Sega Genesis -- Sega Megadrive (Compare/Contrast)

[Veepa]

I know they are the same system, what I mean is which do you think has a better name, and logo?

I understand that Megadrive is the original title for the system, but I personally think that Genesis just sounds so much cooler... I'm glad they had to change it.

And comparing the logos, I think the Genesis font looks a lot better than the Megadrive's.

Anyone disagree?

[devilman]

I prefer Mega Drive personally, but that's what I grew up with in the UK.

[segagamer]

I prefer the name Mega Drive, and the Japanese logo. Basically, I do not like it when game companies change names and designs on hardware and software.

[Veepa]

I prefer the name Mega Drive, and the Japanese logo. Basically, I do not like it when game companies change names and designs on hardware and software.

Well, they had no choice in this case...

[Elusive]

I don't like the huge 'GENESIS' logo stamped on the US model 1. Are you likely to forget its name or something?

[MegaDrive20XX]

I don't like the huge 'GENESIS' logo stamped on the US model 1. Are you likely to forget its name or something?

*points to Elusive's sig*

I rest my case....

What do you want? a big WHITE Genny logo....or beautiful big Gold 16-BIT logo? with a blue reset button? vs. our white reset button on a model 1?

I like the Megadrive font a bit more...but CLASSIC Genesis logo is lovely, but down the road...we got the red/grey stripes..I have no clue why....

Europe had our style for a while, then stuck with the BIG BLUE (cue F-Zero music) Megadrive logo. Which I kind of like, but the colors are a bit loud

[Push Upstairs]

I admit i like the Japanese "Mega Drive" logo a bit more, but i also like the Genesis logo.

[segagamer]

I know of the name change that was a necessity in the US, but my comments are general comments meant for all consoles from Japan. Case in point, the US Sega Saturn logo pales in comparison to the Japanese logo.

[Push Upstairs]

Well of course the Japanese Saturn logo was better than the US logo.


I'm still trying to find a way to have "Mega Drive" on my system along with the name Genesis. But since i'm lazy i'll probably never get around to it.

It sure is nice to be able to play games from any region though. :)

[MegaDrive20XX]

actually Segagamer, that brings up a good point. The real story of why the US Market decide to name the Megadrive, "Genesis" was kind of forced..

Can someone provide the history of what really happen back then? The U.S. version went by the name Genesis due to a trademark dispute, some computer company I think had a problem with it?

[Poofta!]

i prefer the genesis. it sounds much more console-ish. im convinced that the success of hte system here in the US would not have been so large had it been called a "mega drive" which sounds like another failing computer adapter.

[Emuaust]

being a PAL gamer i prefer MegaDrive as thats what is the norm for me.

Does anyone remember the full page adds in Uk Sega mags
"Take your Sega for a Mega Drive!" funny and yet very cool
stuff.

[Veepa]

http://www.vidgame.net/SEGA/Sega/Genesis/logo.jpg

Freakin' sexy..

[Haoie]

In Aust and NZ, as can be expected, it's also known as the Mega Drive.

I believe during the 16B wars, it seriously outpaced the SNES here. But my memory isn't so great now, seeing it's been well over a decade.

[Emuaust]

It was only really the last year and a half of the 16bit wars
that the Snes took any real chunk of sales in Aus at least
due to sega having a super strong foothold with the SMS.

Ask any aussie 80's kid who alex kidd is and they will always
know straight away.

The Mega Drive is still my most loved console, i dont hate the
genesis name I just prefer the cool Mega Drive name as it
felt more relevant for its time, but hey thats my opinion.

[XYXZYZ]

Also, anyone wonder why they called it "Genesis"? Genesis means "the beginning", or "birth" ... "origin", you know. It wasn't Sega's first console, it wasn't the first 16-bit console, the launch titles were arcade ports, so nothing new there.... hardly the "beginning" of anything, really. Maybe they were thinking of the beginning of the 16-bit era of the video game market.

Still, "Genesis" was a better idea than "Master System II" or "Mega Master System", eh?

[Emuaust]

Master Sytem II was pretty popular here in Aus, infact it
murdered the Nes in sales, so much so that it isnt even
funny,

Mega Master System does sound stupid and might have something
to do with the fact that is wasnt used, unlike the "Master System II"

[InsaneDavid]

Either way it doesn't matter. The Mega Drive / Genesis was nothing more than Atari's European market technology which Sega stole and reverse engineered. Sega later lost a lawsuit to Atari in the United States in which Atari won an unconditional victory.

Honestly Sega never came up with anything successful on their own. When they did develop things on their own such as the Saturn (too difficult to develop for and fully utilize one of the SH2 cores let alone both) or Dreamcast (too little too late after SoJ slowly rotted out SoA over the years) the damage was already done.

