Issue with Dreamcast and Skies of Arcadia

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chessmaster1989

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#1 chessmaster1989
Member since 2008 • 30203 Posts

So I just got a Dreamcast (used) to play a couple of old games. I tried today to boot up Skies of Arcadia. The Dreamcast wouldn't boot from the first disc (stuck at black screen before title screen), but if I boot from the second disk, press to start a new game, then insert the first disk when it tells me to, it works fine. I also tried booting another game, which boots no problem.

Trying to figure out if this is an issue with the Dreamcast or the game. Anyone have any insights? Thanks!

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xantufrog

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#2 xantufrog  Moderator
Member since 2013 • 17875 Posts

Hm - could be smudges or scratches on the disc 1 preventing the boot from loading correctly. A pretty small scuff or smudge could cause a problem, in theory. The DC laser might be getting weak, too, which could cause disc read errors.

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chessmaster1989

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#3 chessmaster1989
Member since 2008 • 30203 Posts
@xantufrog said:

Hm - could be smudges or scratches on the disc 1 preventing the boot from loading correctly. A pretty small scuff or smudge could cause a problem, in theory. The DC laser might be getting weak, too, which could cause disc read errors.

Thanks. Going to see if I can find another DC to test it on. If it is a problem with the DC laser, anything can be done or do I just have to get another one?

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xantufrog

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#4 xantufrog  Moderator
Member since 2013 • 17875 Posts

You can actually replace the lasers on these things pretty cheap. I am not sure about DC but I know on ps2 you can also adjust the laser distance which can compensate for its laser weakening. So there's hope if you discover it's your system

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#5 chessmaster1989
Member since 2008 • 30203 Posts
@xantufrog said:

You can actually replace the lasers on these things pretty cheap. I am not sure about DC but I know on ps2 you can also adjust the laser distance which can compensate for its laser weakening. So there's hope if you discover it's your system

That's good to know. I tried Arcadia on a different Dreamcast and got the same problem, so I'm guessing it's a disk issue. Probably just going to see if I can get a new disk 1, if not I'll just keep going with the current work-around.

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#6 xantufrog  Moderator
Member since 2013 • 17875 Posts

Cool - it's not a burned copy, is it? Because then it could just be the poor quality of the burn

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#7  Edited By chessmaster1989
Member since 2008 • 30203 Posts

No, not a burned copy, rather a copy I bought used (can't really return it since I waited a bit before actually playing it, my mistake I guess)

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#8 xantufrog  Moderator
Member since 2013 • 17875 Posts

ugh, I bought a sack (literally) of DC games once from some dude - I was so excited by my "score", but half of them wouldn't read because of disc errors. They were visibly scratched, though

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#9 LJS9502_basic
Member since 2003 • 178808 Posts

@xantufrog said:

ugh, I bought a sack (literally) of DC games once from some dude - I was so excited by my "score", but half of them wouldn't read because of disc errors. They were visibly scratched, though

That sucks. At least some of them worked....