Jump to content
NEurope
tapedeck

General Retro Discussion

Recommended Posts

Bwaahhahaha at the special effects, Craig Charles and tons of the other stuff in that video. Also, did they ramp up that Starwing footage speed by 9000x or something? I was hyperventilating watching that. Also, fuck the Nintendo scope. Hated that with a passion. Never seemed to work properly or accurately whenever I tried it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

God damn that video brings back memories - I must have watched it so many times when I was a kid, remembered pretty much every section :heh: 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Suddenly in the mood to play PSO again. I know its extremely unlikely that we'll ever see PSO2 over here but I wonder if a PSO HD re-release would have enough nostalgia attached to it to sell well enough to make it worthwhile for Sega.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
47 minutes ago, Happenstance said:

Suddenly in the mood to play PSO again. I know its extremely unlikely that we'll ever see PSO2 over here but I wonder if a PSO HD re-release would have enough nostalgia attached to it to sell well enough to make it worthwhile for Sega.

I doubt it. I imagine they don't want the cost of running more servers. I think the best we could hope for is if Microsoft gets it up and running on their backwards compatible software but even then it would probably only be offline.

I know a fair few people still play the Gamecube and Dreamcast versions online thanks to Sylverant. The Dreamcast has quite a nice little online community thanks to the DreamPi.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, Hero-of-Time said:

I doubt it. I imagine they don't want the cost of running more servers. I think the best we could hope for is if Microsoft gets it up and running on their backwards compatible software but even then it would probably only be offline.

I know a fair few people still play the Gamecube and Dreamcast versions online thanks to Sylverant. The Dreamcast has quite a nice little online community thanks to the DreamPi.

Oh yeah the Blue Burst PC version still has a small community as well. I'd just rather a re-release to actually get a fuller playerbase again.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, Happenstance said:

Oh yeah the Blue Burst PC version still has a small community as well. I'd just rather a re-release to actually get a fuller playerbase again.

True. It would be great to get a fresh community on it. It would also be pretty sweet to play the game with a few people on here. I know @S.C.G would no doubt fall down the rabbit hole again. :D 

The closest I have ever got to that feeling of playing PSO is with Monster Hunter. While I enjoy MH a lot more, PSO is the reason why I like that kind of game and why it made my Top 10 list rather than MH. Without PSO I may have never gotten into the Monster Hunter series.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm currently playing Wave Race: Blue Storm properly for the first time and finding it hugely challenging. I'd assumed that it was a pretty standard racing game, that I'd get by with just the usual 'Mario Kart' controls but quickly realised it has a lot more nuances to it. I thought the water would just be set dressing but it really does effect the way your jet ski controls and the variety of weather conditions change how you can approach each course. 

I managed to complete the Normal championship mode without too mich trouble but I'm finding the Hard mode quite frustrating but rewarding enough to persevere. I think I'm used to the quirks of each course but I keep making stupid little mistakes, not hitting a jump correctly or wiping out at inopportune times, but most irritating of all is when I get sideswiped by another racer and wipe out, there doesn't seem any way to defend against it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 minutes ago, killthenet said:

I'm currently playing Wave Race: Blue Storm properly for the first time and finding it hugely challenging. I'd assumed that it was a pretty standard racing game, that I'd get by with just the usual 'Mario Kart' controls but quickly realised it has a lot more nuances to it. I thought the water would just be set dressing but it really does effect the way your jet ski controls and the variety of weather conditions change how you can approach each course. 

I managed to complete the Normal championship mode without too mich trouble but I'm finding the Hard mode quite frustrating but rewarding enough to persevere. I think I'm used to the quirks of each course but I keep making stupid little mistakes, not hitting a jump correctly or wiping out at inopportune times, but most irritating of all is when I get sideswiped by another racer and wipe out, there doesn't seem any way to defend against it.

It's a really tough game, imo. I had to definitely put time and effort into it, but it's such a fun game that you do feel a great sense of achievement when you make it through. F Zero GX has a similar level of challenge, especially on the higher levels. A shame that we haven't had more Wave Race or F Zero games since.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 minutes ago, Fierce_LiNk said:

It's a really tough game, imo. I had to definitely put time and effort into it, but it's such a fun game that you do feel a great sense of achievement when you make it through. F Zero GX has a similar level of challenge, especially on the higher levels. A shame that we haven't had more Wave Race or F Zero games since.

