A Merry Sega Racer Christmas To You

Merry Christmas you bastards, now here's my NOT AT ALL HASTILY MADE Christmas card (two hours of this BS).

Outside the famous Daytona International Speedway, the Sega gang is all here for the big Sega race, giving away free Dreamcast 2 consoles to all attendees!!!

I wish.....

EDIT: I really should've done this sooner but here goes.
LIST OF PEOPLE/CHARACTERS FOR INFORMATIVE PURPOSES:

Toshihiro Nagoshi: Tan dude with white shirt/pants, dead center.  Producer of Daytona USA, Super Monkey Ball, F-Zero GX, and Yakuza.  Currently the Main Creative Director of Sega in general.

Yu Suzuki: Smiley guy at bottom right.  Producer of OutRun, Hang-On, Virtua Racing, Virtua Fighter, and Shenmue.  Considered "best game producer ever" by many Sega fans for bolstering their arcade division to first-class.

Tetsuya Mizuguchi: Guy on bottom left in a pink shirt sitting down.  Producer of Sega Rally, Sega Touring Car, Space Channel 5, Rez, and Lumines.

Yuji Naka: Guy on right center in white suit.  Producer of many Sega hits including Sonic the Hedgehog, NiGHTS, Phantasy Star, Billy Hatcher, and Burning Rangers.

Danica Patrick: Lady in blue racing suit, dead center.  Drove the Sega Sonic car at Texas Nationwide Race.  Spokeswoman for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.

Takenobu Mitsuyoshi: Guy in upper left with yellow shirt and mic.  Sega composer and infamous vocalist of Daytona USA soundtrack ("Rolllingggg sttttarrrrttttt!!!").

Makoto Osaki: Guy in blue shirt, upper center.  Director for Daytona USA 1/2, Scud Race, OutRun 2, and Virtua Fighter.  One of the main guys who fine-tuned these games so damn well but gets no credit.

Hajime Satomi: Guy on TV, lower left.  Founder of Sammy Corporation and current owner of Sega.  Rumored to be a leader of the Yakuza.  Nobody likes him.

Ryo Hazuki: Guy in brown leather jacket and jeans, dead center.  Main protagonist of Shenmue 1 and 2.  Knows martial arts.  Trying to avenge his father's death.

Segata Sanshiro: Judo guy in center of image, arms crossed.  Infamous fictional spokesman for Sega Saturn, known for beating up people who don't play the Saturn and deflecting a giant missile from destroying Sega HQ.

Jennifer, Alberto, Clarissa, Holly: Four people standing on left in front of presents.  Alberto is the "protagonist" of OutRun 2.  The three girls are you passengers for OutRun, Heart Attack, and Mission Modes, respectively.

Hornet Classic: Red and blue car on left center.  Based off a '94 Chevy Lumina, it's infamous stock car from Daytona USA.  Also appears in Fighters Megamix (a fighting car), Ridge Racer Vita (as DLC), and Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed (unlockable character).

Sonic the Hedgehog: Upper center.  Everyone knows who this is.

Axel, B.D. Joe, Gena, Gus: Four guys on right center side of screen.  The four playable characters from the original Crazy Taxi.  Racing around town, catching big air, making huge tips along the way heading for KFC and Pizza Hut.

Ornaments: Cars from the following Sega games from top to bottom--Unicorn from Daytona USA 2001 (DC), Toyota Celica from Sega Rally, Ferrari F40 from Scud Race/Sega Super GT, Phantom Full Force from Daytona USA 2, F1 car from Virtua Racing.

Dreamcast 2: Poster in upper left corner.  Not real (of course) but all Sega fans want to see this (you do too, just admit it).  Rumored to exist through Sega's Ringedge/Ringwide hardware but it's pure speculation.

