SEGA's NEW ARCADE HARDWARE...

Shifty Geezer said:
So an arcade would buy one of these machines with a game on it, and that's the only game the machine will play, and the hardware they buy will be spec'd to that game? If you buy a high-end machine, you can't then load up a low-end game, or even if you want to switch to another high-end game for the same hardware, you have to replace the whole thing at considerable cost?

That just seems all kinds of whack! "I'm gonna buy a high-spec PC to play this game, and when the pundits are tired of it and want to play a different game, I'll chuck out the entire system." Unless these boxes are relatively cheap (in which case why does SEGA persist in them? Where's the money?) why buy an arcade? Surely it'd be cheaper to rig up your own custom PC setup, play for free, buy snacks and drinks at the bar... Or are these machines rented, so the console company can reuse hardware and the cost isn't that high?
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, this makes me think of an arcade vending machine.
 
Shifty Geezer said:
So an arcade would buy one of these machines with a game on it, and that's the only game the machine will play, and the hardware they buy will be spec'd to that game? If you buy a high-end machine, you can't then load up a low-end game, or even if you want to switch to another high-end game for the same hardware, you have to replace the whole thing at considerable cost?

That just seems all kinds of whack! "I'm gonna buy a high-spec PC to play this game, and when the pundits are tired of it and want to play a different game, I'll chuck out the entire system." Unless these boxes are relatively cheap (in which case why does SEGA persist in them? Where's the money?) why buy an arcade? Surely it'd be cheaper to rig up your own custom PC setup, play for free, buy snacks and drinks at the bar... Or are these machines rented, so the console company can reuse hardware and the cost isn't that high?
Click to expand...

From what I recall:
Most arcade games that use PC-based systems (or even some that don't).........have an option to switch to a newer version of software via upgrade kits.

For instance, Tekken 6 came out in both brand new cabinet as well as an upgrade kit. For the upgrade kit, all that was needed was to remove the existing System 256 hardware of Tekken 5.....then just replace it with the System 357 system board where you can install it to any existing compatible game cabinet.

Then to upgrade to the Bloodline Rebellion expansion pack, from what I can remember, all that was needed was an upgrade from a Blu-ray disc (which Namco provides to buyers) which will install over the existing Tekken 6 data.

There are a few exceptions though:
Certain games such as Initial D 4 and Time Crisis 4 required you to buy full cabs (i.e. cannot upgrade software from previous version). This isn't a problem for Time Crisis 4 as the cabinets are very cheap (less than USD$10000 for the Twin Deluxe cabinet).........but it became a problem for ID 4 as even if the graphics are fantastic and the feel of brand new cabinet is neat, the gameplay and physics didn't please many of the existing players.

Though in relation, firmware patches for ID 4 were done via firmware DVD discs that SEGA sends every once in a while. In my case, I was able to witness arcade technicians hooking up the external DVD drive as well as the DVD disc that SEGA sent to them a few months ago which was meant to upgrade the firmware from ver 1.2 to ver 1.5. It takes around 5-10 mins. for the installation as well as asking the Montavista Linux OS to do another system check before re-initialization.

Frankly, there is also a reverse of that. The best example is Arcana Heart arcade version........where you can only purchase system board + software. It's up to the owner as to what game cabinet to use..........as the game does not come in a package that already includes a game cabinet.

----
Anyhow. I hope that clears up a few things (though I suck at explaining so some things are still confusing). Nevertheless, do kindly feel free to ask more questions to the arcade experts here in this forum :)

That is all for now :)
 
Shifty Geezer said:
So an arcade would buy one of these machines with a game on it, and that's the only game the machine will play, and the hardware they buy will be spec'd to that game? If you buy a high-end machine, you can't then load up a low-end game, or even if you want to switch to another high-end game for the same hardware, you have to replace the whole thing at considerable cost?
Click to expand...

Yes, high profile arcade games used to work this way. Like I said before I am talking dedicated units here. Think Daytona, Tokyo Wars, etc. Not the stand up cabinet.

[
That just seems all kinds of whack! "I'm gonna buy a high-spec PC to play this game, and when the pundits are tired of it and want to play a different game, I'll chuck out the entire system." Unless these boxes are relatively cheap (in which case why does SEGA persist in them? Where's the money?) why buy an arcade? Surely it'd be cheaper to rig up your own custom PC setup, play for free, buy snacks and drinks at the bar... Or are these machines rented, so the console company can reuse hardware and the cost isn't that high?
Click to expand...

