Newsletter: Sega World Weekly issue 11 (then Sega 2000-X)
From Video Game Morgue File
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> > > SEGA 2000 - X MAGAZINE < < <
ISSUE. 11 -- The Original Dreamcast Magazine -- August 2 1998
Sega 2000 - http://www.dchq.com
Sega X - http://www.segadreamcast.net
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======== EDITOR'S COMMENTS ==================================
There wasn't a great deal of news last week, but what a great
end to get the Dreamcast E3 Demo pics! I was totally jaw-dropped
by most of them! The lace looks the best I think, but the Dinosaur
is just amazing and the Playstation or N64's couldn't even handle
a tiny bit of it! DREAMCAST IS AWERSOME!!!! And for those importing
a machine, there's only 113 days till its sitting in our own home!
Please Surport Sega 2000-X Magazine by visiting Sega 2000 at
http://www.dchq.com after reading this. Every person helps keep
this magazine going :)
> > > Page 1 - News < < <
> > > Page 2 - Contest < < <
> > > Page 3 - Shining F 3 < < <
> > > Page 4 - Survey < < <
> > > Page 5 - Importing < < <
> > > Page 6 - Letters < < <
> > > Page 7 - Web Sites < < <
> > > Page 8 - Staff < < <
======== NEWS ===============================================
> > > SEGA FAN CHAT II
Here are the first details of the next Sega Fan Chat. I've had
lots of e-mails from people looking forward to the next one, so
this is just be even more sucessful! Also thanks to all the people
who told me what they thought of the last chat, I've fixed all the
problems people seemed to have.
What - Sega Fan Chat II
When - August 22nd at 8pm EST
Where - mIRC chat rooms (the exact ones to be given out later)
Using mIRC software there will be no slow down, no problems
loggin on and no Java required! You can download the program
at http://www.mirc.co.uk
I know Netlink users won't be able to use that, but at the
moment I'm not sure how I will work that problem out. But you
can be sure I'll try very hard to get a good place for Netlinkers
to chat. If you think you can help, please e-mail me on Elijah@dchq.com
You might of noticed the time for the chat is just after the
revealing of Sonic Adventure! So there will be plenty to talk
about no doubt!
Another problem was anti-Sega people destorying our fun, they
will be kicked out striaght away and banned. There will also
be a new contest, but that will be annoucned later on aswell.
> > > 4 NEW GAMES FROM AM3
Just as I was about to send this issue off, I found some cool news
on Sega Zone...
"I've asked Hisao Oguchi (the producer of the Sega AM3 departments)
if AM3 is working on any Dreamcast Titles and he said that there
are 4 games curently under development for the Dreamcast. One of
them is a Network Game. He couldn't say anything more about the 4
games because it's top secret."
So it appears more AM deparments are getting behind the Dreamcast,
YEAH!
> > > E3 TECH DEMO PICTURES
Due to the fact this magazine is text only, I can't post the pictures
on it. But I've posted them all on the site, www.dchq.com
> > > MORE SEGA CON INFO!
Sega 2000 is more than happy to surport the upcoming Sega Con, and if
you live in America we highly recommend going! Its an event you won't
want to miss. (I'll collect my money from Sega Con now I've said that,
he he, I'm kidding! I'm saying that from my own thoughts.) Anyway, here
is their latest press release... Its just got much cooler now their will
be cartoons of Sonic, Panzer Dragoon, Sakura Taisen and 20 episodes of
Magic Knight RayEarth!!!
SegaCon - A Landmark Event
Convention to feature video game contests and Japanese animation
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA
For the first time in America, a video game convention is hitting the
mainstream. SegaCon - the Sega Fan Convention will be the largest and best
video game gathering the US has ever experienced. This December, Sega fans
from all over the country will convene to celebrate the Japanese premiere of
Sega's Dreamcast system, as well as the other great games and systems Sega
has produced. Paul Acevedo, one of the convention's organizers, elaborates:
"For years, Japanese game players have been attending great conventions, bigger
than anything here in the States. The SegaCon promises to bring all the
excitement of those conventions to the American gamer. We're working very
closely with online Sega fan sites to ensure this event will satisfy even
the most hardcore gamer."
