Newsletter: Sega World Weekly issue 79 (then Dreamcast Weekly)
From Video Game Morgue File
________________________________________________________________
/ \
/______________> > > DREAMCAST WEEKLY MAGAZINE < < <_______________\
//// \\\\
//// ~ Issue #79 - April 23rd 2000 ~ \\\\
\\\\ ////
\\\\ ////
\\\\ Sponsored By http://www.PrimaGames.com ////
\\\\ ////
\\\\ ////
\\\\ www.DreamcastWeekly.com ////
\\\\____________________________________________________////
\________________________________________________________/
.o> Please Scroll Down for the Editors Comments <o.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( DREAMCAST WEEKLY INFO ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> To unsubscribe, along with reading past issues, please visit our
website at http://www.DreamcastWeekly.com
> To ask questions, please click Reply to this message, only be SURE to
include "Q&A" some where in the Subject. We regret we're unable to
personally reply to each e-mail, but the best questions will be
selected weekly and printed in our Q&A page.
> For daily game news, over 200 Prima Fast Track Guides(tm) online,
codes, downloads, and contests every day, be sure to visit
Primagames.com. Prima is the number one source for video and computer
game strategy in the world.
---------------------- http://www.PrimaGames.com -----------------------
> For the latest game news, reviews and previews visit the Premier Video
Games Site www.totalvideogames.com With over 300 archived News
Articles and the greatest game reviews. Up-dated throughout the day
with everything!
----------------------- www.totalvideogames.com ------------------------
> Our domain name for DC Weekly is provided thanks to Total Video Games,
the UK's premier video games magazine up-dated daily, and The
Junction, the best place for Teens to chat.
------------------------- www.the-junction.com -------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( EDITORS COMMENTS ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Easter!! Also I'd like to welcome you to the new, wider Dreamcast
Weekly. Ok so it's not really much of a change but many people have sent
e-mails asking for this, and it does make for easier reading.
But what's much more exciting (what could possibly be more exciting than
longer lines of text?!?) is our cover story on NiGHTS 2, and all the
rumors on everything from Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Party, to online
Bomberman, DVD movies, and prices for the Ethernet Adapter, MP3 Player,
and Dream Eye that have appeared on the Internet this past week.
But back to NiGHTS 2... we take a look at what could be improved upon
for a sequel, and exactly why Sonic Team aren't announcing the game.
Until next week then when I promise we will finally have all those Sega
puzzles I promised, Happy Gaming, and remember...
The Game Is Never Over!
~ Graham "Tails" Parker (Editor)
If you enjoy Dreamcast Weekly and would like to help support us, please
visit http://www.PrimaGames.com Thanks!
.oO Page 1 - Cover Story Oo.
.oO Page 2 - The News Oo.
.oO Page 3 - Rumors Oo.
.oO Page 4 - Prima Games Corner Oo.
.oO Page 5 - Q&A Center Oo.
.oO Page 6 - Into The Web Oo.
.oO Page 7 - Cheats Oo.
.oO Page 8 - OUR SUPPORT SITES Oo.
.oO Page 9 - Credits Oo.
HOT QUOTE This Issue: "NiGHTS captured the imagination of all who saw
it, and that includes Shigeru Miyamoto, the designer of Mario and Zelda
over at Nintendo."
-- NiGHTS 2 - This Weeks Cover Feature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( COVER STORY ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>> NiGHTS 2: The Game Of Your Dreams?
>>>> Written by Tails
What do you get if you cross the character and speed of Sonic with the
flowing control and atmosphere of Ecco The Dolphin? The stuff dreams are
made of, and that's exactly what Sonic Team created back in 1996 with
NiGHTS.
NiGHTS Into Dreams was one of those instant classics that didn't need
any hype, in fact the game was only revealed to the press five months
before it's final release! NiGHTS captured the imagination of all who
saw it, and that includes Shigeru Miyamoto, the designer of Mario and
Zelda over at Nintendo. Many believed they had found gaming perfection,
as the unforgettable music, smooth true 3D controls, mad color schemes
and special dreamy effects (like ground which warps below you) overload
your senses. Words can not describe the feeling you get when playing
NiGHTS, but I hope this inspires many who haven't yet experienced the
dream to look high and low for a 2nd hand copy.
