Shenmue Passport coming back online.

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25 Feb 2006, 07:44 PM
Andy

Shenmue Passport coming back online.

http://shenmue.planets.gamespy.com/

Quote:

Who would have thought it? Dead since April of 2002, Shenmue I's "Passport" expansion disc is gradually coming back to life! All online features such as character profiles and VMU Goodies were inaccessible after SEGA shut down the servers, though shockingly, these features are now in the process of restoration.

A surprising new update appeared on the Passport's "Urgent Messages" section, dated Feb. 22, 2006 that reads, "The Shenmue Passport is in update process. Come again and visit us!" After a little investigation, it's now apparent that SEGA are indeed restoring the files to their servers. Though several features are still inaccessible, you can manage to download a number of the Shenmue Goodies character animation files with a winning can, such as Iwao Hazuki's.

Also, upon selecting a character in the character profiles of "Shenmue World," you'll get the message, "Thank you we'll back soon!" instead of the previous "Data cannot be retrieved at this time."

After 4 years, why is it coming back now? Puzzling, but still good news for Shenmue fans! With any luck, we'll also get the Network Ranking feature back as well. This is certainly something to keep an eye on!

http://shenmue.planets.gamespy.com/i...ortupdates.jpg
http://shenmue.planets.gamespy.com/i...waogoodies.jpg
http://shenmue.planets.gamespy.com/i...landisoons.jpg

:confused:

...

:tu:
25 Feb 2006, 07:57 PM
1CCOSA

That is sweet! Wonder what prompted them to do this? I never took advantage of my passport disc so I am gonna keep an eye on this.

Now if only they'd resurrect the PSO, Alien Front and Bomberman Online servers. :p
25 Feb 2006, 08:01 PM
Tain

Furthermore, Shenmue.com is back up and has a new 2006 copyright.

Damn you Andy. This was my thread.
25 Feb 2006, 08:02 PM
napalm

I never got around to checking out what was on this disc, but I'll be sure to check it out when it's all back. Is there anything worthwhile, or it just trivial knowledge and stuff?

Are there any other DC games still online? I know f335 or whatever that racing game is was online for quite some time, and just went down on the Feb 22nd or so.
25 Feb 2006, 08:04 PM
1CCOSA

Quote:

Originally Posted by NApOLm321

Are there any other DC games still online? I know f335 or whatever that racing game is was online for quite some time, and just went down on the Feb 22nd or so.

Wow, that one held out for a long time. Starlancer was still online for a lonnnng time on Gamespy but went down one or two years ago. Should have organized a little Starlancer DC TNL meet up when i still had the chance. Procrastination is a cruel master, I tells ya. :(
25 Feb 2006, 08:17 PM
Yoshi

All the chapters updated graphically and on 360 please.
25 Feb 2006, 08:22 PM
Jeremy

Agreeance. This is great news, and once again gets my hopes up for Shenmue III.
25 Feb 2006, 08:55 PM
Frogacuda

Probably more closely related to Shenmue Online. Yu Suzuki said he was hoping to use SO to continue the Shenmue story at this point.
25 Feb 2006, 08:56 PM
johnk_

Quote:

Originally Posted by NApOLm321

Are there any other DC games still online? I know f335 or whatever that racing game is was online for quite some time, and just went down on the Feb 22nd or so.

What? That F355 ferrari game didn't have online play, did it?
AFAIK, it only had system-link capabilities.

all the dreamcast servers have been down for quite some time now.
25 Feb 2006, 09:05 PM
nameless_one

Why would they want to continue a dead series? As much as I enjoyed it, they are just beating a dead horse with a stick.
25 Feb 2006, 09:10 PM
1CCOSA

^^^^

MMO Shenmue with the right marketing could easily be very profitable for them just as PSO was.
25 Feb 2006, 09:10 PM
Yoshi

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylan1CC

^^^^

MMO Shenmue with the right marketing could easily be very profitable for them just as PSO was.

It already exists in the Chinese market:

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/shenmueonline/index.html
25 Feb 2006, 09:48 PM
zerokool

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnk_

What? That F355 ferrari game didn't have online play, did it?
AFAIK, it only had system-link capabilities.

I seem to recall F355 having online via ghosts. Like you'd be able to see transparent ghosts while you were racing, but in the replay they'd be fully fleshed out. Atleast that's what I seem to remember reading, never having actually tried it out myself.
25 Feb 2006, 09:55 PM
1CCOSA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoshi

It already exists in the Chinese market:

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/shenmueonline/index.html

Ah yes, I forgot about the "nebulous" Shenmue online.
25 Feb 2006, 10:19 PM
Giga Power

Theres a few games still online, most importantly Quake III which I still play. You can find a complete list over at www.onlineconsoles.com.

And yes, they really do need to get Alien Front Online...well...back online. I bought it after it went offline. :cry: I did play a few matches with a friend's copy before purchasing it though and it was awesome.
25 Feb 2006, 10:25 PM
Diff-chan

Why the hell would you play Quake III on Dreamcast in the year 2006? The mind boggles.
25 Feb 2006, 10:29 PM
napalm

Shit, I still have Quake III, I must've played it two times. I too, am wondering why you would still play it. Do you play with controller or kb/m?
25 Feb 2006, 10:30 PM
NeoZeedeater

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giga Power

And yes, they really do need to get Alien Front Online...well...back online.

