SegaFans Weekly Issue #18 - June 11, 2006
benstylus
----------------------------------------------------------------------
~ S E G A F A N S W E E K L Y ~ ~ ISSUE #18 - JUN 11 2006 ~
copyright 2006 segafans.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A Message from benstylus ~ Page 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Running a bit late today thanks to an extremely busy last couple of
weeks at work. I had plans for a nice feature with Sega games as
prizes to give away, but I just don't have time to set it up this
week, so it will have to wait until next week.
The prizes will be for subscribers only, so if you haven't subscribed
yet, don't you think it's about time?
So what's going on this week? Well, the DS Lite was released in the
US today, which is pretty big news.
Also, this week is when the 24 Heures du Le Mans will be run. For
those of you unfamiliar with it, it's a race that lasts for 24 hours
(as the name implies). A true test of endurance not just on the
drivers, but on the cars as well.
So what better way to celebrate the Le Mans race than by doing one of
my own on the Dreamcast? Read on to see how that one went...
Also, Beggar Prince has not arrived yet, but I will get to it as soon
as it does!
Got a lot of stuff in this issue (despite it being a last minute one
thanks to work), so let's get to it.
Enjoy!
~ benstylus
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To subscribe to the free SegaFans Weekly newsletter and have it
delivered to you via email before it shows up on the SegaFans website,
as well as receiving direct links to all downloads instead of having
to go through the hassle of using FilePlanet, send an email to
sfw.su...@segafans.com & follow the instructions!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of Contents ~ Page 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1 - A Message from benstylus
2 - Table of Contents
3 - Top Story - 24 Heures du Mans
4 - Weekly News Roundup
5 - DS Lite (and Sonic Rush)
6 - Special Feature - 24 Heures du Mans
7 - New and Upcoming
8 - Game of the Week - Le Mans 24 (Arcade)
9 - Links
10- Credits / Contact Information
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Top Story - 24 Heures du Mans ~ Page 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's hard to find things that have been around since 1923.
Yet that's how long the 24 Heures du Mans race has been around - and
though a few of the races have been cancelled due to world events
(such as most of the races in the 1940's being cancelled due to World
War 2), it has been run annually without fail since 1949.
What is the Le Mans race? It is the ultimate test of endurance. The
2006 race will be run from 5:00 PM Saturday June 17 through 5:00 PM on
Sunday June 18.
Each car will have a team of three drivers, who will each do about 8
hours of driving.
Not every car will make it across the finish line. It's not unheard
of for less than half the cars that start the race to cross the finish
line at the end of the race. Back in 1970, only 7 out of 51 entrants
managed to finish.
But what is it all for?
It tests the skill of the drivers. It's hard enough to drive for 8
hours straight, but it's a race. If you're not driving your hardest,
you'll be passed. And the Le Mans track is not an easy one -
especially during the night hours when visibility is much lower.
It also tests the skill of the engineers who built the car. 24 hours
straight of hard driving is enough to put all but the best cars on the
sideline.
And thus benstylus decided he wanted a piece of the action. Not by
actually going to France, mind you, but by comfortably playing Test
Drive Le Mans on his Dreamcast, in 24 hour mode. In real time. For
24 hours straight.
The planning began. I wanted to do it on the day the Le Mans race was
run, at the precise time the race was run as well. I had everything
prepared for June 17-18, but then I hit a snag.
I discovered that Les Miserables was going to be in the area, and
immediately set about procuring tickets for myself and some close
friends. After some discussion, it was decided that the only day
everyone could go see it together was on June 17.
For the record, Les Miserables with friends automatically trumps Le
Mans by myself.
So I had a dilemma. Do I still try to do it the 17th? We got tickets
for a matinee performance, so I could do it the same day, just a
little later.
Except we don't all get together very often, and would probably want
to do something after the show as well.
Well, I could do it beforehand and publish the story in SegaFans
Weekly on the appropriate day. So I decided to do it early, and began
to make preparations.
