SEGA SATURN FAQ (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS) Version 0.6 The Saturn FAQ Wesley Reiser E-mail wesley.reiser@ulbbs.scsi.com (soon to change, FAQ will be updated) This file is Copyright (c) 1995, Wesley Reiser. All Rights Reserved. Free distribution of this file is permitted, provided it isn't modified in any way and credit is given to ALL the people who contribute to this FAQ. Meaning, kept the entire Credits section intact! Sale of this FAQ is strictly forbidden without written consent of the author. Use of this FAQ in commercial publication is strictly forbidden without written consent of the author. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Last-modified on June 13'th 1995 Please send additions, questions, comments, and corrections to Wesley Reiser at wesley.reiser@ulbbs.sccsi.com (soon to change) The newest version of this FAQ can be obtained via me, ot FTP to... ftp.netcom.com pub/vi/vidgames/faq -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 0. Contents 1. About the Author 2. SEGA SATURN!!! 3. Hardware specifications 4. A Sensation In Japan 5. Compared to 32X? 6. Powerhouse Processing 7. A sound experience 8. The Sega Saturn Advantage 9. Infinite Possibilities 10. Saturn's Peripherals 11. About the Saturn's creators 12. Let The Games Begin 13. List of games available at release 14. Release date 15. Other Sources of Saturn Information 16. Where do I send fan mail? 17. Where to get new releases 18. Misc Info 19. Whats new? 20. Acknowledgements (credits) 21. Revision List -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- (1) About the Author -------------------- Hello, my name is Wesley Reiser and I want to tell you a little about why I decided to write this FAQ. Now I know you want to just go and get right into the Saturn info, and you can, this is just to tell you a little about the entire FAQ before you read it. Okay, about 12 months ago, I heard from a friend that Sega was going to be creating a 32-Bit home system called Saturn. At first I was not really excited to hear that there was going to be ANOTHER new system coming out since I cant really afford to go out and buy systems once every few months. Dont get me wrong, I enjoy the systems I buy, I currently own a Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Sega Game Gear, Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Super Gameboy, NES, and this expensive PC. I use all these systems on almost a daily basis, so I feel that if I am using my products, they were worth the money I spent on them. Anyway, I decided that I was going to wait for a 64 bit system to come out before buying another new system. Amazingly, Atari came out with their Jaguar system. I did not purchase this system since I cant find it anywhere (I live in a remote location, sort'a) it also had no support at arrival and I like to but 4 or 5 games with my new system. Next I started hearing about the Ultra 64 (a.k.a. U64) from Nintendo and it started sounding like the ideal system I was looking for. Now Nintendo decides to delay it which isn't bad, but sort of makes everyone mad. So, Sega releases their Saturn system amazingly fast, and to everyones surprise, it actually can compare with the U64 and Jaguar 64-bit systems even though its only a 32-bit system! Thats why I decided to write this FAQ. To tell everyone else about this awesome new system... One last thing, I dont know if there are any other Saturn FAQ's, so if there is, please dont start bashing me for making my own, after all, what will it hurt for there to be two Saturn FAQ's? Okay, now its time for you to read the REAL info and make a descision for yourself... Enjoy... (2) SEGA SATURN!!! ------------------ Ending months of speculation, the most powerful, technologically advanced video game system created HAS arrived! The powerhouse Sega Saturn delivers state-of-the-art 3-D-modeled graphics, dynamic perspective with constantly changing points of view, true 3-D Audio, and phenomenal game-play speed surpassing that of an ordinary multimedia PC and challenging even a high-end work