DreamPod - Episode 42: Featuring Chris Powell of SEGA Nerds & Mega Visions

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You can discover more information about Mega Visions by visiting the official website here, and you'll also find all the download links for all the Apple, Google and Amazon devices you could ever hope to own. We're pretty sure you don't need a link to SEGA Nerds...but if you insist you can find the main site here. Also, be sure to follow both the Nerds and Mega Visions Twitter accounts for further updates and general SEGA-related news! 

If you like what you've heard please consider leaving us an iTunes review, and thanks for listening!

Guest Article: Shutokou Battle Celebration

Martin Hinson is a man who knows his racers. Specifically Japanese racers you may never have heard of. And when he's not getting stuck into the likes of Racing Lagoon, Touge Max G, Side By Side Special or Battle Gear, he's tinkering with Japanese sports cars in real life. In this latest guest article, Martin takes a look at one of the Dreamcast's best racing series: Shutokou Battle. Western gamers will be more familiar with the title Tokyo Highway Challenge, and a lot of racing game fans may have initially looked at the fairly limited number of circuits and not really given the series a fair crack of the whip. Happily,  Martin is here to tell us all why we should give the series a second chance...

It came to my attention at the recent UK gaming event Play Expo Manchester, how few people still know about the Shutokou Battle series. Although I was aware the series is rather cult, I still found this somewhat surprising, given the age of the series and number of titles it spans.
  
Starting life on the Super Famicom in 1994, the series passed through the 32-bit era, flirting with both the Saturn and PlayStation before rising to prominence, albeit it on a small scale, on the Dreamcast in 1999. Starting as a somewhat standard Mode 7 racer, it had evolved into a fairly unique ‘CaRPG’ by the time it hit Dreamcast. It was also one of the earliest games to utilise tuning with a huge range of performance upgrades in some of the 32-bit games. 

The series focused on drift racing until it hit Dreamcast. It suited the arcade nature of the visuals and wide tracks on display - think Ridge Racer on the PlayStation. However due to the grunt of the Dreamcast, developer Genki put a huge focus on realism, not only visually but also from a gameplay point of view. This is perhaps most obvious in the handling, as it is much harder than before and car control almost feels sloppy. It’s easy to be put off the moment you play and most people probably were, but frankly, that’s a huge mistake. Stick with it and you are left with one of the most rewarding driving games around.

DreamPod - Episode 41: Featuring IMPLANTgames.com

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IMPLANTgames is run by Kris Genthe and has an amazing amount of content documenting Sega games from across the whole range of platforms. His YouTube channel is full of interesting and insigtful videos documenting little known and obscure topics...and that's why we here at the Junkyard love his stuff. Please feel free to check out his website here and also his podcast here. You can also find Kris on Twitter. If you like what you've heard on this episode of the DreamPod, please feel free to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes.

The Mysterious Coca-Cola Dreamcast

We've looked at a few special edition Dreamcasts recently, the most notable being the odd F1 World Grand Prix II console that surfaced on eBay and was subsequently bought by a reader of the Junkyard. We've yet to find any concrete information regarding the origins of that particular model, but we're hoping that the Dreamcast community may be able to shed some light on the latest oddity to come to the fore.

Friend of the Junkyard and Japanese game aficionado Allan McCluskey recently contacted me to ask if I knew anything about a Coca-Cola branded Dreamcast he'd managed to acquire from a seller in Japan, and upon its arrival in the UK Allan sent me the following images:

We're Launching A Monthly Newsletter!

All the cool kids are doing it, and as we're the coolest of the lot (no, really) we thought it was about time The Dreamcast Junkyard had a newsletter. Nothing big or flashy and certainly not anything on the level of Mega Visions from SEGA Nerds; no, a simple monthly mail shot that delivers the highlights of the month's Junkyard posts direct to your inbox in one go. You can choose to have either a HTML or plain text version and it'll give a brief summary and links to selected content from the previous month. Like you, we at the Junkyard also have real lives outside of the internet and the Dreamcast (gasp!) and it's natural that due to the amount of amazing content we produce you're bound to miss something. Unforgivable, but understandable.

Not everyone is on Twitter and not everyone is on Facebook. This new venture will attempt to bridge the gap, offering summaries and links to recent articles, and maybe a few from the extensive archive that you missed the first time round. The Junkyard's readership continues to grow and grow and we're forever looking at new, more convenient ways for you to enjoy what we do...and hopefully this newsletter will appeal to those people who just want to have all the newest stories and features in one place. The best bit is that the newsletter is fully responsive so it'll look great on both mobiles and on your 486DX 66 desktop running Netscape Navigator. All you need to do to receive the monthly newsletter is sign up using the button below (and/or the one in the side bar if you're reading this on the desktop site) or scan the QR code here!