I think the issue is that they simply don't sell enough. Both are a bit niche and the futuristic racing genre isn't exactly booming. Sony released a WipeOut collection on the PS4 and despite reviewing well it didn't exactly set sales records.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
39 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

I think the issue is that they simply don't sell enough. Both are a bit niche and the futuristic racing genre isn't exactly booming. Sony released a WipeOut collection on the PS4 and despite reviewing well it didn't exactly set sales records.

I think part of the issue is that the market has gone towards realism and the sim experience. It's all about recreating real-life and it means that some of the more "alternative" genres, the niche ones like you say, just don't get a look in anymore. Maybe there will be a revival for alternative racers at some point, it would be good to have a bit more variety. It's mainly just about Forza and Mario Kart these days.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Fierce_LiNk said:

I think part of the issue is that the market has gone towards realism and the sim experience. It's all about recreating real-life and it means that some of the more "alternative" genres, the niche ones like you say, just don't get a look in anymore. Maybe there will be a revival for alternative racers at some point, it would be good to have a bit more variety. It's mainly just about Forza and Mario Kart these days.

This is very true. Just look at the recently released Onrush. The racer reviewed very well but it absolutely bombed. So much so that layoffs had to happen at Codemasters. It only sold around 1000 copies at launch in the UK.

  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, killthenet said:

I'm currently playing Wave Race: Blue Storm properly for the first time and finding it hugely challenging. I'd assumed that it was a pretty standard racing game, that I'd get by with just the usual 'Mario Kart' controls but quickly realised it has a lot more nuances to it. I thought the water would just be set dressing but it really does effect the way your jet ski controls and the variety of weather conditions change how you can approach each course. 

I managed to complete the Normal championship mode without too mich trouble but I'm finding the Hard mode quite frustrating but rewarding enough to persevere. I think I'm used to the quirks of each course but I keep making stupid little mistakes, not hitting a jump correctly or wiping out at inopportune times, but most irritating of all is when I get sideswiped by another racer and wipe out, there doesn't seem any way to defend against it.

Wave Race: Blue Storm is one of my favourite racing games ever :yay:

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
13 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

This is very true. Just look at the recently released Onrush. The racer reviewed very well but it absolutely bombed. So much so that layoffs had to happen at Codemasters. It only sold around 1000 copies at launch in the UK.

It's not surprising given the way of the industry at the moment. Racers are just not as popular as they used to be, and the ones that are popular are the big name games such as Forza. It's moved into a very online-driven FPS world and racers don't have the appeal to dislodge that. 
I guess the best we can ask for is an indie with a middling budget to provide something, as I don't see many of the bigger studios willing to do that unless they can bring in big numbers. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

As a big fan of less realistic racing games, it's really sad to see their decline over the last few generations. Nintendo are just relying on Mario Kart now, whilst Sony and Microsoft pretty much banking on Gran Turismo and Forza. All three companies have a wealth of quality racing franchises from the past.

Mario Kart is alright every once in a while. I can't think of anything more dull and monotonous than a realistic racing sim with a licenced soundtrack though. 

Maybe I should dig out that import copy of Excitebots.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

While I don't have any intention of upgrading to 4K (at the moment) as I feel like I still haven't got the best out of 1080p yet, this is an interesting video. :)

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

After a couple of nights getting progressively better at Wave Race I've now completed the Expert mode of the Championship. I'm a bit annoyed at the game because I technically got equal 1st but the CPU character was awarded first place. Not been so frustrated by a game for a while but I've enjoyed the process of gradually getting better.

Surely Nintendo could make a digital only mid-budget Wave Race or F-Zero, there's enough demand from long standing Nintendo gamers that they would sell a few hundred thousand at least. 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, S.C.G said:

While I don't have any intention of upgrading to 4K (at the moment) as I feel like I still haven't got the best out of 1080p yet, this is an interesting video. :)

Great video but it also shows why I hate modern TVs. There's so much stuff to them these days that it's honestly scary trying to make a decision about which to buy. I could do with finally upgrading my set, which i've had around 10 years now, but every time I go to look at one i'm always left confused as to what I should be looking for. You get some saying that they are 4K but they aren't actually 4K, 10bit panels that aren't true 10bit panels, and then you can't just take it home and plug it in but have to update the firmware and faff on with trying to get the best picture out of it. It's all a bit overwhelming, TBH.

One of my mates sent me a text a couple of weeks ago asking about what TV he should buy as he was wanting a new one for his bedroom. I told him I didn't have a clue as there are far too many factors to take into consideration now. I liked it better when the only thing you had to worry about was what size the screen was. :D 

10 hours ago, killthenet said:

Surely Nintendo could make a digital only mid-budget Wave Race or F-Zero, there's enough demand from long standing Nintendo gamers that they would sell a few hundred thousand at least. 