The convention will focus on many aspects of the Sega gaming experience,
including competitive tournament play. Many of the best Sega Saturn games,
including Capcom's X-Men VS. Street Fighter, Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold,
and Darkstalkers 3 will have competitions, as well as Sega's own Fighters
Megamix, Virtual On, and Saturn Bomberman. Gamers will also have a chance to
test their skills on several Dreamcast launch titles! The results of these
tournaments will appear in next year's edition of the "Twin Galaxies
Official Book of Video Game & Pinball World Records," a resource which is to
video games what the Guiness Book is to athletic records.
The Sega Ages display will focus on Sega's history, from past to present.
Classic Sega arcade and console games, and even high-tech Model 3 arcade
machines will be available for play. If it says Sega, SegaCon will have it!
Fans of Japanese animation will thrill to special presentations of the
Japanese Sonic the Hedgehog, Panzer Dragoon, and Sakura Taisen cartoons. As
a special treat, the entire 20-episode first season of Magic Knight RayEarth
(never seen on American television) is going to play alongside the
highly-anticipated Sega Saturn game from Working Designs.
SegaCon also has lots of activities for its guests to participate in as
well. Draw a picture for the Sega Fan Art Contest, dress as a video game
character in the Cos-Play Competition, or sing the "Dreams, Dreams" theme in
the NiGHTS:Into Dreams Karaoke Challenge. Prizes for all the contests and
tournaments are being donated by developers such as Sega Entertainment and
Capcom. Participate in the SegaCon and be a part of video game history!
The SegaCon http://www.segacon.com
Location: Wilmington, North Carolina*
Times: 10am-8pm December 5 & 6, 1998
Admission: 2 Day Passes: $20 prior to November 1st; $30 afterwards. Single
Day Passes: $20 each.
Booths and Tables: 10x20 space $50; each additional 10x20 space $40; Add $20
if a table must be provided. Pricing may vary on larger display areas.
Sponsorship: Minimum $200 donation required. Sponsors receive 10x20 of space
and some advertising priveleges. More information available upon request.
Space will be provided for retailers to buy, sell, and trade their American
and import video games and Japanese animation mercandise. Contact
p.acevedo@segacon.com for full details.
======== WIN THE SATURN GAME OF YOUR CHOICE! ================
Thanks alot to everyone who entered! I'd love to give you all
games for your great work, but unfortantly there can be only one.
Congratulations to Matt of Indiana, USA. A copy of Shining
Force 3 is on its way!
Look out for our next contest at the Sega Fan Chat II!
======== SHINING FORCE III TIPS FEATURES ====================
Those who buy SSM will already have this, but for Americans and
other countrys who don't, here is a shorter version of the Shining
Force 3 Guide!
1) Concentrate on training weak characters - their increased strength
may be decisive.
2) Let those weak characters get the final blow to earn more valuable
experience points.
3) Don't be afraid to retreat and heal hurt fighters.
4) Learn to sacrifice some fighters for the greater good.
5) Kamikaze attacks on enemy commanders actually works - sometimes!
6) Level two and above magic can hit more than 1 enemy - go for crowds.
7) If you're being attacked by two enemies, concentrate your fire on
just one of them. When it's their next turn they're only able to launch
1 attack.
8) When attacking from 2 sides, try to keep a healing magician with each
group for easy healing access.
9) Equip all characters with healing herbs and drops at every village.
10) Paralysed fighters can sometimes launch attacks and use items still,
be brave!
11) Weak characters make excellent lamb-to-the-slaughter decoys to take
the heat away from key team members in tough battles (harsh but fair!)
