Happy Birthday Dreamcast!

[Cloud121]

10 years baby! Yeah, it's still 26 minutes away here in Iowa, but on the east coast, it's time to party like it's 9/9/99!!!

Here's an essay I wrote years ago. I've since revised it a bit, and added to it.

Ladies and Gentlemen of DP:

Ten years ago on this very day, the game I had waited an excrutiating two years for finally came out.... Final Fanta...

UGH!

I mean ten years ago on this very day, the greatest console was released. Hype had been surrounding it for months, hoping Sega would get it right this time. Needless to say, the hype was worth it. Soul Calibur, NFL 2K, Sonic Adventure, were the top titles of the launch crop. Among other great games were Power Stone, Marvel vs Capcom, Ready 2 Rumble, and my personal favorite, King of Fighters 98. It broke records with it's vast number of launch titles, and number of consoles sold within a 24 hour period.

After this great launch, killer apps seemed lacking. NBA 2K was probably the hottest new game before the games came, and came, and kept coming. Six months after launch, NBA 2K the only game to quench your thirst of killer games (that is, if you were bored of the launch titles), until this six month drought was up. Crazy Taxi, Dead or Alive 2, NHL 2K, Resident Evil: CODE Veronica, Virtua Tennis, Space Channel 5, Jet Set Radio, among others. The year 2000 was the time for this console to shine, despite people saying that a certain upcoming console would crush it in one night.

2000 also saw a truly ground-breaking event occur: Online-Gaming via Game Console. X-Band and Netlink aside, this was TRUE online gaming. Sega had servers set up ready to go. Chu Chu Rocket made by Yuji Naka and Sonic Team, was the world's first online console video game. Established and pioneered by this particular console, it would become the benchmark, by which all future console online games was measured. SegaNet. Despite major lag issues with Chu Chu Rocket, it was a monumental event in the history of video games. This console made it a reality.

A few months later, the world's first Cel-Shaded Graphics game was released. Jet Set Radio. The only Cel-Shaded game available for about two years, it's home was this console. The Sega Scream would make a comeback later that year. Truly a moment long awaited by long-time Sega fans everywhere. A new era was beginning. NFL 2K1 and NBA 2K1 laid the foundation for SegaNet to stay to this very day.

This console's primary competition, was released to much hype on October 26, 2000. Lack of consoles, and hardware problems caused many to flock towards Sega's console. Many were happy with their purchases, NFL 2K1 was a much better game than Madden.

A few weeks after the competition's launch, another truly ground-breaking game was released. Shenmue, created by famed Yu Suzuki, was released on November 11, 2000. Many loved it, many hated it. Hate for it's slow pace, love for it's total immersion. It was (and still is) a game for the ages. Early in 2001, Phantasy Star Online was released. The world's first online console RPG, was truly ground-breaking, and again, only on this console for close to two years. Amid all these great times, trouble arose:

Sega announced that their newest console, would be their last, and would be discontinued a year later. Many a fan were aghast at this announcement. Whereas many a fanboy, laughed at both Sega and its fans. Many more great games would be released for this console throughout it's final year:

Sonic Adventure 2
Phantasy Star Online Version 2
NFL 2K2
NBA 2K2
NCAA Football 2K2
NHL 2K2
World Series Baseball 2K2
Tennis 2K2
Virtual On: Ontario Tangrem
Grandia II
Skies of Arcadia
Crazy Taxi II
Capcom vs SNK
Marvel vs Capcom 2
Power Stone 2
Garou: Mark of The Wolves
The Last Blade 2
Shenmue II (Import)
Headhunter (Import)
Rez (Import)
Ikaruga (Import)
Fire Pro Wrestling D (Import)
New Japan Pro WrestlingL Toukon Restuden 4 (Import)
Dance Dance Revolution 2nd Mix (Import)
Dance Dance Revolution Club Mix (Import)
Biohazard CODE: Veronica Complete (Import)
Capcom vs SNK Pro (Import)
Capcom vs SNK 2 (Import)
Super Puzzle Fighter II X for Matching Service (Import)
Super Street Fighter II X for Matching Service (Import)
The King of Fighters 2000 (Import)
The King of Fighters 2001 (Import)
The King of Fighters 2002 (Import)
Border Down (Import)
Shikigami no Shiro II (Import)
Psyviarir 2 (Import)
Puyo Puyo Fever (Import)
Chaos Field (Import)
Trizeal (Import)
Raijirugi (Import)
Under Defeat (Import)
Last Hope (Import)
Trigger Heart Exelica (Import)
Karous (Import)

Among many others...

This game console was discontinued on February 17, 2002. WAY before it's time. Many believed it's time had already passed (2000). And yet, to many, despite being pushed to it's absolute limit close to only six months after it's launch with Dead or Alive 2, many felt it had much more potential. It still does, as true fans are continuing the legacy with independent development.

