Personally I think the original digital PSX controller is fine. It's just the lazy way they hacked the analogue contollers on - it's really annoying the way the left hand analogue stick isn't in a good position especially. (Unless you play games where analogue controls don't matter). Analogue triggers would be nice as well...
I think Sega claimed the Dreamcast was 128 bits becuase it could do operations on 128 bits at once (SIMD?), and it's stuck with lazy games journalists, I think I've seen things about 256 bits, when the next gen systems are probably going to be 64 bits...
From looking at pictures (pictures of UMDs first appeared alongside pics of the early flat-buttoned PSP prototype, and pics of actual (or mockup) game discs have appeared), UMDs look a bit like more rounded MiniDiscs, they have a protective case as part of the disc, so they should be reasonably durable. Although I'd hope they come in some sort of outer case (like MiniDiscs) to help protect them a bit more when not in use.
Not really. As far as I know they lose a couple of hundred US dollars on every Xbox system sold. They'll make back the development cost of the game, but they'll still be losing money overall, until every buyer buys a few dozen full-price games to go with the system.
Now getting a monopoly on operating systems, using that to gain a monopoly on office suites, and a good share of the server market (etc., etc.). Now that's a licence to print money, at least as soon as companies are allowed to purchase countries. It's also a good way to subsidise a loss-leader[1] to get a foothold in the games console market.
[1] Well, it's doing better than the Game Cube, although I'm sure I'm about to get assaulted by a Nintendo fanboy for daring to suggest the 'Cube is in 3rd.
Yep, it's a typical article linked to on Slashdot. The editors have an amazing skill for picking articles from (sub) High School level[1] writers on fan-sites.
But I wish people would keep on guessing the battery life on a product not even out yet. Now that the price isn't the astronomical price predicted, people keep on going on about the batteries instead.
The batteries do look problematic, but I think the developers will've know that, and will probably be writing there software so it doesn't drain the battery fast.
===
But then again I'm getting the impression that most of the people who post on Slashdot Games are Nintendo fanboys, which is proved by pulling figures out of my arse that show that most Slashdotters are Americans who were kids when Nintendo were 0wnzering the US game market (I'm a touch younger, and from the UK, and nobody will dare besmirch my Sega Mega Drive!):-)
===
Although I fear I'm sortof turning into a PSP-fanboy... It just seems so cool...:-)
(Then again everyone's a fanboy about something, with the possible exception of chartered accountants).
===
[1] That's 13-16 year olds in the UK (if, like me you live / grew up in the few areas with First/Middle/High schools instead of Primary/Secondary).
If you'd read the article, youd've found out that the Sony ET was the doomed non-SCE handheld that another bit of Sony tried to make a couple of years ago, not the PSP. But it really was a rather bad name to pick for a games project, at least if you're superstitious. If only theyd've picked another codename, we could've had the over PSP three years ago.;-)
And the DS isn't universally loved, I'm in the universe, and I think it sounds a bit gimmicky (and also looks a bit unwieldy). I'd stick to my GBA. The PSP sounds like a cooler gadget, apart from the battery / display issue. (I'm in the UK, not expecting either until Easter at the earliest).
Would anyone want the source code? I don't know of a single well regarded 1st Party Acclaim game. Most of their good games were devloped by 3rd parties, who probably own the rights to them (stuff like Burnout, Dead or Alive, Mortal Kombat etc.)
Re:Done in by the people who would buy this stuff
on
Buy a Piece of Acclaim
·
· Score: 1
I like the way about 3/4 of the list are either arcade ports (mostly Midway), or Japanese games Acclaim published in the US. Why they didn't mention Dead or Alive 2, I don't know, it counts by the list's standards.
Most of the 'original' games are by 3rd Party developers (Rare, Criterion etc.) rather than in-house as well (did Acclaim even have an in-house?).
Truely this company did great things. My copy of Rise of the Robtots (Mega Drive, PAL) had[1] a nice Acclaim logo on it's spine as well...
[1] I didn't keep hold of it. I paid at lest £5 too much, which for a £3 game is quite an acheivement (sp? bloody Firefox doesn't have a spell checker - Safari forever!).