12) Attack barrels and chests left around the battle field - they contain
many key items and weapons
13) Don't bunch characters together, this just leaves them vulnerable
to enemies multiple hit magic attacks.
======== IMPORTANT MATTERS ==================================
So you have 2 options, get a convertor cart or get a switch
added to your DC... which one is best? What is the switch? Find
out here...
The Datel Action Replay cartridge allows you to play imported
software on your machine. However, for UK gamers, the games will
still run in PAL mode. So you will get a bit of speed loss. But
unlike Saturn, all the Dreamcast games will be full screen, so
the borders won't be a worry.
Switching your Dreamcast is my favorite option, means you get a
switch (duh) which flicks between US, UK, or Japan mode. There
are two different types of switches (just to make it even more
complex) One is just a country switch, which works the same as
a convertor cart.
The second gives you full screen games everytime, and a faster
frame rate! Is there a catch? Well yes unfortantly. Your TV must
be SCART compatable and run with a "60hz signal" (60 frames per
second, PAL TV's run at 50 frames per second).
======== SURVEY =============================================
Last week I ran one on Sega 2000 about people's favorite Sonic
game. The results are showing at Sega 2000 now. Here is this
weeks survey...
*** Take a guess at how long the company, Sega, has been around.
This should be intresting, and we will have the actual number of
years in the next issue. Please click REPLY and put the number of
years IN THE SUBJECT line. Thanks to all who vote!
======== LETTERS ============================================
If you have a letter, please e-mail it to me at Elijah@dchq.com or
just click REPLY to this e-mail. Simple! I look forward to hearing from ya!
By the way, their are people from Sega on this mailing list so maybe
all these modem letters might have a bit of an effect... lets hope so! :)
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> > > THE PRICE IS LOW ALREADY
Just something quick. I think that no matter what Sega should release
the Modem included. The argument that some Joe Schmoe wouldn't want the
modem and would rather not pay for it is really quite stupid. Who cares
if he does not want it? It comes with the package, it's there to begin
with, whether you want it or not. This way there will be no way for
people who buy the system to choose, regardless of the price point.
Which, by the way, is low even if it is $300 at launch. Think about it.
- Miki.
> > > "WOULD BE A COOL IDEA"...
Hey Elijah, wessuper!! N*E ways the Sega Fan chat was great I had a cool
time but I only wish that I could chat about Sega, Dreamcast etc.
everyday. Also the magazine is great and I'll sign up for the petition
about Dreamcast having a built in modem. (Here's a point though, 1.
it's true that if DREAMCAST didn't have any modem it would cost a little
cheaper 2. what if the people that are going to by the DREAMCAST already
have an Internet in anyway from their Computer, Sega Saturn Netlink or Web TV
or whatever it is, then they would be paying for something that cost about
$50 or higher for nothing, that's like wasting money 3. and if it is
upgradable people are going to upgrade to 56k anyway for faster connection
and etc. and if they upgrade what are they going to do with the old one.
Why not leave the Dreamcast without a modem when people is giong upgrade
anyways ya know. I hope you get the piont like undersatand the idea. Its
like if the Dreamcast cost $250+ and then they upgrade for a modem which
cost about $50+ then its like buying the dreamcast for almost $300+ but
if people bought the dreamcast w/o any modem it would cost about $250-
and bought a 56k modem it would be about $300- a good deal (prices are guests).
So in some way it would be a cool idea. - Sherwin David
> > > THERE ARE NO 1MB/SECOND MODEMS
In reference to Jake Horan's letter in the Sega 2000-X Issue, 1MB/second
modems aren't possible. The US government limits date to 53K/second even
thought 56K modems are availible. I think Sega should have a cable modem
availible so that we can go on the net at 3 to 10MB/second. This would be
great for game updates, because it wouldn't take forever. - Justin Singh
> > > DON'T LAPTOP'S HAVE REMOVEABLE MODEMS?
