Was the VMU ahead of it's time with the Dreamcast?

Azureth

Azureth

Supreme [H]ardness
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I remember buying Sonic Adventure and spending just as much time raising Chao as I did playing the game! It was so cool being able to plug the VMU into the controller, putting one of your Chao on it and you could take it with you and keep raising it, I used to take it to school all the time.

Anyone remember the site booyaka (I think that's what it was called) where you could go online with it (albeit for me, dial up) and get awesome Chaos and saves for other games, it was so awesome! We have yet to see anything like the VMU and man, imagine what could be done today??

Personally, I think the VMU and even certain other aspects of the Dreamcast were most definitely ahead of it's time :)
 
While I don't think the VMU hardware will make a comeback, I can see mobile apps being used in a similar manner.
I remember Rift has some app you could use to garner some crafting items.

I think micro-transactions are the focus on games, especially for a mobile platform, that spending money for an 'offline' aspect of a game (be is PC or console) is far from the minds of game developers.

Of course, there's also the big problem of having a game with a longevity that would make it worth-while (I'm sure Blizzard could have come up with something if smartphones were as big back when WoW started as it is now).
 
I think the VMU was way ahead of its time and thought it would catch on. Atleast a display on the controller.

I thought the idea of the choa was cool but I eventually got bored. Now I did like how in NFL 2K you could select your plays without your opponent seeing. I also liked in Resident Evil it would show your health status on it.
 
qbanb8582 said:
I think the VMU was way ahead of its time and thought it would catch on. Atleast a display on the controller.

I thought the idea of the choa was cool but I eventually got bored. Now I did like how in NFL 2K you could select your plays without your opponent seeing. I also liked in Resident Evil it would show your health status on it.
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yup, it was invaluable in NFL 2k. My buddy was a notorious play watcher. blatantly watching you select and then making his defensive selection. sooooooo, annoying. then I got a VMU for that specific purpose and the mofo called ME a cheater :p

good times
 
The Dreamcast was a wonderful system. I have done some reading up on it in the last couple of months before I got my PS4 and never realized how closely Microsoft worked with Sega on the system. It was really a spiritual pre xbox system.
They had a large portion of the OS on the game disc so if the system needed any updates specifically to play a game, it just loaded it straight from disc instead of needing system updates.
Essentially making it upgrade the system on the fly.
 
Yar, Dreamcast was definitely ahead of its time and I like to think of the VMU being a bit of a precursor to Nintendo's DS system. My Dreamcast had earned itself a spot on my bookshelf, whereas my other old systems were either retired to the closet, sold, or given away.
 
In general I thought both the Dreamcast and the 3DO were way ahead of their time.

The DC was a fantastic system with an incredible software lineup.
 
Damn you guys for bringing up DC, so much nostalgia on that platform for me.

To some degree the VMU was ahead of its time, and I think it shows because they did not design it in a way that was entirely practical IMO. The device wasn't useful while playing the game, only a cute distraction, and really only provided benefit once the game was off. I think Gamecube took this idea and polished it, as the GC+Gameboy combo provided access to maps & inventory management, which was much more interactive & hella-useful in multiplayer games.

I did enjoy the minigames, it's unfortunate they're hard to get a hold of these days. I recently went back to Skies of Arcadia and got blocked from Fina's ultimate weapon form, as you need the VMU game in order to receive the last part to upgrade him.
 
I loved the VMU use in Sonic Adventure. You can transfer those little dudes you find in eggs over to the VMU and then once on the VMU, they were like a portable digital pet. You can play games with them too on the VMU. I remembered I would take it to school and play with it, and then once back home I can connect the VMU and transfer my pet back into the game. I remember that you could collect something too but I don't remember what.

Well, that did it... i'm gonna go home and play Sonic Adventure. lol

I also remember in Resident Evil Code Veronica is showed your health which was very helpful.
 
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The Dreamcast was sooooooooooo ahead of its time!

I bought a console launch day 9.9.99 :)

I've played and beaten Sonic Adventure at least 3 times.... (Most recently as the re-release on the 360)

Lastly, screw Super Smash Brothers, BRING BACK POWER STONE!!!!
 
nope the VMU was a complete waste and is now a dead technology that no one will ever bring back.........

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horrorshow said:
The Dreamcast was sooooooooooo ahead of its time!

I bought a console launch day 9.9.99 :)

I've played and beaten Sonic Adventure at least 3 times.... (Most recently as the re-release on the 360)

Lastly, screw Super Smash Brothers, BRING BACK POWER STONE!!!!
Click to expand...

Power stone! Much as I like smash bros I like PS much more. :)
 
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