Rayman: Jaguar vs Psx

[raina]

Now it would seem like they generated the sounds by software. Because no way are they samples stored on the cart. Hardware and proto-people ahoy! Is there anything inside the Jag itself that could generate the sounds or is there any unfinished/open/cracked code that would sound like Rayman and give us an idea of what's happening.

[kevincal]

Alright so I decided to do a Rayman long play video series for Youtube, here is part 1

 

watch in 480p and if you see any skips in animation is from recording errors and not the game.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2oBhb7m0so

 

I have uploaded about 7 parts so far and there are 11 parts total.

 

Anyway, I also played some PS1 Rayman as well and decided to jot down the differences I see plus list some already well know differences. Bare with me this is gonna be a really long list.

 

On ebay you can find the PS1 version for $5 to $10, while the Jag version usually costs $25 to $50. Adv PS1

 

You need a memory card to save games on the PS1 version, or you can use a cumbersome password system. Adv Jag

 

Load times arent bad on the PS1 version but the Jag has no loading times. Adv Jag

 

Animation not quite as smooth on the PS1 version also possible missing some frames of animation the Jag version has. Adv Jag

 

A lot more 1 ups placed around the earlier levels in the PS1 version making it easier than Jag version. Adv. PS1

 

Fog effects and other effects are seen in the PS1 version not seen in the Jag version. Adv PS1

 

Sound louder and more crisp on PS1 version. Adv PS1

 

End of level animation, melody and yelling "YAA" is annoying in the PS1 version. Adv Jag

 

PS1 version has slightly lower graphics resolution than the Jag version and colors not as vibrant as Jag. Adv Jag

 

Control might be slightly more precise on PS1 but the smoothness of Jag version makes up for it. Tie

 

PS1 has more Rayman character animations. Adv PS1

 

Enemy AI may be less aggressive in PS1. Tie

 

protoons walk off screen when freed in PS1 version, in Jag they fly upward. Tie

 

mosquito flying level different, cant shoot in ps1 version but speeds up last longer. tie

 

Fairy says less to rayman in ps1 version tie

 

swamps level different name and has rain effects in background, already gave ps1 cred for more effects

 

more objects in ps1 background.

 

rayman walks faster in continue screen in ps1 vers

 

ray runs slides in band land and can also shrink. jut diff from jag version

 

ps1 rayman what i read has 2-3 levels or part of levels Jag is missing Adv PS1

 

sound effects and music differ in each version.

 

screen scrolling is smoother on jag, already gave it cred

 

 

So personally I think I like the Jag version better, has cleaner smoother and more colorful graphics, I prefer the music in the Jag version, and overall the Jag version feels more mellow and less obnoxious than the PS1 version.

 

But if we add up the results it looks like advantage 6 for ps1 version and advantage 5 for Jag. Basically there are differences between the games and the games are equally as good overall.

 

I think maybe what gives the PS1 the edge overall to a lot of people is the price though. Its just a much more affordable and easy to find version. Though I guess I could give the Jag version a point over PS version for reliability (cart vs cd)

 

PS I have seen slowdown in both version but its rare.

Edited November 4, 2011 by kevincal

[syntexerror]

Wow very nice comparason you realy showed the in and outs in both versions nice work kevincal.Nice video aswell.I would have to go with the saturn version on this one as i have all 3 versions but i like to play the jaguar version as the fun factor.

Edited November 4, 2011 by syntexerror

[kevincal]

thanks ya I'd like to play the Saturn version now, it's almost as expensive as the Jag version though.

[philipj]

When I saw this topic, it reminded me of this Youtube a saw sometime back.

 

[Willard]

wikipedia also has a nice comparison too, pretty much in line with much of what has been said, although I think it goes into a few more specifics in certain areas. It's really too bad that the Jaguar version is lacking some of those extra graphic details found in the playstation version, could've really been the difinitive version. As is, picking one over another is a bit of a tradeoff.

 

 

Original Atari Jaguar version vs. CD-ROM versions

The Atari Jaguar version, which was the original version but eventually arrived a week later than the PlayStation one, features some unique/absent areas and absent gameplay mechanics compared to the (themselves largely identical) PC/PlayStation/Sega Saturn CD-ROM editions. For example, in Blue Mountains, the level Mr. Stone's Peaks is missing the second area entirely (where Rayman has to cut 2 ropes with his hair before a stone ceiling pushes him into the water). Also, in Picture City, the level Eraser Plains' third area has been changed to a completely different place, and one of the last bosses (Space Mama) is completely absent. The last world, Candy Chateau, was also largely restructured for the other versions. Rayman's ability to shrink (with the help of creatures called Flying Blue Elves), and to slide on bells in Band Land or ice in the Blue Mountains, were absent on the Jaguar, only being added in later versions. However, for both ports, there are some extra things, there is a pong minigame, Moskito shoots blue fireballs, bomb explosion have a glow-effect and smoke, and Mr. Skops' lava has glowing/smoke effect. Finally, since the Jaguar version was stored on a cartridge, not a CD, it featured considerably lower-quality music than the Red Book audio of the others, which also received similarly enhanced sound effects. The Jaguar version of the game is considered to be a console pusher due the use of the power of the console, and is considered one of the best games on the system.

