Bleem!
Encyclopedia
Bleem! was a commercial PlayStation
emulator
released by the Bleem Company in 1999 for IBM-compatible PCs
and Dreamcast. It is notable for being one of the few commercial software emulators to be aggressively marketed during the emulated console's lifetime, and was the center of multiple controversial lawsuits.
. This allowed them to create precise optimizations. Unlike Connectix
's commercial Virtual Game Station, it made use of a PC's 3D graphics hardware for rendering allowing for enhanced resolutions and filtered textures not possible on real hardware. Despite claims of "enhanced" graphics, bugs plagued bleem! as well, with all but one game (One
) being plagued by major bugs according to bleem's own compatibility charts.
Bleem! was also released in 3 other versions for the Sega Dreamcast called Bleemcast!
to play the popular PlayStation games Gran Turismo 2
, Metal Gear Solid
and Tekken 3
. Bleemcast! was originally planned as a series of "Bleempacks" that would each support about 100 games, but this soon became an impossibility due to the amount of testing required to support such a large library of games, as well as the lack of a possible software update on the Sega Dreamcast platform. Early ads in magazines advertising Bleemcast! claimed that it would bring 400 new games to Dreamcast.
Bleem! used low-level memory emulation and other real-mode technology. It did not function on operating systems using the Windows NT kernel, including Windows 2000
. In fact, Bleem!'s statement at the time was that Bleem! would never support running on Windows NT-based systems, as Windows 98
was the dominant operating system at the time.
Sony, despite having lost its case with Connectix, continued to pursue legal action against Bleem!. Bleem!, financially unable to defend itself, was forced to go out of business.
As of 2005, 2 members of the team were working for Sony - Randy Linden was working for SCEA on porting titles and looking at the possibility of emulation of previous generation titles for the next PlayStation, and Sean Kauppinen was promoting EverQuest II and Star Wars Galaxies for Sony Online Entertainment.
There are many emulators available now offering 90% or greater compatibility, with Bleem! generally regarded as obsolete.
of the small downloadable emulator, the user had to buy the Bleem!-CD. A CD containing about 35 MB with a DirectX
distributable and the actual version of Bleem! available at the time of the CD's printing. The rest of the CD was only for copy protection and was impossible to copy with conventional means; however the copy protection was cracked nevertheless within two weeks of the release.
Further updates to the emulator were free, until the company ceased operation several years later.
filed suit against them alleging that they were violating their rights and that providing access for PlayStation games to run on non-Sony hardware constituted unfair competition.
Ultimately Bleem! won in court and a protective order was issued to "protect David from Goliath". Sony lost on all counts, including Bleem!'s use of screenshots of PlayStation games on its packaging. The court noted that Bleem!'s use of copyrighted screenshots was considered fair use and should be allowed to continue.
Despite the legal victories, the legal fees allegedly forced the company out of business. eBay
auctions of some of the company's possessions were held soon after - including a huge library of worldwide game releases apparently used for compatibility testing.
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
emulator
Emulator
In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...
released by the Bleem Company in 1999 for IBM-compatible PCs
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
and Dreamcast. It is notable for being one of the few commercial software emulators to be aggressively marketed during the emulated console's lifetime, and was the center of multiple controversial lawsuits.
History
Bleem! was PlayStation emulator software designed to allow people to play original PlayStation games on their PC computers or Dreamcast gaming consoles (the Dreamcast version was called Bleemcast!). It was released in March of 1999. The company that developed and commercialized Bleem! initially consisted of just two people, David Herpolsheimer (president) and Randy Linden.Context
To allow for full-speed emulation of what was at the time a current generation console on even lower-end computers, the authors coded Bleem! in assemblyAssembly language
An assembly language is a low-level programming language for computers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, and other programmable devices. It implements a symbolic representation of the machine codes and other constants needed to program a given CPU architecture...
. This allowed them to create precise optimizations. Unlike Connectix
Connectix
Connectix Corporation was a software and hardware company, noted for having released innovative products that were either made obsolete as Apple Computer incorporated the ideas into system software, or were sold to other companies once they become popular...
