General Arcade & Retro Chat' Special Championship Edition

Retr0gamer · 04-01-2021 3:23pm

barryribs wrote: »

While bringing the decorations down from the attic last month, I saw a box full of N64 games that I haven't used in almost 2 years. In general I only picked up small bits and pieces over the years but I have spent more time collecting than playing the last year or so. Apart from my gamecube collection, I don't have much in the way of value, but theres a lot there and it just seems to be taking up space more and more recently. I'd much rather see a game enjoyed than in a box, never to see the light of day.

I'd like to get your opinions on it. Is this just a fleeting feeling or am I coming to terms with letting go? Have any of you sold a load of stuff and instantly regretted it?

If they need a new home....

barryribs · 04-01-2021 3:42pm

Retr0gamer wrote: »

If they need a new home....

Ha! I have a copy of Pit-fighter on the Snes for you

Retr0gamer · 04-01-2021 4:28pm

You'll have to pay me to take that away

o1s1n · 04-01-2021 5:06pm

barryribs wrote: »

I'd like to get your opinions on it. Is this just a fleeting feeling or am I coming to terms with letting go? Have any of you sold a load of stuff and instantly regretted it?

I've sold mountains of gear over the years and really, don't regret too much of it. Most of it is fairly easily replicable if I fancy picking it up again.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

If they need a new home....

Urge to throw up on some more N64 boxes rising? :pac:

Retr0gamer · 04-01-2021 5:57pm

o1s1n wrote: »

Urge to throw up on some more N64 boxes rising? :pac:

Absinthe and N64 boxes are not a good mix....

Inviere · 04-01-2021 6:09pm

barryribs wrote: »

While bringing the decorations down from the attic last month, I saw a box full of N64 games that I haven't used in almost 2 years. In general I only picked up small bits and pieces over the years but I have spent more time collecting than playing the last year or so. Apart from my gamecube collection, I don't have much in the way of value, but theres a lot there and it just seems to be taking up space more and more recently. I'd much rather see a game enjoyed than in a box, never to see the light of day.

I'd like to get your opinions on it. Is this just a fleeting feeling or am I coming to terms with letting go? Have any of you sold a load of stuff and instantly regretted it?

I sold off the bulk of my collection for the very same reasons as yours. More time/money spent collecting & buying, than actually, playing the games. I don't regret it at all, & to be honest, I actually feel a bit of a weight has lifted now that I'm not constantly checking Adverts/Ebay etc for 'bargains to put in a box.' It gets unhealthy & obsessive, and unless you're lucky enough to have a dedicated room to use & display in, collecting retro games kinda gets in the way of real world living space when your collection grows!

I've switched to RetroArch & LaunchBox for emulation on my main tv now, & am playing more games than I ever have. I might pick up a Mister to pair with a 21" CRT I have in storage, but that's a project for later in the year or next year (it'd be nice to have the ability to play the games on a genuine crt, & the Mister can give an RGB 15Khz out....so fits the bill nicely.)

Spend some time thinking about it, & ask yourself if you'd actually miss what you plan to sell. Don't make a snap decision, & just take your time. Very little is irreplaceable should you choose to re-buy, so you've that safety net. Anything I sell though, I make sure and park that money for something I really want, & ensure the money goes to some proper use, rather than just wasting on crap.

barryribs · 04-01-2021 8:16pm

Inviere wrote: »

I sold off the bulk of my collection for the very same reasons as yours. More time/money spent collecting & buying, than actually, playing the games. I don't regret it at all, & to be honest, I actually feel a bit of a weight has lifted now that I'm not constantly checking Adverts/Ebay etc for 'bargains to put in a box.' It gets unhealthy & obsessive, and unless you're lucky enough to have a dedicated room to use & display in, collecting retro games kinda gets in the way of real world living space when your collection grows!

I've switched to RetroArch & LaunchBox for emulation on my main tv now, & am playing more games than I ever have. I might pick up a Mister to pair with a 21" CRT I have in storage, but that's a project for later in the year or next year (it'd be nice to have the ability to play the games on a genuine crt, & the Mister can give an RGB 15Khz out....so fits the bill nicely.)

Spend some time thinking about it, & ask yourself if you'd actually miss what you plan to sell. Don't make a snap decision, & just take your time. Very little is irreplaceable should you choose to re-buy, so you've that safety net. Anything I sell though, I make sure and park that money for something I really want, & ensure the money goes to some proper use, rather than just wasting on crap.

Great advice, thank you. I've been thinking about it for the best part of a month and I think I'm going to go ahead and let some stuff go. The part in bold really makes sense, I've been taking more of an interest in photography lately and will invest in some new equipment.

DaveyDave · 04-01-2021 8:25pm

I don't see my collection getting much bigger. Most of the games I have I've played in the past with some impulse buys and window shopping thrown in. There's still a few more games on my list that were left for last as they're more expensive and there's a few more consoles such as the PSX, Mega CD, 32X and Nomad that I'd like to get but outside of that it will mostly be cheaper oddball games and maybe some accessories.

