New DC Accessories! (well, not quite yet, but possibly soon)

DaMadFiddler · Post by **DaMadFiddler** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 7:45 am

EDIT: Got an answer back, and it's good news! Here's my post from page 2...

DaMadFiddler wrote:I WIN!!!

PlayMessiah wrote:Hello Ian,

Thanks for the info. It is great to see others continuing to support the
systems of yesterday. We would definitely like to get into the Dreamcast
market, but we need to move slowly. It has taken a very sizable investment
to develop new wireless controllers for NES/SNES. If we can break even you
can bet we will be supporting Dreamcast. It is one of my favorite systems.

Let's keep in touch.

Brad Strahle
Messiah Entertainment, Inc.
Phone: 213.596.6963
Fax: 213.402.8446
Email:bstrahle@playmessiah.com

************

I subscribe to GameInformer. I normally don't do magazine subscriptions, because I can get all the same info for free online. However, it was like ten bucks, and came with a 10-month discount card for GameStop.

In the most recent issue, they had an article about a new LA-based company called Messiah ( http://www.playmessiah.com ) which is bringing out new accessories for classic consoles. Their initial lineup includes NES and SNES wireless gamepads, and AV & power cords for said systems. They also have wireless Genesis pads and a wireless NES Advantage in the works.

I've taken the liberty of writing to these folks, explaining a little about the DC fanbase and expressing interest in bringing out accessories such as wireless controllers and light guns for our beloved Dreamcast. May or may not lead anywhere, but based on the goals of this particular company, it at least stands a chanes.

So if anyone else wants to try to mount an organized campaign (POLITE and PROFESSIONAL are key in trying to get a company to do something!!!), it might help us see new incarnations of some of the more "sought-after" peripherals...perhaps even a few things we may not have even thought of before.

Arqueiro · Post by **Arqueiro** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 8:56 am

wow !!!! this sound cool !!! maybe some dance maths ou maracas !

im in !

SeGaFrEaK NL · Post by **SeGaFrEaK NL** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 9:15 am

Yeah some good quality maracas would be cool!

The Kron · Post by **The Kron** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 9:38 am

I've sent them an email, It would be nice to see some decent wireless controllers.

cube_b3 · Post by **cube_b3** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 9:52 am

this looks like a job for dreamcast-scene...

Post by **melancholy** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 3:04 pm

Thanks for the link! I would loooooove to replace the brick AC adapters with some ones like the Gamecube has. And for $12, I think I will do just that! Those controllers look cool too, except I doubt I would like that d-pad.

Clessy · Post by **Clessy** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 5:00 pm

Maybe some 6 button ascii controllers. God those are a bitch to find for Dreamcast.

impetus · Post by **impetus** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 5:21 pm

anybody else thinking about third party BBA's?

also: hilarious how DMF tries to explain away his GI sub. Hey man, it's fine. You subscribe to a game mag, no biggie.

Clessy · Post by **Clessy** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:34 pm

The controllers just dont look the comfortable now that I keep lookin.
And 3rd party bbas are worthless. No one would want them but coders and the demand isnt high enough there.

DaMadFiddler · Post by **DaMadFiddler** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:46 pm

impetus wrote:also: hilarious how DMF tries to explain away his GI sub.

...Says the man who quotes a racist, blowhard idiot like Rush Limbaugh in his sig

(j/k)

But yes, I wrote a formal letter Messiah the other day. I'll post any response as it comes up...and if someone could get in touch with the Dreamcast-Scene guys (where ARE they?), that would probably also really help.

I was just thinking: it's too bad they don't have readily available flashcarts for NES. Between these new wireless controllers, and that GTA project spotlighted at DCEmu UK, it would be really neat to sit down and play that sucker on actual hardware (assuming it's real, of course).

Midgey34 · Post by **Midgey34** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:57 pm

I pretty sure it safe to assume that it's real; its by the same guy who wrote GBAGI for the GBA. He knows his stuff. Now the question is, will Rockstar leave it alone?

DaMadFiddler · Post by **DaMadFiddler** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 7:15 pm

Midgey34 wrote:I pretty sure it safe to assume that it's real; its by the same guy who wrote GBAGI for the GBA. He knows his stuff. Now the question is, will Rockstar leave it alone?

