Gaming Forums => General Gaming => Topic started by: Gamebasher on May 25, 2005, 08:17:07 AM
Title: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Gamebasher on May 25, 2005, 08:17:07 AM
Gamesindustry.biz is reporting that SEGA-Sammy´s´s profits for the fiscal year in the videogamedivision dropped by 79.8%!!
Whoa! That is one heck of a blow! And here I thought that SEGA was doing much better after the merger with Sammy! The newsarticle also states that the only thing which kept them both out of an overall dissapointing annual turnover was the sales of the kind of pinball machines known as Pachinko machines in Japan.
But does this signify that SEGA has lost it gaming wise? Or is it only a temporary situation? Losing their inspiration perhaps?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: jasonditz on May 25, 2005, 08:29:34 AM
Sega's lost a lot of its autonomy snce the "merger", which was in reality an acquisition by Sammy. Since then, they've become much less willing (or able) to take risks in their games. Look at their E3 lineup for the past couple of years: its totally devoid of the once expected Sega flair. High concept titles and original play experiences are being eschewed in favor of safe, boring sequels that sell well at first, but alienate once loyal fans who expect more out of them.
This is not the Sega of Caution: Seaman! or Shenmue or NiGHTS Into Dreams, or even the Sega of Space Harrier and Golden Axe. This is the Sega of "Sonic Mega Collection 2" and "Phantasy Star Online: Umpteenth edition"
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: ThePerm on May 25, 2005, 08:54:32 AM
i know its very sad..sega was one of my favorite companies..now its as good as dead
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: vudu on May 25, 2005, 08:55:00 AM
What did Sega release last year? I can't think of a single title worth purchasing.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: jasonditz on May 25, 2005, 09:01:31 AM
Sonic Heroes and PSO3 were the "big name" releases. Those two and Sonic Mega Collection Plus were all that Sonic Team did all year.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Ian Sane on May 25, 2005, 10:32:04 AM
"But does this signify that SEGA has lost it gaming wise?"
No it's just that Sammy never had it. Sega doesn't exist anymore. It's just a name like "Atari". Sega caught cancer when the Dreamcast was discontinued and died when Sammy bought them.
It serves Sammy right for sh!t like Virtua Quest.
Though oddly enough Sammy wanted Sega to get away from games and focus more on arcade stuff like Pachinko. Brilliant estimation or self-fulfilling prophecy?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: jasonditz on May 25, 2005, 11:06:26 AM
Sammy just makes a lot more off pachinko than Sega does off of video games. The reason they bought Sega in the first place was so they could use recognizable Sega properties like Sonic the Hedgehog on Pachinko machines. All they're really trying to do with the game division is keep the brands meaningful, and at the rate they're going I've got serious doubts they'll even be able to do that right.
There might be a market for a Shining Force III based Pachinko machine today, but if we go another decade with nothing but mediocre shining force titles, will people really care anymore?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: jasonditz on May 25, 2005, 11:08:04 AM
And "Atari Corporation" could've saved it self a lot of money on new stationary if they could just explain to me what the hell a "grame" is.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: couchmonkey on May 25, 2005, 11:36:25 AM
Yikes! I'm not surprised, but it's sad. Sega did have Amazing Island and Feel the Magic last year too. Still not exactly a stellar lineup. I'd love to see Sega come back, but there's absolutely nothing in this year's lineup that looks like it will make that happen.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Sir_Stabbalot on May 25, 2005, 12:42:49 PM
...If Sammy kills off the game division of Sega, any chance Nintendo could pick up Sonic Team?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Don'tHate742 on May 25, 2005, 12:57:58 PM
I would love it if Nintendo and Sega could team up.
It seems like Sega needs more freedom and inspiration to redeem themselves. Nintendo could be their answer. If bought, they could become like Retro.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: jasonditz on May 25, 2005, 01:02:17 PM
probably not in name, but I wouldn't be surprised to see an exodus of the more creative designers if things don't improve. I can't imagine a guy like Yuki Naka being content to make half-assed Sonic sequels for the rest of his life.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: TheYoungerPlumber on May 25, 2005, 06:31:01 PM
I'm not sure Yuji Naka realizes most of his latest games ARE half-assed, jasonditz.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on May 26, 2005, 01:08:39 AM
According to Gamerankings Sega released 25 games last year, seven of which are ESPN titles and 11 being on the PS2. Not a single one broke the 90% hurdle, the only one above 80% that's not a sports game is Astro Boy: Omega Factor.
