Shadow of the Beast loading times

[Samurai Ghost]

I recently picked up a copy of Shadow of the Beast for PCE (great game, my favorite version!), and I noticed it seems to lag a lot before each cut-scenes and between sequences. It was stay black or frozen for  The game play and music play perfectly, but just for those scenes in the beginning things seems to take a while to load. I haven't noticed this with any other CD game I have and the disc seems to be in good shape. Is this normal?

[esteban]

Perhaps you could use YouTube videos as a reference?

I'm on my way to work, and, sadly, can't check the game until later ;)

[geise]

Maybe your lens is getting weak?  I used to have games load slower when I had my old lens.  I bought a new one last month.  I also cleaned and regreased the rails the lens moves on.  Now games load faster and I have no issues what so ever.  I'll have to try the game when I get home as well.  It could be the game.  Does the CD spin, then slow down and click like it's trying to re-read the disc?

[Samurai Ghost]

The system works great, all other games load quickly and with no problems. Plus I just had the laser replaced and the system refurbed. It just seems to be with this particular game. It might be the disc, but it looks clean to me with only a few very minor scratches. I'll have to test it on another CD system and see if it's any better.

[Arkhan Asylum]

It's loading a ton of crap.

How slow are the loads? I can check my copy when I get home. I have 4 ways to test it, lol.

[Samurai Ghost]

Actually now that I think about it I should have tried it on a different system first. But it's odd because it will stop for around 7 to 10 seconds with no movement then continue, stop again before the next scene etc. It only happens on this game. Other games have slight loading times, but it's usually a second or two at the most which seems normal.

[_Paul]

Is this a JP version? I remember that having really badly crappy load times, the US one is much better.

[Samurai Ghost]

Is this a JP version? I remember that having really badly crappy load times, the US one is much better.

Yes, it is the JP version! OK, maybe I'm not crazy then. The loading times are horrible in the opening scenes!!

[bartre]

hmm...
lemme try my copy, US version.

[DynamiteSJ]

I would like to clean up the disc a bit... you mentioned there is a few scratches on it. I actually recently had a game load slower than what i expected on another system (dreamcast) and i pulled the cd out and there were a few scratches on it. Buffed it out with the machine i got and loads hella lot fast and smoother. If im right.. pce cd is only 1x and any scratch will slow its performance down. Not destroy the disc or make it unreadable.. but harder to read.

[DynamiteSJ]

if your near my area... i dunno what the chances that is... i wouldnt mind buffing/resurfacing it for ya

[DynamiteSJ]

hahaha.. ur profile says japan.. not nowhere close at all

[bartre]

yeah, no issues with load times on my US copy.
course, my copy was sealed until 2 weeks ago, so i wouldn't rule out scratches being your problem.
my copy of kunio kun soccer wouldn't load any music at all until i buffed it.
if you don't have access to a buffer, try running a little water on the disc, then "buff" it with toothpaste, then rinse and dry.

[Joe Redifer]

Sometimes my Turbo CD forgets to load.  It just sits without a care in the world on a black screen, disc spinning away completely unaware of its job.  I have to give it a slight bump and then it wakes up, does a re-seek and loads in no time flat.  It does this randomly with any given game and has done it since it was brand new.

[Samurai Ghost]

Well I'm thinking it might be the difference between the way the US and JP versions are coded. In the US version the cutscenes seem to appear in a little window in the middle of the screen, while the JP version is full screen. Looks great but maybe it has to reload all of the data between scenes instead of just playing them in succession with the different audio tracks. Anyone else have the JP version?

[ccovell]

I have the JP version too, and it also sometimes freezes on load, glitches up, loops the audio, etc.  That must be why they shrank the animation window for the US version.

It was IIRC Mike Dailly's first time programming for the PCE, let alone PCE-CD, so I'd cut him some slack.

His story:
http://javalemmings.com/DMA/index.htm

[Arkhan Asylum]

I like how he has a steal-me message for a picture on his own server.

lol

edit: oh wait, it's for all the pictures.

anyway, as much as I make fun of Menace (the amiga version usually), I still respect the flying crap out of those dorks and the way they got started,

[ParanoiaDragon]

Well I'm thinking it might be the difference between the way the US and JP versions are coded. In the US version the cutscenes seem to appear in a little window in the middle of the screen, while the JP version is full screen. Looks great but maybe it has to reload all of the data between scenes instead of just playing them in succession with the different audio tracks. Anyone else have the JP version?