Sumo Digital: Tiny poster in center of screen.  Game company from Sheffield, UK responsible for porting OutRun  and Sega Rally Online Arcade to XBLA/PSN.  Also made Sega Superstars Tennis and both Sonic All-Stars Racing games.  Considered one of the last bastions of Sega goodness remaining on Earth.

Daytona International Speedway: Backdrop to this image (crap but there's so much stuff in the way so w/e). Located in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA, it opened in 1959, it's home to the most prestigious race in NASCAR (Daytona 500) and lends its name to Sega's 1994 arcade game Daytona USA.

THE MORE YOU KNOW...

Get the full size image off deviantART (please favorite!!!).  Sonic Claus fanart attribution.  Remember to keep Christ in Christmas and have a super day with family & friends.  Oh, and Happy New Year too.

Sega Was Quite The Prolific Contributor!

Sup super brothers, this wasn't meant to showcase new material/opinions but I've got stuff to share anyway.  So here's a new IGN article that has sprung up lately which is surprisingly flattering towards Sega!  Sega: A Soothsayer of the Games Industry.  What a lot of you noobs didn't know about Sega so I'm gonna recap any achievements thus far whether it was a hit or miss.  I'm going to do this in timeline format and add a few things of my own so here goes:

1976: Let's go ride some bikes!  Fonz was not the first racing game Sega released (that would be Moto-Cross, a game relatively identical to this) but it was the first game to feature force feedback controls and also the first to be based off a TV character.

1985: Let's go ride some bikes...again!  Hang-On was a motorcycle game that boasted the world's first full-body experience gameplay (steer by leaning left & right on the special bike cabinet).

1986: Embark on a beautiful journey!  OutRun was the first racing game to combine multiple soundtracks and non-linear routes.  Most of the landscapes were derived by memories accrued by the eclectic Yu Suzuki during his European tour.

1987: Early attempts at lousy 3D gaming!  Sega revealed an add-on for the Mega Drive...a pair of black 3D glasses with LCD shutters that would project 3D full-color images from the screen.  It was a flop, of course.

1989: HOOOOOOO!!!  Sega released the arcade version of Moonwalker, an isometric beat-em-up featuring none other than music legend Michael Jackson.  A 1990 version was released for Genesis that featured drastically different gameplay (2D action sidescroller).

1990: Go buy some DLC!  Sega released a network system exclusive to Japan dubbed the Sega Net Work System.  Download games using a modem attached to the MegaDrive for a sizeable monthy fee (unfortunately, you had to redownload the games after you shut the console off).

Also that year, you could now watch TV on your handheld system!  The Sega Game Gear came with a backlit color screen and a TV tuner.

1991: Save your files on internal console memory!  The Sega CD (of all consoles, geez) was the first to include this feature.  The Saturn in 1994 also did the same thing as well.

Also this year, Sega released the very first Sonic the Hedgehog game which would later become Sega's official mascot and spawn one of the most largest game franchises in history.

1992: Play racing games in 3D!  While Virtua Racing wasn't the first 3D racing game (predated by Namco's Winning Run and Atari's Hard Drivin' by '88 and '89 respectively), it was the first of the Model 1 arcade series and the beginning of Sega's 3D arcade dominance.  It was also the first racing game to feature multiple view points--cockpit, bumper, chase, and far chase views.

1993: Play fighting games in 3D!  Virtua Fighter was the first 3D fighting arcade game.

Also that year, we said screw the Kinect--let's play hands-free gaming Sega-style!  The Sega Activator was an octagon-shaped Genesis controller that was placed on the floor and read player inputs as they waved around like idiots.  It was a piece of crap but kudos for trying.  Over a decade later, the Kinect has no excuse to suck.

And yet again for that year, Night Trap was released for Sega CD, an abysmal game that was presented during US Senate hearings which eventually ushered in the ratings system.

1994: Highest grossing arcade game of all time!  Well, at least the highest-grossing arcade racing game of all time.  Daytona USA, ladies and gentlemen.  It requires no introduction.

