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Subject: Rick Reynolds Conference Transcript (long post)
From: [e-mail] (Andrew R. Blum)
Date: 22 Nov 1994 16:36:22 GMT
Message-ID: <3at6m6$[e-mail]>

Here is the transcript of Last NIght's IRC Conference with Rick
Reynolds. Thanks to Rick Reynolds for coming, and Brian Goss, Kraig
Kujawa, and OffMax for moderating the conference.



GURUCON CONFERENCE #4                                                                                    Edited by Andrew Blum
Rick Reynolds                                                                                                                                       [e-mail]
11/22/94                                                                                                                                http://arb131.rh.psu.edu


<rick3do> Thank you for your patience, everyone. Had some trouble
connecting to a willing server.

<rick3do> If you haven't met me before, my name is Rick Reynolds and I
work in  the Marketing Department at The 3DO Company.

<rick3do> I don't have an official job title, actually. I do all sorts
of
 things related to product development, marketing, and basic net.stuff.

<Guru> ok guys Castellan is first up.

<rick3do> Can we jump in?

<Castellan> OK, thanks for being here Rick. Got a couple ?'s on SSF2T.

<Guru> Castellan Your voice is activated...

<Castellan> #1: I've heard the music is rescored. In your humble
opinion, is it  beter or worse than the arcade? And #2) I've heard
SSF2^ has trouble with older 3DO's. True or False?

<rick3do> Actually, it sounds exactly like arcade to me... down to the
Q-Sound encoding.

<rick3do> I was hoping it would be something original for 3DO in that
the 3DO system can handle sound better than most coinop machines, but
they went for keeping a true coinop experience.

<rick3do> I bought my first 3DO system on October 3, 1993. It was one
of the first five shipped to San Francisco. Haven't had any problem
playing SSF2T on it and I've done it for hours.

<rick3do> By the way, this is a final copy that I purchased last Friday
through 3DO Direct, our mail order house.

<Castellan> I'm asked to also asked to ask you if the music is spooled
or
 digitised. Thanks/. :)

<rick3do> I got to play SSF2T for a few minutes today with RJ Mical as
we were waiting for some journalists to show up (Next Generation
Magazine). It was fun. He's not bad.

<rick3do> Spooled or digitized music? Sheesh.... I didn't watch the
access
 light (or I would have been killed)... I'm not sure.

<Castellan> Also, does the music speed up as you approach victory?

<Castellan> That's my last question.

<rick3do> Hmmm... I can't remember that part either. I did notice that
each
 location has a different musical score. (I prefer the Hong Kong stage
music.)  I can't remember if it speeds up or not. Felt just like coinop
though.
<Sark> Thanks.

<Guru> Sark, your voice is open.

<Sark> Rick, any info on Time2Die?

<rick3do> Any info on Time2Die? Well... it's not going to make
Christmas 1994,  unfortunately. It looks gorgeous so far. Just
beautiful artwork.

<rick3do> I haven't been allowed to play it yet, but I've looked over
shoulders a couple of times.

<Kall-Su> First, are there any plans for traditional shooters like
Raiden or UN Squadron? Also, what about licensing new Japanese arcade
shooters like Gunbird?

<rick3do> By the way, Time2Die will be getting a new name before it
ships. Don't know what it will be yet.

<Guru> Rick, is it true the marketing department made them strip a lot
of blood out of time 2 die?

<rick3do> OK, well how would you qualify Namco's Star Blade?

<rick3do> Well... as for Guru's question about T2D blood...

<rick3do> It is _not_ true that the Marketing Department made them
strip a single drop of blood from the title.

<sibeling> First off, thanks a bunch Rick for being here!  2nd, have
you tried the Panasonic 6 button stick? Anygood?

<sibeling> And do you know if SSF2T will be in stores tomorrow? ;)

<rick3do> Thanks for coming, Sibeling. I have played with the 6-Button
Control Pad. I played with it today, in fact. I like it and it works
pretty well although it is pretty funky looking at first.

<rick3do> SSF2T will be in stores any minute... probably in tomorrow's
 shipment.

<jeffh> ok...  when do you expect the panasonic stick to hit the
stores, and 2)  What is time 2 die? :)

<rick3do> First question: Panasonic Stick. Well, I assume you mean the
6-button Control Pad. It's not a joystick, by the way, but an unusual
control pad. The operative difference is that it doesn't require the
software developer to use joystick drivers.

<rick3do> The title thinks you're using a control pad.

<rick3do> Panasonic was hoping it'd be ready today, but I think it's
going to be another week or two before you can get them.