And "Atari Corporation" could've saved it self a lot of money on new stationary if they could just explain to me what the hell a "grame" is.
No, they just needed to explain to those Americans that the French use "es" as a plural form and therefore the singular was "Infogram", which should have a rather obvious meaning.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: jasonditz on May 26, 2005, 06:50:32 AM
And Sega dumped the 2k sports series on Taketwo now, so that's even less they've got going fo them.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: ThePerm on May 26, 2005, 07:22:04 AM
now the question is....Ubisoft pronounced oohbee soft or yoobeesoft
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: jasonditz on May 26, 2005, 07:34:44 AM
I always said Oohbee
Then again, I always pronounced Hudson like the bay... and to hear that damned bee pronounce it, its "Huh-duh-san"
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Gamebasher on May 26, 2005, 07:53:15 AM
I am all for SEGA´s top game designers jumping ship, and making their talent show on all future Nintendo consoles. Afterall, the next console war is about to begin, and Nintendo needs all the games they can get and only good 8.5-10.0 scored ones. SEGA can deliver that if not impeeded by Sammy. And Nintendo impedes noone, so Nintendo will be the right new home for them.
Still, I don´t think that they will be able to carry Sonic over to Nintendo. It´s owned by Sammy now, if I am not mistaken?
These consoles battles have taken their ugly tolls. Only the biggest companies and the best games will survive the future. That much is certain. Keeping my fingers crossed for what´s left of SEGA.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on May 26, 2005, 11:34:55 PM
Screw Sonic, that guy's not worth anything anymore outside the UK. Make a new character, without all the legacy crap that comes with Sonic. Nobody would have complained about "Shadow of the Hedgehog" had they just killed off Sonic and created a new scenario for that game.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Dasmos on May 27, 2005, 04:01:21 AM
2D sonic still tickles me in places unknown........i am eagerly awaiting Rush!
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: stevey on May 29, 2005, 09:42:31 AM
3 steps for sega to prefant from dieing
step one kill everyone at sammy
step two make a new sonic the heghog game that in 3d but move in 2d like new smb and praser dragoon make lot of money
step 3 after the xbox 1.5 get dreamcast buy all you can of the remain and make a new cheap game system and call it gennis 2, then get 3rd party by giving out free dev. kits
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Gamebasher on May 30, 2005, 05:50:45 AM
OK, I will go to grab my Minigun. Then I will remember to say "Hasta Lavista, Baby!" before I give ´em Hell!
Once, all the offices are cleared of Sammy employees, I will:
1) Get a hold of Yuji Naka and friends and glue them to office chairs put in front of powerfull PC´s and tell them they won´t get out and off until they´ve come up with a Sonic Game that´s better than anything they´ve ever made and where the camera is functioning at last (#¤%&/ -that camera!)
2) Get a similar hold of Yuji Naka and superglue him to a POLE until he stops making "inventive" games that either too few people overall worldwide want´s to play really (hurting the reputation of SEGA) or is so difficult to master that noone CAN play it in the end!
3) Get a hold of the people who makes SEGA Rally 2005 exclusively for the Ps2 and tell them to change it so it only comes out on GameCube or they will be sent to one of Jupiters moons on a OneWay Ticket
4) Find the blighters who made Panzer Dragoon Orta impossible to complete, for reasons of an impossible control system which made it impossible to steer the dragoon in crucial places in the same game, and build them into a room with no exit, and tell them that they won´t get out until they´ve made TWO new Panzer Dragoon games that are actually PLAYABLE!
Hmmm, mmmyes! That should do it for now.
First clear out the dark side of SEGA Management, and next clear out the dark side of SEGA creativity. THAT would just about bring us back to where we were years ago when SEGA was still great.
The DC is dead, so I don´t care what system they launch their games on. As long as it isn´t that or the Ps2 (suckz!).
SEGA´s own management´s rubbish decisions undid SEGA. So their only option today is to go over to Nintendo and save the day for themselves. SAMMY will kill them for sure.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: ThePerm on May 30, 2005, 09:09:12 AM
give them 100 million dollar hats
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: jasonditz on May 30, 2005, 10:26:45 AM
I frankly feel a little guilty that I personally profited off of the Sega-Sammy merger. Sega's one of the few game companies I've ever really believed in, and Sammy's just totally ruined them.
But if Sega's not done squeezing blood from the Dreamcast's remaining stones, might I suggest porting Caution: Seaman! to the DS?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: TMW on May 30, 2005, 10:46:38 AM
This totally blows. Sega's gone from a creative powerhouse to playing second fiddle to a Pachinko machine company.
