Sega Dreamcast Heroes - From 9.9.99 till Now The Challenge Will Always be There!

[Berto]

Reminder: Fighting Force Collection (LRG) Pre-order Ends January 11, 2025!









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA2GwYOIqCw

Heads up!

You still have time to pre-order the physical editions of Fighting Force Collection for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch.
Relive the original 3D beat 'em up, master fierce combat moves, and start your mission against Dr. Zeng!

Link: https://buff.ly/BRZqMTs

[Mystic Monkey]

Some gamers love to compare.
Comparing scores, comparing achievements, comparing speedrun, comparing collection, or comparing trophies.
If their experiences are too unique and different, it will be hard to compare.

Some love to compare, but imagine bragging rights of pulling off incredible or unique actions and outcomes that make the game more unique to the player?
If it was all pre-determined actions and events, especially for achievements, then that means everyone with the achievement has already done it.

Because Fallout 3 and Skyrim also sell stories.
Without that the main character will be boring.
For now gamers love if the main character's having a story.

Kiryu is also one of the example.
This scene wouldn't feel satisfying without Kiryu and Kuze story and boss fight battle before :

I understand what you mean, it's just games like Fallout and Elder Scrolls encourage players to define their own characters and make their own decisions. To make the Vault Dweller, Lone Wanderer, Courier or Sole Survivor their own characters. That's why these protagonists do not have names, they're supposed to be customizable characters.
However, events and encounters are still pre-determined in these games. You can go off the beaten path, but the side-quests are still pre-determined. The fact the Lone Wandered had daddy issues or the Sole Survivor has baby issues just made them less flexible characters in order to set them on a pre-determined path. Thus everyone has slain the dragon and rescue the princess, everyone has made the hard choices, etc.

Yakuza games however, while (somewhat) open-world, are supposed to follow a story. Kiryu and Kuze story. It's supposed to be pre-determined. I'm not saying there’s nothing wrong with games like that because it's supposed to follow a story.

I'm just saying, Bethesda boasting how their open-world games allow players to experience their own story, it's sort of a half-truth. You can freely explore, but your choices fall into the purview of scripted events, quests and side-quests than anything truly of free-will.

It's probably why Minecraft is still one of the most popular games we had for the last 17 years. While everyone has crafted a diamond sword or slain the Enderdragon, it's how players get from start to finish that varies wildly and uniquely amongst players. Granted, some of the game's content is pre-programmed, such as structures. But given structures and its contents may have random variations' means players will still have unique experiences and challenges to overcome that they may claim as their own accomplishment over finishing a pre-determined quest.

I have nothing against games with their own stories that players need to follow. I'm just saying I would like to play a game where I truly feel free and be my own-defined character, my own isekai or alt-life story that takes into account my free-will, no matter if I choose good, evil, chaotic or lawful. I've yet to play a game that does that, and I believe AI serving as a games' "dungeon master" and content generator would allow us close to that,

[Berto]

Some love to compare, but imagine bragging rights of pulling off incredible or unique actions and outcomes that make the game more unique to the player?
If it was all pre-determined actions and events, especially for achievements, then that means everyone with the achievement has already done it.

That's the theory but the truth is not like that.
Not everyone could finish the game, whatever game it is.
If you look at Playstation achievements for popular games, less than 5% gamers could achieve platinum trophy.
It wasn't easy to get platinum trophy for games that's made by big companies.

I understand what you mean, it's just games like Fallout and Elder Scrolls encourage players to define their own characters and make their own decisions. To make the Vault Dweller, Lone Wanderer, Courier or Sole Survivor their own characters. That's why these protagonists do not have names, they're supposed to be customizable characters.
However, events and encounters are still pre-determined in these games. You can go off the beaten path, but the side-quests are still pre-determined. The fact the Lone Wandered had daddy issues or the Sole Survivor has baby issues just made them less flexible characters in order to set them on a pre-determined path. Thus everyone has slain the dragon and rescue the princess, everyone has made the hard choices, etc.

