PlanetDreamcast | Community | Mailbag | 3/31/00

Community - Mailbag 03/31/00 - Online Woes, Eternal Champions, and Eating Cake - by BenT Oh, the hurting and the suffering. I just saw my boss dancing like he's on crack, thanks to Stepping Selection for the PS2. If you're not familiar with the game, it's one of those dance simulators that's been popular in Japan for the last few years. There's a difference with this one, though: it has Britney Spears. As if I didn't hear her crap enough on the radio and from Joost, I'm not aurally assaulted within the confines of my own cube. That's not right. It's time to unionize. Anyway, enough of my troubles. On to the letters, starting with some Dreamcast online woes from all those third world countries like Ireland and Australia.. From: CrysTech Subject: When will interrnat be available in Ireland??? I bught a dreamcast on release day i really want to know when the net for it in Ireland will be up ad running. Any news would be appreciated. thanks Our UK editor says he assumed that Irish Dreamcast interrnat access was the same as in the UK, in other words being fully functional. Are there any Irish gamers out there who can set the story straight? From: Gpvanvranken Subject: Online Envy So I thought I had found a good deal. I managed to con my friend out of a Dreamcast, 2 controllers and Crazy Taxi (to which I am slightly addicted) for a old ford 302 I had sitting around (I live in vancouver, WA where old engines are practically a form of currency) Any way it turns out he bought it used from a hollywood video and it lacked a modem. I didn't see this as a real problem untill I saw the previews for Phantasy Star Online. Now I'm wondering if there is a way to buy a 56k and install it, or if I have to wait for the cable. Your best bet would be to contact Sega and see if they'd offer a modem as a replacement part. It's doubtful, but never hurts to try. You could also put the word out on the net and try to set up a purchase or trade with someone who doesn't want theirs. Really though, unless you're dying for some Chu Chu action right now, it might not be a bad idea to wait for the new connectivity options coming down the pike. As reported in today's news, in the not-so-distant future there will be ISDN and LAN adapters, both of which may replace the default 56k modem. From: Bill Subject: Australian Dreamcast Owners Hi, I was just reading your News section and I came accross the item titled Australian Dreamcast Hell. Its not just Dreamcast owners (of which I am one) that are angry as to being forced to use Telsta Big Pond (Not Advailable everywhere btw) as an ISP, Its us ISP owners as well. We are eager to provide Dreamcast access to our clients however I am lead to belive that we need a CD from sega to allow us to set the Dreamcasts up with our DNS address ect. Sega refuses to provide us with one due to their deal with Telstra. This leaves us with only 3 options. 1 - Do nothing and use telstra big pond. 2 - Complain about this exclusive deal to the ACCC or TIO, news, drag a few politicians into it ect. 3 - Get a setup CD from somewhere that we can provide our customers. Well option one plain sucks, option 2 will be very slow if it even works so that realy leaves 3 as the only way to go. If anyone can provide us with a setup CD which would work on the Aussie dreamcast we would be very greatfull, we would even pay for it. Thank You, Bill NIA Admin Here in the States, all you need to get a Dreamcast online is the browser disc and an ISP phone number/log in/password. In a minority of cases you'll need more advanced settings, like the ISP's DNS numbers and such. I'm not sure what would differ in Australia. Can't users just sign up for Telsta service to get the browser disc, and then cancel immediately and switch to their ISP of choice? Or is it impossible to override the Telsta ISP settings? Details, man, details! From: It's a Mystery Subject: Why does Sega hate us? As an Australian Dreamcast owner I am just about ready to go 'round to Sega's house and punch them in their collective throat. I really couldn't care less about the god-awful mess that Dreamcast internet access has become. I personally wasn't planning on using it anyhow (at least, not until Quake 3 comes out...). What really irritates the hell out of me is that if, in early January when I bought my Dreamcast, I had thought that the same range of games which were on the shelves then would still be there, virtually unchanged, over two months later I would have given a little more thought to my purchase. What is even worse is that every week Sega are promising that by the end of next week (insert just about any game you want here) will have been released. And guess what? They it never is... I'm now being told that the earliest Resident Evil 2 can be expected is mid April when I was originally quoted mid Feb! And release dates for Code Veronica seem to have disappeared completely, what are we to think? Should I be trying to trade my Dreamcast for, say, a slab of beer? I'm beginning to think I may just get more enjoyment out of it... The only problem is, I'm not sure I'd be able to find anyone willing to make the swap. The Playstation 2 won't be out here for a