Anyway, back to the question. Um, honestly... I'll have to go with the JVC X'Eye / Wondermega. :-D

[Iron Draggon]

I think the Mega Drive was a cooler name, but the Genesis logo looked better. And it frustrates me that whenever I'm searching for Genesis games on ebay, I always get a bunch of Genesis albums mixed in with all the results. Damn you, Phil Collins!

BTW, The only reason why the Saturn was so hard to develop for was because the stupid Playstation forced Sega to give it 3D capabilities at the last minute. It was never intended to be a 3D system. So blame that one on Sony.

[kedawa]

I liked the Genesis brand, but I always preferred the japanese MD logo.
It doesn't help that there was a crappy band called Genesis, as well as a porno mag.

Either way it doesn't matter. The Mega Drive / Genesis was nothing more than Atari's European market technology which Sega stole and reverse engineered. Sega later lost a lawsuit to Atari in the United States in which Atari won an unconditional victory.
What are you talking about? The MD/Genesis is built almost entirely of off the shelf parts, and is based on Sega's arcade hardware.

[InsaneDavid]

Either way it doesn't matter. The Mega Drive / Genesis was nothing more than Atari's European market technology which Sega stole and reverse engineered. Sega later lost a lawsuit to Atari in the United States in which Atari won an unconditional victory.
What are you talking about? The MD/Genesis is built almost entirely of off the shelf parts, and is based on Sega's arcade hardware.

Go look up the lawsuit. ;) It's too late right now to dig up the official page but I do have this on my harddisk in a text file for reference, Sega ended up paying $90 million ($50 million to license the technology, $40 million invested in Atari Corp) to Atari...

"Below is from 1994 SEC Form 10-Q for Atari Corp

In September 1994 the Company reached a comprehensive agreement ("Agreement") with Sega Enterprises, Ltd. ("Sega") concerning resolution of disputes, equity investment, and patent and product licensing agreements. The results of the Agreement are as follows: (i) Sega will acquire 4,705,883 shares of newly issued Atari Corporation common stock at $8.50 per share for a total investment of $40.0 million; (ii) Sega will pay the Company $50.0 million inexchange for a license from Atari covering the past and future use of a library of Atari patents issued between 1977 and 1984 (excluding patents which exclusively claim elements of the Company's JAGUAR and LYNX products) throughthe year 2001; and (iii) the Company and Sega agree to cross-license up to five (5) software game titles each year through the year 2001. Legal fees and expenses associated with the Agreement are estimated to be approximately $20 million. The Agreement is subject to regulatory approval and the Company anticipates such approval in the fourth quarter 1994. After legal fees and expenses as described above, upon approval, the Company will realize a netcash payment of approximately $70 million. The Company believes that its existing cash balances and the proceeds from the Sega Agreement will be sufficient to meet anticipated working capital requirements. The Company intends to increase expenditures in software development, product manufacturing, and promotional activities related to JAGUAR."

It's one of those little parts of video game history that people tend to forget about. Then again Atari was sue happy then, I mean they waited until they needed money to boost the Jaguar to move on the lawsuit. The result after the settlement was then that Sega would own $40 million worth of Atari Corp stock - so the company Atari was suing would own part of them. LOL Ahh, I love this stuff.

[Lozza]

I prefered SNES when the MegaDrive was around so I'm not that bothered, personally... SNES is superior in comparison.

[Tan]

Either way it doesn't matter. The Mega Drive / Genesis was nothing more than Atari's European market technology which Sega stole and reverse engineered. Sega later lost a lawsuit to Atari in the United States in which Atari won an unconditional victory.
What are you talking about? The MD/Genesis is built almost entirely of off the shelf parts, and is based on Sega's arcade hardware.

Go look up the lawsuit. ;) It's too late right now to dig up the official page but I do have this on my harddisk in a text file for reference, Sega ended up paying $90 million ($50 million to license the technology, $40 million invested in Atari Corp) to Atari...



"Below is from 1994 SEC Form 10-Q for Atari Corp

In September 1994 the Company reached a comprehensive agreement ("Agreement") with Sega Enterprises, Ltd. ("Sega") concerning resolution of disputes, equity investment, and patent and product licensing agreements. The results of the Agreement are as follows: (i) Sega will acquire 4,705,883 shares of newly issued Atari Corporation common stock at $8.50 per share for a total investment of $40.0 million; (ii) Sega will pay the Company $50.0 million inexchange for a license from Atari covering the past and future use of a library of Atari patents issued between 1977 and 1984 (excluding patents which exclusively claim elements of the Company's JAGUAR and LYNX products) throughthe year 2001; and (iii) the Company and Sega agree to cross-license up to five (5) software game titles each year through the year 2001. Legal fees and expenses associated with the Agreement are estimated to be approximately $20 million. The Agreement is subject to regulatory approval and the Company anticipates such approval in the fourth quarter 1994. After legal fees and expenses as described above, upon approval, the Company will realize a netcash payment of approximately $70 million. The Company believes that its existing cash balances and the proceeds from the Sega Agreement will be sufficient to meet anticipated working capital requirements. The Company intends to increase expenditures in software development, product manufacturing, and promotional activities related to JAGUAR."

