Dreamcast VMU use in game

Post by **Amon** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:24 am

What games make use of the dreamcast VMU in game. I mean more than just saving or an icon or animation on the vmu screen. Sonic Shuffle (shows you your cards) and Skies of Arcadia (beeps near treasure) are the only knows that I know of.

Post by **Doctor Fugue** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:57 am

I don't know that many, but some are cool.

Virtua Tennis (can't remember if it's 1 or 2 or both) shows little stick figures playing tennis as you play it on screen (not really useful). In some football game, I think it's Madden, you can choose your plays on the VMU so that if you are playing against someone else in the same room, they can't see you pick your plays. My favourite is Resident Evil: CV because it shows your health and ammo; that way the TV doesn't have any icons on it or anything...just zombies!

I never used a VMU outside of a game, like the raising of a chao in Sonic or a little racing game that can be downloaded from Sega GT, but that might interesting to try.

Post by **fastbilly1** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:05 am

NFL 2k - VMU Play Calling. The only problem is that you have to know what the plays are, that or you have one wacky football game.

Post by **Scooter** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:11 am

NCAA Football 2K has VMU play calling. I like this feature as my play buddy often kills me when he can see what formation I'm running (on TV play choosing). The downside is that on the VMU you choose the play by name, not by a graphical representation of the formation or play flow.

Post by **marurun** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:37 am

Resident Evil Code Veronica gives you some health information and such on the VMU display.

Post by **racketboy** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:30 am

fastbilly1 wrote:NFL 2k - VMU Play Calling. The only problem is that you have to know what the plays are, that or you have one wacky football game.

I always thought that feature was excellent in theory. To bad nobody ever expanded on the idea...

Post by **Scooter** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:23 pm

racketboy wrote:
fastbilly1 wrote:NFL 2k - VMU Play Calling. The only problem is that you have to know what the plays are, that or you have one wacky football game.
I always thought that feature was excellent in theory. To bad nobody ever expanded on the idea...

Another alternative would be set up a feature in a game that allows for two linked systems and two TVs so each side could see their play choices individually. I don't think the link cable idea for ANY system was ever exploited very well. A link cable coop play of DOOM on the PS1 was pretty cool if you ask me. One of the Gran Turismo games had a link cable option and that really rocked too.

Saturn could have used the NetLink-type of two player/two machines by exploiting a link cable option but I don't think such a thing was ever done.

Are there any lists out there of which games for which systems include a link cable option? For me, online play reeks, I'd rather be live and in person with the person/people I'm playing with or against. LAN play has some appeal but I've never done it. Link cables require a lot of hardware (two machines, two TVs, link cable) and two copies of the game, but sure avoids split screen BS or lag since you have the power of two machines to work with.

Post by **racketboy** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:37 pm

Scooter wrote:
racketboy wrote:
fastbilly1 wrote:NFL 2k - VMU Play Calling. The only problem is that you have to know what the plays are, that or you have one wacky football game.
I always thought that feature was excellent in theory. To bad nobody ever expanded on the idea...
Another alternative would be set up a feature in a game that allows for two linked systems and two TVs so each side could see their play choices individually. I don't think the link cable idea for ANY system was ever exploited very well. A link cable coop play of DOOM on the PS1 was pretty cool if you ask me. One of the Gran Turismo games had a link cable option and that really rocked too.

Saturn could have used the NetLink-type of two player/two machines by exploiting a link cable option but I don't think such a thing was ever done.

Are there any lists out there of which games for which systems include a link cable option? For me, online play reeks, I'd rather be live and in person with the person/people I'm playing with or against. LAN play has some appeal but I've never done it. Link cables require a lot of hardware (two machines, two TVs, link cable) and two copies of the game, but sure avoids split screen BS or lag since you have the power of two machines to work with.

Yeah, that's ideal, but not very practical for most gamers due to costs and the space requirements of the equipment involved

Post by **Pullmyfinger** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 4:56 pm

Tony Hawk 1 or 2 displays the points you earn with a line of tricks and shows a sad face if you fall, not very useful because the screen also displays them

Post by **ImportBoy** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:29 pm

When learning new moves in Shenmue, the button combination is show on the VMU and -not- on the screen!