PAL Dreamcast

[Obiwanshinobi]

Already asked about it in the hardware sub-forum. Any reason to avoid PAL DCs? Any reliable online source of information whether games output 60 Hz?
For the time being I'm mostly interested in Crazy Taxi and SoulCalibur. Do they have a 60 Hz option?

P.S. So that's how the following NTSC games run on my PAL Dreamcast (SDTV output):

Ikaruga - 50 Hz
Border Down - 50 Hz
Psyvariar 2 - 50 Hz
Zero Gunner 2 - 60 Hz (thank goodness).

Having said that, on a VGA monitor everything's 60 Hz (even PAL games devoid of refresh rate selector).

[stryc9]

Avoid it if you can, dude.

I can confirm Mars Matrix, Street Fighter III NG a few others I had all run letterboxed when using the NTSC versions on a PAL console.

And I had the american SC on release, my mate got the PAL one and it isn't as smooth, I know that.

I think the whole 60 Hz options sort of came around the mid PS2 era.

[Marc]

Wasn't that late, I think nearly every PAL DC release bar the original release schedule had a 60hz option. CapCom ' s stuff definitely, because you were always able to test the picture for a few seconds before switching. Can't remember Crazy Taxi, but 99% certain Soul Calibur did.

[Obiwanshinobi]

The earliest PAL PS2 games outputting 60 Hz I know of came out in 2001: Jak & Daxter, Ico and Rez (released by Sony in Europe).
Reportedly some US DC games don't output RGB colour (I read Gunbird 2 ROM must be edited to enable RGB). Any such unpleasant surprises in PAL?

P.S. Ordered one bundled with SoulCalibur, Crazy Taxi, THPS2 and Virtua Tennis. At least one of these should keep me busy during Christmas time.

[HydrogLox]

Reportedly some US DC games don't output RGB colour (I read Gunbird 2 ROM must be edited to enable RGB).

http://web.archive.org/web/201008080035 ... e=Gunbird2

I knew that a DC game got to determine whether it outputs 480i or 240p via RGB but I didn't realize that it (similar to VGA) could (and would possibly chose to) "opt out" entirely.

[louisg]

Reportedly some US DC games don't output RGB colour (I read Gunbird 2 ROM must be edited to enable RGB).

http://web.archive.org/web/201008080035 ... e=Gunbird2

I knew that a DC game got to determine whether it outputs 480i or 240p via RGB but I didn't realize that it (similar to VGA) could (and would possibly chose to) "opt out" entirely.

You can force them with a boot disk, but almost all US DC games output VGA without any hacks or anything. GunBird 2 is a weird case and actually gets super slow and buggy when you force it to use VGA.

[HydrogLox]

You can force them with a boot disk, but almost all US DC games output VGA without any hacks or anything. GunBird 2 is a weird case and actually gets super slow and buggy when you force it to use VGA.

To VGA, yes. I've used the VGA switch trick to boot my Japanese Gunbird 2 before and was not impressed. But this is about 15kHz RGB which I assumed was always available alongside with composite video, with the details being handled entirely by the DC hardware. However as RGB Mode is distinct from Standard Mode it seems that games can even exclude RGB mode, not just VGA mode. I would assume that means that you can't play an unpatched US copy of Gunbird 2 with a Kuro/Hanzo as that only switches between RGB and VGA mode (it doesn't support Standard mode). A boot disk might bypass the check but you trying to get RGB mode, not VGA mode - however the AV mode select on the DC AV cable should take care of that.

[Obiwanshinobi]

The 60 Hz guides I found for PS2 and 'Cube games were neither complete nor 100% accurate, but at least some exist. I don't seem to have such a luck with Dreamcast library. Therefore I ask whether or not the following PAL titles have got 60 Hz option: Metropolis Street Racer, Trickstyle, Jet Set Radio, Power Stone 2 (1 supposedly hasn't; last time Capcom disappointed me on this front was when I purchased Bombastic - it's full screen, but not full speed), Toy Racer, Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense, Crazy Taxi 2, San Francisco Rush 2049, Hydro Thunder, ChuChu Rocket!, Tokyo Highway Challenge, Vanishing Point, Cannon Spike. Anyone?
If you happen to know for sure of just about any PAL DC game whether it has 60 Hz option, and/or - in case it hasn't - whether 50 Hz is fully optimised, feel free to share the information here.

[Ed Oscuro]

SF Rush 2049 reportedly are best played under Midway Arcade Treasures 3 on the Xbox - however the ads have been replaced with the Midway logo, which takes away a small part of the game's atmosphere IMO.

I know that doesn't answer your question but it might be helpful to consider as an alternate choice.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Word is around some versions of Midway Arcade Treasures 3 have glitchy saving system. Turned my eyes upon the PC version (if the port is at least as good as the original Hydro Thunder on PC, I could live with buggy Mortal Kombat).
I possibly should play TrickStyle on PC rather than DC, but - having a soft spot for RenderWare - I find the fact that certain epoque of middleware originated on Dreamcast fascinating.
The question just how "next gen" Dreamcast was in the cold light of 2001, methinks, would be ultimately answered by Burnout 2 and BG: Dark Alliance ports. That didn't happen, so we'll never know.

P.S. How could I forget that the REAL question is whether Star Wars Episode I: Racer outputs 60 Hz? Now this is one game even my vintage PC might be too new to run.

[Ed Oscuro]

What I've read is that the GameCube version of MAT 3 has a good framerate for 2049 - just not in multiplayer. Xbox should have no problems. I forget if I read anything about the save system.

Of course the Dreamcast version is interesting in that there's a special mix of some 2049 music (I think it is) for an internet browser within the game - that's obviously not easily accessible (or even in) other versions.

I understand what you mean about the fascination - DC never quite clicked with me, but I've got that same feeling for the original Xbox (of course it also has some games I really care about).

[Obiwanshinobi]

Oh, I want a (modded) Xbox too. Mostly to find out what Sega and Capcom did there, but the homebrew is tempting as well.
Another afterthought - Record of Lodoss War: Advent of Cardice - does it have 60 Hz option?