station. With the much-anticipated arrival of sega Saturn in the United States comes a completely new definition of video gaming, transporting players into a previously unrealized realm of interactive entertainment. (3) Hardware Specifications --------------------------- EIGHT PROCESSORS * 2 Hitachi 28.6MHz, 50-MIPS SH2 32-bit RISC processors * Hitachi SH1 32-bit RISC processor * VDP 1 32-bit video display processor * VDP 2 32-bit video display provessor * Saturn Control Unit (SCU) * Motorola 68EC000 sound processor * Yamaha FH1 DSP sound processor MEMORY * 2MB (16 Megabits) RAM * 1.54MB (12 Megabits) video RAM * 540KB (4 Megabits) audio RAM * 540KB (4 Megabits) CD-ROM cache * 32KB nonvolatile RAM (battery backup) AUDIO * 22.6MHz Yamaha FH1 24-bit digital signal processor * 11.3MHz Motorola 68EC000 sound processor * 32 PCM (pulse-code modulation) channels * 8 FM channels * 44.1KHz sampling rate VIDEO * VDP 1 32-bit vidoe display processor * Sprite, polygon, and geometry engine * Dual 256KB frame buffers for rotation and scaling effects * Texture Mapping * Goraud shading * 512KB cache for textures * VDP 2 32-bit background and scroll plane video display processor * Background engine * Five simultaneous scrolling backgrounds * Two simultaneous rotating playfields * 200,000 texture-mapped polygons per second * 500,000 flat-shaded polygons per second * 60 frames of animation per second * 24-bit true-color graphics * 16.7 million colors * 320 by 224, 640 by 224, 720 by 576 resolution STORAGE * Double-Speed CD-ROM * 320KB per second transfer speed * Audio CD compatible * CD+G compatible * CD+EG compatible * CD single (8cm CD) compatible * Video CD, Photo CD, Electronic Books, digital karaoke (optional) * 512KB memory cartridges for game save (optional) INPUT/OUTPUT * High-speed serial communications port * Internal 32-bit expansion port * Internal multi-AV port for video CD (MPEG) adaptor * Composite video/stereo (standard) * NTSC RF (optional) * S-Video compatible (optional) * RGB compatible (optional) * HDTV compatible (optional) * Analog control pad This all equals up to one butt-kicking system faster than a Pentuim 100!!! (4) A sensation in Japan ------------------------ No one could have guessed the fervor sega Saturn would create in Japan. The official launch was preceeded by rumors of its remarkable technical capabilities; its reception in Japan was unprecedented.Upon its official release on November 21,1994, the revolutionary sega Saturn became one of the most sought-after products in the country. On a single day, 200,000 (yes thats Two HUNDRED thousand) segs Saturn units sold as Japanese gamers clamored to get their hands on the ultimate gaming system. Sega's arcade credentials, coupled with the Japanese desire for the very best in technology, drove the demand to record numbers. Even running at full capacity segs's manufacturing department simply couldn't keep up with the Sega Saturn frenzy. At one video store where Sega Saturn was sold, no less than 500 people had lined up for blocks before the store even opened. Hundreds of Thousands of Sega Saturn units were sold in the first few months, outselling the competition by more than 30%. (By year-end Sega Saturn sales in Japan are expected to exceed the 2.5 million mark) The tremendous success of Sega Saturn in Japan has escalated into a worldwide event with developers from Japan, the United States and Europe charging to create hit titlesfor the begining of a new era in video games. (5) Compared to 32X? -------------------- To understand the differences between Sega Saturn and 32X, lets start with the similarities. You probably already know that both the 32X and Saturn are revolutionary devices designed to bring explosive 32-bit gameplay to your home. Additionally, you'll notice that both the 32X and Saturn use the Hitachi SH2 RISC processor. So what exactly does this mean? Well, it means that with both the 32X and Saturn you get fast processing, high color definition, improved polygon=graphics technology, constantly changing 3-D perspective, enhanced scaling and rotation, and