Analysis: Sega pins hopes online with gaming, football

In this story: It's free for a while Take your 'A' game online Upcoming releases RELATED STORIES, SITES

By John Robinson
CNN.com Nature Editor

(CNN) -- Ever find yourself wishing there was someone else around to play video games with? Sega has an answer of sorts with its new SegaNet Internet gaming service.

SegaNet allows you to take your Internet-ready Dreamcast online and play others connected to the network with the same game. While the service also can be used as a regular ISP with e-mail, Net access and online PC gaming, it is primarily intended to handle the Dreamcast online gaming network -- and it does that with little or no complaint.

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As of this writing, the only games available for use with SegaNet are "NFL2K1" and "Chu Chu Rocket." The latter was released in March as an online puzzle game in which players have to direct mice into rockets as quickly as possible. It sounds a little silly, but it is actually quite addictive once you get the hang of the game play.

Unfortunately, "Chu Chu Rocket" was not optimized for SegaNet so this relatively simple game suffers from some bad slowdown (or lag time) when playing online.

The first game to truly take advantage of SegaNet's high speed, low-latency capabilities is Sega Sports' "NFL2K1." Rolling out an online gaming network with such a complicated game like football -- on a 56K modem at that -- was a pretty big gamble on Sega's part, but so far things seem to be working nicely.

To begin the online element of "NFL 2K1," you simply have to make sure your Dreamcast is connected to a phone line, pop in the game disk and follow the SegaNet instructions. You may also use your current ISP to play online if that provider supports online gaming.

"NFL2K1," like its predecessor, has some gorgeous cutscenes

The first 50 hours of SegaNet are free but if you choose to retain the service, you will be prompted to enter a credit card number and a monthly charge of $21.95 will apply.

According to Sega, more than 100,000 people have signed up for SegaNet since its launch on September 7.

"Initial numbers such as these prove the potential of the online community. Given this tremendous support, we will continue to provide gamers with the best content available online," said Brad Huang, president and CEO, Sega.com. It remains to be seen how many of those people will retain the service once the free trial period expires.

In addition to the online capability, this year's "NFL 2K1" includes bump and run coverage, 'Franchise Mode,' downloadable rosters, player injuries and statistics, a power move to blast by opponents and an all-new running game.

There are also hundreds of new animations and increased graphic detail over last year's "NFL 2K." And the inclusion of NFL team-specific playbooks for each club helps to ensure that no two teams play the same.

When it comes down to the nitty gritty, "NFL2K1" looks and plays much like last year's version, which is a good thing. The real differences -- aside from the online component -- are that the running game has been made easier while the passing game has become more challenging.

Practice a bit before you take it online -- the competition is tough

Playing online has its good and bad moments, but in general Sega has scored big with "NFL2K1" on SegaNet. At its best, "NFL2K1" online plays nearly as well as it would if the person were sitting right next to you in the room. At its worst, the lag can become quite frustrating and can even slow down to the point of being unplayable. Safe to say though, if both players are using SegaNet, the lag will usually be minimal because it is a more direct connection between the two Dreamcasts.

It is also possible to have a relatively lag-free experience when using a regular ISP provided you have a solid connection. A baud rate of 31,000 or higher usually yields acceptable results. To help you find an opponent with a good connection, a colored bar appears next to the player's handle in the game lobbies.

Novices may want to practice a bit before taking their game online. There are some pretty good players out there who love nothing more than running the score up on a newbie. There are also some players who don't like to lose and will quit at the first sign of defeat. The best way to ensure an enjoyable online experience is to procure a Dreamcast keyboard and use the game lobby system to find a suitable rival.

Football not your bag? There are several other Dreamcast titles in development that will feature online play. Here are a few of the titles scheduled to release in the coming months with online capabilities:

• Quake 3 Arena


• Sega Sports NBA2K1


• Kiss Psycho Circus


• 4X4 Evolution


• The Next Tetris


• Unreal Tournament


• Phantasy Star Online


• IHRA Drag Racing


• Speed Devils Online Racing


• Sierra Sports Maximum Pool


• Armada 2: Exodus

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