Dreamcast questions...

[shateredsoul]

??

you can set all your keys in the menu, so just try all the keys until one works.

If you left it on default just remap them to keys you know you can access if you're having issues with the default keys

[jukingeo]

??

you can set all your keys in the menu, so just try all the keys until one works.

If you left it on default just remap them to keys you know you can access if you're having issues with the default keys

As it turns out, there is a controller configuration screen within Crazy Taxi, which I found extremely helpful.  I was able to use this screen to match up the actual controller configuration to the key configuration setup within NullDC.

Another thing I found out is that mapping the Shift, Ctrl and Alt keys seems to cause unpredictable results.  Since I was using a Mame setup on my initial configuration, that seemed to be causing some problems.   So I ended up mapping most of the keys to the lower row of keys on the keyboard:  Z,X,C,V,B,N,M,<,>, etc.

I have not gone back to Jet Grind Radio to figure out the configuration there.  But I did manage to get 18 Wheeler and Crazy Taxi fully functional.   BTW, the hype behind Crazy Taxi is anything but...the game truly is a driving/racing masterpiece.  Unlike most racing games where you just go 'round and 'round on a track, you have a purpose in Crazy Taxi.   

The only thing is that on certain parts that lag showed up again.  It would seem that even though I have an i5 computer now, a higher end video card would be necessary.  It depends on the game though.  As it is, with Hydro Thunder, I had almost no lag at all throughout the game.

In a nutshell, I still don't know if I should make the investment into the actual Dreamcast hardware.  It certainly would be easier to run NullDC as I wouldn't have to bother with changing discs,  but it is a given that I would need at least an i3 machine for that.  A regular Pentium would be out of the question.

But overall, NullDC isn't that bad.  I will say that I am amazed at the quality of the Dreamcast system and games.  This is certainly the choice to go with if you want a multi-game driving machine.   The trouble with driving games on MAME is that there are so many different game configurations, especially when it comes to shift controllers.  With the Dreamcast this gives you many "arcade quality" driving games that use the SAME controller.

The only other obstacle to overcome is to find a Dreamcast steering wheel to hack.  I looked on Amazon and there isn't any to be found .

Thanx again for the info guys.

Geo

[Howard_Casto]

BTW, the hype behind Crazy Taxi is anything but...the game truly is a driving/racing masterpiece.  Unlike most racing games where you just go 'round and 'round on a track, you have a purpose in Crazy Taxi.   

I wasn't going to get involved with this thread until I saw that comment. 

Seriously?  Crazy Taxi a masterpiece?    That game is junk!  Yes unlike other games in which you are in a car and race.  (Which makes sense).  You use the shoddy controls and overly tight maps to run over a bunch of crap and essentially play a game of "stop on this spot then stop on that spot". 

Crazy Taxi is horrible....  It reminds me of crusin usa except crusin' is actually fun because the game is designed for you to be constantly moving forward.... backing up, dodging crap in the street and parking are NOT the fun aspects about driving.  The driving part is. 

The problem is if you were in that magical age when crazy taxi game out and played it then you are never going to believe me becasue your nostalgia glasses are on. 

There are actually very few racing games in the history of gaming that are any good.  Many of them are actually made by Sega.  Crazy Taxi just isn't one of them.

For me personally there are only two.... Outrun, and the Outrun remakes. 

[crashwg]

Everything you said about Crazy Taxi

Nope.  You're wrong.

[jukingeo]

I wasn't going to get involved with this thread until I saw that comment. 

Seriously?  Crazy Taxi a masterpiece?    That game is junk!  Yes unlike other games in which you are in a car and race.  (Which makes sense).  You use the shoddy controls and overly tight maps to run over a bunch of crap and essentially play a game of "stop on this spot then stop on that spot". 

Really, I am not instigating a 'flame match' in regards to how good (or not good) Crazy Taxi is.   But it is a GAME and in no way was I going to compare it to a racing SIMULATION game which clearly you are misunderstanding by what I meant.  Perhaps I should have used the word 'timed task' rather than racing?   If I blatantly said that Crazy Taxi is a great racing SIMULATION game, then yeah, you would be right and I would be off my gourd.