Then I got sick. Not just regular sick, though - bad sick. Real bad.
I was out of commission for nearly 3 weeks.
I would not be deterred, though, so I decided to do it the next
weekend.
And my brother came down from Michigan for a visit with the family. I
didn't want to be the jerk who stayed hidden away not answering his
phone while the rest of the family visited with my brother and his
wife.
They wanted to go to the beach (after being in Michigan, it's no
wonder). So I hopped in my car and met everyone down at the Seal
Beach pier.
Besides, I could still do it the next week, which would lead us to
this past Friday, June 9.
I have come to the decision that providence does not look kindly on
people who want to play video games for 24 hours straight. As it so
happens, I got an unexpected amount of work this last week (time-
sensitive of course), and so I put in quite a few extra hours to get
it all done.
By the time Friday evening rolled around, I was dead tired. But I was
going to perservere. I got everything set up, and ran the qualifier
with a respectable time of 3:47.982, which put me in the middle of the
pack to start the race.
At precisely 7:00 PM, I started the 24 hour race. I began the 24
Heures du Mans.
It was raining. I had on soft tires, and was not really ready to race
in the rain, but I decided to try anyway. The first lap was awful. I
went from 12th down to 16th place, but I had used this lap to get
acquainted with the controls in the rain.
Slowly but surely, I began to climb the ranks as the laps went by.
From 16th place to 4th place took about 8 laps. I was catching up
ever so slowly to the cars ahead of me - gaining about a second on
them for each lap. On lap 17, I was notified that I was running low
on fuel.
As I was coming up on the pits, I noticed that the cars ahead of me
had not stopped, and so I determined that I still had enough fuel for
another lap. So I didn't stop, and proceeded to inch ever closer to
the front of the pack.
It again came time to choose whether to pit or whether to let it ride
for one more lap. And again, the cars ahead did not pit. Following
their lead, I struggled and slowly crept up behind them.
Lap 20 was nearing its completion, and again they did not pit. My
fuel was extremely low, but I decided that I would pit when they did.
Since they were ahead of me, their fuel should be lower than mine, and
if they can make it, I can make it.
About a third of the way through lap 21, about an hour and a half into
the race, my fuel ran out. You can keep going without fuel, but you
go unbearably slow. By the time I had limped around the track to the
pits, I was in last place, and I had been lapped by the first 8 cars.
As I was dead tired to begin with, I saw this as a sign that I should
quit now and try again another time. Rising from my chair, I shut off
the Dreamcast and went to bed.
Maybe next year, benstylus. Maybe next year.
- benstylus
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Weekly News Roundup ~ Page 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Real slow week for Sega news, but I'm still trying to cover it.
Thanks to SegaFan 3000DC for this tip: Dan Loosen of GOAT store has
announced 10 new games for the Dreamcast. Yes, they're all
independent "homebrew" games, but if GOAT's previous releases are any
indication, these will be fairly good quality.
- http://www.dreamcast-scene.com/index.php/Main/News200606
Sega's opened up the website for their upcoming PSP port of Myst. In
it, you can see three screenshots of the brand new Rime Age.
- http://myst.sega.jp/
IGN Dreamcast's return continues as they review more games... new
entries for this past week include Sonic Shuffle coming in at #199 and
Armada sitting at a respectable #32.
- http://dreamcast.ign.com/articles/702/702841p1.html
Sega Japan has updated their Last Bronx page with a few wallpapers and
a gameplay movie. Go check it out if you haven't already!
- http://ages.sega.jp/vol24/extra.html
Also, an update on the sega-saturn.com situation - Dave has agreed to
let me host the site at SegaFans. We'll be working out the details,
and hopefully will have something up within the next few weeks.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SegaFans Forum Digest ~ Page 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Scrodamoon kicks of the week in the forums with a bang with this
topic. His "Saturn Side Bar" proves to be both popular AND on topic.