The year 2004 breathed much needed life into the DC Homebrew scene. The release of Super Famicast in January brought SFC/SNES emulation back to the Dreamcast, as DreamSNES had long been discontinued. February 2004 brought quite possibly the biggest release in the history of the Homebrew DC Scene. Beats of Rage. This one little beat 'em up, took the homebrew scene by storm. Originally developed for DOS/Windows based computers, it has since been ported to PlayStation 2, XBox, Dreamcast, and Palm OS. It was also easily moddable. With dedicated players putting in their own sprites, artwork, and backgrounds for use in their own versions of the game. Mods of Rage is the place to go for these mods. Also in mid-2004, the world's first personal PSO server was created. Thanks to Schtack, Phantasy Star Online was, well... online again! After several bugs were discovered initially, everything went smooth. Schtack has since released the server software so others could create their own servers for use in the PSO World.

This console brought Sega back from the depths.
It brought them respect.
It brought their fans back.
It established Sega as a force to be reckoned with.
It made console online gaming possible.
It made homebrew development on a console a reality.
It made everyone sit up and take notice. Sony wasn't the only powerhouse in gaming. Sega was striking back, and with a vengeance.

As of February 18, 2002, Sega, the world's most innovative and greatest game company, abandoned the hardware business, for an undetermined amount of time. Leaving in it's wake, the Sega SG-1000, Sega SG-3000, Sega Mark III/Master System, Sega MegaDrive/Genesis, Sega Mega/Sega CD, Sega Super/Mega/Genesis 32x, Sega Saturn, and this very console.

The console I speak of is...

The Sega Dreamcast

September 9, 1999 to February 17, 2002

Farewell old friend. Hard to believe it's been ten years already. September 9, 1999. I was just entering seventh grade, and I was 12. Anxiously awaiting Final Fantasy VIII, launching the same day, but I still kept my eye on on the Dreamcast, and not just for Virtua Fighter 3 either.

I was a huge Sony fanboy at the time of release, however, I was still interested in the Dreamcast. I remember when it was first unveiled, and I was hoping for a Virtua Fighter 3 port. Unsurprisingly, I got my wish. I wanted one purely one for Virtua Fighter 3.

I never did play one until August 2001, my first game being Shenmue, followed by Crazy Taxi. I didn't own one until January 2002. I purchased my Sega Saturn on Sunday, August 20, 2000. That was the day that my love shifted from Sony to Sega, which still stays to this day. Needless to say, I was on a quest to purchase all the other Sega consoles that I didn't own. 32X in August 2001, Mega CD in November 2001, Dreamcast on Sunday, January 14, 2002, and finally a Sega Master System in December 2007.

I still remember shortly after Christmas 2001, when I had started to save for my Dreamcast. Going on Amazon.com and drooling over everything. For some reason, I had this weird obession with "Time of Your Life" by Green Day at the time. I've since christened my "Dreamcast Song", as I had it on loop during all the time I spent shopping for my Dreamcast.

When I got my Dreamcast on Sunday January 14, 2002, my first game was NBA 2K1, not Virtua Fighter 3 as I had originally planned. This is what got me into sports games. I also had a disc of DreamSNES ready to go as well, this being my first taste of homebrew development on a console. This is what I used to play through and beat Chrono Trigger in August 2002.

As much as I loved my Saturn, which is what got me into Sega, and what turned me into the game collector I am today, I virtually ignored it and all my other consoles and devoted my time to the Dreamcast. Well, I did play my PSX for a few weeks for the sake of playing Chrono Cross after beating Chrono Trigger. Hell, I was so in love with the thing that I devoted all my speeches in speech class my Sophomore year (Spring 2003) to Sega. My introduction speech was about Yuji Naka. My "How To" speech was how to select a good gaming console that suited your tasted. Naturally, my picks were the MegaDrive and Dreamcast. My final speech was comparing Sega to Sony, and trying to convince people that Sega wasn't as bad as everyone said. I've since disavowed ever giving that speech. Not only did I make myself look like a complete fool, but Sega as well.

I still remember vividly when I made my lifelong dream a reality back in 2006. I dropped $600 on the Wii and seven games on launch day. I gave up everything for three months. I very rarely saw any of my friends during that timeframe. Basically, if it cost money, I said no, as that was money saving for Wii. Several of them said afterwards that they were proud of me, as I hadn't shown such determination for something in my entire life. I'm one of those people that when I get my mind set on something, I focus on that. Yeah, it's gotten me in trouble numerous times in my life, but you live you learn right?

Anyway, at the Wii launch, I kept thinking what it must've been like to get a Dreamcast on launch. Ten years, and roughly ten console launches since, it is still considered by several within the industry to be the single greatest hardware launch of all-time. The record for revenue has obviously since been shattered, but in regards to the quality of the launch lineup, and consoles sold, Dreamcast is king.