I've spent very little time playing retro games in the last 6 months as I've been doing more PS4 gaming, PC gaming, walking/cycling etc. I know I won't play them much so the desire to buy retro games isn't really there at the moment whereas a year ago I'd frequently have a browse on eBay and throw a few bids in. I definitely want to make a better effort to play games this year though.

CiDeRmAn · 04-01-2021 9:04pm

I didn't see my collection getting bigger... And then it did!
And, while the rate of purchasing had slowed way down, there are still a few bits popping up and coming home every now and again

DaveyDave · 05-01-2021 12:40am

Has the situation changed for running Saturn and Dreamcast games off an SD card or do I still need a small fortune to buy them, when the person selling them feels like it? Ali express options still dodgy?

sniper_samurai · 05-01-2021 1:52am

DaveyDave wrote: »

Has the situation changed for running Saturn and Dreamcast games off an SD card or do I still need a small fortune to buy them, when the person selling them feels like it? Ali express options still dodgy?

Terraonion M.O.D.E is what you want. Works on all models of Saturn, most Dreamcasts and PS1(with an add on). Can play games from SD, hard drive or USB key.

Costs €182 plus shipping and VAT as it ships from outside the EU.

Inviere · 05-01-2021 10:30am

Speaking of GamesMaster in the other thread, here's a playlist with all the eps - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pm1266IFqQ&list=PLa_XNUiwxkoFTKGloNYGUtua9WI9mSeak

The quality isn't broadcast quality, but I assume those versions are sitting in a dark Channel 4 archive somewhere, likely never to see the light of day again. That Season 1 intro is like time travel for me, instantly brings me back to the school yard where arguments about the Snes v Megadrive were everywhere....Bad Influence was on if you legged it home from school to catch it on UTV....the Crystal Maze would be on later on, & then the next day Gladiators would be on....themz were the days!

Retr0gamer · 05-01-2021 10:47am

It just reminds me of wondering why they never covered Commodore 64 games not realising nobody cared about it anymore

And then getting jealous of all the 16 bit systems they were covering.

Inviere · 05-01-2021 11:01am

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It just reminds me of wondering why they never covered Commodore 64 games not realising nobody cared about it anymore And then getting jealous of all the 16 bit systems they were covering.

I was like that with the Amiga. They were always well outta price range, & seemed so exotic at the time. It STILL holds that same mystique for me today.

o1s1n · 05-01-2021 11:55am

Inviere wrote: »

....Bad Influence was on if you legged it home from school to catch it on UTV....the Crystal Maze would be on later on, & then the next day Gladiators would be on....themz were the days!

jaysus you just made me trance out there for a second and go back in time 30 years... could almost feel the itch of my school jumper!

Inviere · 05-01-2021 11:56am

o1s1n wrote: »

jaysus you just made me trance out there for a second and go back in time 30 years... could almost feel the itch of my school jumper!

Nostalgia....it's a hell of a drug

o1s1n · 05-01-2021 12:25pm

What did you find to be the best season of Gamesmaster while rewatching it actually?

Do they have the late night gore special? Have really fond memories of watching that - my friend's dad recorded it for us and we'd always watch it on tape. (Unfortunately he performed a bit of censorship while doing so!)

Excellent, yes they do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWynWjCMs6A

briany · 05-01-2021 1:30pm

One thing that I came across watching old episodes of Gamesmaster was this kid on the reviews section. Usually, the show would have VG journalists doing those, such as Julian Rignall, but for some reason they had this boy on who couldn't have been more than 11 years old. That wasn't even the odd bit, there, though. The kid had the most WTF expression on his face while speaking, like his eyes were wide and unblinking.

DaveyDave · 05-01-2021 2:51pm

sniper_samurai wrote: »

Terraonion M.O.D.E is what you want. Works on all models of Saturn, most Dreamcasts and PS1(with an add on). Can play games from SD, hard drive or USB key.

Costs €182 plus shipping and VAT as it ships from outside the EU.

Very, very expensive! I was hoping to hear alternatives to GDEMU/Phoebe, they're €130 each shipped. I know there's some clones out there but I've heard mixed things about them. €65ish on Amazon for a clone. Hmm.

I don't have a huge collection so don't need SD card loading and can't justify high costs, it would just be a nice convenience.

o1s1n · 05-01-2021 3:08pm

DaveyDave wrote: »

Very, very expensive! I was hoping to hear alternatives to GDEMU/Phoebe, they're €130 each shipped. I know there's some clones out there but I've heard mixed things about them. €65ish on Amazon for a clone. Hmm.

I don't have a huge collection so don't need SD card loading and can't justify high costs, it would just be a nice convenience.

I picked up a lovely minty white Dreamcast with an ODE/SD loader installed for £130 a couple of months back. Given the price of GDEMU boards, it must be a clone.

