100 questions from a new dreamcast owner

hi, i just got my dreamcast today, used. i boughtan extra controler, a black vmu unit and 2 games, soul reaver and nfl 2001.

my dreamcast did not come with any manuals and i don't know if the browser is supposed to come with the dc but i don't have it. where can i get it? my vmu is missng the top part, is that important? when i save in soul reaver and load, i always start off at the begining part of the game only in the dead world but the time is accuarte, is that normal? should it save me exactly where i left off? the vmu does nothing when it isnt in the controller, this must mean the batteries are dead. is it worth changing them? also when i try a network game in nfl 2001. i put in the information from my dial up isp (the same one i am using right now. it connects me, asks me to make a screen name and then tells me seganet costs 10$ a month. why would i want to pay seganet when i already have an isp. i thought seganet was for when you didnt have an isp already. please help me out

thankyou
 
my dreamcast did not come with any manuals and i don't know if the browser is supposed to come with the dc but i don't have it? where can i get it?

New Dreamcasts are supposed to come with manuals and the web browser disc. If you want to get the web browser, try searching eBay for "Dreamcast browser". It should be relatively cheap.

my vmu is missng the top part, is that important?

AFAIK, the top cover/cap is just to keep dust from entering. If you have your VMU plugged into your controller all the time, it shouldn't be a problem.

the vmu does nothing when it isnt in the controller, this must mean the batteries are dead. is it worth changing them?

Yes, the 2 batteries inside your VMU are probably dead. Changing the batteries will depend on the game(s) you play or plan to play because some games (e.g., when you learn a new move in Shenmue) require you to make use of what's displayed on the LCD screen of your VMU while some games don't. And for the LCD screen to light up, you need power from the 2 batteries.
 
thanks for the reply master akuma

i also got a profile at sega.com which allowed me to play nfl without paying anything like it said in the game.

but does anyone know if the soul reaver save thing is normal?
 
Yeah, that's how Soul Reaver works. It's annoying as you sometimes have to pass some difficult obstacles to get to where you left off, though the warp gates help a bit (if you can remember which symbol meant which area, that is). It's been a while since I had the game, but wasn't this explained in the manual?
 
Originally posted by MasterAkumaMatata@Oct. 14 2002, 9:55 pm

Yes, the 2 batteries inside your VMU are probably dead. Changing the batteries will depend on the game(s) you play or plan to play because some games (e.g., when you learn a new move in Shenmue) require you to make use of what's displayed on the LCD screen of your VMU while some games don't. And for the LCD screen to light up, you need power from the 2 batteries.

Actually the VMU functions normally with either dead batteries or no batteries when it is plugged into the controller. The only difference (when you remove the batteries completely) is that it emitts a loud beep each time you turn the DC on. This doesn't happen when you have flat batteries installed in it.

Of course you can't play any of the VMU games with dead batteries - that is, the games you play solely on the VMU after the DC is turned off. Most of them aren't worth the time though - they mostly remind me of those stupid tamagotchi toys from a few years back.
 
Originally posted by Finck@Oct. 13 2002, 4:27 am

also when i try a network game in nfl 2001. i put in the information from my dial up isp (the same one i am using right now. it connects me, asks me to make a screen name and then tells me seganet costs 10$ a month. why would i want to pay seganet when i already have an isp. i thought seganet was for when you didnt have an isp already. please help me out

thankyou

Sega started charging to play some of their game online. There are some games out there, so I hear, that don't have this fee.
 
thanks for replying again.

well, as i said now it seems that with a free sega.com profile you can log onto any game server for free, well the nfl 2k1 anyways. before that when i tried to get a user name through the game it told me it was 10$ a month, through the site it was free. i guess they stopped charging.

as for soul reaver, i guess i should have looked in the manual. it says that your progress is saved but you always start again from the elder gods chamber. that doesnt seem like much progress is saved if you always got to make your way back to the same old places.
 
Originally posted by Finck@Oct. 14 2002, 6:17 pm

as for soul reaver, i guess i should have looked in the manual. it says that your progress is saved but you always start again from the elder gods chamber. that doesnt seem like much progress is saved if you always got to make your way back to the same old places.

