View Full Version : Game Console Prototypes
Sonicwolf
03-15-2009, 07:12 PM
No, that's basically unheard of. The only other console that changed specs was the Saturn.
Wasnt the Dreamcast original heard as being a 64bit addon for the Saturn - then a standalone 64 bit system? I read that somewhere.
PACHUKA
03-17-2009, 08:57 PM
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/4828/psxomg.png
Cleaned that up a bit. Still a bit of artifacting left, but hey. Bite me.
ProgrammingAce
03-17-2009, 09:58 PM
Wasnt the Dreamcast original heard as being a 64bit addon for the Saturn - then a standalone 64 bit system? I read that somewhere.
No, what happened with the dreamcast was a clusterfuck all on it's own. Sega of Japan and Sega of America both decided to use their own R&D branches to compete with each other to create the successor to the Saturn. The US branch was codenamed Blackbelt while the Japanese branch was called Katana. The problem is, they let development continue all the way to the final prototype stages for both platforms, basically doubling the R&D costs for the dreamcast. The katana eventually won the battle and became the DC.
Rumor has it, there are working blackbelt consoles at Sega of America's HQ.
Sonicwolf
03-17-2009, 10:08 PM
Rumor has it, there are working blackbelt consoles at Sega of America's HQ.
You can just imagine how many amazing prototype consoles are around, sitting in corporate buildings and such, collecting dust. Kind of sad.
NayusDante
03-17-2009, 11:07 PM
From what I understand, Sega actually killed the blackbelt because of how 3dfx LEGALLY filed their IPO. By divulging technical details (required in the US), Sega felt betrayed and threatened, or something like that. The way I heard it, it seemed like they were more interested in using the blackbelt than the katana.
I'm curious, are there any screenshots or demos of the blackbelt hardware in action?
Having an extra ethernet port on the PS3 might have targeted 360 owners ... <snip>
As for dual HDMI, I can't think of a good use beyond multi-monitor capabilities ... <snip>
You know, I remember reading Sony's blabber on this stuff as it flowed out of their marketing department's rear end.
Why did they say it would have two ethernet ports? Because that's one more than the Xbox 360 had! And why two HDMI ports? Because the Xbox 360 could connect to "only" a single HDTV (via component) ... so the PS3 can drive two!
It struck me as "our amps go to eleven!" sort of stuff at the time, and it totally turned me off to the PS3 before it even launched. At the time I was on the fence, and bought myself an Xbox 360 after that (that, and Kutaragi's "I want consumers to think 'I will work more hours to buy one'" comment ... whoops).
dj898
03-01-2024, 04:44 AM
Sega Saturn production prototype console PPI-007
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