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Buying retro console hardware/software
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I can understand how it's a preference, it's just an issue that I feel is never addressed from both sides. Most people assume that a sharper, clearer display is always better, and for most consoles that's correct. But the Genesis in specific is a unique console that used dithering for many effects. The Sega Saturn is actually the same way - dithering is used for fake transparency all over the place. It'll work on a CRT TV using composite, but use S-video and it all turns into checkerboard patterns.
If you can find a game which doesn't use dithering, RGB looks stunning on a genesis, though. Flink for the Sega CD is extremely well done in that it uses no dithering throughout the entire game, and thus it looks great over RGB. On the flipside, Eternal Champions uses dithering on literally every piece of art in the game (which is why early magazines claimed it was pushing 512 colors at once) and it looks like a mess via RGB:
On the plus side I learned how to work a multimeter. I am secretly hoping the SNES fuse got blown out so I can learn to solder on something easy to fix...
Black: 0389 8074 1114 - 3DS: 4940-5435-1167 - PSN: Haarvest
I experienced this with Silent Hill 1 over HDMI. The streets were a striped pattern and the entire image had a fine mesh over it -- I suppose that was a dimming effect meant to be caused by the fog.
That's dithering, but it's done differently. In that case, it's a hardware feature, not an artistic choice. What you're seeing in the case of Silent Hill on the playstation is that the hardware isn't up to the task of rending everything at 24 bits per pixel (8 bits for R, 8 bits for B, 8 bits for G, and 8 bits for alpha) at a consistent framerate. Thus, to improve the framerate, the playstation (and many console since) have the option of converting the internal framebuffered image from 24 bpp to 16 bpp when it's drawn on the screen. This reduces the amount of information the GPU has to draw to the screen each update, but the playstation has less colors available to work with. To make up for it, it'll use dithering to approximate inbetween colors. The GCN, and by extension Wii, use this feature heavily, while it's rarely seen on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Resident Evil 4 and Skyward Sword both use 16 bpp mode as well. The playstation (and GCN and Wii) have the ability to output in 15 bpp color mode WITHOUT dithering, but this completely removes the alpha channel, which essentially removes the ability for transparencies.
The reason this is done on older consoles, and the wii, is because it's assumed you'll be playing on a CRT via composite with color bleed, so you won't notice. They can't really get away with this on the Xbox 360 and PS3 because of the prevalence of HDMI or Composite.
Shows what the fuck my Wii knows.
Not that I'm surprised. The way that thing handles widescreen, for instance, is ridiculous. Sure, fine, I'll turn on stretch mode on my TV. I don't have to do that for anything else, but I guess I'll do it for you.
Link if anyone wants to see it.
Black: 0389 8074 1114 - 3DS: 4940-5435-1167 - PSN: Haarvest
Anyway, as you may remember, I picked up a Sega CD/Genesis set a while back, and just ordered in some more games. This time I got Rocket Knight Adventures, Road Rash, Phantasy Star IV, and Eye of the Beholder (Sega CD). PS4 already arrived and I was very disappointed to see that its in a cardboard case, rather than a plastic one. Reminds me of when Nintendo decided to stop packaging dust protectors, because they were cheap bastards.
I've heard many Popful Mail recommendations, but its quite an expensive game, if you want the case (I do). 120 on Amazon, 180 on ebay. Of course, disc only costs nothing, but I don't like doing that. Worth the price tag, or keep looking for a better deal?
It's a great game, btw. I wouldn't compare it to Zelda 2, as much as I'd say it's basically Wonderboy CD.
But I meant as far as side scrolling actiony adenture type game with equipment and the like.
And the case/manual thing is valid. It depends if he wants it to be original, or if he doesn't mind a reprint on the case art.
*edit*
I actually never looked at that rarity guide site. I have almost the entire top list for value of CIB for both the Saturn and Sega CD. nice. lol
I understand its a collector's items, but man, I got a complete excellent condition PS 4 for 1/6th the price they are asking on Ebay for Popful Mail, and I guarantee its a better game. As I've said, I'm more of a gamer than a collector, in that I don't mind paying a bunch for a game I'll actually play and enjoy, but after a point it become a bit silly. Popful Mail's manual and case art is apparently worth about 150 dollars heh. Not worth that much to me.
Only reason its even a concern is that I love those oversized cases old CD games came in. I love the original Playstation boxes, too, though I only own one (Descent). I guess if you print labels, though, Sonic's idea of stealing the case from a worthless Sega CD title would work.
I guarantee it's not.
I'm not going to lie, if I pick up a game at random, that I've never played before, from the early 90s, chances are I'm not going to be glued to it. A game that can still do that is pretty special.
I've been playing Sonic 1 on and off for the last few days and it's quite good. I'm not as powered up about platformers as when I was a kid but I still do alright. Though there was one 'fuck you' moment in the second zone that really pissed me off, a red spring set up to knock you back into the lava you just negotiated.
How many rings does it take to get into that weird rotating bonus area? I usually don't collect enough but I've been there a few times.
Black: 0389 8074 1114 - 3DS: 4940-5435-1167 - PSN: Haarvest
Another major benefit of a good old CRT (assuming it's not a flatscreen) - light gun support. This might not seem like a big deal... until you get Snatcher for the Sega CD and a Konami Justifier...
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Standard wouldn't likely have that issue, but I knew I had the thing. If it gets too annoying I can't imagine its hard to get an old fashioned style one.
Also, the test cart I'm using (a 2 dollar copy of PS 3) has a dead battery. Guess I've got a guinea pig for learning how to do that.
