General Arcade and Retro Chat - Insert Coin -

Retr0gamer · 27-01-2015 12:08PM

I was reminded about something at the weekend. Does anyone remember the big photo epilepsy scare back in 1990-91. It was total scaremongering by the media, these new 16-bit consoles could cause photo epilepsy which wasn't untrue but it was just as likely you could get it from watching TV or even from strobe effects.

What really pissed me off about this was that it was the main reason my parents never got me a Super Nintendo even though it was the one thing I wanted the most at the time. Everytime I visited a friend that had a Super Nintendo I'd return with slightly bloodshot eyes. My mam got it in her head that the bloodshot eyes were as a result of photo epilepsy and not because I had spent 12 hours playing Street Fighter 2.

o1s1n · 27-01-2015 12:17PM

Yep, for a little while my mam took the warnings about photo epilepsy in the manuals really seriously and would freak out whenever I sat right up in front of the TV.

I only ever experienced oddness on one occasion, started hallucinating after playing Jungle Strike for 8-12 hours straight. That was an interesting night.

CiDeRmAn · 27-01-2015 01:24PM

By that stage I was a nurse and knew better!
The hours spent, when I was younger, on my Spectrum didn't appear to cause concern to my folks back in the day.

Tomo.Murphy · 27-01-2015 01:50PM

The only story similar to this that I can recall hearing was about the episode of Pokemon that was pulled in Europe and America, though I was only born in the 90s, so no surprise there.

It always did seem a bit silly to me though. Sit as close as you like to a PC or laptop, but stay away from the tv. I never had a problem sitting up close to a tv when I was a kid, but now if I get too close to an old PC monitor or CRT TV I immediately start to get a headache.

o1s1n · 27-01-2015 02:21PM

It's to do with the refresh rate really. Decent PC monitors could handle high refresh rates (I think my old one did 120hz) whereas your living room TV would probably be putting out 60hz. Can get a bit strobe-tastic if you sit up close to that! It really depends on the person though.

Tomo.Murphy · 27-01-2015 03:42PM

You learn something new every day. I thought I was just falling apart from the inside out, ha.

CiDeRmAn · 27-01-2015 04:19PM

Its like working beneath a dodgy fluorescent light, flickering in the corner of your eye, your head starts to lift and you feel like murdering someone.
Thinking of the axe in the boot of the car....
Or is it just me?

Tomo.Murphy · 27-01-2015 04:23PM

Yep, I've definitely had that. I've stood in shops thinking 'if I had to work here all day I'd smash that bulb'...

Nerdkiller1991 · 27-01-2015 04:45PM

Damn. The crowd was not happy at all for who became victorious at this year's Royal Rumble...just like last year. Boy, Vince is out of touch.

Myrddin · 27-01-2015 04:47PM

Nerdkiller1991 wrote: »

Damn. The crowd was not happy at all for who became victorious at this year's Royal Rumble...just like last year. Boy, Vince is out of touch.

Tell them to take it up with who ever wrote the script for the 'fight'....

/runs :P

Steve X2 · 27-01-2015 04:48PM

I see Krikzz has released flash kit for the Mega Drive/Genesis. The blank carts are $9 each and the flashing unit itself is $58.
Prices of the blanks seem pretty decent and hassle free as it’s all done via usb.

Are we about to see an increase in the amount of repro/fake carts knocking about? It’s not that hard to put a working repro/fake together as it is, but now its drag and drop, print and glue and you’re done :0/

http://shop.retrogate.com/FlashKit-programmer-MD-PROG-MD.htm
http://shop.retrogate.com/FlashKit-cart-MD-CART-MD.htm

Myrddin · 27-01-2015 04:53PM

Steve SI wrote: »

I see Krikzz has released flash kit for the Mega Drive/Genesis. The blank carts are $9 each and the flashing unit itself is $58.
Prices of the blanks seem pretty decent and hassle free as it’s all done via usb.

Are we about to see an increase in the amount of repro/fake carts knocking about? It’s not that hard to put a working repro/fake together as it is, but now its drag and drop, print and glue and you’re done :0/

http://shop.retrogate.com/FlashKit-programmer-MD-PROG-MD.htm
http://shop.retrogate.com/FlashKit-cart-MD-CART-MD.htm

What's the actual point of those, unless you want to make repros?

Atavan-Halen · 27-01-2015 04:55PM

Myrddin wrote: »

What's the actual point of those, unless you want to make repros?

....to make repros I guess.

Myrddin · 27-01-2015 04:58PM

Atavan-Halen wrote: »

....to make repros I guess.

Hmm, can't say I agree with him releasing these kits really. A flash cart is one thing, it's an obvious rom loading tool that has its own menus etc...but a cart that can be made to replicate the real thing....no, not a good move. Worst case is the MD market gets as bad as the DS market

Nerdkiller1991 · 27-01-2015 05:00PM

Myrddin wrote: »

Tell them to take it up with who ever wrote the script for the 'fight'....

/runs :P

Dude, dude, it's not a fight...

It's a sports entertainment bout.