<jeffh> I am in a wheelchair, and joypads are ******* hard for me to
use, they make my thumb tired...  any plans on 6 button joysticks?

<rick3do> The other question was about Studio 3DO's first in-house
development project that's a true game. It's a first person adventure
game that is sort of a cross between Doom and 11th Hour.

<rick3do> It is currently being called Time2Die in development but will
ship  with a slightly different name early 1995.

<rick3do> Jeff, there are all kinds of plans for more joysticks. In
fact,
 there's even one digital joystick (not analog) that might even sneak
out right  at the end of the year, but it's not announced yet
officially so I can't tell you any more about it.

<rick3do> There will be more very soon though. I've been keeping up
with
 peripherals since they are near and dear to my heart.

<rick3do> By the way, folks, if you see an ALG Gamegun in a store near
you, you might consider snapping it up for use with Demolition Man. We'

<rick3do> We've been really enjoying the light gun with Demo Man in my
 household.

<san17> Question 1: When is VR Goggles coming out? 2. When is MPEG
coming out? 3. Is Time2Die smilar to Doom *

<rick3do> VR Goggles are not currently showing up on the horizon. 3DO
has
 designed a system, but has no intention of manufacturing them. They
are
 currently available if some peripheral manufacturer wants to take
advantage of the opportunity.

<rick3do> Customers certainly request them regularly. Actually, I'm not
sure if our operating system hasn't progressed so much now that the VR
Goggles interface may need a little updating, but it's trivial at this
point,
 basically.

<rick3do> As for the MPEG... the first MPEG adapters shipped in Japan.
 Panasonic sells them there for about a month now.

<rick3do> They won't have their US edition out until early 1995 though.
It has recently become clear that Goldstar will beat Panasonic to
market with MPEG in the U.S.

<OffMax> Will the Goldstar MPEG be compatible with Panasonic machines?

<rick3do> IMPORTANT: remember that MPEG adapters are
motherboard-dependent and  will not work between models (unlike
controller peripherals and software.)
<rick3do> Basically, if it connects to the AV Expansion slot instead
of the
 expansion slot or the control port, it is motherboard dependent.

<rick3do> No word yet from Goldstar on pricing.

<rick3do> Goldstar is hoping to get this out in December, but that's
getting
 hard to do at this point!

<Obieone> Ok... Just wondering, is there any source for the static
problems
 with Stereo Sound...

<rick3do> Pardon me? Could you explain?

<Obieone> Recently on Usenet, there has been a disscussion of static
problems with the 3DO's sound...

<Guru> I think he is reffering to the popping sounds found in some
games.

<Obieone> Yea.. just want to know if its 'normal' or not...

<rick3do> I have been unable to reproduce that poster's static sound
problems.  I don't have his configuration though.

<Guru> IT all depends on the kind of compression the company uses on
their
 games.  Crystal Dynamics has one of the most static sounding sound
drivers.

<rick3do> I have a Surround Sound system connected at home, and
generally just play sound out of the TV at the office.

<rick3do> I have played titles where the sound quality was low. For
example,   watched a Vivid title "Blonde Justice" and the sound was
8-bit, I believe. Not too crisp and clean.

<rick3do> If you have a sound problem, try plugging in headphones and
 listening. That might help determine the source of the problem.

<Obieone> I believe a lot of it might just be quality of the CD.. and
not the
 3DO.. just wanted to conferm it...

<rick3do> <bowing> You're welcome.

<Castellan> OK, I have a question on the "other" title, SS. I've heard
some
 rumors about it which are making a diehard player like me nervous.

<Castellan> #1) That CD is reworking the combat system to make it more
 "playable," and that #2) the play control needs a boatload of work,
still.

<rick3do> Nervous about SamSho? <raised eyebrows> It's looking good to
me. I really enjoy it. I want my own copy bad right now. :-)

<rick3do> SamSho, again, feels just like the arcade version to me.

<rick3do> The controls are equally easy (not tooooo easy). I prefer
having the control pad in my hands rather than standing at the coinop
controls.

<rick3do> I am happy with how it's coming out so far. I will go put
some more quarters in a machine, though, and then try it again.
<rick3do> There's an arcade about three blocks from 3DO with SamSho.

<Guru> Have they added anything NOT in the arcade?

<Castellan> (i.e. new combo systems)

<rick3do> It's my understanding that they included a richer color
palette in
 the 3DO version than the arcade, and that's it.

<rick3do> I am mentally trying to go through the options, but I can't
picture anything else.