It's one of those little parts of video game history that people tend to forget about. Then again Atari was sue happy then, I mean they waited until they needed money to boost the Jaguar to move on the lawsuit. The result after the settlement was then that Sega would own $40 million worth of Atari Corp stock - so the company Atari was suing would own part of them. LOL Ahh, I love this stuff.

atari sued sega for using the 9pin controller port style the vcs had, nothing more.

[CRV]

atari sued sega for using the 9pin controller port style the vcs had, nothing more.

Plus, you might want to pay attention to the part about it being patents issued from 1977-1984 (I'd think that'd predate some of the technology in the MD).

Sega got the last laugh because they never actually did any games for the Atari systems.

[Ed Oscuro]

The name "Mega Drive" really isn't that stunning. Actually, you could even say it's kinda silly.

Genesis, though...hmm, biblical revelations! *earth shakes*

Of course, "Family Computer" is silly, as well, given that they basically took the popular name for computers (at the dawn of the 1980s personal computers were called "My-Con"-s).

All that said, the packaging and everything was done MUCH better in Japan.

As the console designs are essentially the same, the US gets the edge for having the Nomad, and not the Mega Jet. :P

[Ed Oscuro]

Plus, you might want to pay attention to the part about it being patents issued from 1977-1984 (I'd think that'd predate some of the technology in the MD).
I could be wrong, but one of those patents should be crap like the parallax scrolling patent. Whatever.

[Julio III]

atari sued sega for using the 9pin controller port style the vcs had, nothing more.

I thought the controller ports Sega used before the Saturn were standard ports which were used on loads of different systems?

[Veepa]

atari sued sega for using the 9pin controller port style the vcs had, nothing more.

I thought the controller ports Sega used before the Saturn were standard ports which were used on loads of different systems?

I believe they were.. I know the Commodore 64 uses the same port...

[InsaneDavid]

Plus, you might want to pay attention to the part about it being patents issued from 1977-1984 (I'd think that'd predate some of the technology in the MD).
I could be wrong, but one of those patents should be crap like the parallax scrolling patent. Whatever.

Correct, among other things.


atari sued sega for using the 9pin controller port style the vcs had, nothing more.

It wasn't that, it had NOTHING to do with the VCS at all. Seriously, there was a lot more to Atari than the VCS and game companies develop a lot more technology than they ever release. It was stuff that had to do with the Atari ST architecture and things like what Ed Oscuro mentioned. The Genesis / Mega Drive was based around the Atari ST computer architecture, a single 16-Bit microprocessor, which Atari Corp held a patent for. That's why I said the Genesis / Mega Drive was based on "Atari's European market technology."

If I'm not feeling so under the weather later I'll dig it up. It was basic stuff that Atari created, same as when everyone had to pay royalties to Magnavox in years previous. Sega saw it as big enough threat to settle out of court and adhere to all of Atari Corp's terms.

The PCEngine / TurboGrafx-16 didn't have the same patent infringement issues since it was built around two custom 8 bit co-processors along with a 16 bit graphics engine, which kept it in the clear. (since I know that'll come up sooner or later)

Again, this is one of those things that needs to be fully fleshed out and properly documented in that grand unbiased unwritten textbook on the history of the video game industry - that won't happen until you can get a degree in electronic entertainment history the same way you can earn a degree in art or film history. :)

[googlefest1]

some pattents issued are rediculus - i know im dealing with some now -- its what you get when the pattent office allows people not familiar with similar things to make decisions like this

how did atari own the patent for the proccesor - it's motorola's - OR are you saying they had a pattent on using a 16 bit proccesor - that would be like haveing a pattent on a car door - or having 4 wheels on a car

they should have tried to leagaly attack the pattent in the stages during development -- what a waste of 60 million

nintendo violated the same pattent then - they used a 16bit proccesor too

[chaoticjelly]

Mega Drive is definitly the better name, id prefer a Mega Drive over a Genesis any day..

Mega Drive to me, gives a feeling of "power", gaming at its best, and the European and Japanese MD logos simply outstrip that Genesis logo completely,

Ive always thought that Genesis was a silly name, I remember back in the day, my mate had a "Genesis" cart, it was large, stupidly named and was very hard to fit into the cart slot, oh how we laughed.

