The Spot 071601

By: Shane Satterfield

The Spot is here to answer any game-related questions you might have and to provide a soapbox for well-written rants. Send us your questions and comments by clicking here. Now let's set this week off the right way!

07/16/2001

Dragonball Z?

I was just wondering if you guys have heard about any Dragonball Z games. If you have, can you tell me what system it's coming out for and if you have heard anything about one for the PS2?

-C.W.


Yeah, Dragonball Z games were announced for multiple platforms some time ago. Infogrames picked up the license but showed only teaser footage for the PlayStation 2 version at E3. Like so many third-party games, it should be released for the PlayStation 2 first and then ported to the other consoles.

Soul Sequel?

Hi, I am just writing you to ask about one of my favorite, and in my opinion, the best fighting game to date, Soul Calibur. I am curious to know if there are any plans to release this great fighting game on Xbox or the GameCube. If so, can you give me any details you might know about its release? I really enjoyed kicking everyone's behind at that game (with Sigfried, of course), but after hearing the bad news about Sega, I quickly realized that there wasn't gonna be much of a future for the Dreamcast. It kinda surprises me that Namco has not made any announcements for Soul Calibur to pop up on these new platforms, considering how well it did for Sega and the Dreamcast. Well, thanks for your time.

-AJMORA


You're not the only one waiting for the sequel to Soul Calibur. I'm not 100 percent sure, but if you forced me to predict Soul Calibur's future, I would say this: The fact that Namco has been so quiet regarding this monstrous sequel leads me to believe that it's coming to the one console where third-party software announcements are withheld...the GameCube. Making it all the more likely that it's coming to Nintendo's console is the fact that Namco has pledged its support for the Cube but has yet to officially announce a single game for it. On the other hand, it hasn't announced specific Xbox games, either. At least we do know which of its games are coming to the PlayStation 2. However, if Namco doesn't announce the sequel at Space World next month, it's anybody's guess as to which console it will be released for.

Shenmue for Whom?

Whut'z Up,
Do you guys know if Sega will release the World Series Baseball franchise on the PS2? Do you think Shenmue will end up in another console like Xbox or PS2?

-Infante 34


Sega has stated several times that it intends to bring all its sports franchises to all next-gen consoles. So yes, World Series Baseball will eventually find a home on the PS2. Shenmue II will also be making the jump to other platforms, but Sega has yet to officially state which one(s). So far, the smart money is on the Xbox, but I don't think Sega will say anything about it until it's made as much money as possible from the Dreamcast version.

Wanted: GT3 Manual

Aren't there supposed to be two manuals that come with GT3? I know the Japanese version had another manual that had tuning info and also facts on all the cars.

-Name withheld by request


I too found the manual for the US version of GT3 to be lacking in a few areas. The lack of tuning and car information is also at the top of my list. Hey, at least we get some personal instruction from Skip Barber...

More Box for the Money

Hi,

I have a few questions to ask you, mainly about the PlayStation 2.

1. Resident Evil Code:Veronica X was released in Japan back in March. When is the US release of the game for the PlayStation 2 and Dreamcast?

2. After studying all the hardware specs of Xbox from GameSpot, to be honest, it seems that the Xbox is a better value for its hardware compared with the PlayStation 2. Does this mean that Sony will slash the price of the PlayStation 2?

3. Someone told me that Sony loses a few bucks on every PlayStation 2 sold. Is this true?

Thanks,
Resident-Evil-Freak


1. Resident Evil Code: Veronica has already been released for the Dreamcast, and it didn't sell especially well. So there's little reason for Capcom to bring the slightly altered X version to the DC. It will be released for the PS2 in mid-August with added cinemas, a disc that details the RE timeline, and best of all, a Devil May Cry demo disc.

2. You're absolutely right. The Xbox is, by far, the better deal on hardware. It's more powerful, and in order to get the same features on the PS2, you'll have to spend an extra $116. I don't think we'll see a price drop on the PS2 until early next year. Sony has a solid lineup of software until then and will likely wait to see how well the Xbox does before making a hasty decision.