W. T. F.
Sonic Team really needs to jump ship and sign on with Nintendo, and then ONLY develop games for the DS. They've already proven they can't handle three dimensions. Two seems to suit them just fine.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Caillan on May 30, 2005, 10:52:47 AM
Why only DS games? We need console 2D love as well. As I understand it, there was a sort of exodus from Sega as the DC failed and it was eventually bought by Sammy. Though Yuji Naka's still aound (and to be honest he's the only one I know), I'm sure the 'minor' developers who left had significant impact as well, especially if they had to be replaced by less experienced devs. I think Sega (and Sonic Team) pretty much died with the Dreamcast, though I'd be happy if were to prove me wrong.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: TMW on May 30, 2005, 11:34:31 AM
Well, my reasoning was that if you put them on a console, then they would be tempted to make another 3D Sonic game. So I figured, why tempt them when we can avoid it all together?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: stevey on May 30, 2005, 03:44:47 PM
"where the camera is functioning at last (#¤%&/ -that camera!)"
Is just me or is the camera getting wrose? sa1 it was okay for most of it in sa2b is was great going forward but as sone as you go back a step it was crap on a sick and sh it suck, a paper bag over my head would of been a better camera.
4 steps to stop sonic from sucking
step 1 kill the camera programer
step 2 kill the people behide SH (and sth if the game suck but I don't think it will)
step 3 kill the peoplewho write the line and do voice overs
step 4 bitch slap the people at sega if they whore out sonic.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Gamebasher on May 30, 2005, 09:06:55 PM
I am with you all the way!
SEGA be damned for ruining the Sonic franchise with the WORST camera ever seen in any game, and BAD gameplay in the two games that followed SA where the camera had not been fixed like it should. No wonder they´re being punished!!! Mu-hahahaha! They really SHOULD join Nintendo and learn how to make proper games!
How many people in here thinks the Shadow character is boring?
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Dasmos on May 30, 2005, 09:19:00 PM
I don't think that the SMS camera was all crash-hot at times........like when the vision is obstructed and that crappy mario shadow thing is there.....so in answer to your question i do find the shadow (mario) character boring and infuriating.
One thing that the 3d sonics did need was someone to pick decent music.........arggg just remebering the song to the first level of Sonic Adventure 2 battle.......best level of the game but the music......someone in my drama class in year 9 brought in a cd for their performance and it contained that song. I almost cried!!
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Ian Sane on May 31, 2005, 07:18:54 AM
"I don't think that the SMS camera was all crash-hot at times........like when the vision is obstructed and that crappy mario shadow thing is there"
Yeah I hated that. Why use a shadow? Why not just make the wall in front of me clear when I need to see? It always bothers me when cameras get "stuck" on things. It's a videogame. Nothing's real so just let me have omnipotent vision.
I think the ideal camera is Wind Waker's. You can switch to a fully controllable camera at any time and then at the push of button center the camera right behind you and go back into the "default" view. The 3D Sonic cameras are good when you're going through the main "path" of the level. It's just completely useless for backtracking. With the Wind Waker system they could make it so that you have complete control when you want it and you can just push a button to return to the "path" view.
I agree though that Sonic Team would learn a lot from Nintendo. By my count Nintendo has not screwed up a 2D-to-3D conversion yet.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: TMW on May 31, 2005, 08:31:09 AM
Quote I agree though that Sonic Team would learn a lot from Nintendo. By my count Nintendo has not screwed up a 2D-to-3D conversion yet.
Well, that being said, I think the reason Sonic Team screwed up so badly was because Sonic the Hedgehog is really a 2D game, first and foremost. The style of gameplay isn't suited to that tricky third dimension. Sonic is about speed, IIRC, and when you add in some depth to that, it complicates things.
I think they should have taken note with Sonic R. It just doesn't work.
And changing Robotniks name back to Eggman didn't help any either.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Arbok on May 31, 2005, 09:08:16 AM
Quote Originally posted by: TMW And changing Robotniks name back to Eggman didn't help any either.
If I'm not mistaken, his name was always Eggman in the Japanese version, it's the US versions that coined the name Robotnik during the Genesis days. I have to say, god bless them though, it's a much better name. A shame they didn't approach this aspect like Nintendo did Bowser.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: jasonditz on May 31, 2005, 11:11:04 AM
More deserves to be said of the Mean Bean Machine.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: TMW on May 31, 2005, 07:07:25 PM
Quote Originally posted by: Arbok
Quote Originally posted by: TMW And changing Robotniks name back to Eggman didn't help any either.
