[Multiplatform] Console Wars!

Originally Posted by Elfstar

I assumed all this time it was because nobody ever bought one but GFF has proved me wrong and actually, it looks like I genuinely am in the minority for not owning one which in turn has left me confused as to why it was such a collosal failure and I am now merely seeking enlightenment.

I think part of the truth already came out in this thread, although I can perhaps add something to that. First, lets recap what has already been stated. Regardless of what any biased fool says, the controllers were horrific, basically like rape for your hands. I remember the time I got Metropolis Street Racer and after I played it for a few hours my thumbs were just on fire with pain. Then there was the piracy issue. Most of the DC consoles ever produced were able to play copied CDs right out of the box. You could obtain them from the internet with ease. This led to the casual crowd spending no money on software, which basically is no good. The console isn't what makes the money, we all know that.

Now onto the points that didn't come up yet. It didn't play DVDs, the PS2 did. That made the PS2 a two-for-one deal for many gamers. I know lots of people who bought it because it was a reasonably priced DVD player that also played games. If ya can only afford one, that's a massive black mark against the DC.

Then you have to consider the games. It's not that they sucked, it's that the best ones had to compete against better known examples on other consoles. How is any RPG going to compete with Final Fantasy for the casual market? How is any racing simulator going to complete with Gran Turismo? How is any game going to compete with Grand Theft Auto?

When I say 'the casual market' I don't mean that in the modern, pejoritive sense of 'casual gamers', I mean anyone who doesn't look at their paycheck and think "Hey, what games could I buy with that?"

The casual buyer doesn't buy a lot of games. He doesn't know a lot of games. He buys what is advertised on TV, and what all his friends will be playing. I'd guess he rarely buys more than a dozen games for a system, at least a couple of which will be sports and driving games.

He's not going to choose Skies of Arcadia, Metropolis Street Racer and Shenmue. He's going to choose Final Fantasy, Gran Turismo and Grand Theft Auto. Not because the first three choices aren't worth playing, but because the latter three are safe options. He knows the franchises, he knows his friends will be playing too, he knows it will be familiar and entertaining fare. The first three are just names he doesn't know, and doesn't want to waste money finding out about, just in case they suck.

Incidentally I know perfectly well that Shenmue is a poor comparison for Grand Theft Auto, but really I think it is the closest to a similar 'Open World' game on Dreamcast. I didn't even try to think of an equivalent for Metal Gear Solid, but it is another example of a known series pitted against games of unknown quality and content. It's not that Dreamcast games sucked, it's that the casual buyer always has and always will be the majority of gaming revenue.

tl;dr version:
Dreamcast failed in the eyes of the casual buyer while succeeding with the hardcore. It was a collossal failure in commercial terms, and not entirely perfect in idealistic, technological terms. Had some nice games though. Just not well publicised or well-known enough to penetrate the living room of the average joe.

I own two, one PAL, one NTSC-U/C and a large collection of games, so I'm not really a hater, I just know why it failed.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Posting mah DC collection:

First of all, the games. I don't have everything I wanted to get. I'm certainly missing some of the more expensive fighting games for DC, such as Marvel vs. Capcom and the sequel. Rez seems to be worth at least an arm and a leg, too. I got most of the ones I really wanted to play though, and I'm still occasionally adding to the pile via eBay.

In amongst all that are two copies of Skies of Arcadia (I don't remember why...) Grandia 2, both Shenmue games, both Evolution games, and an assortment of other good (and occasionally not so good) stuff.

I also have (not pictured) a few promo copies from my brief stint reviewing games in a university magazine. The prize of that collection is probably Shenmue 2, the rest of the games we were sent to review were mostly mediocre to rubbish.



Now here's the hardware. One well-used PAL Dreamcast, one well-preserved NTSC-U/C Dreamcast. Both in great condition, with the original boxes, four controllers (two new and boxed) four VMUs, an official keyboard and least but not least, an arcade stick.


I'm pleased with it. I've got more games for most of my other systems, but I really love some of the ones I've got for the Dreamcast. It was a great gaming era.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Elfstar

Why did you keep two controllers in their boxes? Do you only have one friend?

They are just spares. Play-Asia.com had a special on the controllers a while back so that they were like... four quid each, or something? As for friends, if we play Dreamcast together, it's usually not at my house since I'm far from being in a central location. It's usually just me and the girlfriend here, so the other two aren't necessary. There's another stash of Dreamcast stuff in possession of the owner of the largest and most convenient gaming location for us all. To be honest, neither of these controllers has shown any sign of wearing out, so it's kinda pointless for me to own them, but hey... I'm not gonna miss the eight quid.

Power Stone is great for multiplayer. If you haven't played that with four people, you've missed out. It's funny how the Dreamcast was pretty much the last console where we all got around one big TV. With the PS2 there weren't honestly a lot of multiplayer games that we liked, and with everything since then... online play really is the only way to go.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.