack of talent.

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
On the behalf of idiot gamers everywhere: you welcome! Wait, no...

Do you know if the Saturn controller converter will come out in the US? I really like my Saturn pads. They're so much better than the PSX one, and much better for Capcom games. I'm planning on getting a DC, but I hope it doesn't fall into the computer game rut of releasing a buggy game, then patching it. I know that Accolade signed on, and I'm really mad at them for releasing buggy games and not fixing them.

PS - Which side of the Potomac do you live on? I live in Fairfax County.

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
The Saturn controller converter coming to the US? Well, it's hard to say at the moment, considering the device isn't even confirmed for Japan! Though, if it does materialize in Japan, I think we'll see it here (probably in limited quantities though).

Well, console games are different beasts than PC titles, I mean, internet capabilities aside, it's still pretty hard to release a patch for a Dreamcast game. So, what does this mean? The responsible companies will make sure their game works fine when it gets released, the shoddy companies release crappy product that can't be fixed. Fun fun fun.

I'm in good old "Merryland", oh yeah, just happy to be here.

Hey there Fernando,

Like most Segaphiles I'm planning on importing a DC( reserved at both NCS and The Rage for good measure). So of course the big question is, do you think someone will have found a way to MOD the DC before the US release? On a similiar note, how long did it take for the SAT and PS( boo! =P) to get their MODifications?

One more Q, what would be the easiest way to get around the voltage difference? Can I just stroll into a local Radio Shack and pick up a converter of some kind? Or can I just play it in short intervals, if possible, so it doesn't overheat?

Love the site...

PS Didn't it give ya a tingly feeling to see Sonic back on the cover of a vid game mag?

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
No way, the Dreamcast JP/USA modification won't be out (if ever) until the system is released in the states. If you remember, the Saturn US/JP solution that first hit the market was a converter cart by the GameShark/PAR people. The cart was released a month or two after the Saturn's May release in the US. Playstation import solutions came around the same time frames: first the swap-method, then the chips.

The voltage difference will not cause you any problems; the difference is so minimal that everything should run fine on our American outlets.

Sonic on mags? It's nice, for sure, but it's nothing out of this world for me, especially knowing some of the guys that write the mags (hehe, just kidding).

Hello my name is derek i have a few questions how much does dreamcast cost in canada and will there be any new games for it by th year 2000?

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
The Dreamcast is not out in Canada, but it will see a joint release with the American unit in fall of '99. Expect prices similar to the Yankee one's, save the exchange rate. New games by the year 2k? Of course!

1) I absolutely agree with your point on Namco. I just want them to release any damn thing to prove to my own unbelieving self that they are actually doing it. I didn't know how to react when I was reading the various reports of Namco-Sega partnership until I went to the IGN PSX page and saw "Namco Goes Over to the Dark Side." Slowly, a smile spread across my face. Another point needs to be made about this, I believe. SoJ's guy said, publicly, "I have faith in Namco," or something very close to that. And Namco has pledged their support. Now, I am no expert on Japanese culture, but for Namco to jump ship for the PSX2 before they have released at least several high-quality...mmm...high-LINE (I realized that I was about to apply the term "high-quality" to Tekken) titles such as Tekken 4, Soul Calibur, and whatever else good they got would be dishonor of the FIRST order. Not that they would necessarily be punished for such behavior, but I tend to doubt that it would occur to them as a serious idea in the first place. HOWEVER...I still doubt. Sony and its allies are a crafty bunch...much like I wish Sega was. Again, though, to sell out Sega at this point would not make Namco crafty, but dirty.

2) I can't find where you reported on a DC-bound 2D Castlevania, but I distinctly remember it being reported somewhere, and I was quite sure that it was you. So you think a Metal Gear game is on the way? Maybe a Castlevania SotN sequel afterwards? Contra? Anything?

3) Does SNK have anything planned other than KoF '98? 3a)That's on the new Neo-Geo64 hardware, right? 3b) So will it be an exact port, or will they go for some extra characters and modes and stuff, like the PSX versions lately have?

4) Maybe Crystal Dynamics should make another Legacy of Kain for DC. Are they a DC developer too?

5) Are you considering putting up some kind of release list or "rumored" list on the front? Obviously the last eight months (well, since May '95, actually) have proven for the Saturn that release dates and 35 cents will let you make a phone call, but they are still nice as a general reference. Maybe when DreamcastNet (DCNet? DreamNet? DeezNutzNet?) launches?

6) I guess at this point I'm just suggesting more work for you, but maybe you could set up some sort of "great games" lists. Maybe do an editorial on your favorites. Yeah, I know other sites do these things, but yours is the only one I look at regularly.

7) They had better stop screwing around and announce Marvel versus Capcom for DC.

8) Doug Erickson is right on. Sega continues its awe-inspiring game design and production on the way to DC glory, but what the HELL were they thinking by not yelling from the ramparts (and, more importantly, knowing themselves) that VF3 would indeed be a launch title from the moment it hit the arcades? Maybe they could have created Fighter's Gigamix w/Fighting Vipers 2, but it looks like FV2 isn't ready and, besides, the game needs to have changed beyond a ripoff of VF anyway.

9) Marvel Super Heroes rules! Does the 4 meg cart do anything different from the 1 meg?

Loren Smith

P. S. Please don't kill me for bringing this up here, AGAIN, but J. M. Vargas was quite correct to point out to me that Howie Kurtz is, at least as far as I can tell, not precisely a liberal, and not particularly a hardcore one. He is more a moderate, just-to-the-left-of-center Democrat whose reasonably fair-minded (not totally, but mostly) criticisms of this President and his administration I found compelling.

Fernando Mosquera Replies:
1. This Namco thing confuses me to no end, on one hand, Iri-san said, "I have faith in Namco." On the other hand, this sort of drastic change for a game company is usually well announced. You know, we're used to Warp-style changing of sides (Kenji Eno dissing Sony at a Sony game show to announce Enemy Zero for Saturn). Anyhow, I think Namco will slowly, but surely become a true third party developer, cross-platforming titles as much as possible, and generally supporting all viable systems.

2. I think Sega-X or something mentioned it. Strangely enough, your e-mail prompted an informer to step up and let me know that Konami is working on a Dreamcast Castlevania.

"A reliable informant confirms that Konami is working on a Castlevania title for Dreamcast, it has been in the works for five months already! Konami's American development team is handling the game, but nothing beyond that is known."

3. KoF '98, as far as I know, runs on standard NeoGeo hardware in the arcades. It's being ported to both the NeoGeo home units, as well as Dreamcast. The Dreamcast version will have some added story modes and some other fun junk to fill up the 1 Gig CD-ROM. SNK isn't talking about any Dreamcast project beyond KoF, but you can be sure they're working on something.

4. Crystal is currently busy working on Soul Rever: Legacy of Kain for Playstation. They need to wrap up work on this project before even considering starting on Dreamcast project.

5. I'll probably be doing weekly/monthly release lists for the Dreamcast starting with the week of launch. It will be done like the Saturn import release lists, but more consistent.

6. Ack, maybe, but right now I got too much going on to stop and smell the roses; Christ, I still have three more queries to go!

9. MSH wasn't optimized for the 4-megger, so I don't think it does anything for it.