From Edge: HEAD TO HEAD PLAYSTATION LINK-UP
an5...@anon.penet.fi
From a BBS. I did not type this up.
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HEAD TO HEAD PLAYSTATION LINK-UP
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Capturing the visual finesse of modern coin-ops on a home console is a
seductive goal for games programmers. And given the increasingly close
relationship between arcade and console technology,it's not an
impossible task. However as developers strive to capture the look and
feel of popular arcade games (and in some cases such as Tekken,achieve
a perfect match) ,one aspect of a coin-op's popularity has remained
overlooked:Multiplayer link-up.
Home computers have long since enjoyed the benefits of link-up
potential. As well as 16bit classics like Bullfrog's Populus and Geoff
Crammond's Stunt Car Racer (which not only accomodated the connection
of of two Atari ST's or two Amigas but even allowed an ST to be linked
to an Amiga! ) there's a large library of network and modem-linked games
for the PC including id Software's legendary Doom and Interplay's
Descent. Consoles on the other hand,have had a tougher time catering for
multiple players.
Being restricted to a single screen is the most conspicuous
hurdle, but multiplayer games can usually be designed around this
drawback. Multitap adaptors have long catered for the party potential of
classics such as Bomberman,and Sports games like FiFa International
Soccer cope admirably on a single screen. However driving games,by their
very nature, require that each player has his own display, and therin
lies a problem.
The split screen format is the traditional method of tackling the
multiplayer driving game. The best examples of this are the superbly
playable SNES games like MarioKart and its proteges. But although the
twin letterbox system (or quadruple in the case of Street Racer) can be
used to great effect,it usually demands a detrimental reduction in the
quality and size of the graphics, in order to keep the speed of the game
up.
Another drawback is that a split screen display allows each player to
see exactly what the other participant is doing,so its far harder to
suprise your opponent (Japanese arcades have side stepped this problem
by linking together beat-em-up cabinets and positioning them back to
back)
Sony is one of the first companies to try to replicate the
multiplayer experience on consoles, although Atari already has a two
player link for the Jaguar (and a superb version of Doom) and Sega is
developing a similar system for the Saturn. Sony's Playstation link-up
cable allows two machines to be hooked together,each using a seperate
television.Despite the fact that the cable isn't due out until July,Edge
was invited to test an early version of Psygnosis' link-up racing game
Demolish 'em Derby, which now incorporates twoplayer code and is
scheduled for release shortly after the machines UK launch.
Newcastle based "Reflections"has been working on the game for the last
nine months - the team bolted on the neccessary code just days before
Edge saw it. At this stage in development,booting up the game on both
machines requires swapping a single disc from one psx to another but
unsuprisingly,the finished game will require one cd for each machine
-to minimise error correction and game crashes, according to
Sony, although the ability to play the cd soundtrack through both Tv's
is obviously a consideration too. When the game is loaded on both
consoles,each program looks for the other machine and then the code is
synchronised so that both players are represented onscreen.
The version Edge played was around 55% comlete and featured just one
track -an oval Daytona-style affair packed with 21 cars -although the
finished game will incorporate a remarkable 50-60 courses based on five
or six graphical themes. A programmable replay system will also be
incorporated as well as a wide variety of views,including an airship
perspective.
But the games most outstanding feature is the realtime deformation
of the vehicles - Unlike Ridge Racer,smashes and pile-ups really do
affect the cars bodywork. The transparent smoke and steam that billows
from crumpled bonnets and exhausts also make a convincing contribution
to realism.And perhaps best of all,crashes can be saved onto the
PlayStations memory cards,enabling you to record those classic moments
to savour at your leisure.