Sega was always the king of innovation and taking risks. Hell, quite a bit of what we take for granted these days as gamers we owe to the Dreamcast. Online play? SegaNet. DLC? VMU downloads. Cel-shading? Jet Set Radio. Console MMO? Phantasy Star Online. Microphones/Headsets? Seaman and Alien Front Online. Analog buttons? Dreamcast controller, with it's analog triggers. I'm surprised no one's copied the idea of the VMU yet. Easily the most innovative, and revolutionary console accessory ever.

So, fellow Sega fans, gamers, and collectors, let's make a toast, to quite possibly the single most revolutionary piece of gaming hardware of all-time. Let's pop the cork on the champagne and party!

What are you doing to celebrate 9/9/09?

SEGA!

[vivaeljason]

The Dreamcast was probably the last console I truly got excited about at launch. I'm always going to remember the first time I got to play through Sonic Adventure.

[T2KFreeker]

Yeah, to celebrate the ten years of the Dreamcast, I wrote up an article for the second issue of ClassicVGM. I hope people like it as the Dreamcast is easily still one of my all time favorite systems. It rocks!

[Sonicwolf]

For a console produced here in North America for just over a year and six months, it sure left a big impact. I love the Dreamcast.

[BetaWolf47]

A few weeks after the competition's launch, another truly ground-breaking game was released. Shenmue, created by famed Yu Suzuki, was released on November 11, 2001.
Isn't that also Gamecube's release date? Very nice retrospective BTW, always been wanting a Dreamcast. By far the best short-lived system ever made. Sega gave this system their all... too bad they couldn't live up to their past mistakes. I think I'll celebrate by putting aside some cash for one and a good 5 games to go with it. Since this thread is likely to be swarmed by Dreamcast veterans, I've got some questions to go with this:

1. What games released for multiple systems have a noticeably superior Dreamcast version?
2. What colors are available in the US? I hear black sports edition, white, and gray. Are white and gray the same color?
3. What are some good homebrew games? I've only heard of Beats of Rage and Wind & Water Puzzle Battle.
4. Is Dreamcast or any of its accessories prone to any sort of problem?
5. What are the best platformers and adventures to look for, aside from Sonic?

[ScourDX]

Happy 10 years old Dreamcast. Ever since I purchased my Dreamcast, I feel the system was a head of it's time. I even got 2nd one just incase my original breaks down. If Sega did release DC with backward compatibility with Saturn & Sega CD, do you think they will survive a bit longer?

Great...500 post \\^_^/

[T2KFreeker]

Isn't that also Gamecube's release date? Very nice retrospective BTW, always been wanting a Dreamcast. By far the best short-lived system ever made. Sega gave this system their all... too bad they couldn't live up to their past mistakes. I think I'll celebrate by putting aside some cash for one and a good 5 games to go with it. Since this thread is likely to be swarmed by Dreamcast veterans, I've got some questions to go with this:

1. What games released for multiple systems have a noticeably superior Dreamcast version?
2. What colors are available in the US? I hear black sports edition, white, and gray. Are white and gray the same color?
3. What are some good homebrew games? I've only heard of Beats of Rage and Wind & Water Puzzle Battle.
4. Is Dreamcast or any of its accessories prone to any sort of problem?
5. What are the best platformers and adventures to look for, aside from Sonic?

1. Almost any game that was made by Sega and was ported to any other system is better on the Dreamcast. Gotta' love Quake III Arena and Unreal Tournament on the Dreamcast also just for the controls alone.
2. White and Black are the only US variations I am aware of. The black system also carries the "Sega Sports" logo on it.
3. Homebrews are fun for the Dreamcast as there have been some really well done ports like Quake and Cool Herders is a blast to play, especially if you like Bomberman style party games. A new game is coming called Hypertension that looks pretty bad ass. It's made from the "Blood" engine with some serious graphical overhauls to it.
4. As long as you take care of the system and the accessories and buy first party stuff, all should be good.
5. Shadowman, Evil Twin: Cypriens Chronicles, Head Hunter, Super Magnetic Neo, Sword of the Berzerk, Evil Dead Hail to the King, Carrier, Gauntlet Legends, Record of Lodoss War, D2, Illbleed, just to name a few.

[garagesaleking!!]

i will never forgot one memory i have of the dreamcast, we used to get a magazine every so often in elementary school with just random pop culture and current events in it. There was an article about the dreamcasts upcoming release and i remember it talking about about how the graphics were 128 bit. I will never forget that article and reading it. Its one of the earliest things i remeber from my childhood.

[HurricaneAndrew]

Ahh... the Dreamcast... The only system I ever bought specifically to play one single game.

