Sega Rally and version differences

[sonix]

Is there a detailed list of differences between the versions of Sega Rally? As I understand, the game basically has 2 version - the original JP/US release (though I read somewhere, that those two were not identical as well?) and the EU release, which would later appear in Japan as "Plus" edition.

I only ever played the PAL version. As far as I know the differences lie in visuals and seem rather miniscule - the "updated" version had some better road textures and there was this mountain sprite added to the Forest track, but looking at youtube videos makes it look like it's hardly noticeable. Also, some of the descriptions on the Internet imply that the changes affected some other aspects of the game but I can't find any more information about that, and it seems unlikely anyway.

I already ordered the original Japanese release of Sega Rally (much cheaper), but I was wondering if there's any point in getting the Plus/EU version in the future to replace it.

[xDerekRx]

Ugh at one point I did a bunch of research on the Sega Rally Plus Netlink Edition that we got in the US. From what Ive heard the PAL version is like 1.1 version and the Plus version is more of a 2nd revision. But then to go one step further I swear I found a post where people think the US Plus Netlink version has even more touchups than the JPN Plus release making it some kind of mutant 4th release... just like Daytona Netlink is the JPN Circuit Edition + Online + who knows lol. Like the Netlink one was released quite a bit after the JPN Plus version, so I guess the programmers could have just tinkered with something while they were bored on lunch... like adding a bird in the background... so at that point I gave up trying to figure it out lol.

Edit I think the US Rally Plus Netlink Edition has 3D pad support for steering? Is that something in the JPN Plus?

[marc]

Nov 9, 2018 1:27:53 GMT xDerekRx said:

Ugh at one point I did a bunch of research on the Sega Rally Plus Netlink Edition that we got in the US. From what Ive heard the PAL version is like 1.1 version and the Plus version is more of a 2nd revision. But then to go one step further I swear I found a post where people think the US Plus Netlink version has even more touchups than the JPN Plus release making it some kind of mutant 4th release... just like Daytona Netlink is the JPN Circuit Edition + Online + who knows lol. Like the Netlink one was released quite a bit after the JPN Plus version, so I guess the programmers could have just tinkered with something while they were bored on lunch... like adding a bird in the background... so at that point I gave up trying to figure it out lol.

Edit I think the US Rally Plus Netlink Edition has 3D pad support for steering? Is that something in the JPN Plus?

Yes, Jp + has the option for the 3D pad. It's the version I play now, the tweaks over the original really stand out.

[xDerekRx]

I never noticed the difference until I got the Plus Netlink edition in the late 2000s to play over Netlink.

I grew up with the standard version since 1997 and was fine. But now like you, I only put in the Plus version when I play it (the US Netlink Plus version that is) to use the 3D pad.

[davyk]

PAL version is a miracle of programming - it plays silky smooth and full speed/screen. Supports 3D control (it appears as a wheel in the control options though) I can't really tell the difference between it and the JP version I own (which supports 3D as well as far as I remember).

[sych]

Nov 9, 2018 16:38:27 GMT davyk said:

PAL version is a miracle of programming - it plays silky smooth and full speed/screen. Supports 3D control (it appears as a wheel in the control options though) I can't really tell the difference between it and the JP version I own (which supports 3D as well as far as I remember).

Which JPN version do you own though? The normal or plus version?

As someone that used to own the PAL version and traded it in for the Plus version I can tell you there is a big difference between the two. The 3D support does not work as well on PAL Sega Rally as you rightly pointed out it mistakes it for the steering wheel which means you don't have the option of configuring the controls to best suit the 3d controller which sucks and makes driving with the 3D pad extremely awkward. As it wasn't programmed with the 3D pad in mind.

The plus version was specifically optimised with the 3d Pad in mind which means you can config your buttons and controller set up specifically the way you want them which you can't do on the PAL Version. And the handling controls way better on the plus version than the PAL version with the 3D controller.

Plus as the PAL version is not completely full screen as it's 50hz.

[davyk]

Pretty sure the refresh rate has nothing to do with whether the screen is filled or not - however I could be wrong. I would expect a 60Hz version to be smoother - BUT - only if the game is running at a higher frame rate that at 50Hz...depends on the game.  I thought Saturn Rally ran at 30fps - it depends if that frame rate was retained in the PAL version which would be possible if the console runs at 50fps. If it was then it would be tough to tell the difference.  The devs might have dropped it to 25fps to make the coding easier. That would have made it feel different I guess.

I should boot them up again and compare borders - you might be right but even if you are the borders on the PAL version will be tiny because they really aren't noticeable on my CRT.

I think mine is the original JP version. I think the PAL version is based on a later build. There may be graphical differences but if there are I didn't notice. They felt the same which is what's really important.

I caned both versions on the community playthrough we had a year ago and my times were the same on either version and I couldn't tell the difference. If anything the PAL control felt a bit better but it was so close Ì couldn't really stand over that.

[davyk]

Ha. Just tried both versions there and I was wrong. The PAL version DOES have borders. They are a bit smaller than the usual size but they are there. It plays just as well - feels just as fast though. Funny how the mind plays tricks - I would have sworn there were no borders or at least very small ones.

Am a bit puzzled as to why a refresh rate would equate to an image size though. During screen transitions the game totally fills the screen and the borders disappear and reappear so it's a bit strange that. Not sure if it is tied to the refresh rate or not then. Maybe it is - but I always thought that was to do with the number of lines being displayed - not the refresh rate.

Anyhow - the PAL version is still excellent despite having a slightly smaller image - the image looked less jagged too but that's maybe because the image is slightly squashed. Or maybe it's because of the later build on which it is based. Hard to say.  The few games I played on PAL and JP had me getting the same results and times so I'd say records are comparable.

[davesaturn86]

Mmmmmmmm seems the US Pluslink edition is the way to go for latest revision...right?

[xDerekRx]

Jan 11, 2019 10:23:02 GMT davesaturn86 said:

Mmmmmmmm seems the US Pluslink edition is the way to go for latest revision...right?

Yes

[segaaaa]

I am in the PAL region and use a unmodded Sega Saturn with a Action Replay Cart for my Japanese imports, so all my games play at 50Hz. I have heard that the PAL release of Sega Rally Championship has been optimized running at 25 FPS. What would the frame rate of the regular Japanese NTSC-U version of Sega Rally Championship be like on my hardware vs the PAL version? The Japanese version is so much cheaper to buy but I want the performance to be decent. 

[davyk]

It would run at the PAL framerate. It might even run a bit shonky because of the differences in 30Fps and 25FPS - it's hard to say. It depends how sensitive you are to framerates. The PAL version really is very,,,,,VERY good. If you have a PAL machine I'd just get the PAL version. I didn't think the PAL version was that expensive?

EDIT:There's a buy it now on eBay for £7 with free postage for the PAL version.