General Arcade & Retro Chat' Special Championship Edition

Touch Fuzzy Get Dizzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119941959#Comment_119941959

That's pretty long, not there yet it's like what 14 months but maybe I'll try hang on it's prob gonna be a similar timeframe and I'm this long waiting already. Appreciate ye letting me know, I'd asked elsewhere had no reply

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119942024#Comment_119942024

Nanite is pretty great but seems to be a system hog. Probably something for the next generation and the consoles at the moment can't really handle it.

The big issue with Unreal is stutter on PC due to shader compilation. Not really Unreal's fault, it has a fall back method for it that lazy devs are using. Direct X12 allows devs to code to the metal which means they should be able to code a proper shader compilation method but they can't be arsed.

Mr.Saturn

Trying to return a defective 3DS on Ebay and, Christ, it was almost make you nostalgic for the buffoons on Adverts. Ebay, in fairness, have been more than accommodating but the seller himself is an absolute loon, god love him. I have him dead to rights, so no worries there, but it baffles me that someone would operate with such venom, dishonesty and sheer hatefulness and still expect to run a successful online store.

Inviere

One for our resident 3DO connoisseur, @Steve X2

https://youtu.be/UmPvxNfTyCU

The M2 is coming home, after a long long time...

Steve X2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119959958#Comment_119959958

That's really cool. Be interesting to see what comes of all the work he's putting in.

I actually have the FZ-35, FZ-21, Konami arcade boards and lots of other M2 bits and pieces. When I actually think about the amount of money and time I spent years ago on M2 its crazy. And hopping on a plane to Japan to arrange to ship things back home. Madness, but fun madness at the time.

I'd say the prices are just mental these days for anything M2 related. Even the standard 3DO FZ1 is way overpriced at the moment.

Retr0gamer

https://twitter.com/theWellRedMage/status/1599823579264081920?t=Go5PJTGMv68ns3i86Wzb4w&s=19

...

Mr.Saturn

Still eagerly awaiting the bursting of this bubble I've been told was imminent for the last 12 years. 2020 really did a number on gaming prices.

Jack burton

Retro gaming bubble burst and a subsequent collapse of the sterling and US dollar currencys and then it's our time to shine!

Quigs Snr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119969209#Comment_119969209

It will surely collapse at some point. But I dont have the patience for it. Having given away most of a collection that would now go for eye watering amounts, I have been hoovering up every bit of retro (and modern) I can find for the last 15 months. I catalogued what I could in price charting (most of the C64, Spectrum, Amiga, ST, Amstrad stuff and other one offs notwithstanding) and there's apparently 67k hanging on the walls. I suppose I would prefer the prices to collapse on balance so I could get more. The objective is a comprehensive history of gaming. All the consoles of note, all the games of note for each one. And maybe a nice collectors piece or two for each.

Space is my issue though. Really struggling there. I already took out all the PC stuff and put it back in the attic. Briefly looked to see if any of it was worth selling on eBay. Saw some weird stuff. Awful game called flying heroes.. big box about 20 in europe... 150 in the USA. I dont understand PC game collecting at all these days.

Inviere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119970146#Comment_119970146

"The objective is a comprehensive history of gaming. All the consoles of note, all the games of note for each one. And maybe a nice collectors piece or two for each."

^^ Ultimately, that's what ruined collecting for me. It became a second job, ticking boxes on excel sheets, planning where to store stuff, panic buying releases incase prices rose etc etc... Buying games for umpteen systems just to keep them on shelves/in storage boxes was the final straw. It just wan't fun anymore. So I ended up selling 90% of everything off, and I still remember the feeling of lifting a weight off my shoulders doing so.

Just before the pandemic, I got back interested again, but at a level that I'm enjoying. I'm done collecting games in that sense, the dreamers and the scalpers are welcome to them. I grab a handful of games for any system I own now, and leave it at that...Everdrive's and ODE's save me so much stress, no more space issues, no more panic buying, and I've a handful of games for each system to display and use if needed.

Same with systems...for me, on a personal level, the connection to gaming has always been through the hardware...the system itself, the original controllers, a crt, etc. I do still have a list of systems I want, but that list is nice to work through and tick off new additions as they arrive. With games, I don't think I was ever going to 'get there' and be done.

