New J Allard Interview

[Borys]

Computer And Videogames (CVG (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/r/?http://www.computerandvideogames.com/homepage/front_homepage.php)) hosts a new interview with Microsoft's Corporate Vice President and Chief XNA Architect (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/jallard/default.mspx) - J Allard.

Sony the PS2 and the Dreamcast scenario - aren't you afraid Sony will do exactly the same thing again and say hang on for the extra power of the PS3?

J Allard: Yes they are arguing the exact same thing, Sony is doing the exact same thing. Let me tell you what's different about what we're doing rather than the Dreamcast scenario.

On stage we had... Electronic Arts saying: "This is the biggest commitment Electronic Arts has made in 68 console launches". 25 games in development, that was different from Dreamcast. We're coming into this generation with two million subscribers for our online service, they're just rabid about the system. We're coming into this generation with Square Enix and their commitment to the platform. We're going into this generation with Rare, with Bungie, with a lot of great first-party platform exclusives and franchises which we'll be able to take forward... the split is about 50 percent sequels and known IP and about 50 percent new IP like Gears of War.

The other thing I'll say is Peter Moore isn't going to get Dreamcast-ed again. This time it's personal for him and for guys like Robbie and myself; we started too late to win last time, Peter was on the wrong team and the three of us? We're ready to win this time. We really are, we've got the plan to do great this generation.You can read the rest by following this (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/r/?http://www.computerandvideogames.com/news/news_story.php(que)id=120658) link.

Note that this interview has been taken during E3 last month. CVG posted it on-line today.

Good read.

[King Drewsky]

Ummm...I liked the Dreamcast. It's probably my favorite console ever due to its capabilities at the time it was released and for bringing online console gaming to the masses. And it is still the only console that has(had) the ability to surf for porn, save it to your memory stick, and upload the images into a game. Genius!

[Kamalot]

The Dreamcast still rocks the house as my favorite console of all time. That being said, the public was completely bamboozled by Sony's lies about the PS2. People waited for a year after the Dreamcast launch thinking the PS2 was right around the corner only to have it pushed back more and more. The 'power' of the PS2 was hyped to unbelievable proportions, with claims that it would download movies, music and games, that it would be the core of the new digital living room, and that it could be used to create weapons of mass destruction. I'm sure everyone remembers the 'real-time Toy Story graphics' hype that was bandied about. Even if those words didn't come from Sony themselves, they were part of the reality distortion effect that surrounded the PS2.

When the PS2 did arrive, the games and the graphics were nothing compared to the Dreamcast, they were jaggy, clunky and still, to this day, have more washed-out and stretched textures in most games. Not until Gran Turismo did the games start to look halfway decent. Yet, since people had been waiting for the PS2, most didn't even know what the Dreamcast was capable of or what it could offer. Coming from the PS1, PS2 was magic, coming from the Dreamcast, PS2 was marginal.

Sony is playing the same cards again, using hype and image to wow over the public, making claims that the PS3 will create real 3D graphics (as opposed to other 3D graphics?) and saying that the PS3 is a Supercomupter, BMW with a Ferrari engine, will have interfaces like the Minority Report and will run multiple OS' such as Windows and Tiger.

The PS3 plays Trojan horse for all kinds of Sony-only media such as Bluray (blurry?) media drive and Memory Stick. Once in your home, Sony hopes you will spend more on media such as Memory Sticks (hence, no Hard Drive for saving games (*sneaky-sneaky!*) and Bluray movies (seeing as you already have the drive *wink wink*.)

The PS3 is a game console. People will use it to play games. There will be many rehashes of games you already played and this time they will have shinier graphics. The worlds will be bigger but the games will be the same. The PS3 will not turn the world on its ear. It is not a BMW or a supercomputer, it is a plaything.

PS3 is a toy.

Just so you know, I didn't buy the Dreamcast when it came out; I waited until after the PS2 launch before I made my decision. It had better games, 4 player support and online capabilities. Everyone who poo-poo'd the Dreamcast in favor of the PS2 was completely hoodwinked and missed out on some of the best games ever.

