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One of the initial releases for the
Sony PlayStation,
King's Field, published by
ASCII Entertainment and developed by
From Software, was a truly next-gen game for its time. This game was the first
FP RPG, set in a massive environment where you alone dictate the game's action and events. The primary antagonist (Alexander/you) is left completely free to choose their own path to discover the vast island you are shipwrecked upon. This may seem somewhat daunting to gamers who prefer a more linear approach to their gaming experience.
This lengthy adventure pits our hero in search of the Moonlight Sword, which is required to save his home kingdom of Verdite. You are left on your own to recover this great artifact, given no direction at all. Your adventure thus begins.
Armed with your trusty sword, you venture into this unknown world in your quest. Many upgraded swords, weapons, armor, and magic are at your disposal - but first you must find them. Some are rather obvious, but most are hidden behind secret walls and openings you must first uncover. This is a great part of the
King's Field experience - you never know what you will find and must be very explorative as you progress through the various parts of this island.
The FP game play rate hovers around 15-30 FPS, depending upon the amount of activity at any given time. The World is seamless and huge - there are no loading times between various sections of the island, which is detailed in full polygonal graphics with dark, almost gritty texture mapping. The feel of this island is almost surreal and is completely grim, which adds significantly to the overall appeal of this adventure.
The background music is appropriate for the varied environments that you traverse. However, the sound samplings for the creatures and actions are perfect. Though rather unspectacular on their own, the sound of a monster cackling around the corner or your sword striking a deserving foe are top-notch and performed at just the right time, and volume, to further enhance your experience.
King's Field is a difficult game. Your progress through the various sections is impeded by the level of the fiends that you encounter, right from the beginning of this saga. Enemy AI is not that great, but at times this is compensated for by the sheer numbers that you will encounter.
The control is excellent, using the D-Pad to navigate/move/look at this richly detailed world. Executing attacks and other actions are intuitive and easy to perform. The minimal numbers of NPCs that you will encounter interact with you slightly, and are pretty much useless, though their ghostly, undefined faces are somewhat appropriate for this journey.
Overall,
King's Field is not for everyone. The graphics and sound are average, though collectively are entirely effective. The game play is rather slow and requires time to navigate the island. For those that are more akin to pure action-adventure type games, this will probably put you to sleep. On the other hand, if exploration and having the freedom to discover and create your own experience is your cup of tea, don't miss this hidden gem.
In 1982,
Emerson Radio Corporation decided to enter the video game hardware arena with their release of the
Arcadia 2001. Better known for their development of affordable electronic products, this move was not entirely a big surprise.
Emerson was always looking for market niches to penetrate to utilize their existing electronics manufacturing team. As with their previous releases of low-end, price friendly electrical component ventures, the
Arcadia 2001 would eventually suffer the same fate.
The
Arcadia 2001 is not necessarily a bad looking machine. The sturdy, brown plastic housing has a nice accent of wood grain trimming (which was very popular at that time). The console sports a very clean user interface, located in the front and center of the unit. Soft, rounded, gold colored buttons provide easy access to the main systems functions (Reset, Select, Option, Start). The square shaped Power button that flanks these buttons to the right does not really quite fit into the scheme - almost as if this was an afterthought of the chassis design team. The two, non-detachable keypads (
Intellivision-type clone) rest in cradles to the left and right, though do not truly fit visually into the design of the console (maybe another afterthought). The
Arcadia 2001 does sport one of the longest video RF cables I have seen - 12' long. The plug for the 12 Volt external power supply and a channel 3/4 switch adorn the back side of this system. There are two (2) screw 'holes' on the back as well. I have no idea what these are used for.
Underneath the hood, the
Arcadia 2001 was powered by
Signetics 2650 CPU running at 3.58 MHz which produced games in 8 colors and at a screen resolution of 208 x 108. The best way to describe games for the
Arcadia 2001 is to think of an
Atari 2600 release and inject it with a heavy does of steroids. The
Arcadia 2001 was a more powerful machine that the console it was intended to dethrone, but
Emerson lacked a critical component for success in the console wars - third party support.
Cartridges came in two different sizes and are black in color (USA) with well rendered artwork adorning the front of the cart (almost like a mini water color painting) and game instructions on the back. The title is displayed along the 'spine' of the cartridge in easy to read 'rainbow' lettering. The silver colored boxes are similar in size to the
Atari 2600, but much more sturdy and are handsomely numbered. Many games come packaged with a controller overlay identical to the same concept used by
Intellivision. A number of popular games were developed for the
Arcadia 2001, including
Pacman,
Galaxian and
Defender.
