2/24/01 - Gender Swapping With College Physics
- by Mr. Domino
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: Jimmy Tullner
Subject: Just a suggestion
hi there.
i've been reading your site for about 3 or 4 months now, pretty regularly, and i'd like to thank you for the great job you all have done. i love reading the news, the reviews have helped me decide which games to get, and the links always lead to something interesting. i especially loved the fast one you pulled, definitely on me, about spirit of speed being the top game of 2000. i laughed really hard. anyhow, i know you have reviews of almost every dreamcast game, and they are quite detailed too. but my problem is kind of specific.
see, i really really love multiplayer games. like 3 to 4 players. and it just seems that there aren't that many for dreamcast. the only ones i can think of are looney toons space race, powerstone 2, chu chu rocket, and some of the first person shooters. now i could go through your site, or gamers.com, or dc.ign.com and check every single dreamcast game that exists to see if it is 3 or 4 players, but that seems like a ton of work. i was just wondering, since you all seem to be the overlords of all that is dreamcast knowledge, if you had some kind of list, or if you could name some that i could not think of?
another reason i recommend this is because i have had many debates about the pro's and con's of video game systems (as i'm sure we all have had) and N64 always ends up with the vote for best multiplayer games. i believe this myself. but since my brother has a N64, and i don't, i'd sure like to know how i can have that kind of fun on my dreamcast. maybe you all could do a little feature story on it, the same way you had the feature on 'the best dreamcast games'. i think that would help a whole lot more people than just me.
thank you for your time, and keep writing! and if you have better contacts than me to the Sega Corporation (i don't have any) you should tell them they HAVE to port Virtua Fighter 4 to the Dreamcast!!!! please!
sincerely,
Jimmy Tullner
Without mentioning older versions of games (ie., no NFL2K in lieu of NFL2K1), here's what I turned up:
I still can't fathom how anyone can look at that incomplete list and still think the Nintendo 64 is the best multiplayer console. That's not even touching on-line gaming, too.
From: Matthew LeClair
Subject: feedback & question
Hi,
I liked the Lodoss feature A LOT. Thought you gave it excellent coverage (I love the series myself and have tried the ROM of the SNES lodoss rpg.)
I was just wondering when and if the Lodoss RPG is scheduled for release here in the USA? Cause I know a lot of anime titles (Macross VFX2) even had a fully functional demo that was given out on the PS Magazine demo cd but that game's release here got canned so I'm concerned about this one.
Regards,
Matt
Yes, Record of Lodoss War is coming to the US March 6. We only preview games that are scheduled for a US release.
From: Mark Howard
Subject: question concerning PSO review....
To whom it may concern,
In the Phantasy Star Online review you stated at the end that it was compatible with the Broadband Adaptor. However on the Sega website and also from a sales person I was given the impression that PSO is currently not compatible with the Broadband Adaptor. Which is the case? Is PSO compatible or not? If you find it to not be compatible please alter the list at the end of the PSO review to reflect the correction but if it is compatible I would be most grateful for a reply stating that. I do not know if I should get a broadband adaptor or not and this information would greatly aid me in this choice.
Thank you for your time
Mark
Phantasy Star Online is compatible with the broadband adaptor, although Sega will not help you configure it to work or answer any questions you may have about it if you encounter problems. PSO barely has lag at all, so if your decision is not spurred by a lack of a phone line, by all means get the game.
From: CyberClaw
Subject: European PSO
Since you seem to be forgeting us (the european which will allways... *sight* ... come last in the videogames business I guess...) and we are all excited to have news of when will PSO arrive. I've phoned my country SEGA provider (I live in Portugal but SEGA's very well stablished here, we were the 5th country to have DC net) and it seems day 23 of Feb. this Friday will be the day.
Guessing that european also visit your site (even that its is only centered in Jap. and US releases) I thought you should put this info up so that ppl like me can have a date to look to and not phone the shops every day asking "Is PSO out yet?" =)
Well cya, I hope you use the info ;)
Hey, look! A letter from someone in the US!
From: TERRANE77
Subject: collage games
Dear Sega
I have been woundering ever sens i have had my Dreamcast when are they going
to come out with some collage games. For exmaple like collage football, and
collage basketball . I would realy like it if the Dramcast would come out
with some collage games . E-mail me back please and reply to my question.
Why not make your own collage instead? You can find some cheap poster board and paste sports cards on it like a mural or something! Making your own collage is sure to be more enjoyable than any video game version.
If you meant "college" (I dunno... just a guess), then you probably have already heard the announcement this week that Visual Concepts is working on a college football game based on the NFL2K1 engine. If you haven't heard it yet...
