I guess someone somewhere designed a framework for easy porting/emulation of Neo Geo games on the Dreamcast, as it seems to be the preferred platform for aftermarket NG ports? You got the whole NG DevTeam stuff, as well as the more recent ports of games like Breakers, Ganryu, and Bang Bang Busters.
I'm going to assume the Switch/PS4/Windows/XBone/Etc. version is based on some easily portable framework like Game Maker, Unity, MonoGame or such, that wouldn't translate well to Dreamcast.
Xeno Crisis [MD/NG/PS4/Switch/PC]
Re: Xeno Crisis [MD/NG/PS4/Switch/PC]
For anyone curious, here are the differences that I noticed playing the Neo Geo version. This is compared to the MegaDrive version, which is almost identical. As discussed, pretty much anything that was changed in the modern platform ports is missing.
Structual changes:
Arcade like structure allows popping in credits, and second player joining in any time.
Similarly there's now a very welcome attract mode which plays both the intro and demos, and there's a small "how to play" scene before the game start.
Score is displayed on screen at all time, and stored on a high score list (saved to the motherboard).
Elixirs (credits) can't be bought in-game, since continuing relies on coin credits. Game over screen is displayed with a countdown on the gameplay screen, rather than being its own separate screen.
Timer for limiting time spent on character select and in the store, though amusingly you are still able to just hang around in a room for as long as you want after clearing it.
Boss rush and Infinite modes are still accessible via cheat codes, but cheat menus aren't. Some cheats can be activated in soft dip though.
Gameplay changes:
New enemy type, green shield guy on the final stage. Similar to the red shield guys, but tosses grenades instead of shooting at you.
No twin-stick style controls.
Manual melee button (D). I played on a big red MVS cab, so the button layout makes it pretty much useless, but the lack of cooldown between melee attacks makes it very different from relying on the auto melee which is still there.
Cosmetic changes:
A few graphical touch ups here and there, but barely anything noticeable. Dithered shading and shadows from the MegaDrive still look the same here. But there are a couple new details like blood on the walls in stage 1.
New hostage type, a scientist guy. Still has no effect at all.
New hostage names. Some names are still here, but probably because the same people backed the Neo Geo release. See if you can find me.
Much more voice lines, including voiceover in every cutscene, a unique Barry Burton style line for each boss intro, and calling out weapon names. I'm assuming these are identical to the modern platform releases.
Cthulhu boss's lightning attack no longer has a graphical tell, which I'm assuming was unintended. This is borderline a gameplay change, but since his pattern is very predictable it's really not an issue.
Stereo balance is very poorly handled. Maybe it sounded fine on Bitmap Bureau's test setup, but on an original US MVS cabinet, you can barely hear the music. It's there, but it sounded like it was coming from another cabinet far to the left of where I was standing. This is a pretty big issue if you have a stereo cab, as the game's soundtrack kicks serious ass.
"Sold out" items in the store now get greyed out.
Structual changes:
Arcade like structure allows popping in credits, and second player joining in any time.
Similarly there's now a very welcome attract mode which plays both the intro and demos, and there's a small "how to play" scene before the game start.
Score is displayed on screen at all time, and stored on a high score list (saved to the motherboard).
Elixirs (credits) can't be bought in-game, since continuing relies on coin credits. Game over screen is displayed with a countdown on the gameplay screen, rather than being its own separate screen.
Timer for limiting time spent on character select and in the store, though amusingly you are still able to just hang around in a room for as long as you want after clearing it.
Boss rush and Infinite modes are still accessible via cheat codes, but cheat menus aren't. Some cheats can be activated in soft dip though.
Gameplay changes:
New enemy type, green shield guy on the final stage. Similar to the red shield guys, but tosses grenades instead of shooting at you.
No twin-stick style controls.
Manual melee button (D). I played on a big red MVS cab, so the button layout makes it pretty much useless, but the lack of cooldown between melee attacks makes it very different from relying on the auto melee which is still there.
Cosmetic changes:
A few graphical touch ups here and there, but barely anything noticeable. Dithered shading and shadows from the MegaDrive still look the same here. But there are a couple new details like blood on the walls in stage 1.
New hostage type, a scientist guy. Still has no effect at all.
New hostage names. Some names are still here, but probably because the same people backed the Neo Geo release. See if you can find me.
Much more voice lines, including voiceover in every cutscene, a unique Barry Burton style line for each boss intro, and calling out weapon names. I'm assuming these are identical to the modern platform releases.
Cthulhu boss's lightning attack no longer has a graphical tell, which I'm assuming was unintended. This is borderline a gameplay change, but since his pattern is very predictable it's really not an issue.
Stereo balance is very poorly handled. Maybe it sounded fine on Bitmap Bureau's test setup, but on an original US MVS cabinet, you can barely hear the music. It's there, but it sounded like it was coming from another cabinet far to the left of where I was standing. This is a pretty big issue if you have a stereo cab, as the game's soundtrack kicks serious ass.
"Sold out" items in the store now get greyed out.
Last edited by Sumez on Tue Nov 09, 2021 1:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Xeno Crisis [MD/NG/PS4/Switch/PC]
I'm presuming the Evercade version is the MD under emulation? Git this lined up for when my VS lands.
XBL & Switch: mjparker77 / PSN: BellyFullOfHell
Re: Xeno Crisis [MD/NG/PS4/Switch/PC]
DC version isn't 1:1 with NeoGeo. It has a few of the changes like voiced cutscenes (which AFAIK isn't in the PC and Switch ports) and the Einstein guys, but lacks the bloody walls and the arcade like additions.
Re: Xeno Crisis [MD/NG/PS4/Switch/PC]
Does this mean no control w/two joysticks, or there's no option for directional firing using the ABCD buttons at all? Bummer if the latter. I understand it's not really feasible with standard Neo sticks, but I was thinking about buying the ROM for use on the MiSTer and was hoping this would be an option using the select and start buttons for grenade/roll. I don't really consider the game all that playable using the 3-button Megadrive scheme.No twin-stick style controls.
We here shall not rest until we have made a drawing-room of your shaft, and if you do not all finally go down to your doom in patent-leather shoes, then you shall not go at all.
Re: Xeno Crisis [MD/NG/PS4/Switch/PC]
I got around to playing the DC version with the VOOT Twin Sticks. Game is a blast with them. Do the NeoGeo CD or AES versions have twin stick style controls with the NeoGeo CD pad?
Re: Xeno Crisis [MD/NG/PS4/Switch/PC]
Both.it290 wrote:Does this mean no control w/two joysticks, or there's no option for directional firing using the ABCD buttons at all?No twin-stick style controls.
It's weird, at this point I haven't played the game at all using twin stick style controls, but I can consistently 1CC the game using the 3-button scheme, so I'm not even considering trying the alternate input method anymore. It actually works really well with 3 buttons once you get used to it. But it does take a while to get used to.