If I'm not mistaken, his name was always Eggman in the Japanese version, it's the US versions that coined the name Robotnik during the Genesis days. I have to say, god bless them though, it's a much better name. A shame they didn't approach this aspect like Nintendo did Bowser.
Thats why I said "back to Eggman". I know he was Eggman originally, but the stupid localization team could have stuck with the way it's always been done and just change his freakin' name in SA.
And what do you mean by Bowser?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: vudu on June 01, 2005, 09:18:01 AM
Quote And what do you mean by Bowser?
Bowser was originally called King Koopa. Instead of completely changing his name, Nintendo decided that Bowser was his first name (or something like that). So his full name is King Bowser Koopa. But most people just call him Bowser.
I believe they did the same thing with Princess Peach Toadstool.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Gamebasher on June 01, 2005, 09:34:43 AM
The mere fact that Shadow is such an annoying, intimidating character, is further enhanced by the fact that they now make a game with him in it!
Is this because they feel they have come to a dead-stop in terms of creativity with Sonic?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on June 02, 2005, 09:05:15 AM
vudu: I once heard the reason that Peach was named Toadstool was because it seemed too despotic to have a human monarch lead a country of mushroom people so they changed her name to make her seem more like she's from the same species. I wonder when we get to liberate Mushroom Kingdom...
TMW: I thought his name was Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik with Eggman being a name used to make fun of him?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: vudu on June 02, 2005, 09:13:37 AM
Quote I wonder when we get to liberate Mushroom Kingdom...
When the Revolution comes, of course.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Gamebasher on June 13, 2005, 05:44:22 AM
Once the Revolution is here, we will get an awesome Mario game that will have us play and play until we drop onto the floor and sleep there until we wake up and start playing again (while trying to cook, clean, answer phone calls and meet people at the same time).
But I don´t understand why the 2D Sonics couldn´t be made into 3D games without all those problems with the camera. Can anyone here explain what exactly was the conversion problem?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: RABicle on June 13, 2005, 07:09:50 AM
It's simple. Yuji Naka has barely had any input into the actual games Sonic Team make since the days of the Saturn.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: stevey on June 13, 2005, 07:27:21 AM
"But I don´t understand why the 2D Sonics couldn´t be made into 3D games without all those problems with the camera. Can anyone here explain what exactly was the conversion problem?"
because of two thing
1 It because sonic and mario aren't the same sonic goes super fast mario not so much and camera don't like fast thing and Shigeru Miyamoto is smart a kepted link, zelda, and mario from talking to much.
2 sega forgot what made sonic last and last going the same level again and again and kept it sill fun, In the same level alone it had 15+ way of going to the end, lot of secet to be found, super sonic, *drooling* and so much more but in 3d all of that geatness gone.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on June 13, 2005, 08:35:08 AM
Furthermore, Sonic doesn't go fast unless you have suicide ambitions. He only goes fast when he reaches one of those "machineries" (i.e. a sequence of objects that moves you around at very high speed but require no interaction).
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: RABicle on June 14, 2005, 06:49:26 PM
Quote
1 It because sonic and mario aren't the same sonic goes super fast mario not so much and camera don't like fast thing and Shigeru Miyamoto is smart a kepted link, zelda, and mario from talking to much.
2 sega forgot what made sonic last and last going the same level again and again and kept it sill fun, In the same level alone it had 15+ way of going to the end, lot of secet to be found, super sonic, *drooling* and so much more but in 3d all of that geatness gone.
What?
Oh yeah there is another reason: Sonic games were never that good to begin with, Mario games were. Go back and play them today, Sonic fails.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on June 14, 2005, 11:54:51 PM
Bull. Sonic is rather nice. I've played Sonic properly or the first time on the GC (a friend had an SMS2 back then but I didn't play much on it). SMB3, on the other hand...
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Artimus on June 15, 2005, 02:26:08 AM
I've never been able to enjoy a Sonic game.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: TMW on June 15, 2005, 08:12:01 AM
Sonic 2 is only one of the greatest platformers ever.
Leave it up to the fact that Sonic and Mario have completely different gameplay. Some people like one more than the other.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Spak-Spang on June 15, 2005, 09:26:25 AM
I love platformers. They are one of the greatest game genres ever invented. It is very hard to design a good platformer though. Many have tried and many have failed.