Atari successfully sued
Emerson, and other companies, claiming they had exclusive rights to these game franchises. These games never saw the light of day and resulted in a waste of a great deal of capital. This left
Emerson scrambling for suitor(s) to develop game software. With the Atari 5200 and the Coleco Colecovision about to be released, both being superior systems, development for the
Arcadia 2001 was non existent. A total of 35 games (most arcade clones) were released for this system. Surprising, this console was manufactured and released in many different countries outside of the USA. All are basically the same, but differ in one significant way - cartridge size. Games are not necessarily compatible with all systems.
Development for the
Arcadia 2001 ceased about one year after it's debut. Unable to compete with technologically superior consoles that were released at virtually the same time (
Atari 5200 and
Coleco ColecoVision) coupled with the lack of third party software support sealed this system's fate.
Prices seem to fluctuate greatly on this system and appear to be dependant on the respective model. Though this console was a relative failure and a mere blip on the radar, it is not that rare and can be easily obtained.
The link to the full review of this system (including ratings, pictures and video):
http://www.videogameconso...rary.com/pg80-arcadia.htmThanks all.
Terry (a.k.a. Marriott_Guy)
The Video Game Console Library
http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com
The year was 1987 and the video gaming world was ruled by the
Nintendo Famicom, followed by a somewhat strong competitor in the
Sega Master System.
Atari was still a big player at the time, though their recent releases of their
5200 and
7800 systems could not effectively compete with these newer breeds. A company called
Worlds of Wonder decided to enter into the fray with the release of the
Action Max. Though they had already established considerable ties to the gaming community during the mid 1980s, this system was already dead on arrival when it hit the store shelves.
Worlds of Wonder was founded by a group of former
Atari programmers. Being the original distributor of the
Nintendo NES in the United States, they had strong ties to both technological and manufacturing resources. The actions and reasoning behind the development of the
Action Max is unknown. Coming off the video game crash of 1984, many hardware manufacturers went bankrupt and new developers shied away from this video game console field (
NEC being the main exception). Obviously, this did not deter their efforts in creating a new system built upon possibly the most media formats ever devised – the
VHS video cassette tapes.
It is important to first describe how this system works, rather than to describe its physical and technical features as is the norm. The
Action Max is one of the few video game consoles that are not able to display graphics on its own – a
VCR is required for game play (not included). The system works by attaching directly to a
VCR. The
VCR in turn transmits the video signal to your television. Sound is delivered through the
Action Max system itself – there is no option for external output. The included Light Sensor must be plugged into the console, then 'connected' to the television screen via a suction cup. As mentioned before, games are
VCR tapes. Pop in the game into your
VCR, power up the
Action Max and plug in the controller (light gun) and be prepared to fire away. All games (a total of 5 were released) are the same, whether it is shooting a ghost or a submarine, these are simple point and shoot affairs. What's worse, there is no change/reaction to anything being displayed to you when you score a 'hit' – a small noise is emitted from the console and the score counter increases. There is no way to win or lose at these games – just high score bragging rights among your friends (better right them down since the
Action Max doesn’t keep track of them at all for you). Also, remember that this is a dumb VCR tape – replay value is -0-. The tape itself cannot change, and playing a new game repeats the same positions and appearances of all foes. Memorize where they will appear, maximize your score.
Now that the basic concept of the working of the
Action Max has been described, let’s look at the console itself. The system itself is rather nondescript. The dark grey exterior casing is shaped and has the size of an aluminum container used for the family sized portion of a Stouffer’s pre-made meatloaf dinner. Come to think about it, the weight is about the same as well (about 2 lbs.). A white elongated "S" shaped plastic wedge breaks up the dull, solid colored top facing. Residing here is a combination of three toggle switches and two dials that control the difficulty level and the number of players (supported two player mode). The player's score was displayed here as well in classic, old-school red LED numbering.
The front of the unit has jacks for a headphone and the controller, along with a toggle switch to mute the volume. The back of the unit is more of the same – a jack for the power (external, not included but the unit can run off of C batteries), two mini-RCA jacks for the light sensors. The controller is a more of the same - a simple dark grey light gun that feels rather fragile and does not have any girth to it, though it does fit OK in one’s hand. 'Shooting' the 'gun' emits a rather satisfying mechanical clicking noise – nothing like cap guns of the era, but still, with this console, it is all about the small pleasures.
Worlds of Wonder entered into bankruptcy in 1988, less than a year after the release of the
Action Max. The company is more noted for the development and production of various children’s product, including the
Teddy Ruxpin interactive bear. Many of the associates of
Worlds of Wonder went on to join
Nintendo in various capacities.
The
Action Max was a short-lived system, and rightly so. Compared to it's contemporaries, the static game play and poorly acted video
VCR games did not stand a chance. Think of the worst
Sega CD FMV game released and multiple your disdain for it by 1000% - that would not accurately define an experience with the
Action Max, but it would come close.