I'm pretty sure that's exactly it, I have both versions, & I've noticed the exact same thing.

[Samurai Ghost]

Well I'm thinking it might be the difference between the way the US and JP versions are coded. In the US version the cutscenes seem to appear in a little window in the middle of the screen, while the JP version is full screen. Looks great but maybe it has to reload all of the data between scenes instead of just playing them in succession with the different audio tracks. Anyone else have the JP version?

I'm pretty sure that's exactly it, I have both versions, & I've noticed the exact same thing.

OK thanks! I just wanted to make sure my system wasn't having issues or anything. Since every other game works perfectly it must be the game. That's probably why they redid it for the US version.

I really do love this version of SotB though! I also have the Megadrive version which plays at it's correct speed, but it's still unforgivably difficult and the audio isn't as good. The PCE/Duo version is really the tops with amazing audio, added graphical details (cut scenes and details throughout the levels), as well as much more forgiving hit detection. When I take damage I really feel it's my fault, rather than in the other versions which penalize you for having your timing one millisecond off. It really makes for a more enjoyable playing experience.

[spenoza]

I have the JP version too, and it also sometimes freezes on load, glitches up, loops the audio, etc.  That must be why they shrank the animation window for the US version.

It was IIRC Mike Dailly's first time programming for the PCE, let alone PCE-CD, so I'd cut him some slack.

His story:
http://javalemmings.com/DMA/index.htm

I read in a bit and one thing that amused me is that as late as they were developing SotB, the dev kit for the PCE still sucked balls. I'd like to get my hands on the dev tools they wrote for it.

[ParanoiaDragon]

I haven't read thru the whole article yet, but this makes me wonder who did the coding for Ballistix & Lemmings on the TG, & if anyone actually started on the code for Paradroid, as I recall that game being on several lists.  Though, looking it up, I was thinking that Paradroid was a Psygnosis game, but apparently it is not.

[Tatsujin]

I have the JP version too, and it also sometimes freezes on load, glitches up, loops the audio, etc. 

2nd that!!

[ccovell]

I haven't read thru the whole article yet, but this makes me wonder who did the coding for Ballistix & Lemmings on the TG, & if anyone actually started on the code for Paradroid, as I recall that game being on several lists.  Though, looking it up, I was thinking that Paradroid was a Psygnosis game, but apparently it is not.

Remember Psygnosis is just a publisher / sometime polisher of turds.  The real developers are the likes of DMA, Reflections, Gremlin, etc, (or their sublabels.)  Paradroid '90 was announced to come out on Turbo (published by Hewson) but it was cancelled.

[Tatsujin]

it would have been awesome to have at least one Hewson game on the PCE. Dreams of a Cybernoid for PCE with Jeroen redbook audio..lol

[esteban]

it would have been awesome to have at least one Hewson game on the PCE. Dreams of a Cybernoid for PCE with Jeroen redbook audio..lol

You had me at Tel Jeroen.

I have the JP version too, and it also sometimes freezes on load, glitches up, loops the audio, etc.  That must be why they shrank the animation window for the US version.

It was IIRC Mike Dailly's first time programming for the PCE, let alone PCE-CD, so I'd cut him some slack.

His story:
http://javalemmings.com/DMA/index.htm

Fascinating.

[esteban]

Paradroid '90 was announced to come out on Turbo (published by Hewson) but it was cancelled.

Tangent... (actual screenshot: Aniruddha Kumar, Latter Day Paradroid):



NOTE: This is a genuine screenshot; I didn't goof around with it at all.

[Tatsujin]

HAHAHAHAHA

[ParanoiaDragon]

I haven't read thru the whole article yet, but this makes me wonder who did the coding for Ballistix & Lemmings on the TG, & if anyone actually started on the code for Paradroid, as I recall that game being on several lists.  Though, looking it up, I was thinking that Paradroid was a Psygnosis game, but apparently it is not.

Remember Psygnosis is just a publisher / sometime polisher of turds.  The real developers are the likes of DMA, Reflections, Gremlin, etc, (or their sublabels.)  Paradroid '90 was announced to come out on Turbo (published by Hewson) but it was cancelled.

