Post-Dreamcast Hardware Love

Nope. You can even find it on Dreamcast (Its the latest JP version, not the shitty US one :E).

Act Cadenza Ver B is alright, most of the Melty Blood Scene is playing it (since it got a PS2 and Windows Port). Actress Again would be awesome, but like you said, its way to new :P

Between #Reload and Accent Core there are giant balancing touch-ups, along with some new characters and stages. Also Accent Core is the only GG played competitively on the GG scene right now after all.

Yeah, they changed tons of stuff between 4 and Final Tunned. I'd recommend getting only FT, because is the most updated one, but if you like VF4 just get both.

If you're gonna get one of these, just get the Version 3, it has all the content from 1 and 2, plus more cars, and stages, and challenges and shit. Totally recommended.

Nah, just get the naomi only games. I'd also recommend Jambo Safari and Monkey Ball too.

 

From what I've read, it's equivalent to the Japanese release but may have an extra outfit or two. The standard Naomi DOA2 was ported and released in the US and EU but I believe they added more outfits (plus modes) to the home versions. One difference between the arcade and home versions it that due to the slow read speed of the disc drives on the Dreamcast, you only got a default picture of your character at the selection screen whereas in the arcade version you got a real-time few of your character with whatever outfit you were selecting.

Edit: Looking up the release dates makes my statement unlikely...

Nov 1999 - Dead or Alive 2 - Naomi
Jan 2000 - Dead or Alive 2 Millennium - Naomi
Mar 2000 - Dead or Alive 2 - Dreamcast/PS2 (JP)
Sep 2000 - Dead or Alive 2 Regular and Limited Edition - Dreamcast
Oct 2000 - Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore - PS2 (NA/EU)
Dec 2000 - Dead or Alive 2: Hard*core - PS2 (JP)

 

Just to clarify further, Evolution added Brad and Goh to the character roster, as well as changing the stages and music. Final Tuned has changed stages yet again, but the music remains the same as it was in Evolution. No new characters added, but I understand there were a lot of gameplay changes.

 

I couldn't tell you what the differences actually are. You should get DOA2M and DOA2 and document the differences. =P

 

Unless one of them is Super Street Fighter IV, I'm not too interested.

 

I wouldn't count on segagagadomain for any kind of info, the guy plays his games 2 times max and fills the info on his pages with random crap he remembered from magasines... the way he remembers them. (his source may be inaccurate + he may remember it wrong)

 

I'm not familiar with Segagagadomain but even not having played DOA2 Millennium, I can tell you that the differences he lists aren't accurate.

Based on the release dates I posted earlier, you can see that the commonly referred to Japanese version came much later in September 2000, well after Millennium in January and the more barebones US Dreamcast release in March. Supporting evidence that Millennium is an earlier build than DOA2LE (JP release) is the lack of a cutscene for Tina and Leifang. The naked Kasumi intro was in the original arcade release before Millennium and in the console release afterwards via unlock. The intro background music? That version of the intro, complete with music, is in the console releases along with the other intro he's referring to; this track is named "Transcendence." The vocal track he's referring to is called "Exciter" by the group "Bomb Factory" and this was also in the arcade version I played a handful of times. Tag Team mode was definitely in the original arcade release and I believe Survival mode was as well (unlocked by code). The unused music? He plays two tracks in his videos, both of which are used in other versions of the game. The first track he plays is from the screen where you input your initials, which would be used for the survival mode he claims didn't exist in earlier versions of the game; this song is called "What's my name?" The second song he plays is used in a cutscene during Ein's story, which has the Tengu character doing some odd poses; this track is called "Tengu-mai."

I was hoping to document more gameplay specific changes actually. I should get a hold of a DOA2 arcade machine and swap between the original and Millennium. Would be nice.

Edit: Took over 7 years but I finally got around to playing the arcade versions of DOA2 and updated some of my own inaccuracies

 

That's exactly what I mean by the guy being full of shit. Pretty much almost every single description he has is the exact same BS, or he just rambles on about how the disc has nice artwork.

 

He's vastly uninterested in anything that isn't an action or shoot-'em-up game, which he has played — and is very observant (both games had their sound programmed by Hitoshi Sakimoto using the same sound driver)... Also he has vivid memories of UK magazines? Huh...

 

It is. SSFIV:AE and KoF XIII.

 

So Eggfan, when are you opening your SEGA museum?

 

You're referring to this:



That's a consolized Neo Geo 1-slot MVS, not an AES.

