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General Retro Discussion


tapedeck

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So after deciding to play some Dreamcast games tonight for the systems 20th Anniversary, I set about connecting my Dreamcast to my Framemeister via a dedicated RGB scart cable made for the scaling box and... it wasn't recognising the signal, despite having it working only a week ago when I was testing some games, fortunately though after searching for solutions, I remembered that the unit has a micro sd card slot so I updated the firmware (last update for Framemeister firmware was 2016) and it works like a charm. :D

I found some of my old memory cards but not the main ones I was looking for sadly, some had PSO2 data on them but it's on a third-party card which I don't remember using, it's got four memory banks on it though, anyway on the newer "bright white" Dreamcast I had bought a little while back with a view to it hopefully lasting longer, it wouldn't let me load anything on PSO2 because I forgot that the unique setup for that game requires you to register various numbers and the game is then locked to the serial number of that Dreamcast...

Fortunately, I still have my original "old yella" Dreamcast which has seen better days colourwise but still chugs away nicely and of course that let me use my copy of PSO2 and even though the character data on the third-party card for three characters wouldn't load because it was obviously made on another Dreamcast, there was one slot free so I made a RAmarl and called her "2B" yeah I know, not exactly original but I liked the idea of making a character from a game which didn't exist in the DC days, plus she does look like a PSO character a little bit anyway.

I played a couple of story quests and it became immediately apparent that PSO on the DC is much darker colourwise but it has a nice contrast to it, it just makes me appreciate the evolution from DC to GC to PC even more, though the music is strong enough, the sound effects now sound like they're underwater to me in comparison to the GC and PC versions, so in that respect, it seems like the opposite of the Skies of Arcadia DC/GC issue with the sound, which reminds me... I did find my original file on another VMU so I should try that again soon; another thing worth noting is that the menu's on PSO V2 are still really slick, they give even the PC version a run for it's money, though on the DC version obviously it's the loading which kills it but I still kind of love the sound of the DC's motor whirring away during the loading screens, it's weirdly nostalgic. :grin:

Also, my newer DC is significantly quieter than my old console, but anyway, they both seem to be able to retain the time and date now that it's set on both machines, so chances are I will keep each system running regularly to make sure they stay in good working order, so it will be my newer console for most of the games and the original will be my PSO Ver.2 machine, now I've just got to find out what I did with those other two memory cards which are hopefully still full of characters and lots of interesting rare weapons from back in the day. :smile:

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6 minutes ago, Ike said:

Looks like a site about wallpaper (?) jumped the gun a and posted an article early. Handheld that plays GB/C/A and others.

https://www.wallpaper.com/lifestyle/analogue-pocket-vintage-handheld-game-boy#pic_1

Might as well copy the text across as well, some suprising information in the article that wallpaper is taken from...

Vintage video games have been levelled up through a contemporary reinterpretation of the Nintendo Game Boy. Analogue Pocket, by US tech company Analogue, is a faithful reimagining of the legendary games console. The handheld device can be used to play the entire library of 2,780-plus games produced for the 1989 Game Boy and its subsequent successors, the Game Boy Colour and Game Boy Advance.

Analogue launched in 2011 with purpose to ‘celebrate and explore the history of video games with the respect it deserves’. You’ll find no digital downloads or emulations here, as its catalogue of systems exclusively run vintage games cartridges: a nostalgia-tinted homage to the original capabilities of their decades-old predecessors.

e_3-analogue-pocket-games.jpg?itok=_00wp

Analogue Pocket very much follows these footsteps. Aside from its refreshing minimalist visuals, it stands up to modern standards with a host of impressive on-board tech, fully putting the qualms presented by its forefathers to rest. A high definition display (ten times that of the original Game Boy, so we’re told) makes colours pop, shine and glow like never before. Additionally, stereo speakers, a USB-C rechargeable lithium ion battery and fully mappable buttons give today’s user better sound, longer battery life and the means to experience titles in their own way.

On the topic of titles: Analogue Pocket isn’t just restricted to Nintendo favourites. Analogue has made a host of cartridge adapters available to vintage-era enthusiasts, bringing releases from additional systems including the Sega Game Gear, SNK Neo Geo Pocket Colour and Atari Lynx into the fold.
e_2_analogue_pocket.jpg?itok=dugiqOkS

The device isn’t just a lo-fi stroll down memory lane, however: it’s also something of a creative tool. For musicians, an onboard digital audio workstation called Nanoloop comes pre-loaded with a quirky synthesiser and sequencer. Fittingly, budding developers can also utilise the portable hardware to develop their own concepts.

With the oldest of the original Game Boy’s titles having turned 30 in 2019, Analogue Pocket well commemorates the console that took the world by storm. As Analogue itself appropriately puts it: ‘there is no better way to explore all of handheld gaming history.’