That game would be KISS Psycho Circus. I am sure there are many other great games, but this one really struck me well. I actually bought the game well before I found the system for the right price. A nice $25 price tag on a Dreamcast in a shop in Illinois did the trick...

[TwinThumbs]

I too have a backup Dreamcast bought several years ago "Just in case." So far I haven't needed it. My original one, bought for Christmas 2000 is still going (and, yes, it has been played regularly since new). I just got done playing some Unreal Tournament, and I started a new ShadowMan game last night. I've never actually played the DC version, but I beat it a couple years ago on N64.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DREAMCAST. I still love ya after all these years! \\^_^/

Actually, make that Xmas of '99. I don't know why 2k stuck in my head, but I recall now hearing how everyone was "waiting for the PS2" whenever I'd bring up the DC, so it musta been '99.

[alexkidd2000]

10 years ago I drove 5 hours to get my hands on a Dreamcast. When I finally got home it would not boot any games!!!!

I made it back again the next weekend and swaped for another console and it has been working great since then! SpacccccccccccccBoooooommmmmmmmmmbaaaaaaa!!!!!

[HurricaneAndrew]

I just had a bit of a memory jogging...

I remember that day in 1999, I was in 3rd grade. In my school, all of the teachers were making a big deal out of the fact that the date was all nines for some reason, but a large group of (fairly nerdy) students were making a big deal out of the Sega Dreamcast being released that day. I remember myself thinking that I could care less, since I had never had a new console in my life (I had the hammy-down NES that had belonged to my brother). This was before I began actually collecting. Little did I know that 9 years later I would find myself buying a used Dreamcast for $25 (a bargain in my opinion).

[TheGam3r]

Happy 10th Birthday Dreamcast. Too bad SEGA pulled the Plug on you in 2002

I got My Dreamcast Last Summer It was a Black SEGA Sports System came with:

-NBA 2K
-NFL 2K
-Crazy Taxi
-18 Wheeler
-Tomb Raider last revelation

And I Also got At A Pawn Shop:
-Jet Grind Radio
-Hydro Thunder


I'm Gonna Play Some Dreamcast Today and Some DC-To-Gc Ports (Sonic Adventure,Sonic Adventure 2,Skies Of Arcadia Legends)

[mezrabad]

I remember driving home from work on 9/9/99 and hearing an NPR segment talking about the release of the new console. I wasn't a console gamer at the time, but I remember being astonished that it had been three years since a new console had come out and that it was big enough deal that NPR was doing a spot on it.

People they were interviewing were talking about the controllers, and one person especially was commenting on the location of the left and right triggers saying "other controllers (PSX?) have shoulder buttons, but these are triggers and are actually where my fingers are so they're useful" or something like that.

Odd that that bit should stand out in my memory, I mean, I like the Dreamcast controller just fine, but weird that's the only bit of the story I remember.

I didn't get a Dreamcast until 2002, sometime after the Philly Classic #3. I liked it so much I bought a second one in case my first one broke. (It hasn't, I gave my backup away). It's a system the you can sit down with and not run out of things to play for a long time... at least ten years... and if you do there's always the homebrews and emulation projects for it to keep you interested longer.

[NayusDante]

I still have my September '99 manufactured unit, and it's never given me problems. I have an old mini-ITX PC set up with Windows ME and a brand new 56K modem just so I can forward internet to it and play PSO on Schtserv. Very reliable system, from my experience, but I suppose that's odd.

Dreamcast was ahead of its time, certainly. For me, however, it was far ahead of its time in terms of software. At the time, I was 11, and I was much more into Final Fantasy, Mega Man, and games that were more linear in scope. Sitting down to play an arcade port or a brawler seemed odd to me, so I neglected a great deal of the console's library. I always loved quirky games, but being young, the lack of a job restrained me from dropping cash on every neat sounding game.

Looking at the system today, and going for a complete collection, it's a true gem of a console. In most art forms, I find myself respecting the innovators while ignoring the derivatives. Dreamcast was an innovator in many respects, from its more modular peripherals (VMU-port microphone) to its online system. When you look at consoles that came after, they didn't innovate, they included what had become accepted.

Great artists are never respected until after they die. Dreamcast is our Vincent van Gogh.

[gamegirl79]

The Dreamcast holds a special place in my heart. I didn't get one at launch, but about a year or so later I bought a used one on ebay. I played it for days on end and wondered why I had waited so long to get one.

I still remember the excitement when Beats of Rage came out and I still play it to this day. Jet Grind Radio, Tennis 2k2, Sonic Adventure 2, Crazy Taxi, and all the excellent fighting games are among my favorites.

I now have three Dreamcast consoles, one of which I got brand new from Thinkgeek not long ago. The other two consoles are finicky with the game discs they will read and sometimes reboot randomly (even after a power supply swap). Out of all the game consoles I own, the Dreamcast is still my all around favorite though.