Sonic was always just an above average platformer. Its speed and lack of variety in the character was its downfall. Too often the levels had to be designed to prohibit speed so not to allow you just to beat the level. That means either tons of enemies that you have to be careful around, spikes (read cheap kills) or just really annoying enviroment obsticles like bumpers and such. Even with all that Sonic games seemed to still be pretty easy, as it was a game of memorizing levels.
Even though Sonic had branching paths I never felt it was a game about exploration and discovery. Mario has many more elements of that than Sonic. First Mario never punished you for running through the levels fast or slow (except on the scrolling levels) Mario was filled with a huge variety of enemies, powerup, and enviromental items that behavied and reacted differently to Mario. This lead to level designs that may be linear but were always filled with fun surprises that were a joy to revisit.
Sonic really needs to be acknowledged as the second rate series that it is. Sega never tried to learn lessons from the Mario franchise and it shows. Sonic 1 and 2 a very much the same game...with very minor differences.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on June 15, 2005, 10:41:13 AM
Though admittedly there's very little for Sega to include into Sonic since Sonic rarely uses powerups, which were the primary difference between SMB3 and SMW (that and longer levels, Sonic already had big levels).
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: vudu on June 15, 2005, 10:49:06 AM
You forgot Yoshi. How dare you forget Yoshi.
Also, SMW had about a gadzillion hidden levels, whereas SMB3 only had a few.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on June 15, 2005, 11:28:32 AM
Yes, Sonic had BIG levels.
But SMW had lots of secrets and challenges per unit area -- more stuff to do than just zip by and finish the level. And I like platforming in my platformers, you know, jumping from there to there.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Darc Requiem on June 15, 2005, 08:38:58 PM
Am I the only one that think Sega died with the Dreamcast? I mean think about it. What classic quality title have they produced since the demise of the Dreamcast? I can't think of any. The quality of their games has steadily fallen. Sega is just name now, like Atari. I don't think they will ever produce the quality of titles they were once known for.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on June 15, 2005, 10:30:46 PM
Super Monkey Ball 1&2 Beach Spikers: Virtua Beach Volleyball
That's as far as I'll go.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: darknight06 on June 16, 2005, 04:11:57 AM
Both of which were from Amusement Vision and not Sonic Team.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Spak-Spang on June 16, 2005, 05:04:27 AM
Sega actually died during the Dreamcast era. Many will say that Sega was top of its game during the Dreamcast, but you want to know the real reason it failed. Look at the games available for the Dreamcast. There was a whole lot of creative special interest gaming (Like fishing, and Samba) and very little great mainstream games.
Then you take the characters that Sega is known for...and release games that are subpar for the system.
Say what you will about Nintendo reusing franchises, but at least I know I can get a new Mario, Zelda, and Metroid with every new system if I want it.
Dreamcast would have done much better if Sega focused on releasing Sonic, Altered Beasts, Outrun, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage...and there other classics.
And Super Mario World added several minor touches to the gameplay from Mario 3 that may not be recongized.
First, they balanced the level design and levels greatly. Each level in World is unique and offers something different than any other world. Second, SMW added much more enviromental puzzles and mysteries than SM3 had.
Sure in Super Mario World there was actually less powerups, but the powerups that were included drastically changed how you looked and performed each level.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: vudu on June 16, 2005, 09:06:05 AM
Quote What classic quality title have they produced since the demise of the Dreamcast?
Do you count Astro Boy: Omega Factor? If so, that one. If not, um ... Sonic Mega Collection?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Spak-Spang on June 16, 2005, 09:26:45 AM
Vudu: Astro Boy: Omega Factor was only published by Sega not developed...and that would be a classic, just potentially a quality title. Sonic Mega Collection? Quality...um depends have been reading some opinions of the Sonic Franchise.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on June 16, 2005, 09:36:13 AM
You forgot Yoshi. How dare you forget Yoshi.
I file him under "powerups". The powerups in SMW were much better than those in SMB3, mostly because they've removed those unnecessary gimmick costumes that you get so rarely they don't matter and just confuse. Sometimes simplicity is better.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Spak-Spang on June 16, 2005, 09:41:02 AM
KDR: Exactly. Super Mario World. Streamlined the Mario experience into the most basic form and then pushed the form to its limits and beyond.
I hope they keep Super Mario Brothers DS with the same discipline. All I really want is a platform 2D Mario game with some of the moves from Mario 64 so that you can create a more engaging vertical game. (Wall Jumps are a must.)
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on June 17, 2005, 12:41:58 AM
Donkey Kong had the backflip in 1994. No walljumps but I'm not too sure they'd fit into a 2d Mario game.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on June 19, 2005, 05:51:17 PM
Both of which were from Amusement Vision and not Sonic Team.
