Dreamcast homebrew?

[eriol33]

Hi there. I have a dreamcast collecting dust in my shelf (NTSC-U I believe), I'm wondering if there is any iso loader, homebrews or region-free loader for this console. I was hyped about Shenmue, so I bought a dreamcast and tried the game. Turned out I didn't like it, I have never used my dreamcast since then.

 

[turnerl]

search dreamshell

 

[Foxi4]

You don't really need an .ISO for the Dreamcast since most systems can load burned discs just fine, but you can load them via the Serial Port using DreamShell provided you have an SD adapter (it's a bit glitchy though). There's an ODDE on the way, so if you're interested in disc-less game loading, I'd wait for that instead. As for homebrew, there's a slew of it - the Dreamcast homebrew scene is alive and well even today. For region free loading I suggest burning UTOPIA discs and disc swapping for now. Do you need some games recommendations as well, or are you just interested in homebrew?

 

[trumpet-205]

Dreamcast VA2 cannot run hombrew or read CD-R backup. Look at the label on your Dreamcast. There will be a number preceding NTSC-U. It needs to be either 0 or 1.

If you are interested in ODE than it needs to be 1 and 1 only.

As for region free, either you disc swap or replace BIOS chip with a region free one. Patching game is not recommended as many game breaks from patching.

 

[eriol33]

search dreamshell

oh man, this is awesome. still WIP though? not available commercially?

You don't really need an .ISO for the Dreamcast since most systems can load burned discs just fine, but you can load them via the Serial Port using DreamShell provided you have an SD adapter (it's a bit glitchy though). There's an ODDE on the way, so if you're interested in disc-less game loading, I'd wait for that instead. As for homebrew, there's a slew of it - the Dreamcast homebrew scene is alive and well even today. For region free loading I suggest burning UTOPIA discs and disc swapping for now. Do you need some games recommendations as well, or are you just interested in homebrew?

well both is fine. I'm always trying to dig good old games. I have hundred western games in my steam library, but I haven't played 80% of them. I think I'm one of these gamers who have hard time to cope with modern gaming. back then before I got a pc in 2013, I spent most of my time playing ps2 jrpgs. when I got a gaming pc, I bought a lot of modern games, and I don't like most of them

 

[Foxi4]

As far as the Dreamcast is concerned, there's a lot of gems you might want to try out:

• Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 (enhanced versions available on the Gamecube, PS3 and Xbox 360 if you'd rather play the Director's Cut/Battle versions)
• MDK 2 (also available on other platforms)
• Soul Reaver (also available on PC and PlayStation)
• ReVolt (also available on PC and mobile)
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (also available on other platforms)
• The Typing of the Dead (also available on PC, requires Dreamcast Keyboard or an adapter)
• Ready 2 Rumble Boxing
• Space Channel 5
• Power Stone 1 and 2
• Chu Chu Rocket
• Samba de Amigo (requires the maracas accessory)
• Rayman 2: The Great Escape (also available on PC)
• Quake 3 Arena (also available on PC, bastardized version on PS2)
• Dead or Alive 2
• Resident Evil: Code Verionica (enhanced version available on the Gamecube)
• Ikagura
• House of the Dead 2 (gun accessory recommended)
• Phantasy Star Online (enhanced version available on the Gamecube)
• Skies of Arcadia (also available on the Gamecube)
• Jet Grind/Set Radio (also available on other platforms)
• Crazy Taxi Series (also available on other platforms)
• Soul Calibur
• Virtua Fighter 3tb
• Outtrigger
• Seaman (requires the microphone accessory)
• Grandia 2
• Marvel vs. Capcom 2
• Maken X

...and many more, there's loads. A lot of them have been ported after the Dreamcast's untimely demise, but it's always great to try them out on their console of origin.

 

[kai445]

Dreamcast VA2 cannot run hombrew or read CD-R backup.

IIRC that wasn't really an issue. It won't be able to read backups in the Audio/Data session format, but it can read backups in the Data/Data session format.

BootDreams can make a data/data selfboot image that will play on all (including non-mil) dreamcasts

 

[Foxi4]

IIRC that wasn't really an issue. It won't be able to read backups in the Audio/Data session format, but it can read backups in the Data/Data session format.

BootDreams can make a data/data selfboot image that will play on all (including non-mil) dreamcasts

You are partially correct, that method will work on *some* version 2 consoles, on others CD-R's are locked out completely - those late systems require a BIOS modification.

 

[Deleted User]

There are a few apps like dream explorer, vmu backup, all dreamcast boot that i want do i have to burn these individually or is there some kind of all in 1 collection out there that will save my discs?

 

[Heran Bago]

http://bswirl.kitsunet.org/vmutool/release/about/

As Northern Nemesis mentioned Dream Explorer is really good. It comes with a bunch of VMU tools including one that straight-up extends the space on a VMU by unlocking 'reserved' space that no game actually ever uses. It's also the only way you'll ever see the sunrise in Shenmue.

VMUs usually do not need new batteries. You can use them without batteries even, just not as tomagotchis. The loud beep and forgetting the system time happens the first time you use the Dreamcast but then it won't do that in subsequent uses until you put the Dreamcast in your closet for like a month.

 

[IpsoFact0]

http://bswirl.kitsunet.org/vmutool/release/about/

As Northern Nemesis mentioned Dream Explorer is really good. It comes with a bunch of VMU tools including one that straight-up extends the space on a VMU by unlocking 'reserved' space that no game actually ever uses. It's also the only way you'll ever see the sunrise in Shenmue.

VMUs usually do not need new batteries. You can use them without batteries even, just not as tomagotchis. The loud beep and forgetting the system time happens the first time you use the Dreamcast but then it won't do that in subsequent uses until you put the Dreamcast in your closet for like a month.

Ya dream explorer really is a useful homebrew, is any homebrew still being actively developed? i mean i heard about some SD card reader is that true?

 

[Heran Bago]

Ya dream explorer really is a useful homebrew, is any homebrew still being actively developed? i mean i heard about some SD card reader is that true?

The SD card reader is true but it's super slow and the group that did preorders basically ran with the money.

There is a USB solution that's better.