Don't laptop's have removeable modems? Sort of like a card that simply plugs
int to the back? (I thought I saw a picture of this in a catalogue) Why
couldn't sega do this? Easily upgradeable (no disassembly required) and
doesn't waste the space of an external, though it is plagued still by the
problems of an internal. But it would be more convinient than tearing apart a
dreamcast for upgrades or finding extra room for an extra device. Just a
suggestion. - Adol
> > > DREAMCAST VS PC
Hey, if the Dreamcast does turn out to be $200 to $250 dollars, so what, to
get the sme perfomance on a PC you have to put down $250 for a 3D card or
even $300 for a good one, around 2600 for a fast enough PC, and the same
price, if not higher for games, then a couple hundred mor for a good sound
card say $150 to $200 so you are putting down a grand total of:
almost $3400 dollars, just for the equivalent of the dreamcast,if you are
lucky enough to have a computer with all that stuff already, then you areone
lucky bastard, but the dreamcast is the better deal. - Gary Longwith
SEGA 2000: Actually, no computer on the market can reach the Dreamcast's level
at the moment!
> > > WHAT ABOUT THE CONTROLLER... AND YES, THE MODEM...
I just finished reading the latest issue and I completely agree
with you on this modem issue. Sega will be commiting suicide if the
modem is not a pack in. I would rather have a modem pack in than a
game. Now that might sound crazy, but if Sega doesn't pack in the modem
that it will definitely go the way of the Netlink and every other add on
peripheral that Sega made. Simply because no one will but it and
developers won't take advantage of it. But a console like Dreacast with
a modem can combine the best of console gaming and PC gaming. Nothing
game related will be able to touch Sega. No more looking in the other
players section of the TV like in Goldeneye to see where your opponents
are. And no more crying about how you $300 dollar graphics card isn't
compatible with your favorite game. But as big a problem as this modem
situation can be, it is not Sega's biggest problem.
I know you've heard this before, but Sega ABSOLUTELY MUST do
something about that controller. The should have learned from Nintendo
to never go backwards in technology (choosing carts, instead of CDs).
Now I hate when some little punk starts complaining about someting that
really doesn't matter, like the size of the system. I've never seen a
system that was too big to fit in your house. But this controller will
have a tremendous effect, negative, if it released in this state. Why?
There are many reasons. First, they are already shutting out certain
developers, a luxury Sega can not afford. I've already read about
developers saying that they can't make a game with so few buttons. And
Capcom had to be Sega's brightest light in there darkest hour. They
were releasing Saturn games when everyone else told Sega to go to hell.
But Capcom loves their Street Fighter games. But with this awkward
button configuration, people aren't going to buy 2-D fighters. This
controller is a slap in Capcom's face. Why give developers power when
they can't take advantage of it?
Second, it's not going to be long after the release of Dreamcast
that Sony, and possibly Nintendo, show what they have coming. And they
will definitely try to one up on Sega's hardware. And right now, the
best way to do that is to make a better controller. If developers see
that that they can make the game they want on another system with all of
the buttons they need (a game like Goldeneye could not be made playable
with Sega's controller) they will. Sega, Can't you understand that you
can not afford to piss off any more developers. And the consumers will
wait on a PSX2 if the know it will give them the games they want.
Gamers are just so smart these days.
Lastly, and this is just a problem I have. Why the hell would make
a less functional controller on your next generation machine anyway. I
don't understand going backwards in technology. The only thing Saturn
owners could feel proud of in the wake of Sony and Nintendo was their
controller. Doesn't Sega understand by now? The shoulder buttons are
for games that require you to hold a button down while doing something
else. They are not supposed to be you roundhouse kick buttons! Forget
about doing super moves with the Dreamcast controller. Technology
should always move forward. In all honsety, Sega has never been really
good at making great controllers. And even in two more buttons are added
(THEY BETTER BE), it will still be less functional than Sony and
Nintendo's controllers because it can still only be held one way.