Happy 10th Birthday Dreamcast!!

[jwlowry]

It's hard to believe it's been 10 years. I remember 9/9/99, I went to TRU that evening hoping (but not expecting) to find a DC on the shelf. Luckily they still had a few. Those were the days...when you didn't have to wait in a line all night to get your hands on a new console at launch.

I think I'll play some Powerstone when I get home from work today.

[SaturnFan]

9/9/99 was in 9th grade. Had the Dreamcast pre-ordered at Toy's R Us for months. Saved all my money cutting lawns that summer. Good times, bought it with Sonic Adventure with 1 vmu. I almost smoked my DC though, leaving it on a blanket.....woops! That thing got really hot!

Happy B-Day!!!!!!!!

[RPG_Fanatic]

I took the day off work to stand in line on 9/9/99 to get one. Later that night I couldn't believe I was checking porn on a gaming console :o

[Flashback2012]

Happy 10th Birthday Dreamcast!! :rocker:

My memory of this system will be that I worked the midnight launch of the system's release. I was working for Funcoland at the time and this is back when they were a competitor to Babbages and they hadn't rolled out Gamestop as a brand just yet (I would end up going to GS two months later).

I don't recall much from the launch, only that our store was packed with people. I also don't remember all of the launch games I picked up aside from Sonic Adventure and Soul Calibur. I did pick up Final Fantasy VIII with the strategy guide on that night and remember my friend giving me hell for doing so. He said that was money I could have used for another DC game.

One thing I do remember about the launch was the amount of software available. I remember there being 17 or 18 titles available at launch. I remember how little in comparison there were at the subsequent launches for the PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube.

Alas, I no longer possess my launch DC. It started acting up on me and right about the time it did, Sega had released the 2K Sports Edition Black DC. I ended up trading my unit in for that one 'cuz I had wanted a black unit from the get go. I decided against removing the decal from the unit even though it annoyed me. A few year later I happened upon another 2K unit. A kid had brought it into my store and wanted to trade it in but at the time GS stopped taking in DC. I offered to buy it from him after hours and his mother agreed. For $50 I got another unit, a 2nd controller, and a small stack of games. Ironically, it turns out that the kid was the younger brother of a girl who worked in the same mall as I did who I dated a few times. :lovin:

[Mobius]

Is there much of any PSO community still? I know there are fan-run servers, but how many people use them? I never did play it back in the day, but I wouldn't mind picking up a cheap copy and setting up 'net forwarding through my computer to give it a try.

[NayusDante]

There's very few people on the PSO server, playing Dreamcast V2 at least. Blue Burst is thriving, but you're lucky to find one or two others on DC. I'll be on a bit today, if anybody feels like having a go at it. I would hope you already have the connection set up, since it's kinda a pain to get it working.

[ubersaurus]

Happy birthday to the Dreamcast! My friend Sean likes to constantly brag about being the first one in the city to get the American Dreamcast on 9/8/99, at about 11 at night at a Meijer. The Dreamcast is also the second new game console I bought with my own money, and certainly the first one since I got an actual decent paying job.

What I remember best about the system was getting together with my friends every Friday night for about two years and playing Dreamcast fighting games. KOF, Street Fighter, Marvel VS Capcom, Capcom vs SNK, Powerstone 2...we even threw down in some Gauntlet on that machine. It was the first console I ever picked up an arcade stick for, as well, and I still have that old bastard floating around in here. Post fighting games, I've picked up most of the shooters that have trickled out over the past 7 years, from Border Down to Karous and Last Hope. Hell, I've even got Last Hope: Pink Bullets coming in the mail, and damn I hope it gets in today.

So to one of my favorite and most fun game systems ever: Today is dedicated to you!

[NayusDante]

I'm going to be streaming (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nayusdante) DC games most of today, if anybody wants to watch and chat.

[Arcade_Ness]

I enjoy the DC for its library of fighting games, quirky acton games, and imports. Also their arcade stick is fantastic. I didn't own one at launch. Yet I'm glad I took a chance on the console when I picked it up a few years ago from a local used game store. Lots of great memories.

[Eternal Tune]

Eep.

http://programmingace.com/Tune/1218910275428.gif

[Snapple]

Back in the day, I was really into this game called Toy Commander. You played as the older kid toys (planes, trucks, army men) against the rebellious little kid toys that were being replaced, led by Huggy Bear, a teddy bear who I believe had a gun arm like Barrett. And there were tons of missions, from flying missions, to fighting missions, to escort missions, to puzzle-solving missions. It all kind of worked for me. It was better than I'm making it sound.

[diskoboy]

Good God, I was 24 when the DC hit. I had mine on reserve since I saw the first screenshots leaked from Japan, and saved up for about 3 months to buy mine.