At first I thought I wouldn't like Crazy Taxi either.  But once I got to playing it...I quickly changed my mind.

Crazy Taxi is horrible....  It reminds me of crusin usa except crusin' is actually fun because the game is designed for you to be constantly moving forward.... backing up, dodging crap in the street and parking are NOT the fun aspects about driving.  The driving part is. 

The problem is if you were in that magical age when crazy taxi game out and played it then you are never going to believe me becasue your nostalgia glasses are on. 

Ok, now you went there.

Normally I am really NOT one for racing simulators or games...period.   But considering the fact that I HAVE to play games as part of my job  (Yes, you read that right as I am a games technician for Chuck E. Cheese)  I found I did take a liking to certain racing games and opened up a bit more to them.

Ok, one of the newer games we have is Sega Daytona Deluxe.  This is your typical 4 speed shifter, run around in a circuit.  A simple typical racer.  I personally can't stand thing thing (but my kids love it!).

Now another game we have is Chase HQ 2.  In this game you are basically racing to "catch" your opponent, which is a criminal in a "getaway" car.  You have to slam into the opponent vehicle several times to eventually cripple it and make an arrest.  Ok, so it is not much of a racing game rather than a timed challenge, but I find this WAY more fun than constantly going around and around in a racing circuit.   For me Crazy Taxi is much like Chase HQ 2 and the reason for that is that you have to do something besides just driving around.

Now if I were to enjoy race car SIMULATION...then perhaps a good pick would be F355 challenge? (Which most racing enthusiasts would agree this is a good "game").   BUT as I said I racing simulation isn't my cup of tea.

Now that is not to say that I don't like ANY racing only games.  If one thing, if you remove the car from the scenario with games such as H2Overdrive (A modern version of Hydro Thunder), Arctic Thunder, 4x4 Thunder, Star Wars EP1 racer...then we have a different racing scenario that also captures my interest.

There are actually very few racing games in the history of gaming that are any good.  Many of them are actually made by Sega.  Crazy Taxi just isn't one of them.

Again, I am talking about just having fun with a GAME and not simulation.  That is horse of a different color altogether.

For me personally there are only two.... Outrun, and the Outrun remakes. 

Ok, that I will give you.  I am a fan of the Outrun games myself.   Back in the day when it came out, it was pretty much the only racing game that I played.  What makes it interesting is that the game was more like a fast road trip than a typical 'racing' game.  You had your choice of what path to take and that held my interest.

Anyway, it is just an opinion and everyone has a right to that.  Just don't condemn me for what I think is fun.

Just my 2 cents.

Thank You.

Geo

[danny_galaga]

Everything you said about Crazy Taxi

Nope.  You're wrong.

 

+1. Crazy Taxi is awesome.

[Malenko]

Crazy Taxi is fun, but its not a masterpiece.

[Howard_Casto]

Ok, now you went there.

Normally I am really NOT one for racing simulators or games...period.   But considering the fact that I HAVE to play games as part of my job  (Yes, you read that right as I am a games technician for Chuck E. Cheese)  I found I did take a liking to certain racing games and opened up a bit more to them.

Ok, one of the newer games we have is Sega Daytona Deluxe.  This is your typical 4 speed shifter, run around in a circuit.  A simple typical racer.  I personally can't stand thing thing (but my kids love it!).

Now another game we have is Chase HQ 2.  In this game you are basically racing to "catch" your opponent, which is a criminal in a "getaway" car.  You have to slam into the opponent vehicle several times to eventually cripple it and make an arrest.  Ok, so it is not much of a racing game rather than a timed challenge, but I find this WAY more fun than constantly going around and around in a racing circuit.   For me Crazy Taxi is much like Chase HQ 2 and the reason for that is that you have to do something besides just driving around.