[NACIONAL]

nice read... very nice. I think they are aiming high this time (in a good way).....

I hope that the PS3 hype doesn't put the same burden over Xbox360 in the same way the PS2 did to Dreamcast.

[Adam Blue]

I don't know why people think these scenarios are similar. The Dreamcast wasn't getting support from EA, and at that time Sega became THE hardcore gamers gaming company. Two different groups were being represented between the DC and PS2. All we have now are 2 different time frames for the release of these nextgen consoles but they basically aim for the same audience. The difference here lies in features and 1st party titles. I think everyone is a winner this round.

[Heretic Machine]

I really, really hope Microsoft kicks Sony's ass... -hard-... I know it's unlikely, but it would make me a very happy person. I mean, I don't really want Microsoft dominating the market... but I hate haveing Sony in the position they're in.

EDIT: Oh, and I'd like to say that the reason I held off on buying a Dreamcast until the PS2 launch was mostly because of the Saturn. Having a bad console one generation really hurts you in the next. Same thing happend for me with the N64 and Gamecube. Gamecube is a superb console, while the N64 was crap, which delayed me buying a Gamecube.

[frederec]

Just so you know, I didn't buy the Dreamcast when it came out; I waited until after the PS2 launch before I made my decision. It had better games, 4 player support and online capabilities. Everyone who poo-poo'd the Dreamcast in favor of the PS2 was completely hoodwinked and missed out on some of the best games ever.

Sometimes a friend of mine tries to tell me how much I'm missing by not having a Dreamcast. He'd list things and I just would not be interested in them. The only games I know of that came out on the Dreamcast that I'd like came to the US on other consoles (Rez and Ikaruga), so I have them on those other consoles.

I will never pretend that the PS2 has graphics superior to anything else in its generation. However, I've also never been the kind of person that cared about graphical capabilities. Many of the games I play peole like to say have graphics straight off the Super NES. But because of PS2's huge popularity these games are able to exist and come over to the US. So I like the PS2 best because it gets the games I like. And it gets these games because it is most popular. I don't care how it got that popularity, I'm just glad it made these games possible (through it's market penetration, not it's physical capabilities).

And as always, that's still why I don't have an Xbox. It doesn't get the smaller games I like that need the huge install base in order to be able to turn a profit. That, and Xbox RPGs tend to come out on PC before too long. (Though I'm still waiting on an announcement for Jade Empire...)

As for the next round, the only thing that makes me (and probably many other people) inclined to lean towards the PS3 is that they've already had two generations of good games. But you tell me that Atlus and Nippon Ichi are going on the 360, and I'll show that my loyalty isn't to any stupid console, but to the games.

[Adam Blue]

Sometimes a friend of mine tries to tell me how much I'm missing by not having a Dreamcast. He'd list things and I just would not be interested in them. The only games I know of that came out on the Dreamcast that I'd like came to the US on other consoles (Rez and Ikaruga), so I have them on those other consoles.

I will never pretend that the PS2 has graphics superior to anything else in its generation. However, I've also never been the kind of person that cared about graphical capabilities. Many of the games I play peole like to say have graphics straight off the Super NES. But because of PS2's huge popularity these games are able to exist and come over to the US. So I like the PS2 best because it gets the games I like. And it gets these games because it is most popular. I don't care how it got that popularity, I'm just glad it made these games possible (through it's market penetration, not it's physical capabilities).

And as always, that's still why I don't have an Xbox. It doesn't get the smaller games I like that need the huge install base in order to be able to turn a profit. That, and Xbox RPGs tend to come out on PC before too long. (Though I'm still waiting on an announcement for Jade Empire...)

As for the next round, the only thing that makes me (and probably many other people) inclined to lean towards the PS3 is that they've already had two generations of good games. But you tell me that Atlus and Nippon Ichi are going on the 360, and I'll show that my loyalty isn't to any stupid console, but to the games.