This system is only recommended for collectors – there is no value here at all for among gamers of any level. The unit is light, but the box is HUGE for this system – the packing alone is around 10" in depth. I am not sure why the packaging was so extensive for this system – perhaps the marketing gurus at
Worlds of Wonder thought that 'bigger was better' when seen on a store shelve. It is certainly not needed for what it was designed to protect. Though not seen a great deal for sale, these systems are pretty cheap to acquire through eBay. Expect to pay no more than $50 USD for a complete system. Games are not too rare either – they will run you around $10 USD a piece.
The link to the full review of this system (including ratings, pictures and video):
http://www.videogameconso...ry.com/pg80-actionmax.htmThanks all.
Terry (a.k.a. Marriott_Guy)
The Video Game Console Library
http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com
Hello all.
Work has been a bit brutal as of late and has required me to travel quite a bit. Though I work in the hospitality industry (hotels), I hate all aspects of traveling myself – packing for a trip, wading through the lines at the airport, cab rides to the hotel, having to iron every item for a meeting the next morning (of course I use the bath room shower ‘steam’ method to reduce ironing times). Most everyone has experienced these types of annoyances at one some point and gets the picture.
On my most recent trip, I had to buy some coffee at the airport instead of the ‘Cup of Joe’ dealer I usually frequent (a Shell gas station). Upon receiving my 10 oz coffee from the bagel peddler just in front of Gate 32, the clerk mildly informed me that it would be
$3.15. “
For a cup of coffee??” I said to myself. In my field, I am fully aware of the both the simple and complex supply and demand scenarios. This simple coffee purchase of mine was the best example of this theory as any other lesson learned within an economics class. Yes – I was running late that morning and probably should not have hit the snooze button that third time. It would have saved me $2.50. Not allot of money, but viewed in a different way I paid over
500% more for the same product I would have received from Sally at my local Shell station.
The telling of this most recent frustration of mine provides an appropriate segue to this article -
Buying Decision Do's & Don'ts. To make this a little easier to read, I decided to bullet point a few main thoughts I have on this subject.
Don’t Buy a New Video Game System the Same Day It Is Released
This is a cardinal rule (as seen with the Xbox 360 and it’s failure rate). I admit that I was the first one in line in 1993 at my local Electronics Boutique (there were very few dedicated video games at the time) to purchase the 3DO for $699. Learn from my mistake - it will save you allot of money, not too mention letting others test out the system for you and avoiding the ‘ring of death’ scenario for a respective system.
- Don’t Become a New Technology Addict
I grew up in a different time, when the operating system of a PC had to be booted from a 5.25” disk (DOS). As technology improved (PCs and video game systems), my need to have this new hardware mirrored this growth. I made many particularly bad decisions (especially in PCs) to try and keep up with the 'valley'. This is the same thing as buying a new car – the minute you drive out of the show room with it, it is instantly worth $7,000 less than what you paid for it.
- Don’t Purchase From an Unknown Source
You will have to do this at some point, but ensure to get as much reference information as you can, especially on those high-end purchases. A great resource in this area is the public selling forums (like we have here at RFG). Vice versa, you have to establish yourself as a trusted buyer. Always ensure to leave comments on all transactions.
- Don’t get into a bidding war on an eBay auction at 2 AM on a Friday Night
This does not warrant an explanation at all. I always joke with my brother and say that there should be one of those breathalyser car starter apparatuses attached to your computer whenever your fire up eBay or like web sites. A reading over .20 – access denied.
- Don’t Get Emotional
Leave all of your emotions at the door, especially when bidding on an online auction. Be prepared to walk away and not obtain an item. Getting all hyped up will only cloud matters for you and your decision making ability.
- Do Have Patience and Educate Yourself
This is a tough one to manage since the passion runs high on a number of items we are considering to procure. I have made some purchases to just complete a certain collection where I over paid for an item, sometimes grossly. There are times to pull the trigger, other moments when it is best to wait for the next possible transaction (which is most of the time). Do not get into bidding wars – determine a price that are willing to pay and be willing to walk. Do you research – this is key. Know what the value of an item is today as well as what was it's worth last year and the demand for it in the future.
Do Keep All ItemsBoxes – Ensure CIB
As a pure collector, performing this action is of paramount importance. Having a CIB unit is worth as much as 1000% of one that is not when reselling (obviously depends on the item). Do keep everything in pristine condition – collectors know what came with the system and will pay you for it when the time comes. Also, if you do not have to rip open the plastic baggy that contains the manual, et al, then don’t. This will further increase your investment through time. Take the greatest care of your boxes and manuals – these are non-replaceable and the truly LN (Like New) games/systems command high dollars.