Re the bubble bursting, as mentioned above, we've been hearing it for many years. If it does ever happen, I don't see it being a sudden and catastrophic bursting, and more so a gradual decline (like we've seen with Atari stuff in the states.) Eventually, it might all return to sane levels as people like us settle with what we have, and as newer generations express no/fleeting interest in what we define as retro gaming.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119971023#Comment_119971023

I was the same as well. Wanted a comprehensive collection of good games across all the systems I cared about. Then you discover another system you want, another game you want or your PS1 collection is worthless because it's mostly 50Hz PAL muck and needs replacing and the it never really ended while you scrabbled as the prices just got higher and higher. I recognised it was creating a lot of anxiety so I bowed out.

I'm now firmly in the emulation/everdrive/modded console territory and actually enjoying the games. I suppose you can have a healthy collecting mentality, I just didn't. I've a house now and I've yet to decide what I'm going to do with all my games. Really do want to hang on to a lot of them but there's a lot I could get rid.

o1s1n

About 7-8 years ago I achieved a life dream and had a fully dedicated games room for a few years, games all lined up on shelves, consoles all hooked up to a 20 inch PVM. Was fantastic and just felt amazing sitting in the middle of it. So if your new house can accommodate a games room like that I'd really recommend it.

Literally wandering in, perusing your collection like looking for a film in a video shop, selecting one for the evening and sitting down to play it.

Once I'd achieved that and had all the games out, I kind of stopped collecting games. Had a real 'this is it' sense to it. On reflection, I think I was collecting games so some day I could create a room like that. When I finally had it I kind of realised I almost had too many games for the space 😂

Retr0gamer

I'm hoping to put some shelving or space up for them all. However I do also want to have friends and family over so need to keep the house functional for when guests come over.

Inviere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119971665#Comment_119971665

Despite what I say above, that's still the goal for me (a games room), but one that is far more focused and curated, compared to what I was doing years back. I want to have all my consoles on display, along with my Micros and any monitors for them, my 21" Trini, a Mister and an emulation pc for more modern systems.

Like that's doable, but what I had in mind years ago was just never going to happen. As @Retr0gamer rightly says, it's possible to have a healthy collector mindset, but I struggled to find the right balance. I have it now, but even still I tend to make the odd mad purchase while getting that rush of nervous excitement...but I'm able to maintain control most of the time these days ☺️

Jack burton

A lad im friends with has a podcast and released an episode yesterday talking about collecting etc.

He was just hoovering up games and then just decided to sell off a huge chunk and now only gets a game he knows he wants to play till completion.

I've slowed down a ton on collecting, mostly due to 2 kids now and not as much disposable money for me. That said I still have a garage absolutely stuffed with games/toys/arcade machines/VHS/laserdisc. So I'm not a good example of someone who's downsized 😂

DaveyDave

My collecting stopped with Covid prices but it looks like some of the games I'd typically get window shopping aren't expensive now so I might start dipping my toes in again. I held off buying hardware as I was saving for a house but since I've been in it over two years my spending has shifted to different hobbies and interests.

I didn't have space for anything other than games in the box bedroom of my mam's house. Now I have space I can get stuff like my recent NAS setup.

Also exploring other forms of media, hardback/coffee table books, some limited edition games. Still waiting for Health's Max Payne 3 vinyl to release this year. It has also been a good year for gigs! If it's metal or synthwave I'm probably there. So my wallet has been busy elsewhere, but I'll probably start getting into the games again as I do miss buying random games.

Quigs Snr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119972417#Comment_119972417

That's what I did back in 2004. I got rid of 80% of it, stuffed the rest in the attic where it remained until earlier this year.

Then I bought an xbox 360 and bought games to finish them and that was it. Wouldn't buy the xbox one until all outstanding 360 games were finished. So maybe this is a cycle and will happen again in a couple of years.

I have made the gaming room somewhat functional rather than a display type of deal. 60 inch 4k tv at one end with an Xbox Series X, 360 and original, plus a PS5, 4 and 3, a Nintendo Switch, Wii U and a retron 5 all plugged in and ready to go. Mostly the kids use that side of it to play ratchet and clank and have just dance parties when their friends are around. I have honestly played more co-op lego games than anything else for the last year.

The other end of the room has a 21" CRT with a PS2, Master System, Megadrive/MegaCD/32X, Saturn, Dreamcast, NES, SNES, GC, N64, Neo Geo CD, Phillips CD-i all plugged in and ready to play. (The Neo Geo gets the most use). And of course there are handhelds all around the room ready to play.