Well, arcade machine don't last forever under heavy used. When pundits are tired of the game, the machine are most likely need replacing.

BTW this is arcade we are talking about, they make money. Arcade machines are not intended for private used. I know at their peak, Big arcades can recover the cost of the expensive machines in a few days of business. It's was a lucrative business. That's why during the boom there were so many arcades popping up trying to cash in. It's still lucrative for big arcades, well at least in Japan.
 
V3 said:
I think Ridge Racer 7 3D may uses PS3 hardware too but I am not sure.
Click to expand...

So wait are you saying that Ridge Racer 7 is also at the arcades... and using PS3 hardware???!!!

I was always under the impression that RR7 was nothing more than a rushed first generation console game that was developed by treating the console as a PC software platform for ease of development not for taking advantage of what the hardware's CPU, GPU, storage medium, etc has to offer.

I will try to answer more if I can...
 
Regardless, RR7 is still one of the best 1080p showcases on PS3. I really wish the team would move on to RR8 on PS360, but it seems that Namco is quite selective in how it deploys the franchise: minimal gameplay innovation, but excellent graphics, and almost always released for the launch of a new system.
 
V3 said:
Yes there are arcade version of Ridge Racer 5 and Ridge Racer 7.
Click to expand...

I was not aware of Ridge Racer 7 having an arcade cabinet, its a no brainer for me to think that it would be running on PS3 hardware since I own a PS3 60GB and RR7.

I am sure that as a comparison RR5 was more of a tech demo than RR7 was, even taking into account the 1080p 60fps ability over an online network service... oh well, nevermind that is something after all...

grandmaster said:
Regardless, RR7 is still one of the best 1080p showcases on PS3. I really wish the team would move on to RR8 on PS360, but it seems that Namco is quite selective in how it deploys the franchise: minimal gameplay innovation, but excellent graphics, and almost always released for the launch of a new system.
Click to expand...

I would prefer that the Ridge Racer series stay as a focused effort on PS3 but if Namco is really after making cash then they should just go to Nintendo Wii.
 
Cool, finally some screens.

The first few pages of screens were kinda underwhelming though. I expected better. The last few pages look damn good!
 
RINGEDGE seems to be a monster.

Shining Force Cross.

21.jpg

22.jpg

23.jpg
 
Everything except the HUD looks hand-drawn, not rendered....
Click to expand...

I know, it's that freaking powerful that rendered graphics seem hand-drawn.

Amazing.

It puts PS3 based Valkyria Chronicles to shame.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
*facepalm*
You don't think if that guy was realtime rendered, they wouldn't have animated more than just his head between the first and second shots?
 
TEXAN* said:
I know, it's that freaking powerful that rendered graphics seem hand-drawn.
Click to expand...
It's scanned 2D art, you numpty! Ringedge isn't a 'monster'. It's specs are listed page one.

Edit : Note the art could be created on computer using natural-media style art software. Case being the quality of the images are equivalent to photographs as being pre-created and merely captured and displayed as a texture. You wouldn't call PS3's graphics photorealistic just because it's got a camera connected that shows a real-life scene, would you?!
 
While I absolutely love the art direction of that game, and wish more devs would push something like that towards PS3/X360...

It doesn't really speak much to the rendering capabilities of Ringedge as other's have noted. :p

Regards,
SB
 
TEXAN* said:
I know, it's that freaking powerful that rendered graphics seem hand-drawn.
Click to expand...
Well, it's certainly capable of generating belly laughs. Unfortunately, a harumph is the loudest appropriate noise for the Tech forum (because glee, as we all know, is silent =D), so let's keep the ballyhoo to a minimum, old boy, there's a good chap, what what.

I have no idea what those screens are supposed to be (mock-ups, with mock as the operative word?), but here are some actual Shining Force Cross screens and videos.
 
Those screens he game look like the typical slightly portrait who's expression changes for conversations during the story sequences. They did it on the ps2 as well. Though this time it looks like they might of added hand drawn backgrounds to the mix unless it's just a placeholder.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

H
Possible Dayton USA Remake on Ringwide Hardware
Replies
3
Views
2K
Nano
N
D
  • Locked
A quick XBOX 360 vs. PS3 Comparison
2
Replies
24
Views
8K
MrSingh
M
Back
Top