Also, Sega would continue their online exploits by releasing a similar online service for the Genesis known as the Sega Channel.  This time, it was available in North America.  Pay the subscription to download games, cheats, manuals, unreleased content, and demos off the server hosted by Time Warner Cable.

1995: Play Mega Drive & Genesis games outdoors!  The Sega Nomad was a portable Genesis/Mega Drive system with a 3.25 inch color LCD screen and an A/V out plug for connecting to another TV (you could watch a video game on two screens).  Also came with AC adapters and battery packs (with abysmal life, of course). Was supposed to have a touch screen but Sega ditched that feature due to a high price tag (over $250).

1997: Play more games online!  Sega released the 28K NetLink attachment for the Sega Saturn, complete with keyboard and mouse compatibility.  Unfortunately, only five games were playable online, one of which was a special version of Daytona USA: Championship Edition.

1998: Carry your saved games around with style!  For the Dreamcast, Sega ditched internal memory in favor of those "evil memory cards" that Sony profited from.  But the Dreamcast memory cards (Visual Memory Unit or VMU) also functioned as a second screen during gameplay AND as a mini handheld gaming device elsewhere.  Everyone knows this but it's a neat idea that's so clever it's worth mentioning multiple times.

1999: Show the Wii who's boss!  Sega released the Dreamcast Fishing Controller which was quite versatile for a mere fishing game peripheral.  It could be used to play other games...such as Virtua Tennis or Soul Calibur!

Also that year, Yu Suzuki released the most expensive game ever produced for its time, Shenmue, at $47 million (in 1999 money).  This and its 2001 sequel Shenmue 2 both cost $70 million (in 2001 money) to make.  It was also the first game to use Quick Time Events and also spawned one of the most delayed yet anticipated threequels in history (Shenmue 3).

2000: Play with even more fun Dreamcast toys!  Shake the maraca controllers to Samba de Amigo.  Also talk to Seaman the fish with your microphone.

Also this year, SegaNet (or Dreamarena in Europe) was released for Dreamcast consoles.  The Dreamcast was the first online-ready console which ran over a 56K dialup connection.  It also had its own built-in web browser with keyboard & mouse support.

2002: The legend will never die!  First game company ever (to my knowledge) to survive a total loss of over $1.5 billion (from 1998 to 2002) and still survive.  Partially due to one of the greatest altrustic moves in gaming history--former Sega Chairman Isao Okawa donated $695 million that same year just before his death.

2003: Listen to video game music LIVE!  The infamous Takenobu Mitsuyoshi performed the Shenmue soundtrack at the first Symphonic Game Music Concert in Leipzig, Germany--the first video game music concert held outside of Japan.

2004 onward: Sega did nothing worth noting (except a few racing games).  Cause they suck and are an embarrassment to us all.  I give them props for staying alive this whole time but that's it.

2012: The Dreamcast homebrew scene still forges ahead.  Sturmwind was the most recent Dreamcast game released this very year, thus proving the Dreamcast is still "alive."

What a damn shame.  To see all these achievements go to waste after the post-Dreamcast era.  Seriously, listen to the New Sega Theme Song--it sums up everything perfectly.  This post has gone on way much longer than it should've so I'll end with a few choice quotes from the IGN article that sums up Sega all too well:

Unfortunately for SEGA, offering future tech in the present is expensive, and I would chalk up a majority of Sega’s commercial failures to prohibitive price tags with minimal returns. This is in stark contrast to the company’s ancient rival, Nintendo, which is historically quite content to sit on emerging technologies until they become affordable, and by extension, profitable.

It is little wonder SEGA was the prime mover for video games for so long: with teams AM1 through to AM7 during the 1990s, surely SEGA burned through an insane amount of money in research and development alone. Like a dog digging holes in the backyard, SEGA leapt from the Mega CD to the 32X to the Saturn within the span of three years. This did nothing to build up consumer confidence in the SEGA brand, but in retrospect, it’s hard not to admire the excitement for the medium that SEGA so clearly shared with its fans, and demonstrated with its business decisions. Its devil-may-care attitude towards game development in the Saturn and Dreamcast eras is something that we simply do not see outside of the indie scene today. The Dreamcast read like a love letter to gaming itself.

