Why the Dreamcast? Part 1

[wraggster]

News via http://www.goatstorepublishing.com/n...amcast-Part-1/

So I started last week with a little history behind why we chose to develop things specifically in regards to the Atari Jaguar console. Today, I'm going to start talking about the other console that GOAT Store Publishing is known for having supported - the Sega Dreamcast.

Since the Dreamcast was discontinued, it seems that the nostalgia for the console has only increased. I've heard the Dreamcast referred to as people as the last hardcore gaming system, the most innovative gaming console ever, and many other things. And, while in many ways I agree with all of this, I feel that it overlooks perhaps the most important factor that sets the Dreamcast apart from everything that has come since.

The Dreamcast is the last console made by an arcade manufacturer, and it placed a huge emphasis on arcade conversions.

Let me just touch on what that means in a little more depth - before the Dreamcast, many companies focused on getting great arcade conversions to run on their consoles. The Colecovision gained a huge foot in the door by licensing and creating a spectacular version of Donkey Kong and then packing it in the console. Genesis and Super Nintendo owners debated which console had the best versions of Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat. And Cruis'n USA in the arcade proclaimed that it was running on "Nintendo Ultra 64" hardware, and to watch for the console in the future. But by the time the N64 launched, arcade ports were becoming a rare thing.

Enter the Dreamcast. Sega was cranking out incredible arcade games, and when they created the Dreamcast it was a natural fit to put many of those games on the console. House of the Dead II, Virtual Tennis, Crazy Taxi, F355 Challenge Passione Rossa, Sega Rally 2, Sega Bass Fishing and Virtua Fighter 3tb were all titles that Sega brought to the console - often with huge advertising campaigns, that were direct from the arcades. In an era where the exploration titles like Tomb Raider and Grand Theft Auto were starting to define 3D gaming as story-driven, not-too-challenging titles, Sega brought out the games that were tough. And then they promoted the heck out of them.

muc more --> http://www.goatstorepublishing.com/n...amcast-Part-1/

[royvedas]

The Dreamcast died because it sucked. The arcade games mentioned are mostly crappy and shallow games.

I really wanted to like it but I can't:
- No relevant 1st party games.
- ps1 conversions
- Crappy controllers (I especially hate the cord placement)
- Rumble as an addon and not built in? What are we? In 1986?
- The "low battery" beep of the vmus. Dang the annoyance!

[Darksaviour69]

[royvedas]

Just because you don't like the message doesn't mean it isn't true, sonnyboy.

[BlueCrab]

Lets take this one point at a time, shall we...

- No relevant 1st party games.

Sonic Adventure isn't relevant? Nor Sonic Adventure 2? Nor Phantasy Star Online? Nor Skies of Arcadia? I could continue, but I don't really feel the need.

- ps1 conversions

So first you complain about lack of 1st party games, and now you complain about crappy 3rd party games? If we're going to go this route, what about all the $#@! that was shoveled out on the PS2 in that generation. Barbie's Horse Breeding School (not a real example, I hope, but you get the idea). EVERY console has its share of $#@!. I personally don't remember any crappy PS1 conversions on the Dreamcast.

- Crappy controllers (I especially hate the cord placement)

Cord placement aside (that's what that little clip was for taking care of, after all), the controllers themselves are one of my favorites to this day. In fact, the only controller I feel more comfortable using is the Xbox 360 controller (which, was based on the Xbox Controller, which was (you guessed it) based in part on the Dreamcast controller). Everyone has their preferences, and there were plenty of 3rd party controllers that worked quite well and came in all sorts of shapes/sizes/etc.

- Rumble as an addon and not built in? What are we? In 1986?

So, no console since 1986 has come with controllers without built in rumble eh? Lets see, since 1986, so we can count out NES/SMS... What other controllers didn't have built in rumble.... Genesis, SNES, Saturn, PS1 (prior to Dualshock -- heck, they didn't even have analog joysticks prior to dualshock), N64, Gamecube (Wavebirds didn't have rumble), PS3 (prior to Dualshock3). Hell, the Wavebird and non-Dualshock3 PS3 controllers you can't even ADD rumble to, even with a peripheral.

- The "low battery" beep of the vmus. Dang the annoyance!

Admittedly, it was annoying. However, the later VMUs didn't have nearly as annoyingly long of a beep, and if it really bothered you that much, just cut the speaker wire.

So, I have to agree with DS69 here:


And with that, I take my leave of this thread, as I feel no more need to feed the troll.