I wish I could remember that game though, id like to play it again.. I may even own it.. too many damn games, it was one sort of Dungeons & Dragons style, but your a warrior going along killing goblins etc, and collecting gold (NOT Golden Axe)

I had a SNES back then and my mate had an MD, for some reason he bought both models (I & II) to this day, I have no idea why, maybe it was just THAT good, and THAT loved.

You have to realise Sega was pretty much king of the UK for 8 and 16 bit (console wise)

On a side note, I cant believe how ridiculous the US SNES looks, it looks like some "cubism" experiment gone wrong!

Also what do you guys prefer? The model 1 Megadrive/Genesis or the Model 2 Megadrive/Genesis?

Personally I prefer the Model 1, as it oozes more quality and looks a better design, and in a battle between the Mega CD 1 and the Mega CD 2, the Mega CD 1 is just so much more damn groovier!

[InsaneDavid]

Double post x_x - see next post.

[InsaneDavid]

some pattents issued are rediculus - i know im dealing with some now -- its what you get when the pattent office allows people not familiar with similar things to make decisions like this

I agree. I also agree it was ridiculous for Ralph Baer to have been issued a patent on how machine controls interact with video signals on a video screen. Again, that's sort of what this was. Remember, Atari, Sega, Nintendo and countless others had to pay royalties to Magnavox - in this case Sega had to pay Atari Corp.

Let's not forget that Atari was two compaines at this time, Atari Corp and Atari Games. "Atari Corp. would continue to sell the redesigned 2600, 7800, and whatever other consumer products were still being warehoused, while Atari Games would begin new game development. To avoid confusion with the consumer division, Atari Games would rebrand themselves as Tengen." - I'm quoting myself there, from the first article I wrote for Retrogaming Times Monthly (http://my.stratos.net/%7Ehewston95/RTM07/RTM07.html).


how did atari own the patent for the proccesor - it's motorola's - OR are you saying they had a pattent on using a 16 bit proccesor - that would be like haveing a pattent on a car door - or having 4 wheels on a car

The way I've heard it, Atari Corp had a patent on the design of using a single 16 bit processor as the core among other things - but that was the big one. If you want to compare it to the automotive industry it's less like having a patent on a car door or having four wheels on a car, and more like duplicating and reproducing an engine and powertrain design - in fact modern high end engine technology and how consoles and computers are designed around processor backbones are pretty close. It's not that no one else could have done it, but Atari Corp did first and they were able to get it patented. As Ralph Baer said concerning his lawsuits, "if they infringe on certain claims then they owe you something."


they should have tried to leagaly attack the pattent in the stages during development -- what a waste of 60 million

Well a prudent company would have researched that stuff before blowing the wad to develop a game console. I mean, it's not like these things are conceived and built overnight. (unless you're Microsoft)


nintendo violated the same pattent then - they used a 16bit proccesor too

I believe there was a difference in how the processor design interacted with the rest of the hardware which didn't infringe on any of Atari Corp's patents. It's not just that the Mega Drive / Genesis used a single 16 bit processor, it was an all around blatant ripoff of how things inside the Atari ST worked along with some non utilized (but patented) Atari Corp technologies.


I wish I could remember that game though, id like to play it again.. I may even own it.. too many damn games, it was one sort of Dungeons & Dragons style, but your a warrior going along killing goblins etc, and collecting gold (NOT Golden Axe)

Cadash maybe?

[dreamcaster]

Whilst I think Genesis is the cooler name (Sega's always had the best console names imo), I get annoyed at how things are often changed to pander to the American market (yeah, I know it was a copyright issue, but it still happens nonetheless).

Plus I have a sense of patriotism to the Mega Drive name. :P

PAL FOREVER.

[Emuaust]

PAL FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Emuaust snuggles up to his Shadow of the colossus with
extra content!(FYI Sony shipped this to me very early, Aus
release isnt suppose to be untill the 16th of the 02nd.)

[CRV]

Let's not forget that Atari was two compaines at this time, Atari Corp and Atari Games. "Atari Corp. would continue to sell the redesigned 2600, 7800, and whatever other consumer products were still being warehoused, while Atari Games would begin new game development. To avoid confusion with the consumer division, Atari Games would rebrand themselves as Tengen." - I'm quoting myself there, from the first article I wrote for Retrogaming Times Monthly (http://my.stratos.net/%7Ehewston95/RTM07/RTM07.html).

Well, Tengen was just the home division of Atari Games. They later became Time Warner Interactive, which I think was after Namco sold their share of Atari Games.

[googlefest1]

some pattents issued are rediculus - i know im dealing with some now -- its what you get when the pattent office allows people not familiar with similar things to make decisions like this

I agree. I also agree it was ridiculous for Ralph Baer to have been issued a patent on how machine controls interact with video signals on a video screen. Again, that's sort of what this was. Remember, Atari, Sega, Nintendo and countless others had to pay royalties to Magnavox - in this case Sega had to pay Atari Corp.