Even stranger for Sega, a retired prize fighter sitting on the sidelines. Watching Nintendo grapple with the internet; watching Sony outfit handhelds like Swiss Army knives; watching Microsoft struggle to make full body control viable; and being able to say, “been there, done that.”

Yeah, that's right.  Sega kicks ass and now you know why.  Yes, they were a very foolish company but when they did something right, it was awesome.  The end.

If you have any Sega "firsts" that I forgot to mention, please let me know cause I want to learn more too.

Lots Of Sega Fan Stuff: Bonus Points For Trying!!

Check out some new Sega-related media I found.  This pic I think I fluked out on since it's not even on a "website."  I found it in a Google image search:

Link

Man, I ain't even that good at Etch-A-Sketch, props...

So pre-Daytona 2 guide days were brutal since we couldn't make Daytona 2 art at all.  Like this:

Link

Compare to the real thing:

Is this nightmare fuel???

A blog called "Mapstalgia" consists of user contributions of video game stages/levels drawn from memory.  Like this, holy cow.  Someone attempted to draw the Crazy Taxi city.  Here it is:

Link

Alright, let's see how you did today--let's take a look...

Take this real map, try to get it to lined up with the sketch and it's impossible.  Looks like you twisted the city into a pretzel (both coasts parallel to each other) but nonetheless, this lineart is very piretty!  Quick, now I will try to draw track layouts from memory:

That's some mad skills right there.

Also, I saw some French dudes drew up a concept logo for Sega.  Here it is:

Link

If Sega were to change their logo, it would be the kiss of death...

Remember Rare??  Remember long ago when they made awesome games like Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Banjo Kazooie, Donkey Kong, etc?  Now remember the time they changed their logo and were forced to make pathetic sports Kinect games for their tenure at Microsoft?  C'mon man!!!

And Kotaku posted a link to some music video--an "ode to arcade games" or something.  Gee whiz, the last time a band tried to do this, the results were shocking.  But this music video is pretty much all about Streets of Rage 2 (a modified version that is).  If you love Streets of Rage and pop music, then this is most definitely your thing.  But I also spy with my little eyes a Daytona USA 2 cabinet.  And Time Crisis 4.  Seriously, I know that Time Crisis 4 even with the crap "Game Over" logo you pasted on the screen.

Also, this is THE BEST FAN ART EVER!!!

DAAYYYYTOOOONAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Mitsuyoshi-San Busted For Having Too Much Fun

Takenobu Mitsuyoshi...is this guy high?  Yes, he's "sky high" on life, that is.

He sings King of Speed and Let's Go Away.  Unfortunately, no Sky High.  But damn this dude is nuts.  Aside from the 2-minute interval in which he speaks to the camera (in Japanese, need a translator here), he's gettin down to the music.  This is EXACTLY what Sega needs to have again: FUN!!!

It's amazing that what was supposed to be a miniscule racing game has become a cult phenomenon like this.  I think it's strange that Mitsuyoshi so frequently sings his songs (and is clearly proud of it), yet Nagoshi just hides behind his Yakuza games.  Well, looks like Mitsuyoshi is doing his part to keep the Daytona legacy alive.  Props.

Daytona USA Guide: Make A Paper Hornet!!!

I have great, great news!!!  I've finally gotten around to scanning part of the official Daytona USA guide!  Well, some of the pages anyway.  I scanned interviews with Suzuki, Nagoshi, and Mitsuyoshi and some other stuff but not much actual guide stuff.  I didn't have time for all those pages and they're quite redundant anyway so big whoop.  Had to use the scanner at FIEA and I was afraid to bend the book's crease back more than I did today.