Yakuza games however, while (somewhat) open-world, are supposed to follow a story. Kiryu and Kuze story. It's supposed to be pre-determined. I'm not saying there’s nothing wrong with games like that because it's supposed to follow a story.

I'm just saying, Bethesda boasting how their open-world games allow players to experience their own story, it's sort of a half-truth. You can freely explore, but your choices fall into the purview of scripted events, quests and side-quests than anything truly of free-will.

It's probably why Minecraft is still one of the most popular games we had for the last 17 years. While everyone has crafted a diamond sword or slain the Enderdragon, it's how players get from start to finish that varies wildly and uniquely amongst players. Granted, some of the game's content is pre-programmed, such as structures. But given structures and its contents may have random variations' means players will still have unique experiences and challenges to overcome that they may claim as their own accomplishment over finishing a pre-determined quest.

I have nothing against games with their own stories that players need to follow. I'm just saying I would like to play a game where I truly feel free and be my own-defined character, my own isekai or alt-life story that takes into account my free-will, no matter if I choose good, evil, chaotic or lawful. I've yet to play a game that does that, and I believe AI serving as a games' "dungeon master" and content generator would allow us close to that,

What you describe is more like a specific genre of the adventure games which is "simulation".
The kind of game that don't have an ending.
So I think you're more suited to the game which genre is simulation.
RPG is different with simulation though it often kept some elements from it.
Gamers love RPG usually because of their storytelling.
Sure they're free in term of choosing what to do first in exploring, gathering resources, crafting, building, and fighting monsters all the time but there are always required goals to closure it with an ending if we want to so that we could finish it and move to another game.

[Mystic Monkey]

That's the theory but the truth is not like that.
Not everyone could finish the game, whatever game it is.
If you look at Playstation achievements for popular games, less than 5% gamers could achieve platinum trophy.
It wasn't easy to get platinum trophy for games that's made by big companies.

What you describe is more like a specific genre of the adventure games which is "simulation".
The kind of game that don't have an ending.
So I think you're more suited to the game which genre is simulation.
RPG is different with simulation though it often kept some elements from it.
Gamers love RPG usually because of their storytelling.
Sure they're free in term of choosing what to do first in exploring, gathering resources, crafting, building, and fighting monsters all the time but there are always required goals to closure it with an ending if we want to so that we could finish it and move to another game.

Oh, well that's fine if it has it's own genre or category to be recognised under. I don't have anything against RPGs, but it would be nice if "I" was the hero for a change than following footsteps. While games like Fallout and Elderscrolls may fall under simulation genre to a degree, it's still mostly RPG. Minecraft is sort of simulation, I guess.

[Berto]

Oh, well that's fine if it has it's own genre or category to be recognised under. I don't have anything against RPGs, but it would be nice if "I" was the hero for a change than following footsteps. While games like Fallout and Elderscrolls may fall under simulation genre to a degree, it's still mostly RPG. Minecraft is sort of simulation, I guess.

While it's not my thing, both of my sons prefer that kind of game simulation.
They're still playing Minecraft, Theotown, and Roblox since a decade ago.
Most of their friends are also still playing those games so I guess it's a factor too.
Especially Roblox, social support like playing game together online, chat functions, and in-game interactions were fit for them and their friends.
Something that I didn't have in my youth days.
Back then if we wanted to play video games together, we're setting up a meeting at an arcade center or at a friend's place who had a game console.

[Berto]

SEGA News Bits Live: Remembering David Rosen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkIjQHX3qBg

On Christmas day, 2025, we lost one of the most influential men in SEGA history: David Rosen. David was a co-founder of SEGA, meaning he was not solely responsible, but he was one of the most important and key figures in the company’s founding. On this episode, we look back on his history and remember David Rosen.

