System 16

[Robert]

http://www.system16.com

 

This is in current affairs as I don't believe another site's front page should be on our front page

 

* There’s a lot going on with the hardware side of the arcade industry at the moment, first of all there’s a lot of hardware being retired and replaced this year, Sega's Naomi 1 and 2, Taito's G-Net, Namco's System246, NeoGeo and possibly the Atomiswave are all seeing their last games (although a couple of releases might trickle into next year).

 

* This means that most of the 3rd party developers are looking elsewhere for platforms to develop on and all of the big boys have got their new and improved hardware either released or on the cards for sometime this year;

Sega - Have the Lindbergh, their high end Naomi2/Chihiro’s replacement, the Aurora, the low end Naomi/Atomiswave’s replacement, a Triforce 2 could be on the cards as well.

Konami - Have the Longhorn, their new PC based hardware system.

Namco - Have System 258, an enhanced System 246 (much like the System 12 was to the System 11) and the M-2, which is their own PC based hardware.

Taito - Have the Type X and Type X+, both PC based.

 

* Most of the 3rd party developers seem to be jumping from format to format at the moment looking for a stable platform that has the potential for having a large installed base (basically looking for the next Naomi), personally I’d say that upcoming Sega Aurora is definitely the one to watch.

 

* This was originally though to be Taito's TypeX system, although the TypeX has been beset by quite a few problems recently regarding the fact that it seems to suffer the home PC's fate as a system that seems to require constant upgrading to play the latest games (which in my own opinion, and apparently increasingly in the eyes of operators and developers alike, defies the point of having a "System"), the final nail being the announcement of TypeX+, an enhanced version to cope with added effects wanted for Battle Gear 4, even though this was in production before the original TypeX hardware was even announced.

 

* This has been born out by the initial excitement over the system, the impressive list of developers and a handful of big name games (Raiden, Tetris and Battle Gear) quickly turning into a trickle with developers seeming to have lost interest and no new game releases announced bar yet another 2D Vs. fighter (Spectral Vs Generation) of which the market is totally saturated with at present (the Atomiswave being the main perpetrator with one 2D Vs. fighter released every month for 5 months, the lack of choice for the system is driving operators insane, with the only people benefiting being collectors).

 

* Talking of the Atomiswave, like the Taito TypeX, the initial slew of announced developers and releases for it seems to have dried up, and the only people developing for the system being Sammy, Dimps (both of who probably won’t be making any more games for it, Dimps are Sammy’s bedfellows, and Sammy’s arcade division is now Sega who are using the Naomi until it’s replacement, Aurora, is released, hence the change for hardware for Guilty Gear XX Slash to Naomi) and SNK-Playmore (who have already ditched the much hyped AW-Net online network).

 

* I have to say that I saw this coming with the merger of Sammy and Sega, the Atomiswave is a substandard system that was in direct competition, intentionally or not, with the already established Naomi, which was more powerful, has an enormous universal cabinet installed operator base and is cheaper to produce software for as everyone already has the tools. Compound this with the lack of developers and the fact that most of SNK Playmore’s releases look barely better than their NeoGeo forefathers and you have a system with pretty much nothing going for it apart from a hardcore of fanatical fans inherited from the Neogeo.

 

* A few minor things to clear up as well about some Sega rumors.

- First of all, neither of Sega’s new systems are based on the XBox360, apart from Sega’s official denial (which isn't always enough, they flatout denied the Hikaru existed and said the games were running on Naomi at the time) there is the fact that developers have only just got hold of the first proper beta XBox360 machines themselves, and as HOTD4 is already on location test its hardly likely to be running on hardware that doesn't actually exist yet, also the fact that both of these machines use the Incredible Technologies Power VR chips to drive the graphics, not ATI Xeno’s, compound this even more.

- Secondly, there's been some talk of HOTD4’s graphics and people saying it looked a bit ropey.

You really shouldnt look at a static screenshot to judge a game nowadays, you probably missed the 200+ independantly animated zombies all reflected in a huge plate glass window running at you more like 28 days later, the fully destructable scenery and the most organic looking boss that rampages through the level destroying the level dripping blood as it chases you. It’s far more impressive in motion than the screenshots imply, that and the fact that it's not even finished yet.

[Gryph]

Now that some of these arcade machines are PC based, I wonder if it would be easier to emulate them.

[Diso]

Cool another system16 update. You really just look at this arcade museum and wonder why your arcade doesn't have that "cool" machine

 

I think of system16 providing updates on new machines just to show arcade still lives on

[Max]

Great read, thanks man.

 

He summed up Sammy/SNKs efforts just right in that article, ppl expected better with the change of power and got pretty much the same thing instead. Pathetic.

[Wizard]

Atomiswave's future is clearly visable. With only Fist of the North Star(TBA/2005), King of Fighters XI (Fall 05), Samurai Spirits: TENKA (August 05) and a possiblity of Metal Slug 6. It's fate has been properly sealed.

[Fatal Rose]

What game is this GIF from?

[Agozer]

What game is this GIF from?

I think that's from Daraku Tenshi: The Fallen Angels.

[Wizard]

What game is this GIF from?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think that's from Daraku Tenshi: The Fallen Angels.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Certainly looks like it. The Fallen Angles, the prototype to KOF99 you might say.

[Agozer]

What game is this GIF from?

I think that's from Daraku Tenshi: The Fallen Angels.

Certainly looks like it. The Fallen Angles, the prototype to KOF99 you might say.

Indeed. And a very good game to boot.

[Shibathedog]

I love the arcade, its going to suck when i finally move because theres this guy around here whos really into arcade stuff and really knows alot about it and always has the latest and greatest (and best classics too) its like his hobby, i think he was a lawyer or something and he retired and used his money to open an arcade. Pretty sweet guy. Im sure he will get all this goodness

 

The arcade will never die! bwahahahha

 

(Oh yeah and the guy even has a MAME cabinet )