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= Sega_CD =
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Introduction
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The Sega CD, known as in most regions outside North America and
Brazil, is a CD-ROM accessory and format for the Sega Genesis produced
by Sega as part of the fourth generation of video game consoles.
Originally released in November 1991, it came to North America in late
1992, and the rest of the world in 1993. The Sega CD plays CD-based
games and adds hardware functionality such as a faster CPU and a
custom graphics chip for enhanced sprite scaling and rotation. It can
also play audio CDs and CD+G discs.
Sega sought to match the capabilities of the competing PC Engine
CD-ROM² System, and partnered with JVC to design the Sega CD. Sega
refused to consult with their American division until the project was
complete, fearful of leaks. The Sega CD was redesigned several times
by Sega and was also licensed to third parties, including Pioneer and
Aiwa who released home audio products with Sega CD gaming capability.
The main benefit of CD technology at the time was greater storage; CDs
offered approximately 160 times more space than Genesis/Mega Drive
cartridges. This benefit manifested as full-motion video (FMV) games
such as the controversial 'Night Trap'.
The Sega CD game library features acclaimed games such as 'Sonic CD',
'Lunar: The Silver Star', 'Lunar: Eternal Blue', 'Popful Mail', and
'Snatcher', but also many Genesis ports and poorly received FMV games.
Only 2.24 million Sega CD units were sold, after which Sega
discontinued it to focus on the Sega Saturn. Retrospective reception
has been mixed, with praise for some games and functions, but
criticism for its lack of deep games and its high price. Sega's poor
support for the Sega CD has been criticized as the beginning of the
devaluation of its brand.
Background
============
Released in 1988, the Genesis (known as the Mega Drive in most
territories outside of North America) was Sega's entry into the fourth
generation of video game consoles. In the early 1990s, Sega of America
CEO Tom Kalinske helped make the Genesis a success by cutting the
price, developing games for the American market with a new American
team, continuing aggressive advertising campaigns, and selling 'Sonic
the Hedgehog' with the Genesis as a pack-in game.
By the early 1990s, compact discs (CDs) were making headway as a
storage medium for music and video games. NEC had been the first to
use CD technology in a video game console with their PC Engine CD-ROM²
System add-on in October 1988 in Japan (launched in North America as
the TurboGrafx-CD the following year), which sold 80,000 units in six
months. That year, Nintendo announced a partnership with Sony to
develop a CD-ROM peripheral for the Super Nintendo Entertainment
System (SNES). Commodore International released their CD-based CDTV
multimedia system in early 1991, while the CD-i from Philips arrived
later that year. According to Nick Thorpe of 'Retro Gamer', Sega would
have received criticism from investors and observers had it not
developed a CD-ROM game system.
Development
=============
Shortly after the release of the Genesis, Sega's Consumer Products
Research and Development Labs, led by manager Tomio Takami, were
tasked with creating a CD-ROM add-on. It was originally intended to
equal the capabilities of the TurboGrafx-CD, but with twice as much
random-access memory (RAM). In addition to relatively short loading
times, Takami's team planned to implement hardware scaling and
rotation similar to that of Sega's arcade games, which required a
dedicated digital signal processor. A custom graphics chip would
implement these features, alongside an additional sound chip
manufactured by Ricoh. According to Kalinske, Sega was ambitious about
what CD-ROM technology would do for video games, with its potential
for "movie graphics", "rock and roll concert sound" and 3D animation.
However, two major changes were made towards the end of development
that dramatically raised the price of the add-on. Because the Genesis'
Motorola 68000 CPU was too slow to handle the Sega CD's new graphical
capabilities, an additional 68000 CPU was incorporated. This second
CPU has a clock speed of 12.5 MHz, faster than the 7.67 MHz CPU in the
Genesis. Responding to rumors that NEC planned a memory upgrade to
bring the TurboGrafx-CD RAM from 0.5 Mbit to between 2 and 4 Mbit,
Sega increased the Sega CD's available RAM from 1 to 6.5 Mbit. This
proved to be a technical challenge, since the Sega CD's RAM access
speed was initially too slow to run programs effectively, and the
developers had to focus on increasing the speed. The estimated cost of
the device rose to US$370, but market research convinced Sega
executives that consumers would be willing to pay more for a
state-of-the-art machine. Sega partnered with JVC, which had been
working with Warner New Media to develop a CD player under the CD+G
standard.
Sega of America was not informed of the project details until
mid-1991. Despite being provided with preliminary technical documents
earlier in the year, the American division was not given a functioning
unit to test. According to former executive producer Michael Latham:
"When you work at a multinational company, there are things that go
well and there are things that don't. They didn't want to send us
working Sega CD units. They wanted to send us dummies and not send us
the working CD units until the last minute because they were concerned
about what we would do with it and if it would leak out. It was very
frustrating."