Now with the 128-bit Dreamcast, gamers world wide are begging Sonic
Team to create a sequel. And with that much demand, what could possibly
be their reason not to? Well as I said, many believed they had found
gaming perfection in NiGHTS. Now while that seems like the perfect
reason for a sequel, it's actually Sonic Team's reason to not create
one. Our expections of NiGHTS 2 are so high, the pressure on Sega to
get every aspect of the title just right is too much.
Sonic Team are keeping NiGHTS fresh in our minds with all their current
Dreamcast titles however, not wanting the title to be forgotten. From
the pinball table in Sonic Adventure, to the Nightopians in Chu Chu
Rocket, and the theme song "Dreams Dreams" in Samba De Amigo. Which
would lend to reason we can expect NiGHTS 2 sometime soon. But as the
designer and head of Sonic Team, Yuji Naka said himself, we shouldn't
get our hopes up just yet.
Still, that's not going to stop me dreaming of what could be. And
that brings me to the reason for this feature, what can be improved on
for NiGHTS 2.
The most common complaint about NiGHTS was it's too easy. I finished
the game myself in 2 days, and many other people I'm sure in less. But
finishing the game isn't the point. Mastering the controls, beating
your record of "Links", and getting a higher rating and top score is
what keeps me coming back to NiGHTS even now, 4 years after the games
release. Seven different levels are enough to keep me happy, but other
people would like more. Which poses an interesting question to Sonic
Team, do they add more levels which would likely cut down on the design
of each one, or keep to a small number but spend the time polishing
every level?
Also more than likely Elliot and Claris would be replaced in the sequel.
But to be honest, how much difference would that make? Aside from
different story lines, changing the children would have almost no effect
on the game itself. The reason being that after a few hours of playing,
you'll spend almost no time controlling either person, and just fly
around as NiGHTS. Could this be improved upon without destroying the
gameplay everyone loves? I for one think so yes.
You could start off as one of the two children like in the original,
only this time your a long way from NiGHTS, compared to just a few
meters away. This way your forced to cross the entire level in true
3D to reach NiGHTS, when the gameplay would change to that we all know
and love. Of course there's the friendly arrow to point you in the
right direction, but there's also the alarm eggs (clocks) which will
chase you around. Along the way to the Ideya Palace (NiGHTS home) you
can pick up some extra chips (the object being to get 20 chips), and
the more you collect as a child the easier your task as NiGHTS will be.
But then the longer you take, the more chances the alarm egg might
catch up with you and it's Night Over!
This aspect of the game would also give Sonic Team more of a chance to
use enemies. In the original you would hit one every so often, but
they didn't really pose much of a threat to our flying hero. Something
else which could be improved upon for the sequel.
Another part of NiGHTS which wasn't really all it could have been is
the two player mode. You simply fly around a small arena and try and
paraloop around each other. Racing through the actual in-game levels to
try and beat each other at collecting chips, performing links and doing
acrobatics would really be fun! Splitting the screen into four might be
a little too much, but a two player mode would be a great way to
increase the games lastability.
On the topic of human competition, net ranking like in Sonic Adventure
wouldn't go a miss. So long as there isn't any massive short cuts that
caused problems in Sonic, this addition should give even those who
consider themselves masters of the dream world a challenge.
But Internet ranking is something that would almost be naturally added
to the sequel. Same with perhaps a mirror mode? What I'm really
interested in however is the changes that some people would love to see,
but some feel would ruin the game. For example making NiGHTS fully 3D.
The first question here is would that actually work? Well if Sonic Team
brought our favorite blue hedgehog into the 3rd dimension without losing
anything, one would think they can with NiGHTS.
For those that don't know, NiGHTS is 3D, but it runs on rails. Each
level is divided into 4 set paths (called Mare's). Now while that
doesn't give you total freedom, I for one believe total freedom would
ruin the game. Along with the normal movements of up and down, forward
and backward, you'd have to move in and out of the screen. Unless Sonic
Team come up with another new, even more 3D controller, I don't see
how this can work while keeping up the speed, accuracy and most
importantly the flow of NiGHTS. Control is a big part of the game, and
this is the one part I'd prefer Sonic Team not to change.
