The Sega Saturn appreciation thread

[Saturn Fan]

Neptune and Blackbelt never got out of the design phase. No working prototypes exist to my knowledge. VF3 and Shenmue are rumored to be in a vault at Sega in the form of Magentic Tapes. Panzer Dragoon Sagas Source code is flat out gone. The HDD was destroyed or something along those lines last I checked.

At least one completed, official Neptune unit does exist.

[Hidden_Darkness]

At least one completed, official Neptune unit does exist.

here's the neptune your talking about:



supposedly the prototype in the picture above was lost for good a year ago and hasn't been found since.
http://hexigon.blogspot.com/2011/10/...st-in.html?m=1

[Bradcap1]

I also think that this is the proper interpretation (while most of people seems to think that 3MB RAM would refer to the 4MB RAM cart, but it makes no sense IMO).

I don't have the PS1 version to compare but I do have a US Saturn copy, a 1MB cart, and an Action Replay. I also have. 4MB cart but won't remove it from my JP Saturn as the cartridge slot is worn and getting it to recognize the cart is very tricky. So I can compare on a US Saturn without cart, with 1MB cart, and with AR cart. Tested using Juggernaut vs Blackheart in arcade mode.
Without cart - runs ok. Not too much slowdown but some animation is missing.
With 1MB cart - runs very smooth. If there is slowdown it is negligible. Extra animation is present. You have to let the Capcom intro screen run to completion before hitting start for it to recognize the cart. Weird. If you use this cart, be sure to go to options and check if it is recognized and being used (3MB mode on).
With AR - runs like a slug. Extra animation is present. Sorry that I'm not comparing the 4MB cart but poster zyrobs at Sega Saturn UK claims that the AR cart only runs in 4MB mode and that it does not have a 1MB switch as is commonly believed. So the AR should be the functional equivalent of the 4MB cart.

[TrekkiesUnite118]

At least one completed, official Neptune unit does exist.

The prototype that exists is just an empty shell. It doesn't actually work.

[Barone]

I don't have the PS1 version to compare but I do have a US Saturn copy, a 1MB cart, and an Action Replay. I also have. 4MB cart but won't remove it from my JP Saturn as the cartridge slot is worn and getting it to recognize the cart is very tricky. So I can compare on a US Saturn without cart, with 1MB cart, and with AR cart. Tested using Juggernaut vs Blackheart in arcade mode.
Without cart - runs ok. Not too much slowdown but some animation is missing.
With 1MB cart - runs very smooth. If there is slowdown it is negligible. Extra animation is present. You have to let the Capcom intro screen run to completion before hitting start for it to recognize the cart. Weird. If you use this cart, be sure to go to options and check if it is recognized and being used (3MB mode on).
With AR - runs like a slug. Extra animation is present. Sorry that I'm not comparing the 4MB cart but poster zyrobs at Sega Saturn UK claims that the AR cart only runs in 4MB mode and that it does not have a 1MB switch as is commonly believed. So the AR should be the functional equivalent of the 4MB cart.

Awesome (rep given)!
There's some variations of AR so I can't speak for them all but I know that mine states the 1MB RAM mode. I think some 1MB RAM compatible games work well but some other (like Metal Slug and Maver Super Heroes) have some sort of incompatibility. IIRC, there's also a problem with some 4MB RAM compatible (like Vampire Savior) if you're using older AR revisions.

Thanks a lot! I think it ends the mystery and shows, once again, that there's a lot of shit being spread ("perpetuated" would be a better term IMO) 'cause most of people don't give a shit about details and the said "specialized"/"journalistic" sites and YT channels often fail to provide a proper analysis of the games and peripherals.

[Barone]

Off the top my head I know of these:
Clearly superior:
Street Fighter Zero 3

I just forgot to comment about this one.
The intro is better, the colors are better, the characters are animated in the select screen (unlike on the PS1), some backgrounds are more detailed, few frames more of animation per character, special attack effects exactly like on the arcade, more content enabled right from the start...
But I must say that the PS1 version has FAR superior audio quality, both sfx and music. On the Saturn, the music sounds very muffled and the stereo sensation is just not there. The same for the voice samples and sfx.
I still prefer the Saturn version but it doesn't completely replaces the PS1's.

Some other games superior on the Saturn:
World Heroes Perfect (extra character, more color options for the characters clothes...) (Much shorter loadings compared to the Neo Geo CD version and it doesn't require any RAM cartridge).
Advanced V. G. (much better colors and graphic details than the PS1 version; it's also heavily censored on the PS1)

[NostalgicMachine]

here's the neptune your talking about:



supposedly the prototype in the picture above was lost for good a year ago and hasn't been found since.
http://hexigon.blogspot.com/2011/10/...st-in.html?m=1

How the hell have I never seen this?!

[Moirai]

Lost..... Time to scour the flea markets and pawn shops in the area!

[gamevet]

I don't have the PS1 version to compare but I do have a US Saturn copy, a 1MB cart, and an Action Replay. I also have. 4MB cart but won't remove it from my JP Saturn as the cartridge slot is worn and getting it to recognize the cart is very tricky. So I can compare on a US Saturn without cart, with 1MB cart, and with AR cart. Tested using Juggernaut vs Blackheart in arcade mode.
Without cart - runs ok. Not too much slowdown but some animation is missing.
With 1MB cart - runs very smooth. If there is slowdown it is negligible. Extra animation is present. You have to let the Capcom intro screen run to completion before hitting start for it to recognize the cart. Weird. If you use this cart, be sure to go to options and check if it is recognized and being used (3MB mode on).
With AR - runs like a slug. Extra animation is present. Sorry that I'm not comparing the 4MB cart but poster zyrobs at Sega Saturn UK claims that the AR cart only runs in 4MB mode and that it does not have a 1MB switch as is commonly believed. So the AR should be the functional equivalent of the 4MB cart.

