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[DownGrader]

I'm sure everybody knows that Dreamcast was compatible with Windows CE, Microsoft's operating system for embedded devices and (back then) handheld computers. What I don't quite understand is how exactly it was compatible.

Was Windows CE built in Dreamcast's ROM, just like Windows 2000-based OS of the original Xbox? Was it bundled with Windows CE-powered games (the ones which had this start-up screen)? Was it easy for developers to port games from Windows CE PDAs or Windows 9x PCs? Is there a way to run Windows CE shell and apps?

So many questions over such a silly statement...

 

[theRizzle]

IIRC it is literally the operating system of the console... or at least some version of it.

 

[Sir Abacus]

IIRC it is literally the operating system of the console... or at least some version of it.

Nope.

There was a version of the SDK that uses Windows CE with Direct X made for the Dreamcast. The theory was developers could use this SDK instead of the Sega one if they were more comfortable with Windows APIs but didn't really work. The runtime was loaded off the GD-ROM and wasn't built into the Dreamcast at all. The biggest game to use it was Sega Rally 2.

 

[SScorpio]

IIRC it is literally the operating system of the console... or at least some version of it.

Nope, but that was the original plan. The games that use Windows CE have it on their disks and it boots that before loading the game.

A list of the games is here: http://segaretro.org/Windows_CE

 

[theRizzle]

Interesting... I would imagine that's probably how they got things like Bleemcast to work? Or at least work so "well"

Nope, but that was the original plan. The games that use Windows CE have it on their disks and it boots that before loading the game.

A list of the games is here: http://segaretro.org/Windows_CE

Ahhhh okay. That must be what I'm remembering. Thanks for that.

 

[DownGrader]

Nope.

There was a version of the SDK that uses Windows CE with Direct X made for the Dreamcast. The theory was developers could use this SDK instead of the Sega one if they were more comfortable with Windows APIs but didn't really work. The runtime was loaded off the GD-ROM and wasn't built into the Dreamcast at all. The biggest game to use it was Sega Rally 2.

So the Windows CE system was loaded from GD-ROMs, am I getting this right? And I suppose making both Dreamcast and PC version was easier for Sega thanks to DirectX support on both platforms, kinda like with Xbox?

 

[dreamcastmaster]

Interesting... I would imagine that's probably how they got things like Bleemcast to work? Or at least work so "well"

Nope, Sega gave the Bleemcast developers a dev kit to develop on, this was very hush hush in case of any potential legal issues with emulation.

 

[Sir Abacus]

So the Windows CE system was loaded from GD-ROMs, am I getting this right?

On games that supported it, yes.

And I suppose making both Dreamcast and PC version was easier for Sega thanks to DirectX support on both platforms, kinda like with Xbox?

That was the plan but not really. CE was a subset of Win32 so while it was fairly easy to port from DC to PC, the other way around was not as trivial.

 

[DownGrader]

A list of the games is here: http://segaretro.org/Windows_CE

Interesting... The list mentions WebTV for Dreamcast, and WebTV STBs were powered by Windows CE. Worms World Party was also released on PC and Pocket PC/Windows Mobile, a Windows CE-based OS for PDAs. The latter was a fairly confident port, I think one of the best mobile ports of its time... I wonder if we should thank Windows CE for Dreamcast for that.

That was the plan but not really. CE was a subset of Win32 so while it was fairly easy to port from DC to PC, the other way around was not as trivial.

Fair enough... So it's like halfway to the original Xbox plan.

 

[chronic_archaic]

Also a pain in the ass today for backups and emulation. No Windows CE games can be emulated plus certain games with CDDA audio can't be duplicated on to a CD-R, at least the audio can't be. Resident Evil 2 I'd argue is the most surprising game that actually uses it, at the time it was better than the PC port iirc.

 

[Sir Abacus]

Interesting... The list mentions WebTV for Dreamcast, and WebTV STBs were powered by Windows CE. Worms World Party was also released on PC and Pocket PC/Windows Mobile, a Windows CE-based OS for PDAs. The latter was a fairly confident port, I think one of the best mobile ports of its time... I wonder if we should thank Windows CE for Dreamcast for that.

Not really. The Windows CE provided to Sega was a custom version with Direct X. Direct X support of the generic Windows CE kernels was almost non-existant until 6.0 in 2006.