Now if I were to enjoy race car SIMULATION...then perhaps a good pick would be F355 challenge? (Which most racing enthusiasts would agree this is a good "game").   BUT as I said I racing simulation isn't my cup of tea.

Now that is not to say that I don't like ANY racing only games.  If one thing, if you remove the car from the scenario with games such as H2Overdrive (A modern version of Hydro Thunder), Arctic Thunder, 4x4 Thunder, Star Wars EP1 racer...then we have a different racing scenario that also captures my interest.

There are actually very few racing games in the history of gaming that are any good.  Many of them are actually made by Sega.  Crazy Taxi just isn't one of them.

Again, I am talking about just having fun with a GAME and not simulation.  That is horse of a different color altogether.

For me personally there are only two.... Outrun, and the Outrun remakes. 

Ok, that I will give you.  I am a fan of the Outrun games myself.   Back in the day when it came out, it was pretty much the only racing game that I played.  What makes it interesting is that the game was more like a fast road trip than a typical 'racing' game.  You had your choice of what path to take and that held my interest.

Anyway, it is just an opinion and everyone has a right to that.  Just don't condemn me for what I think is fun.

Just my 2 cents.

Thank You.

Geo

Woah Woah Woah!  Hold on there cowboy!  You keep bringing up "racing simulation" like I said it or even implied anything about simulation games.  I didn't, not even once.  By "racing game" I mean any game in which you are in a car, or motorcycle or whatever and you are driving, boating, flying, whatever.

I personally find simulation games to be utter crap.... they focus too much on insignificant details and not on the driving part, which is the fun part.  In other words they have a similar problem to Crazy Taxi, but they are still pretty good  and at least target to a specific audience that can enjoy them.  To each his own on that part. 

I think you completely missed my point.  It had nothing to do about doing laps around a track or specific gimmicks tacked on, it had to do with Crazy Taxi screwing up everything fun about a game with a car involved. 

Note that I said my favorite two racing games are Outrun and the new Outrun(s)..... those are arcade racers, you don't do laps, they aren't simulations.  So perhaps you are projecting your hatred of certain types of racing games on to me.  I tend to like all genre of racing games (granted there are very few great racing games, but still)..... the problem I have is with crazy taxi in particular. 

Anyone who enjoys a game in which you are IN A CAR and yet your mission is to STOP DEAD AND WAIT....... MULTIPLE TIMES before time runs out.... well I just don't know about them.  Words can't describe.  I mean it.  You keep mentioning racing simulations... CT seems pretty darn close to a PARKING SIMULATION to me. 

And please please don't compare chase hq to crazy taxi.  Chase H.Q. is fun.  Why?  Because you don't stop!!!  Plus chasing down the bad guy is exciting and awesome.... picking up cab fares... umm well.

I bet it has to do with the dreaded "dreamcast-itis" I hear about where some people think that the DC is the console equivelent of Jesus and that all games on the console were superior to everything.  I hate to burst the bubble, but the dreamcast had a ton of clunkers and predictably most of the clunkers were first-party games. 

But don't get me wrong, there is some minor level of enjoyment to be had from playing Crazy Taxi, it isn't the worst game in the world.... but come on man, bashing other racing games while calling one that at best would be considered "pretty good" and at worst "utter garbage" a masterpiece???  If you would have said "I like Crazy Taxi" or even "Crazy Taxi is my Favorite game" I wouldn't have even put my hands to the keyboard... but masterpiece?? 

Thems' fightin' words pilgrim

Please don't understand, I'm mad or anything, I'm just trying to correct you here.  And yes, before you ask it is your opinion, but when you claim something to be a masterpiece it has went out of the realm of personal opinion and into public ranking.  Saying you enjoyed a game is not enough data to back up calling something a masterpiece.  You need stats, a poll of opinions and a general conscensus for that. 

(please note that in this instance the use of all caps isn't intended to be me "yelling" I did it to highlight my points)

[amendonz]

whats the point of arguing personal opinion. the guy thinks the game is great, leave him be. i'm sure there's plenty of games you think are masterpieces that lots of others don't hold in such high regard.