[kevincal]

Even though the Jags music may be lower quality it still sounds great and myself and others think its more fitting to the game than the cd soundtrack. I dont see the cd soundtrack as an advantage I see it more as a difference. though overall the jag sound output is a bit too low compared to the cd. so cd gets the edge overall of obvious reasons. I still prefer the jag sounds and music though I especially do not like the end of level celebration and yelling on the ps and saturn versions. it seems so out of place and annoying, even the little laugh he does is :/

[kevincal]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GfDUfwZYU4 I'm up to part 11 with more parts on the way.

[onlysublime]

what's your recording device? you seem to have an interlacing issue (maybe you should pick bottom field?). also, there seems to be a framerate conversion going on.

 

but always great to see Rayman in action. Rayman was the game I used to show off the Jag. NBA Jam TE as well. My non-Atari friends thought T2K was a little too weird and AvP was too slow (agree on the horrible AvP 10-15 fps framerate).

[Austin]

but always great to see Rayman in action. Rayman was the game I used to show off the Jag. NBA Jam TE as well. My non-Atari friends thought T2K was a little too weird and AvP was too slow (agree on the horrible AvP 10-15 fps framerate).

 

Likewise. I actually introduced a buddy to the Jaguar last week through a two-player game of NBA JAM T.E., and he was like, "woah, this is pretty sweet!".

[kevincal]

what's your recording device? you seem to have an interlacing issue (maybe you should pick bottom field?). also, there seems to be a framerate conversion going on.

 

but always great to see Rayman in action. Rayman was the game I used to show off the Jag. NBA Jam TE as well. My non-Atari friends thought T2K was a little too weird and AvP was too slow (agree on the horrible AvP 10-15 fps framerate).

 

Ya I dont have the best recording setup. It helps the quality noticeably if you watch the video on youtube in 480p. Seems lower quality on atari age. I have an old capture card installed in my pc and it has some kind of noise lines going on in the graphics, prolly because I have it installed next to something I shouldnt. Also its an old capture card. Atleast it takes S video though.

 

It must be said though, take a look at most Rayman Jaguar youtube videos and 90% of them are poorer quality than mine. Most are videos of rayman emulated on the Jag with very poor framerate and horrible sound issues! Overall I find my vids to be good enough quality. I even added a bit of brightness and color saturation to enhance the look of the graphics just a touch. The colors really come alive in Jag Rayman

 

And yes every now and then there is a bit of skip in framerate but nothing too serious. Ya T2K to people new to the game, have no idea what is going on onscreen lol. And ya AvP hasnt aged too well with the low framerate graphics and non linear time consuming gameplay. Rayman has aged beautifully though.

[evilevoix]

I am playing through the ps1 version on my ps2 via component on a CRT tv. Looks amazing. I had a hag back in the day but it was coax. After reading this thread makes me wana get that jag cart again.

[MAYAman]

I have both and I prefer the Jag version. Runs a bit smoother, load times are better to me and just overall has a better feel to it. The PS version is really good though.

[+Cafeman]

Ah, the coax hags. Never owned one myself.

 

Interesting thread though. I loved Rayman but played it on Saturn.

[Rex Dart]

How's it compare on the Saturn? Way back when I first rented a PS1, I checked out Rayman. I was thinking of trying it again, but I have so many systems that I don't know which one to play it on. Does he do that horrible stage-clear yell on the Saturn?

[+Cafeman]

Yes, he goes 'Yeah!' and then there is an ending melody, while the level transforms into one of various FX - it turns into a ball and bounces away, or falls apart like a jigsaw puzzle, etc. I like it.

[evilevoix]

Ah, the coax hags. Never owned one myself.

 

Interesting thread though. I loved Rayman but played it on Saturn.

 

 

Coax cable on my jaguar.

[Shamus]

I have come to the sad conclusion that Rayman is evil. It's what caused me to get involved with Virtual Jaguar.

[bcRIPster]

OK, first off there is some misinformation right off the top in that article. Rayman for the Jag does have the spark shower or whatever when you grab the crystal. Slowdown is very rare in Jag Rayman.

 

This is obviously another biased bullshit comparison and review.

 

Former staff of the magazine here. The writer of that article played through all three versions as was form for this article series. The article had to stand editorial review by senior staff before being published and none of us found his analysis to be off-mark. I personally made all of those screen captures from my play-throughs myself so I have played all three as well (granted it was almost 20 years ago, ACK!). All of us appreciated the Jaguar and each of us had favorite games for the platform, so there was no overt bashing bias on our team.

 

If you will note as well, he did indicate at the end of the article: "All three are pretty close in most respects, so it only really matters which system you own." As it was a really close run between the versions.

 

I'm going to stand by his analysis.

 

Also, FWIW, here are the other individual reviews for each platform: PlayStation / Saturn / Jaguar .... The author of the comparison also scores on the Jag and Saturn versions.

 

Edited February 25, 2014 by bcRIPster

[+LS650]

LOL Did you really have to wait 8 years to tell him that?

