Hello Dreamcast-Talk community! I'm Kevin, or as I'm mostly known online, gameaddict30. I've been a Dreamcast fan since its release, and lately this month I've set it up to connect to the lnternet.
Outside of playing video games, I like to do some software dev, web design/dev and art in my spare time. In fact, while I did not make it myself (ElectrumCube did!), my avatar is of my Chao character which I mostly use as my persona online. Nowadays I'm usually a PC person with the many games I have in my Steam library, but sometimes like to do some console gaming too. The Dreamcast, however, held a special place in my heart and was one of the biggest staples of my childhood.
It's a long story, but when I was a little child I was curious of how the Dreamcast worked online. Although I knew I probably couldn't at the time (despite having dial-up ISP), I made certain decisions like getting a copy of Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2, a copy of the PlanetWeb browser, and even acquiring a Dreamcast keyboard peripheral!
All still work today except my copy of PSOv2, which has been badly scratched due to my poor habits with handling compact discs at the time. Thus, when I try to boot it up, it gets stuck before the title screen! :[ I am considering replacing my current copy for this Christmas though. Another consideration I have is replacing the internal clock battery inside the Dreamcast, as I find myself setting the date and time on the console a little more than usual, even when the console is plugged in.
That being said, I knew that private servers for Phantasy Star Online were running for a long while, but I wasn't fully aware of the DreamPi/PC-DC method of connecting to the Internet until last month (November). Knowing that there is still an easy way to go online with the Dreamcast modem was a relief, especially knowing how the expensive the BBA is and how it supports very few games that can still be played online to this day. Not to mention I have a Raspberry Pi 1 Model B, so the thought already sounded good.
So after one hectic Fall semester, I got the line voltage inducer built, obtained a Dell NW147 USB modem (after going through the trouble of trying to get a softmodem to work), loaded DreamPi onto my SD card and fired my Raspberry Pi up. Then, uala! It actually works! I also registered on Dreamcast Now so anyone can see whether I'm online through there. I also got a copy of ChuChu Rocket, so I'm ready for the most part. :> I was also going to get a new copy of PSOv2, but figured I should wait until I find myself invested in the online experience. Maybe I will get it sooner since 'tis the season. ;o
TL;DR Hi forum, I'm gameaddict30! I like to write code, play video games, and art. I've been a long-time fan of the Dreamcast and have always wanted to go online with it. This year and month I just managed to get online and I now have a game that I can play online with.
To be honest, I don't browse forums much in general but I can definitely see myself dropping by here more often, especially if I want to schedule a game session or join an online event. I'll try to post around here as much as I can, but I can't make any guarantees. Other than that you can find me elsewhere as listed on my profile (I still need to populate it a little more).
Other than that, I hope to have fun here, make some friends and become part of this welcoming community for a good while. :>