Newsletter: Sega World Weekly issue 15 (then Sega 2000-X)
From Video Game Morgue File
__________________________________________________
/ \
/ > > > SEGA 2000 - X MAGAZINE < < < \
/ \
/ Issue #15 of "The Original Dreamcast Magazine" \
\ /
\ Sega 2000 - http://www.sega2000.com /
\ Sega X - http://www.segadreamcast.net /
\__________________________________________________/
======[ EDITOR'S COMMENTS ]===============================
Well it's been awhile since the last issue of this, but of
course that was due to the new Sega 2000 re-opening. Some
excellent news though, there is now over 3,200 subcribers!!!
We're THE biggest Dreamcast magazine on the net now, but
there is still lots of people who subcribe each day. If you
know of anyone who would like to join, why not tell them? :)
Now with only 40 days till the Dreamcasts release aswell,
things are really starting to get exciting! We're going to
have a very special net event on November 27th for everyone,
and from then on we'll be posting reviews of Dreamcast games
on the site. More details on those later. :)
> > > The time is near! < < <
Just a final note, next issue we'll have a LETTERS section,
if you have anything to say please send them to Andreas (our
letters guy) at tuna@ebox.tninet.se We do read every letter,
and really enjoy recieving them! :) We've got lots of things
happening this week at Sega 2000 (including the long awaited
Sonic Cartoons being posted), and Sega X have some seriously
COOL interviews coming later, I can't say with who yet, but
they are exciting!
Until next week, Sega 4-Ever!
Elijah (Editor)
----> Page 1 - News <----
----> Page 2 - Contests <----
----> Page 3 - Feature <----
----> Page 4 - Editoral <----
----> Page 5 - Surveys <----
----> Page 6 - On Your Mind <----
----> Page 7 - Web Sites <----
----> Page 8 - Last Words <----
======[ NEWS ]============================================
----> MDK2 ON YOUR DREAMCAST - Sega X
Edmonton based development company, Bio Ware Corp., has announced
that it has taken on the task of developing MDK2 for the Dreamcast.
The sequel to last year's action-thriller, developed by Shiny
Entertainment, will come with more dynamic gamplay and features.
Greg Zeschuk, President and Joint CEO of BioWare explained that,
"MDK2 represents the pinnacle of single player games. Our aim with
MDK2 is to explore new directions and expand beyond the constrictive
environments established in other 3D games.''
MDK 2 will take place in the same MDK world created by Shiny. The
player will once again take command of the game's hero, Kurt Hectic,
along with his freinds, Dr. Fluke Hawkins and Max: the robotic dog.
You will be able to guide Hectic, in a third person perspective,
through eight large 3D levels. This time MDK takes on more on an
Metal Gear Solid-like gameplay, as you will have to rely on stealth
and guile, just as much as all-out battle.
Lead Programmer on MDK2 Cameron Tofer, says, "The Dreamcast hardware
gives us all of the features that we could ever want from a gaming system.
Because of the Dreamcast we are able to take MDK2 further than we ever
imagined.''
MDK2 exploits the BioWare Omen Engine, a truly multi-platform engine
developed internally at BioWare Corp. Perhaps the most important
feature of Omen is the support for real-time level-of-detail control
that allows for round, smooth surfaces and highly detailed life-like
characters and environments, all the while maintaining high frame-rates.
Other key features include realistically modeled object physics and
complex scripted AI that provides the world with life-like inhabitants
that interact with the player in an intelligent manner.
Development has already been under way for MDK2. It will be
published by Interplay Productions, MDK2 will be released for
the Sega Dreamcast around fall of '99.
----> LARA CROFT WON'T STAR ON SEGA...
At the Tomb Raider 3 launch party, reporters from Game-Online got to
talk about the Dreamcast Jeremy Smith (the Co-founder of Core). He
said he's very excited about the hardware, but it's upto the business
side of things as to wether or not Tomb Raider will appear.
Sony are currently trying to extend the deal to keep the Tomb Raider
series exclusive to Playstation and PC. Currently it's valid until January
1st 2000, making it easy to do a game not too long after the world launch
of the Dreamcast.
While it's lightly they will sign the deal, Core themselves are still
developing for the Dreamcast. Their first game, Herdy Gerdy is coming
out during 1999. He described it as an "interactive Disney cartoon".