[bcRIPster]

LOL Did you really have to wait 8 years to tell him that?

LOL, you ever just have one of those days?

 

 

Sigh )

[+Gemintronic]

LOL, you ever just have one of those days?

 

 

Sigh )

 

Glad you came back. In this decade we've resorted to comparing Jaguar to consoles a generation or two ahead of it. Next up is a hard hitting comparison between Total Carnage and Black Ops.

[NeoGeoNinja]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

While I like the Jaguar (a lot) more then the Psx as a console, I must admit that the Psxvers is superior.

The Jaguar control is better, and more accurate imo.

 

I had the chance to play the Psxvers for a few days, and played this (together with a Jaguarfan) with the Jaguarvers at the same time, switching from Psx to Jaguar and vice versa.

 

This way we could compare the games, playing the same levels at the same time.

 

At the back of the box of the Psxvers it states that it uses 65000 colors.

 

We've played 4 or 5 worlds and these are the biggest differences we noticed, the Psxversion has:

 

-In some levels 3 layered backgrounds, with sometimes a fourth layer in the foreground, this is cool.

-The use of colors is better, the platforms/trees etc. look as they are placed AT the background, while the Jaguar has them placed IN the background.

-In some levels, there seems to be used a higher resolution, like the butterflies, or the chrome pipes in the music levels.

-The character Rayman has more animations, and there are more different trees/plants added.

-MUCH more fx than the Jag, this raelly adds to the game.

-Of course the cd music/background sounds, it's a personal taste of which you like more.

-Some really cool effects, like dark clouds and lightning, or beautiful falling rain (Tarayzan level), while the Jaguar has nothing special added in these levels, they are just plain.

-In the music levels, you slide at the chrome pipes, and can run prettty fast and fly through the air, instead of just walking, like Jaguarvers.

 

There are a lot more minor differences, but you´ll have to see for yourself.

 

The Jaguarvers has some differences that are better/more fun (like when flying on Muskito´s back, he can shoot with his nose, while on the Psxversion Rayman himself just has his fist to punch enemies), but they are few.

 

The Psxvers is much more polished and worked out, however the Jaguarversion seems to be earlier and has limited storage on cart, so this might be the reason?

 

Despite the fact that I would´ve liked to see that the Jaguar is the better version, I´ve made the comparison with an unbiased mind.

 

Jaguar Rayman is still one of the best games for the system imo.

 

"You can quite clearly see from looking at those screens that the Jag version is better! What was that guy on?"

 

After looking at those screenshots, and having played them, I wonder if you're not just a little bit biased?

 

How was your PSX and Jaguar hooked up at the time? Perhaps you used a rf connection for your PSX, and the s-video connection for the Jaguar, explaining why you think one looks so much better than the other.

 

These two (quoted texts) resonate most with me.

 

I own the Jag, PSX & SAT releases of Rayman, and although the Jag version is great, the other two were (not massively, but overall) superior.

 

I also have to bring into question, how PPL run their games (i.e. being from the UK, all my systems run through RGB SCART as standard - except my 3DO, which can't).

 

When you run all 3 versions through RGB, they all look phenomenal. The whole 65,000 vs 32,000 is a myth too, almost bordering on hyperbole!

 

Objectively speaking, the order I feel runs: Saturn > PS1 > Jag. The thing that really makes the Jag version standout imo is the fact that it's on cartidge format... which is VERY cool.

 

Maybe, if Hoverstrike CD and IS2 CD are anything to go by (vs their cart counterparts), they could have maybe re-released Rayman on Jag CD and it would have been, pretty much, either the PS1 or Saturn version?! Ah... the speculation.

 

-

 

Also, not sure if I can agree with the (loosely quoted) 'whatever 2D the PS1 does, the Jaguar can do it better'. Whenever this is suggested, my mind always defaults to 2D fighters. Now, although the PS1 has a reputation for not pulling off 2D fighters as well as the Saturn, and although there are often compromises somewhere, the PS1 still made a decent effort and made the most of what it could (i.e. the Marvel vs series, although reduced to 1-on-1 instead of tag battle fighting, the games still ran very well etc).

 

With that logic, I'd (obviously) like to see how the Jaguar (CD) would run the likes of the PS1's Street Fighter Zero 2 Dash, Street Fighter Zero 3, Vampire or Vampire Saviour? But, we'll only ever be left with speculation and "what if's?"...

[sh3-rg]

If you will note as well, he did indicate at the end of the article: "All three are pretty close in most respects, so it only really matters which system you own." As it was a really close run between the versions.

 

 

Interesting parallels to modern game reviews.

 

Wait, does that mean the xbox one is the new Jaguar?

 

Oh no wait, this was 8 years ago, so the ps3 is the new Jaguar?

 

Agh, hang on, it's just the thread that's 8 years old...

 

What exactly is the new Jaguar?!

[+CyranoJ]

We don't need a new Jaguar, the old Jaguar is a 64-Bit SuperComputer capable of taking on the WORLD!!!!!!!!!!! DO THE MATH.

 

 

What exactly is the new Jaguar?!