the CD-Quality audio that gamers have come to expect from arcade machines. In other words, they are the most advanced home-system technology on the market. But the Sega Saturn also gives you much, much more! What are the differences you ask? Well, the 32X enhances gameplay on your Genesis. But the Sega Saturn is a stand alone system. Its architecture is modular, with a host of specialized subsystems (think of it as having multiple specialized engines launching the same rocket). Its powered by a total of eight processors, three of which are 32-bit RISC processors, the same architecture used in Sega's exclusive Titan arcade system )paving the way for swift, easy translations of megahit arcade games to the Sega Saturn). Sega Saturn also has a ton of memory--more than 4 Megs of RAM. To the gamer, Sega Saturn's super processing speed, power, and memory translate into incredible 3-D worlds, more-complex levels, CD-quality sound, more-elaborate game perspectives, and tons more. (6) Powerhouse Processing ------------------------- By far Sega Saturn's most distinguishing feature is its massive parallel processing, the same state-of-the-art technology found in super computers. Whereas other game systems assign all computing tasks to a single central processor--small personal computers do this--massive parallel processing enables the Sega Saturn to divide computing tasks (like reading game code and handling graphics and sound) into pieces that are then assigned to powerful specialized processors. These eight processors work Independantly, allowing the machine to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and at blazing speed. Players all to familiar with the "Now loading" message will love Sega Saturn's ability to buffer data and perform multiple operations at once. Both audio and gameplay data can be downloaded, accessed, and processed simultaneously so that there's no delay in game play. As a matter of fact, the hottest Sega Saturn games will run at 60 frames a second all the time. (By the way, thats the same speed which your television runs.) (7) A sound experience ---------------------- Sound plays an enormous role in an interactive experience. So when it came to designing and building Sega Saturns sound processor, Sega turned to the most respected experts in the field; Yamaha (electronic keyboards, pianos, stereo equipment, synthesizers--yeah, that Yamaha). This potent system not only reads the CD-ROM but also creates and manipulates sound data by using 16 channels combined with a digital mixer. Best of all, it has the capability for 3-D audioresulting in realistic sound that'll blow your ears off. With QSound(tm) the sound literally comes at you from 360 degrees (imagine a Mig 29 roaring right over you in your next flight sim game). Sega Saturn's sound specs include two CPU interfaces,32 voices, built-in sound effects, and FM and PCM synthesis. It uses a motorola 16-bit 68EC000 processor and Yamaha digital signal processor. Incidentally, the 16-bit 68EC000 processor is a close relative of the Genesis's main processor, only in the Sega Saturn its used exclusively for sound. To put this in perspective, the least powerful chip in the Sega Saturn's sound system is more powerful than the chip that runs the entire Genesis. Got that? Sega Saturn also boasts built-in DMA for file transfer, the 16-channel mixer previously mentioned, and a 128-step digital signal processor (or programmable DSP) Additionally, Sega Saturn supports the musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) To the sound creators, MIDI means its possible to hook up a keyboard during sound development to experiment in real time while creating music sequences or sound effects. If you're not a technoid, I'll sum it up for you. Bar none, Saturn's sound system is not only awesome, but superior! (8) The Sega Saturn advantage ----------------------------- What Sega Saturn's processing capabilities mean to game developers is yet another story. Often, game companies tout their hardware systems' capablilties--which are important in understanding the potential