<Darknight> Hi rick, glad you are here to answer questions. My question
is
 aobut SS. I just talked to a source of mine who played a recent
version of SS In Fact it was a week old version of the game. He said as
it stood now, there  was no option to configure your buttons and your
buttons were used by toggling between kicks and punches by hitting the
R shift key ala SF2 on Genesis with 3 button pad  style. Can you
confirm or deny this?
<rick3do> Marty, it sounds like your friend was using a newer version
than I have been using.

<Darknight> As it stood from when you last played it, how was it set
up?

<rick3do> My loaner copy didn't work like that. OK, I'm not so skilled
at
 SamSho to be able to know at an instant what was the same or different
for the  moves of the different characters, but it didn't seem like....
wait...

<rick3do> If you held down the R Shift key, I think you did get
different moves with the A, B, C buttons. Hmmm...

<rick3do> I'm the kind of player where my hands know what to do,
although my head doesn't know what buttons I'm pressing. In summary,
gosh I dunno.

<Guru> Sam Sho uses A.B.C and R forthe moves.

<rick3do> Brian, you may remember it better than me.

<Darknight> Well thanks for the input rick. I'm off to pick up that
source so
 he could give me more info on the game. I'll be back shortly if anyone
is
 interested

<zargon> Hello there Rick!

<zargon> Well, first, I was wondering if today still marks the
beginning of the  ad campaign?

<Guru> A,B,C and R performs the moves like the Neo Geo's four buttons.
On SF2, the Start button is used as the middle punch button.

<zargon> Also, what are you guys going to do with it?

<rick3do> Hi. Ummm... the ad campaign is running. Let me go grab the
schedule.

<Kraig> I know that therre have been ads on Monday Night football and
Notre Dame football as well as on the PREVUE CHANNEL on my cable system

<zargon> Yes, I've notices a lot of them, but still you guys seem
behind Atari.

<rick3do> Today started our sponsorship of the SciFi Channel's Star
Trek week, by the way.

<zargon> Well, I'm glad.  Is it going to be more intense as the season
goes on?

<rick3do> We are also on ABC's Monday Night Football, Fox NFL football,
NCAA Basketball on CBS, Saturday Night Live, Friday Night Videos on
NBC...

<Kraig> Much more costly than the Atari spots on Beavis and Butthead i
will ad

<rick3do> Eagles Reunion Concert, Beavis & Butthead, MTV Jams, NFL
Prime, NASCAR Racing, ESPN Sportscenter, David Letterman, World Cup
Skiing...

<zargon> Ok, that sounds great!

<LoneRebel> Hello rick:  Please clarify the need for a card based pc
version of the 3d0 if there is no price difference between the card and
console?

<rick3do> Also stuff on Comedy Central, USA, Turner, BET, Prevue
Channel, and MTV and ESPN on cable.

<rick3do> Hi Lone. Some folks prefer to consume their entertainment in
the living room, and others prefer to enjoy it with their PC. Perhaps
they've bonded or something. <grin>

<rick3do> Basically, the pricing of each product is completely up to
the
 manufacturer. It's not a 3DO-influenced thing.
<LoneRebel> hmmm, do u expect it to be a major market?

<rick3do> If we want to offer them shares of stock in trade for
lowering their price, that's the incredible lengths we have had to go
in the past to drop pricing. We aren't doing that any more. It's
impractical.

<rick3do> I am not sure what will happen in that market. Creative
certainly makes an excellent product, has a large and established
distribution channel, and knows exactly how to sell into their home
turf markets.

<rick3do> They can do very well just selling the 3DO Blaster into their
 installed base of CD-ROM drive owners, for example.

<LoneRebel> I thkink thats it...I had just heard of the card based 3do
and
 never heard anything else about it ..thanx

<rick3do> I know they have various product configurations on the
drawing board.  Perhaps that will affect their pricing next year.

<sibeling> me again...expanding on another question earlier, do you
know of any horz or vert shooters coming (like Raiden or RType)?

<sibeling> Also, is NFS as pixely as Road Rash or is it cleaner? Is the
 animation as smooth as Daytona? And should we be anxious for this
title?

<rick3do> Sorry I missed you earlier on that question, Sibeling.

<rick3do> I am not sure out of the couple of hundred titles in
development that I know about, which are horizontal or vertical
shooters.

<Kraig> Rick , do you know if Rebel Assault 3do is better than the ibm
version

<rick3do> I have not seen anything that looked exactly like Raiden.

<rick3do> The closest next thing out would be Namco's StarBlade.

