Well it was, when you think about it it had:
Multiple processors, exactley what the next generation consoles are going to have
Adavnced Multimedia features, which is what the new consoles ar egetting
A hardrive, which will now be in both the PS3 and Xbox 2
Lastest disc technology
The Saturn was a completely alien piece of hardware to everyone except Sega.
Even before rushing the Saturn out to market, Sega had been programming games for hardware that utilized dual processors for years. They were nothing new to Sega. However… as soon as time became money, the Playstation’s simpler programming environment was far more appealing. Many Saturn games only ever tapped into one of the Saturn’s dual processors due to the complicated nature of the hardware involved.
I was speaking to a hardcore Sega and Treasure fan some time ago who argued that the Saturn was indeed capable of producing graphics that could rival anything seen on the Playstation, because despite the lower polygon count, the Saturn’s fewer quad-based polygons filled the same amount of space as the Playstation’s triangular ones.
The Saturn’s highest resolution mode was also higher than that of even the Playstation, but it was hardly ever used.
I think the Saturn’s lack of in-built support for rendering 3D transparancy effects dealt the killer blow in the end. Even the 32X could render 3D transparancies for crying out loud!
Releasing a console made out of on-the-shelf parts instead of the Saturn Tom Kalinskie hired Silicon Graphics to construct out of state-of-the-art hardware was an act of misplaced Japanese pride that almost killed Sega. If Sega of America hadn’t released the 32X, but instead supported the Saturn from the start, then things might have turned out differently as well.
Sega screwed up on both ends of the pacific.
your right, the console was a mess, technically, in terms of its support, in terms of its avertising and in terms fo its release so close after the 32X.
But its uuse of parrellism is something that has returned to be used in the PS3 and Xbox 2, I get the feeling that SEGA were making a console that used technics beyond its days.
In any case I wonder if nintendo has made a similar mistake with the DS against PSP, for the PSP like the PS is simple and crude, but does it easily enough for the programmer. No need for special dual screen and touch screen features. Plus the DS has potentially the GBA2 breathing down its neck like the 32X had the Saturn
Um… pretty sure the Saturn doesn’t have a hard drive. If it does then I’d sure like to know why my saved games keep getting erased every time my lithium battery dies.
Alright not a hardrive but pretty similar, unlike the PS1 you didnt have to save ontocards all the time.
[quote=“Geoffrey Duke”]The Saturn was a completely alien piece of hardware to everyone except Sega.
Even before rushing the Saturn out to market, Sega had been programming games for hardware that utilized dual processors for years. They were nothing new to Sega. However… as soon as time became money, the Playstation’s simpler programming environment was far more appealing. Many Saturn games only ever tapped into one of the Saturn’s dual processors due to the complicated nature of the hardware involved.
I was speaking to a hardcore Sega and Treasure fan some time ago who argued that the Saturn was indeed capable of producing graphics that could rival anything seen on the Playstation, because despite the lower polygon count, the Saturn’s fewer quad-based polygons filled the same amount of space as the Playstation’s triangular ones.
The Saturn’s highest resolution mode was also higher than that of even the Playstation, but it was hardly ever used.
I think the Saturn’s lack of in-built support for rendering 3D transparancy effects dealt the killer blow in the end. Even the 32X could render 3D transparancies for crying out loud!
Releasing a console made out of on-the-shelf parts instead of the Saturn Tom Kalinskie hired Silicon Graphics to construct out of state-of-the-art hardware was an act of misplaced Japanese pride that almost killed Sega. If Sega of America hadn’t released the 32X, but instead supported the Saturn from the start, then things might have turned out differently as well.
Sega screwed up on both ends of the pacific.[/quote]
Let me tell you the 32X cost SEGA, not the Saturn .
SOA/SOE talking down the Saturn (We don?t expect to sell many), using up what little resources SEGA had, marketing both the 32X and Saturn. Far better to back just one machine.
SOA/SOE then had developers working on pointless 32X projects (most of which were dropped) instead of making games for the Saturn lanuch.
The Saturn could have had a much better launch line up if the likes Doom, VR, Star Wars 32 on the Saturn (they would have looked better too).
The Saturn would have all those other 32X projects as well to back it up. It was clear that the Saturn was the future to SEGA JP, and they made the bulk of the games so the 32X was always going to be lacking in Software terms.
Better yet , was the bull cr*p that came out of SOA/SOE . They said the price was the best part of the 32X, and why the Saturn was not a mass-market machine.
Funny that ?170 for a 32X with no Game, and ?60 per 32X game (thanks to the Cart format). Wow SOE great way to save money.
For the price of the 32X with a couple of games, one could have bought a Saturn (with a free game), and saved money on the games (thanks to the CD format) and have a much better range of games as well.
The Saturn was great piece of technology what really hurt it was that you had to use assembly to get the best out of it, when most people were using C. That and it?s lack of 3D transparency Hardware support did hurt it.
It was still hugely powerful ,and it?s VDP II was key to that.
Games like VF II (better than any of the tekkens) , DOA (way better than the PS version), Panzer series, VC series, DecAthlete, Last Bronx Exhumed/Powerslave, Duke Nukem 3D (both better than the PS ports), Grandia ((better than the PS) Thunder Force V (again better than the PS version), Quake , AMO*K . Showed the Saturn could handle brilliant 3D
2D the machine was in a class of it?s own as games like Guardian Heroes, Silhouette Mirage (for a laugh play the PS port) , Astal, Souky showed.
Plus then you get the monster games that only the Saturn thanks to it?s unique Hardware could do like Taromaru, and the real showcase game Radiant Sliver Gun.
There?s no way on GOD?s green earth that the PS could have handled RSG
I remeber the satuirn version of SF: A gave the PS version a good kicking
What the world needs is the Sega-game. Like the Bush Game only with Sega characters fighting the good fight against the unholy trinity (Sony, SquareEnix and Electronic Arts)!
Imagine the possibilities! Sonic, Tails, Ristar, the dwarf from Golden Axe, Blaze from Streets of Rage etc. going through a platforming adventure, squaring up to those who caused the downfall of Sega!
Scene: Encounter with Shadow
Shadow: Hey, guys, you don’t need to worry about Sony and co. anymore! Now that I’ve got a new game coming out for all formats, I’ll help take back the market for Sega!
Sonic: No you won’t! You’re just a crappy 5-minute clone that an intern at Sega made up! You don’t have the same quality of gaming as us! You’re just the Grand Theft Auto trump card that’s being played way too much by lower companies!*
Shadow: Oh, so that’s what you think…
(boss battle)
*[size=9]not my personal opinion[/size]
Well, the Saturn was developed during a time when 2D games still ruled, so it’s no surprise that the Saturn whoops the 3D concentrated PSX at it’s own game. =D But still always a pleasure to see the PSX version of X-men vs. Street Fighter against the Saturn one.