Dreamcast (Finally) Goes Broadband

Thornburg writes: "The Dreamcast Broadband adapter is finally available for sale directly from Sega's online store. I got the story from Console Wire, here." So the next time you hear someone complain about how the Internet isn't how it used to be and Why Back In The Day Sonny We Didn't Have "Keyboards," you can tell him how you "use your existing Ethernet network, DSL or Cable modem services for smooth, low-ping gameplay."

Comments

Not as good as it sounds

[DoorFrame]

According to both the official site and this ConsoleWire.com site, games need to explicity acknowledge broadband access as opposed to a standard modem so not all games will work.

What were they thinking with this? They've been developing this adapter for long enough (how long has it been since they announced it was in development?) that they should have created all their games with the future in mind. What's the point of creating great games with internet access, if you intentionally leave out any sort of high speed upgradeability.

There's no excuse for not planning for the future, and this is what Sega has done. If this system flops before the XBox and the PS2 and the GameCube, then good. They were slow and they didn't look forward far enough... killer flaws in the video game world.

Re:Not as good as it sounds

[slim]

There's no excuse for not planning for the future, and this is what Sega has done. If this system flops before the XBox and the PS2 and the GameCube, then good. They were slow and they didn't look forward far enough... killer flaws in the video game world.

First company to produce a modem for a console (with the Saturn NetLink); first console with online functions as standard (Dreamcast with its built-in modem); first console with broadband -- and you're saying Sega are slow? I guess you're going to argue next that PS2 was quick to market (coming a year later than Dreamcast, with online functioned vaguely promised for some time in the coming year), or that XBox and GameCube show better timeliness (XBox's launch date is bound to slip again, while GameCube doesn't even *have* a launch date AFAIK).
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great!!

[Skeptopotamus]

Now Dreamcast owners can experience, first hand, the joy of being told they '4r3 4ll p1ng, n0 skiLlz!!! FuX0ring LPB!@# Eye 0Wn j00 on L4N!!!"

Misinformation

[drdink]

This story is great and all, but it is a bit misinforming. First off, the title should be Sega of America Ships Broadband. The Broadband adapter has been available for months in Japan. Secondly, before you slap a quick title on like that, you need to consider that development is done in Japan, and just because something isn't out in the States yet does not mean it isn't for sale anywhere.

All that aside, go get your NIC here, grab yourself a copy of Quake III: Arena and POD Speedzone. You'll be on your way to blowing up some ass and speeding down the tracks at broadband speeds. Now that is how network play on consoles was supposed to be.

Re:Which games support it?

[iCEBaLM]

What would be really cool is if the DC Quake3 could play on standard Q3 servers along side its computer cousins.

-- iCEBaLM

What's Broaband?

[Greg@RageNet]

Haven't seen the ebonics-over-IP RFC yet, is that part of the IP-V6 spec?

-- Greg

Re:Hum...

[Fervent]

Carmack said they actually rewrote a custom stack for Quake III Arena for Dreamcast. Apparently the one that shipped with the machine wasn't up to his standards.

Re:Fuck Linux or NetBSD

[crt]

It doesn't work with NFL2k1, or several other multiplayer games (but Q3 works). Support has to be built in by the developer.

Direct link:

[GeorgeH]

http://www.sega.com/pc/segastore/SegaProduct.jhtml ?PRODID=447&CATID=39

Too bad games need to explicitly support it, so I can't download new tags for Jet Grind Radio without swapping out the NIC for a modem
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NetBSD

[brunes69]

Forget the fact that this is awesome for console gamers for the moment, consider the news about a week ago that someone has released a Dreamcast NetBSD ISO. With Broadband, a whole new bunch of possibilities open up (remote boot, remote X Terms) that would make the dreamcast an EXTRMEELY small, powerful, and usefull device, once the correct modules and drivers have been hacked for it.

What about NAT?

[Fizgig]

I don't have any video game systems, but as soon as I have some free time I'll be all over them :)

My question is how well all of these broadband adapters (I guess this is the first) will deal with NAT (IP Masquerade in Linux). It's becoming increasingly popular, with all those hub-router broadband boxes that people are buying. But games tend to use UDP, which has problems with NAT, being connectionless and all. I can't imagine anyone wanting to unplug their computer from the broadband connection and plug their Dreamcast in instead very often, so NAT seems like the best option. Will it all be painful or smooth? Or will it all be on a game-by-game basis?

Re:What about NAT?

[Fjord]

My NAT router (linksys) allows me to forward ports to chosen IPs in the private network. I have port 80 point to my linux box, for example. I would imagine that these games have standard ports they will use for communication, so you can set up port X to point at your dreamcast. If they are reasonably unused ports, you can just keep the setting that way since you probably only have one dreamcast.

Hum...

[JFMulder]

I wonder is we could launch a DoS attack on a DreamCast and bring it down to it's knee's. :-)

Re:Which games support it?

[Boone^]

Nope, sorry... Only new games will support it. Games will be labeled "BB Ready" or something. From this link: http://www.consolewire.com/news/item.asp?nid=538

Q. Will NBA and NFL, Quake III and other games that are already out support broadband adaptor? What are the games that will support it?

A. At this time, the "Dreamcast Broadband Adapter" supports "Quake III(TM) Arena," "Pod(TM) 2," and "Unreal Tournament(TM)." More great games shipping in 2001 will support the "Dreamcast Broadband Adapter." All games supporting the BB Adapter will be labeled as such at retail.

I guess we wait until NFL 2k2. :(