Whatever happened to Dreamcast?

[tweakmm]

I love my DC, it's the only "recent" game system that I have. I actualy bought it after Sega said they were going to halt the production of them. It's a great value, I spent about 60 bucks total and I get my games from really cheap sources

 

[SoylentGreen]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
i think it was pirated to death

That is a HUGE factor. Of the few people I know that own a DC, all were in on getting pirated games.

Dreamcast made the mistake of allowing you to use audio CD's. This compatability is what allowed hackers to formulate the copying of data from GDROMS and allowing you to burn it to CDR.

This is where I think Nintendo is smarter than the other latest consoles. PS2 and XBOX can both read DVD's, and lo and behold they're hacked.
I don't see now or in the near future where people will play pirated GC games.
Funny, I just realized I now own 17 GC games.

 

[Spac3d]

Dreamcast remains my favorite console.

Spac3d

 

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by: Xenon14
It seems odd that Dreamcast had such a short lifespan. N64 has already been out, and the DC was teh only thing brand new on the market. Plus the marketing strategy was pretty good... they had a lot of commercials. I recall that they had all the characters from the games interact with each other, and then at the end they zoomed in on the Red light and whispered "Dreamcast." But I think that marketing campaign only lasted during the initial release of the Dreamcast. They should have continued to bombard consumers with marketing campaigns and promotions, like the current gaming console companies do.

They could've aired commercials 24/7 but it wouldn't have made much of a difference. Almost everyone I talked to said exactly the same thing, "looks cool, but I'm waiting for the PS2." The DCs downfall was it's poor timing (released one year before the PS2).


Lethal

 

[McPhreak]

The reason why I didn't get myself a DC was because of all the reported (and experienced) glitches while playing games. My housemate's DC would reboot periodically midway through games and there were some other problems which I can't remember off the top of my head. I think one reason for their downfall was that they released the console too early while it was still basically in development. Unfortunately, they didn't have the luxury of releasing it any later because the PS2 was emerging.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: McPhreak
The reason why I didn't get myself a DC was because of all the reported (and experienced) glitches while playing games. My housemate's DC would reboot periodically midway through games and there were some other problems which I can't remember off the top of my head. I think one reason for their downfall was that they released the console too early while it was still basically in development. Unfortunately, they didn't have the luxury of releasing it any later because the PS2 was emerging.

Weird. I've got 2 DCs from fairly early in the US run and have never had any problems with either of them.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: McPhreak
The reason why I didn't get myself a DC was because of all the reported (and experienced) glitches while playing games. My housemate's DC would reboot periodically midway through games and there were some other problems which I can't remember off the top of my head.

Might've been an alpha hardware problem, but I still have at least a dozen DC titles, and only one of them (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver) ever had any issues. The game would fail to trigger an event which was supposed to occur when you completed a task -- but I never had a crash/reboot/hang.

 

[bGIveNs33]

Until ps2 or XBOX releases a game as addicting for 4 players as Virtua Tennis... Dreamcast will always be my favorite. On a side note, why doesn't ps2 have standard 4 player capabilities? Is it so they can sell the multitap?

 

[McPhreak]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: McPhreak
The reason why I didn't get myself a DC was because of all the reported (and experienced) glitches while playing games. My housemate's DC would reboot periodically midway through games and there were some other problems which I can't remember off the top of my head. I think one reason for their downfall was that they released the console too early while it was still basically in development. Unfortunately, they didn't have the luxury of releasing it any later because the PS2 was emerging.

Weird. I've got 2 DCs from fairly early in the US run and have never had any problems with either of them.

Hmm...maybe it was the software, but problems are problems nonetheless...

Quick search on google

#2

 

[LiekOMG]

I think the graphics were pretty damn good for a console released in 1999. The DC *only* had a 200mhz processor, yet I think that Soul Caliber is the best looking 3d fighting game currently available. I don't know what it was about the game that made it look so good, but it does. My friend tells me the DC had FSAA with no performance hit that made the games look really good. Also, the framerates always seemed very fast and fluid. I never got to play many games for the DC, but i'll never forget playing Space Channel 5

 

[rockyct]

Sega was doomed even before the dreamcast was released. The Saturn was a huge failure, so they needed to get a new console out quick. The Dreamcast sold pretty well but it still wasn't enough to save them.

 

[mpitts]

Originally posted by: bGIveNs33
Until ps2 or XBOX releases a game as addicting for 4 players as Virtua Tennis... Dreamcast will always be my favorite. On a side note, why doesn't ps2 have standard 4 player capabilities? Is it so they can sell the multitap?

Im pretty sure they didn't include 4-player capabilities as a stock feature so they could sell the multi-tap. Bastards.

 

[Mitzi]

Originally posted by: Kiyup

This is where I think Nintendo is smarter than the other latest consoles. <deleted>I don't see now or in the near future where people will play pirated GC games.