Beach Spikers was made by AM2, of Virtua Fighter/Shemuu fame.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KnowsNothing on June 19, 2005, 06:04:39 PM
What's happening here? Sonic is great, especially Sonic 2 and Sonic CD, those are the best pure Sonic games, but Sonic & Knuckles is better than all of those. Plus, insert Sonic 2 or 3 cartidges into S&K for fun and profit!
The end.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on June 20, 2005, 02:57:16 AM
Dunno, I prefer Sonic 1, that chemicals factory in S2 just sucks.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: stevey on June 20, 2005, 03:54:46 AM
I don't think s2 is great I didn't like the way it look and played. I like s3&k that game was great!
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Gamebasher on June 29, 2005, 06:12:22 PM
Spak-spang, you are absolutely right!
I really never thought of that as a reason! But that is indeed what did them in! Not giving their established fanbase what it wanted! I guess they forgot that innovation is one thing (Samba de Amigo and SEGA Bass Fishing), while maintaining your loyal fanbase through keeping them supplied with what makes them come back for more is quite another!
So they have only themselves to thank for where they are today. There must be many good game designers inside SEGA who will jump ship if things don´t get out of that quagmire originaly created by the lack of foresight of their original management!
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Spak-Spang on June 29, 2005, 08:18:10 PM
Gamebasher: Hey thanks. It is very rare that I am right on anything...and even rarer if someone agrees with me, that I was right.
The sad thing is Sega has finally learned their lesson and are releasing updates to their classic library. Outrun, Altered Beasts, Shinobi and I am sure I am messing some.
I don't understand though. They have a fanbase that has been clamoring for certain games and they just ignore them. Many want a sequel to the Nights game, but Sega hasn't produced one yet. I really don't have a clue why, because that was a very unique game experience that could be improved upon and perfected.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Gamebasher on June 29, 2005, 10:32:50 PM
Yeah, I also don´t understand what they´re into. Maybe the troubles with the company´s finances caused creativity to go down the drain. One thing to certainly make them think is if finances are bad! SEGA might have thought that we nolonger wanted their wellknown franchise characters, and so began to think about innovation! A kind of panicky reaction, to their self-created financial quagmire!
Who on Earth is so dumb to drop the making of the best selling brand name games, in a time where first SONY, and NEXT Microsoft enter the market as competitors? I tell you: weak management! I really position myself toughly here, since I cannot give in to that kind of sloppy management. They are to blame, nobody else. The developers are not the management. They "just" make the games. It is executives, shareholders who are to blame here. The executives must at all times ensure the health of their company, even if this means to make drastic decisions, buying back shares to prevent hostile take-overs etc. (Nintendo is like that, and thank HIM up there for that!).
But in a time where they KNEW they had to be carefull, SEGA made no drastic cuts, they instead spent 1/2 Billion Dollars on a console which was sure to receive only meagre response in the wake of the Saturn console flop. If I knew that my previous product was perceived bad and sold poorly, I would think thrice before I lanched my next product. SEGA should have waited until around the time when the Playstation 2 was launching (like Nintendo will do with the Ps3) and THEN made their move. I guess proper advisors could have helped them to arrive at that decision, which they could not make themselves.
You can just vividly imagine how it must have been shareholder pressure or something like that which caused SEGA Management to launch the console before the Playstation 2. Had they had more guts, they would have gone against the shareholders, knowing and explaining to them why it would be wiser to launch at the same time as Playstation 2 as SONY always had more money to talk down any competitor with their deep pockets and army of lawyers and marketing people. Shareholders cannot be allowed to undo a company for reasons of wanting to make a buck faster, and that seems to have been the problem from the start. Shareholders are really some of the most faithless people you can get anywhere. They just want their money, and care little how!
The mouth-to-mouth commercial is always the best, and their little white wonder would have gone neck-and-neck with the Ps2 had it come out at the same time as it did. THEN, the third party developers would have started to see the potential in the Dreamcast and we would have had a whole different situation for SEGA today!
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: TMW on June 30, 2005, 07:50:52 AM
Um...no, the fans loved the Dreamcast. I love mine, and play it pretty often. Most of the people I know who own one also play theirs quite often...
It was that elusive "casual gamer" market that didn't buy the Dreamcast. They were hooked on the PS name and waited for the PS2, which had a freakin' DVD player.
