The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-

[SuperDeadite]

To be honest it's not a very good game.... Any RPG fan will probably find it quite boring, has lots of crap that just forces you to spend more time grinding to make the game longer then it really is.  And watching the same 5 frames of video loop everytime you take a step forward gets boring fast.  As the only true RPG on LD, it's an interesting curiosity, but if it was on any other system it be labeled terrible by just about everyone.

[esteban]

... As the only true RPG on LD, it's an interesting curiosity, but if it was on any other system it be labeled terrible by just about everyone.

Damn.

[DragonmasterDan]

if it was on any other system it be labeled terrible by just about everyone.

After having "played" games like "I Will" this appears to be the case with more than a few LA games.

[SuperDeadite]

Well the problem with LD games is that there is only so much you can do with an hour of video and sprite overlays.  And if you don't use the video, no real point in it being on LD.  I would have loved to have Lunar 1 and 2 on LD though.....

[DragonmasterDan]

Well the problem with LD games is that there is only so much you can do with an hour of video and sprite overlays.  And if you don't use the video, no real point in it being on LD.  I would have loved to have Lunar 1 and 2 on LD though.....

Well Lunar 1 (the original version) didn't even have real animation. Just moving sprites.

[TheClash603]

Well the problem with LD games is that there is only so much you can do with an hour of video and sprite overlays.  And if you don't use the video, no real point in it being on LD.  I would have loved to have Lunar 1 and 2 on LD though.....

I kind of wish that the game was more like Shadowgate in that there were scenes that you could go to, but there were no transitional videos.  That is the real killer, seeing the walking videos and things of the sort, that really gets old.

If you went from screen to screen and there was no transition and some of the screens were good videos and others just high quality stills with voice over, it would be a better game.

[esteban]

Well the problem with LD games is that there is only so much you can do with an hour of video and sprite overlays.  And if you don't use the video, no real point in it being on LD.  I would have loved to have Lunar 1 and 2 on LD though.....

I kind of wish that the game was more like Shadowgate in that there were scenes that you could go to, but there were no transitional videos.  That is the real killer, seeing the walking videos and things of the sort, that really gets old.

If you went from screen to screen and there was no transition and some of the screens were good videos and others just high quality stills with voice over, it would be a better game.

It makes you wish a popular LD used this approach (no repetitive transitions), thereby setting a precedent for the software that followed.

[RyuHayabusa]

Nevermind. Found a solution.

[RyuHayabusa]

Anyone know if Triad Stone was released in the arcade? I got it on the LA a couple of weeks ago and really enjoy it. I noticed it has a 1985 Data East trademark but can't find any information about an arcade release.

[McKie1]

Did it have another name also?   Maybe it used this in the arcades?

Good pick-up or should that be power-power-power

[SuperDeadite]

Triad Stone was developed as an arcade game originally, they finished the animation but never completed the game.  With the birth of CD consoles and the rise of FMV, DataEast chose to pull the animation out of the closet put it up for licensing/sale.  Sega took the footage and gave us Triad Stone.  While some other fucks took the footage and made Strahl.

[Mathius]

Triad Stone was developed as an arcade game originally, they finished the animation but never completed the game.  With the birth of CD consoles and the rise of FMV, DataEast chose to pull the animation out of the closet put it up for licensing/sale.  Sega took the footage and gave us Triad Stone.  While some other fucks took the footage and made Strahl.

Interesting!

[McKie1]

Thank you for the info. Now makes sense

[esteban]

Strahl!

[RyuHayabusa]

Triad Stone was developed as an arcade game originally, they finished the animation but never completed the game.  With the birth of CD consoles and the rise of FMV, DataEast chose to pull the animation out of the closet put it up for licensing/sale.  Sega took the footage and gave us Triad Stone.  While some other fucks took the footage and made Strahl.

Thanks for the info. It's easily the best game I have for the LA. I'd love to have Road Blaster and Time Gal but that's not happening anytime soon thanks to the insane prices.

[xcrement5x]

Triad Stone was developed as an arcade game originally, they finished the animation but never completed the game.  With the birth of CD consoles and the rise of FMV, DataEast chose to pull the animation out of the closet put it up for licensing/sale.  Sega took the footage and gave us Triad Stone.  While some other fucks took the footage and made Strahl.