<rick3do> As for your question about Need for Speed, I find that the
distant elements in the backgrounds are fairly equivalent between RR
and NFS. The closer background elements and the forground is cleaner in
NFS. The view I prefer is the cockpit view...

<rick3do> ...so I am not watching my car. When I do shift to the chase
car
 view, it seems to look great.

<rick3do> They are different experiences, though. Road Rash feels
exciting, but it doesn't feel like you're riding a motorcycle. NFS
feels like you're driving a car.

<rick3do> Uh... what was the next question?

<rick3do> Rebel Assault... seems just like the PC version to me. I
can't find
 much difference. If you've seen Doom for PC and Doom for Jag, they are
pretty much the same resolution (just a slightly different color depth)
it's sort of like that.

<rick3do> Uh... yeah. I forgot what was next.

<Fergus> Thanks Rick and Guru. Is there anything to the rumor that EA
was
 holding back on FIFA due to a dispute about the new $6.00 thing.

<rick3do> That was a rumor about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I called them and
talked to them and they said it was bologna.

<rick3do> I'm not sure where the rumor came from either.

<Fergus> Good to hear ...thanks

<rick3do> You are welcome. Thank you for your support.

<Spiker> Hi Rick, as a 3DO retailer & owner, what titles can we
realistically expect to see before Xmas?

<Spiker> No, just remember last year about this time, Road Rash,
Madden, all of these were to be released last xmas.

<rick3do> In no particular order: Vivid's Immortal Desires, ESPN: Let's
Go
 Skiing, Rebel Assault, Demolition Man, NeuroDancer, Plumbers Don't
Wear Ties, Nova Storm, Shockwave: Operation Jumpgate, Iron Angel of the
Apocalypse (Tetsujin-US), Vivid's Love Bites, Off World Interceptor,
Road & Track Presents The Need for Speed, Super Street Fighter II
Turbo, Samurai Shodown, Supreme Warrior Ying Heung, Corpse Killer (I
think), 3D Atlas from Electronic Arts, Shanghai: Triple Threat from
Activision, Vivid's The Coven (gosh, they are prolific lately), World
Cup Golf,
 Family Feud, Quarantine. That's all I can think of at the moment. I'm
missing something though.



<Spiker> I know GEX has already been delayed, since marketing is your
thing, I figured you should know the reality from the B.S.  Thats the
only question, thank you.

<Kraig> Rick, any word on a new 3DO Madden game? And when will Return
Fire be out?

<rick3do> I can't find Return Fire on my papers here at the moment, but
it
 isn't far off. I don't know anything about a new 3DO Madden game.

<Simon> Hi Rick!  Nice to hear from you again...  Looks like the times
are real  busy for you nowadays...  Working hard to get the X-mas
titles ready for  release....  Well, my question concerns the
Joysticks/joypads.  What
 is going on??  Always pushing back release dates for SIMPLE joysticks!
 What's  going on with the Panasonic 6 button fighter stic

<rick3do> The problem with joysticks seems to be the availability of
 custom-ordered cables, for some reason. If anything is going to delay
a
 peripheral, it always seems to be the cable. Drives me crazy.

<rick3do> Latest word was another delay for the Flightstick Pro for 3DO
 systems. I haven't heard when it will arrive yet. Cable availability
problem.

<Guru> Do you have a release date for Samurai Shodown, Need for Speed,
or Demo  Man?

<Simon> What are your opinions on "3 Magazine" (we won't tell 'em! ;)
What about the Panasonic stick; does the Panasonic stick really look
like the 6  button SEGA?

<rick3do> The Capcom/Panasonic 6-button Control Pad is listed in the
manual for SSF2T, but I called the number and the lady said it wasn't
quite ready. Rumors  have it another week or two. Don't know why.

<Guru> Rick, when will the next 3Do club newsletter come out.  Will it
be
 BETTER I hope :-)

<rick3do> Well, the Need for Speed and Demo Man are all encrypted. Demo
Man is pressed and being assembled. Don't know the exact scoop on
SamSho, but it's close. I think it's in final testing.

<rick3do> I like 3 Magazine. I was a journalist before coming to 3DO,
as some  of you may know.

<Simon> I thought the Capcom stick was different from the Panasonic
one???

<rick3do> I have seen a lot of first issues come out and their's
doesn't look
 bad.

<rick3do> Hey, I've seen a few typo's but it is a great read.

<rick3do> As for 3DO Club News, we just shipped an issue and the next
one is in  progress. (I owe Jackie some articles for tomorrow, but I'm
talking to you guys instead.)

<Kraig> Thanx!

<rick3do> <tipping hat> At your service, Kraig.