It wasn't all Sony's fault, though. Sega did alot of it to themselves. However...Sony pushed them over the edge, with a little help from MS. ==== I must respectfully disagree about the Sonic games. You keep comparing it to the Mario franchise when they have very little in common. They are different kinds of games within the same genre. Apples and oranges, blah blah.
Although, very little I will say will convince you otherwise it seems.
RANDOM NOTE In the newest NP, they list all the games in the Sonic Gems collection, and "plus a few surprises." What are the chances NiGHTS will be unlockable? I say...5 to 1 odds.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Spak-Spang on June 30, 2005, 01:36:39 PM
TMW: Ok. You say those that have the system loved it...well perhaps its because those that owned it gave the new games a try and enjoyed the other support they got from the system like Capcom games.
However, the "casual gamer" was wanting more from the Dreamcast. If Dreamcast brought out several killer apps then things would be different. Sega never, ever had a killer app for Dreamcast. The closest they got was Sonic Adventure and it was a highly flawed 3D platformer.
Dreamcast was dead way before MS. MS had nothing to do with their demise.
Sonic the Hedgehog had a different feel, but it was still a platformer. It is very similar to Mario. You run around bouncying oh enemies to kill them...and were required to perform complex jumps and careful navigation of a level to get past the traps and enemies. It was a platformer in its truest forms...so is Mario. I feel the comparisons are fair.
Sonic is the best of "the other platformers" but no other platformer was designed with the same care and commitment to the game than Mario...but then again Nintendo had to give that much commitment to the series because it was their best seller period.
Now Nintendo is giving that commitment to Zelda and Metroid instead of Mario.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Uglydot on June 30, 2005, 10:27:50 PM
Dreamcast was a wonderful system with some good support early on. Infortunatly Sega couldn't support it and people had lost interest in Sega after the 32x/saturn/sega CD/Nomad/Gamegear.
Sega has just been rushing too fast trying to get out a killer app. They need a company like Nintendo to support them and allow them to stew on a game long enough to polish it. The Sonic Adventure games are prime examples of good ideas and such being ruined by lack of polish.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: jasonditz on July 01, 2005, 06:41:29 PM
Sega's big problem with the mainstream market when the Dreamcast came along can be summed up in two letters:
EA
Ironically, the decision also did much to harm EA's bottom line as the Sega Sports titles wound up on all the platforms and gave them their first competant competition in years, ultimately forcing them to buy their way into an expensive monopoly. If they'd just made Madden for the Dreamcast they'd likely never have had to shell out all that money to the NFL.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Gamebasher on July 11, 2005, 04:27:29 AM
I am happy to learn this. I recall EA and Codemasters saying they wanted to destroy the Dreamcast. And now it makes perfect sense why EA wanted to do that. Still, I don´t understand Codemasters reason.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: nickmitch on July 11, 2005, 09:27:06 AM
Boy, if EA put out a console. . . You'd need to fork out $350+ just to play football. Well, for an updated Madden.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: stevey on July 11, 2005, 12:14:11 PM
The beast that had nine head EA did make a console and it will be known to be call the 3DO!
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on July 11, 2005, 12:44:42 PM
Quote Originally posted by: stevey The beast that had nine head EA did make a console and it will be known to be call the 3DO!
Actually, wasn't Panasonic the company that released the 3DO?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Ian Sane on July 11, 2005, 01:15:13 PM
3DO was created by 3DO which was a then new company created by EA founder Trip Hawkins. The idea was that the 3DO would be a console standard and that any manufacturer could make them. Panasonic was the first one to manufacture them though later Goldstar made them too and I think there was one other model. The big flaw in the design was that the hardware manufacturers didn't make anything from games sold so they had to sell the console at a ridiculously unaffordable price to make a profit which doomed the whole thing. EA, due to their relationship with Hawkins, supported the 3DO but they weren't the console maker.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on July 11, 2005, 01:26:31 PM
Creative Labs also made a 3DO board for turning your PC into a 3DO platform.
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: nickmitch on July 11, 2005, 04:04:41 PM
Here are the models:
Quote Panasonic 3DO Interactive Multiplayer FZ-1 (Release in Japan, Asia, North America, and Europe) The first 3DO system. Panasonic 3DO Interactive Multiplayer FZ-10 (Release in North America, and Japan) Less costly than the FZ-1, the FZ-10 is smaller compare to the FZ-1. Goldstar 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (North America only) Early models of the Goldstar systems cause some games not to work. Sanyo 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (Japan only) The rarest model of the 3DO systems.