Let's not forget that Atari was two compaines at this time, Atari Corp and Atari Games. "Atari Corp. would continue to sell the redesigned 2600, 7800, and whatever other consumer products were still being warehoused, while Atari Games would begin new game development. To avoid confusion with the consumer division, Atari Games would rebrand themselves as Tengen." - I'm quoting myself there, from the first article I wrote for Retrogaming Times Monthly (http://my.stratos.net/%7Ehewston95/RTM07/RTM07.html).


how did atari own the patent for the proccesor - it's motorola's - OR are you saying they had a pattent on using a 16 bit proccesor - that would be like haveing a pattent on a car door - or having 4 wheels on a car

The way I've heard it, Atari Corp had a patent on the design of using a single 16 bit processor as the core among other things - but that was the big one. If you want to compare it to the automotive industry it's less like having a patent on a car door or having four wheels on a car, and more like duplicating and reproducing an engine and powertrain design - in fact modern high end engine technology and how consoles and computers are designed around processor backbones are pretty close. It's not that no one else could have done it, but Atari Corp did first and they were able to get it patented. As Ralph Baer said concerning his lawsuits, "if they infringe on certain claims then they owe you something."


they should have tried to leagaly attack the pattent in the stages during development -- what a waste of 60 million

Well a prudent company would have researched that stuff before blowing the wad to develop a game console. I mean, it's not like these things are conceived and built overnight. (unless you're Microsoft)


nintendo violated the same pattent then - they used a 16bit proccesor too

I believe there was a difference in how the processor design interacted with the rest of the hardware which didn't infringe on any of Atari Corp's patents. It's not just that the Mega Drive / Genesis used a single 16 bit processor, it was an all around blatant ripoff of how things inside the Atari ST worked along with some non utilized (but patented) Atari Corp technologies.


I wish I could remember that game though, id like to play it again.. I may even own it.. too many damn games, it was one sort of Dungeons & Dragons style, but your a warrior going along killing goblins etc, and collecting gold (NOT Golden Axe)

Cadash maybe?

i was trying to find some info on this patent and instead found a slew of crasy pattents and every body sueing eachother - sega sueing for having a pantent on a taxi game? man what a crock

i hope i can find some info on that patent -- your making it sound like they ripped off a major idea --- from what i know about designing microprocessor based products - there arent many ways to do things -- most of it is straight forward -- if sega took the same proccesor as in the atari st - im not surprised that it looked the same as the st board -- there isnt and infinate amount of ways you interface memory and peripherals - its all going to be the same method - as descibed inthe application notes from motorola -- im expecting this pattent to just be a pattent on useing a 16 bit proccesor and some other of the shelf parts

i agree with your statement that you could compare microprocessor to an engine becasue it esecialy is like an engine but i disagree with it becasue -there arent mulitple ways to interface with a microproccesor and working with one is as obvious as haveing wheels on a car -- motorola should have helped sega since a pattent like ataris would hurt motorlas buisness as well - if i find the pattent or more info on it ill certainly post somethign about it here on DP

edit: if sega ripped of an algorithm or OS from the st then i could see it as being something bad - but this pattent currently sounds like nothing more than a pattent on using off the shelf chips -

[theoakwoody]

My vote goes to Genesis but that's 'cuz, suprise, I'm american. I think few people are going to flip flop on this one as they have fond memories from their youth of one name or the other.

My argument is that Genesis doesn't sound so Generic. SG 1000, 3000, Mark III, Master System, Mega Drive. These names kind of describe what the system is and not just a cool name to remember the system by. Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast. All of those names have nothing to do with what the system does but you remember them because they are catchy.

[Ed Oscuro]

My argument is that Genesis doesn't sound so Generic. SG 1000, 3000, Mark III, Master System, Mega Drive. These names kind of describe what the system is and not just a cool name to remember the system by. Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast. All of those names have nothing to do with what the system does but you remember them because they are catchy.
I think they're all pretty memorable, actually. The old SG-1000 and Mark III era logos are dated, but very cool.

I will say that the gold 16-bit on the top of a Japanese Mega Drive is lame, however.

[Iron Draggon]

About the lawsuit, from what I understand, what Sega stole was what they called "blast processing" technology. I read it somewhere on the A A forums just the other day.

[Ed Oscuro]

About the lawsuit, from what I understand, what Sega stole was what they called "blast processing" technology. I read it somewhere on the A A forums just the other day.
Basically, Atari tried to patent the sun, moon, and stars, right?

[diskoboy]

actually Segagamer, that brings up a good point. The real story of why the US Market decide to name the Megadrive, "Genesis" was kind of forced..

Can someone provide the history of what really happen back then? The U.S. version went by the name Genesis due to a trademark dispute, some computer company I think had a problem with it?