Re:Done in by the people who would buy this stuff
on
Buy a Piece of Acclaim
·
· Score: 1
You misspelled Sega Mega Drive.;-)
(But I was born about 5 years too late, for the NES, and I lived in Europe where it didn't set the world alight anyway).
Which version of SNES9X are you using? I just checked, and v1.42 runs Street Fighter Alpha 2 perfectly on my Althon 1500+ (Windows version, running Windows XP). I think it's fine with Star Ocean as well. They've cracked that problem AFAIK, at least with SNES9X (ZSNES still uses graphics packs), now if only someone would emulate the Sega Virtua Processor...
Not that you'd actually want to play the SNES version of Street Fighter Alpha 2, when I have the arcade version in MAME (or the Saturn version in reality, apart from it's load times from hell).
I just opened up my Mk 1. convertor[1] and nope, the only microchip inside the Master System convertor is a CK2605 (a Programmable Logic Array, from a quick Google). AFAIK this is basically there to do the masonic handshake to tell the Mega Drive that it's actually, despite appearances, a Master System. I'm sure I've seen a proper technical description of the sequence of events to switch it into the SMS VDP mode, but I can't remember where.
Mega Drive Phantasy Star (1) also uses the function, and theres also apparently a prirate multi-cart of Master System games for the Mega Drive.
Apparently the Genesis 3 can't do this, I think I've read that it doesn't actually have a Z80 at all, which sounds a bit weird, but perhaps not many games actually use it.
(And it's not actually that interesting on the inside. Just some connectors, a button and the Pause switch really.)
[1] In Europe at least there was a second version for the Mega Drive II, and also a 3rd party clone (these were both cartridge only AFAIK).
Probably not. When it's running GBA carts it'll probably still run the GBA CPU at the same speed as a GBA (IIRC the DS has the GBA CPU as a secondary CPU, which like the Z80 in the Mega Drive is also used for backwards compatability), as some games could have glitches and stuff if the CPU ran fast. GBA carts probably wouldn't be able to access the DSes extra features either (or at least not easily).
On the other hand, a proper DS game would be able to run at full speed, but there aren't DS flash carts etc. yet.
They're still larger than SD cards used in some digital cameras and Palm OS machines (and N-gage?). You could probably have a 'cart' half the size if they wanted to.
But making the things too small would probably would lead to little Jimmy swallowing one, which would lead to Jimmy's Mom suing Nintendo...
It's there in the Xbox version, but luckily you have voice chat, which allows for you to swear all you like. I'm not sure how puritanical it is, as I haven't really used typing much.
It would make sense to include the check in all software, presumably all they need to do is update the Xbox Live libraries that developers use (I assume most / all use the same basic libraries for stuff like gamertag authentication etc.)
A modded Xbox sort of appeals to me, but I don't want to lose my Xbox Live account, so if I keep my Xbox Live account, I'd probably get a second Xbox to mod (probably one of those nice Crystal ones that seem to have replaced the black model, at least in the UK).
Plus the added bonus that customers will have to buy there games again for the new system! Nintendo seem to be the king of recycling.;-)
I wonder when Link's Awakening DS is comming out...
(Although Sega do quite a bit as well, as much as I like them)
I think the GB compatibility on the GBA is supposed to be one chip (and a switch to detect the cartridge type[1]), but we're talking about Nintendo, they also do things as cheaply (and with the minimum power) as possible.
[1] I think the DS will / is be physically keyed, if you look there's a notch on either side of the GBA carts that isn't there on original carts, this is used on the GBA to detect original carts through a switch, but it also means you can make it impossible to fit original carts in a new system if needed.
I think this article should make the point that VMU's don't need batteries to work as memory cards. Assuming you don't mind them beeping when the system is switched on or you plug a controller in (I assume that's the "scream" noise described in the article), just remove any dead batteries so they don't leak. It's not like there are any mini-games actually worth playing on the VMUs. The screen and buzzer will still work when connected to a controller.