A SegaFans first!
- http://www.segafans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1947
Steve posts a tribute to the dead sega-saturn.com (though it will be
coming back). It's worth a read.
- http://www.segafans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1951
JoshF has two simple questions about the Saturn MPEG card. And they
get answered.
- http://www.segafans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1953
There's no stopping IcePak once he decides to make a poll. As such,
we now have a Grandia II vs Skies of Arcadia poll. And so far 4
people have voted. What's your favorite? AND WHY?
- http://www.segafans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1965
SegaFans Weekly Issue #17 garners some response - mostly mourning over
the loss of Sega-Saturn.com though. Do I notice an Elevator Action
Returns review stuffed in there?
- http://www.segafans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1949
----------------------------------------------------------------------
DS Lite (and Sonic Rush) ~ Page 6
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Today marks the release of Nintendo's smaller, sleeker version of
their Dual-Screen handheld system - appropriately called the DS Lite.
The original DS was praised for its innovative games and new approach
to handheld gaming, while simultaneously being criticized for its
size, design, and ergonomics.
Well, apparently Nintendo listened to the complaints, and the DS just
got a whole lot cooler.
It still packs all the power of the original DS, but is only about two
thirds of the size. The bulky, awkward look of the original has been
replaced by a contoured beauty with a transparent outer coating that
gives the white plastic underneath an almost pearlescent look.
A few things have been moved around as well - the power switch is no
longer directly above the D-pad, but is now located out of the way on
the side of the unit. The microphone is now on the hinge between the
two screens.
While the rest of the system has shrunk considerably, the stylus is
noticeably larger. It's thicker, longer, and definitely more sturdy
than the original.
According to Nintendo, the battery lasts even longer - up to 19 hours
depending on the brightness setting. Speaking of brightness, the DS
Lite has 4 different brightness settings, ranging from dim to quite
bright. The original DS brightness is about the level of the second
weakest brightness setting on the Lite.
Now what about the bad? Surely with a redesign, there has to be some
problems. And to be fair, there are a couple of noticeable
differences. The original DS came with a wrist strap and thumb nub
for playing games like Mario 64 with simulated analog control. The
wrist strap (and thus the thumb nub) does not come with the DS Lite.
Secondly, the Game Boy Advance port has been shortened. You can still
play the GBA games, but they'll stick out from the system slightly.
Overall, this system looks VERY nice. But does it look as nice as the
PSP, the self-proclaimed standard for handheld aesthetics? In my
opinion, it looks even better.
But what good is a DS if you haven't got Sega games to play on it?
Have no fear. Sega wouldn't leave you out in the cold like that.
As a SegaFan, the first game you should get with your new DS Lite
system is, without a doubt, Sonic Rush. Yes, it's been out for a
while, but is still one of the best DS games available - and an
exclusive one at that.
Many a SegaFan has complained about the 3D Sonic games, clamoring for
a good old fashioned 2D romp like in the early 90's. The Sonic
Advance games just didn't quite pull it off like the Genesis games,
and while they were admirable efforts, they were all hampered by some
problems.
Sonic Rush, however, is excellent on all fronts.
One of the first things you'll notice when you start playing is it
SOUNDS different than any Sonic game. The reason for this is that the
music was done by Hideki Naganuma (famous for his killer music in the
Jet Set Radio games). It is, in my opinion, the best music in a Sonic
game to date. Naganuma's passion for creating funky fast paced beat-
driven melodies shines through here, and while the music may not be
quite as memorable as his tunes in Jet Set Radio, it is certainly on
par as far as quality goes.
The Sonic 2 style of special stages have always been my favorite, and
Sonic Rush returns to them with style. Sadly, only Sonic can go into
them, so if you're playing as Blaze, you're kind of left out in the
cold on that front. Note: It has to do with the plot, not with Blaze
being too much of a pussy (get it?) to get to the special stages.
