Page 45 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #2

CGM: You mentioned Sega and their
DT: I.C. When grows whenever I can Saturn; another example of an expen- DT: That depends on when you ask
find time to work on it. I have moun- sive toy. It was released with a price the question. The initial designers
tains of resource materials still to pour tag of $299 before slowly going down thought the system was pushed to the
through. The articles are things I do to $150. What gave Sega the impres- limit early on, then later, software de-
when I'm inspired. <g> sion that parents were willing to shell signers found a way to implement a
out that kind of money for a game ma- "new technology" called bank switching
CGM: What serves as inspiration chine? which doubled the capacity on a car-
when you're writing an article or story? tridge. Overall, the quality of games
DT: Actually all the systems are improved as the system aged. Ms.
DT: Actually it's usually something that launched rather high and settle on a Pac-Man was much more advanced
rattles my cage a little. . . lower price soon there- than Pac-Man for a great number of
corporate ignorance, indus- “I valued games after. Consumers don't reasons. Many people felt that the Su-
try misconceptions, etc. For realize how little is percharger was a new innovation to
instance, I see so many by how fun they made on the platforms push the system's limits.
similarities between what's and that the profits are
happening to Apple and were to play or made on software. CGM: I'm sure there are a lot of peo-
what happened to Atari. Just Shaver/razor philoso- ple who aren't too familiar with the Su-
look in any store like EB or watch, not so phy. percharger. Would you mind giving us
Babbages and see how a break down of it? Have you played
much PC software there is, much what CGM: I'd like to touch it? What are your thoughts on the
then how Mac applications technical on more of the video games for it?
are buried in small quantities game history your site
in the back. Does no one accomplishments ICWHEN covers, spe- DT: The Supercharger was a device
remember how this hap- cifically, Classic Gam- that allowed specific games to be
pened to Commodore or they achieved.” ing. What are Don loaded by cassette instead of cartridge.
Atari? I'm not so sure that Thomas' top 10 titles They tried to market the product by
Jobs can swallow his pride for the 2600? saying that the software was so much
and study what went wrong in history to better. I think many people agree that
steer through the problems in the fu- DT: Gosh, I don't think I could do that. the Supercharger allowed more stages
ture. There were hundreds and hundreds of of a game to be played, but at any
The home computer and gaming titles. I liked Space Invaders, Crazy given moment, the graphics and game
industries all like to think their problems Climber, Space Chase, Megamania, play were pretty standard when com-
are always unique. Look what hap- Frogger, Chopper Command, Missile pared to comparable cartridge games.
pened to NeoGeo and 3DO. In my view Command, Joust, David's Midnight
those were 100% predictable. It makes Magic, Pole Position, Moon Patrol, CGM: There was a game for the Atari
me upset when people head straight Centipede, Gorf, Battlezone, Surround, 2600 titled "Maze Craze." I don’t think
for a brick wall when there are people Flag Capture, and so many, many there was one person who didn't love
who can see the wall. more. the game even though it was basically
Sega's (Saturn) fiasco stuns me. some squares running around in a
U.S. executives announce that the Sat- CGM: Alright, alright you've made your maze. Are there any other addictive
urn had been abandoned. Then they point. <g> While we're making lists, titles out there that the rest of us may
say that they mistakenly interpreted a what are your top 10 games for its have missed simply because the
Japanese directive and they have not technical merits? graphics weren't good enough or it did-
abandoned Saturn. Then the head of n't feature a big video game star like
Sega Japan basically comes out and DT: I was never very close to that side Pac-Man?
says that Saturn is abandoned in the of the business. I valued games by how
U.S. The consumer knows that the fun they were to play or watch, not so DT: "Surround," "Flag Capture," "3-D
Saturn is kaput, but it's a lot worse than much what technical accomplishments Tic-Tac-Toe," "Checkers". . .
bad planning to look the consumer they achieved.
straight in the eye and say "Good Rid- CGM: Was there one system or game
dance." I was surprised when Sega CGM: Let's discuss a few of the big in particular that really helped bridge
didn't move Ted Hoff up the corporate titles. Mind if I ask how high you’ve the gap from video games being a sin-
ladder. Ted understands the U.S. mar- scored on Space Invaders? What gular 2-D experience into a complete
ket and the consumer. He also listens wave can you reach up to in Missile art form with all the graphics, music,
to the people under him as well as over Command? What's your best time in and special effects?
him. Well, all these issues are other Pole Position?
stories. <g> DT: I guess a little depends on your
DT: I'm 42 years old. I played those definition of "3D." I think the most stun-
CGM: How vital is price point to a sys- games actively 17-18 years ago. I have ning impact of 3D graphics was made
tem's success? Was it the price that no idea what my scores were. I can tell with Nintendo's Donkey Kong Country.
predicted NeoGeo and 3DO were go- you they were low. I thought the games I remember seeing that at a trade show
ing to fail? What were the other signs? were fun and I would try to beat my and being blown away. Then I had to
own scores, but I could never beat the go back to the Atari Jaguar booth and
DT: Price, the fact that there were too guys who had more time to play them wish those graphics were on our
many irons in the fire, consistent an- than I did. machine. Actually, Rayman was stun-
nouncements, and lack of follow ning also, but I don't think it ever re-
through. CGM: Which titles would you say have ceived quite the fanfare it deserved.
pushed the 2600 to the max? Examples like that are often relative.
Classic Gamer Magazine Winter 2000 45