The difference is that all puzzles are solved and bosses are killed. But as I said, it's really annoying even with the warp gates.
 
at sega.com top right, go to online. it takes you to the page where you can sign up. its that simple.

i got a browser disc from the store i got my dc from. its orange, is that the oldest one? its cool but slow. is the latest one well worth the upgrade?

my nfl 2001 disc was a bit scratched and my dc rejected it a lot so i got it switched for a pretty clean one. but for osme reason my dc is a bit picky with it at times. even when it has worked and it loads the game it might bring me back to music screen. it hasn't done it the last three times though.
 
being in australia i only ever got one version of the browser disc, but it seems logical to me that an updated disc would only get rid of bugs and add compatibilty. if you want a better speed then you need the broadband adapter.

with the broadband adapter though i dont think you will be able to use your current isp account if its not cable/dsl
 
Originally posted by Curtis+Oct. 14 2002, 1:26 pm--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Curtis @ Oct. 14 2002, 1:26 pm)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-MasterAkumaMatata@Oct. 14 2002, 9:55 pm

Yes, the 2 batteries inside your VMU are probably dead. Changing the batteries will depend on the game(s) you play or plan to play because some games (e.g., when you learn a new move in Shenmue) require you to make use of what's displayed on the LCD screen of your VMU while some games don't. And for the LCD screen to light up, you need power from the 2 batteries.

Actually the VMU functions normally with either dead batteries or no batteries when it is plugged into the controller. The only difference (when you remove the batteries completely) is that it emitts a loud beep each time you turn the DC on. This doesn't happen when you have flat batteries installed in it.

Of course you can't play any of the VMU games with dead batteries - that is, the games you play solely on the VMU after the DC is turned off. Most of them aren't worth the time though - they mostly remind me of those stupid tamagotchi toys from a few years back.[/b][/quote]

it still beeps with flat batteries (mine does anyway)

i would recommend removing the batteries when they run out since otherwise they can leak inside the vmu (its not like they are doing anything useful inside the vmu when they are flat anyway)
 
It's probably an indicator of how dischaged the batteries are. For example, if the batteries are really flat, then it'll beep. Alternatively, they might only have enough charge to keep the clock settings on th VMU and won't beep. I don't know this for certain, because since the batteries in my first VMU died, I threw them away and desoldered the speaker
smile.gif


Either way, I agree that you should remove dead batteries.
 
Originally posted by Curtis+Oct. 14 2002, 5:26 am--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Curtis @ Oct. 14 2002, 5:26 am)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-MasterAkumaMatata@Oct. 14 2002, 9:55 pm

Yes, the 2 batteries inside your VMU are probably dead. Changing the batteries will depend on the game(s) you play or plan to play because some games (e.g., when you learn a new move in Shenmue) require you to make use of what's displayed on the LCD screen of your VMU while some games don't. And for the LCD screen to light up, you need power from the 2 batteries.

Actually the VMU functions normally with either dead batteries or no batteries when it is plugged into the controller. The only difference (when you remove the batteries completely) is that it emitts a loud beep each time you turn the DC on. This doesn't happen when you have flat batteries installed in it.

Of course you can't play any of the VMU games with dead batteries - that is, the games you play solely on the VMU after the DC is turned off. Most of them aren't worth the time though - they mostly remind me of those stupid tamagotchi toys from a few years back.[/b][/quote]

So... are you saying that the VMU is powered by the DC, like how the rumbling in the Dual Shock is powered by the PSX?
 
That's about the size and shape of it.

Strangely though, if you have batteries installed then the DC will use the power from them to save games. This shows when playing games that save a lot (MSR), battery life is greatly reduced.
 
that would be cool but i got the disc from the store finally, they gave it to me saying they simply forgot to give it t me. too bad i live in canada, we dont have any funcolands here. i'd be interested to see what browser 3? (the latets) looks like and if it seems smoother and faster. too bad they never came out with that dreamcast hard disk, or did they make it after all (japan?)
 
Originally posted by Finck@Nov. 11 2002, 10:52 pm

that would be cool but i got the disc from the store finally, they gave it to me saying they simply forgot to give it t me. too bad i live in canada, we dont have any funcolands here. i'd be interested to see what browser 3? (the latets) looks like and if it seems smoother and faster. too bad they never came out with that dreamcast hard disk, or did they make it after all (japan?)

Who knows? Maybe someday we'll see someone with guts attempt to sell a prototype version on eBay, or has that been done already?
tongue.gif
 
Umm...as far as I know there were never any plans for a dc hard disk. The only other storage mediums ever talked about were the completed zip drive that was never released and the mock up of the dvd add on. Oh and the mp3 player/vmu that would have been cool if they had released it (there was a working prototype of it).
 
well, i remember hearing about the hard disk definately but whether or not the source was reliable is a different question. damn, i remember hearing about the dvd possibility, i even called up sega to find out if it was true and the guy said it was and it would come out shortly therefor i waited that year before getting my dc only to find out it would never happen. as for mp3 there are a few softwares that will do that aren't there? as well as divx and vcd if i am not mistaken. do these work like utopia boot disk? like you put in the disc with the player, the dc loads the info to memory and then you swap for your disc?
 
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