Confirmed: XBL and PSN get Dreamcast games

[gr4yJ4Y]

This fall Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi will be available to download on XBL and PSN. They'll have higher resolution, online leaderboards, surround sound, and achievement/trophy support.

Judging by the screenshots, it looks like Sonic Adventure will stay squished to a 4:3 screen size, while Crazy Taxi will be widescreen.

Source.

[James McGeachie]

So I can play another poor untweaked version of Sonic Adventure? Fantastic!

I'll see how these actually run before I'm interested.

[Radrappy]

So I can play another poor untweaked version of Sonic Adventure? Fantastic!

My thoughts exactly. The last time I checked Sonic Adventure wasn't exactly a media darling. Releasing it as it is bugs and all is a terrible idea.

[MiraiTails]

SA and Crazy Taxi are pretty tired, I guess, but I hope they port a bunch of DC classics. Roughly 40% of my collection is just a rebuild of my DC collection (for other systems).

[Crisis]

Will the new SA feature any of the defunct online features of the original? A fully integrated Internet mode seems like a lot to ask, but downloadable missions or achievements don't seem too out of the question? I ask because, although I hate to break this to SEGA, Sonic Adventure is actually a little buggy. It's hard to get excited about a leaderboard that will be dominated exclusively by glitched speed runs.

[Radrappy]

WHAT are you suggesting? That they FIX something? Absurd.

[FlashTHD]

So I can play another poor untweaked version of Sonic Adventure? Fantastic!

My thoughts exactly. The last time I checked Sonic Adventure wasn't exactly a media darling. Releasing it as it is bugs and all is a terrible idea.

Destructoid could not even show a screenshot of the correct game (they ran a SA2 one) when posting this story, so methinks the problem with it not being a "media darling" goes a lot deeper than a few bugs and into the territory of "we don't give a shit". Namely, what is there in the International version that so desperately needed ironing out? I wouldn't see much use in wasting time chasing down the many little bizzare behaviors of that game engine either.

From what I have heard this is based on the DC version and not SADX, so assuming they lock it at 30 FPS too, it won't look like hell at least (other than no widescreen). Supposedly you only get to use the DX graphics if you buy a forthcoming DLC pack. The port may also, for once, not be coming courtesy of Backbone.

[Locit]

WHAT are you suggesting? That they FIX something? Absurd.

See also: Sonic Adventure DX

[Radrappy]

WHAT are you suggesting? That they FIX something? Absurd.

See also: Sonic Adventure DX

DX did more harm than solve problems so I'm not sure what you're getting at.

[CM August]

From what I have heard this is based on the DC version and not SADX, so assuming they lock it at 30 FPS too, it won't look like hell at least (other than no widescreen). Supposedly you only get to use the DX graphics if you buy a forthcoming DLC pack. The port may also, for once, not be coming courtesy of Backbone.

Hot damn. If that's true, I might endeavour to pick this up. My Dreamcast copy was compromised long ago.

[Gaz]

From what I've read this is the DX version with the Dreamcast title screen and menus and the extra stuff removed and being charged as extra DLC instead.

Still, I'm not that interested mostly because I've never thought Sonic Adventure was particularly good.

[Crowbar]

...so assuming they lock it at 30 FPS too, it won't look like hell at least...

Given the difference in power between the PS3/XBox360 and the Dreamcast, couldn't they have it run at a consistent super-slick 60fps?

[Kogen]

...so assuming they lock it at 30 FPS too, it won't look like hell at least...

Given the difference in power between the PS3/XBox360 and the Dreamcast, couldn't they have it run at a consistent super-slick 60fps?

This is a Sonic game, though. It gets sent to awkward unheard of developers instead of AM2.

[Crisis]

DX did more harm than solve problems so I'm not sure what you're getting at.

I was under the impression that DX introduced mostly graphical glitches, and fixed a few collision detection issues. I know there were also some downright weird changes, like eye colours, Tails' mouth in the opening, and the removal of Flickies from the E-series (which probably fucks up the canon a bit (lol canon)).

The fact remains that the engine is barely functional. I suspect that the reason DX saw so little improvement was because the game code had cut so many corners it was basically fucked to begin with. Even the relatively minor changes DX did make resulted in a host of unforeseen issues, so it stands to reason that large changes would completely break certain areas of the game.

The engine would be easier to fix on a clean slate - which is exactly what SEGA did when they developed SA2. That's presumably why there were fewer glitches in the SA2 -> Battle transition (although SA2:B was also a lot less ambitious than DX).

[FlashTHD]

...so assuming they lock it at 30 FPS too, it won't look like hell at least...

Given the difference in power between the PS3/XBox360 and the Dreamcast, couldn't they have it run at a consistent super-slick 60fps?

No, because I find that 60 frames ironically makes the game too fast and (combined with DX's terrible retexturing/modelling job that ruined the contrast on everything) destroys the ambience.

But moot point now:

From what I've read this is the DX version with the Dreamcast title screen and menus and the extra stuff removed and being charged as extra DLC instead.

Yeah, this is exactly what it looked like when screenshots were shown months ago, and a PartnerNET leak showed the DLC pack. Pitiful shame if true, and (suprise suprise) that makes Sega PR hyperbole-spewing liars.