- Do Consider Shipping Charges Locations
Especially important for console/hardware collectors, this can add up to $150 in additional costs for some of the heavier units. Many times, the price of the shipping will not be able to be recovered when reselling a system in your country of origin. Again, do your research on both the seller and the country it is coming from.
- Do Keep Financial Priorities In Tact
Short and sweet here – you do need to pay the mortgage/rent. Don’t allow your passionate pursuit of an item to interfere with your everyday financial responsibilities. Give yourself a budget – save up for that special item – track your expenses and investment. Remember – no electricity, no video gaming.
- Do visit your local garage sales and flea markets
This is a dieing avenue for good purchases, but you can still land some pretty good deals from time to time. The local pawn shop is another semi-good avenue. Be prepared to sift through a great deal of crap to find that diamond in the rough. At the same time, establish strong relationships with these vendors (might have to make some bad, low money purchases at first to gain credibility) and then you can have them call you with their new finds (before they go on sale at their market/store).
These are just some of the things that I have learned from both great buying transactions as well as the ones I got buried upon. Today is a different day than it was 30 years ago, but a great many of the same lessons can be learned, and more importantly financially avoided. Exuding financial prowess with an aptitude in employing keen negotiation techniques will not only save you money, but will earn you respect.
I do hope this article assists and allows you to avoid some of the potholes that I have driven directly into in the past and still struggle to circumvent presently. I am sure that you have some other great tips to add - please share them and your comments!
My description of my current life at the moment that lead off this article will also be used to segue to my next piece –
Balancing Life & Video Gaming. Just another something that I have yet to fully master.
Until next time, happy gaming all!
Terry
PS. The "Noob" referral in the top pic was aimed at me, since I have made many bone head decisions in my time in this area (as well as in many others
)
Hello all.
Gaming has been a test of diligence this past week. I have been working through another go around of
The Elder Scrolls III - Morrowind GOY edition on my
XB 360. I had spent roughly 20 minutes traveling all around the great world of
Vvarendall to finally retrieve the awesome
Skull Crusher war hammer. Right when I begin to enter the archaic structured home of some half-breed I am to suppose to deliver this relic to, all of my efforts are wasted due to the game freezing. Talk about frustrating! I am tired of this crap happening and I find that my patience is lacking when trying to re-indulge in the adventure/mission that I had previously thought I had accomplished.
This situation mirrors my real life realization that I am not the gamer that I was back in my heyday. Hence, this is a solid preface to the next part in the series -
Erosion of the Gaming Skills: Reality Bites!I guess this hit me first when my younger brother (he is 8 years my junior) eventually started to beat on me like a farm animal in
Halo. When we first started playing this game, I routinely sniped his sorry ass from the hidden glacial recesses. I relied upon guile and stealth to defeat my opponent. And then self-reality punched me square in the nose - I had turned into one of those hated 'campers' in the
Call of Duty (and like) online series. As my brother improved (by playing), I stagnated and only had time to play every now and again. Now I was the one being abused like a rent-a-car at his will. Anyone who has a younger brother can attest to this - beating on them is pure satisfaction. Now that the tables had turned, one of my sincere joys in life had been extinguished.
As I grow wiser (older), I find myself gravitating to slower paced games where I can utilize my best asset - the brain. No, I have not crossed over to the dark side and become a fan of edutainment titles. However,
RPGs are right up my alley (as they have always been) and golf games (thank goodness for the return of the three-button method employed in
Tigers Woods 2008 - old school!). I was a HUGE
Tekken fan at one point in my gaming career, but being beat on like a red-headed step child is just not appealing to me anymore. I will admit, to the probable disgust of most gamers (and deservedly so), that I do employ cheat codes liberally. I do not do this to beat on my chest to say I conquered X game, but simply to be able to enjoy the great games that are being released in today's age. At this point in life, my time, patience and thumb-motor ability are resources that I do not have in abundance.
This realization is not something new to me. As I entered into the working world and my career began to escalate, priorities obviously had to change. No more could I devote the necessary hours to master the key button combination required to decapitate a foe in
Mortal Kombat or the timing of a certain jump to avoid a villain in
Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Sometimes I just don't have the time to master, or even become remotely proficient, in a game; other times I find that I simply lack the patience to perform the necessary trial-and-error functions to get better. Either way, this is a sad reality that gamers of all ages will eventually face - the gaming skills do erode.
One word of the advice to the young pups out there that enjoy looking to take down 'oldman111' in your latest online game of
BioShock - be respectful. That will be you one day. Give 'creds' to us old-timers that are still out there on the playing field trying to enjoy the passion we both share - video games.
