Sega Dreamcast/Sega Naomi emulation incoming for the Nintendo Switch!

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Sonicx9
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Sega Dreamcast/Sega Naomi emulation incoming for the Nintendo Switch!

Postby Sonicx9 » January 17th, 2018, 7:07 pm

It looks like the Nintendo Switch is powerful enough to port/emulate Sega Dreamcast and Sega Naomi games thanks to Zero Gunner 2.: https://gematsu.com/2018/01/zero-gunner ... january-25 and a hint is Zero Gunner 2 runs on the Sega Naomi which is based on the Sega Dreamcast. http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=721&page=9#2156 Is Sega Dreamcast Virtual Console possible, only time will tell? Thoughts on this and what Sega Dreamcast games do you want to come to the Nintendo Switch Virtual Console?

JWK
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Re: Sega Dreamcast/Sega Naomi emulation incoming for the Nintendo Switch!

Postby JWK » January 18th, 2018, 2:09 am

While this is great, I certainly *hope* a modern system like the Switch is able to emulate 20 year old hardware...

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Atariboy
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Re: Sega Dreamcast/Sega Naomi emulation incoming for the Nintendo Switch!

Postby Atariboy » January 18th, 2018, 2:07 pm

I doubt it's emulation.

Psikyo has a pretty small library of games that run on this hardware. With the complexity of Dreamcast emulation and the small selection of titles that could take advantage of that investment, it's unlikely to be the most economical choice. The economies of scale just aren't there, especially when their games are relatively unknown.

Like Sega's short lived Dreamcast revival effort on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, I'd bet on these being ports from the original source code, running natively on the Nintendo Switch.

Sonicx9
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Re: Sega Dreamcast/Sega Naomi emulation incoming for the Nintendo Switch!

Postby Sonicx9 » January 18th, 2018, 4:09 pm

Atariboy wrote:I doubt it's emulation.

Psikyo has a pretty small library of games that run on this hardware. With the complexity of Dreamcast emulation and the small selection of titles that could take advantage of that investment, it's unlikely to be the most economical choice. The economies of scale just aren't there, especially when their games are relatively unknown.

Like Sega's short lived Dreamcast revival effort on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, I'd bet on these being ports from the original source code, running natively on the Nintendo Switch.


One way to know is to have some rip into the master data rom to see if it is emulation are not, and the one who will know is John Linneman of Digital Foundry as he is a big Sega Dreamcast fan and can tell if it is emulation or native for the system.

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Atariboy
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Re: Sega Dreamcast/Sega Naomi emulation incoming for the Nintendo Switch!

Postby Atariboy » January 19th, 2018, 6:18 am

Digital Foundry isn't hacking their Switch, ripping games, and then tearing into the source code.

There will be easier ways to make a likely determination. Strikers 1945 on the Switch for instance has, knowing that the system is only ever going to be used on 16:9 displays, decluttered the game screen by relocating the scoring and lives counter to the otherwise unused pillarboxing area to the left of the game display.

For such a change to have been implemented, it's very safe to say that the Psikyo release for Strikers 1945 is a port from original source code rather than an emulation. I'd expect more of the same when Dreamcast/Naomi based games appear on the Switch eShop.

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scotland
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Re: Sega Dreamcast/Sega Naomi emulation incoming for the Nintendo Switch!

Postby scotland » January 19th, 2018, 7:14 pm

Atariboy wrote:Digital Foundry isn't hacking their Switch, ripping games, and then tearing into the source code.

There will be easier ways to make a likely determination. Strikers 1945 on the Switch for instance has, knowing that the system is only ever going to be used on 16:9 displays, decluttered the game screen by relocating the scoring and lives counter to the otherwise unused pillarboxing area to the left of the game display.

For such a change to have been implemented, it's very safe to say that the Psikyo release for Strikers 1945 is a port from original source code rather than an emulation. I'd expect more of the same when Dreamcast/Naomi based games appear on the Switch eShop.


And there is nothing wrong with a good port. Emulation will always get picked apart by purists, where a port can customize the mechanics and display to the new hardware.

Sonicx9
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Re: Sega Dreamcast/Sega Naomi emulation incoming for the Nintendo Switch!

Postby Sonicx9 » January 28th, 2018, 10:26 pm

Update: Coverage of the Nintendo Switch version of Zero Gunner 2: http://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2 ... mcast.html It is ported not emulated.


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