Digital Artists Create Jet Set Radio Tags For New York Yami-Ichi 'Internet Black Market'

The second self-styled Internet Yami-Ichi was held in New York on the 6th November 2016, and was a celebration of all things 'internet-ish.' For those not in the know, The Internet Yami-Ichi in NY2 was a sort of flea market where creators of predominantly digital art and crafts gathered to sell their wares, and to me at least looks like a really cool and intriguing concept. From the official website:

The Internet Yami-Ichi (Internet Black Market) is a flea market which deals "Internet-ish" things, face-to-face, in actual space. Both flea markets and the Internet are fanatical and chaotic mixes of the amazing and useless.  In the Internet Yami-Ichi both the wills and desires which brought us to create the Internet, and the wills and desires we picked up are salvaged to be shared in a social space.

Everything from art based on popular memes to the more bizarre aspects of internet folklore are on display for visitors to the free event to purchase, with many items created as one-offs solely for this gathering. The reason we're reporting on this event (apart from the fact that it sounds really cool) is that a collective of digital artists got together to create something truly special for Internet Yami-Ichi in NY2: a VMU full of bespoke graffiti tags for use in Jet Set Radio for the Dreamcast.

Guest Article: Was The Dreamcast Released Too Early?

Daniel Major is a gamer who has been twiddling his thumbs since 1989. Not happy with the direction of the industry in the mid 90s, he decided to quit trying to pretend the Amiga hadn't died and moved to a woodland to sacrifice Atari STs by fire ritual. Also plays Super Famicom & Megadrive. Here in this guest article, Daniel takes some time out from hitting broken JAMMA boards with a stick in his local park and asks the question: was the Dreamcast simply released too early?

Let’s pretend that the Dreamcast didn’t actually exist. Imagine the sixth generation without the Dreamcast. Let’s all forget that the sixth generation started with Sega’s dream machine and begin to ponder how different the rest of the sixth generation could have panned out. If you can imagine this then can you imagine Sony or Microsoft actually bothering with some of the included specs of their consoles? Online play for example. If Sega hadn’t bothered introducing this to the Dreamcast, would Sony have been inclined to do this? Let’s face it, did we all play online when the PS2 hit? No not all of us. Maybe that changed slightly when Xbox hit, but even then it was a well-known fact that this wouldn’t be the sixth generation's most potent or show stopping feature.

Planet Ring & Alien Front Back Online With DreamPi 1.5

Our good friend Luke Benstead has been hard at work updating his DreamPi software, and the latest release adds a load of cool new features. The coolest of these are support for VOIP (voice chat) and allowing tank-based multiplayer shooter Alien Front Online...to go back online! The VOIP thing is also important because games like PAL exclusive Planet Ring use it extensively, and Plant Ring is now another title that can be played online should you have all the right bits an pieces required to hook your Dreamcast back up to the internet. Here are the key details on DreamPi version 1.5 taken from Luke's website:

• New software is included written by Jonas Karlsson called 'dcvoip,' this system process makes the VOIP communication in Planet Ring work! The software is distributed with permission.
• There is now built-in support for the upcoming Alien Front Online servers that will allow your vanilla normal AFO CD to work without a boot disc! (Thanks again for Jonas for the information to do this).
• The Pi's firmware has been updated which should bring better device support
• A bug has been fixed where the DreamPi software wouldn't shut down correctly
• The modem command timeout has been increased which fixes a number of bugs on modems which are slow to respond (for some reason...). Thanks to Neoblast on the DC-talk forums for finding this.
• Fixed a bug where the DreamPi process would boot before there was an internet connection (mainly affected WiFi) and would require restarting multiple times to get things to initialize correctly.

The work being done by Luke and Pcwzrd13 to get the Dreamcast back online is phenomenal and we have nothing but admiration. As stated by Pcwzrd on Twitter, the Alien Front Online server is still in beta so don't expect it to run perfectly, but the fact that it's up and running is a fantastic achievement in itself. If you've been enjoying playing online multiplayer on your Dreamcast again through DreamPi, let us know in the comments how you've found the experience. For more information on creating a DreamPi connection, be sure to check out Luke's FAQ and Pcwzrd's video on Alien Front Online over at Dreamcast Live.

Edit: Just a minor piece of additional information. The Alien Front Online server was created by Petter3k with help from Jonas Karlsson (Shuouma), DreamPi simply adds support for these games.

Official Bleemcast! Press Release Discovered

There are tonnes of articles detailing the fate of bleem! for Dreamcast (aka bleemcast!) online. Just do a Google search for the term and within a few minutes you'll be a bonafide expert on the subject. If you simply can't be bothered though, here's a potted history: creators of the popular PC PlayStation emulator bleem! decided to create a version for the Dreamcast. It was going to come in three different packs - A, B and C and each disc would allow you to play a selection of different PlayStation games on Dreamcast with enhanced visual fidelity.

