http://www.cinemablend.com/dvdnews/Dragon-s-Lair-Heads-For-HD-DVD-5243.html

"I remember when Dragon’s Lair was a hot new video game. So hot and so new that I wasn’t allowed to play. The closest I got to playing the game was watching the cartoon adaptation that ran for a while on TV. No, the game was so hot and new that it cost too much money to play, especially for a game that only really involved pressing a button at the right time. That, of course, was my parents talking. Not me. I was all about Dirk the Daring, but my folks wouldn’t have it.

Well, Mom, Dad, I’m getting to play Dragon’s Lair now, or at least in a little over a month. You see, that brand new HD DVD player I have? Now Digital Leisure is putting out a HD DVD version of Dragon’s Lair to go with it. That’s right – on August 15th Dragon’s Lair will be out on HD DVD as the first true 1080p game available on the video format. The game will be playable on X-Box 360s with a HD DVD add-on or on standard HD DVD players. The company intends to release similar discs for Space Ace and Dragon’s Lair II: Time Warp in the future.

Not only is the game on the HD DVD, but the disc will also contain interviews with creators, Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, and Rick Dyer. The trio will also provide an on-screen commentary for the game.

So… I may not have been able to play Dragon’s Lair when it was in arcades because it was too expensive. But now that it’s coming to HD DVD, it’ll be all mine. Who’s laughing now?"

Lead on brave adventurer: screenshots and box art awaits:


http://www.cinemablend.com/images/sections/5243/_1184280527.jpg

This game came out on BD already and the reviews were mixed. Unlike the game where a person had to make the right selection to advance in the game the BD version always advanced to the next scene regardless of the input. The PQ was also pretty dodgy if I recall because it's just an upconversion of the original source (480i laserdisc I believe). I hope the HD version improves on these shortcomings.

This game came out on BD already and the reviews were mixed. Unlike the game where a person had to make the right selection to advance in the game the BD version always advanced to the next scene regardless of the input. The PQ was also pretty dodgy if I recall because it's just an upconversion of the original source (480i laserdisc I believe). I hope the HD version improves on these shortcomings.

No I think the source for the 1080p24 encode was the original film stock. At least I certainly don't remember reading that they used an upconverted master. Link?

This game came out on BD already and the reviews were mixed. Unlike the game where a person had to make the right selection to advance in the game the BD version always advanced to the next scene regardless of the input. The PQ was also pretty dodgy if I recall because it's just an upconversion of the original source (480i laserdisc I believe). I hope the HD version improves on these shortcomings.
I hope they made an option to play the game like the original where you had to input the right direction or action to advanced. I almost ordered this for my PS3, but held back on it. If neither version have that option then I'll just wait until I can pick it up cheap on ebay.

Is this a straight port of the Blu-ray version or anything exclusive?

No I think the source for the 1080p24 encode was the original film stock. At least I certainly don't remember reading that they used an upconverted master. Link?

Yup sorry my bad. It does use a new remastering of film stock. The video "problem" wasn't the encode but that the original film stock was 4x3 AR and rather than pillarboxing it to preserve the original they cropped the film to make it 16x9. The other problem is that they changed the game play to make it easier to play (always advances). Both are reasons why I didn't buy it on BD when it came out. If they can fix these two issues for the HD-DVD version though I'd buy it.

Why the heck did they not use some of the original art on the cover? Money issues?

Yup sorry my bad. It does use a new remastering of film stock. The video "problem" wasn't the encode but that the original film stock was 4x3 AR and rather than pillarboxing it to preserve the original they cropped the film to make it 16x9. The other problem is that they changed the game play to make it easier to play (always advances). Both are reasons why I didn't buy it on BD when it came out. If they can fix these two issues for the HD-DVD version though I'd buy it.
Correct, I do remember reading those two issues in the BD review, which put me off as well (mainly not having it in its OAR). I don't have much hope that they'll change either of those two things for the HD-DVD release.