----> VIRTUA FIGHTER 4 & MORE
This is a quote from the Jap Sega Saturn Magazine:
Q: With this new hardware, what kind of game do you want to develop?
Suzuki: I'm thinking about DEA. This is a whole new game genre
for me. If you want to describe it by comparing it to current
genres, it could be described as an RPG. But if you ask me if it's
like Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy, I think it's a bit different
from those games.
DEA stands for Digital Entertainment Array. It means that
while the game uses the latest computer graphics and other
digital elements, it's also an entertainment vehicle at the
same time. I choose the word Entertainment because it includes
not only expected video game fun but also visual, sound, and
other elements that can truly entertain people. All current games
pursue one particular element - like a driving game, for example. You
can say the same thing for flight sims or fighting games. In DEA,
those elements are integrated into one, and it produces a particular
kind of entertainment beyond what we now expect from video games.
Q: By the way, it's been three years since Virtua Fighter 3. When
will we see Virtua Fighter 4?
Suzuki: We will comment on the subject after the New Year.
----> PERSONALIZED DREAMCASTS - SEGA X
Sega of Japan has announced yet another program in the marketing
of the Dreamcast. As you may remember, we told you about
specialized stores around Japan called, partner shops, that
will have a special contract with Sega to carry Dreamcast
hardware and software.
Now Sega has announced that individuals who buy preordered
Dreamcasts from partner shops will have the option of personalizing
their console. Individuals can buy a special Dreamcast version by
preorder or mail order with their name on the console itself.
This is yet another way of both catering to the Sega fan and
marketing the Dreamcast.
======[ CONTESTS ]========================================
Sega X is currently running a contest to Win 2 Dreamcasts,
plus the game of your choice! All as you have to do is fill
out a little survey on their site, and your in the draw.
Sega 2000's contest to win one of 5 Dreamcast T-shirts is
starting tomorrow, and all you have to do is answer a simple
question. Each of the 5 days we'll have a different question,
and then at the end, 5 winners will be drawn.
Good Luck to everyone entering the contests!
======[ FEATURE ]=========================================
SONIC RETURNS
By: Andy Hayward (contributor)
Sonic oh Sonic,
where have you been?
Repetitive sequels,
since who knows when.
Sonic The Hedgehog,
was such a great game.
Sonic 2,
expanded the name.
Sonic 3,
The game was quite fine
Sonic and Knuckles,
I had a good time.
But then it stopped.
Spinoffs emerged.
Let’s make more money!
The execs had urged.
Sonic Spinball.
was Sonic in pinball.
Sonic 3D Blast,
was worse than the last.
Sonic R.
A racing game.
Sonic it seems,
now was quite lame.
Sonic Adventure.
Is it the same?
No, it is not.
Sonic’s not tame.
3D graphics,
Perfect control.
Sonic is back,
not half, but in full!
So check this one out,
leave all else behind.
Lock up your doors,
and have a good time.
Sonic Adventure: December 17th 1998 for Japan
Preview on-line now at Sega 2000
======[ EDITORAL ]========================================
This week, I (or was it Elijah? heh, heh) decided that I would write
about the competition. Also, I'm wondering why I don't get much feedback.
I enjoy feedback! Questions, comments, suggestions, the whole bag of
marbles! So just in case you don't have my email, it's sonic999@juno.com.
I reply to ALL messages, big, small, or utterly pointless. And now back
to our regularly scheduled program:
PlayStation 2. Yes, I'm writing about it. I may even buy one(only if
Square decides not to go with DC). But, with it's ever-shrinking list of
features, I don't think they will. At one point in time, Sony was
promising 10,000,000 pps (polygons per second), a DVD, and some other
stuff I can't remember. Uh huh, I believed they would come through...
(Hopefully you took that as sarcasm)
It won't not succeed. No hype + no developers = FLOP. Simple enough.
But still, some people think it will succeed. Square, my favorite 3rd
party, is biding their time, waiting to see if Sega sells a million
units. I bet, no I promise you, they will sell a million in the first
couple weeks! Sony will die off without Square's support, believe me.
Sony Fans: Square saved your rancid system's butt. They don't look like
they'll do it again either. PlayStation is dead! Long live Dreamcast!