 

[petran79]

Also a pain in the ass today for backups and emulation. No Windows CE games can be emulated plus certain games with CDDA audio can't be duplicated on to a CD-R, at least the audio can't be. Resident Evil 2 I'd argue is the most surprising game that actually uses it, at the time it was better than the PC port iirc.

Yes, I have the EU version of Bust a Move 4. Since the game is not VGA compatible, there was a recent dump that added compatibility. But the CD-R can not play the BGM at all.
Fortunately the superior Windows version still works fine on systems up to Win7 at least.

 

[MegaboyX]

Anyone who was actually reading up on this stuff at the time knows that ce was not in the console and only a few few games even used it on the disc. But it's amazing how many people today see the wince logo on the dreamcast and just assume that was the defacto os in the system.

 

[Ashtar]

I feel like games that ran windows CE had longer load times (or boot times maybe) than other DC games, was that real or imagined?

 

[DownGrader]

Anyone who was actually reading up on this stuff at the time knows that ce was not in the console and only a few few games even used it on the disc. But it's amazing how many people today see the wince logo on the dreamcast and just assume that was the defacto os in the system.

Well, back in the time, I was just a kid who was fascinated by computers and PDAs and thus drooling over everything that had "Windows CE" written on it.

Gosh, I looked at this very picture in Guinness World Records 2001 waaaay too much.

 

[dark10x]

Still a terrible decision. I maintain that WinCe is responsible for ruining Sega Rally 2. It was the wrong choice for the project.

Based on that list, nearly every other game built using WinCE runs like garbage as well.

 

[MegaboyX]

Well, back in the time, I was just a kid who was fascinated by computers and PDAs and thus drooling over everything that had "Windows CE" written on it.



Gosh, I looked at this very picture in Guinness World Records 2001 waaaay too much.

Yeah, back in that time I was actually programming wince apps for Dell's pdas when I was working there.

 

[RealityCheque]

Yeah, back in that time I was actually programming wince apps for Dell's pdas when I was working there.

I read Dell PDA and threw up in my mouth a little bit.

No insult meant to your apps, but that OS on those things plus the awful stylus made it into a nightmare. It was literally just a cool looking piece of tech that impeded most peoples work. I used one for ages (or at least tried to!) and beyond the "oh look, a tiny computer from the future!" side of things, it was horrible.

People who sometimes bitch about user experience on smartphones clearly weren't around when those PDAs were the only option.

 

[atomic moth]

Anyone who was actually reading up on this stuff at the time knows that ce was not in the console and only a few few games even used it on the disc. But it's amazing how many people today see the wince logo on the dreamcast and just assume that was the defacto os in the system.

Why wouldn't they assume that? It's on the dreamcast. That's the point of this thread

 

[Spunky Monkey]

Still a terrible decision. I maintain that WinCe is responsible for ruining Sega Rally 2. It was the wrong choice for the project.

Based on that list, nearly every other game built using WinCE runs like garbage as well.

There is a reason for this. The dreamcast and of versions were being ported seperately but the dreamcast version was lagging behind for launch day so as a quick fix the further along of version was ported over using Windows ce.

Sadly as your title suggests it has a dodgy frame rate but a cheat code can remove some of the background objects to maintain a steady 60fps for the most part.

 

[Afrikan]

Well, back in the time, I was just a kid who was fascinated by computers and PDAs and thus drooling over everything that had "Windows CE" written on it.

Gosh, I looked at this very picture in Guinness World Records 2001 waaaay too much.

I owned the Casio Cassiopeia E-115... I was finally able to buy(afford...lol) an open-box version with an employee discount when I was working at Comp-USA. Had to hussle back then to get these $600+ PocketPCs...then got for Warranty returns..used to get full price credit back then. >_<

people used to stare at me on Buses and the Train...some thought it was the newest Gameboy..lol.

I used to use it for EVERYTHING... planner, Pocketstreet maps, Portable Porn, MP3 player, etc... One of the first adapters to allow mobile internet was this Compact Flash thing called Spider something. Shit was expensive back then.

Went from the 115 to the E-200.. which had Compact Flash port AND a SD Card port...OMG I was soooo ecstatic...

then went to the Dell Axim...then to the fucking X51v... man, let me stop. Goodtimes.