What have you been up to lately with your 3DO?

[+remowilliams]

Since I've seen a number of these topics for other systems I figured I'd start one here.  Especially now that I have finally got around to giving the 3DO some focus.

 

It's been something that I've been meaning to do for quite some time, and acquiring an FZ-10 recently along with an XPort ODE has really made this a much easier and optimized experience.  I'm sure my long time FZ-1 is glaring at me from the shelf 😄

 

I've been solely focused on the 3DO for all console related gaming for about a month or so now (okay, excluding the Steam Deck...) and have been playing and enjoying a number of titles including Need for Speed, Road Rash, Super Wing Commander, Quarantine, Burning Soldier, Crash and Burn, American Laser Games (bad hit detection and Gamegun accuracy) and even Corpse Killer (good Gamegun accuracy)

 

I've even braved the utterly infuriating start of Deathkeep and found an interesting and unique D&D game afterwards.

 

Some video from the journey:

 

 

 

 

 

[Flojomojo]

Wing Commander III is really neat on the 3DO, it seems snappier and more fun/arcade-like than other ports or the PC original. 

[Bill Loguidice]

2 hours ago, Flojomojo said:

Wing Commander III is really neat on the 3DO, it seems snappier and more fun/arcade-like than other ports or the PC original. 

Both Wing Commander games on the 3DO are excellent examples of what a difference a AAA developer/publisher makes when paired with excellent hardware. The 3DO had all of the hardware power to do much better if it were paired with more consistently well-developed and polished games. EA did a good job with support, but they dropped the ball on some of the releases, like NHL Hockey, they promised and never delivered. Of course, that was not unusual on the 3DO, and certainly far worse on the Jaguar.

[Austin]

I tried firing up my FZ-10 a few weeks back running through an upscaler, but even with decent de-interlacing its 480i image just looks muddy and awful, which sort of took all the fun out of the experience for me. I may have to spend time and just play it on a CRT where it will look and feel more natural.

 

I do have a FZ-1 with the 240p switch, but the disc drive is toast and I've been waiting to invest in the ODE for it. It's a bit pricey so I've had to push it off for a while. I think once I get that I'll be pretty set and happy with it again, as that 240p looks really nice and makes it hard to go back to 480i.

 

There are definitely some games I'd like to explore, like the D&D titles and Star Control II.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Austin

[BassGuitari]

I got a copy of Wolfenstein 3D a couple weeks ago that I still have to try out! Hopefully my system (FZ-1) plays nice with it; it seems to like some games better than others and I can't tell if it's a disc issue or a laser issue.

[Bill Loguidice]

4 minutes ago, BassGuitari said:

I got a copy of Wolfenstein 3D a couple weeks ago that I still have to try out! Hopefully my system (FZ-1) plays nice with it; it seems to like some games better than others and I can't tell if it's a disc issue or a laser issue.

I unapologetically love that game in all of its forms, but I definitely appreciate the quality of both the 3DO and Jaguar ports.

[Flojomojo]

On 4/20/2023 at 1:08 AM, Austin said:

and Star Control II.

I know we like original hardware around these parts, but if anyone wants to play the 3DO version of Star Control 2 on a computer, raspberry pi, or android device, there’s a completely free port that runs on all kinds of low end hardware. https://sc2.sourceforge.net/downloads.php

[BassGuitari]

On 4/21/2023 at 8:44 AM, BassGuitari said:

I got a copy of Wolfenstein 3D a couple weeks ago that I still have to try out! Hopefully my system (FZ-1) plays nice with it; it seems to like some games better than others and I can't tell if it's a disc issue or a laser issue.

Update: Finally hooked this up last night, and...holy cow! This is now my favorite version of the game, hands down (sorry, Jaguar). The audio is incredible and really puts it over the edge for me; the sfx are just satisfying and the music tracks make the game feel like a lost Medal of Honor proof-of-concept. Somehow, I'm actually not a huge fan of the original Wolf 3D; its iconic status notwithstanding, I find it tedious and samey. But this is spicy enough to make me want to slog through it.

 

I'm happy that the disc runs at all, although some bad skipping during the Interplay title initially made me doubtful. Weirdly, it only did that once.

[Bill Loguidice]

On 4/22/2023 at 10:37 PM, Flojomojo said:

I know we like original hardware around these parts, but if anyone wants to play the 3DO version of Star Control 2 on a computer, raspberry pi, or android device, there’s a completely free port that runs on all kinds of low end hardware. https://sc2.sourceforge.net/downloads.php

I remember giving that version a try. From what I recall, it was well-executed, but I still prefer playing natively on the 3DO. I often struggle with playing low resolution games on my high resolution PC because of the scaling and other issues that don't necessarily translate well from the original platforms, though that's mostly PC DOS stuff for me as other platforms usually don't suffer quite as much for whatever reason. Still, it's always good to have more options than fewer, especially when it comes to true classics.