-Stan
Elijah's Note: Please remember anything you do read about the PSX2 (even
if it's from somewhere like FGN) they are only rumours. Sony hasn't
given any comments except "we'll release a newer, better system in 18-24
months". Even that though, I wouldn't trust... it's probably just to
give Sega a false sense of secriety.
======[ SURVEYS ]=========================================
It's easy to have your say... just e-mail your vote to me at
Elijah@sega2000.com with "Sega 2000 Survey" into the subject. :)
This week's question...
----> Do you think Sega should have an earlyer world release?
Thanks to everyone who votes, and the results will be posted in
the next issue.
======[ ON YOUR MIND! ]===================================
Here is the section where you can ask questions, write letters,
or tell us anything else thats on your mind. For the next issue
please send your e-mails to...
----> LETTERS: tuna@ebox.tninet.se
----> Q & A: segaslave@az.rmci.net
----------------------------------------------------------
This week I'll put the most intresting Q&A from Sega 2000 here...
1) I have been waiting for your returning with this new look, and I'm very
impressed with this new look . Congratulations. (Thanks - Elijah)
How many players in Sonic Adventure? I know that there are 6 playable
different charectors but is it a one player game? And if it is a two
players game will they be cooaprtive or vs together?
I thank again and congratulatins. Sorry for my English.
- Ahmad Fahad
SEGA 2000: Sonic Adventure is a one-player game unfortantly, but there is
a small 2-player section in the game somewhere I think. (i.e Like in Nights)
2) If the DC can play music CDs, then shouldn't it still be able to
allow sega to develip games on a Normal CD, other than a 1 gig CD?
Like... Wouldn't it be cheaper if they didn't need the extra space
for a certain game, to just use the 650mb CDs?
- Sonic_Hedgehog
SEGA 2000: Well yes the DC will be able to play music CDs, but you
wont see any games on a normal sized CD(why would you want too?) alot
of PSX games use less than half the CD yet you dont see them using like
250meg CDs, it just isnt cost effective, SEGA probally has a contract with
a comapny to produce the 1gig CDs for them and lets say SEGA did make a
game that used only 650 megs, they would then have to put in an order
for 650meg CDs and only enough to cover the amount of CDs for that 1 game,
it would be just cheaper to use the 1gig CDs, plus if a game was only
using 650megs i for one would like to see them use the extra space (even
if it meant delaying the game)
3) This is a candidate for your question and answer section... Is the
Dreamcast going to make the majority of us gamers crap ourselves
from happyness? I'm seroius :)
P.S. I love the site. - Anon
SEGA 2000: ..... lets just say when you go to buy your DC pick up
an extra pair of pants too. :)
======[ WEB SITES ]=======================================
If you have a web site you want here, just e-mail me on
Elijah@dchq.com
----> http://www.dchq.com
Dreamcast Alliance
----> http://pluto.beseen.com/chat/rooms/k/11061
Kevin's Sega Chat Room
----> http://www.lunar-net.com
Lunar Net
----> http://www.angelfire.com/ms/elijahparker/
Elijah Net
----------------------------------------------------------
Copyright, 1998 Elijah Parker - ELIJAH@SEGA2000.COM
----> http://www.sega2000.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 copied
without prior permission. It would be very mean and I will
tell my mummy about you! (he he, kidding!) If you have any
friends that might be intrested in this magazine, it would
be excellent if you could let them know about it. Thanks!
----> LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO ATTRACT GIRLS??? You can impress
them with your great knowledge of SEGA games!! Yes it's
true, after brushing up on your knowledge at SEGA 2000,
the girls will love ya! Here's one readers experience...
"Well at first I didn't belive it, I mean how could just
visiting SEGA 2000 improve my dating life??? But I thought
what have I got to lose, and went there. The next day, I
noticed more girls looking at me, and the day after that...
WELL! They were almost flocking to me! Then the day after
that... well, I'll leave that for you to discover... I
just wanted to share my experience to all you people,
trust me, going to SEGA 2000 improves your dating life by
miles!" - John Smith
p.s Favorite quote from this issue -
"The Dreamcast hardware gives us all of the features that we
could ever want from a gaming system. Because of the Dreamcast
we are able to take MDK2 further than we ever imagined."
- Lead Programmer on MDK2 Cameron Tofer
