Dreamcast Frustrations

[kainemaxwell]

Bought Ready 2 Rumble at my local Gamestop today (only store I know that still has DC games). Came home and hooked my DC out to test it and play around with it a bit.

Game didn't load for me. Stalled at the Sega copyright screen then went into the menu screen. I don't get this! Disc itself looks fine, and all of my other DC games (burns and store-boughts) work! this is like the 2nd or 3rd time I got a DC game from there and it craps out on me. :(

Any suggestions or advice?

[digitalpress]

It is well-documented that some of the launch titles for Dreamcast were defective, and produced in mass quantity. I had the same problem with my Ready 2 Rumble on September 9, 1999! I brought it back. Maybe some smart alec clerk pocketed the game and sold it to you five years later!

[kainemaxwell]

Would it matter if it was the green sticker-ed "Hot New" version? Problem is I can't return it too. :(

[Oobgarm]

It's always possible that the disc in the case wasn't the right one....I know that one is red and one is yellow, but I can't remember which is which.

[AB Positive]

Would it matter if it was the green sticker-ed "Hot New" version? Problem is I can't return it too. :(

If it's within seven days you can return it for cash, GS then defectives it and takes the hit. Store-wide policy, so act fast!

-AG

[kainemaxwell]

Disc is red with the logo and stars on it.

[sisko]

Is the disc art yellow or red? Red is the Hot New rerelease, and was supposed to have all defects ironed out.

[kainemaxwell]

Is the disc art yellow or red? Red is the Hot New rerelease, and was supposed to have all defects ironed out.

it's red, mentioned this a few posts up.

[sisko]

Sorry, slow dial up connection. It wasn't posted yet when I clicked reply :)

[kainemaxwell]

Sorry, slow dial up connection. It wasn't posted yet when I clicked reply :)

No problem. Now a bit afraid to buy other DC games there cause I dunno they're work right and I don't want to waste time or cash with defective games.

[digitalpress]

No problem. Now a bit afraid to buy other DC games there cause I dunno they're work right and I don't want to waste time or cash with defective games.

Just don't buy the red ones. Or anything else that's red. I'm pretty sure that will solve your problem. I've been off of orange for years and am a better person for it.

[kainemaxwell]

very funny man.

*is just frustrated with this turn of events

[Flack]

Does Gamestop have a DC set up where you can test it in their store? If it doesn't boot for them either, they might let you exchange it. I've never been to one, I dunno. Also, will they let you exchange it for the same title?

[Nez]

What other games were giveing you this problem?

[kainemaxwell]

No DC setup. Dunno if i can exchange or return a DC game there.

[kainemaxwell]

What other games were giveing you this problem?
When I had Sword of the Berserk and Jet Set Radio kept giving me issues. All my other games i have that I bought or burned work perfectly with varying marks on the cd (either clean or scratched up).

[Nez]

Well Sword and Jet were definitly not launch title, soooo somthings definitly up with you dc. Try a lens cleaner.

[sisko]

You may have also gotten a professionally resurfaced disc, which is known to ruin some DC games.

[kainemaxwell]

You may have also gotten a professionally resurfaced disc, which is known to ruin some DC games.

Argghhh!!

[Crush Crawfish]

Hmmm..I once bought a copy of Contra: Shattered Soldier that refused to work. There were no visible scratches on the disc. When I returned it to gamestop, the guy looked at it and noticed it went thru a skip doctor, which ruined it. Maybe that's what happened? I dunno.

[Arcade Antics]

Have you tried that boiling thingie where you boil the disc (label side up) for 5-10 seconds? Maybe that will help? Or hurt.

*Try at your own risk! I've never done it, but it's come up on the boards before with much success. :)

**And IIRC, ClubNinja suggested adding basil. But that goes for just about everything. Mmm... basil.

*** edit: I meant "label" side up (above). I'm such a dumbass. :D

[kainemaxwell]

I'll find our disc cleaner in a few. This friggin sucks, all I want to do is to build a decent DC collection and I have fucking problems. :angry:

[tritium]

Same thing happened to me last week w/ Ducati World Racing. I'm still looking for a solution.

Also last year, Soul Calibur split in half after playign it. Apparently had a small crack that grew and grew....

-Tritium

[Lady Jaye]

Have you tried that boiling thingie where you boil the disc (surface side up) for 5-10 seconds? Maybe that will help? Or hurt.