10 years later, the one I bought on launch day still sits next to the TV. Still gets powered up on an almost daily basis, and Jet Grind Radio is still (IMO) the best game made in the past 3 generations. Due to a dead internal battery, I have to manually set the clock every time I power it up, but that's a minor complaint.

Still the best $200 I ever spent.

[josekortez]

I'll be celebrating by playing another round of Mr. Do on my system later on tonight.

[NayusDante]

I'm finally playing Seaman... I don't know what to think.

[sebastiankirchoff]

Happy B-day Dreamcast! I only have a few games of yours and didn't play you very much, but you are still a great console after all of these years!

[InsaneDavid]

Woohoo NESterDC! Uh I mean... um...

I figured the guy with the Dreamcast controller strangling him in his avatar picture for the past six years should make a post here.

I will admit I didn't buy a Dreamcast until around the time the price cuts began, actually I think the first one I bought was when the Smash Pack was released. *looks at box in closet* Yep, that was it.

The remake / enhancement Daytona USA (AKA Daytona USA 2001) was always my favorite Dreamcast game but of course we all played Shenmue and Sega Bass Fishing and Seaman, etc. Emulation on the Dreamcast however is what got me to use the console for many many years after. It's also what got me to get a lot of other people buying Dreamcasts years after they were out of production.

I still have my original one out in its green shell, and of course this one (on the left)...

http://www.classicplastic.net/junk/DCfukuandblack02.jpg

I've done a lot of mods in my time but that one was the single most enjoyable I've ever done. I just did it on the spur of the moment and I did it for no one but myself. Sadly the clear glaze I applied to it has deteriorated and clouded just a little but I was able to mostly restore it to like fresh condition. I really need to take a more current and populated (empty shell there without the Dreamcast sticker replaced) picture of it. LOL I was actually really thinking of doing another one with higher quality paint one of these days - exact same design - and taking more time to let the paint better set up before each coat.

Emulation was a blast on the Dreamcast in its heyday. Sadly the Beats of Rage modding scene killed a lot of the small fan project communities. Strange since a lot of people thought it would bring everyone back together in Dreamcast development again - and for a short time it was looking like that would happen. If anyone here was ever on any of those boards on a regular basis, my avatar should look familiar.

And remember kids, remove and reseat the power supply board... always remove and reseat the power supply board.

[NayusDante]

There's a whopping 12 DC players on Schtserv PSO right now. Never seen it that busy!

[TwinThumbs]

Eep.

http://programmingace.com/Tune/1218910275428.gif

If only it were that easy to make new Dreamcasts...\\^_^/

[BHvrd]

I will never forget the system! From playing Sonic the first time at TRU to getting it home and marveling at the launch games I bought Sonic Adventure, Soul Callibur, Hydro Thunder and NFL2K. I had never even to this date bought that many games at launch and truly that's what made Dreamcast stand out, it had the best launch lineup of any console EVER!

Later on I would acquire many more titles but when I got Phantasy Star Online I had hit the ceiling, the game was just so addictive I couldn't stop playing it. I even played with a few players on this forum, namely Shinobiman, Punkoffgirl, Ubersaurus, Digital Press and a few others. I remember when Digital Press beat Del Rol Le and we were all dead on the ground, that was a major highlight of my gaming history. Hell I joined the original ezBoard format of these forums on my Dreamcast!

I also got into Quake 3 wars on the old Sega Forums against the guys at http://www.quake3forum.com/forum/ , those guys were.... hardcore. They would spam our boards and start flames to get us all worked up cause they were pissed that a console could play the game and connect with pc gamers, they considered us blasphemy. If those forums still have the "rants and raves" section, check it out cause those guys are hilarious though i'm sure it's toned down these days cause they were prety naughty, but oh what fun.

The last really big highlight to me was being able as I said before was the ability to surf the web. At that time I had no pc so it was amazing to me, but even better was the way Sega structured the environment. There were save sites to download saves for any game and you could get tags for Jet Grind Radio "I had a couple naughty ones :p", the community was excellent and the vibe was hardcore and very very exciting!

Anyway I could go on forever as the system really was my gateway to internet gaming and computers, but i'll end it by saying it's the only system that I know that was light years ahead of its time. If you want to know some of the best games watch gametrailers top 10 video just released 9/9/09 http://www.gametrailers.com/video/top-10-screwattack/55604 , though I think Sonic Adventure was better than 2 personally and too bad it cant be a top 50 list cause that would be more fitting for the system.