long time yet but Sega seems to be making every effort it can to kill itself even without competition. Jon I think it goes without saying that Ozisoft (Sega's Australian distributor) sucks goat balls. Nothing new there. :/ I think your only options are to give up the faith, import like mad, or find a better country for video games. Blah. Anyway, if you're interested in coming to the States, don't worry; we love those humourous Australian accents. From: Joe Muzzo Subject: Why Saga MIGHT fail...... Ok, I dont want to sound like Im bashing Dreamcast, but even if the DC has great games, people usally go for things that have lots of "bells and wistles", by that, I mean that people like to go for prettyer (playstation 2, dolphin, x-box) things. You have to admit, many people think that better technology=better system. I just hope that people will relize that better games=better system. I am sure ps2 will have some great games too, but DC will always be in my heart (until its a 3rd gen system). Please put this on you site, I hope for feed back. I think what you're getting at is that a lot of people are "graphic whores". Couldn't agree more. It's the games that matter, dammit! From: Geniuz Subject: Half-Life With half Life will us DC users be able to play mods like Counter-Strike and TFC, maybe released on CD's or downloaded onto zip disks???? Cheers, Geniuz Unlikely. But, there are rumors of Team Fortress 2 appearing on the Dreamcast. Gotta wait and see on that one. From: Mikey D. Subject: Eternal Champions I happen to disagree with you on your opinion that Eternal Champion "kind of sucked". If I remember correctly the original EC came out around the same time as Mortal Kombat did for the Genesis. And at my home EC got more play than did Mortal Kombat. in fact, my buddies and I would spend hours playing EC and man did we have fun! I for one would love to see an EC sequel, 2d or 3d. The characters where cool, the story line was sweet (with all of them being from different times), and the special moves where definitely unique. Count my vote for an EC sequel! Count my vote against one! ;) Seriously, EC was not a high-level fighting game. You may have found it fun, and that's cool. It didn't have near the depth or playability of SF2, though. From: HerB Sawyer Subject: DoA2 -review Hello, i have been reading your site ever since it was on the web, and enjoy your material. It's one of the few sites that I check daily. I own and enjoy my dreamcast. Before i buy a game I usually check your reviews. Most of the time I agree with you, sometimes on small things we differ, and that's to be expected. But... the review on Dead or Alive 2 I think needs to be strongly reconsidered. Because if it is not then I have to start questioning the rating system you use. usually if a game gets a 9 or above i consider it a game that I should strongly look into. Out of most of your "9" i have found that I have enjoyed playing them. But Dead or Alive 2 should not be bought by the average consumer. I rented it, and that was good enough. I mean did your review consider replay value? I mean sure the game looks great, and does some interesting things with back grounds and the players all look great as well, but... but that's it. there's only 12 characters all wiht piss poor story lines. no hidden characters. there is a limited number of backgrounds to play in, only one tag battle background. and the menu screen is tough to read because it's so small and the color choice for the letters. except to look at, theres not much there. So how does this deserve a "9". How about a "7" - a good rental. because anybody who bought this game is not out $45 bucks, where I am only out $5. i know, i know, i may be a little skewed coming from a Soul Caliber game, but that game at least gave you more options then, here fight with these chicks whose boobs bounce and then be done with our damn game. I think as a community we need to strive for better games. We need to review games and be honest about them. like replay value. because if we are, and people only buy the good games, eventually our voices will be heard and sega will produce better games. don't worry, i'll be back tomorrow and read your reviews because i do generally agree with them, but please reconsider dead or alive 2 average joe dreamcast player, treefrogherb You ask if the review considered replay value, and that's interesting because it highlights a fundamental difference in the way that you and our reviewer see games. If you ask us, a game's "replay value" is not defined by how much extraneous crap there is to "unlock". Replay value is how fun the actual GAME is. Not the frilly little trappings, like extra costumes, or a quest mode, or whatever. It's the game. The fighting. The player vs. player combat. In a great fighting game (like DoA2, incidentally) those things remain fun for a very long time, and there's no need for artificial goals like costumes or other "unlockables". Sure, they're nice extras, but they can easily be done without. It's the core gameplay that should matter. That is what has replay value. From: Sean Green Subject: System Loyalty bah! I don't normally write into "mailbags" and such, but I've been down the pub, had