[Austin]

5 hours ago, BassGuitari said:

Update: Finally hooked this up last night, and...holy cow! This is now my favorite version of the game, hands down (sorry, Jaguar). The audio is incredible and really puts it over the edge for me; the sfx are just satisfying and the music tracks make the game feel like a lost Medal of Honor proof-of-concept. Somehow, I'm actually not a huge fan of the original Wolf 3D; its iconic status notwithstanding, I find it tedious and samey. But this is spicy enough to make me want to slog through it.

It's OK, it'll get tedious and samey if you play the computer version's levels (that's what the individual episode selects are for).

 

The 30 level episode for the 3DO and Jaguar game is all trimmed down stages and they flow much nicer for a console game. I appreciate they made a custom episode for these home versions, otherwise the original PC game's levels would have made the whole thing drag on forever.

 

I tend to flip-flop on whether I like the Jag or 3DO version more. They each have their perks. 3DO has that nice updated score and sound effects, along with shoulder strafing, but the visuals tend to not look as crisp with the console's 480i output and the framerate is choppier overall. Jag version is full screen, uses tunes from the PC game, looks crisp and often runs at a better framerate, but also has no shoulder strafing and some of the sound effects definitely aren't as punchy as in the 3DO one.

 

I still rock the original MS-DOS version and absolutely love it. But, I also play it really fast and can zip right through it. It feels the best of all of the versions, IMO, runs at a higher refresh rate and has a lot of nice features you just don't get in the console games (like seeing multiple sides of enemies, being able to sneak around certain ones, many more visual flourishes, etc).

Edited April 25, 2023 by Austin

[BassGuitari]

Having now played the 3DO port of Wolfenstein 3D, I gave in to morbid curiosity and got myself a copy of Doom. 

 

The elephants in the room here are, of course, its bordered screen and that it's adequately playable only at about 50% screen size or smaller. Which isn't ideal, and the framerate still chugs a little bit here and there. But it's still playable and it's still Doom. The game is basically the Jaguar version banished to the Phantom Zone with a banger of a soundtrack.

 

Comparing to the Jaguar version--the progenitor of all '90s console Doom ports and rightly regarded as among the best of them--there are some things that I like about the 3DO edition:

- The first-person weapon sprites appear to have been cribbed from the full-screen sprites of the PC version (oh, irony), which I think is an improvement.

- Perhaps due to being confined to a window, the screen appears (to me) less horizontally smooshed than the Jaguar version, which I believe used double-wide pixels or something.

- I appreciate that Cacodemons were effectively nerfed back to roughly their PC speed (although their fireballs are still turbocharged). Cacos are no joke in the Jaguar version, where they're practically low-tier bosses.; 100%ing E2M3 from a pistol start on UV isn't quite the same exercise in masochism on 3DO, but still requires a similar appetite for pain.

- Spectres have returned after a conspicuous absence from the Jaguar (and 32X) ports. 

- Shoulder strafing! Of course, the trade-off is having to cycle weapons due to the lack of a keypad--like the kind the internet hates the Jaguar controller for, for some reason. But since any use of a weapon that's not the shotgun or chaingun is a rare exception to that dichotomy anyway, I'll still call this a net win for the 3DO.

- The Red Book music. Doom is yet another example of the 3DO just crushing it in the music department. Even beyond the audio quality itself, the new musical arrangements and embellishments are well-crafted and tasteful; as a music nerd, I approve. The only minor beef here is that there are only 12 or 13 tracks, and they repeat afterward. But 12-13 tracks in-game is still more than none, and they're so good I don't mind hearing them again. 

- This isn't really better, but enemies seem less trigger-happy, which I suspect was a deliberate design decision to compensate for the poor framerate. This makes the game a little too easy IMO, but it at least spares you from annoying cheap damage/deaths resulting from fumbling with the choppy framerate while shooting at or avoiding mobs of monsters that would have already slaughtered you for such sloppy play in other ports. I guess it's worse in the sense that it was necessary in the first place?