Despite the density of on-track traffic and the level of graphical
detail,the action in Demolish 'em Derby remains suprisingly fast and
smooth. Because of the cables high baud rate (and Reflections concerted
efforts in this area) the link-up has minimal effect on the games frame
rate. In fact the only data transmitted through the cable is the cars X
and Y coordinates (rather than all of the screen information) and the
result is that there's virtually no noticeable loss of speed in the
entire race. Sony claims that the system has been designed to cope with
games running at any frame rate -a title such as Tekken, for example
which runs in one frame (sixty frames per second) would suffer very
little in terms of speed loss.
As well as Demolish 'em Derby Psygnosis has three other Playstation
projects in the pipeline compatible with the two-player link-up.
Wipeout (Edge 21) Assault Rigs and Krazy Ivan (formerly known as Ideal)
At the time of writing the company was busy preparing link-up version
to be unveiled at the May E3 show in Los Angeles.
Despite the inconvenience of having to set up two telivision sets
(although in Japan the availability of of wide screen double-tuner
TV's means that both displays can sit side by side on the same screen)
software developers seem keen to take advantage of the Playstation's
link-up capacity. Given the level of commitment from companys such as
Psygnosis,as well as the efforts of many third parties,a two player
head-to-head option could soon become a standard feature of Playstation
games.
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THE LINK-UP CABLE
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The Playstation link-up cable will be released in Japan in July for
2000 yen (about 18 UK pounds).This will coincide with the release of
the first game to take advantage of it.The cable has a peak baud rate
of 4MBits/sec and feeds data directly to the cpu,which processes it and
the transmits it to the other machine at the baud rate specified by the
programmer.The only Multitap system currently in development at SCE is
a multi-joypad system similar to the SNES's Super Multitap,which will
allow four pads to be connected to each joypad port.When used in
conjunction with the link-up cable it will enable up to 16 players to
compete against each other.
16 Player BomberMan anyone?
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ACE COMBAT
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Format:Playstation
Publisher:Namco
Developer:In house
Release Date:June 30 (Jap)
Origin:Japan
Namco's fifth Playstation game is already in the pieline, less than six
months after the release of the hardware. Ace Combat is yet another
conversion from the firms stable of 3d coin-ops. Although it has
recieved a name change in Japan (The arcade game was known as Air
Combat) its likely that the European version will retain the origianl
title. In the arcades,Air Combat has recently been superceeded by the
vastly more sophisticated Air Combat 22 (Edge 20) which uses an
advanced version of the Ridge Racer technology called System Super 22
Like the coin-op Ace Combat includes a series of missions,but has
been given extra depth, a progressive storyline and less linear
gameplay. There are now 16 different aircraft to choose from,a wider
selection of ammunition and weapons,and mission briefing and map
scrrens to give the player a strategic overview. The Playstation title
also boasts smooth texture mapped environments rather than the coinops
barren flat shaded polygons. This alone should ensure that it attracts
attention when it goes on sale in Japan at the end of June.
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JUMPING FLASH
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Format:Playstation
Publisher:SCE
Developer:In house
Price:5800 yen (45 UK Pounds)
Release:Out Now
The first six months of the Playstation's existence has been
distinguished by games derived from existing genres:racing games,
beat-em-up's shot-em-up's,scrolling platform games and so on.
Sony's technology has enabled these games to be presented in an
aesthetically pleasing manner,but none so far has really added anything
unique to their respective genres.
Jumping Flash is the first title to take an age old game and really
shake it by the throat. Admittedly it is still a platform game -the
oldest genre in the book - but this is as far removed from Donkey Kong
as Donkey Kong was from Pong.
Star of the show is Robbit,a robotic rabbit and its through his pink
eyes that the gameworld is viewed. Each level is essentially a three
dimensional island - or group of islands - floating high above a
clodscape. These islands are littered with buldings,towers,hazards and
creatures indigenous to each themed area. On area three, for
instance,you have roller coasters and a Ferris wheel; on world
four,there are snowmen,penguins and igloos. The idea is simple; Robbit
has to retrieve four carrot shaped jetpods which have been secreted
about the level. As you progress through the game,they're hidden in less
accesible locations.