"Hey TERRANE77 if that indeed is your real name! Visual Concepts just announced a college football game!"
I think the sleep deprivation is getting to me. Oh, yeah, we're also not Sega, too.
From: deadline
Subject: Help for Starlancer problem.....
This is in response to the last mailbag where some chick with two last names named Jennifer wrote saying she could not get online with StarLancer. I was having the same problem with Quake 3. I wrote this mailbag pleading for help.......and got no response. Haha. Thanks, guys.
But anyways, I called Sega and they gave me different DNS numbers. The guy said the problem was my DC was trying to get a Quake arena from the same server that I use my browser on. Just call up Sega & explain your problem and they will fix it for ya. Hope this info can be of some help. Maybe I'll even make the 'once a month' mailbag this time.
Hey! It's once a week now, buster! I'm trying my best to answer and post as many letters as possible. Sorry if you were ignored in the past. Thanks for the tip!
From: Carol F. Oppenheimer
Subject: question??
Help!! I love to shoot stuff. What Dreamcast games besides "House of the Dead 2" can I use a light gun with?? Thanks.
I love the way that sounds. "Hi, I'm Carol! I like to shoot things!" At any rate, there's unfortunately a drought of gun games on the Dreamcast. Besides House of the Dead 2, you can now find Virtua Cop 2 available on the newly released Sega Smash Pack. Virtua Cop 2 is a great shooting game set up like a series of mini action movies where you play a cop who doesn't believe in handcuffs. If you're willing to learn how to play import (Japanese) games on your Dreamcast, you can get a couple of more gun games as well.
From: Simon
Subject: Phantasy Star Online
I just bought a dreamcast b/c of PSO, and the game is awesome. But i am having
1 problem, when i want to RUN from the enemies my guy likes to walk and get hit b4 he starts running. Is there a autorun, or do I just have to deal with it?
MaLiC
Deal with it. If you're surrounded by enemies, your running won't save you in time to avoid an attack in general. Characters tend to move for a second before picking up speed. Running is just accomplished by moving the analog stick to the far outer edge and holding it -- there is no "autorun" or way to cut out the brief walk animation. Just learn to avoid getting surrounded.
From: Mike Sklens (StrikerObi)
Subject: Error on Main Page
In your caption about your Sonic Adventure 2 preview you say "I mean, there
hasn't been a trucking game since the Intellivision's Truckin'." Are you
forgetting 18 Wheeler Pro American Trucker, a Dreamcast game?!?
Console trucking game. :^) Although 18 Wheeler is coming out for Dreamcast, it hasn't arrived yet.
From: M. Hari Nezumi
Subject: Frictionless shoes?
Um, anyone with even a basic understanding of phyics would know that
Sonic's shoes are probably not frictionless, but incredibly
*high*-friction. If they were frictionless, he'd be unable to move around;
his feet would just keep on slipping against the ground, and even if he
were able to move somehow, he'd be unable to stop.
This is why automobile wheels and driving surfaces are designed to have as
high a coefficient of static friction as possible. The higher the
coefficient, the higher the traction; the interaction between rubber and
asphalt leads to a coefficient close to 1, which is the theoretical
maximum. This is as opposed to, say, Teflon, which has a coefficient close
to 0.
Also, stickiness and friction are related, but not the same thing.
Just thought you guys could use a mini-science lesson, based on one of the
captions at
http://www.planetdreamcast.com/features/previews/sonicadventure2/index2.shtml
--
Magenta H. Nezumi
It would not be "high-friction" since then he could never build up enough speed, or the shoes themselves would ignite from the rapid moments. At any rate, the caption was based upon a statement in an old Sonic comic I was given which described Sonic's special red shoes as frictionless if I recall correctly. I suppose I'll be lectured on how Sonic couldn't possible survive the falls he takes in the game or just how feasible it is for a hedgehog to run down the side of a building. :^)
From: ScheduleEarth.com
Subject: Ratings System
Love your site - I'm very loyal to several PlanetINSERTGAMEHERE.com sites.
Please set up the "Reviews" section so that we can see the rating that you
guys gave the game right besides the actual link for the review.
I know it gives the site more page views having it set up the way it
currently is, blah, blah, blah - but I'm just looking for good games with a
9.0+ rating and it's a pain in the ass to have to sift through all the lame
games to find the good ones.
A couple of other sites have this type of layout - it's much easier to
navigate to what you want to read. Whether I use them for reviews in the
future is up to you folks.
Just a little constructive criticism... Thanks for your time.
FRAGIMUS MAX
That's a really good idea.
Yep. A really good idea.
(twidles thumbs)
From: Sean McCarthy
Subject: Sonic is not the fastest Mammal...