Thanks for the info. It's easily the best game I have for the LA. I'd love to have Road Blaster and Time Gal but that's not happening anytime soon thanks to the insane prices.

Time Gal is solid in the visuals but there are slight delays in the choice selections to the next video.  Nothing horrible but noticable, Road Blaster is quite fun though.  If you keep an eye on stuff in Japan you can get it for a solid price.  I picked my RB for about $100 a year or two ago, mint and complete minus the obi.  I really consider Triad Stone one of the "must own" games for any person with a LA though.

[SuperDeadite]

Those delays in TimeGal are caused due to the game having a unique death for every single choice.  The LA has to load video into the digital memory, and it simply isn't big enough to do all that video at once.  Still the best port though.  Triad Stone is the most fun of the 3 anime LD games though imo.

[SuperDeadite]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pioneer-Laser-Active-Display-/141656219383?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20fb5e5ef7

[esteban]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pioneer-Laser-Active-Display-/141656219383?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20fb5e5ef7

I wonder how many of those were made.

I wonder how many are still intact.

FINAL: I know other kiosks (original TG-16) are more appealing, but I wouldn't mind having that LaserActive one. It would still be fun.

[DragonmasterDan]

Triad Stone is the most fun of the 3 anime LD games though imo.

Agreed!

[NecroPhile]

That kiosk looks awfully flimsy, cheap, and not at all what you'd expect from a system sporting a $2000+ msrp (with both pacs).

[BigusSchmuck]

You can probably make the display for a 1/3rd of that. Still interesting though. BTW its back up again. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pioneer-Laser-Active-Display/141662707179?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D30157%26meid%3D81357efdc0ec4d3fbfc486ef6b72838d%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D141656219383

[xcrement5x]

It looks like it is local pickup only, that's probably part of the problem.  I would love to have that thing but the price is nuts.  Where is TheClash when you need him?!

[Bloufo]

Quick question:

Regarding the region differences wrt to LD-ROM² based games. BTW, I have an PAC-N1 module incoming.

I'm wanting to get myself that J.B. Harold: Manhattan Requiem  title. It's the Japanese version. (cheaper than it's US equivalent).

So, will the dialogue, etc, still be in English, or if not, is there an option in the menu that would allow me to change it to English?

[blueraven]

I have officially joined this club.

yo.

I want triad stone

[NecroPhile]

I hope someone harvested those kiosk pics.

[BlueBMW]

Bloufo, I believe I have a copy of Manhattan Reqiuem if you're interested.  It is the US version if I remember, but I think that game has a language option in it so it doesnt matter.  Most games are language selectable and the region of the PAC doesn't matter.  The only game I know of that had language specific versions was Don Quixote.  A few games will show a different title screen depending on the PAC used.  Road Blaster/Prosecutor comes to mind.

[DragonmasterDan]

I have officially joined this club.

Congrats, we meet annually in Wisconsin.

[Mathius]

I am gonna get me one of these things one day. ONE DAY!

[jtucci31]

Ah no fuck this thread! I hate that it just got bumped again. I want one so bad but don't quite have the money for it right now.

Must. Resist. Urge. To. Just. Buy. One. Anyway.

[SignOfZeta]

I borrowed one from a guy for several months. That cured my urge totally.

A lot of its appeal disappeared when the price on LD in general tanked. The A100 was very similar in a lot of ways to the best player I could afford at the time, an S201. Now I own several significantly better LD players so the LA seems pretty...crappy to me. If there was a dual tray LA player with wooden sides and a huge remote I'm sure I'd be willing to overlook how lame and expensive the games are and justify owning one. It's cool, it just isn't as cool as it could be, IMHO.

[Bloufo]

Bloufo, I believe I have a copy of Manhattan Reqiuem if you're interested.

Sure I'm interested. Thanks.
Thing is, I'm not exactly next door, though.

It is the US version if I remember, but I think that game has a language option in it so it doesnt matter.  Most games are language selectable and the region of the PAC doesn't matter.  The only game I know of that had language specific versions was Don Quixote.  A few games will show a different title screen depending on the PAC used.  Road Blaster/Prosecutor comes to mind.

Good to know. So much misinformation (or lack thereof) out there. I mean I was just watching this dude with the ridiculous YT name (Metal Jesus?) and they were talking about how Mega LD and LD-ROM² titles were region specific.

[DragonmasterDan]

I borrowed one from a guy for several months. That cured my urge totally.