A few single game discs were officially released (Gran Turismo 2, Tekken 3 and Metal Gear Solid), but Sony successfully shut the bleem! operation down before the main bleemcast! packs could be released, also scuppering the company's plans to release so-called 'bleempods' (PlayStation controller adapters) and dedicated 'bleempads' - PlayStation controllers with Dreamcast connectors on the end. There are plenty of renders of these accessories and bleempacks floating around the interwebs, and below is an image I shamelessly copied from one such Google search:

What you've probably never seen though, is the official FAQ/press release sent out by Jane Ayer Public Relations on behalf of bleem!, a document answering many questions about the software and the planned peripherals (click to enlarge).

The Top 200 Dreamcast Games 2016 - As Voted By You!

We asked. You voted. And boy...did you vote! The Top 200 Dreamcast Games ballot has been counted and compiled, and laid out with with a tonne of stats and interesting insights. I would like to thank Mike Phelan, our in-house stat-master for all of his hard work putting this new and updated Top 200 together and also you, the readers who voted and shared your memories with us as to why you voted for the games you did. As a system that is now knocking on the door of 20 years old, the vast majority of us were in our teenage years when the Dreamcast hit the shelves, and there are multiple tales of college dorm battles and friendships formed over the beeping of a VMU...friendships that still last today. Anyway, before I start blubbing over my keyboard, let's get on with it.

The Dreamcast Junkyard Top 200 Games 2016 can be found either by clicking the link in the ribbon under the header image (look - it's just up there), or if you're reading this on a mobile device you can click on the image below to be whisked away to the dedicated page we set up to house this new list. You can also still find Aaron's previous 2013 Top 200 here should you wish to compare them, although Mike has helpfully provided information on the previous chart positions in the 2016 list. Enough from me though.

Go now and bask in the glory of the Top 200 Dreamcast Games 2016...as voted by you!

CLICK THE IMAGES!

Retro Gaming: Crossing Over To The Dark Side

Hate collectors who don’t play the retro video games they own? Then read this...

The cellular makeup of a human being, not counting neurons in the cerebral cortex, is constantly in flux, with cells continuously being replaced. While these various cells in our bodies change at different rates, on average, every 10 years almost all the cells in your body have superseded those that came before them.

You are now, crudely put, a different person genetically to who you were 10 years ago.

Kind of weird to think through, right? After all, it is only human to think of yourself as a singular entity. We tend to think of ourselves in the now, who we are and what we stand for on any given day. I think, in general, people tend to forget or ignore who they were in the past as it can often destabilise who they are now. It’s not so much about admitting fallibility, so to speak, than submitting to the inevitability of change. Change in all things, including yourself and how you think.

Which, in a long way round, brings me onto the topic du jour - video game collectors.

Top 10 Indie Dreamcast Games 2016 - As Voted By You!

The votes are in, and whilst we work feverishly away at putting the final touches to the Top 200 Dreamcast Games 2016 results, we thought it was about time to bring you the other half of our 2016 voting extravaganza. We asked you, the all-knowing Dreamcast Junkyard readership, to let us know your favourite indie releases. We left the selection criteria open, as we didn't want to just limit it to commercial releases, and now that we've counted all the votes, we can present to you the first ever Dreamcast Junkyard Top 10 Indie Games - as voted by you!

Let's start with some stats though: 46 different games ended up being voted for - a couple were discarded as they weren't actually indie games. I mean, really...who voted for Headhunter? You know who you are, you sneaky little scamp. Of these, 22 were commercial releases, and the remaining were a mixed bag of homebrew, mods and even a couple of unreleased titles getting some early praise.

For most of the voting period, it was a real fight between 3 titles to see who would come out on top, and this remained so until the last few days, where one game pulled away from the rest. Enough already though - on with the list!

A Quick Look At What's Shenmue

What's Shenmue? A good question. What is Shenmue? Is it a game? Is it an interactive movie? Is it a cultural phenomenon that has built up so much of a frenzied mythical status that nobody even remembers how flawed it was in the first place? However you look at Shenmue, the fact is that the legend now precedes that actual game, but it wasn't always like this. Back before Ryo Hazuki's quest had even begun, Sega wanted to announce that Lan Di was on his way to kick ass and take names and so they released What's Shenmue - a sort of playable teaser trailer/demo disc hybrid to give Dreamcast owners a small taste of what to expect. Last week I was lucky enough to find a copy of this game on eBay for the bargainous price of £9, and naturally I snapped it up with no questions asked. In a way, this is totally linked to my recent look at Former Managing Director Yukawa's Treasure Hunt, because What's Shenmue uses the former head of Sega as a pivotal character in the plot of the main demo...but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Upon booting What's Shenmue, you are presented with a small but perfectly formed menu. The first menu item leads to a sort of technical demo area where character models from the main game give a brief explanation of who they are, their roles in the quest and also some other features present in the final game. Mark, the only English speaking character explains that he works at the docks driving a forklift truck and that money and convenience stores are a large and integral part of Shenmue's game world. There are also demos featuring other characters, including Ryo himself (naturally) but these are all spoken in Japanese so I have no real idea what they're saying. I can probably hazard a guess that Ryo is saying something like: "Hi, my name is Ryo. That bastard Lan Di is going to pay for shooting up my ride. It's time to kick ass and wear a bandaid on my face..." Or words to that effect.