quality of the game experience--but equally importand are the advantages that the hardware architecture offers the game creators. Srga Saturn gives developers unlimited reign. Take the VDP 2 chip for example. This specialized chip enables programmers to generate up to five simultaneous backgrounds and rotate two playfields at the same time. The chip also makes Sega Saturn the only machine that supports 16.7 million colors on active video displays. These photorealistic graphical allowances give developers the tools needed to construct more realism in each and every frame. After all, play quality can be realized only by the quality of the games delivered. While massive parallel processing and digital signal processors challenge the programmers to learn some new tricks,the end result is infinite power to create games with much more authentic action. By far Sega Saturn parallel , "orchestrated" processing broadens the programming capabilities for the system, enabling software developers to create a true multimedia experience with each game. (9) Infinite Possibilities -------------------------- Besides its superior game-play features, Sega Saturn has an architecture that allows for expansion. Possible additions include multimedia extras like a Video CD via an optional MPEG adaptor, PhotoCD, Electronic books, audio CD, and digital karaoke. There is also at least five ports, which give Sega's product-development people access to the bus signals, should they have any super expansion ideas in the future. Maybe something network related--who knows? Lets just say that they've been known to have some awesome tricks up their sleeves. (10) Saturn's Peripherals -------------------------- These are some of the peripherals that should be available where you but Sega Saturn systems, games, etc... * ARCADE RACER -------------------------------------------- If you like vehicle-sim games, you'll love the Arcade Racer. Its the controller that puts you behind the wheel. And it gives you the most realistic control because its analog. Whereas digital controllers rely on values assigned to on/off switches (like light switches, they react in steps), analog controllers respond in a smoother arc (like dimmer switches). You're in the drivers seat with super, oh-so-sensitive control. Its perfect for Time Warner Interactive's V.R. Virtua Racing or Sega's Daytona USA. * 6PLAYER ----------------------------------------------- Have friends? Want more? 6Player, the ultimate multiplayer adaptor, allows up to six buddies or rivals (12 buddies/rivals if you use two adaptors) to play in the same game. Team up in NHL All-Star Hockey and a 6Player--you'll have friends galore (or rivals galore)! * BACKUP ----------------------------------------------- Sega Saturn backs up sports fans on this one. Backup's a RAM cart with a whooping 512 kilobytes of storage! Thats enough to handle everything from your best scores on Pebble Beach Golf Links to your stats on Grand Slam Baseball. By the way, you dont have to be a sports fan to take advantage of backup--just think how many Sim City 2000 games you can keep. You could save the world! * CONTROL PAD ------------------------------------------------ All gamers have a favorite control pad. This one is likely to be yours. Sega Saturn's control pad puts you in charge with 8 buttons--thats 6 action buttons and 2 shift (left and right) buttons. Plus its ergonomically correct: You get the advantage at your fingertips with easy eight button play for all your killer combo moves. (11) About the Saturn's creators -------------------------------- What Sega-select team of people worked for an entire two years exclusively to make certain Sega Saturn was launched with the worlds best hardware and software? Sega's elite Away Team, thats who! The 27-member Away Team comprises Sega employees from every aspect of hardware engineering, product development, and marketing. They devoted countless hours, resources, and brain cells into launching Sega Saturn. Their sole mission was to ensure that Sega Saturn's hardware and design met the precise needs