Shenmue I & II: PS4/xbox version or dreamcast version?

[Jibby]

DEMUL itself seems to be a bit of a hardware lottery when it comes to optimization and stability. I've had much better results on inferior hardware than I do on my current setup. It's very hit or miss.

 

[Tsukuyomimagi99]

I wish we could’ve gotten a definitive version that combined the benefits of the Dreamcast version and the PlayStation 4/Xbox One X/PC versions. The Dreamcast version is more stable with fewer bugs/glitches etc and provides more content for your dollar. The PlayStation/Xbox One X/PC version provides more modern conveniences such as faster loading times, higher resolution, anti-aliasing for Shenmue I, a more stable frame rate, and keeping all the benefits of the Xbox version of Shenmue II while getting rid of motion blur during free battles etc. However we have to chose between either a stable more content rich version that’s harder to acquire that ignores the modern benefits I listed above or a less stable version with less content overall. Seeing as how I haven’t seen any new patches for the HD versions I am assuming Sega and D3t are done with it which is frustrating.

But if you want my opinion it would be both because of the strengths and weaknesses each one has.

 

[hyo_razuki]

If you have the opportunity to hook up your Dreamcast to your TV, the Dreamcast version is still far superior to the PS4 version due to a fuckton of bugs in the PS 4 version. The Dreamcast version is competently executed and runs smoothly.

 

[9dragons]

If you have the opportunity to hook up your Dreamcast to your TV, the Dreamcast version is still far superior to the PS4 version due to a fuckton of bugs in the PS 4 version. The Dreamcast version is competently executed and runs smoothly.

Not in every instance. My Dreamcast version of Shenmue 2 is way more buggy than the Ps4 Shenmue2. While I never experienced any bugs in the Ps4 version the DC version had many many disc reading error codes. I already thought a very few times I could not finish the game. Luckily I made it with lots of persistence but I will never touch Shenmue 2 on the Dreamcast again. The S1 discs are fine to this day but S2 is a mess. I do not know if all of the discs where flawed, maybe due to the fact that Dreamcast was dead at the point the game came out and they were careless with the discs or maybe these bugs occur due to old age of the GD-Rom. But in that case Shenmue 1 must be effected either and all of my gd-rom of Shenmue 1 work fine...

So not sure if the DC Version of Shenmue 2 is flawed in general or if was just bad luck...

 

[xatruio]

Yeah, I also have been unfortunate victim to the DISC READ ERROR. Only in Kowloon, though. Never heard any other disc having the problem scouring the internet. At first I assumed it was for being an import, but even PAL players were getting the same error. Usually i save a ton anyway, but one time it hit me on the next load screen after getting a Kids Dural Clear (!!!!!). It isn't too frequent, so I always forget about it haha.

Also, for me anyway, only happens when I let my Dreamcast sit idling too long after the codebreaker disc stops spinning once fully loaded into memory. If I'm effecient about swapping the boot disc out for Kowloon before idling or promply after the drive rests, it never occurs.

 

[9dragons]

yes it is just in just Kowloon and can be bypassed with lots lots of Patience and lots of savings. It does make the game unplayable but I found that way more annoying than the bug in S1 on PS4 when Ryo becomes invisible from time to time S2 on the other hand was flawless experience on the Ps4.

But I still wonder where this bug come from. Never had this Problem with my other Dreamcast games. And I played quite a lot of games. Pal, NTSC J and NTSC U with the Codebreaker Disc. And this Problem never occurred.

So I would say my old Dreamcast (it is turning 19 in Summer) still works very well. It has just Problems with S2 what is a pity. Luckily I have got the Ps4 Version, that gives me a flawless S2 experience.

 

[DigitalDuck]

It's not a bug, it's a hardware problem. The clue is in the name "disc read error". Check your discs are clean and consider replacing the laser in your Dreamcast.

One of my discs refuses to load Fortune Pier, and my current Dreamcast dies whenever Shenhua appears on screen.

 

[Kodama]

HUGS USB-GDROM

 

[xatruio]

It's not a bug, it's a hardware problem. The clue is in the name "disc read error". Check your discs are clean and consider replacing the laser in your Dreamcast.

One of my discs refuses to load Fortune Pier, and my current Dreamcast dies whenever Shenhua appears on screen.

Perhaps, but for me--doubtful. Brand new revison 1 Dreamcast gotten way back in the day and have always religiously kept up cleaning discs, only purchasing new or mint games and cleaning lens and upkeep with the drive spindle lubrication, as well as never shutting off system until opening lid to let the drive wind down slowly. Never adjusted the potentiometer either, which usually is a death sentence. Have always treated my Dreamcast like a sacred treasure because even the superior Yamaha drives were known to be less godly than Saturn drives, plus any optical drive needs to be taken good care for it to last decent amount of years. You do remind me I should swab the lens quick and open up to lubricate the spindles.

Happens about ~3% of the time only in Kowloon--never any other game--so I'm not too bothered by it. Even for all my OCD preventative maintenance the laser will eventually fail. The clones of GDemu have revised their apparent hiccups of the first batch and the firmware updates which brick them are fairly unnecessary and quite rare. Might grab one of them soon rather than the official I've been waiting years to order. Got a BBA to backup all my discs, which is a gigantic endeavor I'm sort of lamenting haha