 

The cool thing about '90s Doom ports is they each have their own idiosyncrasies and trade-offs which give them unique identities but also average out to make them fairly comparable. Jaguar Doom is Silent Doom. SNES Doom is Poor Man's Doom. PlayStation Doom is Spooky Doom. Doom 64 (if it even counts) is Weird Doom. 32X Doom is...uh...32X Doom. 3DO Doom is Tiny Doom. And to that end, I enjoy Doom for 3DO. Whatever else can be said about it, it's interesting. And performance issues notwithstanding, it does enough other things well--and occasionally excellently--that in aggregate, I don't think it's really much worse than its cousins on other systems (pre-PlayStation ones, anyway): it has more fluid control than Jaguar; better monster behavior and sprite rotation than 32X; higher graphical detail than SNES; and better sound than any of them. I believe it's also the only port in the Jag/3DO/32X/SNES group that allows circle-strafing.

 

It's certainly not irredeemably terrible...but I would have been disappointed if I had been a 3DO owner in late 1995 who saw the PlayStation version and then, after having to wait five or six more months for a 3DO port, got this. 😜

[Austin]

The story behind 3DO DOOM is probably more interesting than the game itself, haha: 

 

"The CEO of the company thought you could take IMAGES, drag them onto a disc, and a game would magically appear!"

 

That still cracks me up whenever I think about it.

 

 

[BassGuitari]

I never tire of hearing Burger Becky tell stories about working on Doom and how indescribably clueless Randy Scott/Art Data was. 🤣 

 

But now we need a homebrew Doom for 3DO with FMV cutscenes of people in monster costumes. 😜

[SwanSong]

Mine which is a super nice fz1 is now with ifixretro for some repairs, can't wait for it's return, I have owned systems since new back to nes and dmg Gameboy and yet my 3do and jaguar bring as much fun as my Dreamcast and neo geo to me personally. 

[SwanSong]

Anyone who likes horror/b movies is probably the same people who get some of these systems, they are only fun if you walk in looking for fun. 3do and jaguar were not common as a kid so fun to me like a movie I shouldn't see as a kid.

[SwanSong]

I happened to get a large 3do haul for a nice price from a guy I dealt with locally before complete system and a bunch of games.

[Austin]

I haven't been doing much with the 3DO lately. I usually run my consoles through an upscaler, but the 3DO's S-Video and 480i just looks terrible through it, so when I do make an attempt to play (which I did recently with my FZ-10), I just lose interest because the image quality is so poor. I really just need to spend a night playing the console on one of my CRTs to get the full enjoyment, as it looks pretty decent there.

 

As an aside, I still need to get my FZ-1 fixed as it has a 240p switch on it to get a much more crisp image, but that costs money that I can't justify spending at the moment. Need an ODE for it specifically.

[+remowilliams]

53 minutes ago, Austin said:

I haven't been doing much with the 3DO lately. I usually run my consoles through an upscaler, but the 3DO's S-Video and 480i just looks terrible through it, so when I do make an attempt to play (which I did recently with my FZ-10), I just lose interest because the image quality is so poor.

 

What upscaler are you using?  I'm running it (and pretty much everything else at this point) through the 5X-Pro.

[Austin]

21 minutes ago, remowilliams said:

 

What upscaler are you using?  I'm running it (and pretty much everything else at this point) through the 5X-Pro.

Framemeister.

[+remowilliams]

On 7/5/2023 at 6:30 PM, Austin said:

Framemeister.

 

Yeah I think the 5X-Pros amazing handling of interlaced video makes a huge difference here.

 

I recently looked at the information for the 240p mod which is simple, easy and apparently can be done to all non Anvil machines, but given the video quality I'm already getting probably won't pursue it.

[Austin]

On 7/7/2023 at 10:52 AM, remowilliams said:

 

Yeah I think the 5X-Pros amazing handling of interlaced video makes a huge difference here.

 

I recently looked at the information for the 240p mod which is simple, easy and apparently can be done to all non Anvil machines, but given the video quality I'm already getting probably won't pursue it.

I think you are probably right. I've never been super happy with the FM's deinterlacing of s-video content on the 3DO in particular. I do plan on making the upgrade to the Tink5X eventually, it's just tough to justify at the moment. Eventually though, it will happen! It looks like a great device.

[Sapicco]

Mine has been collecting dust. Can anyone name to pick up and play games that are easy to learn to play and fun to play all at once

[Austin]

Gex, Street Fighter II, Wolfenstein 3D, Pataank (if you can get past the framerate), Captain Quasar, Total Eclipse.

 

Those are all pretty “drop in and just play” types of games. Not a lot of waiting, not a lot of menus or load screens.