From what I remember reading, Sega US came up with the name 'Genesis' because of the Master Systems failure. It was the first true leap in console tech. Hence : Genesis. A new beginning. Sega's rebirth.

Because prior to Genesis, whenever a console got upgraded, they kept using the same 8-bit processors, and only raised the memory by a few K. Even though intellivision had the first true '16-bit' chip, and the TG-16 was in all actuality, another 8-bit machine, it didn't really begin showing until the Genesis was released. Games looked and played obviously better than their 8-bit counterparts.

BTW, I like the name Genesis better.

[Ed Oscuro]

Because prior to Genesis, whenever a console got upgraded, they kept using the same 8-bit processors, and only raised the memory by a few K.
Sega went straight from the SG-1000 to the Mark III, which is essentially the Master System. You have to discount the revisions such as SG-1000][ because these are essentially cosmetic and packaging differences. SC-3000 is just a home computer version; it still plugs into a TV. HUGE difference in graphics between the SG and Mark III, though many of the games didn't show it.

[diskoboy]

The only thing that annoyed me about the Genesis is that the system's designers didn't add scaling and rotation until they built the sega cd, which most Sega System 16 arcade games at the time, were totally dependant on. (i.e Thunder Blade, Space Harrier, After Burner, Power Drift, Galaxy Force, Out Run, Hang On, etc...)

[segagamer]

I read in an old EGM that the Mega Drive/Genesis was to incorporate hardware scaling, but the cost at the time prohibited it from being built into the console.

[Ed Oscuro]

Wow, that would've been really nice. Damn shame they didn't put it in; just imagine the possibilities that would've opened up...Contra could've run effects in hardware and the extra processor time would've gone toward putting more stuff onscreen or better enemy tactics... @_@

[googlefest1]

I read in an old EGM that the Mega Drive/Genesis was to incorporate hardware scaling, but the cost at the time prohibited it from being built into the console.

sounds like they decided to start cutting costs before the first run

but i belive it - too bad they didn't incorporate it - it just bugs me that they already had on the system 16 board - dont get the cost saveings other than wanting to cut the parts cost

back in the day - i liked the name mega drive better but today i like genesis better - go figure

[Push Upstairs]

I don't really miss hardware scaling (thats what my Saturn is for) but it probably would have helped "Space Harrier 2" a great deal.

That game animation is really, really choppy.

[segagamer]

I agree that hardware scaling should have been included, especially given the arcade to home conversions of System-16 games like Space Harrier, After Burner, and OutRun. I think the Neo-Geo has hardware scaling built-in, but we all know how expensive that system was when it was released.

[InsaneDavid]

Basically, Atari tried to patent the sun, moon, and stars, right?

Hey, if you could get patents issued to you on something at the foundation level of the industry you'd grab it and enforce it too - especially if your company was going to pot. LOL

[ManciGames]

http://www.vidgame.net/SEGA/Sega/Genesis/logo.jpg

Freakin' sexy..

No doubt.

[ManciGames]

Also, anyone wonder why they called it "Genesis"? Genesis means "the beginning", or "birth" ... "origin", you know. It wasn't Sega's first console, it wasn't the first 16-bit console, the launch titles were arcade ports, so nothing new there.... hardly the "beginning" of anything, really. Maybe they were thinking of the beginning of the 16-bit era of the video game market.

I haven't read the rest of the thread yet, so, three lashings if someone has already said this:

The Genesis was looked at as Sega's "new beginning" and was sort of a rebirth for the company here in the States.

Maybe I'm getting crazy here, but ever since Star Trek II was released (and it's associated "Genesis Project"), I think the term "genesis" actually came to be perceived as "new beginning" or "rebirth" for a little while.

I know at least a couple of magazine stories were even titled "Genesis: Sega's New Beginning" to tie into that perception.

Live long and prosper...

[SirDrexl]

I have a question about console names that had to be changed.

I understand that the Mega Drive and Nintendo's Ultra 64 had to be changed because someone else owned the names (I have no idea what they were), but why was Sega able to call a console "Saturn" when it is also a brand of car? For that matter, what about Atari's "Jaguar?" Do car companies just not care?

[ManciGames]

I understand that the Mega Drive and Nintendo's Ultra 64 had to be changed because someone else owned the names (I have no idea what they were), but why was Sega able to call a console "Saturn" when it is also a brand of car? For that matter, what about Atari's "Jaguar?" Do car companies just not care?

You can usually get away with calling something by an established name if it is in a totally unrelated field, and the word itself is not a unique trademarked word such as "Pepsi".

So, cars vs. video games is pretty unrelated, and saturn / jaguar are generic words, and all is well. But, GM coming out with the Pontiac Nintendo probably would not fly.

[Iron Draggon]

It would've been great if the Genesis had included hardware scaling and rotation like the SNES did, but you know I think they still did a damn good job of faking it with the software.