Article: https://segabits.com/blog/2026/01/09/sega-news-bits-live-remembering-david-rosen/

[Mystic Monkey]

While it's not my thing, both of my sons prefer that kind of game simulation.
They're still playing Minecraft, Theotown, and Roblox since a decade ago.
Most of their friends are also still playing those games so I guess it's a factor too.
Especially Roblox, social support like playing game together online, chat functions, and in-game interactions were fit for them and their friends.
Something that I didn't have in my youth days.
Back then if we wanted to play video games together, we're setting up a meeting at an arcade center or at a friend's place who had a game console.

While I don't care much for Isekai anime, I can see the appeal of it and why it is a popular anime genre. The desire of a "do over" in life.
I'm comfortable with my life, but comfort doesn't mean happy or satisfied. Maybe I want to be a barbarian in primal lands? Maybe I want to be a space hero and meet exotic aliens? Maybe I want to do crazy stuff knowing no impact or concern for consequences.
And if I do have such a do-over, it would be nice to forge my own story, y'know?
Or, y'know, just something different to experience. It would be nice to visit Wonderland or Oz, but as my own experience, not in the shoes of Alice or Dorothy.

And that's why I'm fascinated to see what AI can do for such video games, because AI is advance these days to simulate free-will and realism. Albbeit still with some limitations but a lot than we had before.

[Berto]

While I don't care much for Isekai anime, I can see the appeal of it and why it is a popular anime genre. The desire of a "do over" in life.
I'm comfortable with my life, but comfort doesn't mean happy or satisfied. Maybe I want to be a barbarian in primal lands? Maybe I want to be a space hero and meet exotic aliens? Maybe I want to do crazy stuff knowing no impact or concern for consequences.
And if I do have such a do-over, it would be nice to forge my own story, y'know?

The thing with Isekai anime is the main portagonist become so powerful, so lucky, or have cheating ability in the other world.



If we stay just like who we are right now, a little chance we could explore much on that other world.
Travelling needs money (or anything with the same value in other world) and it would put us doing chores and job just to earn them which is gonna tire us much and we're simply back just like who we are in the original world.

Or, y'know, just something different to experience. It would be nice to visit Wonderland or Oz, but as my own experience, not in the shoes of Alice or Dorothy.

And that's why I'm fascinated to see what AI can do for such video games, because AI is advance these days to simulate free-will and realism. Albbeit still with some limitations but a lot than we had before.

Well, if in future it can even help our consciousness time travel, I think the AI thing's is going to the direction where they could break their current limitation.

[Mystic Monkey]

The thing with Isekai anime is the main portagonist become so powerful, so lucky, or have cheating ability in the other world.



If we stay just like who we are right now, a little chance we could explore much on that other world.
Travelling needs money (or anything with the same value in other world) and it would put us doing chores and job just to earn them which is gonna tire us much and we're simply back just like who we are in the original world.

It really depends on the world and conditions. Because you're right, usually Isekai protagonist have some advantage. Kind of like how the protagonist in Skyrim just so happens to be Dragonborn.
But alt-life or simulation games could still offer opportunities that players may choose. For example, the choice to become a wizard, a warrior or a worker. And how they build up from those choices could vary in results.

Well, if in future it can even help our consciousness time travel, I think the AI thing's is going to the direction where they could break their current limitation.

I dunno about time travel, a bit too early for that. But I do believe that AI engines in games could make games more expansive.

For example, just yesterday, I found out that Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, uses something called "UMii" to generate NPCs with. It's not AI or anything, just the game either using Mii's to make Hylians with.
https://x.com/HEYimHeroic/status/1618483346413359105
Nothing to do with AI generated content, but the game it taking Mii data and re-adapting it for the game to make the game look more realistic, than needing to copy-paste the same NPC models or having a set number of models to work with.