a few drinks and come back to play a few games of soul calibur against my fellow drinkers, pretty laid back evening overall. I decided to browse the web a bit which has somewhat altered my previous relaxed state; now I have a nagging point to get rid of and your mailbag seems a good place to vent. This comment isn't aimed at Planet Dreamcast, but at the masses in general: Stop the bloody system loyalty! I'm so sick and bored of people coming out with all this "DREAMCAST SUX! PSX TEW SUX N64 RUX j00R NUTZ! XBAWX WILL BLOW!" crap, that i'm actually reduced to writing into a freaking mailbag. Shut up, all of you, you're annoying me and I just can't have that happening. Isn't gaming meant to have finally reached a mature audience? I've been playing games since I was tiny, from a Spectrum, to an Amstrad CPC and now to a DC, an n64, a PSX and a high end PC, and they all seem to compete for my spare time equally. The comments people make about systems are idiotic. Similar comments that are made about unreleased or in-development systems transcend idiotic and score top place on the stupid tit scale; these are the people who shout "I'M GONNA! IM GONNA!" when they hear "Gotta Catch 'em All!" on TV. These companies don't spend their time defending (or indeed often supporting) their customers, so why do these kids decide to spend their life (or maybe their early puberty) defending systems that they've only invested a couple of weeks paychecks into? I've said it before, I'll say it again.. this is a (brutal) industry, not the FA cup final (or superbowl if yer 'merican). Sega, Nintendo and Sony aren't looking, or caring for your support, they're after your cash. So buy the system (or systems) you like, along with the games you prefer and stop whining, because you kids are doing my fucking head in and I don't need it. I half wish game sites would use AdultCheck or something just to keep the bloody kids out ;) Sean Green My god man, let me buy you a drink. I couldn't agree more. It's not like system advocacy is anything new, but since I've been working here on PlanetDreamcast and PlanetPS2 I've been exposed to so much more of it that it's rather sickening. What to do? If you're an optimist and believe in the inate goodness of the human race, write a well thought-out and reasonable reply explaining why the person's advocacy is small-minded and ignorant. If you're like me and completely and thoroughly jaded, just ignore it and move on to a more intelligent discussion. Believe it or not, there ARE intelligent gamers out there. You just have to look really hard sometimes. ;) From: JC Subject: namco Hi, I recently bought a DREAMCAST and Love it. Unfortunately, I miss my playstation for only one reason, TEKKEN 3!. I know soul calibur has made an almost perfect DREAMCAST appearance. But, Tekken 3 is undoubtedly one of the greatest fighting games ever made. I would like to know if there's any chance that a TEKKEN game will appear on the dreamcast. Thankyou, JC Sorry, doesn't look likely. Namco is bringing their rather retro arcade action game Mr. Driller to the DC, as well as a sports game or two. A Tekken doesn't look to be in the cards, though. From: Anthony Hendrickson Subject: Hydro Thunder Hello, I was reading your Hydro Thunder review and I was just wondering, does the game run at 30fps or 60fps? I read in a magazine somewhere that it was 30, but I just wasnt sure. Anthony Hendrickson It generally hovers above 30, although there is significant slowdown in parts. Don't even try 2 player mode... slooooow. A rather mediocre conversion, overall. From: Ben Bradley Subject: code veronica its comin out today! Yes. Please send pictures if you spot it. From: Mya Subject: Code Veronica RULES Code Veronica is the best game ever made. I am only halfway through it and it ROCKS. It has the best graphics and the storyline is so cool. This is an 10 out of 10!!!!! BUY THIS GAME I WILL BUY THIS GAME, 10 OUT OF 10!!!!! From: V.Catalina Subject: You must like to eat your cake and then have more cake Sir, do you want to play online w/pc quakers or not. One way or the other really by the time Q3 hits the shelves a mouse will probobly be out as well as the keyboard ive already seen. Im a pc Quaker and beleive me the die hards that deserve to play w/the legion of Q freaks will quickly fit in. As for the rest **** um!!!!!!!! Peace. and ill be fraggin ya soon on my dreamcast and my pc. Sir/Madam/Robot: First, I LOVE to eat my cake and then have more cake. That rox0rs. Second, PC/DC compatability would be cool, but the Dreamcast players would be at a severe disadvantage, even with a keyboard and mouse. Believe me, any 56k Dreamcast Quaker who's doddling around via a controller is just fragbait for a LPB with a 40 ping. Even ignoring the ping issue, the PC version is inherently superior due to config tweaks available via the console. The Dreamcast almost certainly won't offer such things, throwing all-important interface customization out the window. Doh. *looks up from cake* Oh, that's all! I gotta draw up some comics now, so I'm outta here. If there's something really bugging you, drop a message in the Mailbag, and prepare... prepare... well, prepare to have your letter answered. Ph34r.