This was a topic that popped up on ResetEra at the start of the week, with the topic creator saying the same as yourself. I replied to that thread saying that Nintendo should really be utilizing the eShop for such franchises that they consider a risk. Excitebike: World Tour on WiiWare is a great example of what Nintendo could achieve with a small, downloadable game.

  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, Happenstance said:

I'm kind of tempted to make a dumb purchase and buy a Supaboy SFC for my SNES carts.

I feel when you're about to purchase something like this, it's good to ask yourself a couple of questions...

How often will I realistically use this device?

Don't I already have a better way of playing these games?

Do I really need another handheld?

I realise that I'm possibly trying to talk you out of buying something which is a relatively minor purchase, yet I've made some pretty crazy purchases myself lately. :p

Indeed, I just bought another Neo Geo Pocket Color console... :blush: but but... this one has a modded backlight, so I'll likely use it. :peace:

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 8/2/2018 at 7:04 AM, Hero-of-Time said:

Great video but it also shows why I hate modern TVs. There's so much stuff to them these days that it's honestly scary trying to make a decision about which to buy. I could do with finally upgrading my set, which i've had around 10 years now, but every time I go to look at one i'm always left confused as to what I should be looking for. You get some saying that they are 4K but they aren't actually 4K, 10bit panels that aren't true 10bit panels, and then you can't just take it home and plug it in but have to update the firmware and faff on with trying to get the best picture out of it. It's all a bit overwhelming, TBH.

One of my mates sent me a text a couple of weeks ago asking about what TV he should buy as he was wanting a new one for his bedroom. I told him I didn't have a clue as there are far too many factors to take into consideration now. I liked it better when the only thing you had to worry about was what size the screen was. :D 

This was a topic that popped up on ResetEra at the start of the week, with the topic creator saying the same as yourself. I replied to that thread saying that Nintendo should really be utilizing the eShop for such franchises that they consider a risk. Excitebike: World Tour on WiiWare is a great example of what Nintendo could achieve with a small, downloadable game.

Worst thing about these modern 4K TVs? Almost all of them are now getting rid of analog inputs entierly! My 4K Samsung KS8000 has 4 HDMI inputs only, no analog inputs whatsoever!

 

So unless you are using something like an OSCC or Framemeister? Or using expensive hardware mods? Or using an el-cheapo, shonky HDMI adapter that butchers the image quality? It's impossible to hook up any pre Gen 7 console to a modern 4K TV at all!

Edited by Dcubed

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
9 hours ago, S.C.G said:

I feel when you're about to purchase something like this, it's good to ask yourself a couple of questions...

How often will I realistically use this device?

Don't I already have a better way of playing these games?

Do I really need another handheld?

I realise that I'm possibly trying to talk you out of buying something which is a relatively minor purchase, yet I've made some pretty crazy purchases myself lately. :p

Indeed, I just bought another Neo Geo Pocket Color console... :blush: but but... this one has a modded backlight, so I'll likely use it. :peace:

 

To be honest I mostly wanted another way to use my carts as my SNES isn’t the most reliable and my Retron 5 is becoming a bit of a hassle to recognise them. The Supaboy seemed a good alternative as it’s a bit Switch-like as you can also hook it up to the tv to play it there but after watching a video review it looks like it has a bit too much lag when playing the games so I won’t be buying it after all.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 minutes ago, Happenstance said:

To be honest I mostly wanted another way to use my carts as my SNES isn’t the most reliable and my Retron 5 is becoming a bit of a hassle to recognise them. The Supaboy seemed a good alternative as it’s a bit Switch-like as you can also hook it up to the tv to play it there but after watching a video review it looks like it has a bit too much lag when playing the games so I won’t be buying it after all.

Hmm, the better option might be to buy a new SNES, if you get one of the "one chip" models, then at least that would be good for hooking up via a decent RGB Scart cable. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, S.C.G said:

Hmm, the better option might be to buy a new SNES, if you get one of the "one chip" models, then at least that would be good for hooking up via a decent RGB Scart cable. :)

I’m also considering going the Analogue Super NT route.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My only concern about getting the Super NT is that a lot of people seem to think they are ramping up to eventually build a system that will play other consoles as well so it might be worth waiting a bit to see if anything happens there given the price of the Super NT on its own. Som thing like the Retron 5 with an actual good build quality would be a day one purchase for me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×