As for the hardware scaling and rotation of the Sega CD, obviously it still wasn't enough, as Power Drift never came out until the Saturn had been around a while. It had been scheduled for release on the Sega CD, but apparently it looked so bad running on that system they cancelled it.

I've heard that the Sega CD version of Night Striker looks really bad too, but somehow it managed to get released, at least in Japan. So it makes you wonder what Power Drift was like. I'm thinking that it must've run like a slideshow.

[Ed Oscuro]

Basically, Atari tried to patent the sun, moon, and stars, right?

Hey, if you could get patents issued to you on something at the foundation level of the industry you'd grab it and enforce it too - especially if your company was going to pot. LOL
But as a fan, I wouldn't post that Sega had stolen things that shouldn't have been patented anyway ;)

Oh well, the legendary Jack Trammiel interview still makes me laugh. "We've got this cool character..." LOL

[segagamer]

The Saturn's full name is Sega Saturn. That is the name on the logo on all the hardware and software.

[Ed Oscuro]

The Saturn's full name is Sega Saturn. That is the name on the logo on all the hardware and software.
Check this out, man: The Sega Nomad's full name is the Sega Nomad, and the Master System's full name is the Sega Master System. SG-1000 and SC-3000 are abbreviations of Sega Game and Sega Computer.

Yeah.

I guess Nintendo doesn't have this problem, do they? (Generic Entertainment System, and its illustrious successor the Super Generic Entertainment System). Wait, what was the question, again? I'm lost.

[Whiskers the Wonder Cat]

Both of the names are pretty cool. As for the logo design... I would give it to Genesis.

http://www.vidgame.net/SEGA/Sega/Genesis/logo.jpg

http://img270.echo.cx/img270/9250/mdstatement14ue.jpg
Btw, is it just me, or does that logo looks sunfaded..?

[theoakwoody]

I guess Nintendo doesn't have this problem, do they? (Generic Entertainment System, and its illustrious successor the Super Generic Entertainment System). Wait, what was the question, again? I'm lost.

This is my point exactly.

TG 16
Xbox
Gamecube
Playstation

None of these names have any imagination, they are all so generic. How about I huddle with my marketing buddies for two seconds and see if I can come up with a great name for a console.........Game.....Park....Gear....Boy....Ge nie....okay let me start over. How about the Emotion Engine, oh yeah, Sony used that. Okay, here's a couple.

1.) Super Package 256
2.) Sudden Death Container
3.) I-mod , customizable Mac console.

Sega tried to be a mover and a shaker by being forward thinkers and not just copying everyone else names and ideas. Not only did they have unique names but they had unique ideas. Their ideas didn't always pan out but at least they had the balls to try something new. I still think the VMUS were amazing for the dreamcast and I think someone will copy them sooner or later.

[segagamer]

I believe the question was about console name changes, and why was the Saturn's name not changed in the US when there is the Saturn line of cars from GM.

[googlefest1]

becasue its a different market

[Push Upstairs]

Even the dumbest of Americans could tell the difference between a car and a much smaller video game system.


At least, I hope they can.

[segagamer]

To be honest, I am not really sure when a product needs to have its name changed due to the same name taken by another product already. Maybe it has to be in the same product group, like consumer electronics or motor vehicles, as mentioned by Zardoz.

[googlefest1]

im not sure if all companies do this but mine does

submit names to to some kind of authority (forgot what it was) and they review it and tell you if you can use it or not

[airraid]

The only thing that annoyed me about the Genesis is that the system's designers didn't add scaling and rotation until they built the sega cd, which most Sega System 16 arcade games at the time, were totally dependant on. (i.e Thunder Blade, Space Harrier, After Burner, Power Drift, Galaxy Force, Out Run, Hang On, etc...)


just wanted to reply to this even though this post is from last year.

Sega arcade games like Hang On, Space Harrier, OutRun, After Burner II, Thunder Blade, Super Monaco GP, Super Hang On, Power Drift, Galaxy Force II, G-LOC, etc. do not run on System 16. They used a variety of different multi-68000 boards with Sega's Super-Scaler technology, that did advanced scaling or scaling & rotation.

System 16 didn't have more than one 68000, or Super-Scaler technology. The System16B board *did* have limited scaling/zooming, but no rotation. it's scaling capability was not on par with the Super-Scaler tech used in the higher-end Sega boards.

System 16A and System 16B were typically used for side scrolling and topview overhead games; Fantasy Zone, Alien Syndrome, Shinobi, Altered Beast, Golden Axe, ESWAT, etc.