You may as well remove the batteries from any new VMUs you find, they're far more useful for things like Sega Saturns and Neo Geo Pocket Colours, which use the same batteries for more useful things (the NGPC won't work without one). If you do want to use a VMU game, just fit batteries while your playing it, otherwise you'll just waste batteries.
I think battery save games just use standard batteries (as in, you can order them from any good electronic component supplier, not as in Duracell AAA cells). It's just a case of desoldering the old one, and soldering in the new one (remembering to put it in the right way).
The other problem is opening the cartridge case without breaking it, but I think you can find the screwdrivers somewhere, at least for Nintendo stuff.
This is all AFAIK, and at your own risk. Try it on a low value game first, not your mint copy of Final Fantasy III.;-)
I don't think PC monitors would like 50Hz refresh used for the European 625 line 'PAL'[1] system though. A few games have problems running at 60Hz if they were designed for 50. Admittedly most of them just run slow, but there are a few where it's needed.
Plus TVs are interlaced and modern monitors are progressive, some games might use interlacing for certain effects, and so look a bit wrong.
[1] PAL and SECAM are technically only the methods for adding colour to the black and white signal, but PAL is usually used as a shorthand for a 625 line / 50Hz TV signal.
There will definately be convertors available for long a long time, though.
Definatley, especially for a specialist market like this. In the UK people have made 625->405 line convertors, so they can still use 40 year old TVs, I think with games consoles the same might be true, albeit in reverse (old signal, new TV instead of new signal, old TV).
But like I said, given enough time, emulators will be the only way to really preserve these games.
Yep, eventually all these old consoles will be dead, I don't think silicon chips are supposed to last that long (a few decades, I think), although I doubt anyone really know quite how long. (Someone will prove me wrong of course).
Slashdot Mirror
Personally I think the original digital PSX controller is fine. It's just the lazy way they hacked the analogue contollers on - it's really annoying the way the left hand analogue stick isn't in a good position especially. (Unless you play games where analogue controls don't matter). Analogue triggers would be nice as well...
I think Sega claimed the Dreamcast was 128 bits becuase it could do operations on 128 bits at once (SIMD?), and it's stuck with lazy games journalists, I think I've seen things about 256 bits, when the next gen systems are probably going to be 64 bits...
>
From looking at pictures (pictures of UMDs first appeared alongside pics of the early flat-buttoned PSP prototype, and pics of actual (or mockup) game discs have appeared), UMDs look a bit like more rounded MiniDiscs, they have a protective case as part of the disc, so they should be reasonably durable. Although I'd hope they come in some sort of outer case (like MiniDiscs) to help protect them a bit more when not in use.
Not really. As far as I know they lose a couple of hundred US dollars on every Xbox system sold. They'll make back the development cost of the game, but they'll still be losing money overall, until every buyer buys a few dozen full-price games to go with the system.
Now getting a monopoly on operating systems, using that to gain a monopoly on office suites, and a good share of the server market (etc., etc.). Now that's a licence to print money, at least as soon as companies are allowed to purchase countries. It's also a good way to subsidise a loss-leader[1] to get a foothold in the games console market.
[1] Well, it's doing better than the Game Cube, although I'm sure I'm about to get assaulted by a Nintendo fanboy for daring to suggest the 'Cube is in 3rd.
Yep, it's a typical article linked to on Slashdot. The editors have an amazing skill for picking articles from (sub) High School level[1] writers on fan-sites.
:-)
:-)
But I wish people would keep on guessing the battery life on a product not even out yet. Now that the price isn't the astronomical price predicted, people keep on going on about the batteries instead.
The batteries do look problematic, but I think the developers will've know that, and will probably be writing there software so it doesn't drain the battery fast.
===
But then again I'm getting the impression that most of the people who post on Slashdot Games are Nintendo fanboys, which is proved by pulling figures out of my arse that show that most Slashdotters are Americans who were kids when Nintendo were 0wnzering the US game market (I'm a touch younger, and from the UK, and nobody will dare besmirch my Sega Mega Drive!)
===
Although I fear I'm sortof turning into a PSP-fanboy... It just seems so cool...
