Difference between revisions of "Bleemcast!"
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| − | {{stub}}'''{{PAGENAME}}''', also known as '''Bleem! for Dreamcast''' is an unlicensed commercial emulator by [[Bleem!]] for use with the [[Sega Dreamcast]]. | + | {{stub}}'''{{PAGENAME}}''', also known as '''Bleem! for Dreamcast''', is an unlicensed commercial emulator developed and published by [[Bleem!]] for use with the [[Sega Dreamcast]]. By taking advantage of loopholes within the Dreamcast's [[Mil-CD]] format, Bleemcast! software allows the hardware to run select [[PlayStation]] games on the system, often with enhanced graphics. |
| + | |||
| + | ==Features== | ||
| + | While running under ''Bleemcast!'', PlayStation games adopt anti-aliasing and bilinear filtering, as well as an increased resolution of 640x480 (double the PlayStation's 320x240). All released ''Bleemcast!'' games require a dedicated VMU to play and save progress. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
| Line 26: | Line 29: | ||
Initially, Bleem!'s plans for the Bleemcast! were very optimistic, and aimed to allow hundreds of PlayStation games to be run on Dreamcast hardware, much like the earlier aims of the PC version{{magref|egm|144|28}}. However, thanks to technical difficulties this was reduced to just three "Bleempaks" - boot discs for ''Gran Turismo 2'', ''Tekken 3'', and ''Metal Gear Solid''. Reportedly discs were in the works for ''WWF Smackdown!''{{magref|dmuk|27|10}} and ''Final Fantasy IX''{{magref|dmuk|27|10}} though neither materialised. | Initially, Bleem!'s plans for the Bleemcast! were very optimistic, and aimed to allow hundreds of PlayStation games to be run on Dreamcast hardware, much like the earlier aims of the PC version{{magref|egm|144|28}}. However, thanks to technical difficulties this was reduced to just three "Bleempaks" - boot discs for ''Gran Turismo 2'', ''Tekken 3'', and ''Metal Gear Solid''. Reportedly discs were in the works for ''WWF Smackdown!''{{magref|dmuk|27|10}} and ''Final Fantasy IX''{{magref|dmuk|27|10}} though neither materialised. | ||
| − | + | The company had planned to release specially-branded controllers to address the Dreamcast controller featuring less buttons than the PlayStation's controller, but this plan was cancelled too. | |
| − | + | ===Decline=== | |
| + | [[File:Bleem! gravestone.png|thumb|right|240px|The image which was temporarily pictured on the closed Bleem! website.]] | ||
| + | [[Sony]] took Bleem! to court over the Bleemcast! accessory, and although they didn't manage to block the product, court costs left Bleem! without much cash and the company was shut down in November 2001. Curiously several members of Bleem! including Randy Linden would be hired by Sony Computer Entertainment of America in the months that followed. | ||
| − | + | The official website was shutdown and replaced with a temporarily image of Sonic holding a flower sorrowfully near to Bleem!'s gravestone (pictured in the right). It was later removed to avoid a lawsuit by Sega. | |
| − | === | + | ===Legacy=== |
| − | + | A prototype version of the software has since been leaked, showing that the technology was capable of running many more PS1 games, though similarly to the PC variant, many games still refuse to boot. | |
| − | |||
| − | + | Pirates have since used the leaked ''Bleemcast!'' software to create single game packs which contain the ''Bleemcast!'' emulator and a Sony PlayStation game ISO. These can be burned to a CD-R and run on unmodified Dreamcast systems (models capable of running Mil CDs). Games packaged this way often don't have many game-breaking flaws. | |
==Magazine articles== | ==Magazine articles== | ||
Revision as of 07:13, 12 June 2022
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| Made for: Sega Dreamcast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer: Bleem! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.
Bleemcast!, also known as Bleem! for Dreamcast, is an unlicensed commercial emulator developed and published by Bleem! for use with the Sega Dreamcast. By taking advantage of loopholes within the Dreamcast's Mil-CD format, Bleemcast! software allows the hardware to run select PlayStation games on the system, often with enhanced graphics.
Contents
Features
While running under Bleemcast!, PlayStation games adopt anti-aliasing and bilinear filtering, as well as an increased resolution of 640x480 (double the PlayStation's 320x240). All released Bleemcast! games require a dedicated VMU to play and save progress.
History
The original Bleem! emulator was released in March of 1999 for the PC, supporting a large chunk of the PlayStation's library. Bleem! on PC lacks many of the features found today on unofficial emulators, but was coded in assembly language by Randy Linden and featured hardware acceleration, leading to higher resolution, smoother graphics. There are many compatibility issues with the Bleem! emulator, however - many games run at varying speeds and some do not boot at all. Bleem! ran an aggressive marketing campaign for their product - not only was it competing directly against Sony during their heyday (most emulators have emerged several console generations after the console they are emulating), but were quick to make light of their legal situations on the box art.
Initially, Bleem!'s plans for the Bleemcast! were very optimistic, and aimed to allow hundreds of PlayStation games to be run on Dreamcast hardware, much like the earlier aims of the PC version[1]. However, thanks to technical difficulties this was reduced to just three "Bleempaks" - boot discs for Gran Turismo 2, Tekken 3, and Metal Gear Solid. Reportedly discs were in the works for WWF Smackdown![3] and Final Fantasy IX[3] though neither materialised.
The company had planned to release specially-branded controllers to address the Dreamcast controller featuring less buttons than the PlayStation's controller, but this plan was cancelled too.
Decline
Sony took Bleem! to court over the Bleemcast! accessory, and although they didn't manage to block the product, court costs left Bleem! without much cash and the company was shut down in November 2001. Curiously several members of Bleem! including Randy Linden would be hired by Sony Computer Entertainment of America in the months that followed.
The official website was shutdown and replaced with a temporarily image of Sonic holding a flower sorrowfully near to Bleem!'s gravestone (pictured in the right). It was later removed to avoid a lawsuit by Sega.
Legacy
A prototype version of the software has since been leaked, showing that the technology was capable of running many more PS1 games, though similarly to the PC variant, many games still refuse to boot.
Pirates have since used the leaked Bleemcast! software to create single game packs which contain the Bleemcast! emulator and a Sony PlayStation game ISO. These can be burned to a CD-R and run on unmodified Dreamcast systems (models capable of running Mil CDs). Games packaged this way often don't have many game-breaking flaws.
Magazine articles
- Main article: Bleemcast!/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
also published in:
- Official Dreamcast Magazine (US) #7: "September/October 2000" (2000-08-01)[4]
Physical scans
| Dreamcast, Gran Turismo 2 |
|---|
  Cover
|
 Disc |
| Dreamcast, Metal Gear Solid |
|---|
  Cover
|
 Disc |
| Dreamcast, Tekken 3 |
|---|
  Cover
|
 Disc |
External links
- Bleemcast! beta compatibility list
- Posts tagged with Bleem on the Dreamcast Junkyard]
- Public statement by the developers on the leaked beta
References