Next Generation Issue 49

PRIMARY SYSTEMS COVERAGE THIS ISSUE

• Sega Dreamcast (import coverage)
• Sony PlayStation
• Sony PlayStation 2 (development coverage)
• Nintendo 64
• PC
• arcade

---

(The following is loosely based on this issue's table of contents, with select issue excerpts included. Magazine accurate text formatting (lower case headers, etc) purposefully retained. (Notes) and bullet lists are added for clarity.)

(This issue of Next Generation includes the first installment of a new, recurring column named 'Dreamcast Countdown.' In-depth and multi-page, 'Dreamcast Countdown' would include overseas and import previews, reviews, creator interviews, and misc. articles related to the Dreamcast launch in Japan, leading up to the system's eventual release in North America.)

(This issue includes a 12-page, inbound 'Electronics Boutique' catalog.)

Tomb Raider III

In issue 44, Next Generation named Tomb Raider III as on of the letdowns of E3, but we're perfectly happy to be proven wrong. It seems it's possible to Love Lara for her brains too, since under the game's familiar surface lies a highly tuned, supremely satisfying action/exploration experience. Turn to page 96 for the full review. But Lara has a few secrets she's been keeping from you - in fact, so has every character and game ever made. How do game designers get away with cheating? The story begins on page 74. (see Tomb Raider III review, 'Trick or cheat?' feature)

Analyzing

Intelligence

(Original news articles along with regular, recurring news features; one page each unless noted. While original news stories regularly included related sidebars, unrelated sidebars would often be used to fill space as well - these are noted.)

Tokyo Game Show

Dreamcast Comes Out Fighting. (four pages; includes 'Size Does Matter' sidebar (Neo Geo Pocket, Wonderswan) and the following sections:)

• Sega
• Sony
• Namco
• Square
• Capcom
• Konami
• The Best of the Rest

Playstation 2 - Exploding The Myths

Next Generation has learned new details about Sony's new system. (1/2 page)

Growing Up Safe

Industry event raises over $600,000 for children's charity. (1/2 page)

Stop Press: Voodoo3 (1/4th page; 3Dfx Voodoo3 3D tech)

(Recurring news features; approx. 1/2 page each unless noted:)

New Bites (running footer bar; capsule news stories)

Hardcore (mini-sidebar; reader submitted anecdotes)

Datastream (mini-sidebar; statistic-related news and trivia)

In the Studio (one page; development news; Barking Dog Studios, Psygnosis shake-up, Enix, Visual Concepts, No Cliche, Red Lemon Studios, Crystal Dynamics, Activision, LucasArts and Atari Games)

Profile (mini-sidebar; Mike Mika profile)

Movers and Shakers (misc. business news by Colin Campbell)

Arcadia (1/4th page; misc. arcade news by Marcus Webb)

NG Japan

Big In Japan

A chat with the creators of Silent Hill. (two pages; a collection of articles and sidebars:)

• Cordially invited (N64 Mario Party)
• Going, Going, Goemon (Gambare Goemon 'Dero Dero Douchu Tenko Mon;' N64 Mystical Ninja)
• Selling Big In Japan This Month (sidebar; Top 10 list)
• Minitalk: Konami (one page; Keiichiro Toyama, Takayashi Sato interview)

Dreamcast

Dreamcast preview

All the latest on Sega's soon-to-be-released superconsole - six pages of it in fact. ('Dreamcast Countdown - Next Generation tracks the progress of Sega's dream machine;' overseas & import coverage; includes the following sections:)

• The clock is ticking (approx 1/2 page; DC released in Japan)
• The New Face of Sega (approx. 1/2 page; Japan's DC commercials staring Yukawa Hidekazu)
• An Interview with Blue Stinger creator Shinya Nishigaki (1 page)

(This feature also includes the following import game previews. Unless noted, sections are one page in length.)

• Biohazard: Code Veronica (sidebar)
• Virtua Fighter 3tb
• Power Stone (sidebar)
• Sega Rally 2 (approx 1/2 page)
• Evolution (approx. 1/2 page)
• Monaco Grand Prix
• Grandia 2 (sidebar)
• Geist Force
• Aero Dancing (sidebar)

NG Software

Alphas (game previews, sometimes presented as part of a themed overview or interview; one page each unless noted:)

(Next Generation's game previews often varied in scope and size. Smaller previews were usually traditional in presentation, while larger previews often incorporated developer commentary. The largest previews were typically presented as a themed article (focusing on a development studio, accessory, etc) previewing one or more titles and were often accompanied by an interview (noted).

