PlanetDreamcast | Community | Mailbag | 6/25/00

Community - Mailbag 6/25/00 - Aussie ISPs, VOOTing, and the Rent-A-Hero Imposter - by BenT Welcome to the PDC Mailbag. Every week we toss in a bunch of letters from our readers and do our best to dazzle you with wit and wisdom. Roughly, that translates to copying/pasting your emails and writing the first thing that comes to mind. But hey, you take what you can get. If you have something you want to contribute to the Mailbag, send it to this address! From: Evan Subject: EA Do EA sports games have any advanages over Sega Sport's games besides graphics?(if graphics is an advantage)Also,is Sega planning to put downloadable rosters up on their site like Madden has? Evan It depends on who you ask. A lot of people are quite happy with the Sega Sports offerings, but just as many miss the EA titles. It comes down to personal preference. As for downloadable rosters, there's no word on that yet. However, I think NBA2K1 and NFL2K1 have the best chances of supporting this feature, since they're being created with online play in mind. From: Jon Hogg Subject: The end of Telstra's Tyranny? As I'm sure you already know, Dreamcast internet access in Australia is downright terrible. The Dreamcast internet 'Dreamkey' GD only allows users to access the internet through Telstra Bigpond, giving Telstra a complete monopoly and the ability to charge whatever they want (and apparently 'whatever they want' is not cheap...). However, there may well be a way around this. Though I have not yet had a chance to test this, I have heard that it is possible to use the American internet GD on modded Australian systems, allowing the user to specify which provider they wish to use. If you have any other information on this, either varifying or dispelling the rumour I would be very interested in hearing it. Thanks, Jon Yep, we've heard it works too. Mod that Dreamcast, get a US browser, and you should be set. From: Chris Watson Subject: DC ISPs Dear, Planet DreamCast people: I don't think it is really fair the way Dreamcast is kinda forcing you to get the At&t ISP. I mean DUH!! think of all the people who have AOL in the US if they really wanted to make there online gameing easy and fun they would have thought to not make everything through dial up and have some preinstalled AOL software or something. Also do you guys know of any other good ISP for the dreamcast ? I would really like to know them C-ya later, Chris Watson AOL would have been terrible for online play. Sure, it's used by the masses, but that doesn't make it good. In any case, you're hardly forced to use AT&T WorldNet. As for finding a good ISP, you'll have to call around and ask directly if they support the Dreamcast. 9 times out of 10 they will, as the DC is pretty compatible with the vast majority of dial-up ISPs. From: Gary Anderson Subject: Rent-A-Hero for Windows? While checking out ebworld.com I noticed that they have something listed as "Rent A Hero WCD" being released by THQ on 7/1/00. I would LOVE to believe that this is the Rent A Hero that was released for the Dreamcast in Japan, but I dont see how that could be. Would it be possible for you to fill me in on this one? THQs website doesnt have any mention of it. It has nothing to do with the Sega franchise, unfortunately. You can find a review here, and another one here. It looks like a Myst-type "adventure" -- we'll pass. From: Minilatinbabe Subject: whatever happened to snk vs. cAPCOM? NT It's still on the way. Capcom said they'll have the game ready for Fall, but many are doubting that is possible. The (stunning, awesome) version shown at E3 was only 15% complete, so they have a long way to go. From: Ryan Tsou Subject: PS2 vs. Dreamcast Alright, where shall I start? First off I just got the dreamcast like a month ago and don't want it to die. Right now I'm in the buying games stage as I try to purchase good games. Recently I bought MDK2 which is really cool. Well, what I want to know is will dreamcast last? Last time PSX beat down the saturn big time and now it seems as if people don't like sega much as my friends own N64's but no dreamcast. Dreamcast is a great system and I love it but going up against a PS2 with DVD player? Come on this is definitely a force to be reckoned with. Also, with XBox and the 'dolphin' how will dreamcast stay up there? Most of my friends like playing the dreamcast but say sega's reputation has been tainted by the saturn as it fell mercilessly to the playstation's power. Will PS2 with it's backwards compatability destroy the dreamcast? There always seems to be two leading systems and when these new consoles come out will dreamcast be one of them? If anyone knew the answer to that last question, they'd be very, very rich. All we can say is that time will tell. Enjoy the games; that's all that matters in the long run. It's also worth noting that the Saturn didn't necessarily fall to the Playstation's "power", but to its marketing. Sega contributed to the demise as well, with poor advertising