I've only used the Japanese 4MB cart with the North American version of MSH. I really didn't notice any slowdown while playing in 3MB mode. Then again, I hardly noticed a difference in the amount of animation provided by the extra memory. Vampire Savior looks much better with the extra RAM enabled.

[TrekkiesUnite118]

I just forgot to comment about this one.
The intro is better, the colors are better, the characters are animated in the select screen (unlike on the PS1), some backgrounds are more detailed, few frames more of animation per character, special attack effects exactly like on the arcade, more content enabled right from the start...
But I must say that the PS1 version has FAR superior audio quality, both sfx and music. On the Saturn, the music sounds very muffled and the stereo sensation is just not there. The same for the voice samples and sfx.
I still prefer the Saturn version but it doesn't completely replaces the PS1's.

Some other games superior on the Saturn:
World Heroes Perfect (extra character, more color options for the characters clothes...) (Much shorter loadings compared to the Neo Geo CD version and it doesn't require any RAM cartridge).
Advanced V. G. (much better colors and graphic details than the PS1 version; it's also heavily censored on the PS1)

Yeah the audio in Capcom Arcade ports does seem to be a bit lower quality than the PS1 versions. I've heard some claim it's because the PS1 ports pull from the Master Audio tapes where as the Saturn uses the samples from the Arcade board but I don't know how true that is. Also oddly enough the other CPS2 ports on the Saturn make no mention of QSound in their intros or rolling demos where as all the other home ports do. Oddly enough though Street Fighter Alpha 3 does have one QSound screen mixed into the game over sequence. Though they all do mention it on the game box oddly enough. I wonder if that's a hint about the audio quality.

[Barone]

Yeah the audio in Capcom Arcade ports does seem to be a bit lower quality than the PS1 versions.

In terms of sfx and voices, yes, the difference is not big. But the music quality is abysmal in comparison.

I've heard some claim it's because the PS1 ports pull from the Master Audio tapes where as the Saturn uses the samples from the Arcade board but I don't know how true that is. Also oddly enough the other CPS2 ports on the Saturn make no mention of QSound in their intros or rolling demos where as all the other home ports do. Oddly enough though Street Fighter Alpha 3 does have one QSound screen mixed into the game over sequence. Though they all do mention it on the game box oddly enough. I wonder if that's a hint about the audio quality.

I love these bs about 3D sound spaces (QSound, Rolland Sound Space 3D, Dolby Surround, etc...) so I have read a lot of stuff about QSound lately.
There are three categories of "products" that can use the QSound logo:
1)Applications using a QSound soundchip (it's like a stereo expander; just an enhancer)
2)Media products containing music mixed in QSound (here we are talking about professional studio equipment; stuff that was used in The Terminator for the Sega CD).
3)Media products containing music enhanced using QSound (heree we're talking about stereo expander plug-ins, software stuff; I have it by the way).

Most of the CPS2 boards have that QSound chip (all major Capcom fighters have it), so any game using sound from those boards can have the QSound logo on the cover, like all Capcom fighters on the Saturn.
While on the PS1, the music seems to be mixed in QSound, which makes a lot of difference. It doesn't have the sound limitations of the arcade board hardware and it's also using a lot of effects of "3D" stereo to "move" some music effects from one side to another and other stuff like that.

What you have heard makes a lot of sense if you compare the arcade sound with both ports (it's using emulation but it's hard to get closer than that due to lack of resources here):
Arcade: http://youtu.be/GC1GtXMjJIM?t=1m55s
Saturn: http://youtu.be/wAOl0YfV7GU?t=18m13s
Playstation: http://youtu.be/yJFEFa3fLfQ?t=18m35s

The drums sound better on the arcade but it can be due to the emulation and/or due to the use of compression to store it in the Saturn CD.
You can notice how the stereo separation is worlds better on the PS1.

[TrekkiesUnite118]

I never really noticed an issue with the music on my Saturn version. In fact I've found it sounds pretty good coming through my TV with good Stereo Separation (But then again that could be my TV doing that). Do you happen to know if those videos are real hardware or emulation for the Saturn version. I know in SSF SFA3 sounds pretty screwy at times.

[gamevet]

Street Fighter Alpha 2 shows Q-sound in the opening.

[Bradcap1]

I've only used the Japanese 4MB cart with the North American version of MSH. I really didn't notice any slowdown while playing in 3MB mode. Then again, I hardly noticed a difference in the amount of animation provided by the extra memory. Vampire Savior looks much better with the extra RAM enabled.

I never really noticed the slowdown either. I don't think it's really noticeable until you have two of the larger characters on screen at once. See if you notice it with the 4MB cart using Juggernaut vs, Blackheart. I never noticed it before probably because I would rather use characters like Captain America or Iron Man.

[TrekkiesUnite118]

Street Fighter Alpha 2 shows Q-sound in the opening.

On the Saturn version? I don't remember it ever showing up on mine.