I own a supergun (a mas supernova) and a couple of different system boards for it (CPS2, Sega ST-V, naomi 2, and a bunch of loose boards). Feel free to ask anything.

 

Man that looks totally sexy, loving the game boxes and stuff. I'd get a Wheel and an Initial D V3 for that, It'd be just madness :P

By the way, I have been looking and researching DOA2 Updates and this is what I found out:

There are tons of versions of DOA2, this is the timeline of it updates:

- DOA2 (Original Arcade - JP Release - Naomi):

This is the first released version of DOA2, it was released for the Naomi, and had tons of differences compared to newer versions. From the voice samples (Used tons of voices from DOA1) to different Lifebars and stages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNS3bPlKCzc

- DOA 2 (Arcade Version 2, Called "Millenium"):

First update to DOA2 on the arcades, this version featured different stages, a new hud, more completed voice samples. It was still missing some stuff that later versions would add though, mostly stage transitions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyiuWHj3Bm0

- DOA 2 (Console Port - JP, NA, EU - Dreamcast):

Its a direct port of DOA2 Millenium, nothing really different except for a few costumes that got rushed in.

- DOA 2 Limited Edition/HardCore (Second Console Port - JP (DC) NA,EU (PS2):

Known as "LE - Limited Edition" for the DC and "Hardcore" for the PS2, this version added 2 new stages, tons of new costumes, playable boss, 1 new character from DOA1, more stage transitions and a CG Gallery.

- DOA 2 Hard*Core (Third Console Update - JP - PS2):

Same as Hardcore for the PS2 with a few more stuff, more costumes, 1 or 2 new stage transitions and cutscenes

- DOA 2 Ultimate (Fourth Port-Remake - Xbox):

Basically this is DOA2 with tons of engine updates, using the engine from DOA3, all the stages were revamped and now use tons of graphical effects.

- DOA 2 Online (Another update - PC - China):

DOA 2 Ultimate...but Online and for the PC, missing tons of modes, added tons of online shit. Chinese only too.



- So yeah, getting the first version would be awesome :P But I guess that one is hard like hell to find today.

 

Wait, why exactly did you need the NAOMI 2 again? I thought the regular NAOMI was capable fo GD-ROM games... or was it that you wanted to play NAOMI 2 games? And the NAOMI 2 only attaches to the NAOMI or is there a standalone one as well?

 

My list was far more accurate. That first version of DOA2 you posted? A really, really early prototype and not the final. I've yelled at the guy for misrepresenting it and for cutting out the intro screen that names the build date, 990217 or February 17th 1999. DOA2 released in the arcades later that year in November. There are so many differences in that video. I would have such a hard-on if I could get that build. I've written up a list of most of the differences from the final game here. Then came Millennium to the arcades a few months later with... who knows what changes but they carried over to the US and EU Dreamcast ports and a PS2 port in JP, all titled Dead or Alive 2. A bit later was the JP DC Dead or Alive 2 Limited Edition (also available in a regular edition with different packaging, which is ironically more limited). This added a few more levels, costumes, new tag moves, a counter hold for air attacks (in previous versions, your character would merely sidestep the attack when held), a Universal Portalable Save system, an art gallery, internet connectivity and let you play as the boss character Tengu and, a returning DOA1 character, Bayman. This eventually made it to the PS2 in the US and EU as DOA2 Hardcore with even more added costumes, levels (for single and tag modes), additional cutscenes in the story mode, a few more songs by the band Bomb Factory and an awful English voice cast. That then released in Japan as DOA2 Hard*Core with a few more outfits and, I believe, minus the English VA. Then... years later DOA2 received a massive graphical overhaul on the Xbox as Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate that also added an amazing online mode via Xbox Live, tons of outfits, tons of stages and the DOA3 character, Hitomi. One big notable difference in the gameplay is removing the Free button to move you into the foreground and background, called "free-stepping." Instead, you could do this with just holding down the direction you wanted to move in. This change did remove jumping backwards and crouch dashing. Then there's DOA Online, a Chinese only release of DOA2U that added a lobby system with customizable avatars and a single move property change per character. Some fans were provided an Excel spreadsheet of the changes and it was like one per character, I believe. I had a copy too, I'm pretty sure it's on a dead HDD though. I keep taking over Eggfan's topic with DOA2 shit. Sorry!

It wouldn't really be much of a Dreamcast 2 if it was so close in hardware to the original Dreamcast, now would it?

Eggfan, where the fuck do you work that you get to set up your desk like that and get away with it? I hate you. >=P