[shateredsoul]

whats the point of arguing personal opinion. the guy thinks the game is great, leave him be. i'm sure there's plenty of games you think are masterpieces that lots of others don't hold in such high regard.

Exactly, I found the game really fun but lost interest because the tracks kept repeating. Thisprobably a different reason why other people didn't like and this is probably why some people loved it. I loved wipeout and had loads of fun with the dreamcast version, I consider it one my favorite racing games. I also consider the vs mode in mario kart for SNES and N64 as some of the funnest modes in a racing game (notice it also doesn't include the same goals as other racing games).. there's also twisted metal etc etc.. and what about the burnout crash mode (where you got points for causing accident)? There's so many examples of fun non-traditional racing games.

[danny_galaga]

Jukingeo, if you can figure out the shoulder buttons, do this in Crazy Taxi- On the character select screen, hit both shoulder buttons at the same time, 3 times. Then select a character (",)

[ark_ader]

I love Crazy Taxi, but I have to admit that I have played it on NullDC, and I went back to playing it on the actual DC.

You see there are many many benefits to having a X Arcade system, one of them is not having to mess with the control mapping 

Nothing like playing a game on its intended platform. 

[jukingeo]

 You keep bringing up "racing simulation" like I said it or even implied anything about simulation games.  I didn't, not even once.

It seemed like it was implied because I thought you were hinting the game's accuracy as a true 'racing' game.

I personally find simulation games to be utter crap....

Well, there are some good simulation games, but I have tried a few out and they do have the same issue in that after the initial ooo's and ahhh's, the novelty wears off.

It had nothing to do about doing laps around a track or specific gimmicks tacked on, it had to do with Crazy Taxi screwing up everything fun about a game with a car involved

I guess that is your personal opinion.  There are many people that enjoy the game.  At first I didn't (want) to buy into the hype.  But I tried it out and found it to be pretty darn good.

Note that I said my favorite two racing games are Outrun and the new Outrun(s)..... those are arcade racers, you don't do laps, they aren't simulations.

Well, Outrun is a great game and was one of the first racing games I got into simply because you don't do laps.

..... the problem I have is with crazy taxi in particular.  

Anyone who enjoys a game in which you are IN A CAR and yet your mission is to STOP DEAD AND WAIT....... MULTIPLE TIMES before time runs out.... well I just don't know about them.  Words can't describe.  I mean it.  You keep mentioning racing simulations... CT seems pretty darn close to a PARKING SIMULATION to me.

I don't recall too much 'waiting'.  You stop to pick someone up...drive to a destination and then drop them off.   Rinse and repeat.  I mean it is a TAXI, right?

And please please don't compare chase hq to crazy taxi.  Chase H.Q. is fun.  Why?  Because you don't stop!!!  Plus chasing down the bad guy is exciting and awesome.... picking up cab fares... umm well.

I used them in the same sentence because I like the two games equally the same.

I bet it has to do with the dreaded "dreamcast-itis" I hear about where some people think that the DC is the console equivelent of Jesus and that all games on the console were superior to everything.  I hate to burst the bubble, but the dreamcast had a ton of clunkers and predictably most of the clunkers were first-party games.

No it isn't a case of Dreamcast-itis.  I still think my Playstation 2 is superior, but the Dreamcast does shine in regard to various arcade ports.  

I primarily became interested in the Dreamcast because I was looking into a consistent means of controlling several driving games using a single set of controls.  With Mame this is pretty hard to do, especially when it comes to mapping shifters.
 

.. but come on man, bashing other racing games while calling one that at best would be considered "pretty good" and at worst "utter garbage" a masterpiece???  If you would have said "I like Crazy Taxi" or even "Crazy Taxi is my Favorite game" I wouldn't have even put my hands to the keyboard... but masterpiece??  