Dreamcast has the potential to be the game system to end all game
systems. But we can't let Sega screw it up. I SERIOUSLY suggest a
petition for the modem and the controller. I was so excited about
Dreamcast until I saw the controller. Remember guys, we need a great
controller to play great games. This controller is a step down from the
Nights pad. Ant that was just a controller with an analog pad slapped
on it, unlike Sony and Nintendo's well thought efforts. Don't let Ssega
insult our intellegence. Let's start a petition and force them to
change the controller. Sega has let us down in the past, and we stayed
loyal. Let's start a petition and make them give us what we want. If
they don't, then don't buy the system. Please guys, it's the only way
for us to be heard. - Bond, James Bond
> > > ANOTHER 32X, MEGA-CD OR SEGA MENACER
Well, I couldn't agree more with the points you raised on how much of a
disaster it would be if Sega were to leave the modem out of the package,
internal or not. As you said, if people are given the choice to buy it
separately, only a percantage of all new DC owners will. Sega have made
a fuss about how good the services will be for many of their multiplayer
games for the DC's launch, it will be a huge waste to allow the whole
modem concept to go down the drain, as third party developers simply
will not bother to cater for a device only a few people have (as you
said), and besides, this new idea is a good one; if Sega leaves out the
modem, they'll be regretting it as soon as the next console comes out
which will surely come with a modem.
If the modem is left out, it will definately become another 32X, Mega-CD
or Sega Menacer... I guarantee it.
Then the idea of a "modem or rebate" voucher. Wrong. Most people still
will not take the modem, as it will seem to be an add-on, something that
looks like Sega aren't really interested in supporting. (Would you buy a
Mega-Drive with a 32X voucher, then go and get the 32X instead of the
cash? Me neither... it's just an add-on.)
This will still also mean that many people will not have the modem. Even
if say, 70% of people took the modem, it would just dwindle down to a
flop. Why is the offer of no modem to the customers better than packing
it in? Especially when, as you suggested, they have already paid for the
modem.
Next you mentioned Joe Schmoe (the nice guy). Look, it's simple. People
will buy the DC because it's the best machine available. If some people
don't want to buy a DC with the modem, tough. If they don't want the
best, they can buy something else (obviously, not the best). Modems WILL
be the way of the future in console gaming, so those who don't want it
can forget it. Would Sega bother to sell the Saturn with and without a
cartridge input? It's just as stupid.
If Sega try to increase profits by catering for those who want the
modem-less DC, they will only lose out on profits through the HUGE lack
of DC owners without modems, for the reasons we've already covered.
Sorry for the repetitiveness - OW
======== WEB SITES ==========================================
If you have a web site you want here, just e-mail me on
Elijah@dchq.com
> > > http://members.tripod.com/~pmchavez/index.html
Edith's Video Game Etiquette
> > > http://www.segacon.com
Sega Con On The Net
> > > http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~hartley1
DreamCast UK
> > > http://come.to/ff8source
Final Fantasy VIII Source
======== STAFF ==============================================
I'd like to present Team 2000... the people working hard on Sega
2000 to bring you the best Dreamcast coverage on the net...
Elijah@dchq.com - Webmaster
robert@dchq.com - Head News Editor
Charlie@dchq.com - News
James@dchq.com - News
segaslave@az.rmci.net - Q&A
saturnfreak90@hotmail.com - Preivews Editor
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@1998 Elijah Parker - ELIJAH@DCHQ.COM
- http://www.dchq.com - Sega 2000
- http://www.segadreamcast.net - Sega X
Written and edited by Elijah Parker (just so you know who to blame for the
terrible spelling... he he) The magazine is owned by Sega 2000 / Sega X
and no parts may be copyed without prior permission. It would be very mean
and I will tell my mummy about you! (he he)
P.S I just had to print this little clip from a Sega forum,
"Your Right! If Lara is on DC her Breasts better look more Real
and Bigger too. More Bounce! =)"
ha ha ha, the lack of news last week is really showing there!