Speedy Gonzales is the Fastest mammal. Andela! Pronto! Pronto! Pronto! Areba!
PS. Forgive me not knowning how to spell Spanish.
Sean
Sheesh, what's with all of the Sonic criticism? I was half expecting to find a letter telling me how hedgehogs can't really run that fast or how the cheetah is the fastest mammal. If I remember my Zoobooks, I think some kind of fish is the fastest animal overall, although it could be a bird. I might actually remember which if I wasn't half asleep.
From: Jeff Wood
Subject: Allygirl1369 Subject cheats for you
I think the cheats she were posting are for Trickstyle. She's a little
behind in the times if she's posting those and thinking they'll be new. On a
different note...
Hey I'm always looking for new people to join in PSO. send me a reply about
when and where you want to meet Online and maybe we can get a game on.
I'm a level 35 Hucast (Human+Android) goes by the name SilverSamuri ( I know
I forgot to put the a in, I'm an idiot). I usually go Online on the weekends
Friday 10PM CST at the earliest.
Jeff Wood
I wish I were playing PSO right now. Actually I want to go to bed. You're right -- the cheats are for Trickstyle. It was just odd to get cheats sent in with no game specified. The Capcom vs. SNK remark was a bad joke. (I think Mai's head looks a bit too big in the game, and the other qualifications fit it as well.)
From: Louise Gusman
Subject: quick comments
Hello
I just have to say that your site has got to be thee BEST Dreamcast site out
there. VERY THOUROUGH, thoughtful, inciteful and honest reviews add up to be
my only stop on the net for Dreamcast news.
Once again , thank you. I really do appreciate your time and effort to make
this a quality site.
Take care everyone,
bye
Kurt
Wow. How much do we owe you? :^) Thanks for the compliments. I visit your site all of the time as well. It's my favorite site of that kind so much that I've made it my home page. It's my only stop for the information I seek concerning that thing your site is based on.
From: MDA
Subject: MS Combat Flight Sim?!? on DC
Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator for Dreamcast?!?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/browse/-/videogames/490182/107-1860547-9366111
Hi DC Gurus,
I following about two dozen sites daily regarding video games, (PC, DC, PSX, Xbox etc) and I have heard absolutely nothing about MS Combat Flight Sim for DC before. This is particularly interesting in light of the recent denials of Sega and Xbox getting into compatibility bed together. Ok Ok I am getting off topic. Can you shed some light on this title?
Ok so I am a conspiracy junkie, yesterday my roommate asked to borrow a couple of DC games for a Microsoft developer friend of his. Someone with 'supposed' access to Xbox hardware (or development kit or something) there were mentions of a DC/Xbox boot disk. Ok so I have no proof and I told my RM that this was likely hogwash, so I asked him to furnish proof. (a bet has ensued - that I am no party to)
With the prevalance of digital imaging I'm sure it would be asy to doctor up some bogus screenshots of DC games running on Xbox hardware so even if proof is furnished I will remain skeptical. Intreguing nonetheless, I await the outcome of their bet.
Anyways. Info on MSCFS please
Regards
Pumpkito
That link displays nothing about the game. Buh buh buh! There. Behind the grassy knoll. He did it. The Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator has been in limbo for a while. It seemed as though it was canceled once the XBox debuted and such, but it now seems to be a possible future release published by Konami. Whether or not it pans out remains to be seen, as details of the game are still sketchy at best.
From: Luiz Eduardo Caram
Subject: Please read my e-mail!!
I�m subscribing to Planet Dreamcast becouse I�m a poor boy from Brazil and
don�t have money to buy one Dreamcast. If you can, I would be very pleasure
to won a Dreamcast...
Please think in my e-mail with love... Make a poor boy from Brazil happy
I apriciate your atention and write me back
Luiz
This is new. A computer is cheaper than a Dreamcast in Brazil? Go ahead and just save up to buy your own Dreamcast. It's worth it. It love you long time.
From: Gokuhi
Subject: Broadband Adapter - Is it worth it?
After seeing that Daytona won't be supporting the BBA, and that the only game out there that does (and is really worth it) is Quake 3 Arena, is it really worth spending $60+ to get one?
I know there are ways to make it work with PSO, but does it really make that big of a difference? I've been playing with the 56k and have found it to be a lag-less experience. I would like to have one since I have DSL and find it hard to go back to dial-up (would you want to? :)
- Chris -
Of course, PSO doesn't officially support the broadband adaptor, either, but it does work. While PSO is a near lag-free experience, things are gonna be a whole new ball game when you get that many players on a race track. I'd like to think the modem can handle it, but we'll just have to cross our fingers and wait and see.
Next: More letters!
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