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[MrCunningham]

Man, it really is 23 years ago isn't it?
Yep, lol when i hear the radio stations memories come back.

I know. It's weird how I can still vividly remember seeing this commercial broadcast on TV for the first time:



I still consider this above ad to be one of the greatest game commercials of all time. Just using an operatic track and showing off random clips of the main OC doing whatever the player wanted within the confines of the game world was enough to get people hyped. It was like seeing that 'open world' dream game that every teenager dreamt about becoming a reality.

The first time I have ever heard about GTA3 was in the Official Dreamcast Magazine. At that time, Rockstar did port GTA2 to the Dreamcast as well as Wild Metal using WindowsCE. They were also working on an Austin Powers Kart Racer for the console, and Max Payne was also slated for the Dreamcast. Rockstar did have some interest in the console before Sega pulled the plug on it. Even before that, I did play GTA1 on the PS1.

I feel like before the TV adverts and such, GTA3 wasn't the most highly anticipated games for the PS2. It wasn't as hyped as something like MGS2. But once those adverts started appearing on TV. The hype went up. Though the original Vice City ads were even more hype.

 

[Fat Frog]

 

[Fat Frog]

 

[Fat Frog]

 

[Fat Frog]

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Comparison of Grand Theft Auto III between Sega Dreamcast and PC with Pentium 4.

 

[Fat Frog]

 

[kevboard]

Maybe at this point the N64 is actually the only retro console with that much potential to unlock?

well, normal mapping is now a thing on N64




it's getting wild now ngl. that video shows emulator footage but his game is optimised for real hardware, and apparently doing normal mapping isn't even that taxing.

that is fucking crazy. you didn't even see this on PS2 or GameCube

 

[Fat Frog]

 

[PandaOk]

Isn’t this still using the Dreamcast hardware mod to double CPU Ram to 32megs?

 

[loktaiextatus]

Even the PSP was able to run GTA games and the Dreamcast is obviously more capable than the PSP.

Uh... PSP has a 65% faster CPU (in mhz) made years later. It also has like 50% more memory than Dreamcast.

 

[saintjules]

 

[MrCunningham]

Latest update on GTAIII for the Dreamcast:

DCA3 - Experience Liberty City on the Dreamcast

Experience Liberty City on the Sega Dreamcast.

dca3.net

This is the final update for 2024. But the port is still in an alpha state. So more update will be coming in 2025. The one thing to note is that the game is currently unplayable on Dreamcast emulators and is only functional on real hardware using either an .iso or a disc image loader like Dreamshell or some other USB disc loader.

 

[polybius80]

well, normal mapping is now a thing on N64

emboss bump mapping and is very impressive

that is fucking crazy. you didn't even see this on PS2 or GameCube

yes it was used, even normal mapping in the case of PS2, but its a uncommon as most games(specially in the first half of the gen) dont use that

 

[kevboard]

yes it was used, even normal mapping in the case of PS2, but its a little uncommon as most games(specially in the first half of the gen) dont use that

I'm not aware of any PS2/GC game using it...
sure on Xbox it was used a lot. right from the start in Halo, and of course later with games like Doom 3, Riddick and Chaos Theory, but on the other 2?
even ports of very late generation games that use it on Xbox like Urban Chaos Riot Response, had it removed on PS2.

 

[polybius80]

I'm not aware of any PS2/GC game using it...
sure on Xbox it was used a lot. right from the start in Halo, and of course later with games like Doom 3, Riddick and Chaos Theory, but on the other 2?
even ports of very late generation games that use it on Xbox like Urban Chaos Riot Response, had it removed on PS2.

rogue squadron games in GC used emboss bum map for some ship details and details in the floor for scenes , silent hill 3 uses in the floor, jak2 and jak3, ikuzagami(demon chaos) in the armors to name some of the most notable, there is also mixing nevironment map with masks that gives also a bump effect and also gives "reflections" for shiny objects it was more common used, area51 and of course hitman blood money and matrix path of neo in PS2 that uses normal mapping

 

[kevboard]

rogue squadron games in GC used emboss bum map for some ship details and details in the floor for scenes , silent hill 3 uses in the floor, jak2 and jak3, ikuzagami(demon chaos) in the armors to name some of the most notable, there is also mixing nevironment map with masks that gives also a bump effect and also gives "reflections" for shiny objects it was more common used, area51 and of course hitman blood money and matrix path of neo in PS2 that uses normal mapping

I am 99% sure Jak 2 didn't use bump mapping... maybe specular maps in combination with actual polygon detail to give a similar look.

Path of Neo was indeed an example I forgot. for the rest I either would need to see that for myself, or in the case of Jak 2 and 3, I am pretty sure they didn't use it, but maybe faked it (similar to how Mario Galaxy tried to fake it with clever use of specular maps)

Rogue Squadron wouldn't surprise me given it was Factor 5, which at the time were tech wizards and actually I think they had some influence on the hardware of the GameCube if I remember correctly... not sure to what extent tho.

 

[polybius80]

I am 99% sure Jak 2 didn't use bump mapping... maybe specular maps in combination with actual polygon detail to give a similar look.

bump mapping in the context of the era was a very ambiguous term mainly because the press and some hack ways to achieve the "bumpy" look, there are also combinations, technically speaking its a way to refer to emboss bump map but there are also combinations like vertex light, speculars environment maps that make better looking, there are also some poor implementations but still count, also there are experts and press people that trow terms like "normal mapping" at good surfaces with reflections that clearly are not "normal maps" jak2 I remember used some bump maps but it was long ago since I played it, if it doesn't then my mistake

Path of Neo was indeed an example I forgot. for the rest I either would need to see that for myself, or in the case of Jak 2 and 3, I am pretty sure they didn't use it, but maybe faked it (similar to how Mario Galaxy tried to fake it with clever use of specular maps)

Rogue Squadron wouldn't surprise me given it was Factor 5, which at the time were tech wizards and actually I think they had some influence on the hardware of the GameCube if I remember correctly... not sure to what extent tho.

jak3 uses bump maps(emboss) in the terrain I think they specifically mention it in an interview, the sand reacts with the sun, also there are some rocks and things in the scenery that uses some combination of emboss with specular or environment maps