Click here for whatever Daytona guide pics I have so far!  More to come soon.

If you're still confused as to which books I'm talking about, click here (the Daytona book on the right).

Sorry, I can't help posting these hough jazz picks but since they lag, I uploaded smaller placeholder pics instead of the larger pics on Photobucket!!!  Go to the Photobucket link above for the larger pics.  But as a teaser to get you going, here's the paper Hornet car in question.....

Haha, I made this paper car, beotch...

Suzuki-San!!!

Nagoshi-San...minus the tan & bling...

Mitsuyoshi-San!!!!!  Tu tu lu tu lu tu lu tu lu tooooo DAYTONA!!!!!

BLUE, BLUE SKIES I SEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tha Hornet

Dayum, look at those cars!!!!

The Daytona USA Cabinet!!!

More Fantastic Arcade Games Plus Daytona Logos!!!

I just thought this page was weird.  Take a look on the right.  Seems like Sega knew about the pitstop exploit way earlier than we expected.  And they're encouraging it...wtf??

BEGINNER COURSE!

ADVANCED!

EXPERT!!!!!

Can you craft the Hornet car with your hands?  Well, here's your chance.

Daytona USA Books!!! Check It Out!!!

Can't believe it!!  Two weeks ago, just out of nowhere, I ordered two Daytona USA guide books (as you can see above along with my Daytona 2 book).  They finally arrived today.  I got them from this site (they also sell games and CD's).  Each book cost about $7 including S&H which was $15.  So $30 bucks for some Daytona memorabilia was a good deal for me.  They each have about 80 pages, just as large as the D2 book.

Strangely, I ordered these books before the Sega Daytona port was leaked so this is purely coincidental.

OOOOO, CHECK IT OUT....  I should mention that both books are for the Saturn version, not the Arcade version, which I kind of a bummer.  This is part-strategy guide, part-colorful pictures so it's cool to check out.

Table of Contents, sorry these pics are crap.

Oooo, the Hornet!!

It's an interview with Yu Suzuki!!  Like I said before, Toshihiro Nagoshi was the producer but Suzuki was a supervisor, so to speak.

And here's an interview with Toshihiro Nagoshi.  Strange cause he looks completely normal here.

And here's Takenobu Mitsuyoshi busting out those famous beats!!

A paper Hornet car?  Hell no, I ain't shredding this book up.  I suck at making these things anyway.  Maybe once I scan this page.

Of the two books, the one with the flying cars on the cover looks cooler...it has the Suzuki/Nagoshi/Mitsuyoshi pages as well as screenshots of Daytona USA and other Model2 arcade cabinets.  Verrryyy naice!!!

There's also books for Sega Rally, Sega Rally 2, Scud Race (DAMN, sold out...), Daytona 2 (for 104 bucks!!??), and OutRun (78 bucks??). 

I wish I could scan these pages like I did with the Daytona 2 book but I currently don't have access to a scanner...there may be one at school but it would be difficult to use.  So sorry I cannot show it right now.
EDIT: On 11/19/11, I've begun scanning pages of the book.  Click here to see what pages I have up thus far.

It would also be nice if someone could translate these books from Japanese to English.  Clearly that's one of my goals for the near future.

But even if you don't plan on buying books, check out the site's games list anyway for cool wallpaper like this:

EDIT: Pictures didn't load the first time (I hate when that happens cause you have no idea if others can see 'em).  So here they are now:

And this:

Also, two more awesome things that have happened lately!

I smoked this song (The Doors - Touch Me) on Rock Band Pro Keys.  After being teased by this song for so long, I whooped its ass.  DAMN, I'M GOOD...

Also, I got a Gameboy DS emulator working on my computer!  It's the No$Zoomer emulator.  You can play games just by clicking with your mouse (touch screen, remember?).  BTW, I already own the games I'm playing...Advance Wars Baby!!!