[Austin]

I've needed a bit of a break/detox from the popular 16-bit generation stuff, so over the last couple of weeks I have been dabbling with the 3DO again. It's not the kind of platform I go to on the regular as it doesn't have nearly as many arcade-style titles or quick, "pick up and play" kinds of games as on other systems, but man, there are just some moments where it feels like this is exactly the kind of gaming platform I need. There's so much experimentation on display here and the platform is a prime example of how much of a "Wild West" the early '90s were.

 

Firstly, I played some of my personal favorites like I always do, such as Wolfenstein 3D, Need for Speed, and then Super Street Fighter II (with the Panasonic arcade stick! It is very responsive and works well). All good stuff and fun, but been there, done that. So it was time to dive deeper.

 

I fired up Starfighter as I had always heard good things, but I had never played past the first level. So, I forced myself to get the hang of the controls, got past the first stage, then the second.. and then it just "clicked". The game is really fun and engaging, and the visuals are some of the best on the system. Deforming terrain is novel for the time, and I dig the early '90s techno soundtrack. I'm up to mission 8 or 9 now (it's in space now!) and am not sure if I will take it further (space combat games aren't usually my cup of tea, this one has 60 missions and I could see it getting pretty complicated and difficult), but I am at least glad I sunk in the couple of hours I have so far. Definitely recommended if you like flight/combat games.

 

On the opposite end of the spectrum is VR Stalker. Man, this has got to be the "Plumbers Don't Wear Ties" of the flight/combat genre on the platform. The menus and pre-rendered graphics are unbelievably cheap. Once I got into the game, saw the terrible framerate with zero texturing or shading on the ground, I just flipped the game off. I knew it wasn't going to be worth wasting any of my time on it, haha.

 

I tried Shadow: War of Succession just for kicks, and sheesh.. this is worse than I remember. Is it even possible to play this game? I tried my hardest but couldn't do anything in the game, the AI just annihilated me. It would be funny to say I've been able to beat this game, but I'm starting to wonder if it's even possible.

 

Similarly, I tried Way of the Warrior. Some people swear by this game, but I've never enjoyed it and usually flip it off pretty fast. I think I figured out why in my most recent session with it--the AI just kind of sucks. They block a majority of what you do, unlike say, the Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat games, and so it's just not fun to play solo. It actually looks and runs all right, and the moves are responsive, so I came to the conclusion that this is simply not a game that's fun in single player, but probably is pretty fun against a human opponent (which I doubt I'll ever experience, given I'm the only one in my peer group that plays 3DO).

 

Another one I fired up just for grins is PaTaank. I always flip this one off pretty quickly too because of the awful framerate (really, why didn't they make the screen size smaller on this one?). But, as a huge fan of real pinball, I had to give it another go to see if there's something I'm missing. And sure enough, it just "clicked" while I was playing, and I ended up finishing the Metagame (basically all three tables, then the game ends). Each table has its own objectives, and it's typically about clearing each of those objectives, firing yourself into the tunnel in the back of the playfield, then doing it again three or four times until you get a closing animation for that specific table. Honestly, it was pretty fun, but that framerate still leaves a lot to be desired. Hard to recommend, but I'm glad I put more time into it. I've now finished it twice! It takes less than an hour to do so.

 

I tried putting some more time into Gex. It's a pretty well regarded game on the system so I feel like I need to make myself go through the whole thing. I made it through the first world, fought its boss and opened up the second world. Pretty fun overall with some inventive level design. I just wish they managed to get this one to 60fps, as it doesn't feel as responsive as something like Mario World or Donkey Kong Country (PS1 and Saturn versions are better in that regard). Still, this originated on the 3DO so I feel like it's where I need to finish it first. I may revisit it soon and see if I can actually make my way all the way through it (I'll update here if I do!).

 

I busted out the mouse! First thing I tried with it was Lemmings. Wow.. this has to be the best, or second best way (PS1 version?) to play this game on a console from this era. It looks great, sounds great, and is super responsive with the mouse. I then tried Myst after, and same deal! Really excellent experience with the mouse. I need to look up and refamiliarize myself with other games that support this peripheral.

 

Road Rash is another series I never really got into, but I went through a couple of courses on this version the other night. Framerate isn't perfect (as seems to be the DeFacto standard on 3DO), but when I got dialed in with the controls it was pretty fun. I'm not sure how much actual "game" there is here (course count seems pretty small?), but I'll likely try to dabble with all the tracks. Definitely seems like a standout title, as everyone usually says.