<Kraig> Jackie will forgive you, Rick.

<rick3do> Errr... did I miss a question again? I don't have much of a
buffer.

<Kraig> ..I hope..!

<OffMax> Rick - is it true that the reason Rebel Assault is being
delayed is that there is a conflict between 3DO and Lucas. Supposedly
Lucas only used 320x200 resolution, but 3DO is pushing for better?

<rick3do> No, OffMax. Not true. Rebel Assault was encrypted and is in
 production right now.

<Guru> Any more news on Mortal Kombat II?

<rick3do> Can I ask a question? Are any of you in the state of Missouri
right  now?

<rick3do> No news on MKII. Not gonna happen this year, I tell you.

<Guru> No, I am not in Misery.

<rick3do> I am going to be visiting St. Louis and Kansas City in
December so I thought perhaps if anyone wanted to meet for coffee or a
beer...

<zargon> Hello, again.  I was wondering how Time2Die is coming along?
The graphics look great, but what is it all about?  How's the framerate
compared to Monster Mannor?  When can we expect to see it?

<BlaZphemy> Hey guys, hiya Rick!

<BlaZphemy> (Long time no see)

<Castellan> Does Capcom have any other game sin the workd for the 3DO?

<Castellan> And how about Konami? Anything other than Policenauts?

<Castellan> (Like Gradius :))

<rick3do> I don't know what Capcom is working on next, but they have
something cooking.

<rick3do> I'm not sure about Konami. I don't have a good connection
there.

<Castellan> OK, thanks That's it for me tonight, and stop by if you're
ever in OKC!

<BlaZphemy> Here's my question for you, Rick:

<Guru> Rick, is there another price drop coming before X-mas?

<BlaZphemy> Saturn just launched in Japan with Virtua Fighter and a
soccer game...

<BlaZphemy> Playstation is set to be released with similar 3-d fighting
titles and racing games...
<BlaZphemy> Are we going to see anything comparable to either Virtua
Fighter  for the 3DO in the near future?

<BlaZphemy> either VF or Virtua Racing, that was.

<rick3do> Believe me, that obvious market hasn't escaped anyone. There
are titles coming, but at this point there's a lot of motivation for
someone doing one of those titles to wait for M2.

<BlaZphemy> Rick: Even Alone in the Dark had polygon manipulation...

<rick3do> Brian, no, there will be no price drop in 1994. I'm pretty
certain.

<BlaZphemy> Rick: No one would even attempt to do something to counter
Atari's Fight for Life or Virtua Fighter?

<BlaZphemy> (before M2)

<rick3do> Oh sure, AITD has polygon manipulation and many others do to,
but if you are going to release a title now to compete out there, you
have to be at  least as good as the VF coinop, IMHO. You can trounce
that nicely on M2. Why  not wait just a bit.

<rick3do> There is so much else coming out at Christmastime anyway,
that
 alittle patience may be in order. Your product will get more
attention.

<rick3do> M2 is coming along nicely, but we aren't ready to bring out
the baby yet.
<OffMax> Do you know which PowerPc is the base of the processor in the
M2?

<BlaZphemy> Rick: Is there a confirmation yet on which PowerPC chip
will be used in M2?

<rick3do> The exact PowerPC microprocessor hasn't been announced yet.

<OffMax> Are we still looking at a Dec 95 roll out for M2?

<rick3do> Last I heard, M2 was still scheduled for a Christmas 1995
release.
<BlaZphemy> Rick: I don't know if this has been asked yet, but what are
the
 official sales figures for the US, Europe and Japan on 3DO-compatible
systems?

<BlaZphemy> Rick: And do these Japanese figures we're hearing reflect
actual sales or units being held by stores and/or distributors?

<rick3do> Sales Figures are a pain in the neck to gather these days.
You have to ask Panasonic in Japan, Canada, US, UK, Taiwan; Goldstar in
US and soon Korea; Sanyo in Japan, and Creative Labs in the US and soon
Europe.

<rick3do> We haven't announced sales figures for a while. I expect
we'll do the  legwork to get a number for WCES in January.
<Guru> How is the European launce going, and what is the most sold 3DO
title?

<rick3do> I'm sure everyone is interested in "sell through: numbers so
that's what we've always given out.

<rick3do> Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the NYC launch party
for
 Goldstar!

______________________

THATS ALL FOLKS!
UNTIL NEXT CONFERENCE


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From: [e-mail] (Andrew R. Blum)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.3do
Subject: Rick Reynolds Conference Transcript (long post)
Date: 22 Nov 1994 16:36:22 GMT
Organization: Penn State University
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