A new gameplay element in the game is the Super Boost. Essentially,
you've got a meter that you can charge by bopping enemies or
performing tricks in the air. This meter allows you to dash forward in
a high speed fireball. It really gets you moving and it's almost
essential to utilize it as often as you can to get through a level
quickly. What's more, when your meter is fully charged, you'll have
the ability to boost for a while without the meter depleting. And as
long as you keep tricking or nailing enemies, the meter will stay
full.
At the end of each stage, you'll get graded based on your time and the
number of rings you've got. As a believer in score-based gaming, I
hold great respect for scoring and grading systems. They may turn some
people off, but they inspire me to continue to improve until I have
mastered the levels. I've got S and A ranks on nearly every zone now.
If there's anything to complain about in the game, it's the forced
story. Yes, this Sonic game interjects story cutscenes and makes you
walk from one point to the next on an overhead map. It's not
particularly bothersome, as once you've beaten the game you'll never
need to use the map again.
It's nice to finally have a relatively pure sonic game again. Yes,
there's the whole issue of Blaze the cat, but apart from her special
move, the two characters play virtually identically. And I think most
people would rather have another fast paced character instead of
someone like Big the Cat. After all, Sonic is about speed.
So there's a lot of praise for the game, now how about some
criticism...
Well, the levels rely largely on the same themes they did in prior
games.
There's the "Leaf Storm" zone which is this game's Green Hill, there
the mandatory night time flashing lights zone, this time called
"Carnival Night", there's the underwater palace, cleverly titled
"Water Palace". Some of the less frequently seen before (but still
seen before) themes include an egyptian desert themed zone called
"Mirage Road" and a zone aboard a giant airship called "Altitude
Limit".
Granted, I know people have come to expect certain things from a Sonic
game, but they can at least try some different things. I'm kind of
surprised that Sega has stuck to the basics for so long. That being
said, there hasn't been a Japan themed zone yet, or even a Pirate
themed zone yet which are often used in other platformers.
Also, it seems like Sega has become afraid to let you lose ever since
Sonic Adventure, and this game is no different in that respect. Get a
game over? Just start again at the stage where you left off. I suppose
it's a sacrifice that had to be made to appeal to today's more casual
gamers - I remember feeling pretty cocky when I made it to the Spring
Yard Zone for the first time in the original Sonic the Hedgehog; I
think most gamers today would just turn the game off if they had to
start over from the beginning when they lost. It used to be you had to
earn your continues. Now they don't even call them continues - they're
just sort of there.
At any rate, Sonic Rush looked great on the DS and it looks even
better on the DS thanks to the improved brightness. If you haven't
yet succumbed to the will on Nintendo, it may be time.
Grab a DS Lite and grab Sonic Rush. It's the best Sonic game in over
a decade.
-benstylus
----------------------------------------------------------------------
New and Upcoming ~ Page 7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's a list of Sega's upcoming releases (within 2 weeks of this
newsletter) as well as recent games in case you accidentally missed
any of them. This list covers games developed by Sega, published by
Sega, or on Sega systems. These dates are direct from Sega, but
sometimes they change em. So this should be considered a "rough
estimate" rather than hard facts.
Got another EXTRA LONG name in the Japanese releases, so the format's
changing again to accommodate it.
RECENTLY RELEASED - USA
-----------------------
None :(
UPCOMING GAMES - USA
--------------------
Rome: Total War - Alexander
- PC 06/19/06
RECENTLY RELEASED - EUROPE
--------------------------
None :(
UPCOMING GAMES - EUROPE
-----------------------
Rome: Total War - Alexander
- PC 06/15/06
Tenchu: Time of the Assassins
- PSP 06/23/06
RECENTLY RELEASED - JAPAN
-------------------------
World Football Climax
- PS2 06/01/06
UPCOMING GAMES - JAPAN
----------------------
Myst
- PSP 06/15/06
Sony Computer Science Kenkyuusho Kenmogi Kenichirou Hakase Kanshuu -
Nou ni Kaikan: Aha Taiken
- PSP 06/22/06
Yes, that's seriously the name. Go check it out yourself.
