NG:Dev Team - Latest MVS Status Updates?

[Loefye]

+1

If I'm given he option, I will pick plastic every time. I like that the wood opens easier and you don't have to worry about messing up the label but there's just something not right about sticking wood in my slots.

I changed all my orders to plastic just now. I also asked them when they run out of plastic shells if they will be permanently changing to wood. They said yes unless they can find a new plastic shell maker. I wonder what happened to their old one? Also, who is JMKurtz using for his release, are those official shells being recycled? I hope we can find someone for NGDev, because as much as I love AI and Cristoph is an exceptional guy, I really don't dig the shells. Even if I did, they would only look decent in a handful of people's setups...

 

[pixeljunkie]

DEFINITELY plastic > wood

 

[LegoSlug]

Well, if anyone pre ordered Gunlord, I have the plastic shell version and wouldn't mind trading for a wood shell.

 

[Missile]

I wish NGDevteam would stop with all the shooting games (wooden or plastic) and just make a Super-scalar racing game. The road effect in Riding Hero is still an embarrassment to the Neo geo 20 years on. SNK makes a machine with 380(?) sprites and sprite zooming and they don't even bother to make an Outrun clone. The best they can come up with is Riding Hero. Criminal.

 

[Kid Panda]

I wish NGDevteam would stop with all the shooting games (wooden or plastic) and just make a Super-scalar racing game. The road effect in Riding Hero is still an embarrassment to the Neo geo 20 years on. SNK makes a machine with 380(?) sprites and sprite zooming and they don't even bother to make an Outrun clone. The best they can come up with is Riding Hero. Criminal.

Racing games are no fun with a joystick. Lets be real, how many racing games have you played in the arcade that didn't have wheels and that weren't Neo games?

 

[Jerebko85]

riding hero style game?? I prefer neo drift out style game, its very fun game

 

[Missile]

Racing games are no fun with a joystick. Lets be real, how many racing games have you played in the arcade that didn't have wheels and that weren't Neo games?

That's a fair point. Why did they not release a steering wheel at the time? Irritating maze had trackball, that must be analogue? I would say though Outrun, Space Harrier + Powerdrift arent exactly unplayable if you use digital control on the Saturn.

@jerebko Yes Drift Out is very good but Outrun is an all time classic. Besides the more game-styles the better.

 

[SNKorSWM]

Wasn't there supposed to be a restock yesterday?

 

[6tusBeckmesser]

They said around March 17th. Give them time. They have become rather good at meeting their targets. It's done when it's done.

 

[xsq]

That's a fair point. Why did they not release a steering wheel at the time?

They were preparing to. Nightmare Tony worked on/designed it, but it never got released.

 

[RabbitTroop]

The wood carts are actually very nice. I'm still not sure why most people are up in arms against them. They look and feel pretty good in the hand, and they're definitely convenient when it comes to upgrades, being a cinch to open without putting any strain on the label. I like them.

I have a Fast Striker in the older blue shell and XYX in black wood and the XYX cart definitely feels like the collector's special edition. I think it's pretty cool they're going to wood for all of their releases. Maybe when some more people get their hands on them, they'll appreciate them more too. They definitely look better in person than they do in pictures.

 

[LegoSlug]

I got a preparing/processing notification for the fast striker reprint.

 

[HeavyMachineGoob]

That's a fair point. Why did they not release a steering wheel at the time? Irritating maze had trackball, that must be analogue? I would say though Outrun, Space Harrier + Powerdrift arent exactly unplayable if you use digital control on the Saturn.

@jerebko Yes Drift Out is very good but Outrun is an all time classic. Besides the more game-styles the better.

How about a Super Scaler 4-in-1, with clones of Outrun, Super Hang On, Space Harrier and Power Drift? (or include After Burner and take out one of the racing games)

It has to include Super Hang On so Riding Hero is finally put to rest.

 

[Missile]

Just to be on track for a moment, I really like the wooden carts as well. I'd get one if I didn't already have the games.

They were preparing to. Nightmare Tony worked on/designed it, but it never got released.

Thanks for the info and excellent work Nightmare Tony. Thrash Rally was never a game that was going to get much excitement going though.

NGDevteam release a steering wheel and a super scalar game, or even just a steering wheel adaptor that allows the use of a decent PC wheel. If there's one community you can guarantee will buy it - it's the Neo geo one. Even more so if you slap a limited edition serial number on it....

How about a Super Scaler 4-in-1, with clones of Outrun, Super Hang On, Space Harrier and Power Drift? (or include After Burner and take out one of the racing games)

It has to include Super Hang On so Riding Hero is finally put to rest.

I'd take that! but I'd actually settle for just one of those game. I'd really like to see Neo Geo's own super scalar games though. Riding Hero worries a bit tbh, just why the road effect was so bad, given that SNK designed the hardware. I really need to see an awesome road routine running on Neo Geo to feel better.

 

[distropia]

NGDevteam release a steering wheel and a super scalar game, or even just a steering wheel adaptor that allows the use of a decent PC wheel. If there's one community you can guarantee will buy it - it's the Neo geo one. Even more so if you slap a limited edition serial number on it....

I'd take that! but I'd actually settle for just one of those game. I'd really like to see Neo Geo's own super scalar games though. Riding Hero worries a bit tbh, just why the road effect was so bad, given that SNK designed the hardware. I really need to see an awesome road routine running on Neo Geo to feel better.