Next week's edition:
Buying Decision Do's & Don'ts. Until then, be careful in your next
CoD online game - you might just get your ass sniped
As stated in previous reviews, the drive for many hardware manufacturers was all about producing an all-inclusive multimedia device. In 1993,
Pioneer entered the foray with the release of the
LaserActive. Competing directly with
Panasonic (
3DO) and the
Philips (
CD-i),
Pioneer upped the ante in this genre by basing their system on
Laserdisc technology (the precursor to the
DVD format). At the time, the
LaserActive was the closest system to deliver a product that did meet most of the multimedia demands of the consumer - movies, games, karaoke, music, edutainment - all presented in the best audiovideo quality available. The system has another feather in it's cap - it was one of the very few truly multi-platform units released (ala
Dina Two-In-One). There were really only three requirements to purchase one of the beauties in 1993 - a forklift, a large amount of disposable income and an IQ under 70. We'll take a look at each of these items in the same order.
Describing the physical characteristics of
Pioneer LaserActive can be summed up in one word - a behemoth. This system is definitely one of the largest video game console ever released (second only to the
RDI Halcyon). Weighing in at a hefty 25 lbs and measuring 6"¯ H x 17"¯ W x 15"¯ D, this beast truly stands out in any display. A durable hard plastic front casing elegantly displays the various system controls. The chassis itself is made of sturdy steel with multiple air vents to allow plenty of ventilation (definitely required when firing up this system). The somewhat conservative, though modern, facing features large soft-button controls, two (2) media trays (one for
Laserdiscs, the other for standard CDs) and a large, cavernous rectangular hole to the bottom left - the modular housing.
The
LaserActive could not play games as a stand alone system - it requires expansion modules called
PAC units. The following is a list of the modules that were released (US release Japan release) and their respective description:
Sega PAC (PAC-S10 PAC-S1)
- Allows play of any
Sega Genesis,
Sega CD,
Mega LDs (specifically
designed
Sega games released on the
Laserdisc format) games and
CD+G discs. Formally known as the
Mega-LD pack.
NEC PAC (PAC-N10 PAC-N1)
- Allows play of and
NEC Turbo Duo CD-ROM2Super CDHuCards,
Mega LD-ROM2 discs (specifically designed
NEC games released on the
Laserdisc format) games, along with supporting
CD+G discs.
Karaoke PAC (PAC-K10 PAC-K1)
- Supports play of
Laserkaraoke titles
Computer Interface PAC (PAC-PC1)
- Allowed remote control of the
LaserActive via a
PC or
Mac computer
Those were the main modules released. A pack for 3D Goggles and an adaptor were also sold for this system, but I do not have these and know very little about them.
The modules slide into the system on the left hand, bottom side of the main
LaserActive system. The power must be turned off when switching out expansion
PACs. There is a manual eject button that resides on the front of the unit that facilitates this function. Inserting modules into the system is rather delicate - or so it feels. They do snap into place firmly, but the weight alone of the
PAC units tends to make one a bit cautious while doing so. The two game
PACs came with the appropriate,
Pioneer logo-stamped game controller (
SegaNEC).
With the respective module (
SegaNEC), games were presented identically to their parent system. The specifically designed
Laserdisc games for each system were graphically and audibly superior but lack the control delivered on similar games on the original systems. Also, releases on the
Laserdisc format (
LD-ROMs) are high maintenance. The discs are huge (12"¯ in diameter) and about 7 times as thick as a standard CD - this equates to a higher drop/scratch rate when simply inserting a disc into the system for play. There were around 20
LD-ROM game releases for the
Sega PAC module; 9 for the
NEC PAC.
Earlier I mentioned that one had to have a great deal of disposable income as a requirement to be able to purchase the
LaserActive back in 1993. The going price at the time - $970 USD (roughly $2,000 in today's dollars)! Now, bear with me, this price would only net you a system that could play movies/music - forget about playing games. The
Sega or
NEC PAC expansion pack will cost another $600 - each! Feel like singing along to your favorite tune and controlling your
LaserActive from your
PC - tack on another $700 ($350 each). All told, to be able to enjoy your existing
Sega and
NEC library, along with playing
American Idol by yourself and controlling your new purchase via
PC (who wants to do this anyway) would have cost you roughly $2,900 in 1993 ($4,500 in today's dollars). If you wanted any of the slick
LD-ROM games - you had to fork over another $120 per game! Obviously, this alienated 99% of the buying public. Why buy one of these when you could collectively buy the components you really wanted for a lot less? That question can only be answered by those with the IQ under 70 or had so much throwaway money that it didn't really matter. The
Pioneer LaserActive is the second highest priced video game console of all time (once again, right behind the
RDI Halcyon).