You can find more info here or check your local library.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on July 12, 2005, 01:13:51 AM
Trip Hawkins... Man, that guy's a retard...
Title: RE:SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: vudu on July 12, 2005, 08:47:00 AM
Quote Originally posted by: Ian Sane 3DO was created by 3DO which was a then new company created by EA founder Trip Hawkins. The idea was that the 3DO would be a console standard and that any manufacturer could make them. Panasonic was the first one to manufacture them though later Goldstar made them too and I think there was one other model. The big flaw in the design was that the hardware manufacturers didn't make anything from games sold so they had to sell the console at a ridiculously unaffordable price to make a profit which doomed the whole thing. EA, due to their relationship with Hawkins, supported the 3DO but they weren't the console maker.
Any idea what games cost? In theory, since there were no licensing fees, games could be sold at much cheaper than the competition, thus making up for the high initial cost of the console. Somehow, I doubt consumers saw games for any cheaper than on other systems.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on July 12, 2005, 08:57:33 PM
Games are priced at whatever the suckers^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hcustomers are willing to pay. they just tell you "oh, it's piracy" or "oh, it's licensing fees" because they want you to apply pressure to whoever is reducing their profits in order to increase their profits. Passing savings on to the customer is very unlikely, especially in the IP market where all this price fixing is going on (DVDs, CDs or games aren't exactly competing on price).
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: Spak-Spang on July 13, 2005, 09:00:39 AM
KDR: That is partially true. Games are priced at what people will buy...however there are few exceptions.
1)Games have to be priced above the cost of the product. 2)Since a cheaper game will sell more, if a company can sell the game for cheaper they will, because in the end it means more profit for them from larger sales.
It is the above two reasons why budget games like Mega Man Collections and stuff are priced the way they are.
1)They were cheaper to produce. 2)Dropping the price ensures better sales.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: nickmitch on July 13, 2005, 02:34:03 PM
Well EA could sell a sixty dollar madden and people will still buy it.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on July 14, 2005, 02:47:29 AM
The "cost of the product" is around 10 bucks for the box, disc, manual and licensing fees. The big problem is R&D but that's fixed cost, you cannot give a price that will gurantee the game will break even (as opposed to selling, say, forks where your cost is material and labour and only changes for large quantities), you can only say "at this price we need to sell this many units to break even", compile the price->demand curve and look where you might make the most money. Many forget the price->demand curve but some care so they price games they don't expect to sell well lower (e.g. Serious Sam, Viewtiful Joe, Alien Hominid). Some managers are completely delusional about the quality and therefore demand for their product.
This problem leads to the hit-driven business model we're seeing today, games carefully aimed at certain demographics with hopefully predictable sales and therefore calculable price->demand curves so they can predict how much money they can spend on the development to get returns. Of course too many ignore the primary factor here, quality. You can have the best idea but as the Heavenly Sword diary says, "you cannot copy good execution". Innovation adds another uncalculable factor and managers love to pretend a problem is predictable (even though quality and innovation are both pretty random and based on the skill of your devs, no innovation doesn't mean they'll make a good game).
(note: Usually it's called "supply/demand curve" but few items are really priced by supply at retail except if they overstock and don't sell. Competition works differently in the IP market as well so competitors dropping the price will not necessarily lead to less sales for you.)
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: nickmitch on July 14, 2005, 04:47:27 PM
Well Madden has high demand anyway so a price increase wouldn't drastically hurt sales.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: KDR_11k on July 14, 2005, 09:43:23 PM
It could make more people wait for the bargain bin version which would both reduce their profits and shift the remaining ones into another fiscal quarter. Shareholders have a very narrow vision and will complain if the "Madden quarter" ends below expectations even if the next quarter is above expectations. And 60$ WILL impact the sales, probably enough to make up for the increased per-unit profit.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: vudu on July 15, 2005, 08:59:42 AM
Remember, folks just had to pay a measly $30 for the 2005 version. Are they really going to be willing to pay twice that for the 2006 version?
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: stevey on July 16, 2005, 04:42:54 AM
"Well EA could sell a sixty dollar madden and people will still buy it. "
Yeah so WE would pay $60 for the new zelda hell I pay $150 for zelda if the game is made of gold.
"Are they really going to be willing to pay twice that for the 2006 version? "
They have no chose they the only one make football game.
Title: RE: SEGA profits down by nearly 80%! Is SEGA losing it?
Post by: nickmitch on July 16, 2005, 10:06:39 AM
If you update the roster then you won't have to pay for crap, but Madden has such a strong fanbase that people are willing to compromise their wallets.