So, what you playing at the mo? Retro Edition

o1s1n

Started Yoshi's Island this afternoon. I've played some ports of it a couple of times, but never the real version on real hardware. It's such a beautiful looking game! Finding it hard to think of a Snes game which looks nicer.

I was sitting right up in front of the big Trinitron like a kid on Christmas morning. The art with the scanlines is just amazing.

Gameplay wise, it's a lot of fun. Not better than Super Mario World, but if anything, I think that's down to them adding too many controls. The whole egg throwing thing takes away from it a bit. Kind of reminds me of the water cannon in Mario Sunshine.

Will definitely play through it completely though. The battery still works in the cart thankfully.

Pyongyang

I might be spending next week playing Salmonhamburger 2.

For now though, still playing V-V.

Rendeva

I'm replaying Metal Gear 2 on an MSX emulator, and Fire Emblem : Seisen no Keifu (Genealogy of the Holy War) on a SNES emulator at the moment, both brilliant games.

For a game from the early nineties, Seisen no Keifu really is stunningly intricate, and would recommend it to any JRPG or Strategy fan.

MrVestek

Currently playing Goldeneye on the N64. Never played it before... can you believe that?

Really enjoying it so far even though it is limited but I can imagine how revolutionary it was for it's time.

o1s1n

Just gave the region modded Gamecube a bash. Can finally play that Jap version of Wave Race! Great fun.

Only thing - after playing absolutely everything through RGB now, I seriously just cannot look at composite anymore. It seriously hurts my eyes. The colours in Wave race are so bright, the dot crawl is horrendous. The reds bleed into the blue and back again. Had to sit really far back from the TV to take some of the edge off.

Then I remembered it outputs S video! Okay so no RGB, but I've been hearing good things about S video from the N64 from Retr0 so this should be a good substitute.

Have a cable on the way anyway. Hopefully it makes a big difference.

Retr0gamer

Started playing Kingdom Hearts 2. Two hours in and it's quite possibly one of the worst games I've ever played.

Myrddin

o1s1n wrote: »

Just gave the region modded Gamecube a bash. Can finally play that Jap version of Wave Race! Great fun.

Only thing - after playing absolutely everything through RGB now, I seriously just cannot look at composite anymore. It seriously hurts my eyes. The colours in Wave race are so bright, the dot crawl is horrendous. The reds bleed into the blue and back again. Had to sit really far back from the TV to take some of the edge off.

Then I remembered it outputs S video! Okay so no RGB, but I've been hearing good things about S video from the N64 from Retr0 so this should be a good substitute.

Have a cable on the way anyway. Hopefully it makes a big difference.

I can also vouch for S-Video on as I've an NTSC N64. It's damn good enough for me not to bother RGB modding it. Composite be damned. Now, if I could only get a PAL RGB cable for my GC

CosmicSmash

give Odin Sphere or Rogue Galaxy a try if you haven't before.

o1s1n

EnterNow wrote: »

I can also vouch for S-Video on as I've an NTSC N64. It's damn good enough for me not to bother RGB modding it. Composite be damned. Now, if I could only get a PAL RGB cable for my GC

Brilliant to hear! There's an S video input on the front of this TV. I have a vague memory of using it, but not sure what for! Hope I haven't repurchased a cable I already have

Was looking at those component GC cables again as a matter of interest. If there was one item I would go back in time and buy a palette of it's them. €100+ each on average.

The Last Bandit

EnterNow wrote: »

Now, if I could only get a PAL RGB cable for my GC

Is it a PAL GC ? I'm using the RGB SNES cable on my Gamecube and it works perfectly.

Myrddin

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Is it a PAL GC ? I'm using the RGB SNES cable on my Gamecube and it works perfectly.

Yeah PAL GC. Weird, as the pinouts are different between the two consoles. I've a PAL Snes RGB cable which works fine on the Snes, but my PAL GC cable has horrific dot crawl & over saturated image. I tried another but it was more or less the same. Seems a 3rd party cable these days can't sync the RGB signal on the GC...official are the only recommended ones

The Last Bandit

Pinout is the same, although not all signals are used on all Nintendo system.

Sounds like you need a cable with the 220uF caps installed. 'Some' PAL Gamecubes have a 1V DC bias on the RGB signals, if this is not removed (via the caps) your TV is getting a signal swinging from 0.3V to 1.7V (instead of -0.7V to 0.7V) which results in the overly saturated image if the TV can't compensate.

The cable I'm using doesn't appear to have any caps installed, at least not it the SCART plug anyway.

Myrddin

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Pinout is the same, although not all signals are used on all Nintendo system.

Nope, the pinouts are different, well not the pinouts per say but the component layouts definitely seem to differ.