Correct, I do remember reading those two issues in the BD review, which put me off as well (mainly not having it in its OAR). I don't have much hope that they'll change either of those two things for the HD-DVD release.
I have to agree with you on that. I doubt they will change anything either. I wonder why they made it so you would always advanced. You would have thought they could have done an option for that or to play it like it was in the arcade.

This is one of my favorite games (although I only played it in the arcade once, couldn't get the controls, and lost my $2 or whatever it was). But I've played a bunch of the Don Bluth games on the PC, lots of fun. I'll pick this one up for sure.

Anyone remember the SEGA hologram game Space Traveler?

This game came out on BD already and the reviews were mixed. Unlike the game where a person had to make the right selection to advance in the game the BD version always advanced to the next scene regardless of the input.Wow, thats pretty lame. How is that interactive? Not to be the wet one, but do you think that has anything to do with BD-Js unfinalized spec? Maybe they'll have better luck with HDi. I really can't understand why they would do this, unless it was a technical constraint.

If the HD DVD version is like the BD version, it sounds like it will be a fairly worthless title.

Wow, thats pretty lame. How is that interactive? Not to be the wet one, but do you think that has anything to do with BD-Js unfinalized spec? Maybe they'll have better luck with HDi. I really can't understand why they would do this, unless it was a technical constraint.

Yeah it is really lame because it removes any sense of gameplay and a person essentially becomes a tourist. You might be right that there may have been a problem getting the interactivity needed with BD-J. So I guess there is hope that the HD-DVD might fix this problem.

I rented this on DVD and it was HORRIBLE. The controls were atrocious. There were two modes, a Play mode and a Watch mode. The Play mode forced you to make the move so it didn't auto-forward. The Watch mode went through all scenes to the end. I'm glad I saw the 15 min or so movie to see how the game I loved as kid ended, but that was it. I cannot see why anyone would want to own this, replayability is nil.

Here's a link to DVDTimes' review of the Blu-Ray version. They rile it for the heavy-handed noise reduction applied to the image.

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=64739

Any reason to expect this to be better on HD DVD?

Here's a link to DVDTimes' review of the Blu-Ray version. They rile it for the heavy-handed noise reduction applied to the image.

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=64739

Any reason to expect this to be better on HD DVD?
No. This was originally announced as an HD-DVD release before they announced it on BD, but there were some hiccups in the HDi authoring, so the HD-DVD version was delayed. But I'm pretty sure the encoding was done originally with HD-DVD specs in mind, so unless they do a new encoding for some reason, I assume it will be the same encode used for the BD version.

Just for those interested, this is also out on DVD. On DVD you can actually play it, and you will die if you miss the wrong direction. There's also an "auto play" mode so you can just watch it if you like.

Just for those interested, this is also out on DVD. On DVD you can actually play it, and you will die if you miss the wrong direction. There's also an "auto play" mode so you can just watch it if you like.

There is also a PC version that is high definition with 4:3 OAR option with the same gameplay.

Anyone remember the SEGA hologram game Space Traveler?



I thought I was the only person in the universe that remembered this game!!!

There was actually another hologram game. I don't know the title, and I only saw it once. It was some kind of fighting game in the mortal kombat style

It's(Time Traveler) is out on DVD as well.

Let's wait and see how the HD DVD one plays before we hang it. It may play properly, who knows? Remember HDi and BD-J are similar but the former is more mature.

Let's wait and see how the HD DVD one plays before we hang it. It may play properly, who knows? Remember HDi and BD-J are similar but the former is more mature.
And works.

Let's wait and see how the HD DVD one plays before we hang it. It may play properly, who knows? Remember HDi and BD-J are similar but the former is more mature.

Thats just it. HDi caused the delay. HD DVD was to be released first, but poor branching and HDi were cited for its delay.

The continous advancing is a "feature" digital leisure thought was neccesary to be forced on the consumers.

They borked it, plain and simple.