3. All console manufacturers lose money on hardware. They make money from software instead. It's just like buying shaving razors and blades. The razors are practically given away, but the blades cost you an arm and a leg. At this point, I would say that Microsoft stands to lose the most cash per unit, closely followed by Sony. I would guess Microsoft is losing at least $100 on each Xbox, and reports have stated that Sony loses almost the same amount on each PS2 sold. Nintendo will reportedly lose just $20 on each GameCube sold, which isn't too bad.

A PS2 Peppering

When is Wipeout Fusion (PS2) gonna be released?

When will there be streaming media for Half-Life (PS2)?

What happened to The World Is Not Enough (PS2)? It's no longer on the video game list (or whatever you call it). This question is a long shot, but I'll ask anyway. Can Capcom rerelease Resident Evil: Director's Cut for the PlayStation to US and Europe, with the full uncut intro, the short head-dropping-to-the-floor sequence with the first zombie encounter? I think a bad ending for Chris was also cut out.

Ramón, Sweden


We haven't heard much about Wipeout Fusion since it was announced, but it was on display at E3-- albeit in limited form. We've heard rumors that the project is having some issues, but we were told that it will still be released on the PS2 eventually. Sierra hasn't exactly been forthcoming with the media for Half-Life for the PS2--hopefully, this isn't a sign that the game is having problems. The screenshots we've seen thus far have been impressive, so there's reason for optimism. The World Is Not Enough for the PS2 was canned. But don't get your briefs in a bunch. It was replaced by James Bond in Agent Under Fire, which was looking sharp at E3.

Where Is Sonic Headed?

Hey man,

When can I expect a killer list of Sega games on the PS2? What's up with Crazy Taxi 2 and Sonic Adventure 2? Why haven't they been released on the PS2? How about the Sega 2K series? Will we have to wait for 2K2? Hey, thanks a lot. Keep it up and keep playing.

-Mak


Other than Sonic the Hedgehog for the GBA, the platform of Sonic's next appearance is a big mystery at this point. Joe Fielder and I have a gentleman's bet on the very subject. I say it's coming to the GameCube due to demographics, and Joe says the Xbox because he probably has some sort of insider information and is taking advantage of me. The first Sega sports games on the PS2 will be the 2K2 series. Why would Sega go back and release the outdated versions of its sports games? And don't worry about us keeping it up. We're the Everlast of video game Web sites.

SD-Digicard Adapter Explained

Are all of the GCN controller buttons analog or just L and R? Will games have to be specifically designed to use SD cards or will we be able to use 'em with any Digicard-compatible game? Please answer (even if it is to say you don't know). I'm sure I'm not the only one with these doubts.

-Rafael Parra


The GameCube controller has five analog buttons. The only buttons that aren't analog are the bean-shaped X and Y buttons. Games will not have to be specifically designed to take advantage of SD cards, thanks to the SD-Digicard Adapter. It allows the GameCube to communicate with SD cards as if they were Digicards.

Gaming on AOL

I was wondering if you absolutely, positively need to have AOL to play games online?

Thanks,

-Brandon M.


I'm assuming you're talking about playing games online with the PlayStation 2. Sony hasn't stated whether other ISPs will be supported. As much as Net-savvy heads like you and I shiver at the thought of using AOL to play games online, it's the most popular dial-up Internet service provider in the US. I fully believe that the Dreamcast's inability to use AOL to play online significantly stifled the magnitude of its online community. While I would hope that Sony would make the PS2's online experience accessible to everyone, you can't argue with those numbers. Sony, like every other console manufacturer, wants to reach the casual market with the PS2. What better way is there to do it?

GrainCube?

Hey dudes,

I visit your Web site every night without fail. It's great. Keep up the good work. Now that I've sucked up, let's talk games. I've noticed that some GameCube games (such as Wave Race: BS, Smash Brothers Melee, or Star Fox: DP) can visually amaze me at times--and sometimes disappoint me. Are you noticing this too? Sometimes the players in WR: BS look real blocky--like the N64 versions and the Jet Skis, waves, and backgrounds don't stand out--while sometimes they look absolutely gorgeous. Anyway, what do you think? Am I insane? Also, if you've personally played any of them at E3, which one impressed you the most overall?