[ABA180]

13 hours ago, Austin said:

I've needed a bit of a break/detox from the popular 16-bit generation stuff, so over the last couple of weeks I have been dabbling with the 3DO again. It's not the kind of platform I go to on the regular as it doesn't have nearly as many arcade-style titles or quick, "pick up and play" kinds of games as on other systems, but man, there are just some moments where it feels like this is exactly the kind of gaming platform I need. There's so much experimentation on display here and the platform is a prime example of how much of a "Wild West" the early '90s were.

 

Firstly, I played some of my personal favorites like I always do, such as Wolfenstein 3D, Need for Speed, and then Super Street Fighter II (with the Panasonic arcade stick! It is very responsive and works well). All good stuff and fun, but been there, done that. So it was time to dive deeper.

 

I fired up Starfighter as I had always heard good things, but I had never played past the first level. So, I forced myself to get the hang of the controls, got past the first stage, then the second.. and then it just "clicked". The game is really fun and engaging, and the visuals are some of the best on the system. Deforming terrain is novel for the time, and I dig the early '90s techno soundtrack. I'm up to mission 8 or 9 now (it's in space now!) and am not sure if I will take it further (space combat games aren't usually my cup of tea, this one has 60 missions and I could see it getting pretty complicated and difficult), but I am at least glad I sunk in the couple of hours I have so far. Definitely recommended if you like flight/combat games.

 

On the opposite end of the spectrum is VR Stalker. Man, this has got to be the "Plumbers Don't Wear Ties" of the flight/combat genre on the platform. The menus and pre-rendered graphics are unbelievably cheap. Once I got into the game, saw the terrible framerate with zero texturing or shading on the ground, I just flipped the game off. I knew it wasn't going to be worth wasting any of my time on it, haha.

 

I tried Shadow: War of Succession just for kicks, and sheesh.. this is worse than I remember. Is it even possible to play this game? I tried my hardest but couldn't do anything in the game, the AI just annihilated me. It would be funny to say I've been able to beat this game, but I'm starting to wonder if it's even possible.

 

Similarly, I tried Way of the Warrior. Some people swear by this game, but I've never enjoyed it and usually flip it off pretty fast. I think I figured out why in my most recent session with it--the AI just kind of sucks. They block a majority of what you do, unlike say, the Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat games, and so it's just not fun to play solo. It actually looks and runs all right, and the moves are responsive, so I came to the conclusion that this is simply not a game that's fun in single player, but probably is pretty fun against a human opponent (which I doubt I'll ever experience, given I'm the only one in my peer group that plays 3DO).

 

Another one I fired up just for grins is PaTaank. I always flip this one off pretty quickly too because of the awful framerate (really, why didn't they make the screen size smaller on this one?). But, as a huge fan of real pinball, I had to give it another go to see if there's something I'm missing. And sure enough, it just "clicked" while I was playing, and I ended up finishing the Metagame (basically all three tables, then the game ends). Each table has its own objectives, and it's typically about clearing each of those objectives, firing yourself into the tunnel in the back of the playfield, then doing it again three or four times until you get a closing animation for that specific table. Honestly, it was pretty fun, but that framerate still leaves a lot to be desired. Hard to recommend, but I'm glad I put more time into it. I've now finished it twice! It takes less than an hour to do so.

 

I tried putting some more time into Gex. It's a pretty well regarded game on the system so I feel like I need to make myself go through the whole thing. I made it through the first world, fought its boss and opened up the second world. Pretty fun overall with some inventive level design. I just wish they managed to get this one to 60fps, as it doesn't feel as responsive as something like Mario World or Donkey Kong Country (PS1 and Saturn versions are better in that regard). Still, this originated on the 3DO so I feel like it's where I need to finish it first. I may revisit it soon and see if I can actually make my way all the way through it (I'll update here if I do!).

 

I busted out the mouse! First thing I tried with it was Lemmings. Wow.. this has to be the best, or second best way (PS1 version?) to play this game on a console from this era. It looks great, sounds great, and is super responsive with the mouse. I then tried Myst after, and same deal! Really excellent experience with the mouse. I need to look up and refamiliarize myself with other games that support this peripheral.

 

Road Rash is another series I never really got into, but I went through a couple of courses on this version the other night. Framerate isn't perfect (as seems to be the DeFacto standard on 3DO), but when I got dialed in with the controls it was pretty fun. I'm not sure how much actual "game" there is here (course count seems pretty small?), but I'll likely try to dabble with all the tracks. Definitely seems like a standout title, as everyone usually says.

 

PO'ed was one I loved that hasn't gotten mentioned yet.

 

I have to dig out my 10 and play it.  Been too long.  Might think about selling it, just getting to that stage of life.