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Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129364] Wed, 29 October 2008 01:36 Go to next message
parallax-scroll is currently offline  parallax-scroll
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The Sega Mega Drive launched in Japan 20 years ago today, October 29,
1988.


I'm glad my original model Genesis that came w/ Altered Beast still
works great.
I still use it often to play Herzog Zwei, my all-time favorite Genesis
game.

I'm celebrating by playing Sega Genesis Collection on PS2.
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129365 is a reply to message #129364] Wed, 29 October 2008 01:59 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Relic is currently offline  Relic
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parallax-scroll wrote:
> The Sega Mega Drive launched in Japan 20 years ago today, October 29,
> 1988.
>
>
> I'm glad my original model Genesis that came w/ Altered Beast still
> works great.
> I still use it often to play Herzog Zwei, my all-time favorite Genesis
> game.
>
> I'm celebrating by playing Sega Genesis Collection on PS2.

I have an old Japanese comic/entertainment mag from 12/1988 that has
a couple of articles and pics of the Megadrive (game pictured with it
was Thunder Blade) as well as the PC Engine.

I still have my Genny hooked up with a Sega CD and I give it a workout
every so often.
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129366 is a reply to message #129364] Wed, 29 October 2008 11:15 Go to previous messageGo to next message
The Space Boss is currently offline  The Space Boss
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On Oct 28, 11:36 pm, parallax-scroll <parallaxscr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> The Sega Mega Drive launched in Japan 20 years ago today,  October 29,
> 1988.
>
> I'm glad my original model Genesis that came w/ Altered Beast still
> works great.
> I still use it often to play Herzog Zwei, my all-time favorite Genesis
> game.
>
> I'm celebrating by playing Sega Genesis Collection on PS2.

Aw, come on... at least hook the genny up for some Golden Axe and
Altered Beast!

Great system........ there was nothing like it before.
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129367 is a reply to message #129364] Wed, 29 October 2008 12:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
BelPowerslave is currently offline  BelPowerslave
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> I'm celebrating by playing Sega Genesis Collection on PS2.

Simply brilliant.

You must be really *hardcore* to break out the Genesis collection on
your PS2. Let me guess: You needed something that allowed you to spam
the PS2 newsgroup(which I removed) because just spamming us in the Sega
groups, and the poor people in RGVC, isn't enough to satisfy your
camwhore-like need for attention?

Put your mom on the computer, I'd like to speak with her(she's that lady
whose basement you live in, probably upstairs right now crying over the
fact that her son doesn't have any friends).

Bel
--
Whip Ass Gaming: http://www.whipassgaming.com/

"If the Xbox console falls and hits someone, especially a small
child, it could cause serious injury."
- The Xbox user manual
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129368 is a reply to message #129367] Thu, 30 October 2008 01:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
parallax-scroll is currently offline  parallax-scroll
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On Oct 29, 9:44 am, BelPowerslave <b...@whipassgaming.com>
>
> Put your mom on the computer, I'd like to speak with her


....do I have to daddy? please don't make me.
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129396 is a reply to message #129364] Thu, 30 October 2008 18:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
math_guy is currently offline  math_guy
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Thank you, parallax-scroll! I wouldn't have remembered the
anniversary had I not seen your post. :D

I played through Crusader of Centy just last weekend using my CDX. I
still own the complete Model 1 with Altered Beast that I bought from
Telegames USA back in 1989 (remember the days of mail ordering?), but
the real estate in front of my TV is at a premium these days.

I, too, will celebrate by playing Sega Genesis Collection for the PS2
(I'm still trying to unlock the arcade version of Altered Beast).

Sean
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129397 is a reply to message #129396] Thu, 30 October 2008 19:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
math_guy is currently offline  math_guy
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Speaking of which, there's new RPG headed to the Genesis* and Sega CD*
this December: "Pier Solar and the Great Architects" will be released
as a cartridge/CD duo; the game can be played on a regular Genesis*
using just the cartridge, but inserting both the cartridge and the CD
into a Genesis/Sega CD* combo will improve its audio and add other
features.

Read about it at http://www.piersolar.com/

*It is also compatible with the Megadrive and Mega CD.

Sean
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129398 is a reply to message #129396] Thu, 30 October 2008 21:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
parallax-scroll is currently offline  parallax-scroll
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On Oct 30, 3:28 pm, math_guy <sean_le...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Thank you, parallax-scroll!  I wouldn't have remembered the
> anniversary had I not seen your post.  :D
>
I almost forgot but then I saw a post on one of the forums reminding
me.