Sounds like you need a cable with the 220uF caps installed. 'Some' PAL Gamecubes have a 1V DC bias on the RGB signals, if this is not removed (via the caps) your TV is getting a signal swinging from 0.3V to 1.7V (instead of -0.7V to 0.7V) which results in the overly saturated image if the TV can't compensate.

I first tried a Blaze 3rd party scart which didn't work correctly, then I bought a PAL RGB fromconsolegoods which is made exactly as per the specs above, still not correct. There's obviously some other trickery going on in the real cable. Either that or my Samsung tv has issues with the way sync is generated on a pAL GC.

The cable I'm using doesn't appear to have any caps installed, at least not it the SCART plug anyway.

Where did you get it?

The Last Bandit

Console pinouts are the same

I got the cable from Consolegoods - bought it as a SNES RGB cable. But it doesn't have any resistors or capacitors on the RGB signals, only a single resistor to pin 16 of the SCART (fast blanking). Unless the resistors are installed in the Nintendo connector - which I really doubt.

Apparently there are a few variants of the PAL Gamecube with different video encoders, some have a DC bias on the signals which need the caps to remove others have a signal level too high which need the resistors to reduce the level.

You're best bet to open up the SCART header and add the caps or resistors manually and see how things look.

I really should stick a scope on the consoles to see what the signals actually look like at some point.

Retr0gamer

The Last Bandit wrote: »

I got the cable from Consolegoods - bought it as a SNES RGB cable. But it doesn't have any resistors or capacitors on the RGB signals, only a single resistor to pin 16 of the SCART (fast blanking). Unless the resistors are installed in the Nintendo connector - which I really doubt.

You need to take those resistors out otherwise the cable won't work on a SNES.

CiDeRmAn

Playing Darius Gaiden AND Gradius 4 AND Raiden III.....

I think I prefer Raiden III!

Pyongyang

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Playing Darius Gaiden AND Gradius 4 AND Raiden III.....

I think I prefer Raiden III!

Retr0gamer

Admittedly Gradius 4 is the weakest of the series. Go Play Gradius Gaiden, Gradius V and G Darius!

Andrew76

Pyongyang wrote: »

Your pic/link didn't work for me - I'm guessing even the internet didn't like you disrespecting Raiden. :cool:

CiDeRmAn

Well, I have Gradius and Gradius II somewhere, on a flash cart, also have Gradius III and IV on that collection disk for the PS2 and I have Gradius V as well, properly owned on the PS2 and a dodgy mumble mumble on the Saturn.
I have played Gradius Gaiden and it's fun.
I have G-Darius on the G-Net and it's lovely, I remember having it when it was launched on the PS but, along with most of my collection, it was sold on.
I have rectified this error and a copy should be with by the weeks end!

Still prefer Raiden III though!
Although, Raiden DX is pretty amazing, especially considering all the content in there.

CiDeRmAn

Ahhh!

Damn you Retr0!!!

I just bought Gradius Gaiden for the PS after a quick look at how much it was!!!

Got it, including delivery, for €22, not bad at all I think.

But I am completely prepared for Pyongyang to tell me I wuz robbed

Pyongyang

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

But I am completely prepared for Pyongyang to tell me I wuz robbed

That's actually a decent price... depending on what version it is. :pac:

CiDeRmAn

Pyongyang wrote: »

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

But I am completely prepared for Pyongyang to tell me I wuz robbed

That's actually a decent price... depending on what version it is. :pac:

I knew there would be some cavet I wasn't aware of, bugger!
Spill it now mountain lodge man!

CiDeRmAn

It's the Playstation The Best edition, same cover as first imprint but with a white border.

Just so Pyong can leave be devastated...

o1s1n

He almost threw himself off a bridge when he heard my Souky was a greatest hits version.

johnny_ultimate

Disgaea 4 addiction has settled in. Grinding the **** out of the item world and Mt Ordeal 4. Won't quit until at least my Desco is level 9999.

When I close my mind all I see are stats and levels :P

Retr0gamer

See you in 4000 hours!

johnny_ultimate

Retr0gamer wrote: »

See you in 4000 hours!

Ah they've gotten a little better since the early days - plenty of shortcuts to get you up to the higher tiers in less time. Of course, they've added ludicrous amounts of increasingly complex systems to occupy you when you get there. Still amongst the most time intensive games outside of the MMORPG world, but it's just so much fun too! I'd say you'd really like the series if you ever get around to it.

Retr0gamer

I tried playing La Pucelle Tactics but couldn't get into it. I was more about levelling up than actual tactics. I'll have to give disgaea a go some time since I hear it's a lot better and different. Maybe one of the portable versions.

megaten

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I tried playing La Pucelle Tactics but couldn't get into it. I was more about levelling up than actual tactics. I'll have to give disgaea a go some time since I hear it's a lot better and different. Maybe one of the portable versions.

Most of NIS games are about level difference as opposed to stuff like positioning.