Latham and Sega of America vice president of licensing Shinobu Toyoda
assembled a functioning Sega CD by acquiring a ROM for the system and
installing it in a dummy unit. The American staff were frustrated by
the Sega CD's construction. Former senior producer Scot Bayless said:
"[It] was designed with a cheap, consumer-grade audio CD drive, not a
CD-ROM. Quite late in the run-up to launch, the quality assurance
teams started running into severe problems with many of the units--and
when I say severe, I mean units literally bursting into flames. We
worked around the clock, trying to catch the failure in-progress, and
after about a week we finally realized what was happening." He said
the problems were caused by certain games excessively seeking to
different tracks on the disc (as opposed to continuously playing /
streaming), leading to overheating of the motors which repositioned
the laser head assembly.
Launch
========
As early as 1990, magazines were covering a CD-ROM expansion for the
Genesis. Sega announced the release of the Mega-CD in Japan for late
1991, and North America (as the Sega CD) in 1992. It was unveiled to
the public at the 1991 Tokyo Toy Show, to positive reception from
critics, and at the Consumer Electronic Show in Chicago in mid-1991.
It was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, initially retailing at
JP¥49,800. Though the Mega-CD sold quickly, the small install base of
the Mega Drive in Japan meant that sales declined rapidly. Within its
first three months, the Mega-CD sold 200,000 units, but only sold an
additional 200,000 over the next three years. Third-party game
development suffered because Sega took a long time to release software
development kits. Other factors affecting sales included the high
launch price of the Mega-CD in Japan and only two games available at
launch, with only five published by Sega within the first year.
The Mega-CD was launched in Europe in April 1993, starting with the
United Kingdom on April 2, 1993, at a price of £269.99. The European
version was packaged with 'Sol-Feace' and 'Cobra Command' in a
two-disc set, along with a compilation CD of five Mega Drive games.
Only 70,000 units were initially available in the UK, but 60,000 units
were sold by August 1993. The Mega-CD was released in Australia in
March 1993. Brazilian toy company Tectoy released the Sega CD in
Brazil in October 1993, retaining the North American name despite the
use of the name Mega Drive for the base console there.
Sega released a second model, the Sega CD 2 (Mega-CD 2), on April 23,
1993, in Japan. It was released in North America several months later
at a price of US$229, bundled with one of the bestselling Sega CD
games, 'Sewer Shark'. Designed to bring down the manufacturing costs
of the Sega CD, the newer model is smaller and does not use a
motorized disc tray. A limited number of games were developed that
used the Sega CD and another Genesis add-on, the 32X, released in
November 1994.
''Night Trap'' controversy
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On December 9, 1993, the United States Congress began hearings on
video game violence and the marketing of violent video games to
children. The Sega CD game 'Night Trap', an FMV adventure game by
Digital Pictures, was at the center of debate. 'Night Trap' had been
brought to the attention of United States Senator Joe Lieberman, who
said: "It ends with this attack scene on this woman in lingerie, in
her bathroom. I know that the creator of the game said it was all
meant to be a satire of 'Dracula'; nonetheless, I thought it sent out
the wrong message." Lieberman's research concluded that the average
video game player was between seven and twelve years old, and that
video game publishers were marketing violence to children.
In the United Kingdom, 'Night Trap' was discussed in Parliament.
Former Sega Europe development director Mike Brogan noted that 'Night
Trap' brought Sega publicity, and helped reinforce Sega's image as an
"edgy company with attitude". Despite the increased sales, Sega
recalled 'Night Trap' and rereleased it with revisions in 1994.
Following the congressional hearings, video game manufacturers came
together in 1994 to establish a unified rating system, the
Entertainment Software Rating Board.
Decline
=========
By the end of 1993, sales of the Sega CD had stalled in Japan and were
slowing in North America. In Europe, sales of Mega-CD games were
outpaced by games for the Amiga CD32. Newer CD-based consoles such as
the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer rendered the Sega CD technically
obsolete, reducing public interest. In late 1993, less than a year
after the Sega CD had launched in North America and Europe, the media
reported that Sega was no longer accepting in-house development
proposals for the Mega-CD in Japan. By 1994, units had been sold in
the United States and 415,000 in Western Europe. Kalinske blamed the
Sega CD's high price for limiting its potential market; Sega attempted
to add value in the US and the UK by bundling more games, with some
packages including up to five games.
In early 1995, Sega shifted its focus to the Sega Saturn and
discontinued advertising for Genesis hardware, including the Sega CD.
Sega discontinued the Sega CD in the first quarter of 1996, saying
that it needed to concentrate on fewer platforms and that the Sega CD
could not compete due to its high price and outdated single-speed
drive. According to Thorpe, the Sega CD only reached a more popular
price point in 1995, by which time customers were willing to wait for
newer consoles. The last scheduled Sega CD games, ports of 'Myst' and
'Brain Dead 13', were cancelled. 2.24 million Sega CD units were sold
worldwide.