[The Old School Gamer]

I'll never forget 9-9-99, took off work but still had to go to school in the mouring. Only had 2 classes but man what a long wait. I remember Raceing to EB to pick it up, I got Sonic, NFL 2k, NFL Blitz, Marvel vs Capcom, and Powerstone. Loved all of em and there were other great games like Soul Calibur and Ready To Rumble Boxing that I wanted but didn't have the money to buy at launch. Looking back Dreamcast had the best launch lineup ever. Its to bad more people didn't buy it, I wonder how far the Dreamcast could have been pushed if it had lasted a few more years. Anyway heres to a great 10 years with the Dreamcast!

[c2000]

Dreamcast :lovin:

[Mobius]

The last really big highlight to me was being able as I said before was the ability to surf the web. At that time I had no pc so it was amazing to me, but even better was the way Sega structured the environment. There were save sites to download saves for any game and you could get tags for Jet Grind Radio "I had a couple naughty ones :p", the community was excellent and the vibe was hardcore and very very exciting!

Anyway I could go on forever as the system really was my gateway to internet gaming and computers, but i'll end it by saying it's the only system that I know that was light years ahead of its time. If you want to know some of the best games watch gametrailers top 10 video just released 9/9/09 http://www.gametrailers.com/video/top-10-screwattack/55604 , though I think Sonic Adventure was better than 2 personally and too bad it cant be a top 50 list cause that would be more fitting for the system.

The Dreamcast was the gateway to the web for me, too. I had a PC, but my parents were strict about when I could use the internet. So I opened up my own Free-I account and snuck online from my Dreamcast. Good times! I spent too much time on the official IRC server.

[NayusDante]

I didn't actually try to get online with my DC until late in its life. My phone jack was on the other side of my room, and we were still on metered dial-up. When you only get 100 hours a month, it didn't make much sense to me to use a console instead of my PC. Back then, I didn't even play games online, I just used the internet to read gaming fansites and guides. My parents were kinda negative about the whole buying stuff online idea, and I didn't think they'd like the idea of playing games with people I didn't know (remember, this is back in 1999). I never even asked my parents about playing games online until one day they randomly said that it was alright (o_O). I think that was when I finally went looking for a long phone line and plugged in my DC, but all I did with it was look for save files. That was around the time I started playing Unreal Tournament online with one of my friends from school, and I soon forgot about doing online stuff with my Dreamcast.

If the Dreamcast had launched a year or so later, when broadband internet had penetrated more homes, I think that it would have been a greater success.

[AMG]

I picked up a Dreamcast shortly after launch, and I have so many fond memories of the console. But I'll never forget the first time I played Soul Calibur, I was completely blown away. I still have my DC and I'm getting ready to hook it back up now that I have my game area organised.

I can't believe it's been 10 years already. Happy B-Day DC!

[JohnnyBlaze]

Ironically enough, I just bought another Dreamcast. The old Penny Arcade comics had me pining for one again. It is truly my favorite system. Especially when it was full of my two favorite things: Shooters and fighters.

Ahh...what the fuck am I doing? I need to give it a better tribute than THIS!

Anyways, my first experience with the DC came not on 9-9-99, but when my aunt learned of the plan to rent them at Hollywood Video before the launch. She went there and picked up the console and had all the games they had there rented. We sat together to play Sonic Adventure and Soul Calibur. She was a big Sega mark, so she tried EVERY way possible to score one before the launch. She even tried to say she broke it and pay the $200, but the store manager was smart to her plan and didn't let her.

But, 9/9/99 was heaven as she was the first to pick up her Dreamcast. This was her last system before she sadly passed away in March of 2001.

But, I hold the system dear to my heart and most of my favorite games of all time reside on this console: Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, Shenmue, Soul Calibur, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Sega Bass Fishing, Dynamite Cop, Jet Grind Radio, Crazy Taxi, and others.

But, what the funniest thing is, is the same community that destroyed the Dreamcast is responsible for its immortality. I'm going to admit that most of my games are burned copies, as a lot of Dreamcast games have increased in value significantly as of recent. Games that most people only heard of or hard to find are now just a click away, waiting for new people to fall in love with it or for old fans like myself to fall in love all over again.

To me(and obviously a lot of people here), it's safe to say that the Dreamcast was the best game system of all time. It can STILL do so many things that people would've never thought possible. Hell, look at all the things Sega either started or revolutionized that we take for granted now: Downloadable content, surfing the web on a game console, online multiplayer, Windows CE compatibility so you can make your own programs, swapping saves, and so much more.

It's weird that it's been ten years already, but the 'Cast will never truly die. As long as there is a group of people playing a quest on Phantasy Star Online, two people beating the hell out of each other in Soul Calibur, four players throwing shrunken heads at each other in Ooga Booga, a rebel tagging in Jet Grind Radio, or some adventurer running from the killer whale in Sonic Adventure, the Dreamcast will ALWAYS live on!