A lot of its appeal disappeared when the price on LD in general tanked. The A100 was very similar in a lot of ways to the best player I could afford at the time, an S201. Now I own several significantly better LD players so the LA seems pretty...crappy to me. If there was a dual tray LA player with wooden sides and a huge remote I'm sure I'd be willing to overlook how lame and expensive the games are and justify owning one. It's cool, it just isn't as cool as it could be, IMHO.

Yeah,
As a general LD player there are certainly much better much more affordable options. And for playing Sega Genesis, Sega CD, TurboGrafx 16 and CD games there are also cheaper options. The only real reason to own it is to play the LD-ROM games which only have so much appeal.

[xcrement5x]

I hope someone harvested those kiosk pics.

I thought I saved pictures of it but I can't seem to find them now.  I hope I did save them

[RyuHayabusa]

Ah no fuck this thread! I hate that it just got bumped again. I want one so bad but don't quite have the money for it right now.

Must. Resist. Urge. To. Just. Buy. One. Anyway.

You're not missing much. I've owned two of them and while they look cool as hell in your entertainment center, they're not really worth the money. The picture quality for LD movie playback isn't that good compared to other cheaper LD players, the PACs are too expensive, especially the NEC PACs, and the handful of LD games that are worth a damn are exorbitantly priced, like Road Prosecutor and Time Gal.

[jtucci31]

Ah no fuck this thread! I hate that it just got bumped again. I want one so bad but don't quite have the money for it right now.

Must. Resist. Urge. To. Just. Buy. One. Anyway.

You're not missing much. I've owned two of them and while they look cool as hell in your entertainment center, they're not really worth the money. The picture quality for LD movie playback isn't that good compared to other cheaper LD players, the PACs are too expensive, especially the NEC PACs, and the handful of LD games that are worth a damn are exorbitantly priced, like Road Prosecutor and Time Gal.

Yeah, I've gone over this all with myself so many times in my head, and with DragonmasterDan. They really are the most impractical machine in terms of sheer size, money investment, and your return on investment. I justified an x68k because it had a large library of games I wanted to play and knew I would be entertained for quite awhile. But to buy a giant LD player for the chance to play Time Gal and Road Blasters just isn't logical.

And yet, every time I get the chance to play DDan's LA, or even pass a glance at it, all logic goes out the window. My gaze turns into true love and I fall in love with it all over again and start planning ways to buy this and that and make room for it here or there.

It's a tiring affair 

[SignOfZeta]

Man, if you think the A100 is huge the larger players would make you poop your pants. The A100 is maybe tied (with a dozen other models) for third smallest Pioneer LD player. Most Sony players were smaller (also, mostly broke by now) but most Pioneers were larger. The LDW1 is about 2 feet deep, making it a challenge for any piece of home theater furnishing and it's a lightweight compared to the LD-S2 or HLD-X0 which at nearly 80lbs probably outweigh your entire home theater.

[jtucci31]

Heh yeah that's a good point. I have a broken LD player I got from a goodwill that is so big I use it to prop up my PVM on a stand. It's that big. I can't imagine the practicality of these things in any capacity back in the day.

[DragonmasterDan]

Man, if you think the A100 is huge the larger players would make you poop your pants. The A100 is maybe tied (with a dozen other models) for third smallest Pioneer LD player. Most Sony players were smaller (also, mostly broke by now) but most Pioneers were larger. The LDW1 is about 2 feet deep, making it a challenge for any piece of home theater furnishing and it's a lightweight compared to the LD-S2 or HLD-X0 which at nearly 80lbs probably outweigh your entire home theater.

The Sony professional line players are/were pretty reliable I have a couple of 1450s that as of a year or so ago were still working as well as ever. But yeah, their consumer models were low end.

[Bloufo]

Ah no fuck this thread! I hate that it just got bumped again. I want one so bad but don't quite have the money for it right now.

Must. Resist. Urge. To. Just. Buy. One. Anyway.

You're not missing much. I've owned two of them and while they look cool as hell in your entertainment center, they're not really worth the money. The picture quality for LD movie playback isn't that good compared to other cheaper LD players, the PACs are too expensive

That's true. But at least you do get "enhanced" LD playback capabilities on the A100 with either the Sega or NEC PAC, right?
Frame-by-frame, multi-speed jog, still frames, whatever else.