Thanks.

PS: The logo for "The Spot" has a "G" (for GameSpot) at the end of it. Why don't you place it in the middle and call this section "The G Spot"?

-creeping obesity


No, you're not insane. Some of the GCN screenshots released by Nintendo have been terribly grainy and at low resolutions. I don't know what they're capturing them with, but they need to upgrade. Wave Race: Blue Storm is tight. The water and physics are spot on, and the frame rate is like butter. My biggest complaint would be that some of the backgrounds are pixelated and the gameplay hasn't been altered all that much. Melee moves like greased lightning despite four characters and a huge stage being drawn all at once. The stages tend to lack detail in close-ups, but the special effects used for attacks are pretty hot. Of all the Cube games I played at E3, Rogue Leader and Luigi's Mansion are the two that really knocked my socks off from a visual perspective. I know that no one seems to be into it, but I think Kameo could be one of the most innovative GameCube games in the pipeline. As for naming the letters section "The G Spot"--believe me, the name was kicked around for quite a while.

Boom!

I was wondering what the training mode for Madden 2002 really is. I have looked at many Web pages that have previewed the game, but they don't say anything about it. Is it some kind of practice for franchise mode, where you can practice with your current players on your team and boost their player ratings?

-Chris Wallace


Nah, it's just what it says. You can polish your skills without worrying about the clock or the scoreboard.

Can the Cube Go the Distance?

I've just finished reading the software section of your GameCube dossier, and I'm convinced more than ever that it will be the silent assassin of the next-generation consoles. What do you think? Can GameCube's so-far substantially large game lineup get the job done?

-Anonymous


If I could tell you that, I'd be rolling in cash from my psychic 900 number. While the GameCube has a substantially larger amount of software compared with the N64, it's still the least supported by third-party developers. We had a quick impromptu conversation about the impending console wars last week, and we're all starting to get the impression that it might be the same old song and dance as last time--meaning Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft (replacing Sega) in descending order. We're not so sure it's even possible to overcome a 15-million-unit head start until a console has the extra year of viability at the end of its life cycle. It may be possible in Japan, where PS2 sales are surprisingly slow, but in the US, it will be difficult. I must admit that I'm surprised that the GameCube has been so well received, and I think some third-party developers are as well.

Red Faction or TimeSplitters?

I, for the last couple of weeks, have been trying to find out which game to buy: Red Faction or TimeSplitters. I have read every single word of your reviews and many others, and they are all saying the same things. They are stating that Red Faction and TimeSplitters are the same type and style of game. And both games have rated around the "low nine" range. You're the expert--give me your honest opinion.

Thanks in advance,

-Michael


Oddly enough, the two games are incredibly different. Red Faction is predominantly a story-driven single-player experience with a simplistic multiplayer component. TimeSplitters is built as a solid multiplayer experience and has a simplistic story mode. If you want to play with friends, get TimeSplitters. If you want to have a great single-player experience, get Red Faction. It's that simple.

What Is Analog?

Hello.
I am very confused with regards to the whole analog/digital comparison in video gaming. Trying to be very up on today's current technology, I assumed digital was a superior format to analog (as it is with televisions, computers, wireless communications, cameras and camcorders, etc.). However, whenever I'm reading something related to video games, it seems everything points towards analog at being the superior format. This sure doesn't make very much sense. Is there some way you could explain this to me?

Thanks.

Neal Singley


In the video game industry, digital is used to describe something that is either on or off. Analog is used to describe anything that has varying degrees of effectiveness. This is what allows you to make a character tiptoe, walk, or run in most modern adventure games. If you've played GT3 or any of the Dreamcast driving games, analog buttons simulate a real gas pedal. The harder you push, the more gas is dumped into the carburetor. While this classification isn't common with most other electronics equipment, gear (synthesizers and drum machines) is classified in the same manner.


I'm out of the office later this week, but Jeff will be taking care of you Wednesday and Friday. Take it easy on the man. See you all next week!