Man, long time ago I wrote here the same idea you're saying now. The only response from NGDev was: "neogeo lacks mode7". Who the hell needs mode7 on a system with gigabit capacity? They can pre-render the sprites already rotated. That if we're talking about Powerdrift style, for an Outrun style no rotation is needed at all.

NGDev also said "neogeo is reaching its limits". Bullshit. The Sinclair Spectrum (timex on the USA) I grew with, reached its limits. That 8bit, 3mhz cpu and NO GPU AT ALL have an Outrun, Enduro Racer and more (no wheel and all of us were happy with that idea). That is called OPTIMIZATION. Programmers exploited that machine with tricks and deep assembler knowledge. And a lot of people still enjoy racing games on it. Man, that cpu i'm talking about is just the sound cpu on the neo!

Come on, NGDev, that is a pathetic situation: the neo have all the scalar in hardware and we only have micromachine-style racers!!!

Missile, I'm with you

 

[vincewy]

Just to be on track for a moment, I really like the wooden carts as well. I'd get one if I didn't already have the games.

Timm is also talking about offering wooden cart upgrades in the future, the question would be if we'll have to send in the original plastic shells to verify the serial numbers as getting just the shells with new serial number stickers opens up future piracy.

 

[HeavyMachineGoob]

I'd take that! but I'd actually settle for just one of those game. I'd really like to see Neo Geo's own super scalar games though. Riding Hero worries a bit tbh, just why the road effect was so bad, given that SNK designed the hardware. I really need to see an awesome road routine running on Neo Geo to feel better.

Judging by later releases, the Neo Geo could probably do a super scaler game just as fast as the arcade version of Super Hang On. Man that game is a rush.

And as distropia said, yes absolutely you can fake rotation and scaling with more sprites. the Lookup ROM makes it easy to shrink sprites. You could just store really, really big sprites if need be and have them scaled down. Neo Geo is built for animation. If it cannot do real "super scaler" graphics, it can certainly fake it with sheer ROM space.

 

[Xian Xi]

I can picture an NGDEV racer ala FZero style-duru.

 

[SNKorSWM]

All of NG: DEV releases has been strictly single player games. Maybe there's some logical reason why they won't make multiplayer games (even vs. fighters) on the neo?

 

[neoman]

Football game update for me and in multiplayer..

 

[Jonmkl]

Got an email stating that my reprint Gunlord status has been updated to Processing/Preparing yesterday. With NGdev I usually get that notice a day or two before the shipping notice, though it could be longer this time if they're having difficulties.

 

[Missile]

Man, long time ago I wrote here the same idea you're saying now. The only response from NGDev was: "neogeo lacks mode7". Who the hell needs mode7 on a system with gigabit capacity?

NGDev also said "neogeo is reaching its limits". Bullshit. The Sinclair Spectrum (timex on the USA) I grew with, reached its limits. That 8bit, 3mhz cpu and NO GPU AT ALL have an Outrun, Enduro Racer and more (no wheel and all of us were happy with that idea).

Missile, I'm with you

Good to hear! I definitely think a quality super-scalar style game would get everyone excited.

I agree and I don't think the Neo has been maxed at all. There's always inventive solutions to every problem. As for the Spectrum/Timex, Chase HQ was also very good considering the hardware. There is even an unofficial version of Doom available for it! You could do a lo-res, lo-detail, lo-color version of Doom on Neo Geo if you split each fix square into 4 and prestore 'pixels'. (ZX Monster Maze style) That's not the best solution at all since it wouldn't look very good - but there's ways round every obstacle if you are inventive. Someone more knowledgeable than me could come up with something a lot more workable. Like you say prestoring images would be the way to go on the Neo Geo for pseudo 3D/super-scalar games in general.

I'm fairly sure NGDevTeam have an Amiga background, which should mean they are used to working witth a lot less than the Neo Geo. So I think they probably just don't want to make that kind of game. They might also have no experience in that area. Their expertise rests in schmups so it makes sense to them to stick to something they can do well. I'd like to see them try other genres though at some point.

Timm is also talking about offering wooden cart upgrades in the future, the question would be if we'll have to send in the original plastic shells to verify the serial numbers as getting just the shells with new serial number stickers opens up future piracy.

Thanks Vince, I'll keep my eye out, not sure if I will replace my originals but if one of their future releases catches my eye I may well go with a wooden cart.

All of NG: DEV releases has been strictly single player games. Maybe there's some logical reason why they won't make multiplayer games (even vs. fighters) on the neo?

Again I think they just want to make certain genres. You can't make a good fighter if your heart isn't in it. Graphics, art, character design, and AI for a fighting game require particular skills and it would be tough to make a good one. One of NGDevTeam is a huge Cave fan isn't he? so I guess schmups are order of the day for now. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Commando/Shock Troopers style game next. Something along those lines.

 

[SNKorSWM]

Well, I certainly hope they rethink about that single-player-only stance when they make the Ikari Warriors type game.

 

[xsq]

I agree and I don't think the Neo has been maxed at all.

I think it has been in the fighters department by SNK and maybe concerning shmups (especially some of the NG: Dev-Stuff looks pretty hardware demanding to me). All other genres: sure, there's lots of space.

 

[6tusBeckmesser]

My Gunlord reprint has just arrived. A bare cart, but the ash wood case does feel awesome. A bit like a sturdier version of the black plastic shells.

Thanks for the free upgrade NGDev!