- http://www.sega.jp/psp/aha/home.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Week - Le Mans 24 (Arcade) ~ Page 8
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Test Drive Le Mans may have the 24 hour mode, but Le Mans 24 in the
arcade has Sega written all over it.
Meaning that what this game lacks in realism, it makes up for in fun.
Anyone who's played a Sega racing game has a pretty good idea what to
expect. You've got a modest assortment of licensed cars to choose
from (including a Ferrari), and a few ways to play.
The main attraction of Le Mans 24 is, naturally, the 24 hour race.
You'll race through night and day in the 24 hour mode, though it's a
compressed 24 hours, so you'll barely have time to enjoy the sunset
before it's gone.
As is always the case, you start at the back of the pack, and need to
claw your way to the front to earn first place. Le Mans 24 has the
standard checkpoints to extend your time, but it takes it one step
further as well. Whenever you pass a car, you'll add a few seconds of
time to the countdown clock. On the flip side, if you ever let a car
pass you, you'll lose several seconds. This twist makes each game
last quite a bit longer if you know what you're doing.
Like a lot of Sega's arcade racers, Le Mans cabinets can be linked to
allow for more players. Le Mans allows for up to 6 people to play
simultaneously.
The biggest downside to the Le Mans 24 is the track difficulty. It's
practically nonexistent. Most of the turns can be easily taken
without so much as letting up on the gas, and the few that you do need
to slow down for are still quite easy.
But if you suck at Daytona and don't like all the precision required
in Sega Rally, you may enjoy Le Mans 24 quite a bit more. At the very
least, it's fun whether you're a beginner or a veteran.
It's certainly not a classic like Daytona or Sega Rally, but Le Mans
24 is another quality racer if you're looking for something a bit
different.
As with all Sega arcade games - good luck finding one... they seem to
be plentiful here in Southern California, but your mileage may vary.
-benstylus
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Links ~ Page 9
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SegaFans: Covering the past present and future of everything Sega
- http://www.segafans.com
Sega of America
- http://www.sega.com
Sega Europe
- http://www.sega-europe.com
Sega of Japan
- http://www.sega.jp
Cuddly Gamers: A forum where gamers are nice to each other
- http://cuddlygamers.com
Game Trading Zone: Buy, sell, or trade your games online for free
- http://www.gametz.com
Game Tribute: Provides ad free hosting to quality game fan sites
- http://www.gametribute.com
Whip Ass Gaming: A very hip gaming site run by BelPowerslave
- http://www.whipassgaming.com
--==>> LINK OF THE WEEK <<==--
Shin Force
- http://www.shinforce.com
One of the few remaining bastions of Sega, Shin Force is a truly
fantastic site to go for reviews, wallpapers, screenshots, scans, and
more.
The amount of content they have is incredible for a fan site. They've
been doing this for years, and it really shows. Go check them out.
Right now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Credits / Legal / Contact / Subscription Information ~ Page 10
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This issue was created in its entirety by benstylus.
All original content copyright 2006 segafans.com.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You may redistribute this newsletter under the following conditions:
1 - You will not add, remove, or change any part of this newsletter.
2 - You will not charge for this newsletter. If you run a
subscription-based website, this newsletter must be in a non-
subscription area of the site.
3 - You will provide proper credit and a link to www.segafans.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
All games featured are copyright their respective owners.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Would you like to subscribe to the free SegaFans Weekly newsletter?
Just send an email to:
NOTE: To avoid spam, you will receive an auto-reply from that address.
Read the instructions in the auto-reply to confirm your subscription.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tired of receiving the newsletter in your email every week? If you
want to cancel your subscription, send an email to:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Got any comments, suggestions, complaints, or even submissions (hint
hint)? Just e-mail:
Make sure to put SEGAFANS WEEKLY in the subject header to get past
the spam filter!