The engine would be easier to fix on a clean slate - which is exactly what SEGA did when they developed SA2. That's presumably why there were fewer glitches in the SA2 -> Battle transition (although SA2:B was also a lot less ambitious than DX).

Remember that they also had the advantage of being able to start on the port immedeately after finishing the DC version, with the same team. SADX was released 5 years after the fact and Sonic Team were juggling a million other projects at that time - although I somewhat doubt waiting for a more opportune moment would have made much difference if it were going to look that ugly and still be a straight port.

[Radrappy]

DX did more harm than solve problems so I'm not sure what you're getting at.

I was under the impression that DX introduced mostly graphical glitches, and fixed a few collision detection issues. I know there were also some downright weird changes, like eye colours, Tails' mouth in the opening, and the removal of Flickies from the E-series (which probably fucks up the canon a bit (lol canon)).

The fact remains that the engine is barely functional. I suspect that the reason DX saw so little improvement was because the game code had cut so many corners it was basically fucked to begin with. Even the relatively minor changes DX did make resulted in a host of unforeseen issues, so it stands to reason that large changes would completely break certain areas of the game.

The engine would be easier to fix on a clean slate - which is exactly what SEGA did when they developed SA2. That's presumably why there were fewer glitches in the SA2 -> Battle transition (although SA2:B was also a lot less ambitious than DX).

Well, DX's biggest offense was that the framerate was pretty inconsistent compared to the original. I agree with you though. I think Sonic Adventure, while a highlight of my childhood, has some serious technical problems at its core which really limit its accessibility today. Sega really needs to stop whoring out its classic games the way it does. It's getting really obnoxious how they're willing to squeeze every penny out of every game they've ever made via re releases and compilations.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

Except for the Saturn, of course.

Really though, at least Sega sees value in its portable library, whereas every other company likes to pretend theirs don't exist.

[Isuka]

Not to mention Square Enix's endless rehashing on the DS, too. Current Sega is anything but alone on the modern rerelease/porting scam.

But yeah, I'd like them to port Power Stone 2 so that I may buy it cheaper than what's currently asked for it.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

I meant original GB and GBC.

Unless I'm wrong and there's a way to obtain Final Fantasy Legends other than rummaging through yard-sales, or piracy.

[Soul]

I hate to break this lovely flow of discussing glitches, clipping, and collision detecting issues, but we do need to note that Sega has finally decided to do something with the Dreamcast library that I imagined would eventually happen in the first place. Granted, the opening selection of this isn't anything to rave over (there's still a number of Crazy Taxi arcades/SADX disc out there), but think about the other selections that will get released soon after: Power Stone, Jet Set Radio, Project Justice, Street Fighter III, the original Chu Chu Rocket, Cannon Spike, Skies of Arcadia - a majority with the possibility of online versus and co-op play. I'm not sure about you guys, but I am personally looking forward to the possible outcome for the rest of the library. Hell, if Microsoft didn't beat Sony to the punch, I'd even look forward to a release of Dead or Alive 2 for download*.

Regardless, let's hope Sega is on the right track for these re-releases and do us proud for once - it's been ages since that actually happened.

Dead or Alive: Ultimate already accomplished this.

[Segaholic2]

I think it is overly optimistic to expect that any 3rd-party titles will be released as part of this initiative. Power Stone Collection on PSP makes no reference to Sega or Dreamcast anywhere that I've noticed.

That said, I've been wanting to replay SA1 for a while and I may as well wait until the PSN release happens. Unless they totally FUBAR the port.

[Esrever]

I will never understand why some people get so ANGRY about ports and rereleases.

Movies and books and music albums are kept in circulation forever, but HEAVEN FORBID a game company actually try to keep selling a game that's more than five years old!

[Kogen]

I will never understand why some people get so ANGRY about ports and rereleases.

Movies and books and music albums are kept in circulation forever, but HEAVEN FORBID a game company actually try to keep selling a game that's more than five years old!

Listen YOU. I already PLAYED THIS GAME. What is the point of releasing it again IF I PLAYED IT???

You think I got a new console to play a game I already played?

Wait, I just noticed more than me exists. Hmm...

[Blount]

Well, DX's biggest offense was that the framerate was pretty inconsistent compared to the original.

The PC version actually runs at a consistent rate of 60 fps. Your computer just needs to be relatively modern and way more powerful than the recommended requirements, which is why most people tend to overlook this. It's worse when you put that in perspective, since the game was intended to be handled by much weaker hardware. But at least it's now possible to play it at 60 fps, if that counts for something.

[G.Silver]

I will never understand why some people get so ANGRY about ports and rereleases.

Movies and books and music albums are kept in circulation forever, but HEAVEN FORBID a game company actually try to keep selling a game that's more than five years old!

I think the reason for this is that gamers are constantly hungry for new material, and have a very dedicated "news" industry to keep them informed of exactly what everyone is doing. When you hear that Sega is re-releasing game X and that's all the news for that day, then it sounds like they're wasting their time when they could be making something new. You don't see this with movies, books, and albums, because the artists are, in the public eye, much further separated from the publisher. No one gets excited for publishing companies in those industries, it's always about the director, the actor, the author, or the musician, and in general the "news" covering those media doesn't focus on the publishers.