Finally comes something that wouldn't really help the gameplay, but
would be fun to add as a cheat. How about a first person view? Ok so
it would be hard to control, and I just said how I don't want Sonic Team
messing with that, but I have to say I'd like to see what the world
looks like from NiGHTS view. Maybe someone from Sonic Team will read
this, like the idea and add the cheat. Oh well, I can dream right?
Overall I believe Sonic Team can improve upon NiGHTS enough to warrant
a sequel, and if they take their time on development, NiGHTS 2 could
quite possibly be Sega's biggest hit ever.
- Just a personal request now. If anyone has a PAL copy of "Christmas
NiGHTS" out there, and are willing to sell, I'd love to make you an
offer. It came free with the UK Sega Saturn Magazine a few years back,
so I imagine there are a few copies around. Thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( THE WEEKLY NEWS ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>> Namco's 3rd Dreamcast Title!
Namco of America has confirmed their next Dreamcast title this week, and
no it's not Soul Calibur 2. It's Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness. A 3D Pac-Man
style game featuring multi-player modes, 6 different characters, and 180
mazes to finish. Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness is due out this October.
>>>> Samba De Amigo Music
Sonic Team have posted a list on their website of extra tracks to be
included in Samba De Amigo. All of which a long time Sega fan will know.
Open Your Heart (Sonic Adventure)
Sonic You Can Do Anything (Sonic CD)
Super Sonic Racing (Sonic R)
Burning Hearts (Burning Ranger)
Dreams Dreams (NiGHTS)
Magical Sound Shower (Outrun)
After Burner (After Burner)
Opa-Opa! (Phantasy Zone)
Renta A Hero No.1 (Renta Hero)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( RED HOT RUMORS ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welcome to the rumors section of Dreamcast Weekly, each week we'll keep
you up to-date with the latest rumors going around.
>>>> Sonic Party!
Awhile back we brought you rumors of a 2nd Sonic title to be released
this year, which might have been a racing title. Now it appears the
title may be a party title featuring many mini-games ala Mario Party
on the N64. No doubt all will be revealed at the E3 next month.
>>>> Online Games, MP3 VMU Price, Sonic Adventure 2 & More...
Thanks to http://www.SegaDojo.com for these.
First up an EB manager that wishes to remain nameless has revealed
prices for these upcoming add-on's...
O Ethernet Adapter - $39.99
O MP3 Player - $99.99
O Dream Eye - $99.99
He also commented on the status of a DVD player for the Dreamcast, and
it's not quite what gamers had hoped for. The chances are very slim,
but for a reason. Apparently Sony are having problems with people buying
a Playstation 2 just to play DVD movies. Companies like Sony and Sega
are actually losing money off each console sold, but the idea is that
people will buy games, and that's where the profit is. But when people
don't buy many games, they don't make any money.
Finally he gave a list of titles that will use the Dreamcast Network:
O Bomber Man DC
O Chu Chu Rocket
O Half Life
O Magic The Gathering
O NBA 2K1
O NFL 2K1
O Phantasy Star Online
O Ready 2 Rumble 2
O Railroad Tycoons 2
O Tetris
O Quake 3: arena
Now this is from a different source, "Goat", about Sonic Adventure 2.
During a game discussion at Sega's HQ in San Francisco, he got to see
some of the character drawings for Sonic Adventure 2. There will almost
evil twins to Sonic & Tails. Starting with a girl bat named "Nails",
and along with a dark shadowed version of Sonic.
Along with these, there will be good and evil Chao's. The good Chao's
being the ones we've already grown to love, but the evil ones being
black and having devil tails.
Finally other characters included a big several eyed monster, a very
angelic human looking girl that floats, and a flying dwarf that looks
kinda like Sonic. interesting stuff!