So it looks like you'll be able to play other portable systems on the machine via adapters! :D

Atari Lynx, Sega Game Gear and Neo Geo Pocket Color! :grin:

Now, the only thing I'm now wishing this has as well is a HDMI out and a controller out so you can play these games on the big screen, it doesn't mention that though so I guess not.

Either way this is still amazing as a handheld because presumably the screen will be a huge upgrade across all portable formats, heck the Neo Geo Pocket Color support is amazing.

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Super impressive that they’ve managed to achieve a FPGA GBA implementation (FPGBA?); but that form factor is... unfortunate for GBA games...

 

Also, no wireless link cables, HDMI out or Bluetooth headphone/controller support? Talk about missed opportunities!

 

As things stand, I don’t see much of a point in choosing this over a backlit GBAsp...

Edited by Dcubed
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18 minutes ago, Happenstance said:

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Ok, now it has a point.

 

Looks like a good alternative to the GBA Consoliser and the GB Player; especially of it has action replay built-in (which it almost certainly will).

 

Too rich for my blood though; especially since I already have a backlit modded GBA and a backlit GBAsp alongside a GCN/GB Player anyway

 

I’d consider it if I didn’t already have the full official setup though... or if it had wireless multiplayer support...

Edited by Dcubed
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It has a dock! :D

Just seen it myself as I got the email, came right here to post about it. :)

This means it will offer something I've been wanting for a while now, Neo Geo Pocket Color games on the big screen. :grin:

Sure it's pricey but... I'll find the money for it if I can as this is something I'd definitely use. :smile:

I have the library for NGPC games as well, I have sold some of the ones I had but I also have a NGPC flashcart as well, so assuming that works the same way that it does on original hardware, I should be good to go.

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Bad news guys...

The dock is being sold separately...

 

Yeah, there’s no way I can justify this kind of price.  It’ll end up being the same price as the Switch when you buy the dock for it as well! :o 

 

18 minutes ago, Happenstance said:

The other thing that would put me off getting this is that the GB/GBC/GBA market is even more flooded with fake carts than any other I've seen. I tried starting a GBA collection last year and couldn't trust anything I bought. I ended up with multiple fake carts almost immediately.

Actually, the market isn’t so bad right now as far as bootlegging goes.  A few years back, it was basically impossible to buy original, non-bootlegged, GBA carts, but now it’s actually alright.

 

As long as you have your wits about you and you’re buying from reputable sellers (who usually provide pictures of the motherboard), it’s actually not a bad time to buy GB/C/A games!

 

Nintendo DS though? No.  Right now, that market is so dominated by bootleggers that you’ll end up getting trenchfoot if you even look at eBay...

Edited by Dcubed
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18 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

Actually, the market isn’t so bad right now as far as bootlegging goes.  A few years back, it was basically impossible to buy original, non-bootlegged, GBA carts, but now it’s actually alright.

 

 

As long as you have your wits about you and you’re buying from reputable sellers (who usually provide pictures of the motherboard), it’s actually not a bad time to buy GB/C/A games!

 

Nintendo DS though? No.  Right now, that market is so dominated by bootleggers that you’ll end up getting trenchfoot if you even look at eBay...

Well I can only go from my own experience and in my experience it was still terrible.

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10 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

Very happy that Strider featured in this episode. The PlayStation port is an amazing version of the game.

*nods* I watched that the other evening when it was out, very good video, I'd usually have posted it but I thought I'd wait for someone else to for a change. :D

I completely agree about the Strider port, I got a copy of Strider 2 with Strider with CeX credit a few months back and I was blown away by the port. :)

Strider 2 itself isn't bad either. :peace:

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Surprised that they didn’t point out that that version of Strider isn’t unique to the Strider 2 package; it’s actually re-packaged from the Japanese Capcom Generations series.  That version is also available on Saturn, PS2, Xbox and PSP/Vita (the latter three being part of Capcom Classics Collection).

 

Actually, Capcom Classics Collection is still available on the PSN store to this day! If you have a Vita and/or PlayStation TV, I highly recommend you pick up the two Capcom Collections on there!

 

It’s currently the only way to play the arcade versions of Strider and Ghosts N’ Goblins (amongst many other Capcom games) on modern devices (and yes, it is indeed whitelisted on PlayStation TV; I have it on my own PSTV, so I know it works! Looks and plays fantastic on one! :D )

Edited by Dcubed
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1 hour ago, Happenstance said:

Did any of you guys back the Dreamcast book on Kickstarter a few years ago? Every time I get a status email it’s a surprise as they’re so far between and I keep forgetting all about it. This damn book had better be good!

Yes, I did. :)

Very much looking forward to getting it, then putting it in the huge box full of other video game books that I Kickstarted over the years. :D

Half serious... but when I have more time and a bit more space I'm planning on reading through them all. :smile:

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