At the end of the day, if people want to copy the games you can get round any protection and that includes the use of proprietry media designs. Look at the GBA.....its very easy to obtain games for that, even though it uses a special cartridge.

 

[Tallgeese]

For hardware junkies and arcade addicts alike, Dreamcast had some of the best add-on peripherals, including:

* Fishing controller for various fishing games
* Arcade Stick for various fighting games--notably DOA2 and Soul Calibur remains one of the best fighting sticks ever made
* Maracas for Samba de Amigo
* Voice microphone for Seaman

and, my favorite:

* Dreamcast Twinstick for Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram

 

[LiekOMG]

Originally posted by: Mitzi

Originally posted by: Kiyup

This is where I think Nintendo is smarter than the other latest consoles. <deleted>I don't see now or in the near future where people will play pirated GC games.

At the end of the day, if people want to copy the games you can get round any protection and that includes the use of proprietry media designs. Look at the GBA.....its very easy to obtain games for that, even though it uses a special cartridge.

Sure its possible to buy a GBA cart that you can write roms too. But its not something that everyone has in their home. Meanwhile, just about every PC these days has a CDRW - meaning everyone can burn a game if they want to. Sure, the GC might be hacked, but as long as its difficult for the average person to actually go and make illegal copies of software, they aren't going to bother with it.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

The Dreamcast sold mad quick.

 

[arod]

Originally posted by: tweakmm
I love my DC, it's the only "recent" game system that I have. I actualy bought it after Sega said they were going to halt the production of them. It's a great value, I spent about 60 bucks total and I get my games from really cheap sources

Same here, I actually HAVE to pirate games for my DC because nobody carried DC stuff here anymore, not that I mind anyway. I love not having to pay 70 bucks for a new game.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: arod

Same here, I actually HAVE to pirate games for my DC because nobody carried DC stuff here anymore, not that I mind anyway. I love not having to pay 70 bucks for a new game.

I have to pirate games because I don't understand how to use eBay, half.com, EBGames.com, or any other online used game outlet.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw

Originally posted by: arod

Same here, I actually HAVE to pirate games for my DC because nobody carried DC stuff here anymore, not that I mind anyway. I love not having to pay 70 bucks for a new game.

I have to pirate games because I don't understand how to use eBay, half.com, EBGames.com, or any other online used game outlet.

Speaking of which, DC is only $40 on EBGames.com Not bad.

 

[Smolek]

Like those above mentioned it was Sony's touting of the ps2 that hurt it tremendously. People didn't want to spend 199 for the dreamcast when they could supposedly get a better system at a year later, plus it appealed to all those who had a ps1.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by: arod

Originally posted by: tweakmm
I love my DC, it's the only "recent" game system that I have. I actualy bought it after Sega said they were going to halt the production of them. It's a great value, I spent about 60 bucks total and I get my games from really cheap sources

Same here, I actually HAVE to pirate games for my DC because nobody carried DC stuff here anymore, not that I mind anyway. I love not having to pay 70 bucks for a new game.

where the hell do yo live that you paid $70 for a new game!?


Lethal

 

[TwilightZone77]

Originally posted by: LethalWolfe

Originally posted by: arod

Originally posted by: tweakmm I love my DC, it's the only "recent" game system that I have. I actualy bought it after Sega said they were going to halt the production of them. It's a great value, I spent about 60 bucks total and I get my games from really cheap sources

Same here, I actually HAVE to pirate games for my DC because nobody carried DC stuff here anymore, not that I mind anyway. I love not having to pay 70 bucks for a new game.

where the hell do yo live that you paid $70 for a new game!? Lethal

Hmm, Canada or Australia maybe? You know how worthless their money is...

 

[TNTrulez]

Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw

Originally posted by: Xenon14
After Nintendo 64, Dreamcast was very anticipated.... The commercials were constantly on TV. I know that sega gave up on it and just started to make video games only. But does anyone own a Dreamcast, is it more comparable to nintendo 64 or gamecube/ps2/xbox?

I still own a Dreamcast. It has better graphics than N64, and comparable (but inferior to) GameCube/PS2/XBox.

It does, however, have the best console fighting game currently available: Soul Calibur.

VF4 pwn Soul Caliber.

 

[LeStEr]

Originally posted by: UCDznutz
my first online console gaming was on the dreamcast. 3 of my friends and I hooked up on our tv to play this other team of 4 on NFL 2k2. Man was that sweet.

Other then some latency issues NFL2k1 was just awesome. Sega had the right idea for online play but should have had more broadband enabled games. I have a dreamcast PS2, Xbox and right now my Xbox is the only one being used due to Xbox live. My PS2 sits unused beside it while be DC sits up at my cottage.

 

[Tallgeese]

Originally posted by: TNTrulez

Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw
It does, however, have the best console fighting game currently available: Soul Calibur.

VF4 pwn Soul Caliber.

Ummmmm....no.
SC on top, end of story.