I'm assuming you a refering to possibly, 2D fighters, SHMUPS, and the like? You might think the PS2 is the best system for that, but then you're missing out. The Dreamcast is the best system to get the games you are talking about. Even right now. Dreamcast has almost every King of Fighters and it gets a few SHMUPS a year. Sony on the other hand stopped any game like that from getting released on the PS2, saying it's a waste of money, so Sony basically says 'fuck creativity' and 'I just want money'. MS on the other hand got Metal Slug 3 because Sony canned it. MS knew most Americans wouldn't care for Metal Slug, but they new that the hardcore from the Dreamcast went over to the XBox. Sony has learned from THAT mistake.

[BabyJesus]

The DC had one of my favorite games ever. Skies of Arcadia. The DC just rocked in almost every way. Too bad for piracy, Sony's Juggernaut and just general stupidity on the part of gamers.

[Kamalot]

The only games I know of that came out on the Dreamcast that I'd like came to the US on other consoles (Rez and Ikaruga), so I have them on those other consoles.

If you like shooters, like Ikaruga, try these out:

http://www.lik-sang.com/image.php?category=4&products_id=6523&img=dc-trizeal-jap&show=2

http://www.lik-sang.com/image.php?category=33&products_id=5449&img=dc-chaos-field-jap&show=2

http://www.planetdreamcast.com/games/reviews/bangai-o/

http://www.planetdreamcast.com/games/reviews/armada/

http://www.planetdreamcast.com/games/reviews/gigawing2/

http://www.planetdreamcast.com/games/reviews/gunbird2/

http://www.planetdreamcast.com/games/reviews/marsmatrix/

There are many more of these arcade-type shooters that I have, but their names elude me right now. I'll have to check through my collection at home.

[Draft]

You guys that held off on buying a DC suck.

Launch day baby, me, Soul Caliber and the official agetec arcade stick, represent.

[Reanimated]

Wow that was a good read. J comes off as being a lot smarter than I gave him credit for.

[Manzy]

If you like shooters, like Ikaruga, try these out:

There are many more of these arcade-type shooters that I have, but their names elude me right now. I'll have to check through my collection at home.

Just about every twitch-shooter game made by Treasure kicks major amounts of ass. They are one of my favorite developers.

[Talanvor]

Not to be a downer but Armanda gets really old pretty fast. It was fun for a few hours, then you realize that you're going to be doing the same thing constantly, ugh.

Got to give the DC credit though, it got me back into playing games on a console. Soul Calibur, Grandia 2, Skies of Arcadia, even that freaky Seaman game, loads of fun.

[Cha-Ka]

That was a pretty good read. I especially liked the description of how game developement can get muddled by dropping everything to make a polished demo to show at E3...but how the alternative is to show rough games that the press will eat alive.

[Deadend]

I think Allrad does a damn good interview, and is persuasive compared to Katurgi (Mr. PS3) who tended to try and fear monger and threw insults like none other.

Yes, I like the X360 more because Allard seems like a cooler guy. He also knows the right things to say.

I too owned a Dreamcast, I still have it hooked into a TV, I love me some Bangi-o and Rez, and even Soul Calibre 1.

[DriveALW]

Best Dreamcast game ever is Typing of the Dead.

I own 2 dreamcasts; one is still in its box for when this one breaks.

[if76]

The difference in the dreamcast scenario was that Sony had the hardcore gamers fooled. I mean who else is really gonna care that much about one system's graphical capabilities over another? The casual gamers? Probably not. I know I was fooled into thinking the PS2 was gonna be exponentially more powerful than the dreamcast.

This time though the hardcore gamers aren't so fooled. Sure we gripe about Sony having fooled the mainstream media into thinking the PS3 is more powerful but who cares really? We know better this time and that's what counts.

When our casual gamer friends come ask us if they should buy an X360 we're not gonna tell them to wait a few months and buy a PS3 because of its power. It's just not gonna happen this time.

[Mobeus Chronox]

I read this, and in my head I heard the voice of Don King narrating. I'm not sure what that means.