Technical specifications
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The Sega CD can only be used in conjunction with a Genesis system,
attaching through an expansion slot on the side of the main console.
It requires its own power supply. A core feature of the Sega CD is the
increase in data storage by its games being CD-ROMs; whereas ROM
cartridges of the day typically contained 8 to 16 megabits of data, a
CD-ROM disc can hold more than 640 megabytes of data, more than 320
times the storage of a Genesis cartridge. This increase in storage
allows the Sega CD to play FMV games. In addition to playing its own
library of games in CD-ROM format, the Sega CD can also play compact
discs and karaoke CD+G discs, and can be used in conjunction with the
32X to play 32-bit games that use both add-ons. The second model, also
known as the Sega CD 2, includes a steel joining plate to be screwed
into the bottom of the Genesis and an extension spacer to work with
the original Genesis model.
The main CPU of the Sega CD is a 12.5 MHz 16-bit Motorola 68000
processor, which runs 5 MHz faster than the Genesis processor. It
contains 1 Mbit of boot ROM, allocated for the CD game BIOS, CD player
software, and compatibility with CD+G discs. 6.5 Mbit of RAM is
allocated to data for programs, pictures, and sounds; 128 Kbit to
CD-ROM data cache memory; and an additional 64 Kbit is allocated as
the backup memory. Additional backup memory in the form of a 1 Mbit
Backup RAM Cartridge was also available as a separate purchase,
released near the end of the system's life. The graphics chip is a
custom ASIC, and can perform similarly to the SNES's Mode 7, but with
the ability to handle more objects at the same time. Audio is supplied
through the Ricoh RF5C164, and two RCA pin jacks allow the Sega CD to
output stereophonic sound separate from the Genesis. Combining stereo
sound from a Genesis to either version of the Sega CD requires a cable
between the Genesis's headphone jack and an input jack on the back of
the CD unit. This is not required for the second model of the Genesis.
Sega released an additional accessory to be used with the Sega CD for
karaoke, including a microphone input and various sound controls.
Models
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Several models of the Sega CD were released. The original model used a
front-loading motorized disc tray and sat underneath the Genesis. The
second model was redesigned to sit next to the Genesis and featured a
top-loading disc tray. Sega also released the Genesis CDX (Multi-Mega
in Europe), a combined Genesis and Sega CD, with additional
functionality as a portable CD player.
Three additional system models were created by other electronics
companies. Working with Sega, JVC released the Wondermega, a
combination of the Genesis and Sega CD with high-quality audio, on
April 1, 1992, in Japan. The Wondermega was redesigned by JVC and
released as the X'Eye in North America in September 1994. Its high
price kept it out of the hands of average consumers. Another console,
the LaserActive by Pioneer Corporation, can play Genesis and Sega CD
games if equipped with the Mega-LD attachment developed by Sega. The
LaserActive was positioned to compete with the 3DO Interactive
Multiplayer, but the combined system and Mega-LD pack retailed at too
expensive a price for most consumers. Aiwa released the CSD-GM1, a
combination Mega Drive and Mega CD unit built into a boombox. The
CSD-GM1 was released in Japan in 1994.
Games
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'Sonic CD's' special stage uses the Sega CD's enhanced graphical
capabilities.
The Sega CD supports a library of more than 200 games created by Sega
and third-party publishers. Six Sega CD games were also released in
versions that used both the Sega CD and 32X add-ons.
Well regarded Sega CD games include 'Sonic CD', 'Lunar: The Silver
Star', 'Lunar: Eternal Blue', 'Popful Mail', and 'Snatcher', as well
as the controversial 'Night Trap'. Although Sega created 'Streets of
Rage' for the Genesis to compete against the SNES port of the arcade
hit 'Final Fight', the Sega CD received an enhanced version of 'Final
Fight' that has been praised for its greater faithfulness to the
arcade original. 'Eternal Champions: Challenge from the Dark Side' was
noted for its impressive use of the Sega CD hardware as well as its
violent content. In particular, 'Sonic CD' garnered acclaim for its
graphics and time travel gameplay, which improved upon the traditional
'Sonic' formula. The Sega CD also received enhanced ports of Genesis
games including 'Batman Returns' and 'Ecco the Dolphin'.
The Sega CD library includes several FMV games, such as 'Night Trap,
Dragon's Lair' and 'Space Ace'. FMV quality was substandard on the
Sega CD due to poor video compression software and limited color
palette, and the concept never caught on with the public. According to
Digital Pictures founder Tom Zito, the Sega CD's limited color palette
created "a horrible grainy look". Likewise, most Genesis ports for the
Sega CD featured additional FMV sequences, extra levels, and enhanced
audio, but were otherwise identical to their Genesis release. The
video quality in these sequences has been criticized as comparable to
an old VHS tape.