of both the U.S. and Japanese markets. In conjunction with developing titles for the launch in the States, the Away Team was responsible for bringing the first wave of premimum games from Japanese third-party developers. Thanks to the global efforts of the Away Team, killer titles like Virtua Fighter, Daytona USA, NHL All-Star Hockey, and Panzer Dragoon are all primed and ready to show off Sega Saturn's awesome power. (12) Let The Games Begin ------------------------ More than 100 third-party publishers and developers are creating software for the Sega Saturn. More than 20 titles will be available at launch with an additional library of 100 games by Christmas this year from both Sega and third-party developers. Here is a small list of some of the publishers developing for the Sega Saturn at release time... Absolute Acclaim Accolade Activision American Laser Games American Softworks Capcom Caps Crystal Dynamics Data East Digital Pictures Domark Electronic Arts Gametek GT Interactive Interplay JVC Maxis Microprose Namco Papyrus Philips Readysoft Rocket Science Sierra On-Line Stragetic Simulations Sunsoft Taito Takara Tecmo Time Warner Interactive Titus Ubi Soft Universal Interactive Studios U.S. Gold Viacom Virgin Interactive (13) List of games available at release --------------------------------------- The following is aa updated list of games that are currently available or will be coming out very soon for the Sega Saturn system... Some updates of these games were taken from the Saturn/32X FAQ (pred@zikzak.apana.org.au) which I cant find a newer version then 2.10 (12/22/94) so I dont know if any of these games will be coming out for sure, but you can bet that they probably are. Some entries were taken from GamePro magazine volume 7, #7, June 1995. And some entries were taken from Sega Visions magazine May 1995. 3D Baseball | C. Dynamics | !3D! Baseball 4D Boxing | Victor Ent. | Boxing Armoured Troops Race 2 | Nihon | Action Astal | Sega | Adventure A.IV | Artdink | Simulation Battle Monsters | Sega | Action Basketball '95 | ??? | Basketball Bermuda Triangle | Ask Kodansha | Role Playing Blue Seed | Sega | ??? BUG! | Sega | Action/Adventure Chinese Detective | Sega | Adventure/interactive Clockwork Knight | Sega | Action/Adventure Clockwork Knight 2 | Sega | Action/Adventure Congo | ??? | Action/Adventure Cotton 2 | Success | Action/shooter CyberRace | Sega | Driving Dark Legends | Data East | Fighting Daytona USA | Sega | Driving Deadlus | Sega | Action/shooter Defcon 0 | Data East | Action/Strategy Derby Stallion | Ascii | Simulation D-Game | Media Ent. | Adventure/interactive Doom 2 | Sega | 3D Action/shooter Dragons O T Square Table| C. Dynamics | Graphical Adventure Dynamic Fantasy | Sega | Action Ecco the Dolphin | Sega | Action Fantasy Earth | Sega | Role Playing Fantasy Gallery | Media Ent. | Adventure/interactive Fantasy Labyrinth | Sun Elctrncs | Adventure/interactive Fire Pro Wrestling | Human | Wrestling Fist of the North Star | Banpresto | Action Freerunner | Sega | ??? Gail Racer | Sega | Driving Gamemaster | Sunsoft | ??? Goal Racer | Sega | ??? Gotha | Sega | ??? Grandslam Baseball | Sega Sports | Baseball Greatest 9 | Sega | Golf Great Wall of China | Sunsoft | ??? Guile Racer | Sega | Driving Hard Core | Virgin Games | Simulation Hyperderby | CRI | Simulation Ice Hockey | Sega | Ice Hockey Keio Karate Squad 2 | Victor Ent. | Fighting League Road | Sega | ??? Magic Night, RayEarth | Sega | Role Playing Mahjong Goku | Shanor | Majong Masters | Sega | Golf Mortal Kombat 3 | Midway | Arcade Fighting Musashi | Bell | Action/shooter Myst | Sunsoft | Adventure/interactive NBA Basketball | Sega | Basketball NHL All-Star Hockey | Sega Sports | Hockey Off-Road Interceptor | C. Dynamics | sci-fi vehicle sim. Okushimitama Blue Seed | Sega | Role Playing Overdrive | Zoom | Action Panzer Dragoon | Sega | Action/shooter Pebble Beach Golf | Sega | Golf Pinball Arena | ??? | Pinball Quo Vadis | Gramus | ??? Race Drivin' | Time Warner | Driving Rampo | Sega | Adventure/interactive Real Yumemi | Sega | Action/Adventure Rigroad Saga | Sega | Role Playing Sankokushi TV | Koei | Simulation Saturn Basketball | Sega | Basketball Sega Rally | Sega | Racing Shinobi EX | Sega | Action/shooter Side Pocket | Sega | 8 ball SimCity 2000 | Sega | Strategy Soccer | EA Victor | Soccer Solar Eclipse | ??? | 3D Shooter Sonic 4 | Sega | Action Suiji Martial Arts | Data East | Fighting Super 301 SQ | Nihon Bussan | Simulation Super Street Fighter 2 | Capcom | Arcade conversion Tama | Time Warner | ??? The 11th Hour | Virgin | Adventure The Legend Of Kain | ??? | ???