Thems' fightin' words pilgrim

Ok, so you made your point that you don't like Crazy Taxi.  Perhaps I shouldn't have used the words masterpiece and racing in the same sentence.  Bad move on my part, OK.   But still I feel that this shouldn't be blown out of proportion just by saying one wrong word.

Edit:  While looking up some information on the Dreamcast it seems that Crazy Taxi was the third best selling game made for the Dreamcast.   That is #3 out of 720 games made for the console.  Thus in the context of Dreamcast games, perhaps it WAS a masterpiece.

At any rate, I would just like to drop it and get back to the topic on hand.

whats the point of arguing personal opinion. the guy thinks the game is great, leave him be. i'm sure there's plenty of games you think are masterpieces that lots of others don't hold in such high regard.

Thank You.  I can understand that if I made a specific topic (based on racers) and screamed out "I think Crazy Taxi is a racing Masterpiece", that would be asking for trouble and opinions would fly all over the place.  But, here I just mentioned it as a side note in regards to some issues I was having with NullDC and the control configuration.  Next thing I know everything gets blown out of proportion because I said one word that didn't sit right with someone else?   So now I have to tread water and watch every little thing I say?    Naw, I have seen this happen too many times with threads that had good info on it.

Ok, 'nuff said, done deal...lets please get back on the topic.

Jukingeo, if you can figure out the shoulder buttons, do this in Crazy Taxi- On the character select screen, hit both shoulder buttons at the same time, 3 times. Then select a character (",)

Yes, I used Crazy Taxi as a 'model' and used it's configuration page to create a suitable keyboard map.   I then compared this to mappings used in other driving games such as Daytona, 4x4 Thunder, Hydro Thunder, etc.

I am mainly looking for a consistency with the mappings so I can see if a fixed set of controls could be used for Dreamcast games.

I love Crazy Taxi, but I have to admit that I have played it on NullDC, and I went back to playing it on the actual DC.

You see there are many many benefits to having a X Arcade system, one of them is not having to mess with the control mapping  

Nothing like playing a game on its intended platform.  

Well, overall I was leaning towards a computer using NullDC, but I have noticed that many games did have 'slow down' in at least some part of the game play.   With Crazy Taxi it isn't that bad as it only happens in a few graphic intense places.   It happens more often with Daytona though.

Granted even though I have an i5 machine I am using the built in graphics accelerator.   I am sure that with a better graphics card things would improve.  Also going with an solid state hard drive would improve things as well.

I think in the end it will become a choice between project cost vs performance vs whether I want to swap out discs.

Since I am only interested in a handful of games for the Dreamcast (at the moment), going with original hardware could still prove to be the cheapest route.  But in the long run I do question the longevity of the disc drive in the Dreamcast.  Once that fails the console is useless.  Whereas that isn't a concern about a computer running NullDC.  But it is the more expensive route to take.

Geo

[jukingeo]

Hello again guys!

I been some more reading today in regards to using Null DC.  Apparently it seems that even though NullDC has keyboard inputs for the analog buttons, this is obviously digital.  I wanted to try out some Analog functions today and figured there would be a way to map the mouse to the analog inputs, but alas this doesn't seem possible.

Without analog control for NullDC, this would put a large damper on my project should I go the emulation route.

So that is my next question to add to this thread.  Is analog supported in NullDC and if so, how?

Thanx,

Geo

[danny_galaga]

Jukingeo, if you can figure out the shoulder buttons, do this in Crazy Taxi- On the character select screen, hit both shoulder buttons at the same time, 3 times. Then select a character (",)

Yes, I used Crazy Taxi as a 'model' and used it's configuration page to create a suitable keyboard map.   I then compared this to mappings used in other driving games such as Daytona, 4x4 Thunder, Hydro Thunder, etc.

I am mainly looking for a consistency with the mappings so I can see if a fixed set of controls could be used for Dreamcast games.

No, this is nothing to do with technical stuff liking mapping the buttons, this is about another reason Crazy taxi is fun. It's an easter egg (or cheat I suppose). A pretty cool one (",)