*Try at your own risk! I've never done it, but it's come up on the boards before with much success. :)

**And IIRC, ClubNinja suggested adding basil. But that goes for just about everything. Mmm... basil.

Nah, it's better with oregano (when fresh) or oregano... :-P

[Famidrive-16]

This happened to me when I found a used copy of Sonic shuffle once. I returned it and it turned out damaged. I did find a replacement though.

[kainemaxwell]

Ok tried a lens cleaner, nothing and tried cleaning the disc and nothing.

I'm screwed. :(

[kainemaxwell]

Anyone else have any advice? I'm not sure Gamestop will let me exchange or return it and I dunno anyone else my area with a DC. I really want to be able to play these games and I dunno if its my DC that's the problem or the game.

[Nez]

No doubt its your DC. Even though it'll play burned games resufacing just messes with the readability of disks. Just look for good disks that dont look too good, and you'll pry be fine.

[kainemaxwell]

Wow does this suck...so much for buying anymore DC games at Gamestop...

[Berserker]

Have you considered dumping the CD, then burning it onto a CD-R?

It might not work if the software itself is defective, but if you're at the end of your rope, I figure it'd be worth a try.

[kainemaxwell]

Have you considered dumping the CD, then burning it onto a CD-R?

It might not work if the software itself is defective, but if you're at the end of your rope, I figure it'd be worth a try.

May try that when I get more cds, though kinda blows adding it to my collection list though...

[kainemaxwell]

Ok, exchanged the game with no problems and got home. Still not loading up right, plays as an audio cd find though. *sighs*

[Oobgarm]

How old is the system? Launch model? Mine does the same thing every now and then, and it's a 9.9.99 system. Can't get Virtua Tennis to play on it for anything.

[Arcade Antics]

Guess nobody tried boiling this time...

[esquire]

FYI, There were only 4 launch titles that had the boot failure problem on the DC. They were all Midway Games:

Mortal Kombat Gold
Reay 2 Rumble Boxing 2
Hydro Thunder
NFL Blitz 2000

They were later re-released with the symbol "Hot! New!" on the instruction manuals.

http://www.dreamcasthistory.com/pics/picsusreleases/ready2rumblehotfront.jpg
http://www.dreamcasthistory.com/pics/picsusreleases/mortalcombathotnew.jpg

The problem with buying these games from Gamestop is that if they have more than copy of each version of the game, there is a very good chance they may put the wrong game CD in with the jewel case and instructions. So, even though your manual may say "Hot! New!" you may have the wrong disc.

However, it sounds like this is not the problem. First off, is your DC unit being kept on a level surface? That will affect the laser. It sounds like your laser head is off. Its probably easier just to replace the unit. EB games usually has them on sale for $10 from time to time.

[SegaAges]

well, it could be your dc. how old is your dc?

i actually had to get a newer dc just to play pso. i guess some of the dc's can't read all the way to the outer edge of the disc. I was told all of this by somebody at SEGA. i simply went to my local game store, told the dude the situation, and got a newer dc. it sucked that i had to lose my launch dc, but it didn't play pso, so i really didn't have a choice. seriously, if it is an older dc, you might want to talk to a store about switching it. if you tell them that all you want to do is exchange your completely working dc for a newer one, they should hook you up (i know the local game store here did it for me).

[tritium]

Here's something that works sometimes with games like Rez. Try running your dreamcast while upside down. I guess it makes it easier for the laser to move around, but my copy of rez (which was new) won't work any other way on my DC.

-Tritium

[blissfulnoise]

This is not super uncommon. Some games just won't run on some systems.

I have a copy of Project Justice that won't run on my release day DC, but runs fine on a later released one. The disc is pretty much mint.

Ditto this for copies of SFIII: Double Impact, Spiderman, and Chu Chu Rocket.

I still don't know of a way to fix it, but it seems to be a persistant issue. Short of trying it on another DC, I don't have any other solution.

[kainemaxwell]

Launch model (the kind that can play imports and burned games). And I have Ready 2 Rumble 1, not ROund 2, btw. Updside down doesn't do anything...

Like to do though is try it on another DC, just to make sure before I go off to get another DC. Are all, or most, the older models the only ones that do this?

[bargora]

I've tried boiling two Dreamcast discs. Neither case fixed the disc. A short dip was ineffective, while a longer dip (> a minute) deformed the disc.

[kainemaxwell]

Anyone want to test my R2R for me please? I'd just like to know really its not the disc (I hope) but my DC before I go and get anothing DC. Thing is now I really don't hav ethe extra cash for another DC, and I'd like to be able to stick with an older model so I can play burns and I don't have the extra space for a 2nd DC.