/Action? The New Dream Mansion | Sega | Adventure/interactive Tomcat Alley | Sega | Action/shooter US Drag Champ | Nihon Bussan | Driving Van Battle | Sega | Fighting Victory Goal | Sega | Soccer Virtua Cop | Sega | 3D Arcade Shooter Virtua Fighter | Sega | 3D Arcade Fighting Virtua Fighter 2 | Sega | 3D Arcade Fighting Virtua GP | Atlas | Driving Virtua Hangon | Sega | Motorcycle racing Virtua Racing | Sega | Arcade conversion Virtua Tennis | Sega | Tennis Virtual Hydlide | Sega | Role Playing V.R. Virtua Racing | Time Warner | Racing Wanchai Connection | Sega | ??? War Baddies | Grams | Simulation Waves of Pebble Beach | Sega | Golf World Striker | Sega | Soccer Worldwide Soccer | Sega Sports | Soccer Yumemi Mansion ][ | Sega | Adventure Zero Four Champ Special | Media Ring | ??? Zork 1 | Intercom | Sorry, couldn't resist! (14) Release date ----------------- As you all know, the release date for the Saturn was supposed to be in September, but Sega decided that they wanted to get the jump on the Market and release it early. If you have been keeping track of the Saturn, you probably already know that it is already out in stores right now. But if you haven't, well, now you know. Go check your local listings, and call all the local electronic, software, video game stores possible, because... "Its out there"!!! (15) Other Sources of Saturn Information ---------------------------------------- There are many ways to get Sega Saturn information, here are the few ways I know. This will be updated each release version... If you have any information to add, please send it to... wesley.reiser@ulbbs.scsi.com If I use it, you will get full credit... ~World Wide Web~ http://www.segaoa.com/ http://128.95.248.147/ (currently down) ~FTP~ ftp.netcom.com /pub/vi/vidgames/ ~NewsGroups~ alt.sega.genesis rec.games.video.sega ~Mailing Lists~ E-Mail vidlist@aol.com with the word SUBSCRIBE as subject... ~Commercial Networks~ America OnLine - keyword VIDEOGAMES CompuServe - GO VIDGAM Delphi - GO ELE WOR (16) Where do I send fan mail? ------------------------------ If you are a fan of this FAQ, send mail to me at... wesley.reiser@ulbbs.sccsi.com Send mail to Sega at... segasaturn@segaoa.com Thats currently all I know of. Please send additions if you know of any to.. wesley.reiser@ulbbs.sccsi.com (17) Where to get new releases ------------------------------ You can get new releases in the following ways or simply request them from me via my internet address... send mail to wesley.reiser@ulbbs.sccsi.com and ask for newest version... ~FTP~ ftp.netcom.com /pub/vi/vidgames/faqs/ ~WWW~ I am currently trying to get into contact with Sega to request a spot on their site for my FAQ. I am still waiting ANY responce whatsoever... http://www.segaoa.com is that site... ~NewsGroups~ Dozens of people have offered to post this FAQ to Internet Newsgroups. So I guess you can find it at the following Newsgroups plus many more... alt.sega.genesis rec.games.video.sega ~Bulletin Board Systems~ I will upload the newest FAQ to the following BBS's about 10 minutes after being finished... :) Holly City BBS = 609-825-8045 609-825-1621 Rainmans Sporadic = 609-794-8883 609-692-9163 Bigfoot Express = 609-327-6672 Mystic Realms BBS = 609-691-3105 Crossroads BBS = 609-794-2220 ~Commercial Networks~ (Coming soon) America OnLine - keyword VIDEOGAMES CompuServe - GO VIDGAM Delphi - GO ELE WOR (18) Misc Info -------------- Thanks go out to JUSTIFIER@eebbs.com for this Misc Info on the Sega Saturn... 