Do not send file attachments without my approval - unsolicited e-mail
with files attached will simply be deleted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
~UNLIKE SONIC I DON'T CHUCKLE... I'D RATHER FLEX MY MUSCLES~
BelPowerslave
> as it does!
>
Yup....sounds about right. Ordered mine on the 31st....still waiting.
Almost 2 weeks now. I can only dream how upset those who actually
pre-ordered, and are still waiting for it, are...;)
Bravo Super Fighter Team, bravo...
>
> Sony Computer Science Kenkyuusho Kenmogi Kenichirou Hakase Kanshuu -
> Nou ni Kaikan: Aha Taiken
> - PSP 06/22/06
>
Please excuse me while I whip out my penis and masturbate furiously to its
almighty-Japanese-goodness....or maybe it would be better stated as
"FURIOUS PENIS SLAPPING SEX SESSION WANKER-FEST KIT AND KABOODLE: AHA,
PRETENTIOUS TITLE FOR A GAME THAT WILL LIKELY NOT EVER MAKE IT OUT OF
JAPAN....SCREAMING FIST!!!" That could, quite possibly, just be my take on
the title though...
Bel
--
Whip Ass Gaming: http://www.whipassgaming.com/
"The war is now being fought once again, only this time it can be won by
mortals."
- Rayden, Mortal Kombat Gold
benstylus
>>Also, Beggar Prince has not arrived yet, but I will get to it as soon
>>as it does!
>>
>
>
> Yup....sounds about right. Ordered mine on the 31st....still waiting.
> Almost 2 weeks now. I can only dream how upset those who actually
> pre-ordered, and are still waiting for it, are...;)
>
> Bravo Super Fighter Team, bravo...
>
>
Well, I'm not going to let them forget about it. The longer they take,
the more I'll complain in SegaFans Weekly!
>>Sony Computer Science Kenkyuusho Kenmogi Kenichirou Hakase Kanshuu -
>>Nou ni Kaikan: Aha Taiken
>> - PSP 06/22/06
>>
>
>
> Please excuse me while I whip out my penis and masturbate furiously to its
> almighty-Japanese-goodness....or maybe it would be better stated as
> "FURIOUS PENIS SLAPPING SEX SESSION WANKER-FEST KIT AND KABOODLE: AHA,
> PRETENTIOUS TITLE FOR A GAME THAT WILL LIKELY NOT EVER MAKE IT OUT OF
> JAPAN....SCREAMING FIST!!!" That could, quite possibly, just be my take on
> the title though...
>
> Bel
>
Eh, you never know... looking at Nintendo's success with Brain Age, Sony
might decide to bring that one out here.
Of course raising the intelligence of PSP users might have the
detrimental side effect of them realizing the PSP is a waste of money
and selling it to buy a DS...
BelPowerslave
> >>as it does!
> >>
> >
> >
> > Yup....sounds about right. Ordered mine on the 31st....still waiting.
> > Almost 2 weeks now. I can only dream how upset those who actually
> > pre-ordered, and are still waiting for it, are...;)
> >
> > Bravo Super Fighter Team, bravo...
> >
> >
>
> Well, I'm not going to let them forget about it. The longer they take,
> the more I'll complain in SegaFans Weekly!
>
Well, let me know when it shows up. I think we're pretty much in the same boat.
You ordered directly after the pre-orders shipped right? I ordered on the
31st(the day that the orders after the pre-orders were supposed to ship). They
should have shipped at the same time, roughly...this is, of course, assuming
they actually went out around the 31st(unlikely).