Again, thanks goes to http://www.SegaDojo.com for these rumors.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( PRIMA GAMES CORNER ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>> Mr. News Guy Gets Real
In his weekly column, Primagames.com's resident raconteur reflects on
the ramifications of rendered realism. Our alliteration quota for the
day being filled, we ask you to click the link below.
http://www.primagames.com/primagames.asp?WCI=NewsPage&WCE=1308
>>>> Neverwinter Demo for the In-Crowd
Get a dinner reservation at Spago, squeeze in an early tee time at
Pebble Beach, and then jet over to the E3 Expo for a live demonstration
of Interplay's latest online RPG. Just a day in the life of an average
citizen.
http://www.primagames.com/primagames.asp?WCI=NewsPage&WCE=1309
Check out these hot new Dreamcast titles that recently received Prima
Official Strategy Guides(tm):
Sword of the Berserk: Gut's Rage
http://www.primagames.com/primagames.ASP?WCI=BookPage&WCE=4720&WCU=0
Resident Evil Code: Veronica
http://www.primagames.com/primagames.ASP?WCI=BookPage&WCE=4572&WCU=0
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
http://www.primagames.com/primagames.ASP?WCI=BookPage&WCE=4696&WCU=0
NHL 2K
http://www.primagames.com/FastTrack.ASP?WCI=FrontPage&WCE=1&WCU=284
Remember, Primagames.com has more than 200 Prima Fast Track Guides(tm)
online for you to check out right now. For the best, fastest, and most
up-to-date game strategy you'll find, Prima's the ticket. Click the
link below for the Fast Track Guide index:
http://www.primagames.com/FastTrack.ASP?WCI=FullIndex
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( Q&A CENTER ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To ask questions, please click Reply to this message, only be SURE to
include "Q&A" some where in the Subject. We regret we're unable to
personally reply to each e-mail, but the best questions will be selected
weekly and printed here.
>>>> Game Shark
Q) I want to know something.Is there a dreamcast Game Shark because I
saw it in an article someone wrote and here is the only place I can
assure it. - Omar
A) It's coming very soon. As proof, there are now video's of the CD
running different games through the Dreamcast at...
http://www.gameshark.com/features/dc_gs/dc_gs.shtml
>>>> Anyone Have A Copy Of Sega Swirl To Sell?
Q) 1. Where can I get the Dreamcast version of "SegaSwirl"??? I live in
Europe and I can't find it here, So I thought I would buy it in
the US (I have a modified DC). Do I have to order it somewhere or
can I get/buy it in a store??? Or did it come with a DC mag??
2. When is the DC ZIP drive coming out and what happened with the DVD
player from the Dreamcast???
3. When is "Max Payne" coming out??
4. I can't decide which game I wanna buy next. Either ResEvil Code:V
or Rainbow Six. Which one is better??? - Mike
A) 1. The PAL version hasn't been released yet, and yes the US version
came free with a magazine. If anyone of our readers has a copy
they would like to sell him, please e-mail Mike on
MC_Pacaud@usa.com
2. The Zip Drive's release date will likely be announced at the E3
show next month, and the chances of ever seeing the DVD player is
looking slimmer these days. (explained more in this weeks rumors
page)
3. Max Payne's release date is still TBA sorry.
4. You can't go wrong with Resident Evil: Code Veronica.
>>>> AOL Instant Messenger
Q) I haven't use the Dreamcast browser very much but I wanted to know if
it is possible to use AOL instant messenger with it? AOL instant
messenger is a separate program that you can download from the net
and chat with people. You don't need to use AOL service to use this
program. I know that you don't have the browser but maybe you
readers can help me? - "John Smith"
A) No you can't use Instant Messenger at the moment, but Planet Web
would like to create a similar program for Dreamcast users in the
near future.
>>>> Playing Dreamcast On My Computer Monitor
Q) Is there a way to connect my Dreamcast to my PC so i will be able to
play Dreamcast games through my Computer Monitor? - Nunez
A) The VGA Box is what your looking for. It doesn't play games through
your PC, but you do use the PC monitor instead of a TV. Ask your
local Dreamcast store about one for pricing info etc...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( INTO THE WEB ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>> Lik-Sang Update
O Credit Cards
When I did my weekly run to the Lik-Sang website today, surprise, there
are 4 credit card icons down the bottom of the page. Lik-Sang now
accepts American Express, Visa, Discover, and Master Card. Good stuff!