The Lost Content Of Soul Calibur (Now Found!)

Man, I love the Internet Archive's Way Back Machine. It's literally a real-life version of the chronoscope as described in Isaac Asimov's short story, The Dead Past. Well, not quite...but you get the idea. In The Dead Past, the chronoscope is designed to view the real world of the past, as opposed to the internet, but the similarities are there. Also, I just wanted a reason to mention Isaac Asimov because the dude was a freaking genius. If the chronoscope ever does become a thing, I'll be hitting him up to write a guest article for the Junkyard. Anyway, the point of all this is that I was browsing the internet of 1999 with Way Back Machine, with a specific mission.

See, I was trawling Namco Japan's old site looking for the fabled special VMU save file that gave players access to a hidden Voldo costume, but I inadvertently found myself looking through the pages of the old Namco US site, too. Naturally, I navigated to the Soul Calibur sub-site and my, what a treasure trove that is. There are tons of downloadable files, images, guides and walkthroughs for the game, but perhaps the most interesting thing was the desktop themes section. Yes, Namco created some official Soul Calibur themes for Windows 95 and while the files themselves are no longer accessible, these screen shots are...and I thought they were worth sharing.

Top 200 Dreamcast Games 2016 Voting Is Now Closed!

Just a short info post this. We're updating our Top 200 Dreamcast Games list and we asked for votes from you, the readers of this fine blog to help us compile the definitive list. Well, you answered the call and we've now closed the voting to allow Mike to start the arduous task of compiling the results. Over the coming week, he'll be locked away in a grotty basement somewhere, meticulously going through the voting forms and occasionally stirring a massive cauldron full of slime and body parts. Nothing to do with Halloween - it's just something he likes to do in his spare time. And yes, local authorities have been informed. Anyway, thanks for voting if you did and look out for an announcement soon on who won the fabled 'Mountain of Dreamcast Crap.'

Classic Gaming Volume 2 Features The Dreamcast

The latest instalment of Future Publishing's retro gaming bookazine has hit the shops, and this time it features our beloved Dreamcast. Gamesradar Classic Gaming Volume 2 is 144 pages of retro loveliness, and it contains sections focusing on five different consoles plus a selection of the best games for each platform. The Commodore 64, Atari ST, Super Nintendo, Neo Geo AES and (of course) the Dreamcast are all included, and each chapter gives an overview of the hardware, a selection of peripherals and console variants. As a nice extra touch, contemporary magazines covering each platform are also mentioned, meaning classic mags like Commodore Format, Super Play and DC-UK are all given a shout out.

The games sections aren't exhaustive, but they do cover the best titles for each system, most of them with huge full-page images. The Dreamcast section in particular features games such as Sonic Adventure, Shenmue, Rez, Resident Evil Code Veronica and Soul Calibur; and there's a double page feature on the output of Capcom in general. There are a lot of other bookazines of this type also available from rival (well, former rival) publisher Imagine, and of course there's the monthly magazine Retro Gamer which consistently produces high quality articles on a range of retro topics.

A Closer Look At The Dreamcast Memory Card 4X

There are tonnes of third party memory cards for the Dreamcast, almost all of which don't feature the same monochrome LCD display and internal wizardry of the official VMU. There are also a plethora of third party cards that offer an advantage over the official memory unit in that they contain more storage space, and multiple 'pages' that can be switched between using a little button. I have several of these made by Joytech and while they look a bit garish with their blue/green plastic shells, they do the job just fine. Offering four times the capacity of a regular VMU but omitting a screen and face buttons, they are cheap and cheerful alternatives.

What you may not know, is that Sega actually released their own official multi-page non-visual VMU in late 2000, imaginatively titled the Dreamcast Memory Card 4X. This multi card was only released in Japan and the US (in the US, it was called the 4x Memory Card), and never made its way to Europe, like so many other cool devices for the Dreamcast. Anyway, I recently saw one of these Memory Card 4X things on eBay for the bargain price of £20, and having never seen one in the flesh (plastic) I snapped it up. A few days later it found its way through my letterbox in a scrunched up brown envelope and here for your delectation are my thoughts and closer inspection of the thing.