(Then again everyone's a fanboy about something, with the possible exception of chartered accountants).
===
[1] That's 13-16 year olds in the UK (if, like me you live / grew up in the few areas with First/Middle/High schools instead of Primary/Secondary).
If you'd read the article, youd've found out that the Sony ET was the doomed non-SCE handheld that another bit of Sony tried to make a couple of years ago, not the PSP. But it really was a rather bad name to pick for a games project, at least if you're superstitious. If only theyd've picked another codename, we could've had the over PSP three years ago.;-)
And the DS isn't universally loved, I'm in the universe, and I think it sounds a bit gimmicky (and also looks a bit unwieldy). I'd stick to my GBA. The PSP sounds like a cooler gadget, apart from the battery / display issue. (I'm in the UK, not expecting either until Easter at the earliest).
Now some of that stuff seems far more interesting - all the dev tools. No boring head office antiques here. ;-)
It's a pity they'll only sell the really interesting bits (PS2 and NGC dev kits) to licensed games developers...
Would anyone want the source code? I don't know of a single well regarded 1st Party Acclaim game. Most of their good games were devloped by 3rd parties, who probably own the rights to them (stuff like Burnout, Dead or Alive, Mortal Kombat etc.)
I like the way about 3/4 of the list are either arcade ports (mostly Midway), or Japanese games Acclaim published in the US. Why they didn't mention Dead or Alive 2, I don't know, it counts by the list's standards.
Most of the 'original' games are by 3rd Party developers (Rare, Criterion etc.) rather than in-house as well (did Acclaim even have an in-house?).
Truely this company did great things. My copy of Rise of the Robtots (Mega Drive, PAL) had[1] a nice Acclaim logo on it's spine as well...
[1] I didn't keep hold of it. I paid at lest £5 too much, which for a £3 game is quite an acheivement (sp? bloody Firefox doesn't have a spell checker - Safari forever!).
You misspelled Sega Mega Drive. ;-)
(But I was born about 5 years too late, for the NES, and I lived in Europe where it didn't set the world alight anyway).
Which version of SNES9X are you using? I just checked, and v1.42 runs Street Fighter Alpha 2 perfectly on my Althon 1500+ (Windows version, running Windows XP). I think it's fine with Star Ocean as well. They've cracked that problem AFAIK, at least with SNES9X (ZSNES still uses graphics packs), now if only someone would emulate the Sega Virtua Processor...
Not that you'd actually want to play the SNES version of Street Fighter Alpha 2, when I have the arcade version in MAME (or the Saturn version in reality, apart from it's load times from hell).
Perhaps they're trying to work out why their password isn't 'password' anymore.
I just opened up my Mk 1. convertor[1] and nope, the only microchip inside the Master System convertor is a CK2605 (a Programmable Logic Array, from a quick Google). AFAIK this is basically there to do the masonic handshake to tell the Mega Drive that it's actually, despite appearances, a Master System. I'm sure I've seen a proper technical description of the sequence of events to switch it into the SMS VDP mode, but I can't remember where.
Mega Drive Phantasy Star (1) also uses the function, and theres also apparently a prirate multi-cart of Master System games for the Mega Drive.
Apparently the Genesis 3 can't do this, I think I've read that it doesn't actually have a Z80 at all, which sounds a bit weird, but perhaps not many games actually use it.
(And it's not actually that interesting on the inside. Just some connectors, a button and the Pause switch really.)
[1] In Europe at least there was a second version for the Mega Drive II, and also a 3rd party clone (these were both cartridge only AFAIK).
Probably not. When it's running GBA carts it'll probably still run the GBA CPU at the same speed as a GBA (IIRC the DS has the GBA CPU as a secondary CPU, which like the Z80 in the Mega Drive is also used for backwards compatability), as some games could have glitches and stuff if the CPU ran fast. GBA carts probably wouldn't be able to access the DSes extra features either (or at least not easily).
On the other hand, a proper DS game would be able to run at full speed, but there aren't DS flash carts etc. yet.