Agreed. I loved the game but the horrible lag made me stop playing it. An updated version would rule.
25 Feb 2006, 10:47 PM
1CCOSA

Alien Front online was very smooth for a dial up game, only problem I had was of course when someone with a horrible connection joined. Which would either lag or crash the game entirely.

Bomberman Online was the only DC online game which never worked for me, the server for that game was complete garbage.
25 Feb 2006, 10:57 PM
Giga Power

Quote:

Originally Posted by NApOLm321

Shit, I still have Quake III, I must've played it two times. I too, am wondering why you would still play it. Do you play with controller or kb/m?

Mouse and keyboard. Now. I played with the controller for a long time.

And I play because it's a lot easier to play on the DC than it is to hunt down my PC version and install it. If I can play something on a console over the PC, bet your ass I will.

Plus the servers allow for both PC and the Dreamcast, so theres never been a time I've signed on only to not be able to find a game to join.
25 Feb 2006, 11:07 PM
napalm

What about custom maps? I would imagine that you can't play any servers with those, and seeing as how it's an old ass game, I would imagine that most servers would be custom maps, to try to keep everything fresh.
25 Feb 2006, 11:13 PM
Giga Power

Quote:

Originally Posted by NApOLm321

What about custom maps? I would imagine that you can't play any servers with those, and seeing as how it's an old ass game, I would imagine that most servers would be custom maps, to try to keep everything fresh.

No, no custom maps. They did make some DC exlusive ones and they made those available to the PC version as well...but like I said I never have trouble finding games. There might be more available to the PC due to the custom made maps...but it's not really an issue to me.
25 Feb 2006, 11:44 PM
SniperRifle

Shenmue was a fucking awesome game. I liked the second one a lot. The part where you had to go through the building with that guy with the bandana was awesome. I fucking loved it.
25 Feb 2006, 11:57 PM
napalm

Quote:

Originally Posted by SniperRifle

Shenmue was a fucking awesome game. I liked the second one a lot. The part where you had to go through the building with that guy with the bandana was awesome. I fucking loved it.

No fucking way!
26 Feb 2006, 12:01 AM
SniperRifle

YES FUCKING WAY! YES!
26 Feb 2006, 07:59 AM
dakidski

Quote:

Originally Posted by diffusionx

Why the hell would you play Quake III on Dreamcast in the year 2006? The mind boggles.

It's really very very well done on Dreamcast. I sometimes play it in offline mode.

Is there any way to access that shenmue data without connecting the DC to the internet? I have 10 dc modems, but no walljack...
26 Feb 2006, 08:07 AM
J2d

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakidski

It's really very very well done on Dreamcast. I sometimes play it in offline mode.

Me and a friend played it a lot a couple of years ago, good times.
26 Feb 2006, 02:16 PM
napalm

I never really warmed up to Quake III on dreamcast. It's not particularly bad, it just doesn't seem to shine. Maybe it's the ugly graphics I can't see past. Where do you live giga? If it's somewhere close, I might see if my free dial up ISP is still working, and we could try to give it a little go.
26 Feb 2006, 08:27 PM
Error

Oh wow.. I get to be the one to break the bad news. Sorry folks. Hoax.

http://www.gamebrink.com/?news=240
26 Feb 2006, 08:31 PM
SniperRifle

Fuck. My heart just broke.
26 Feb 2006, 08:34 PM
bVork

1 Attachment(s)

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...id=18671&stc=1

See this post for more information.

Not that all of it is lies: you can now access some stuff via your passport disc that was previously disabled. But it isn't any official resurrection by Sega or anything.
26 Feb 2006, 08:43 PM
Tommy Tallarico

Thank God.
26 Feb 2006, 09:19 PM
Giga Power

Quote:

Originally Posted by NApOLm321

I never really warmed up to Quake III on dreamcast. It's not particularly bad, it just doesn't seem to shine. Maybe it's the ugly graphics I can't see past. Where do you live giga? If it's somewhere close, I might see if my free dial up ISP is still working, and we could try to give it a little go.

Theres too much lag on 56k. :(
26 Feb 2006, 09:26 PM
napalm

Do you have a BBA or something?
26 Feb 2006, 09:38 PM
Giga Power

Yeah.
26 Feb 2006, 09:47 PM
napalm

So much for that idea. I played it once a few years ago online but I don't remember anything about it. Still, I remember it being playable, although I could be wrong, ha.
26 Feb 2006, 11:29 PM
Josh

Quote:

Originally Posted by bVork

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...id=18671&stc=1

I made that image. :)
27 Feb 2006, 01:47 AM
Korly

I play PSO v2 on DC online all the time now.
27 Feb 2006, 02:42 AM
napalm

how? isn't it riddled with hackers?
27 Feb 2006, 02:47 AM
Tain

Fan-run servers.

And play with friends.