>
> > Please excuse me while I whip out my penis and masturbate furiously to its
> > almighty-Japanese-goodness....or maybe it would be better stated as
> > "FURIOUS PENIS SLAPPING SEX SESSION WANKER-FEST KIT AND KABOODLE: AHA,
> > PRETENTIOUS TITLE FOR A GAME THAT WILL LIKELY NOT EVER MAKE IT OUT OF
> > JAPAN....SCREAMING FIST!!!" That could, quite possibly, just be my take on
> > the title though...
> >
> > Bel
> >
>
> Eh, you never know... looking at Nintendo's success with Brain Age, Sony
> might decide to bring that one out here.
>
> Of course raising the intelligence of PSP users might have the
> detrimental side effect of them realizing the PSP is a waste of money
> and selling it to buy a DS...
Well...I don't know that that'd be the *intelligent* move...but then again,
buying either system isn't too smart to me, in the first place. ;) Save the
money, get a laptop. :)
I was over at BB the other day, couldn't believe that Liberty City Stories is
already out on PS2! Man, only a few more months before it hits PC, then Xbox.
The *only* damn title I'd ever of even considered getting a PSP for...
Ted
BelPowerslave wrote:
snip
> The *only* damn title I'd ever of even considered getting a PSP for...
Portable Outrun 2 does nothing for you?
BelPowerslave
>
> Portable Outrun 2 does nothing for you?
No, it really doesn't. :( I mean, it's kinda cool that it's portable
and all...but when you look at all the hits it takes because of it, it
really looses its appeal(imo) in comparison with the other two
versions.
Bel
benstylus
> Well, let me know when it shows up. I think we're pretty much in the same boat.
> You ordered directly after the pre-orders shipped right? I ordered on the
> 31st(the day that the orders after the pre-orders were supposed to ship). They
> should have shipped at the same time, roughly...this is, of course, assuming
> they actually went out around the 31st(unlikely).
>
Well, I got the email that it shipped today.
Santee is about a 2 hour drive from here, so here's hoping it shows up
tomorrow.
>
>>Eh, you never know... looking at Nintendo's success with Brain Age, Sony
>>might decide to bring that one out here.
>>
>>Of course raising the intelligence of PSP users might have the
>>detrimental side effect of them realizing the PSP is a waste of money
>>and selling it to buy a DS...
>
>
> Well...I don't know that that'd be the *intelligent* move...but then again,
> buying either system isn't too smart to me, in the first place. ;) Save the
> money, get a laptop. :)
>
Well, that works too. It's just the PSP seems to have little more than
watered down versions of PS2 games. The DS on the other hand has lots
of original titles that can't be played on any other systems.
If you're going to get a portable, it's almost a no brainer for me. Of
course if i had no brain I might have ended up with a PSP. ;)
BelPowerslave
>
> Santee is about a 2 hour drive from here, so here's hoping it shows up
> tomorrow.
Would be fucking nice. I've got my buddy's CDX all lined up...all I
lack is the game.
> > Well...I don't know that that'd be the *intelligent* move...but then again,
> > buying either system isn't too smart to me, in the first place. ;) Save the
> > money, get a laptop. :)
> >
>
> Well, that works too. It's just the PSP seems to have little more than
> watered down versions of PS2 games. The DS on the other hand has lots
> of original titles that can't be played on any other systems.
>
> If you're going to get a portable, it's almost a no brainer for me. Of
> course if i had no brain I might have ended up with a PSP. ;)
I don't know that I'd call anyone with a PSP or whatever of the 1300
variations of the GB a dummy, but imo the whole portable thing is just
done. I have little-to-no interest in pretty much any of them, except
for the Game Gear and Nomad...and even then, with the laptop they see
very little use.
Had Sony of been able to make the PSP large enough to accept regular
PSX games, and then run them in that special "PS2" mode that makes them
look better(which, for most games, this is all the PSP library seems to
be anyway) I'd *almost* of considered it...but then that $250+ price
tag would have immediately slapped me down(again).
