Resident Evil: Behind the Mask [+Hazardous Battle]

[J0shuaKane]

Nope, it's definitively 29.7 and this is why it looks smoother with a VGA cable. For the last time: it's just the PC build with two exact changes, even the assets are just copies. CAPCOM didn't bother to make real RE ports back in the day, maybe with the exception of 1 for Saturn and 2 for N64.

so re2 is the only dreamcast game that retains the same fps in vga mode? (except shit like hydro thunder which is a mess and doesnt work right)
and when i uncompress the adt encoded rdt files and the tim files for the fire and explosions are looking totally different, they are the same?

even when re2 is ran on a dc emulator in vga mode you get 60fps. its not an illusion. every dreamcast enthusiast knows this.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=459783

Originally Posted by RedSwirl

ANYWAY, does anyone here think it's actually worth $20+ to track the DC version down when the Dual Shock version is on PSN for $6?

Honestly? No. Unless your deadset to get the 60FPS


or check this comparison chart... https://i.imgur.com/AK2W559.jpg

[_Raziel_]

That's one of my favorite articles, heh - I've had it bookmarked for years.

...if only all developers were so forthcoming with their development processes. *stares at Capcom JP*

A similar article to the "gameasutra" page
http://vr-zone.com/articles/one-gami...nts/77665.html

[MeganGrass]

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/featur...l_studios_.php

That's one of my favorite articles, heh - I've had it bookmarked for years.

...if only all developers were so forthcoming with their development processes. *stares at Capcom JP*

[Rombie]

Gemini - Yeah, I suspect you're right. I also suspect, and maybe News Bot can confirm who, the development of RE2 on DC was probably outsourced to another company and/or assisted by Sega - which also would explain using the WindowsCE base and making it mostly a quick and dirty PC port. I mean I figure maybe it was done in less than six or so months. They announced it near the TGS in late 1999 and it was out before the end of the year with the CV demo, and I can't imagine it had much more lead time than that.

IIRC, Bio2 for the N64 was completely outsourced.

Indeed. As I mentioned above, it was developed by Angel Studios - now Rockstar San Diego, who also made Smugglers Run, Midnight Club, Red Dead Revolver, and Red Dead Redemption. RD Revolver was originally supposed to be published by Capcom due to their good working relationship from the N64 version of RE2, but when development took too long Capcom dropped the publishing of game and Rockstar picked it up. After the success of the Smugglers Run and Midnight Club series, Rockstar then brought the studio outright in 2003.

Here is a good article from 2000 which was a postmortem on RE264's development in a lot of detail from people involved at Angel. Quite an interesting read:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131556/postmortem_angel_studios_.php

[MeganGrass]

Nope, it's definitively 29.7 and this is why it looks smoother with a VGA cable. For the last time: it's just the PC build with two exact changes, even the assets are just copies. CAPCOM didn't bother to make real RE ports back in the day, maybe with the exception of 1 for Saturn and 2 for N64.

@Rombie: the differences in development processes for RE2 and 3 would kind of explain why 2 uses Windows CE and 3 the regular Sega ROM, plus all the differences with the Sourcenext builds.

IIRC, Bio2 for the N64 was completely outsourced.

[Gemini]

its 60fps with a vga cable.

Nope, it's definitively 29.7 and this is why it looks smoother with a VGA cable. For the last time: it's just the PC build with two exact changes, even the assets are just copies. CAPCOM didn't bother to make real RE ports back in the day, maybe with the exception of 1 for Saturn and 2 for N64.

@Rombie: the differences in development processes for RE2 and 3 would kind of explain why 2 uses Windows CE and 3 the regular Sega ROM, plus all the differences with the Sourcenext builds.

[J0shuaKane]

The DC port doesn't run at 60 fps, it's 29.7 for all 3D sections and 60 for menus (i.e. like the other versions). As for effects, I haven't noticed anything updated other than lights as all the other data seems to be a 1:1 copy of the PC packages. The port is so lazy they didn't even bother to use the Z-Buffer to draw 2D elements and most 3D drawing is pretty much emulating the PSX GTE like on PC.

its 60fps with a vga cable.

fire and explosion tim files are different for alot of rooms, looking bigger and better.

[Rombie]

It's because the DC port of 2, while indeed based on the PC, was also based on poorly kept archives (which explains the quality of materials and port itself) while still having some original elements because it was at least developed somewhat for the platform. It's also probably because it was a quick turn around to get the game out in Japan before the end of 1999 to hype up CV (because the Value Plus version had the demo of course) so the short timeframe probably didn't allow great planning to get it better than working on the console.