[Balthasar]

The 'power' of the PS2 was hyped to unbelievable proportions, with claims that it would download movies, music and games, that it would be the core of the new digital living room, and that it could be used to create weapons of mass destruction. I'm sure everyone remembers the 'real-time Toy Story graphics' hype that was bandied about. Even if those words didn't come from Sony themselves, they were part of the reality distortion effect that surrounded the PS2.

You say this all like there is some pure corporation out there, or specifically, pure corporation that makes video games or systems. It would be silly to defend Sony's hype machine, but I think it is just as silly to ignore the fact that Microsoft has been very publicly trying to do the same thing (becoming the "core of the new digital living rooom"). Anyone remember WebTV? Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, they all make claims about their systems and promises that they can't live up to. I honestly don't remember all those promises about downloading movies and music and games, but then again I'm not so prone to advertising. Personally I wanted nothing to do with the Dreamcast after I decided to give the Saturn a shot and found myself completely disappointed. You say people chose not to buy the dreamcast because of the PS2, which is certainly an easy assumption, but what about the way Sega grinded their support of the Saturn to a virtual standstill? You don't think them killing the lifespan of their own hardware like that had a little to do with it?

Yet, since people had been waiting for the PS2, most didn't even know what the Dreamcast was capable of or what it could offer. Coming from the PS1, PS2 was magic, coming from the Dreamcast, PS2 was marginal.

Who told the developers to stop making Dreamcast games? It's not like the Dreamcast was the only system that was trounced by the PS2. It hardly looks like Nintendo or Microsoft is going out of buisness. What happened to Sega was the result of several years of very bad decisions, not one year of Sony marketing. I understand you hate Sony and the PS2, but the logic behind your arguments is lazy at best. These things don't often happen in a vacuum.

Sony is playing the same cards again, using hype and image to wow over the public, making claims that the PS3 will create real 3D graphics (as opposed to other 3D graphics?) and saying that the PS3 is a Supercomupter, BMW with a Ferrari engine, will have interfaces like the Minority Report and will run multiple OS' such as Windows and Tiger.

And what was Microsoft using when they showed off their system on MTV? Appealing to the gamer? Being journalistic? Why do you care so much about all of this garbage? You like microsoft but not sony? then your choices are limited and easy. What else is left?

The PS3 plays Trojan horse for all kinds of Sony-only media such as Bluray (blurry?) media drive and Memory Stick. Once in your home, Sony hopes you will spend more on media such as Memory Sticks (hence, no Hard Drive for saving games (*sneaky-sneaky!*) and Bluray movies (seeing as you already have the drive *wink wink*.)

You're not forced into buying movies on the blu-ray format, and I think it was announced some time ago that the memory stick will not be the only compatable format. Not that it matters a whole lot.

The PS3 is a game console. People will use it to play games. There will be many rehashes of games you already played and this time they will have shinier graphics. The worlds will be bigger but the games will be the same. The PS3 will not turn the world on its ear. It is not a BMW or a supercomputer, it is a plaything.

One could say the same thing about the 360 (but maybe not the Revolution, depending on what it actually is).

PS3 is a toy.

That's what I'm saying! Deep breath, buddy.

Everyone who poo-poo'd the Dreamcast in favor of the PS2 was completely hoodwinked and missed out on some of the best games ever.

Which ones? Powerstone? I count Soul Caliber and...well, perhaps you can remind me of the rest of the classics on that system?

[Blue]

Which ones? Powerstone? I count Soul Caliber and...well, perhaps you can remind me of the rest of the classics on that system?

I'm sure this means little, but I would add Seaman, Shenmue, Jet Set Radio, Sonic Adventure, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and Skies of Arcadia to that list. Yes I realize some of them came out for different systems later and could therefore be more widely experienced, but at the time, they were some of the best games on the Dreamcast.

The Jet Set Radio series is one of my favorites, ever. I would keep my Xbox for the sheer ability to play JSR Future if it's not supported in *** backwards compatability.

I'm not making excuses for Sega in whatever decisions they made, but I think saying that Soul Calibur was it and pulling Powerstone out as their only offering is pretty short-sighted.

