Zero Tolerance, System Link - anyone done this before?

[lordnikon]

Hi all, I am big into networking consoles. Whether it be online, local area network, or connectivity a la NGPC/DC, I really enjoy hooking consoles together to expand the gaming experience.

Supposedly you can system link 2 Genesis consoles to play Zero Tolerance. Is this actually possible? How rare is the link cable? I havn't seen it anywhere and have had a hard time finding information about this.

I did manage to find schematics from the original developers on how the cable is designed. So I theoretically you could make a link cable out of 2 controllers.

[Twitami]

I have done it. In fact, I have the cable to do it. I called Accolade WAY back when, asked about it, and they sent me one at no charge. So, I went out and bought another Genny, hooked up the cable (it goes between controller port 2 on both consoles), and played it. Kinda choppy, but not bad for the Genesis. I still have the cable.

[Twitami]

Also, I love linked games by the way. I even bought a Saturn Link cable, which doesnt do me much good :)

There are a few NeoGeo linkable games, so I even bought TWO of them and 2 of each linkable game, and the link cable!

[lordnikon]

Hmm you wouldn't have any leads on where I could get that Accolade cable would you?

Btw, as for saturn there are some great games that use the system link cable. GunGriffon II and Virtual On are prime candidates for it. Highly recommended.

[Twitami]

Do they work with US Saturns?

[lordnikon]

The Saturn Link Cable? or the games?

I would assume that the link cable would work on either US or JP systems. Also, as for the games all you need is a import boot cart to boot the imports. An ST-Key Convertor can be tracked down for cheap. The US version of Virtual On has Link up support I believe. I only have the JP version at the moment though.

[EnzoSangiorgio]

expand the gaming experience, huh? I wouldn't say hooking an NGPC up to a Dreamcast really expands anything other than time wasted.

[Logicdustbin]

I have done it. In fact, I have the cable to do it. I called Accolade WAY back when, asked about it, and they sent me one at no charge. So, I went out and bought another Genny, hooked up the cable (it goes between controller port 2 on both consoles), and played it. Kinda choppy, but not bad for the Genesis. I still have the cable.

Is there anything special about the cable? or is it just a straight pass through cable?


as for the Saturn, I have an import game: Steeldom for sale, it has the link cable;

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/snommistocs/img_4598.jpg

but I have no idea if you need to copies of the game to make it work (I never tried it :embarrassed: )

[c2000]

I'm a big link-up freak, so I've written some things about it;

See; Http://www.segacollection.com/specials/specials.html
for specials on Saturn Doom, Daytona CCE and Hexen.
Also, a list of link compatible SEGA games and scanned media.

[anagrama]

There's an older thread with more details if you do a search. It shouldn't be too hard to hack a cable together really.

[Alex Kidd]

I often wondered this myself, when I got Zero Tolerance it had a card in it you could send away for a free Link Up Cable, but I never did get anything from them.

Alex Kidd

[googlefest1]

would be cool to know the details to make them ourselves

[Cauterize]

any other Megadrive/Gen games support this cable/link up?

[Jorpho]

I'm sure I've seen specs for that cable somewhere before...

Bingo!
http://web.archive.org/web/20040518111712/www.technopop.com/images/zerotolerance/cable.gif

[c2000]

any other Megadrive/Gen games support this cable/link up?

The Beyond Zero Tolerance proto does.

[swlovinist]

I dug up this old thread because I have posted a youtube video showcasing my Zero Tolerance System Link Cable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqQY1BfyEAA

[jcalder8]

That's pretty awesome. I've never heard of it before.

[Steve W]

I wish this kind of thing had been used more often back in the day. Split screen multiplayer wasn't always an option with older systems that couldn't handle the complexity of it. Just imagine something like an Atari 2600 sequel to Adventure that used Comlynx-style networking cables to enable up to four players at once in a much larger map. Or maybe two console link-up for Ballblazer with its split-screen mode, allowing four players on two screens/systems. Hell, Accolade could have licensed and ported Midi Maze to the Genesis using the same cable.

[o1s1n]

I have a beta/proto of Zero Tolerance. I got really excited and tried linking it up to a full version of the game via this cable and a Megadrive/Nomad. Was hoping something magical would happen. It didnt :( game just crashed. Seems the multiplayer wasn't implimented until the game was closer to being finished.