They're still larger than SD cards used in some digital cameras and Palm OS machines (and N-gage?). You could probably have a 'cart' half the size if they wanted to.
But making the things too small would probably would lead to little Jimmy swallowing one, which would lead to Jimmy's Mom suing Nintendo...
It's there in the Xbox version, but luckily you have voice chat, which allows for you to swear all you like. I'm not sure how puritanical it is, as I haven't really used typing much.
Isn't the PS2's DVD drive supposed to be notoriously bad though? (At least in early models)[1] That could be part of the problem as well...
[1] Then again my mate has a launch-day PAL model that still works perfectly.
It would make sense to include the check in all software, presumably all they need to do is update the Xbox Live libraries that developers use (I assume most / all use the same basic libraries for stuff like gamertag authentication etc.)
A modded Xbox sort of appeals to me, but I don't want to lose my Xbox Live account, so if I keep my Xbox Live account, I'd probably get a second Xbox to mod (probably one of those nice Crystal ones that seem to have replaced the black model, at least in the UK).
It's the Gimmick Boy. :-)
I'm also sticking with an SP, partly becuase I don't play it that much, so it isn't worth getting a new handheld console.
Although a good RPG might pursaude me as well, but I've stilll got a load to try on the GBA...
Plus the added bonus that customers will have to buy there games again for the new system! Nintendo seem to be the king of recycling. ;-)
I wonder when Link's Awakening DS is comming out...
(Although Sega do quite a bit as well, as much as I like them)
I think the GB compatibility on the GBA is supposed to be one chip (and a switch to detect the cartridge type[1]), but we're talking about Nintendo, they also do things as cheaply (and with the minimum power) as possible.
[1] I think the DS will / is be physically keyed, if you look there's a notch on either side of the GBA carts that isn't there on original carts, this is used on the GBA to detect original carts through a switch, but it also means you can make it impossible to fit original carts in a new system if needed.
I think this article should make the point that VMU's don't need batteries to work as memory cards. Assuming you don't mind them beeping when the system is switched on or you plug a controller in (I assume that's the "scream" noise described in the article), just remove any dead batteries so they don't leak. It's not like there are any mini-games actually worth playing on the VMUs. The screen and buzzer will still work when connected to a controller.
You may as well remove the batteries from any new VMUs you find, they're far more useful for things like Sega Saturns and Neo Geo Pocket Colours, which use the same batteries for more useful things (the NGPC won't work without one). If you do want to use a VMU game, just fit batteries while your playing it, otherwise you'll just waste batteries.
I think battery save games just use standard batteries (as in, you can order them from any good electronic component supplier, not as in Duracell AAA cells). It's just a case of desoldering the old one, and soldering in the new one (remembering to put it in the right way).
;-)
The other problem is opening the cartridge case without breaking it, but I think you can find the screwdrivers somewhere, at least for Nintendo stuff.
This is all AFAIK, and at your own risk. Try it on a low value game first, not your mint copy of Final Fantasy III.
I don't think PC monitors would like 50Hz refresh used for the European 625 line 'PAL'[1] system though. A few games have problems running at 60Hz if they were designed for 50. Admittedly most of them just run slow, but there are a few where it's needed.
Plus TVs are interlaced and modern monitors are progressive, some games might use interlacing for certain effects, and so look a bit wrong.
[1] PAL and SECAM are technically only the methods for adding colour to the black and white signal, but PAL is usually used as a shorthand for a 625 line / 50Hz TV signal.
ZSNES still uses these graphics pack thingies instead, and if you don't have them, block city is all you get.
There will definately be convertors available for long a long time, though.
Definatley, especially for a specialist market like this. In the UK people have made 625->405 line convertors, so they can still use 40 year old TVs, I think with games consoles the same might be true, albeit in reverse (old signal, new TV instead of new signal, old TV).
But like I said, given enough time, emulators will be the only way to really preserve these games.
Yep, eventually all these old consoles will be dead, I don't think silicon chips are supposed to last that long (a few decades, I think), although I doubt anyone really know quite how long. (Someone will prove me wrong of course).