[Balthasar]

I'm assuming you a refering to possibly, 2D fighters, SHMUPS, and the like? You might think the PS2 is the best system for that, but then you're missing out. The Dreamcast is the best system to get the games you are talking about. Even right now. Dreamcast has almost every King of Fighters and it gets a few SHMUPS a year. Sony on the other hand stopped any game like that from getting released on the PS2, saying it's a waste of money, so Sony basically says 'fuck creativity' and 'I just want money'. MS on the other hand got Metal Slug 3 because Sony canned it. MS knew most Americans wouldn't care for Metal Slug, but they new that the hardcore from the Dreamcast went over to the XBox. Sony has learned from THAT mistake.

Uh, what about Guilty Gear? I think it's pretty hard to say Sony says "fuck creativity" when they are the only system with Ico and Katamari Damacy. Not to mention the Nippon Ichii games. Those games do not turn a big profit. You guys are really showing your bias when you ignore such obvious examples.

[Balthasar]

I'm sure this means little, but I would add Seaman, Shenmue, Jet Set Radio, Sonic Adventure, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and Skies of Arcadia to that list. Yes I realize some of them came out for different systems later and could therefore be more widely experienced, but at the time, they were some of the best games on the Dreamcast.

I'm not making excuses for Sega in whatever decisions they made, but I think saying that Soul Calibur was it and pulling Powerstone out as their only offering is pretty short-sighted.

I'm not saying Powerstone is the only game that came out on that system--to be perfectly honest, those were the only two games I could even remember coming out on that system off the top of my head at that moment (yeah, it's late). Obviously there were many more titles. But best games of this generation? Hardly. With the exception of Soul Caliber, any Dreamcast game that could have been part of that argument were on other systems. Shenmue? I do not pay to scratch my ass for 30 minutes. I can do that for free. Sonic Adventure? Sonic hasn't been viable (in my opinion) since the Genesis. Resident Evil? I prefer Silent Hill, but maybe that's just me. Everything else that's worth playing can be found elsewhere.

[mister_slim]

...and at that time Sega became THE hardcore gamers gaming company.
I think that is something of a parallel to the Xbox. It's not tremendously useful, analogy-wise, but when I look at the 360 launch titles I wonder what MS will do to expand their base.

J Allard is a smart guy, but I'd trust him more if I didn't feel his charisma comes from his fondness for MS koolaid.

[KDups]

Everything else that's worth playing can be found elsewhere.

Oh c'mon, that's not really a fair line. The reason these games are found elsewhere is because they were great games that got little exposure because the Dreamcast died. So they were brought to more profitable platforms. If you notice most of them were Sega games, or had tie-ins with Sega (like Code Veronica). Add Rez, Virtua Tennis, NFL2k, NBA2k, Chu Chu Rocket, Ecco, Sega Rally, Sega GT, and Virtua Fighter to that list too. I guess it doesn't matter though, I'm sure you'll shrug off any game that's mentioned.

I'm not saying it was only Sony that did the Dreamcast in, but their PS2 hype coupled with Sega's years of bad decisions really helped seal the deal.

[Chris_D]

DC games, well just looking at my shelf..

ChuChu Rocket
Crazy Taxi
Dead or Alive 2
Gauntlet Legends
Grandia 2
Guilty Gear X
House of the Dead 2
Jet Grind Radio
Marvel vs Capcom 2
Sakura Taisen games (only for those of us that like importing)
Shenmue 1+2
Sega Tennis 2k2
Skies of Arcadia
Soul Calibur
Space Channel 5

Even though a lot of these games came out on other platforms the DC version came out much earlier (Skies of Arcadia, Grandia 2..) or was superior (Dead or Alive 2, Gauntlet Legends..).

Certainly the PS2 library these days puts the DC to shame (and probably the GC and Xbox too) but for a good few years the DC put the PS2 library to shame. It really wasn't till I played Final Fantasy X on the PS2 that I thought, hey maybe this console aint so bad after all.

[mister_slim]

Speaking of the DC, where is my damn Rez PS2 reissue, Sega? Why do you hate money?