The
Pioneer LaserActive is a cool system to own, but only for the true collector. The console initially failed on a number of levels - pricing, target audience and lack of promotion. Overall shipping prices are high due to the weight and dimensions of this system. The US version is more rare compared to the model released in Japan (both are identical in terms of technology). A CIB unit will cost you around $225 for the Japanese model (plus an additional $160 S/H if coming from Japan), and $300 or so for a US model.
As most of you know, I tend to write very detailed and somewhat technical articles on various video game systems, focusing primarily on the obscure releases. When writing one of my last
System Overviews, a fellow
RFG staff member recommended that I add a bit more color to my reviews; to add a bit more of my personality to them. I considered his thoughts in detail, but ultimately decided against incorporating this suggestion into my reviews. I want my reviews to be extremely objective, technical and informative for both the collector and gamer alike.
That being said, I do believe that the suggestion made by said staff member was correct, though I disagree with the forum that it should be delivered upon. The creation of this new series, "
Thoughts from a 40 Year Old Gamer" will be my attempt to meet this new objective of allowing more insight into the thoughts and rants behind the reviews. Yes - this might be a short lived series, not due to the amount of years I have left to live (have to beat down those hecklers quick), but based upon community interest in this venture. Your candid feedback and input is welcomed from the onset of this endeavor. This first part will focus on the question I am asked the most - Do you own these systems and play them allot?
Yes - I do own all of the systems that I review. My collection is around 130 systems, with 85 or so of those being unique (systems with both proprietary hardware and software code for game development). I cannot say that I play them a great deal - work and home life rather cut into the free time to be able to play all of them. My game library is not near some of the monster collections here at
RFG (I have around 1,000 games), but I do have games for every platform. I honestly don't play many of the obscure systems that much apart from when they were acquired, though I always do fire them up and play the games when reviewing a system.
No, I wasn't around when
Ralph Baer was developing the first video game, but I do admit that the term 'vinyl' is an instantly recognizable term in regards to a music media type. Along those lines, the first system that my father got for me was the
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A - a computer hybrid that accepted preprogrammed game cartridges but was more of a home personal computer. I'll tell you what - talk about disappointment! While my buddies were blasting through waves of enemies or avoiding mud pits on their
Atari 2600 or
Colecovision, I got to climb a mountain and avoid some crazy bears on my
TI-99/4A. I can't really complain though - I did learn the BASIC and Q-BASIC programming language at a very early age (you could program your own games on the
TI-994/A).
Well, I think that is about it for now. As you know, us old folks tend to retire a bit early in the evening and pop on the History Channel or PBS on our set top boxes (televisions). My next rant in this series -
Erosion of the Gaming Skills: Reality Bites! (ouch!). Till next week, father time signing out.
PS. No, that is not me in the picture. I am old, but not quite what is pictured (yet).
In the early 1990's, the rage in video game hardware development was all about being an all-in-one device. The following lists the prominent companies that took a swing at providing the buying public with the 'one' product that would satisfy allmost of their multimedia needs:
o 1991 -
Philips CD-i (games/music/edutainment/movies)
o 1991 -
Commodore CDTV (games/music/edutainment/movies)
o 1993 -
Panasonic 3DO (games/music/edutainment)
o 1993 -
Pioneer LaserActive (games/music/edutainment/movies)
As you can see, the above lists some pretty big hitters in the electronics industry. In 1992,
Memorex, owned at the time by
Tandy Corporation (owner of
RadioShack stores), released yet another 'wonder' machine into the fray with the release of the
VIS (
Visual Information System). This obscure system left a very small imprint on the sands of video console history due to a few reasons.
The
VIS was essentially a stripped down
Windows PC in a VCR style casing. A 16-bit Intel 80286 processor running at 12.5 MHz powered the system that produced games in 16.7M colors at a resolution of 640 x 480. A customized version of
Windows 3.1 is the backbone of the system and audiovideo performance. At the time, this was quite antiquated in terms of overall technical horsepower. The chassis itself does not even merit further dialog, as the picture of this system obviously displays. Wireless controllers were a nice touch and did differentiate it from its competitors, but the button alignment and offerings mirrors the chassis - nothing to write home about. The media choice was sound as all
VIS titles were released on CD-ROM (Audio CD was also supported). So what about those titles?
Almost ALL
VIS titles can be categorized into the edutainment genre - with about 50% of those targeted directly to children in the age range 8-15.
Compton's Encyclopedia was included with the initial purchase of the VIS, but no true games were. There were a great deal of rumors out there of PC ports for this system that never went into production (
King's Quest V,
Space Quest IV, et al). The only true game that I can attest to being in existence, apart from the educational point-and-click safaris, is a release from
Access Software called
Links: The Challenge of Golf. Some of you may remember this popular 386 PC classic (which the
Links franchise and company was later bought out by
Microsoft). The graphics for the
VIS are slightly less than their 386 counterpart, though navigation is a bit easier. All told around 70 titles or so were released for this system.