[Berto]

It really depends on the world and conditions. Because you're right, usually Isekai protagonist have some advantage. Kind of like how the protagonist in Skyrim just so happens to be Dragonborn.
But alt-life or simulation games could still offer opportunities that players may choose. For example, the choice to become a wizard, a warrior or a worker. And how they build up from those choices could vary in results.

A worker feels more realistic, though it sounds boring.
A wizard or a warrior?
Well, back to fantasy setting I guess.

I dunno about time travel, a bit too early for that. But I do believe that AI engines in games could make games more expansive.

For example, just yesterday, I found out that Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, uses something called "UMii" to generate NPCs with. It's not AI or anything, just the game either using Mii's to make Hylians with.
https://x.com/HEYimHeroic/status/1618483346413359105
Nothing to do with AI generated content, but the game it taking Mii data and re-adapting it for the game to make the game look more realistic, than needing to copy-paste the same NPC models or having a set number of models to work with.

Okay, that's weird. Why would they use Mii data and re-adapting it for the game.
Why not taking from a real person photo to adapt into the game?

[Mystic Monkey]

A worker feels more realistic, though it sounds boring.
A wizard or a warrior?
Well, back to fantasy setting I guess.

A game can be alt-life and simulation and have additional genres to flavour it with. If you want to live a life as a normal worker, then you might as well get a job.

Or maybe you want to see what life of crime is like, or maybe do crazy stuff without consequence or impact to your real life, then sure, modern-life alt-life sim for that.

Okay, that's weird. Why would they use Mii data and re-adapting it for the game.
Why not taking from a real person photo to adapt into the game?

Can Mii's do that already?

Well, again, it's purpose was for NPC-filler. I haven't played Zelda:TotK, I dunno if there is an option or feature that involved uploading your Mii into a Hylian.
But I find it interesting that it is a thing, how it takes Mii data and re-adapts it into a new artstyle and aesthetic.

Imagine, say, they make a Pokémon game where you can choose a Mii to be your Pokémon trainer and instead of just super-imposing the Mii's face to a body like they do for Miitopia, they re-adapt the face to have an anime-style that fits with the Pokémon-aesthetic.

What's this has to do with AI? Well, nothing. But there are AI generators that take pictures and redesign or readapt them. And as I have shown you in the Tomb Raider clip I posted, AI can take something as basic as PlayStation 1 gameplay and put a degree of realism to it.

I just think it's neat, but also a surprise and a pity that Nintendo shows the potential of how Mii's can be adapted into games with specific art style and aesthetic... yet used it as an NPC-generator that they barely mentioned.

[Berto]

A game can be alt-life and simulation and have additional genres to flavour it with. If you want to live a life as a normal worker, then you might as well get a job.

That's right. That's why I don't need any game "forced" to be realistic.
Let the game to be a fantasy thing, weird, strange, or of course realistic if the game maker wished to, but no need to expect a game that isn't realistic to become realistic.

Or maybe you want to see what life of crime is like, or maybe do crazy stuff without consequence or impact to your real life, then sure, modern-life alt-life sim for that.

That's sounds like a game that will caught interest for my kids. They're doing crazy experiment in Theotown like creating military bases or nuclear implant in the village or trigger extreme disasters more than one in a day.



Love to see they're both laughing when they share what crazy things they do and the impact to their town but that kind of game isn't cup of my tea.

Can Mii's do that already?

Well, again, it's purpose was for NPC-filler. I haven't played Zelda:TotK, I dunno if there is an option or feature that involved uploading your Mii into a Hylian.
But I find it interesting that it is a thing, how it takes Mii data and re-adapts it into a new artstyle and aesthetic.

Imagine, say, they make a Pokémon game where you can choose a Mii to be your Pokémon trainer and instead of just super-imposing the Mii's face to a body like they do for Miitopia, they re-adapt the face to have an anime-style that fits with the Pokémon-aesthetic.

What's this has to do with AI? Well, nothing. But there are AI generators that take pictures and redesign or readapt them. And as I have shown you in the Tomb Raider clip I posted, AI can take something as basic as PlayStation 1 gameplay and put a degree of realism to it.