> I played through Crusader of Centy just last weekend using my CDX.  I
> still own the complete Model 1 with Altered Beast that I bought from
> Telegames USA back in 1989 (remember the days of mail ordering?), but
> the real estate in front of my TV is at a premium these days.
>
> I, too, will celebrate by playing Sega Genesis Collection for the PS2
> (I'm still trying to unlock the arcade version of Altered Beast).
>
> Sean


I remember going to Babbage's and TRU back in Aug~Sept 1989, watching
the TurboGrafx-16 and Genesis displays. Keith Courage looked pretty
sweet but Altered Beast was better. I noticed that even though the
graphics in the Genesis version were not as good overall (smaller less
detailed sprites, much less color, less animation, toned down special
effects, etc) it had parallax scrolling whereas the arcade version
did not. That's just the opposite of Golden Axe, arcade ver. has
parallax, Genesis ver. doesn't.

When you unlock the arcade version of AB in SGC for PS2, let me know
what you think of the differences.


BTW I found a nice review on usenet from August 1989 of Genesis and
most of its launch games
(that would've been test launch in NYC & LA):

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.video/msg/6599fb338 9fb2d06?hl=en&dmode=source

spot on IMO.
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129402 is a reply to message #129398] Wed, 05 November 2008 22:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Scott H is currently offline  Scott H
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parallax-scroll wrote:
>
> I remember going to Babbage's and TRU back in Aug~Sept 1989, watching
> the TurboGrafx-16 and Genesis displays. Keith Courage looked pretty
> sweet but Altered Beast was better. I noticed that even though the
> graphics in the Genesis version were not as good overall (smaller less
> detailed sprites, much less color, less animation, toned down special
> effects, etc) it had parallax scrolling whereas the arcade version
> did not. That's just the opposite of Golden Axe, arcade ver. has
> parallax, Genesis ver. doesn't.

You weren't alive in 1989. Here's how I know. One, you'd keep a
Genesis hooked up but play Genesis games with that horrible joke of a
controller that is the Dual Shock 2 instead. Two, nobody counted
background layers and colors when the Genesis came out. To us Altered
Beast was practically photo-realistic when it released on Genesis.
Nobody put the Genesis under the microscope until things like the NEO
GEO, and 3DO were on the market and arcade games were getting into
digitized actors.


> When you unlock the arcade version of AB in SGC for PS2, let me know
> what you think of the differences.

I particularly enjoy the sound dropping out when the character jumps.
That's got to be better than something.

>
> BTW I found a nice review on usenet from August 1989 of Genesis and
> most of its launch games
> (that would've been test launch in NYC & LA):
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.video/msg/6599fb338 9fb2d06?hl=en&dmode=source
>
> spot on IMO.
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129403 is a reply to message #129402] Thu, 06 November 2008 14:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
math_guy is currently offline  math_guy
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On Nov 5, 8:39 pm, Scott H <weaponx...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> ...nobody counted background layers and colors when the Genesis
> came out. To us Altered Beast was practically photo-realistic when it released
> on Genesis. Nobody put the Genesis under the microscope until things like the
> NEO GEO, and 3DO were on the market...

Uh, oh, Scott! In your attempt to chastise parallax-scroll for being
too young, you've only revealed how young YOU are! ;)

You see, home console and computer games and hardware have ALWAYS been
under the microscope...at least by the adults of the time. If
anything, there seems to be less scrutiny now than in the days of
Katz, Kunkel, and Worley. Why are there no Plimptonesque commercials,
for example?

Ooops! I think those references are before your time. :P

Sean
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129404 is a reply to message #129403] Thu, 06 November 2008 19:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Scott H is currently offline  Scott H
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math_guy wrote:
> On Nov 5, 8:39 pm, Scott H <weaponx...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> ...nobody counted background layers and colors when the Genesis
>> came out. To us Altered Beast was practically photo-realistic when it released
>> on Genesis. Nobody put the Genesis under the microscope until things like the
>> NEO GEO, and 3DO were on the market...
>
> Uh, oh, Scott! In your attempt to chastise parallax-scroll for being
> too young, you've only revealed how young YOU are! ;)
>
> You see, home console and computer games and hardware have ALWAYS been
> under the microscope...at least by the adults of the time. If
> anything, there seems to be less scrutiny now than in the days of
> Katz, Kunkel, and Worley. Why are there no Plimptonesque commercials,
> for example?
>
> Ooops! I think those references are before your time. :P
>
> Sean

The spec sheets in most of the popular magazines of the day were pumped
straight from the PR department of Sega. Not even the magazine editors
understood what they mean, as indicated by the frequent typos. We
understood "more=better" we didn't know what the difference between
parallax and the Genesis' native line scrolling technique was. Folks
who were used to comparing Amigas with everything else were, but nobody
I knew understood what any of that was about. Brand was the important
factor back then, as it is today, not specs. Nobody played Altered
Beast because it had more background layers than the Arcade version.

-
Scott
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129405 is a reply to message #129404] Fri, 07 November 2008 12:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
math_guy is currently offline  math_guy
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On Nov 6, 5:11 pm, Scott H <weaponx...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Nobody played Altered Beast because it had more background layers
> than the Arcade version.

