What do you guys think of the fact that sega used normal CD jewel cases for Japan and the US for the game releases?
I always kind of thought that the dreamcast games hurt a little bit from this in the US, as the DVD cases for the PS2 just looked more sophisticated and important because of their different look and association with the new (at the time) DVD tech. Additionally, the change from PSX to PS2 in terms of CD jewel cases to DVD cases kind of implied that CDs and CD cases were "previous gen" - any such implication would of course have hurt the DC and made it seem more like the PSX/N64 gen to many consumers, rather than the first of the PS2/GC/XBox gen which all used tall thin DVD style cases.
Another interesting aspect of CD as symbolizing old tech and DVD as symbolizing importance and new tech, is that many of the late period DC releases such as Karous and Under Defeat, went with DVD boxes instead of CD cases, even while the vast majority of the DC library was CD cases. Cosmic Smash, a 2001 release issued after the DC was officially discontinued and the PS2 was available was also presented in a DVD box.
Even now, while the media is changing from DVD to blueray with the PS3, we are seeing game packaging dimensions change again. And of course mini DVD gamecube games had their own kind of case, and even had a more unique mini style case in the Japan market.
So what do you think. Should GDRoms/DC games have had a more unique packaging in the US/JPN, such as the European PAL cases? Or would it have been better to switch to something tall and thin like a DVD style case? Or does it not really matter much at all! Opinions?
I always kind of thought that the dreamcast games hurt a little bit from this in the US, as the DVD cases for the PS2 just looked more sophisticated and important because of their different look and association with the new (at the time) DVD tech. Additionally, the change from PSX to PS2 in terms of CD jewel cases to DVD cases kind of implied that CDs and CD cases were "previous gen" - any such implication would of course have hurt the DC and made it seem more like the PSX/N64 gen to many consumers, rather than the first of the PS2/GC/XBox gen which all used tall thin DVD style cases.
Another interesting aspect of CD as symbolizing old tech and DVD as symbolizing importance and new tech, is that many of the late period DC releases such as Karous and Under Defeat, went with DVD boxes instead of CD cases, even while the vast majority of the DC library was CD cases. Cosmic Smash, a 2001 release issued after the DC was officially discontinued and the PS2 was available was also presented in a DVD box.
Even now, while the media is changing from DVD to blueray with the PS3, we are seeing game packaging dimensions change again. And of course mini DVD gamecube games had their own kind of case, and even had a more unique mini style case in the Japan market.
So what do you think. Should GDRoms/DC games have had a more unique packaging in the US/JPN, such as the European PAL cases? Or would it have been better to switch to something tall and thin like a DVD style case? Or does it not really matter much at all! Opinions?