• Duke Nukem: Zero Hour (N64; two pages)
• Hired Guns (PC; two pages)
• Shogun (PC; three pages)
• Wheel of Time (PC; three pages)
• Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PS)
• TOCA 2 (PC,PS)
• Syphon Filter (PS)
• Shogun Assassin (PS)

Milestones (screenshot preview galleries with gallery caption; approx. 1/2 page each unless noted; this section is not listed in this issue's TOC)

• Slave Zero (PC)
• Street Boarders (PS)
• Outcast (PC)
• Hybrid Heaven (N64; 1/4th page)
• Darkstone (PC; 1/4th page)

(sidebars (one or two screenshots each) with caption:)

• Metal Fatigue (PC)
• Rush Down (PS)

NG Special

Trick or cheat?

Choosing between reality and what a processor can handle takes skill. Here's how it's done. (six pages; includes 'AI: Exploding The Myth' section)

NG Special

What did Super Mario 64 ever do for videogames?

In the years since Mario 64 was released, many of the innovations it pioneered have yet to be surpassed. Why is that? (six pages; including the following "commandment" sections and sidebars:)

1. Thou shalt not have any other gods before Mario - Look at what Super Mario 64 did, and learn.
2. Thou shalt not make only graven images - Game design should be about the interaction, even if it's stripped of visuals.
3. Thou shalt not take on Mario in vain - If you're going to make a 3D platform game, go for the throat.
4. Remember the day of rest - People play games for fun. Entertain us.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother - Remember 2D games? They were good enough for 15 years...
6. Thou shalt not kill the character - The best games have a lot of personality.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery - Don't screw around with what works.
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness - Everyone hates the camera in Mario 64. Everyone agrees it's the best.
9. Thou shalt not steal, stupidly - Do you even need to make a Mario clone?
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house... - Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor manservant, nor maidservant, ox, ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

('Contender' sidebars:)

• Spyro the Dragon
• Glover
• Tonic Trouble
• Crash Bandicoot 3
• Earthworm Jim 3D
• Croc 2
• Twelve Tales: Conker 64
• Space Circus
• Rayman 2

('The Three Golden Rules of 3D Platform Game Design' sidebar; design suggestions from the following:)

• Brian Hastings
• Pauline Jacquey
• Toby Gard
• Tony Lloyd
• Jason Rubin
• Darren Wood

Talking

Eric Hammond

Sega's VP of PD seems uniquely suited to the task of bringing a new system's software to the market. This month, he adds another notch to his belt with the Next Gen interview. ('Will The U.S. Be Ready For Dreamcast?;' five page interview)

Rating

Finals

(With issue #43, Next Generation expanded its review section to include a number of featured reviews - each typically one or two pages long - along with its traditional reviews (usually 1/3rd page in length). Import reviews are noted with 'Japan' below.)

(One page each unless noted:)

• Tomb Raider III (PS,PC; two pages)
• Space Station: Silicon Valley (N64; two pages)
• Grand Prix Legends (PC; one page)
• Xenogears (PS; one page)

(Approx. 1/3rd page each unless noted:)

• Brave Fencer Musashi (PS)
• Bushido Blade 2 (PS)
• Crash Bandicoot: Warped (PS)
• Knockout Kings (PS)
• NASCAR 99 (PS)
• NHL 99 (PS)
• Psybadek (PS)
• Wild 9 (PS)
• X Games Pro Boarder (PS)
• Dethkarz (PC)
• Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines (PC)
• Dominant Species (PC)
• Urban Assault (PC)
• Knights and Merchants (PC)
• Hexplore (PC)
• VR Baseball 2000 (PC)
• Deadly Arts (N64)
• Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA (N64)

NG Resources

Advanced strategies

The inside word from those who made the games. (strategies/interviews; one page each unless noted:)

• Wipeout XL (PS) - Interviewed: Andy Satterthwaite, Producer, Psygnosis
• Baldur's Gate (PC) - Interviewed: Ray Muzyka, Producer & CFO/Joint-CEO (two pages)
• Uprising X (PS) - Interviewed: Kudo Tsunoda, Producer, 3DO (two pages)
• Vigilante 8 (PS) - Interviewed: Dave Goodrich, Artist/Designer, Luxoflux Corp.
• Heavy Gear (PC) - Interviewed: Tim Morten, Lead Designer

Ending

Next Generation brings you down easy with tid-bits from our readers and highlights from the past.

Retroview

Taking a look back. (regular Retroview installment and related articles:)

• Retroview - The Silent Partner (one page; by Steven Kent)
• System Shock (1/2 page; Bally's Professional Arcade)
• Populous (1/2 page; game profile)
• What Ever Happened To? (mini-sidebar; Muncher for the Bally's Professional Arcade)

Letters

We love our readers. (reader mail; two pages)