Sega's pseudo 3D arcade games that used heavy scaling & rotation (using the super-scaler tech) were on different boards. some of these boards/hardware were:

Space Harrier hardware (Space Harrier, HangOn)
Out Run hardware (OutRun, Super Hang On)
X Board (After Burner II, Thunder Blade, Super Monaco GP)
Y Board (Galaxy Force II, Power Drift, G-LOC)

they all used either two or three 68000 CPUs. the lower-end System16 family always used just one 68000.

Now I totally agree with the comments & sentiments that Megadrive / Genesis should have had at least hardware scaling built-in.

I think Sega should've based the console directly off of the System16B board instead of using a weaker VDP graphics chip and omitting the scaling chip.

this would've also eliminated MD/Genesis' poor color capability of 64 colors on-screen at once out of a total palette of 512.

Instead, if MD/Genesis had been based on System 16/B, it would've had the ability to put upto 1920-2048 colors on-screen from a total palette of 32,768. That's same size color palette that SNES had, and far more colors on screen at once (SNES could only do 256), about half as much as NEO-GEO (4096 / 65536).

with a System16B-based Genesis, carbon-copy exact ports of Altered Beast, Golden Axe, ESWAT, WonderBoy III etc could be done. Also it would've been possible for Sega to do better (though certainly not exact) translations of the more advanced super-scaler games like OutRun, AfterBurner II, Super HangOn, etc.

Unfortunately, even the MegaCD/SegaCD of 1991/1992 with its hardware scaling & rotation ASIC/chip was not as powerful as, i.e. the Super-Scaler tech used in the X Board of 1987 that powered After Burner II.

[Barbarianoutkast85]

Well, they had no choice in this case...

I'm slightly lost here, why didnt they have a choice and had to change the name?

[CosmicMonkey]

Japanese Megadrive and Mega CD logo is much better than the Genesis name and logo. Although the actual Genesis logo itself is pretty cool though.

I prefer the Japanese Saturn logo too. I do prefer the blue Dreamcast swirl though. Much nicer color although it'd be weired seeing the Naomi logo with a blue 'O' .

[Gentlegamer]

I much prefer the name "Genesis," and its logo to that of "Mega Drive."

[idrougge]

I believe there was a difference in how the processor design interacted with the rest of the hardware which didn't infringe on any of Atari Corp's patents. It's not just that the Mega Drive / Genesis used a single 16 bit processor, it was an all around blatant ripoff of how things inside the Atari ST worked along with some non utilized (but patented) Atari Corp technologies.

That's pure bollocks. Apart from the Motorola 68000 processor, there is nothing in common between the ST and the Megadrive. Nothing.

[zektor]

That's pure bollocks. Apart from the Motorola 68000 processor, there is nothing in common between the ST and the Megadrive. Nothing.

And the Amiga utilized the same processor as well. The 68000 was an extremely popular processor in its day.

Now, the Atari ST1 in Europe was renamed the "Mega". Hmm..perhaps they thought the name "MEGA Drive" was a rip off of their name, and the usage of the cpu they were using was just enough to file suit. Pure speculation of course, but I would not at all put it past them...

[idrougge]

And the Amiga utilized the same processor as well. The 68000 was an extremely popular processor in its day.

And the Macintosh, the Sinclair QL and Sun and HP workstations.


Now, the Atari ST1 in Europe was renamed the "Mega".

Were the models with separate keyboards not called Mega ST in the USA?

[gigadrive]

That's pure bollocks. Apart from the Motorola 68000 processor, there is nothing in common between the ST and the Megadrive. Nothing.

true, absolutely true. ST and Megadrive don't share any technology other than the 68000.

\
I much prefer the name "Genesis," and its logo to that of "Mega Drive."



I thought 'Megadrive' was an okay name but I fell in love with the name 'Genesis' when I saw this:

http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/1870/vgceaug89kt4.jpg

[Cinder6]

Mega Drive just sounds too generic and too much like a knock-off product to me. On the other hand, Genesis isn't exactly an appropriate name (as it wasn't Sega's first console, even in the US), but I still prefer it. Sega's best name, though, is "Master System" :)

[j_factor]

Now I totally agree with the comments & sentiments that Megadrive / Genesis should have had at least hardware scaling built-in.

I think Sega should've based the console directly off of the System16B board instead of using a weaker VDP graphics chip and omitting the scaling chip.

this would've also eliminated MD/Genesis' poor color capability of 64 colors on-screen at once out of a total palette of 512.

Instead, if MD/Genesis had been based on System 16/B, it would've had the ability to put upto 1920-2048 colors on-screen from a total palette of 32,768. That's same size color palette that SNES had, and far more colors on screen at once (SNES could only do 256), about half as much as NEO-GEO (4096 / 65536).

It also would've made the system prohibitively expensive. Their goal with the G/MD design was to release a 68k-based console at a certain time, under a certain price point. Add in huge color palettes and a scaling chip and you no longer have the 1989 $190 beast we all know and love.