Two versions of the
VIS were released. The
Tandy version retailed for $699 and was only sold in
RadioShack retail outlets (actually hit store shelves in December 1992). The
Memorex model was released in 1993 as an exclusive catalogue-direct sale from the parent company, but retailed for $399 (no changes at all to the hardware or included software). The re-branding of the
VIS to the more popular
Memorex label and lowering the price did nothing to save this console from its demise. To be honest, this system could have retailed for $39.95 and would still have been a bad value for the consumer - this console is truly that bad.
Tandy's foray into the video game console market was extremely short-lived and ended up being an extremely costly venture for them. They do not even acknowledge the existence of the
VIS in their company's historical timeline.
The
Memorex VIS is only recommended for the true console collector - not at all for the gamer of any level. The system is rather hard to come by. Approximately 11,000 units were actually sold (total for both models). Expect to pay about $150 USD for a bare console, $225 USD or so for a CIB unit. This estimate is entirely dependant upon the source you are buying from. Since the
VIS is sometimes mistaken for being a standard CD player, you might be able to grab it for $20 from someone who doesn't know what they truly have. If you are a collector - get one from a trusted peer.
In late 1994, Richard Miller, the former VP of Technology at
Atari from 1989 through 1994, created a company called
VM Labs. Having gained extensive experience in hardware development (his team created the
Atari Jaguar), Mr. Miller focused his company's energies on creating a new technology to renovate the passive experience delivered by DVD players and digital satellite receivers. In 2000 their efforts resulted in the release of the
NUON, a powerful 128-bit processor that was to be embedded within these types of digital video products. This technology produced excellent results in processing complex 3D graphics and digital video that enabled the delivery of interactive content, enhanced DVD playback (smooth scanning and zoom features) and, the point of writing this review, video games.
NUON technology was released in a handful of DVD players (the first being the
Toshiba SD-2300, pictured in this review). All DVD
NUON equipped players resemble their standard counterparts - there is nothing notable to describe with the exception of a small
NUON logo displayed on the front of the unit. The remote was used to drive gameplay, but a few third party controllers were released. The general purpose was not unlike previous attempts at being an all-in-one multimedia playing machine (
Memorex VIS,
Philips CD-i,
Pioneer LaserActive, et al).
VM Labs also followed suit by planning to license the technology to various manufacturers (like the
3DO Company did in 1993). The reason that
NUON technology was only released in select DVD players and not as a stand alone video game console was based on pure statistics. At the time, only 30% of the general public had embraced video game technology in their homes while the DVD player market was booming and was projected to have 100% penetration within 5-10 years. This was sound business planning, except for one key fact that they failed to give proper attention to - the release of a video game console that also played DVDs - the
Sony Playstation 2.
Enthusiasts within the respective DVD and video game market are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but it is safe to say that there are many more video game devotees that also are DVD fans than vice versa (especially in 2000). The decision to market a DVD player that could play games was incorrect - the DVD aficionado did not necessarily play video games nor cared about them. Sure, the smooth scrolling zoom and scan features that a
NUON DVD player offered were cool, but would the public pay the extra $100 or so for these features? The answer to this question is rather obvious, but first let's take a look at the
NUON in more detail.
The
NUON chip (which was previously known as
Merlin and then
Project X) was truly a powerful piece of hardware at the time. The technology is based on the
Aries 3 chip. The following is an excellent description of the capabilities and functions:
"The heart of
NUON was the
Aries 3 chip. The
Aries 3 was based on a unique 128-bit, four-way-parallel very long instruction word processor architecture. In addition to the video and audio decoding and trick-play functions, the chip performs all system-management and CPU functions. More specifically, Aries 3 featured MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 program stream and video decode; MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 Layers 1 and 2 audio decode; 5.1-channel Dolby Digital audio decode; extended DVD trick modes; 32-voice wave table synthesizer; MP3 decode; an integrated Content Scrambling System descrambling module; video scaling, and 3-D video gaming. A hardware block placed on-chip to assist MPEG video decoding was designed to free up the bulk of the VLIW device's programmable processing power: 3,024 MIPS at peak and 864 MIPS typical."¯ - referenced from the
Dark Watcher's site.
This processing power described above produced games graphically equivalent to early
Playstation 2 games. A total of eight games were released for the system, the most notable being
Iron Soldier 3 and
Tempest 3000 (developed by
Jeff Minter, renowned classic home computer and
Atari programmer). Though the developers varied on these releases, the majority waited to see if
NUON could grab a significant hold of the DVD player market share prior to investing into this technology. In the end, it did not and third party support (both from the hardware and software fields) quickly dissipated, adding to one of the final nails in the coffin.