RE3 on the other hand isn't a port of the PC at all, rather it was developed alongside the PC version at the same time and share most of the same assets and all the same extra features... and time was taken to get both of them reasonably right. Thankfully also obviously the archives were better maintained from the original PlayStation development when used to create both versions probably because people had the foresight to see that ports would happen sooner rather than later.

The N64 thing is easily explained by the required development by the team at Angel Studios at the time to make the damn game work on that platform as you mention... it is still by far one of the most amazing ports ever to be made, especially given the amount of audio and video required to fit. The fact they got it released at all still stuns me to this day.

[Gemini]

Smoothness should depend on the actual screen refresh rate, which does look indeed different on Dreamcast, yet it's still skipping one frame like every other version. They wouldn't dare and mess up synchrony I guess, just like they couldn't care to achieve a real 480p resolution with the backgrounds following along the upscale. What I find funny about all these poor ports is that the N64 build, while it's the most atrocious of all, actually did go all the way to change more than a few internals of the engine, most importantly by taking some advantage of the different hardware.

[Rick Hunter]

Are you sure about that? I always felt it was much smoother than its PSX counterpart.

[Gemini]

The DC port doesn't run at 60 fps, it's 29.7 for all 3D sections and 60 for menus (i.e. like the other versions). As for effects, I haven't noticed anything updated other than lights as all the other data seems to be a 1:1 copy of the PC packages. The port is so lazy they didn't even bother to use the Z-Buffer to draw 2D elements and most 3D drawing is pretty much emulating the PSX GTE like on PC.

[J0shuaKane]

just to clarify, the dreamcast version of re2 is very different, even using updated effects for the rooms.

however, more importantly, it is the only way to play it 480p@60fps. something people gloss over but, when you see it you never wanna go back.

do you plan on your release to support 60fps? not on ps1 obviously...

[Gemini]

PS1 emulators don't work too well with my computer, or, at the very least, I can't seem to make heads or tails of it. And burning the PS1 ISO on a disc is all fine and good, but you'd also need a modified system to play it, and I'm only technologically sound up to a point. Not to mention that there could well be other people in the same boat as myself regarding those points.

There are literally a million alternatives to a modded gray PlayStation, these being the swap trick and several different emulators for most platforms, even on smartphone.

Back to the Dreamcast port, a VMU HUD doesn't seem like an appeal factor to me (the battle mode will have it on screen), and RE2 and 3 are nothing more than simple ports of the PC counterparts with two exact extra options which are more or less a standard for said console. Also, the DC wouldn't add a thing to the mix, other than making the process tediously longer just for a few more users to enjoy the same game with bilinear filters on textures. On top of that, the only way to play it would be through hardware or a PC emulator. Is this all worth the effort? Certainly not, especially when I can achieve the same stuff with better portability and visuals (plus a true wide screen) on PSP or straightaway on PC.

[Getta robo]

While a huge fan of Dreamcast, I can't say that I favor any thoughts upon porting behind the mask to DC. It's a PS1 flavored game, porting won't solve nor improve really anything except having another porter game to it's library.
However, I had this idea regarding how RE:CV / RE 2/3 were handled by the VMU. While PS1 doesn't have an exact same hardware, perhaps you guys could somehow include a similar function for all those owning a PocketStation. If I'm not mistaken it should be feasible to program the game utilize PocketStation and have your health and ammunition for example appear on it's screen for example.
Think about it!

[skyrunner14]

SheyGrell made a lot of points about the DC versions of Resident Evil that basically sum up why I/other people would like a DC port, but there is another reason. PS1 emulators don't work too well with my computer, or, at the very least, I can't seem to make heads or tails of it. And burning the PS1 ISO on a disc is all fine and good, but you'd also need a modified system to play it, and I'm only technologically sound up to a point. Not to mention that there could well be other people in the same boat as myself regarding those points.

With the Dreamcast, though, I know for a fact I can burn an ISO onto a CD-R and play it immediately. Heck, the addition of that VMU ECG thing would just be icing on the cake, but I wouldn't be torn up if you ported it and it was just the vanilla game without any exclusive features. I also agree it's best to focus on this initial version before worrying about ports, but... at the very least, I hope you keep a DC port in consideration for the future.