The only machines I have to take out of a box to use are the Atari Jaguar, Intellivision, 2600, ST, Colecovision, PCEngine, 3DO, C64, Amiga, Amstrad, Spectrum etc.. I have a vectrex ready to play on a shelf.

I have built up quite a backlog of broken consoles to fix: An Amiga CD32 that only plays in black and white, a Virtual Boy that only works in one eye, a PC Engine GT that needs a recap etc.. Anywhere in Ireland does this ? I did send a couple of bits to the UK, but they are super reluctant to take stuff since Brexit "it will be too expensive with customs - I dont care lads, make it work, money no object - ok then its too much customs paperwork etc...."

Retr0gamer

Took the 3DS out and started playing shin Megami Tensei Apocalypse.

Can we pour one out for dual screen gaming?

It just opened my eyes to the fact that dual screen gaming is the perfect form for videogames. It's such a perfect form factor for handheld gaming and feels so much better than the switch or even the analogue pocket. We all laughed at the bottom screen being used for a menu or a map but you know what, it was so much better than a pause screen.

That and the bottom screen map gave us the incredible etrian odyssey.

Mr.Saturn

I think the whole world is collectively coming back around on the 3DS if its prices are anything to go by. I've gotten majorly back into the scene recently and would legit front the 3DS right up there with the PS2 for GOAT status.

CiDeRmAn

I have a heap of Etrian Odyssey games for the DS and 3DS and they are all heading upwards in value.

o1s1n

About three to four years ago I was walking by a second hand shop on Capel Street and there were a good 40-50 3DS games in the window, for four euro a pop, many of which were brand new/still sealed. It was absolutely bizarre. Loads of RPGs too. Asked what the story with them was and apparently some lad just randomly left them all in to be sold.

Bought about 20-30 of them if I remember correctly, all in the attic at the moment and I haven't gone near them in ages. Must have a look to see what's there actually as all I remember is Persona Q and Etrian Odyssey IV!

Doge

O1s1n: POIDH!

Edit: meant to quote your post about the games room!

o1s1n

Haha! I remember taking photos of them years back and posting up here, can't seem to find them though!

I've to go through the last of my games in the attic sometime soon so will get some snaps when they come down.

Mr.Saturn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975572#Comment_119975572

Was that in Goodwill Thrift? They’ve be known to have in a few surprises.

Argos was letting their 3DS go for pennies as well, you just couldn’t get them online and the only places that seemed to have stock were Ballyneverheardofit retail park.

o1s1n

I had a look on google maps and it's currently called CASA. There's a door in the middle with a window display each side. Enable Ireland is right beside it.

Funnily enough it's actually the same shop myself and a mate found a massive hoard of consoles about 15 - 20 years ago upstairs. He was wandering around second hand shops asking if they had any old consoles and they said they'd some bits and pieces - directed him upstairs to a store room.

Was this massive pile of cables and electronics about 4-5 foot high. Eyes fell out of his head. Gave me a call and I was down to him in ten minutes, both of us searching through the pile like a pair of mice scurrying about. Always remember it being the place I found my N64 expansion RAM which I still use to this day :D

CiDeRmAn

Saw a video this morning on a F1 game called Slipstream, by the most unlikely of racing developers, Capcom.

The scaling effects in this look amazing.

Apparently it was only released in the arcades, and only in Brazil!

https://youtu.be/DKW5DmXoYWc

It immediately puts me in mind of Squaresoft and Einhander.

A company known for a specific genre and then, for the hell of it, develops for another and knocks it out of the park.

Retr0gamer

I'd out the DS ahead of the 3DS. I feel the 3DS is too top heavy with rpgs. But it's definitely up there with one of the best consoles.

I think the clam shell form factor is just wonderful as well.

Retr0gamer

Just to temper the 3DS love in, I booted it up to play it all morning in front of the parents fire. Red battery light flashing like crazy.

Forgot how shite the battery is in the 3DS.

Mr.Saturn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119979150#Comment_119979150

I mean, I’d nominate the 3DS as the GOAT on the basis of it being backward compatible in addition to its own library. The only thing going against the 3DS is Nintendo pointlessly region locking it.

Are you playing on an OG series 3DS? My new model XL gives me an age on battery.

Retr0gamer

I've my American 3DS original but I've a XL which I hacked and a European new 3DS.

I really should hack the XL and new 3DS so I can play games, most of my library is us games.

The XL is in storage but think I've the new 3DS with me.