Doh!  True dat.  I tend to focus on the publisher & not the developer.

[nat]

Man, those "PERSONAL APPEALS" that take up half the screen on Wiki every year during December bug the shit out of me. Not only for the fact that they actually take up 1/3-1/2 of the screen, but most of the people are.... pretty damn fugly.

[Joe Redifer]

Why do only strange-looking people have appeals that I am begged to read?

[esteban]

Why do only strange-looking people have appeals that I am begged to read?

Tangent:
I have noticed that the attractiveness of commuters varies significantly based on time of day in the NYC subway: 3:55 A train at Columbus Circle (fugly!) vs. 4:01 A train (cuties!).

Tangent:
What other titles, besides Shadow of the Beast, were improved/streamlined for North American release? I'm not talking about Magical Chase (which received a major graphic rehaul) or the Working Design titles (I can't remember the final consensus on the extent to which they were/weren't altered).

If we can't list games like SOTB, we could include titles like Sinistron, which was (I think) made easier than its Japanese predecessor (Violent Soldier).

[CrackTiger]

Why do only strange-looking people have appeals that I am begged to read?

Tangent:
I have noticed that the attractiveness of commuters varies significantly based on time of day in the NYC subway: 3:55 A train at Columbus Circle (fugly!) vs. 4:01 A train (cuties!).

Tangent:
What other titles, besides Shadow of the Beast, were improved/streamlined for North American release? I'm not talking about Magical Chase (which received a major graphic rehaul) or the Working Design titles (I can't remember the final consensus on the extent to which they were/weren't altered).

If we can't list games like SOTB, we could include titles like Sinistron, which was (I think) made easier than its Japanese predecessor (Violent Soldier).

Cratermaze
Godzilla
Exile WP


Noticeable art changes:

Air Zonk


New title screen/intos:

BlaZing LaZers
Dragon's Curse


New warning screen gimmick:

Dynastic Hero

[esteban]

Why do only strange-looking people have appeals that I am begged to read?

Tangent:
I have noticed that the attractiveness of commuters varies significantly based on time of day in the NYC subway: 3:55 A train at Columbus Circle (fugly!) vs. 4:01 A train (cuties!).

Tangent:
What other titles, besides Shadow of the Beast, were improved/streamlined for North American release? I'm not talking about Magical Chase (which received a major graphic rehaul) or the Working Design titles (I can't remember the final consensus on the extent to which they were/weren't altered).

If we can't list games like SOTB, we could include titles like Sinistron, which was (I think) made easier than its Japanese predecessor (Violent Soldier).

Cratermaze
Godzilla
Exile WP


Noticeable art changes:

Air Zonk


New title screen/intos:

BlaZing LaZers
Dragon's Curse


New warning screen gimmick:

Dynastic Hero

I had no idea! Thank you ;)

[Samurai Ghost]

There's a thread on here that lists all of the changes between the US/JP versions, but I couldn't find it after a quick search.

[esteban]

There's a thread on here that lists all of the changes between the US/JP versions, but I couldn't find it after a quick search.

Well, someone's gotta help us, if only because it is 2012 now.

[CrackTiger]

Dragon Slayer PCE has a cool interactive Omake sort of demo when you boot using a sub-System 3 card. The Turbo version only has the marionettes and music.




Here's the different Dynastic Hero screens-

[ParanoiaDragon]

Huh, never knew that.  I always thought the DS screen was cool, but now I wish they'd kept it asis.  I think I ultimately prefer the US Dynastic Hero screen.  More purdy artwork to look at, however, it would've been nice if they'd done some animation in it.  I like the eye blinking, but, I don't like that they're both at the exact same time.

[esteban]

Thank you, CrackTiger. That is very kool.

I don't remember this on your site...was it?

[CrackTiger]

Thank you, CrackTiger. That is very kool.

I don't remember this on your site...was it?

There's something 100 warning screens on this page-

wayback.superpcenginegrafx.net/system_card_warning_warehouse.html

[Ji-L87]

Thank you, CrackTiger. That is very kool.

I don't remember this on your site...was it?

There's something 100 warning screens on this page-
wayback.superpcenginegrafx.net/system_card_warning_warehouse.html

Oh man, some of those are pretty awesome : )

[esteban]

Thanks CrackTiger. I think you surpassed the number of games that were on Dorkman's old site