1)Packeging-White and Silver box (slightly larger and heaverier then sega-cd) 2)Whats inside-Saturn, 1 controller, a.v. cable, power cord, lithium battery (in machine), Virtua Fighter CD, Choice cuts CD, warranty card, and saturn stickers. 3)System specs: C.P.U: 2 Main SH2 (28.6 Mhz, 25MIPS) 1 Sound 68EC000 (11.3 MHz) MEMORY: Work RAM 16 Mbit Video RAM 12 Mbit Sound RAM 4 Mbit CD Buffer RAM 4 Mbit IPL ROM 4 Mbit Backup RAM 256 Kbit GRAPHICS: Resolution 320*224,etc.(640*448 but not in manual.) Colors 2048/1024(16,770,000 simultaneous transmission) Sprite enlargement,reduction,rotation,transformation SCROLL: 5 screen maximum XY Scroll 4 Rotation 2 Enlargement/reduction 2 Window 2 Special features Vertical cell scroll Lateral line scroll Enlargement/reduction CG FUCTIONS: Polygons specialized hardware Special features Wire frame Flat shading Gouraud shading SOUND: PCM & FM sound sources 32 channels 16 bit sampling Sampling rate 44.1 KHz max. Audio DSP CD-ROM: Intelligent double-speed CD drive MODEL NUMBER:MK-80000 POWER SOURCE:AC 120V;60Hz POWER CONSUMPUTION: 25W OPERATING CONDITIONS: Temperature 41'F TO 95'F Humidity 10% to 80% RH DIMENSIONS:Width 260mm (10.2 inches) Lenght 230mm (9.0 inches) Height 83mm (3.2 inches) Weight Manual does not list but is pretty heavy 4)Usable Software: *Sega Saturn game CD's *CD+G (audio and graphics) discs *8-centimeter audio CD singles *Music CD's or audio CD;s *CD+EG (audio with extended graphics) discs Note: You CANNOT use Genesis,Sega CD or Genesis 32x games on Saturn. 5)Whats on the saturn console: TOP:CD Door(flip),Cartidge Slot,Reset Button, Access Light,Power Light,Power Button FRONT:Controllers 1&2 BACK:A/V Output Jack,Power Jack,Communications Jack,Battery Cover. 6)Control Pad: * Directional Pad(extremely good diagianals as opposed to 3DO) * Start Button * 6 Buttons on front A,B,C on bottom, smaller X,Y,Z buttons on top of A,B,C buttons. * Right and left shift on top of contoller * Total 9 buttons and directional pad 7)Internal Ram: 512K Bytes-There is a Memory Manager Screen to Initialize, Delete,and copy memory. 8)Beginning Screens: A) SET CLOCK SCREEN:Used to enter time and date(m\d\y). B) MEMORY MANAGER SCREEN:Used to copy,delete,init. mem C) LANGUAGE SCREEN:Used to set 6 different languages. (English,French,Italian,Spanish,Dutch,Japanize). D) OTHER SETTING SCREEN:Used to disable or enable 3 settings.They are Button labels(enable or disable), Audio output(Stereo or Mono),and Sound Effects(enable or disable). Button Labels:To display or not the buttons for Audio CD Control Screen. Audio Output:To choose stereo or mono when playing CD's,CD+G,andCD+EG disc's. Sound Effects:To have sound effects on or off in Audio Control Screen. E) SYSTEM SETTING SCREEN:Used to choose from the four above screens. F) AUDIO CONTROL SCREENS:The central panal for audio CD's and CD+G discs.It handles both basic and advanced conrols. G) BASIC CONTROLS SCREEN:9 Button Icons to choose from: 1)Multi-Button:To sets machine for Saturn CD's, CD+G discs,and CD+G discs. 2)System settings button:To gets into System setting screen. 3)Hide control buttons:To hides Audio CD control screen.When you use CD+G discs the graphics are displayed. 4)Play/pause button:To play or pause music. 5)Stop button:To stop music. 6)Skip forward button:To skip a track or to search forward through tracks. 7)Skip backward button:To jump back a track or to scan backwards through tracks. 8)Repeat Button:To repeat one track or all the tracks. 9)Change controls button:To switch from basic to advanced controls. H) ADVANCED CONROLS SCREEN:Another 9 button Icon menu to choose from. 1)Program sequence:To program a playlist. 2)Shuffle tracks:To play random tracks. 3)Repeat A-B:To repeat a section of track. 4)Scan Intros:To hear first 10 seconds of each track. 5)Adjust surround:To increase or decrease 3D Surround sound. 6)Adjust pitch:To adjust the pitch or mute the vocals of the music(karayokee effect!).The adjust pitch cannot be used with adjust surround. 7)Clear all settings:To clear all option settings. 8)Change screen:To choose from 4 time display formats. a)Track time elapsed b)Total time elapsed c)Track time remaining d)Total time remaining 9)Change control button:To switch back to basic control screen. 