That is a good question. Nintendo cracked down on all the Mario and Zelda fan projects a year or two ago; SquareEnix put a halt to the Chrono Trigger demo for 'Cube/PC/Xbox/PS2. I wouldn't put it past them, esp. with all the press conferences they've been holding recently about game piracy.

Clessy · Post by **Clessy** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 10:02 pm

It's just fucking sicking that companies send these ceases out. Any company that cant respect a fan made project has truly lost its ways.

neoak · Post by **neoak** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 10:52 pm

In what page is the article?

EDIT: Nevermind. Saw their stuff and remembered which article was.

mankrip · Post by **mankrip** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 11:26 pm

Here's something I would certainly buy:

Controllers with the C, D and Z buttons, maybe the second analog stick and/or the second d-pad, and a built-in jump pack with a switch to turn it off. And, if possible, a built-in LCD screen and VMU speaker which would be great when using VMUs that doesn't have the LCD screen. Apart from that, it would have to have the same "feel" of the original controllers, specially the d-pad and the triggers. Btw the ABXY buttons are used as a d-pad in many DC games, so they would have to take it in consideration when defining the position of the buttons (most 3rd party controllers have the ABXY buttons positioned like the ones in the Saturn controller, which makes it very annoying to use those buttons as a d-pad). And finally, the analog stick and the triggers would have to be built with the same non-mechanic technology used in the original controller, which seems to use magnetic fields.

That said, I don't have any hope that any company will ever make a controller like this. It seems that all 3rd party companies prefer to keep making those controllers with wireless connection, turbo buttons, programmable button sequences, and useless crap like that.

me? · Post by **me?** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 12:20 am

A racing wheel would be awesome!

cube_b3 · Post by **cube_b3** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 3:11 am

how about some one post this in news so people who are not on the message board can also enjoy it..

az_bont · Post by **az_bont** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 9:55 am

Fragger wrote:...maybe the second analog stick and/or the second d-pad...

I've never seen or heard of these, but I'm guessing it's somethnig from one of the special controllers?

I'd quite like to see a second analogue stick mapped to the A/B/X/Y buttons. As you say yourself, they're often used for moving your character, especially in FPS games - a second analogue stick would make it a lot smoother and more comfortable. Hell, I'd settle for a PS2 controller adaptor that does this.

aisupikku · Post by **aisupikku** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 10:46 am

az_bont wrote:... I'd quite like to see a second analogue stick mapped to the A/B/X/Y buttons. As you say yourself, they're often used for moving your character, especially in FPS games ...

That's exactly the idea that I had!

I was thinking; It could be mapped to ABXY for games like Unreal Tournament, Quake III Arena, (and ChuChu Rocket!)... Plus, there could be a switch to change between "ABXY Mode" and "D-Pad Mode" for those games that use the analog stick for directional movement as well as each direction on the D-pad for a particular non-directional function (racing games, perhaps?). I had thought that the tiny Game Boy Advance-style D-Pad would fit well, but, wanting to keep things related to Sega, I was checking to see if I could work a VMU D-pad into the official Sega controller. I think that would fit, and work, great!

Unfortunately, I have not had time to put together a prototype... But, if this method were to be employed, then, it would perhaps not matter as much with regard to the placement of AB(C/R)XY(Z/L) on the controller, as ABXY would no longer need to be placed in a diamond formation... az_bont; Perhaps their "360 Degree Rotating D-pad" style would be almost as good as a right-hand side analogue stick for ABXY FPS movement? Also; This sort of special FPS DC controller could coincide well with a good turnout from the Id Software effort...

If this company does produce a new DC controller, and it sells well, then, perhaps we could see even more new ideas on the DC 'homebrew' games front... Either with themed controllers (as with 'Street Fighter Anniversary PS2 controllers'), customized controllers (allowing for more direct input options, such as one button for A+B or A+X or A+Y, to perform a particular function programmed into a game), or even a completely new controller for a special game (as with fishing games, Pop'n Music, Samba de Amigo, Donkey Konga, and so on).

Perhaps it will not happen, but, it is nice to think about... Immediately, though, they will most likely need for many sales of their current items, if they are to continue in this venture. I will personally look into purchasing some of their products, as well as speaking of them to others, for word-of-mouth advertisement.

Post by **Quzar** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 11:05 am

i had never realized it, but if it were possible to emulate the xbox on the DC, there would be mappings availible for all the buttons