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I know MEGA64 might not be everybody's cup of tea, but this Dreamcast "tribute" movie is worth a watch, regardless of what you think of their game parody shorts.

http://video.ign.com/dor/articles/855949/mega64/videos/mega64_prt_dreamcast_90809.html

[garagesaleking!!]

for some reason for me the dreamcast days seem like ages ago, compared to years very shortly after which seem like yesterday, Its very odd.

[Therealqtip]

So how come the dreamcast failed?

[NayusDante]

So how come the dreamcast failed?

Sales simply did not justify continued support. Sega continually dropped their hardware price, but the system did not achieve the continued sales required to justify continued software development. When you look at the state of gaming in late 2001, you see a dramatic shift in gaming trends. While gaming was leaning toward the more cinematic/passive experiences we know today, Dreamcast was a completely different viewpoint. It's like a guy showed up early to the party, ready to have more fun than last week, but he's the only one that's still into having a good time. Everyone else just wanted to veg out and watch TV. Dreamcast went home, and now they only speak to each other on XBL.

[Nz17]

Due to a dead internal battery, I have to manually set the clock every time I power it up, but that's a minor complaint.

Oh man, that's a seriously easy thing to fix. OK, not as easy as the batteries in a TV remote controller, but easy nonetheless.

Go to http://shibathedog.1emu.net/resetting_no_settings_fix.htm and skip the first part (That's about fixing a Dreamcast that keeps resetting.) The second part shows where the battery is. It is a common CR2032 battery that can easily be found on the cheap - even Wal*Mart carries them. Just remove the old battery and put the new one in its place. If you don't want to solder it in place use electric tape, it does the job and works just fine.

[Nz17]

I wasn't a console gamer at the time, but I remember being astonished that it had been three years since a new console had come out and that it was big enough deal that NPR was doing a spot on it.

Do you mean this NPR story about the Dreamcast's launch (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1058338)? Because if you do, just listening to it got me all excited and a bit emotional at the part where they mentioned that SEGA was the underdog in an unlikely battle against SONY and Nintendo.

[ubersaurus]

So how come the dreamcast failed?

Simple answer is that the Dreamcast was doing so poorly in Japan that the sales needed to make up the difference stateside were just unrealistic, and Sega didn't have the pockets to keep going along the same path otherwise. You also had a shift in power in Sega itself to those who didn't care about having a hardware side to the business.

The machine sold well here, and was rather popular as I remember it. But Sega was in a bad way at that point. Personally I would have just dropped the machine in Japan and kept at it over here where it was doing good business, but then, I didn't run that company.

[InsaneDavid]

Oh man, that's a seriously easy thing to fix. OK, not as easy as the batteries in a TV remote controller, but easy nonetheless.

Go to http://shibathedog.1emu.net/resetting_no_settings_fix.htm and skip the first part (That's about fixing a Dreamcast that keeps resetting.) The second part shows where the battery is. It is a common CR2032 battery that can easily be found on the cheap - even Wal*Mart carries them. Just remove the old battery and put the new one in its place. If you don't want to solder it in place use electric tape, it does the job and works just fine.

It's NOT a CR2032, it's a 2032 which is a RECHARGEABLE cell. You can put a diode in there to prevent the system from trying to charge the cell and THEN use a CR2032, but otherwise you have to use a 2032. There are many threads that go over this here.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Eep.

http://programmingace.com/Tune/1218910275428.gif

So that's how they made VMUs! I guess it took advances in fertility meds to bring about the 4x card...

[mezrabad]

Do you mean this NPR story about the Dreamcast's launch (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1058338)? Because if you do, just listening to it got me all excited and a bit emotional at the part where they mentioned that SEGA was the underdog in an unlikely battle against SONY and Nintendo.


Yes!!! That has to be it! :D

I wasn't able to get it to play though... :(

EDIT: Ah, Real Audio Player! Heheh, haven't had that installed in awhile, but it was worth the search and install to hear that report again. Thanks for finding it and for the link. :)

EDIT 2: Actually, that wasn't the clip I heard! It didn't have a guy talking about the controller in it.... maybe the one I heard was on PRI...

[Kiddo]

Emulation was a blast on the Dreamcast in its heyday. Sadly the Beats of Rage modding scene killed a lot of the small fan project communities. Strange since a lot of people thought it would bring everyone back together in Dreamcast development again - and for a short time it was looking like that would happen. If anyone here was ever on any of those boards on a regular basis, my avatar should look familiar.

And remember kids, remove and reseat the power supply board... always remove and reseat the power supply board.

I still have NesterDC, Neo4all/CD discs, Mame4all, GenesisPlusDC... I was really excited to see so many emulators I can just burn to a disc and play at my leisure. It's a bummer to see how little's been done since the BOR Mod scene came around. I was really hoping to see SNES, Genesis/CD/32X, and NeoGeo Pocket Color support improved.

I'm also -still- waiting for that Segagaga translation project.