9) VIRTUA FIGHTER CD: The arcade favoriate with some less polygons but extremely well done.Good instruction manual. Just packed in cd case,no box. 10) SATURN PRIME CUTS CD: Game footage of 12 games.They are: *Black Fire *Bug *Clockwork Knight *Daytona USA *Myst *NHL all-star hockey *Panzer Dragoon *Pebble Beach Golf Links *V.R. Virtua Racing *Virtua Fighter *Worldwide Soccer *Solar Eclipse 11) PROBLEM IF YOU DON'T HAVE A/V ON T.V.: Since Sega discided not to include R.F connecter inside Saturn(For $400 you should get everything including a svhs cable),you must buy it seperatly. It should be available where you buy system for $25. 12) MAKE SURE YOU GET EVERYTHING THATS LISTED IN THE BACK OF BOX BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE STORE. FORGET THE SALES PERSON AND OTHERS. IF YOU DONT YOU MAY REGRET AND HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER TRIP BACK TO STORE. SINCE SATURN WAS A RUSH JOB THINGS MAY NOT BE ALL PERFECT INSIDE BOX. REMEMBER, *YOU* PAYED $400 OR SO FOR THE MACHINE, IT'S YOUR RIGHT TO CHECK OUT WHAT YOU GOT FOR YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY.!!! (19) Whats new? --------------- This FAQ is NOT a major update to version 0.5, but merely has a few more things added to it. Here is the list... *19* Whats New added I am going to guess that you know what this is, but just incase you dont for some strange reason, this is a new section where I will tell the more major changes since the last version. *21* Revision List added The Revision List is where I will (and you) keep track of what has changed since a past version. MORE Games added to games list. Actually, there are about 101 games listed now. *MOST* of them have the manufacturer and Type of game next to it so you know at least what type of game it is. As always, this will pretty much be updated by the next version also. By release date of the Saturn expect this game section to be the major attraction to the list. (20) Acknowledgements (credits) ------------------------------- The following people deserve some credit for whatever they did to help me in creating this FAQ... * GOD * Sega (for being an awesome Video Game Company) * Myself (for spending all this time writing this FAQ) * Salvatore Salpietro (for error checking) * Author of Saturn/32X FAQ (For Games info ONLY) * everyone at alt.sega.genesis for their Saturn info input... * Sega Visions magazine May 1995 (where I got about 50% of this FAQ's info) * GamePro magazine June/July 1995 (I have been a Subscriber for 3 Years!) =] (21) Revision list ------------------ 0.5 June 1'st 1995 Official beta release, minimal coverage on games, Pretty good info for first FAQ version. 0.6 June 13'th 1995 Second beta release of the FAQ. Spelling errors corrected. Games list *MAJORLY* updated. Revision List added Whats New Added Thats all there is so far... Thanks you for reading/browsing through my FAQ. I have spent a LOT of time writing this FAQ, maybe just to calm myself down since I cant afford a Saturn system, but, the main point is, this is NOT the first release! This is version 0.6, which means that this is sort of a BETA FAQ. By version 1.0 it should be about 3X bigger, with a LOT more info and more people adding info to help me out with it... But on the other hand, it HAS taken me weeks to write just this. And I plan on adding months more to it, and possibly continuing to add to it and make it an official FAQ where I get info directly from Sega... But that will wait until the next version... I would also like to thank our new FTP host for becoming an official site for my new Sega Saturn FAQ releases, I forgot to git his address, will be added next version. FTP site is as follows... There is also other Video Game releate stuff at this FTP site incase you want to check it out... ftp.netcom.com pub/vi/vidgames/ Once again, thanks for reading, comments/suggestions/flames welcome... wesley.reiser@ulbbs.sccsi.com We are making it up to 1.0 Release soon! Keep watching!