Works an absolute treat, no issues with it at all yet.

sniper_samurai · 05-01-2021 3:12pm

DaveyDave wrote: »

Very, very expensive! I was hoping to hear alternatives to GDEMU/Phoebe, they're €130 each shipped. I know there's some clones out there but I've heard mixed things about them. €65ish on Amazon for a clone. Hmm.

I don't have a huge collection so don't need SD card loading and can't justify high costs, it would just be a nice convenience.

The MODE doesn't have the file format issues of the Phoebe/Rhea and works for both 20 and 21 pin Saturns. The ability to put a HDD in makes storage significantly cheaper too.

Relikk · 05-01-2021 4:13pm

sniper_samurai wrote: »

The MODE doesn't have the file format issues of the Phoebe/Rhea and works for both 20 and 21 pin Saturns. The ability to put a HDD in makes storage significantly cheaper too.

Can be used in some models of PlayStations now too, with some soldering. Basically the same as an XStation.

Inviere · 05-01-2021 5:45pm

o1s1n wrote: »

What did you find to be the best season of Gamesmaster while rewatching it actually?

Hard to say really, it'll be very subjective for everyone. I kinda enjoyed the raw/new feel of the first few seasons. The later seasons were more polished though, and Diamond became better at presenting. I'd probably go with the earlier seasons if I had to choose.

There is that season with Dexter Fletcher in there. He comes across well, but the show clearly lacks something without Diamond.

briany · 05-01-2021 8:58pm

Inviere wrote: »

Hard to say really, it'll be very subjective for everyone. I kinda enjoyed the raw/new feel of the first few seasons. The later seasons were more polished though, and Diamond became better at presenting. I'd probably go with the earlier seasons if I had to choose.

There is that season with Dexter Fletcher in there. He comes across well, but the show clearly lacks something without Diamond.

We don't talk about the Fletcher series...

But seriously, though, Fletcher was someone who came across as chosen by committee, like a group of ITV execs sitting around a table going, "We need someone with a little bing, bang, boom, pizazz and yowza - a totally outrageous dude who all the kids will think is really cool." and he just seemed OTT and one-dimensional.

From the early 90s to early 2000s was the heyday of videogame shows on TV. Why it died a death I don't know. It seems like the more ubiquitous games became, the less TV people seemed to think there was a market for a show about them, which is utterly bizarre, IMO. Dara O Briain's Go 8-Bit showed the concept is still sound. Thought that show was great fun.

Retr0gamer · 05-01-2021 9:31pm

Thought go 8bit was garbage and a total waste of potential. The game show format put the focus on the celebs and not the actual games which were played mostly by people playing them for the first time so didn't showcase them. It should be about the games. Dara was wasted on it. Even more so was Ellie Gibson who is a fantastic games writer, journalist and just out and out hilarious and the show was so bad it made her seem boring.

Gamesmaster on the other hand worked as the emphasis was on the games.

As for dexter fletcher I have read articles that the show and his personality in the show wasn't his fault. Apparently the production. Was a total mess. There would be massive lulls between takes and segments and the kids was be utterly bored waiting for something to happen. Dexter's personality was mostly because he was trying to get the audience of bored kids hyped up to create some atmosphere and it came across as some one trying too hard. Read about it from one of the show producers who sang his praises and said he did his best and wasn't his fault he came across poorly.

CiDeRmAn · 05-01-2021 10:38pm

I give this conversation topic....

5Gs!!!!

o1s1n · 05-01-2021 11:14pm

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

I give this conversation topic....

5Gs!!!!

Three more years and that show first aired 20 years ago :eek:

Good few of them up on youtube now if anyone wants to relive the horror, yo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhf0CzxzUPc

Jack burton · 05-01-2021 11:41pm

I was literally about to link some gamezville

Remember the guru

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKai7EowKMM

I'm pretty sure the 2 lads who hosted it were just models/actor types....I do remember them battering a few of the young teens in the fighting games too haha

briany · 05-01-2021 11:46pm

One show that gets a bit forgotten about is Gamepad on Bravo, which was magazine-style and hosted by Violet Berlin. After that show ended, Dominik Diamond came back with When Games Attack. Thinking about it now, I can't remember any more British shows on TV after that which covered VGs journalistically. I'm not saying there weren't any, I'm just saying that I can't remember them. Charlie Brooker did a couple of specials about games, but they were one-offs.

Edit: no, wait, there was one show I can kind of remember on Challenge, I think? I think it was only 10 or 15 minutes an episode and had a section where Larry Bundy Jr. was talking about games.

Tom Mann Centuria · 06-01-2021 12:19am

Went right off Larry Bundy Jr. when he said a small YouTuber should have "been honoured" to have his gameplay footage (of a zx81 game afair) used by a much bigger channel uncredited, and no permission sought. Not his channel, an obnoxious British retro gaming channel but I thought LB jr whiteknighting that gimp was pathetic.

General Arcade & Retro Chat' Special Championship Edition

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