Given a large number of FMV games and Genesis ports, the Sega CD's
game library has been criticized for its lack of depth. Kalinske felt
this was a valid criticism, and that while it was useful for releasing
collections of games, "just doing cartridge games on a CD-ROM was not
a step forward". According to Thorpe, the Sega CD's games did not
display enough advancement to justify the console price for most
consumers. He felt that FMV games, targeted toward more casual
players, were not enough to satisfy hardcore players.
Reception and legacy
======================================================================
Near the time of its release, the Sega CD was awarded Best New
Peripheral of 1992 by 'Electronic Gaming Monthly'. Four separate
reviews scored the add-on 8, 9, 8, and 8 out of 10; reviewers cited
its upgrades to the Genesis as well as its high-quality and expanding
library of games. In 1995, four 'Electronic Gaming Monthly' reviewers
scored it 5 out of 10, citing its limited game library and substandard
video quality. 'GamePro' cited the same problems, noting that many
games were simple ports of cartridge games with minimal enhancements;
'GamePro' concluded that the Sega CD was merely "a big memory device
with CD sound" rather than a meaningful upgrade. They gave it a
"thumbs sideways" and recommended that Genesis fans buy an SNES before
considering a Sega CD. In a special Game Machine Cross Review in May
1995, 'Famicom Tsūshin' scored the Japanese Mega-CD 2 17 out of 40.
Retrospective reception of the Sega CD has been mixed, praising
certain games but criticizing its value for money and limited upgrades
over Genesis. According to 'GamePro,' the Sega CD is the
seventh-lowest-selling console; reviewer Blake Snow wrote: "The
problem was threefold: the device was expensive at $299, it arrived
late in the 16-bit life cycle, and it didn't do much (if anything) to
enhance the gameplay experience." However, Snow felt that the Sega CD
had the greatest 'Sonic' game in 'Sonic CD'. 'IGNs Levi Buchanan
criticized Sega's implementation of CD technology, arguing that it
offered no new gameplay concepts. Jeremy Parish of 'USgamer' wrote
that Sega was not the only company of the period to "muddy its waters"
with a CD add-on, and highlighted some "gems" for the system, but that
"the benefits offered by the Sega CD had to be balanced against the
fact that the add-on more than doubled the price (and complexity) of
the [Genesis]." In a separate article for '1Up.com', Parish praised
the Sega CD's expansion of value to the Genesis. Writing for 'Retro
Gamer', Damien McFerran cited various reasons for the Sega CD's
limited sales, including its price, lack of significant enhancement to
the Genesis, and the fact that it was not a standalone console. 'Retro
Gamer' writer Aaron Birch, defended the Sega CD as "ahead of its time"
and said that game developers had failed to meet the potential of CD
technology.
Sega's poor support for the Sega CD has been criticized as the first
step in the devaluation of the Sega brand. Writing for 'IGN', Buchanan
said the Sega CD, released without a strong library of games, "looked
like a strange, desperate move--something designed to nab some ink but
without any real, thought-out strategy. Genesis owners that invested
in the add-on were sorely disappointed, which undoubtedly helped sour
the non-diehards on the brand." In 'GamePro', Snow wrote that the Sega
CD was the first of several poorly supported Sega systems, which
damaged the value of the brand and ultimately led to Sega's exit from
the hardware market. Thorpe wrote that, while it was possible for Sega
to have brushed off the Sega CD's failure, the failure of the Sega CD
and the 32X together damaged faith in Sega's support for its
platforms.
Former Sega of America senior producer Scot Bayless attributes the
unsuccessful market to a lack of direction from Sega with the add-on.
According to Bayless, "It was a fundamental paradigm shift with almost
no thought given to consequences. I honestly don't think anyone at
Sega asked the most important question: 'Why?' There's a rule I
developed during my time as an engineer in the military aviation
business: never fall in love with your tech. I think that's where the
Mega-CD went off the rails. The whole company fell in love with the
idea without ever really asking how it would affect the games you
made." Sega of America producer Michael Latham said he "loved" the
Sega CD, and that it had been damaged by an abundance of "Hollywood
interactive film games" instead of using it to make "just plain great
video games". Former Sega Europe president Nick Alexander said: "The
Mega CD was interesting but probably misconceived and was seen very
much as the interim product it was." Kalinske said that the Sega CD
had been an important learning experience for Sega for programming for
discs, and that it was not a mistake but not "as dramatically
different as it needed to be".
See also
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* 64DD
* Atari Jaguar CD
* Family Computer Disk System
* Virtual Boy
License
=========
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License URL:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Original Article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_CD