and numerous bonehead mistakes. From: Andy Sinesio Subject: GTA2 Review Finally, somebody with some sense reviews a Grand Theft Auto game. Thank you for a perfect insight into the game: "GTA2 takes its M for Mature rating, and bitch-slaps the ratings board with one of the most enjoyable games I've picked up in a while." Good work. GTA2 is a very fun game, even if the graphics suck; and it's a blast to see the Ratings Board people fretting over how many kids are going to be mentally harmed by this game. GTA2 has all the right stuff - playability - and lacks only in presentation.... this is a major reason I think PS2 is going to suck. They can have the best presentation in the world, but if they're releasing an entire game based on freakin' FIREWORKS (Fantavision, anyone?) the system's going to be no fun at all. I'll take my Crazy Taxi, GTA2, MDK2, and Soul Calibur; PS2 people can take their Fantavision and shove it. But Tekken Tag Tournament is the best fighting game ever!!!!!!! Heh. ;) From: Kiwibonga Subject: Ecco!!! Where is the "Ecco the dolphin" review? Is it in Europe only or is it an american game? I'm looking everywhere for help but nobody can help me....... Thanks for responding Kiwibonga It's only out in Europe at the moment, but I believe our UK guy is cooking up a review. Ecco won't be making a stateside appearance until mid-August. From: Jack Subject: Virtual on Im getting really mixed messages from the different review sites i go to. Is VOOT worth it or not, in your opinion? By the way if i get it thanx to your response and i dont like it, well then i will never forgive you. Thanx Jack It's probably worth it if you have the Saturn or DC Twin Sticks to play it with. If not, then you can't enjoy the game to its full potential. I personally don't care for VO too much. (I know, sacrilige!) The mechs and graphic design are phenomenal, and I like the music a lot too. Still, lacking the Sticks and online play really hurt the game in my eyes. But, YMMV. From: Jason Xtreme Subject: Charlie "MeSsEd" Tran Hey ya dead sexy bastard, Seeing as to how the PSX analog controller has those nifty two analog sticks, would it be in any way possible to make this setup work w/ VOOT? You'd connect an analog controller to a bleempod/total control 3, but I highly doubt if there's any normal way to make the analogs work as twin sticks (hackers to the rescue!). Just a thought... -Charlie "MeSsEd" Tran You know, that's a damn good idea. Unfortunately, there's almost no chance that the game would properly recognize the Dual Shock's analog control sticks, since it was only written to support the official Sega Twin Sticks. Nice try, though. From: Derek Crosby Subject: 4 Wheel Thunder 3 Wheel Thunder was not known as xleration ! Nonsense... it was named Off Road Extreme, Mudd Sweat and Gears. I know I saw the prototype before someone at midway decided that it should be a spinoff of Hydro Thunder which made the company a lot of money ! Click. From: PantherX20 Subject: Godzilla VMU Hello Planetdreamcast! I have a green godzilla VMU that my friend gave me, and to figure out how to work it i heard that you have to "Press the Mode Button until the Notepad is highlighted at the bottom." I pressed the mode button, but it only cycled through the playing cards (mini game) and the clock, but not the notepad. When i tried my brother's american VMU, it worked and cycles through all 3 menus. Does the Godzilla VMU not have a file menu? If it does, how do i get to it? should i get another VMU? Thank You, PantherX20 Let it go, man. Just buy another VMU. :) From: Jason Perosa Subject: Having problems with VMU Hi there, I just wanted to ask you do you know why my VMUs gameplay out of the controller does not work anymore? They use to work when i first got them but now the will not respond outside of the controller. I've tryed taking out the batterys out to see if it will reset and work but it didn't. Well if you have any ideas let me know Thanks Jason Perosa Sounds like your batteries are dead. From: Blake Lawhorne Subject: Hilarity Wisgary Torres, author of the fantastic email titled "HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA", is a genius (bloody loon). His plans are nothing short of brilliance (stinkin' hilarious). I thank you so much for posting his... supremely enlightening letter (ramblings of complete insanity). Seriously though, I haven't had a laugh like that in quite some time. Hahaha, thanks Wisgary Torres. :) Speaking of freak letters... From: Tina Moller Subject: aaaarrrrrrgggggg read walkthrough to the game but still stuck arggg used navy thing in the room with elevator and bats but still two things missing "nothing happens" there are still something missing kurok from denmark Stream of consciousness at its finest, folks. From: Ryansuise Subject: time stalkers i didnt like your reveiw at all this is a very cool game i didnt like the game at all this is a very cool reveiw That's it for this week. Keep the letters coming, to this handy address. Until next week!