I just think it's neat, but also a surprise and a pity that Nintendo shows the potential of how Mii's can be adapted into games with specific art style and aesthetic... yet used it as an NPC-generator that they barely mentioned.

Mii isn't as big thing as it used to be.
May be it's because Nintendo has significantly decreased Mii's prominence in the last five years so they are no longer central to the brand's identity and have been replaced by generic characters in some cases (like "Sportsmates" in Nintendo Switch Sports).
Also did you know that on the Nintendo Switch, the Mii Maker feature is hidden in the system settings, lacking the dedicated channel, music, and system-level integration it had on the Wii and Wii U.
The last time I use Mii feature was in Super Smash Bros Ultimate and it was seven years ago.

[Berto]

SONIC WEEKLY: Sonic Shuffle w/ SCOTTY MO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqPCTI8QluI

SEGA Spirit co-host Scotty Mo slides into the guest seat to tell us why Sonic Shuffle may not be irredeemable, after all. There's also the latest Sonic news, Rings of Saturn, and some late December holiday cheer to spread in various directions. Listen!

Article: https://segabits.com/blog/2025/12/29/sonic-weekly-sonic-shuffle-w-scotty-mo/

[Mystic Monkey]

That's right. That's why I don't need any game "forced" to be realistic.
Let the game to be a fantasy thing, weird, strange, or of course realistic if the game maker wished to, but no need to expect a game that isn't realistic to become realistic.

But again, having a real-life simulator of a game means you can take opportunities and decisions you wouldn't normally go for. Such as becoming a superhero or villain, a crime boss, a crazy person, etc. Who cares about consequences or impact of your decisions if you can just switch off the game?

But also, fantasy alt-life simulation could be an isekei like game. Whenever you have some advantage, exploit, or just be awesome at what you are, stuff like that.

That's sounds like a game that will caught interest for my kids. They're doing crazy experiment in Theotown like creating military bases or nuclear implant in the village or trigger extreme disasters more than one in a day.



Love to see they're both laughing when they share what crazy things they do and the impact to their town but that kind of game isn't cup of my tea.

I haven't played TheoTown, sounds like a SimCity-like game with some fun options thrown in. But just saying games with AI generative content may allow decisions and player-interacticity that's beyond the confines of player programming.

Mii isn't as big thing as it used to be.
May be it's because Nintendo has significantly decreased Mii's prominence in the last five years so they are no longer central to the brand's identity and have been replaced by generic characters in some cases (like "Sportsmates" in Nintendo Switch Sports).
Also did you know that on the Nintendo Switch, the Mii Maker feature is hidden in the system settings, lacking the dedicated channel, music, and system-level integration it had on the Wii and Wii U.
The last time I use Mii feature was in Super Smash Bros Ultimate and it was seven years ago.

Why is Mii features hidden? Isn't Miitopia for the Switch? Wouldn't it be needed?
Or is Nintendo expecting users to use other means to make Mii's, such as their online Mii Studio, or use NDS, Wii or Wii U to make Miis with?

[Berto]

Sonic Mania Plus Port for SEGA Dreamcast is Now Running With Audio

Falco Girgis has shared a new update showing Sonic Mania Plus running with fully working audio on real Sega Dreamcast hardware.
In a short hardware capture posted on social media, Girgis demonstrates the latest build running directly on an actual Dreamcast, confirming that music and sound effects are now functional. Audio support is a major technical milestone for any modern-to-retro port, and its arrival marks a clear step forward for the project.
It’s important to note that the port itself is the work of SonicFreak94. Girgis’s update focuses on showcasing the game running on original Dreamcast hardware and highlights how fitting it is to ...

Article: https://metalgamesolid.com/systems/consoles/128-bit-era/dreamcast/sonic-mania-plus-now-running-with-audio-on-sega-dreamcast/