O Want A Colored Dreamcast Lid?
Lik-Sang are now selling colored Dreamcast lids. Yes the part of your
console that opens up where you insert the CD. You can choose from
clear blue, clear orange, clear green, purple & clear red.
http://www.Lik-Sang.com
Lik-Sang don't pay Dreamcast Weekly in exchange for writing about them
each week, after the great feedback we've had for our readers about them,
we just believe they are the best importer on the web.
>>>> NGV is recruiting
Have a lot of spare time? Like to be part of an exciting new industry
that's expanding by the day? If you've answered yes twice already, then
you should check to see if working with NGV is in your future.
NextGen Videos is expanding and needs to find new dedicated staff to help
run the show. If you think you have what it takes to join our team then
follow the instructions below.
We are looking for gamers with some experience with the web and html.
Specifically we need help in Daily News, Reviewer/Previewer, P.R and
Promotion, and CGI / Perl wizards.
For more details please see their website at...
http://www.NextGenVideos.com
Why are they featured in Dreamcast Weekly? Because the movies are quite
possibly of the highest quality on the net, that's why. If you haven't
checked them out yet, now's a good time to start.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( CHEATS ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>> Rayman 2: The Great Escape
O Clean Pause Screen:
Hit X+Y when the game is paused
O Golbox Village:
To get to Golbox Village you need to first get the power up to swing
from purple lums. Next go back to the first level and go to the part
where you have to climb(the one with the two walls close together).
When you get up swing by the lum and you can get to the village. Here
you place the crystals which unlocks stuff like a 4-player mini-game!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( BEST OF THE WEB ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are sooooo many Sega sites across the web, wouldn't it be great
if one place listed the most interesting bits? Presenting the Best Of
The Web...
>>>> Sega X - http://www.segadreamcast.net
Plenty of news added every day, including a IRC Java chat room where
you can chat about all the latest Sega topics.
>>>> Sega 2000 - www.sega2000.net
Sega 2000 is back online! Come see our new design and meet many of
the new faces on the staff.
>>>> The Next Level - www.the-nextlevel.com
The Next Level is a multi-platform gaming magazine focused on all
current and upcoming next-generation systems. We provide up-to-date
news, in-depth reviews, reader reviews, intriguing editorials, and
more.
>>>> Perfect Zero - http://www.perfect-zero.com
They have the biggest collection of video game mp3's, video's
(including some Saturn video's you've probably never seen before)
and more.
>>>> The Sonic Zone - www.suneet.com/soniczone/
Updated daily with a HUGE amount of Sonic content that is sure to blow
you away! From Fan Fiction to Chatting, and even Fan Created Games,
this is your one stop Sonic site.
>>>> Gaming Central Starpath - www.startpath.com/gamingcentral
This site contains hundreds of links for anything a gamer might be
interested in, no matter what format, including some game specific
links.
>>>> Future Games - www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Fortress/6831/
What used to just cover Dreamcast now covers Playstation 2, Dolphin,
and X-Box platforms too. A great site to visit for keeping an eye on
the competition, but also for the latest in Australian Dreamcast news.
The official website for the Dreamcast Weekly is now open at
www.dreamcastweekly.com :) The site includes the history of the
magazine, back issues, and more. Then in the future... who knows,
hopefully we'll be a print magazine one day (Hint hint to any publisher
that may be reading this :) )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((( CREDITS ))) - http://www.PrimaGames.com -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
O Editor: Graham Parker "Tails" - Madcow@ihug.co.nz
Thanks to all our support sites above, along with our sponsor,
PrimaGames.com, all for helping make Dreamcast Weekly as big as we are
today!
>>>> http://www.DreamcastWeekly.com - Our Official Website!
>>>> http://www.PrimaGames.com - Our Sponsor
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 1998-2000 Graham Parker - Madcow@ihug.co.nz
Written and edited by Graham Parker. No parts may be copied without
prior permission. Otherwise I'd be forced to send out my goons... Ok so
I don't have any goons, but copying is just mean... very mean. There,
that should scare everyone off :)