's commercial Virtual Game Station, it made use of a PC's 3D graphics hardware for rendering allowing for enhanced resolutions and filtered textures not possible on real hardware. Despite claims of "enhanced" graphics, bugs plagued bleem! as well, with all but one game (One
One (video game)
One is a video game released for the Sony PlayStation in 1997. The game was released as a PSOne Classic for download on the PlayStation Network on March 18, 2010.-Gameplay:...
) being plagued by major bugs according to bleem's own compatibility charts.
Bleem! was also released in 3 other versions for the Sega Dreamcast called Bleemcast!
Bleemcast!
Bleemcast! is an independently developed commercial emulator by Bleem! for Dreamcast that allows one to load and play PlayStation discs on the Dreamcast. It is compatible with most Dreamcast controllers and steering wheels, and enhances the PS1 game...
to play the popular PlayStation games Gran Turismo 2
Gran Turismo 2
is a driving simulator / racing game for the Sony PlayStation. Gran Turismo 2 was developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 1999. The games serves as a sequel to Gran Turismo...
, Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
and Tekken 3
Tekken 3
Tekken 3 is the third installment in the popular Tekken fighting game series. It was released for Arcades in March 1997, and for the PlayStation in mid-1998. The original Arcade version of the game was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 as part of Tekken 5s Arcade History mode...
. Bleemcast! was originally planned as a series of "Bleempacks" that would each support about 100 games, but this soon became an impossibility due to the amount of testing required to support such a large library of games, as well as the lack of a possible software update on the Sega Dreamcast platform. Early ads in magazines advertising Bleemcast! claimed that it would bring 400 new games to Dreamcast.
Bleem! used low-level memory emulation and other real-mode technology. It did not function on operating systems using the Windows NT kernel, including Windows 2000
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...
. In fact, Bleem!'s statement at the time was that Bleem! would never support running on Windows NT-based systems, as Windows 98
Windows 98
Windows 98 is a graphical operating system by Microsoft. It is the second major release in the Windows 9x line of operating systems. It was released to manufacturing on 15 May 1998 and to retail on 25 June 1998. Windows 98 is the successor to Windows 95. Like its predecessor, it is a hybrid...
was the dominant operating system at the time.
Sony, despite having lost its case with Connectix, continued to pursue legal action against Bleem!. Bleem!, financially unable to defend itself, was forced to go out of business.
As of 2005, 2 members of the team were working for Sony - Randy Linden was working for SCEA on porting titles and looking at the possibility of emulation of previous generation titles for the next PlayStation, and Sean Kauppinen was promoting EverQuest II and Star Wars Galaxies for Sony Online Entertainment.
Legacy
Although Sony's litigation against Bleem! bankrupted the company, their inability to win a decisive victory against Bleem!, nor to have the product removed from shelves after their demise, is a legal precedent for the commercial viability of emulators, and has emboldened development of many free PlayStation emulators.There are many emulators available now offering 90% or greater compatibility, with Bleem! generally regarded as obsolete.
Copy protection
To combat software piracyCopyright infringement of software
Copyright infringement of software=The copyright infringement of software refers to several practices which involve the unauthorized copying of computer software. Copyright infringement of this kind varies globally...
of the small downloadable emulator, the user had to buy the Bleem!-CD. A CD containing about 35 MB with a DirectX
DirectX
Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay,...
distributable and the actual version of Bleem! available at the time of the CD's printing. The rest of the CD was only for copy protection and was impossible to copy with conventional means; however the copy protection was cracked nevertheless within two weeks of the release.
Further updates to the emulator were free, until the company ceased operation several years later.
Sony lawsuit
Two days after Bleem! started taking preorders for their emulator, SonySony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
filed suit against them alleging that they were violating their rights and that providing access for PlayStation games to run on non-Sony hardware constituted unfair competition.
Ultimately Bleem! won in court and a protective order was issued to "protect David from Goliath". Sony lost on all counts, including Bleem!'s use of screenshots of PlayStation games on its packaging. The court noted that Bleem!'s use of copyrighted screenshots was considered fair use and should be allowed to continue.
Despite the legal victories, the legal fees allegedly forced the company out of business. eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
auctions of some of the company's possessions were held soon after - including a huge library of worldwide game releases apparently used for compatibility testing.