Anyone up for Saturn/DC online gaming?

[lisalover1]

I have always been fascinated by the prospect of playing games online on pre-7th-gen consoles. In particular, I find it incredible that a lot of Saturn and Dreamcast games are still playable online. Would any of my fellow Racketeers like to join me for a match or two of an online game? For the Saturn, every online-supported game is still online, thanks to direct-dial. I want to be able to say that I have played my Saturn online, I guess. As for the Dreamcast, Quake III Arena and PSO seem to be the most reliable games to connect to. I am occasionally on the Sylverant PSO server for the DC, so I would love it if someone could join.

[Cronozilla]

I'd love to play some Saturn games online, but they cost an arm and a leg. I think the cheapest Netlink game is like $150.

[lisalover1]

I'd love to play some Saturn games online, but they cost an arm and a leg. I think the cheapest Netlink game is like $150.

I think Duke Nukem 3D is pretty cheap, at least it was the last time I checked.

[Ziggy]

I'd love to play some Saturn games online, but they cost an arm and a leg. I think the cheapest Netlink game is like $150.

That's why God created the mod chip.

[marurun]

I thought Sega Rally and Virtual On Netlink editions were pretty cheap. At least they were a few years ago...

[Jagosaurus]

Here's the big question... these NetLink games were designed for old school POTS/true copper analog lines. Many home telephone lines now go some telophony gateway on your internet modem... still gets you out to the PSTN but in a different way than 15 years ago. Will the net link work with these modem land lines?

[lisalover1]

Here's the big question... these NetLink games were designed for old school POTS/true copper analog lines. Many home telephone lines now go some telophony gateway on your internet modem... still gets you out to the PSTN but in a different way than 15 years ago. Will the net link work with these modem land lines?

Unfortunately, based on my research, the Saturn has much more trouble with digital lines than the DC. I believe the Saturn apparently uses ringing delays to accommodate for lag, which digital lines already reduce on their own. There are ways to do it, but they're difficult to pull off.

The good news is that evidently, as long as the wall jack you plug your Netlink into isn't wired back to a central digital receiver (meaning it is analog) it should still work. Assuming you have phone service, that is.

[KalessinDB]

Yeah that last assumption is key.

I'd love to do some online Saturn gaming (considering I got a Netlink from... noise I think? in a not-so-mystery bundle a while back), but yeah, no home phone service in my house. Matter of fact when I bought my house, all the phone jacks came up through the floor and had that annoying wall wart connector rather than an in-wall jack, so I said F That and ripped all the cabling out of the house.

I don't think the next owner will mind or, indeed, even notice. Especially since I later put cat5e right into the walls, which is WAY more useful

[Jagosaurus]

Figured. Those few with home phone, likely have these "digital" set ups through their ISP.

@DB, they could always run traditional phones through the cat 5 if they desired. Cat 3 patch cable will fit in center of jack & patch panel port. We do it often @ work. Ppl want to wire all cat 5, but purchase a traditional PBX system. Essentially, it's backwards compatible wiring.

[Ziggy]

I don't have a Netlink for the Saturn or even plan to play online with either console, but here's a question: Let's say you still have an analog phone service, and you plug into it with the Netlink. Let's say it works because of direct dial. You're essentially making a long distance phone call for a length of time. What kind of charges would come of it? I have no idea what the deal is these days with that sort of thing.