Robbit,as expected,jumps around.One button tap sends him
skywards,another tap at the peak of his trjectory sends him even
higher. At this point Robbit looks down between his oversized feet to
give the player some idea of where he is going to land.
And that apart from the perfunctory shooting,is it.
Once all jetpods have been collected, Robbit is directed to the exit
pad and blasts off to the next stage.
Jumping Flash is a clever idea,brilliantly executed.The depth cued
3D graphics are wonderful, capturing all the right sensations of height
and distance. They're mostly glitch free and seemingly rendered with
ease.
Nothing a high spec PC couldn't handle,but impressive nontheless.
Aswell as being a demonstation of the Sony's graphical
prowess,Jumping Flash actually plays very well.Platforms are cunningly
positioned so that you have to make daring leaps into space,landing
with the merest of margins. And with so much made of the 3D aspect,with
platforms suspended hundreds of feet in the air,requiring some nimble
athletics to reach them. However enjoyment is a little too
short-lived.Four of the six worlds (three levels in each)can be bested
in a days play,and the later two are only problematic thanks to over
zealous enemies and hardened bosses.With the opportunity to save game
positions to the memory card,only the most inept gamers will struggle
to complete the game in a few days.
As an enjoyable,enthralling gaming experience Jumping Flash is
without equal. But,like a suspiciously high number of next generation
titles,its a long way from being a worthwhile investment. Its a shame
there are nosecret stages or unusual tasks to perform. And given the
amount of storage space liberated by the CD revolution,the fact it has
just 12 distinct,complex levels (the remainder are much more
straighforward boss stages) means that gamers would be right to feel
short-changed
EDGE RATING: SEVEN out of TEN
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DATEL - LOGIC 3 AMPLIFIED STEREO SOUND SYSTEM
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Advertising blurb:
Playstation,Saturn and 3DO offer fantastic Hi-Fi Stereo sound
Why play this through a small tv speaker when you can have fantastic
head-bangingly glorious arcade stereo
Speaker Systems
----------------
50 Watts:L34.99 - Built in 2 way bass reflex amplifier
70 watts:L79.99 = Built in 2 way bass refex amplifier
2" tweeter, 3" woofer
50 watt Woofer: L59.99
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-Built in high quality 50 peak output power amplifier
-Delivers unmatched low-end power
-Can be combined with speakers above to create a total sound system
-Master volume control for woofer aswell as other speakers
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DATEL:Sega Saturn Game Save Cartridge
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-With this amazing game save cart you can save your games at the point
you choose (games with game-save feature)
-Simply restart the game at that point at any time.
-Massive storage capacity -16times greater than the intenal memory of
the Saturn
Price:L39.99 incl P&P
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DATEL: ACTION REPLAY NEWS UPDATE
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After having exclusively revealed last month that Datel were working
on an Action Replay card for the Playstation,we can now tell you whats
on it.
The very first volume which has just been released will help you with
the following games
Kings Field:activates all weapons and gives you more energy
Fantastic Pinball:Unlimited chances
Tekken:Allows you to select the nine extra characters
Crime Crackers:boosts your money,all keys and weapons
Original Parodius:99 lives and level select
Kileak The Blood:Unlimited energy and access to all weapons
Ridge Racer:Extra cars including the black car
Ridge Racer:Super Speed,and combined extras on cars and tracks
Jumping Flash:Select any world and bonus high jump
and thats not everything....
STRONG RUMOUR HAS IT THAT DATEL ARE WORKING ON A CONVERTER TO ENABLE
YOU TO PLAY JAPANESE AND AMERICAN GAMES ON A EUROPEAN PLAYSTATION AND
VICE VERSA
On top of that they are also planning the second volume of Action
Replay cheats for September
FOR ALL DATEL ITEMS CONTACT:
Datel on 01782 744707 - 24Hr Mail Order Hotline
FAX 01782 744292
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Typed : PRoToCoL
Date : 27/05/95
Source :Edge 22 and UMF 8
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