[DragonmasterDan]

That's true. But at least you do get "enhanced" LD playback capabilities on the A100 with either the Sega or NEC PAC, right?
Frame-by-frame, multi-speed jog, still frames, whatever else.

If you leave the console PACs in it lowers the output res on your movies to 240. So it's better to take the PAC out. There is digital memory on the Laseractive unit itself for CAV features, still frame, etc.

[BigusSchmuck]

Honestly, it is the least played out of my consoles. Sure its cool to play your Genesis and Sega CD games out in composite, but is it worth pulling out this monstrosity for that alone? Not really. Triad Stone is probably the best game for it. Don Quixote is quite possibly the slowest RPG I have ever played and in terms of gameplay a very small step above Dragon Quest 1. Do I regret getting one? Not in the slightest. It's still an interesting piece of technology.

[SuperDeadite]

Personally I find the LA to be quite welcome on my game shelf.  Being a 100% front loading system that is built like a tank, I can stack things on it and it's still fully playable.  I RGB modded mine, so all my PCE and Sega games look purdy (LD games are composite only of course).  I even ended up with a USA Genny Pac to get around the SegaCD region lock for playing my Working Designs originals here on my Japanese LA unit.

And finally, while the actual LD game library is small it has some really good titles.  Sure price is insane for a lot of them, but I've gotten my money's worth.  Hell playing the absolute cheese fest Dr. Paolo in 3D is almost silly enough to justify the entire system imo.

[xcrement5x]

I am with Deadite here 100%.  The front loading on it alone makes it super useful, plus the actual space it takes up width wise is less than a Duo and SegaCD so it's a very efficient use of space.  Sure they are "rare" but if you don't use it what good it having it?

[SignOfZeta]

Built like a tank? Compared to a Turbo, I guess. At least it has metal in it. I would not describe the A-100 as heavy duty though. Not for an LD player, not for any stereo equipment period. I have DVD players that weigh more. I guess it's all a matter of what you're used to and not everyone opens every piece of equipment like I do so maybe it's inner plastic flimsiness is unknown to most owners.

"Built like a tank" to me would be gears instead of belts for loading mech. Then you wouldn't need to smack thing the thing so often to make it set the disc.

The modules are quite a bit more tough than the consoles they are based on, I'll give you that, but while they weigh more they also die much more easily.

[Mathius]

I'm kinda wishing I had gotten into this before the market went poopie.

[SignOfZeta]

ME TOO! I'm destined to own one of these dumb things and I hope it doesn't cost me much. I have better things to spend money on.

[McKie1]

Quick pic showing the ridiculous size difference between the bottom LD player and the LA

[TheClash603]

Ah no fuck this thread! I hate that it just got bumped again. I want one so bad but don't quite have the money for it right now.

Must. Resist. Urge. To. Just. Buy. One. Anyway.

You're not missing much. I've owned two of them and while they look cool as hell in your entertainment center, they're not really worth the money. The picture quality for LD movie playback isn't that good compared to other cheaper LD players, the PACs are too expensive, especially the NEC PACs, and the handful of LD games that are worth a damn are exorbitantly priced, like Road Prosecutor and Time Gal.

Everyone I know that bought a Laseractive* did so for Virtual Cameraman 2 and Dr. Paolo, both cheaper than the games you are mentioning and both more fun at social gatherings.*


*I only know myself and have never been to a social gathering.

[jtucci31]

Ah no fuck this thread! I hate that it just got bumped again. I want one so bad but don't quite have the money for it right now.

Must. Resist. Urge. To. Just. Buy. One. Anyway.

You're not missing much. I've owned two of them and while they look cool as hell in your entertainment center, they're not really worth the money. The picture quality for LD movie playback isn't that good compared to other cheaper LD players, the PACs are too expensive, especially the NEC PACs, and the handful of LD games that are worth a damn are exorbitantly priced, like Road Prosecutor and Time Gal.

Everyone I know that bought a Laseractive* did so for Virtual Cameraman 2 and Dr. Paolo, both cheaper than the games you are mentioning and both more fun at social gatherings.*


*I only know myself and have never been to a social gathering.

I just meant of the top expensive "if I had a suitcase full of cash" wishlist. I'm sure I'd enjoy any damn game I got with it. I'd be the only kid on the entire block with a fucking Laseractive!