After I sold the iBook, and before I bought the Inspiron, my thoughts
kind of went "PSP too expensive, GBA/SP/DS too shitty. Game Gear here I
come". ;)
Bel
Ted
BelPowerslave wrote:
snip
> After I sold the iBook, and before I bought the Inspiron, my thoughts
> kind of went "PSP too expensive, GBA/SP/DS too shitty. Game Gear here I
> come". ;)
The DS Lite is better in the hardware niceness category than the
original DS was (according to my friend who imported one, who's been
living in Texas since before he imported, meaning I have no first hand
evidence of this). Actually, the SP was great in form too. I'm surprised
you wouldn't have been interested in the SP actually; the GBA has been
the seat of 2D gaming recently (with some migration to the DS), hosting
some of the best post DC Sega games.
BelPowerslave
Yeah, I've been interested in quite a few of the games on the GBA
series...even own two(Altered Beast: GotR and TMNT) and enjoyed them
quite a bit via the GBA Player on the GC. Thing is, a lot of the GBA
library is made up of SNES ports...and man, I've yet to run across one
that is as good as the original. :( If I were to ever get a GB, it'd
most likely be an SP, or if I just really luck out, a GBA with the
Afterburner light already installed. That way I could play all of the
GBA library, and the GB/C games as well...and just ignore the gimmicky
DS lineup of titles. ;)
Bel
bluecrabfive
snip
> And thus benstylus decided he wanted a piece of the action. Not by
> actually going to France, mind you, but by comfortably playing Test
> Drive Le Mans on his Dreamcast, in 24 hour mode. In real time. For
> 24 hours straight.
snip
Amazing I salute you even considering that!!! Too cool. Twenty-four
hours straight? No bathroom breaks, food or rest? Hardcore.
Test Drive Le Mans is such a great looking and playing driving game on
the DC. I freaked the first time I raced at night and you could see
the brakes getting red hot. Definitely was the best looking game IMHO
until MSR came out.
snip
> According to Nintendo, the battery lasts even longer - up to 19 hours
> depending on the brightness setting. Speaking of brightness, the DS
> Lite has 4 different brightness settings, ranging from dim to quite
> bright. The original DS brightness is about the level of the second
> weakest brightness setting on the Lite.
The brightness on the new one is amazing. I'm glad that I waited for
the Lite to come out, I just have to figure out what games I want. I
know I won't play it a whole lot but I already have quite a few GBA
games and its such a nice little piece I can't resist.
benstylus
> benstylus wrote:
>
> snip
>
>
>>And thus benstylus decided he wanted a piece of the action. Not by
>>actually going to France, mind you, but by comfortably playing Test
>>Drive Le Mans on his Dreamcast, in 24 hour mode. In real time. For
>>24 hours straight.
>
>
> snip
>
> Amazing I salute you even considering that!!! Too cool. Twenty-four
> hours straight? No bathroom breaks, food or rest?
That's what pit stops are for. They take about 30 seconds and you'll
need to take one every hour or so. Just be fast with your food and
bathroom breaks.
bluecrabfive
Maybe just do it trucker style and keep a couple of empty milk jugs
handy. That would be seriously taxing to the eyes to look at the
screen for that period of time. The worse game I have played as far as
eye strain goes lately is Guitar Hero, some of the songs I would have
to focus on the notes so much that I would be literally crying at the
end of a three or four minute song.
BelPowerslave
> > Almost 2 weeks now. I can only dream how upset those who actually
> > pre-ordered, and are still waiting for it, are...;)
> >
> > Bravo Super Fighter Team, bravo...
> >
> >
>
> Well, I'm not going to let them forget about it. The longer they take,
> the more I'll complain in SegaFans Weekly!
Any luck yet? It's now been over two weeks and I've yet to even see an
email letting me know they've gotten so far as to even begin packing
the game up to ship. Man, so far everything about this has been a total
joke.
Bel
benstylus
Actually mine arrived a couple days ago.
BelPowerslave
Must be nice....