They played it because it had more background layers than the Sega
Master System version.

Sure, not everyone at the time would have been able to explain
precisely and technically why the Genesis version was superior,
including myself, but I've grown and learned a few things in the years
since. If I use that knowledge in a current day conversation about
Altered Beast, it shouldn't imply that I wasn't alive during the
game's initial release.

Sean
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129435 is a reply to message #129405] Fri, 07 November 2008 14:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Scott H is currently offline  Scott H
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On Nov 7, 11:28 am, math_guy <sean_le...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Nov 6, 5:11 pm, Scott H <weaponx...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>> Nobody played Altered Beast because it had more background layers
>> than the Arcade version.
>
> They played it because it had more background layers than the Sega
> Master System version.
>
> Sure, not everyone at the time would have been able to explain
> precisely and technically why the Genesis version was superior,
> including myself, but I've grown and learned a few things in the years
> since.  If I use that knowledge in a current day conversation about
> Altered Beast, it shouldn't imply that I wasn't alive during the
> game's initial release.
>
> Sean

I agree completely, though I primarily noticed the improved speed,
animation and similarity with the arcade game. Speaking in the
present about observations of games in the past is fine. The troll I
was trolling said he made modern observations back in the day. I'd
say that unless he was a game developer he was either telling a lie or
about five years ahead of his time insofar as software comparison
goes. The suspect comment is quoted below.

"I remember going to Babbage's and TRU back in Aug~Sept 1989, watching
the TurboGrafx-16 and Genesis displays. Keith Courage looked pretty
sweet but Altered Beast was better. I noticed that even though the
graphics in the Genesis version were not as good overall (smaller less
detailed sprites, much less color, less animation, toned down special
effects, etc) it had parallax scrolling whereas the arcade version
did not. "
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129436 is a reply to message #129435] Fri, 07 November 2008 14:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jt august is currently offline  jt august
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In article
<0cfa93fb-c8df-4283-bad1-a1c76e177fb0@c36g2000prc.googlegroups.com>,
Scott H <weaponx013@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I agree completely, though I primarily noticed the improved speed,
> animation and similarity with the arcade game.

What I remember about Altered Beast on the Genny was that it came to a
complete halt every time it spoke, and if changed to a different screen
with very little graphic action for the morph effects into the big
beasts. I took it that the game did not have the technical capability
to manipulate the sound processor to play digitized sound samples and
carry everything else at the same time.

Then some years later, I seem to recall small speech samples playing
without stopping everything else (though I cannot recall the game(s)),
and chalked that up to either the mastered-programming-the-system
syndrome, or what is now regarded as the 2600 Tempest effect, someone
took a really good trip and figured it out in that state.

jt
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129437 is a reply to message #129435] Fri, 07 November 2008 15:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
math_guy is currently offline  math_guy
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On Nov 7, 12:13 pm, Scott H <weaponx...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> The suspect comment is quoted below.
>
> "I noticed...it had parallax scrolling whereas the arcade version
> did not. "

That evidence isn't damning. When I first played Ghouls'n'Ghosts and
Last Battle, I noticed that their backgrounds scrolled slower than
their foregrounds. I didn't know it was called "parallax scrolling,"
but I still noticed. Despite my ignorance then, if I wanted to
explain to someone today what I noticed then, I would call it
"parallax scrolling."


> The troll I was trolling...

parallax-scroll's original post was mature, on-topic, and interesting.

Sean
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129438 is a reply to message #129437] Fri, 07 November 2008 15:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Scott H is currently offline  Scott H
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On Nov 7, 2:34 pm, math_guy <sean_le...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> That evidence isn't damning.  When I first played Ghouls'n'Ghosts and
> Last Battle, I noticed that their backgrounds scrolled slower than
> their foregrounds.  I didn't know it was called "parallax scrolling,"
> but I still noticed.  Despite my ignorance then, if I wanted to
> explain to someone today what I noticed then, I would call it
> "parallax scrolling."

But did you go around arcades making mental notes of how many sprites/
layers/colors were on screen so that when the Genesis hit TRU you
could immediately compare the two down to every little nuance? Did
you see that Arthur's feet didn't go behind the grass on the Genesis
version? Radeon the troll here did. I was considered anal when I was
playing Genesis games new and noticed a difference in the sound
effects or the gameplay speed was slightly different. Since it was
impossible to compare the games side by side I never could have come
up with a list of differences.

>> The troll I was trolling...
>
> parallax-scroll's original post was mature, on-topic, and interesting.