The
NUON essential failed due to incorrectly identifying the needs of the ever increasing DVD player buying market. DVD enthusiasts were just that - not necessarily video game driven buyers.
VLM Labs went bankrupt in 2001 and sold off the
NUON technology to
Genesis Microchip, which in turn retired further development of the
NUON in July, 2002.
NUON-enabled systems can be acquired easily from eBay and other like sources. A loose system is cheap - right around $20-$40 or so (USD). There is not necessarily a highly desirable unit, though the
Toshiba SD-2300 and
Samsung Extiva N-2000 are the first systems released. For a hardware CIB unit, expect to pay $75-$100 (USD). Some of the games for the system are hard to come by and will run you a few bucks - most notably the
Next Tetris (only included in the
Toshiba system) and
Tempest 3000 (the best game). These will run you around $70 or so - the more common games around $20-$30. This is a recommended purchase for the hardware collector (video game or DVD), but not necessarily for the general gamer.
Prior to releasing their revolutionary controller with the debut of
Wii,
Nintendo had previously experimented with this in 1995 with the release of
Laserbirdie, a golf game simulator for the
Super Famicom. Though
Nintendo does own the bragging rights to be the first to actually implement motion-sensing technology into a game, the
Wii can not lay the same claim in regards to a console. That honor belongs to
SSD Company Limited with their release in 2004 of the
XaviX Interactive System (
XaviXPORT).
The
XaviXPORT was the first home video game console that fully utilized and required the use of full, wireless motion-sensing controllers. No games are included with the system - game packs, all sport/fitness related, are sold separately that include the game and a specialized controller shaped like the athletic equipment used in the respective game (i.e. golf club or tennis racquet). Besides being the first console devoted entirely to this new technology, the
XaviXPORT has a number of other unique features - some good, others not so much.
The
XaviXPORT makes the
Sony Playstation 2 slimline model look like a behemoth. This system has to be one of the smallest consoles ever made measuring 1.0"¯ H x 7.0"¯ W x 5.5"¯ D and weighs less than 1 pound. The front of the simple satin-silver casing features two (2) push buttons to the left (power and reset) with the infrared receiver on the right. A stylish, clean
XaviX logo is featured front and center. The top of the system is more of the same - straight, easy to use features (four (4) up/down buttons flanked by an enlarged Rest and Enter button). The cool-olive colored game cartridge slot also resides here. Standard AV connection jacks, power and an AV Out port adorn the back of the system. This is as simple as it gets. The
XaviXPORT hardware mirrors the simplicity of the main console design.
The
XaviXPORT system, contrary to the innovations delivered in their game interface devices, harkened back to a method used in the 1970's of delivering gaming applications and processor in one medium - through the cartridge itself. I am not sure of the exact specs of the internal components of the
XaviXPORT (though I have read is of an 8-bit variety), though it is safe to say that some basic processors are included to process sound and video output along with the software bridge required to communicate with the cartridges. The premise here, as it was back with Pong-On-A-Chip technology (
PC-50x family), was to include the processing power onto the game cartridge to avoid having to keep upgrading the central system every time a leap in technology occurred. In theory, this is an excellent approach to keeping the games up to date and providing the gamer the best experience. Now to the important question - what about the games?
Interactive sport and fitness games are the only genre for this system. A total of eight ( 8 ) applications have been released for the
XaviXPORT from golf to baseball to fishing to boxing. I would have to say the graphics are somewhat similar to the
3DO - obviously not that great considering the year of its release. The games are fun though - physically demanding you to get off of your couch and participate. Correct positioning of the system is paramount for the optimal enjoyment because the game peripherals range does not seem to be that great (maybe 15-20 feet or so). If you are looking for a good workout, you will not be disappointed.
Overall, the
XaviXPORT is truly a first among video game consoles.
SSD Company Limited fully embraced wireless, motion-sensing technology and ran with it. Having to compete in the marketplace with the
Sony Playstation 2 and
Microsoft Xbox did not help their cause, nor did the lack of their brand name recognition. I rather view this system like
Worlds of Wonder release of the
Action Max - intriguing technology at the time, but too much competition to overcome.
The
XaviXPORT is still being sold in some select stores (both online and retail). A brand new system costs $80 USD, with games running approximately $50 USD (some higher). This is a recommended purchase for the gamer that likes to get a physical workout and fun game experience but is not necessarily addicted to cutting edge technology. This is also a recommended purchase for the console collector due to the place in history that the
XaviXPORT will have and the small library of readily available for purchase games.