Craigslist, kijiji or thrift stores/pawn shops. Shipping would be killer on crt's.
The TV I use is a sony wega crt which retailed for around $1000. I got it for $50. It's also a flat screen and light guns work fine, its when you get into the wide screen's that issues can come up. It cost me twice that to get a stand which would hold it, the thing is a 27' and weighs roughly 90lbs. The next step up is a 31 which weighs double that if i recall right.
racketboy has some decent discussion on the forums for brand names to hunt for. Usually anything made in the mid-late 90's is perfect.
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Despite all this, I remember that, past the opening, it turns into a pretty good Zelda clone, and the dungeons after the second or third get pretty good. But good god that opening is awful. Probably the worst paced game I've ever played. I have no idea how I powered through it the first time I played it - if I didn't remember that it got better later in the game, I would have shut my saturn off after the first 30 minutes.
I also got a new playstation mouse, so I'm giving Policenauts another playthrough. It's a lot smoother with a mouse instead of a controller.
EDIT: Since I listed 3 out of the 5 most expensive and sought after saturn games available (with Psychic Killer Taromaru and Deep fear being the other - all 5 games being valued between $150-$300 each), I'd give my opinions on whether or not they're "worth" it. I'd say, of the famous hyper expensive saturn games, Shining Force III is probably the best of the bunch. It has battle animations and graphics that would have been impressive on a playstation or early N64, with every attack and spell being presented with the same cinematic 3D view that made FFVII so popular, only there are about 700 different spells and moves in SF3 compared to the couple of hundred in FFVII.
Panzer Dragoon Saga is a very, very close second place. If you can put yourself in the frame of mind about when and where the game was released (read: the saturn, in 1998), then you can still appreciate how magnificent its graphics are for the hardware. It's battle system is still fun, and its cutscenes are easily the highest quality on the system (both in terms of direction and actual technical aspect - full screen, non-grainy cutscenes on the saturn). It's short enough to be enjoyed in a few sittings, and its story and setting are still completely top notch and would probably be just as awesome in a remake.
Magic Knight Rayearth is not worth the money. it's a standard Zelda clone that gets inflated for two reasons - it's the last US Saturn game, and it was brought over by Working Designs. Had I not gotten this game when it was new, I probably would never have gotten it. It's not a bad game (outside of the opening I described) but it's not great either. And it's certainly not worth spending $150+ on. You can get a much better experience from either Shining Wisdom or the vastly superior Legend of Oasis for a couple of bucks each.
As for the other two games - Deep fear is well worth the money. It's a great resident evil clone that gives RE2 on the PSX a good run for its money (with the added bonus of normal 3D controls if you use the NiGHTS pad, sorta like the analog controls from RE2 on the N64). It has good voice acting and a good plot, and great graphics for the system.
Psychic Killer Taromaru is the best action game on the entire system. Because less than 1000 copies exist, it is completely worth the asking price it normally goes for (usually around $300+). It will absolutely retain its value, and it'll likely never ever be ported given that Time Warner owns it.
long story short: Shining Force III, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Deep Fear, Psychic Killer Taromaru - all get my recommendation despite their high price tags.
Magic Knight Rayearth - pass unless you absolutely need every saturn game ever.
But I am indeed playing a Super Nintendo game, an obscure one. The Hurricanes, based on a TV show of the same name in which you control a guy who uses a soccer ball as a weapon. The game is interesting, although it's a bit unfair with enemies.
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You're gonna have to get them recapped in a few years, it not sooner.
Recently beat power blade for nes, great if easish platformer I picked up on the cheap. That had me research a few other late releases and I will be picking up kickmaster soon.
Taking a break from gargoyles quest 2, I'm at the labyrinth level and these mirrors are driving me nuts. Still working through beyond oasis, and need to pickup legend of oasis.
Going to check the used dvd place this week, last time they had a disc only in the hunt for $10 that I hesitated on because I wasn't sure how much it was worth.
Steam/PSN/XBL/Minecraft / LoL / - Benevicious | WoW - Duckwood - Rajhek
Ebay has become such a rip-off anymore.
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Amazon.com usually is cheaper than ebay, too.
But that's just a general truth for all retro hardware at this point, no? There's nothing to be gained by waiting per se, is there?
Correct. The only other thing to look out for is that there is a fuse on the power board for the Sega CD which is prone to going out. It's a $0.08 fix, though.
Can anyone think of another video game story that is intended to be taken as one single, solid entity (i.e. no sequels) that is more epic than that?
But I can't think of any game that spanned more than 2 games tops with a single contiguous story that wasn't just a tacked on sequel.
Shenmue was planned to be 18 chapters long. All of shenmue I is chapter 1, chapter 2 was eventually cut from the series (it was the boat ride between shenmue I and II) and shenmue II is chapters 3-5. Shenmue would have been a contender had it actually come to pass, but it didn't. As is, I'm struggling to think of anything that even comes close to SF3's total story in terms of scope.
You play 50 hours in the prequel before you even begin the main story, and by that point, several characters you haven't even been introduced to yet have real motivations that you already know about.
To get a sense of scale of Shining Force 3 - you don't even begin to play as the main character of the game until you've already put in over 130 hours of gameplay. You see him constantly throughout the game, beginning as a small child until you finally control him as an adult, and he's always around in the game, but you don't realize he's the main character of the entire game until you reach sc 3.
As far as games even close... I can only think of ones that artificially inflate play time with lots of random things to do. IE the elder scrolls games.
I suppose the mass effect games would be similar, but being all part of 1 story is a bit of a stretch. As they are more 3 self contained acts in 1 overarching story.