Also, here's the crowd reaction from the Rumble of last year.

http://botchamania.com/botchamania-242/

The Last Bandit · 27-01-2015 05:00PM

Myrddin wrote: »

What's the actual point of those, unless you want to make repros?

Pier Solar 2 ?

o1s1n · 27-01-2015 05:06PM

Myrddin wrote: »

Hmm, can't say I agree with him releasing these kits really. A flash cart is one thing, it's an obvious rom loading tool that has its own menus etc...but a cart that can be made to replicate the real thing....no, not a good move. Worst case is the MD market gets as bad as the DS market

The Megadrive market is actually already one of the most bootlegged ones, probably the reason why he's releasing these - saw there's money to be made

Steve X2 · 27-01-2015 05:10PM

From a technical point of view I quite like them. I’d buy one or two to play around with and maybe make a repro for myself or load up a homebrew or unreleased game and make up some artwork. Basically playing around with them.

But from a collectors point of view I can see they definitely could(let’s be honest, WILL) be used for evil

o1s1n · 27-01-2015 05:17PM

I'd say there are some well dodgy characters out their currently rubbing their hands together in glee.

Not only does it make buying rare games a minefield, it makes selling them a pain in the arse too as people will be (quite rightly) asking for picture of PCBs etc.

The Last Bandit · 27-01-2015 05:18PM

Could have modified the card edge so that it would be easy to identify compared to an original cart - although that may be the point....

Atavan-Halen · 27-01-2015 05:33PM

I don't agree with releasing them either. It can already be a minefield out there looking for genuine games but it's going to be harder now with these on the market. All you'd need to do is get this kit, a high quality printer and a load of cases and you've got your own wily wars factory. Hopefully the carts won't be exactly like a genuine one and he'll print a logo or something into them.

The Last Bandit · 27-01-2015 05:37PM

Atavan-Halen wrote: »

I don't agree with releasing them either. It can already be a minefield out there looking for genuine games but it's going to be harder now with these on the market. All you'd need to do is get this kit, a high quality printer and a load of cases and you've got your own wily wars factory. Hopefully the carts won't be exactly like a genuine one and he'll print a logo or something into them.

Or spend a few extra quid and change the pcb colour.

Steve X2 · 27-01-2015 06:12PM

Well he has text printed on the PCB. But it wouldn't take that much to disguise it enough to fool a non-collector.

Doge · 27-01-2015 07:08PM

o1s1n wrote: »

I only ever experienced oddness on one occasion, started hallucinating after playing Jungle Strike for 8-12 hours straight. That was an interesting night.

Does anyone else still "see" the game they played for hours, when they close their eyes whiile going to sleep?

It definitely happens to me, although i havent gamed for extensive periods in a long time so cant say it happened lately.

Touch Fuzzy Get Dizzy · 27-01-2015 07:29PM

Nerdkiller1991 wrote: »

Dude, dude, it's not a fight...

It's a sports entertainment bout.

Also, here's the crowd reaction from the Rumble of last year.

http://botchamania.com/botchamania-242/

Forget the RR, BookerT saved a McDonald's from being robbed with the Spinaroonie, that's what we should be talking about.

Can you dig it? SUCKAAAA.

Tomo.Murphy · 27-01-2015 08:51PM

Doge wrote: »

Does anyone else still "see" the game they played for hours, when they close their eyes whiile going to sleep?

It definitely happens to me, although i havent gamed for extensive periods in a long time so cant say it happened lately.

Guitar hero does funny things to you. I've seen the notes for Through the Fire and the Flames running through my head while I was trying to sleep many times, ha. Also, after staring blankly at the notes for 3+ minutes at a time when you look away other things look like they're moving. Sometimes the tv looks like it's rising up, wood grain seems to be shifting around and moving closer, stuff like that.

CiDeRmAn · 27-01-2015 09:10PM

I know I had pleasant after effects from playing Ico.
Living in the countryside I would leave the house on a Spring morning to birdsong and the fresh breeze and was transported to the exterior of the magnificent castle that serves as backdrop in that incredible, timeless game.

Andrew76 · 27-01-2015 10:34PM

Doge wrote: »

Does anyone else still "see" the game they played for hours, when they close their eyes whiile going to sleep?

It definitely happens to me, although i havent gamed for extensive periods in a long time so cant say it happened lately.

Only one game had that effect on me, Turrican 2 on the C64. What an amazing game. Much easier than the first iirc so played it to the finish. Couldn't sleep a wink that night. :pac:

eddhorse · 27-01-2015 10:34PM

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

I know I had pleasant after effects from playing Ico.
Living in the countryside I would leave the house on a Spring morning to birdsong and the fresh breeze and was transported to the exterior of the magnificent castle that serves as backdrop in that incredible, timeless game.

And the a giant colossus would stroll by minding its own business.....

Andrew76 · 27-01-2015 10:35PM

eddhorse wrote: »

And the a giant colossus would stroll by minding its own business.....

Wrong game?

General Arcade and Retro Chat - Insert Coin -

Comments