And cross posted to an irrelevant group as usual. I dug into him
mainly because I was in the mood for a game of kick the troll, I don't
usually go around mincing words with legitimate members.
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129441 is a reply to message #129367] Mon, 10 November 2008 12:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shaun Cooley is currently offline  Shaun Cooley
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BelPowerslave wrote:
>> I'm celebrating by playing Sega Genesis Collection on PS2.
>
> Simply brilliant.
>
> You must be really *hardcore* to break out the Genesis collection on
> your PS2. Let me guess: You needed something that allowed you to spam
> the PS2 newsgroup(which I removed) because just spamming us in the Sega
> groups, and the poor people in RGVC, isn't enough to satisfy your
> camwhore-like need for attention?
>
> Put your mom on the computer, I'd like to speak with her(she's that lady
> whose basement you live in, probably upstairs right now crying over the
> fact that her son doesn't have any friends).
>
> Bel

haven't been here in a long time, but i finally ponied up the green for
third party newsgroup access since my old ISP never offered it and
apparently time warner (my new isp) stopped offering it a few months ago.

Is this the same guy that posted as AirRaidAir and several other names a
while back?
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129443 is a reply to message #129441] Mon, 10 November 2008 14:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
BelPowerslave is currently offline  BelPowerslave
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> haven't been here in a long time, but i finally ponied up the green for
> third party newsgroup access since my old ISP never offered it and
> apparently time warner (my new isp) stopped offering it a few months ago.

Well, if you ever decide to stop paying, there's a free alternative(I
currently use it): Motzarealla. Carries virtually any and all usenet
groups you could want(excluding those that are simply there for piracy).

http://news.motzarella.org/

> Is this the same guy that posted as AirRaidAir and several other names a
> while back?

Yup, that's him. Still spamming usenet because his mommy doesn't pay
enough attention to him.

Bel
--
Whip Ass Gaming: http://www.whipassgaming.com/

"...we traveled together...east, always into the east."
- Marius, Diablo II, TMNT
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129687 is a reply to message #129403] Mon, 01 December 2008 00:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Syfo-Dyas is currently offline  Syfo-Dyas
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On Thu, 6 Nov 2008 11:08:44 -0800 (PST), math_guy
<sean_legge@hotmail.com> wrote:

> On Nov 5, 8:39 pm, Scott H <weaponx...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> ...nobody counted background layers and colors when the Genesis
>> came out. To us Altered Beast was practically photo-realistic when it released
>> on Genesis. Nobody put the Genesis under the microscope until things like the
>> NEO GEO, and 3DO were on the market...
>
> Uh, oh, Scott! In your attempt to chastise parallax-scroll for being
> too young, you've only revealed how young YOU are! ;)
>
> You see, home console and computer games and hardware have ALWAYS been
> under the microscope...at least by the adults of the time. If
> anything, there seems to be less scrutiny now than in the days of
> Katz, Kunkel, and Worley. Why are there no Plimptonesque commercials,
> for example?
>
> Ooops! I think those references are before your time. :P
>
> Sean

Here is old...
It's me playing Colecovision in 1982 and I am in college. How many of
you were even alive in 82??? Pinball in the 70's
Re: Happy Birthday SEGA Mega Drive | Genesis is 20 years old [message #129691 is a reply to message #129687] Wed, 03 December 2008 21:37 Go to previous message
Mattinglyfan is currently offline  Mattinglyfan
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"Syfo-Dyas" <Syfo-Dyas@nomail.com> wrote in message
news:3ut6j4lk0h5dq2rvnvods3q31spo0ivmd0@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 6 Nov 2008 11:08:44 -0800 (PST), math_guy
> <sean_legge@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Nov 5, 8:39 pm, Scott H <weaponx...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> ...nobody counted background layers and colors when the Genesis
>>> came out. To us Altered Beast was practically photo-realistic when it
>>> released
>>> on Genesis. Nobody put the Genesis under the microscope until things
>>> like the
>>> NEO GEO, and 3DO were on the market...
>>
>> Uh, oh, Scott! In your attempt to chastise parallax-scroll for being
>> too young, you've only revealed how young YOU are! ;)
>>
>> You see, home console and computer games and hardware have ALWAYS been
>> under the microscope...at least by the adults of the time. If
>> anything, there seems to be less scrutiny now than in the days of
>> Katz, Kunkel, and Worley. Why are there no Plimptonesque commercials,
>> for example?
>>
>> Ooops! I think those references are before your time. :P
>>
>> Sean
>
> Here is old...
> It's me playing Colecovision in 1982 and I am in college. How many of
> you were even alive in 82??? Pinball in the 70's
>

I was playing with my 2600 and Vic 20 as my first video game experiences.
My friend bought Pong but that simple ass paddle game was so expensive.
Right around the time you were playing with your Colecovision, my brother
and I convinced our parents to get us each a Vectrex where we played
Minestorm and Scramble and Armor Attack until we passed out. I know I am
not the oldest in here by a long shot but you better believe that there are
probabably some fuddy duddies that put you to shame.
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