sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Mar 30, 2013 20:54:29 GMT
It's been 14 months since the SSF emulator was last updated...
On one hand I'm not really bothered since I don't need it really but it's kind of sad if it's not going to be improved ever again. As great as SSF is, it still had some shortcomings (and some of the newer versions even introduced new problems while fixing others), and who knows when somebody else will try to make an equally good, or even better maybe, Saturn emulator. Considering how infamous the system is to emulate, despite the SSF success, it looks pretty unlikely to me...
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Sept 14, 2012 13:29:02 GMT
I first read about it 10 years ago in a magazine I used to buy. It was an article about the history of PSX development and all the little things that made it happen, based on some books that detailed the history of the system.
It stated that before Sega showcased the Virtua Fighter arcade machine there was little fate on the Sony side that 3D games on home systems could take off at this point. Namco, the creators of Ridge Racer and Tekken, apparently though that 3D games will become a standard after the year 2000. Other parties shared their view until VF showed up and made them think that it was indeed possible to do much earlier and PSX became a capable 3D system.
What's really weird is how Sega planned everything at this point. They made VF and still insisted on keeping the Saturn strong on 2D side while equipping it with basic model 1 3D capabilities (am I correct?). Sony and their supporters, inspired by VF, took it much farther and from the moment the PSX specs were announced Saturn already had to catch up, ending up as a competent but complicated machine. If it wasn't for Sega's backwards thinking regarding the home systems capabilities things could've turned out differently...
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 22, 2012 8:05:04 GMT
Yes, the clock in Outrun runs too fast, but the game itself is full-speed., that's why I set the timer difficulty to easy.
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 19, 2012 6:26:08 GMT
Even if we pretend that video games invented every trope there is, Resident Evil wasn't the first game with haunted mansion in it. And since you're looking for a vampire in STHA, I'd say it's more like Castlevania.
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 18, 2012 19:40:46 GMT
My Saturn has been modded so now it can run games in 60Hz too. I tested all my imports and some PAL games that apparently are considered as unoptimized. And while Daytona USA is clearly not running at full screen it does work full speed (tested with a stopwatch), same with Sega Ages Vol. 1. The list on our site marks which PAL games are optimized, but only those that run in both full screen and full speed.
Is there any list that details to what extend PAL games are actually optimized?
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 18, 2012 15:06:54 GMT
Just ordered Decathlete, Virtua Fighter 2 and Deep Fear from Games of Japan, also waiting for X-Men Children of the Atom from eBay.
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 18, 2012 14:59:42 GMT
My brother did me a favor and made the 50/60 Hz switch, works like a charm Now my Saturn is a fully capable machine. I have to say that full screen is more noticeable than full speed, though it would be the other way. If you have the proper model 2 Saturn, I recommend this mod, that's the easiest one there is.
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 14, 2012 6:32:13 GMT
Just won X-Men Children of the Atom (JP) on eBay, finally getting myself a good 2D fighter. I did own Vampire Hunter for a moment but didn't really like it, I think the overall theme didn't click with me and it was pretty lackluster when it comes to game modes (only arcade and vs).
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 12, 2012 17:23:35 GMT
So I was reading about Deep Fear and came across this note:
*Note 1 : If you have a U.S. Saturn and really want to play this game in English, you can. Here's how. Buy a legit U.K. copy from someone willing to ship to the U.S. Check eBay. That's where I got mine. Make sure you have a working Action Replay Plus cartridge. You'll be able to play through the first disc. At the disc change, put in Disc 2 and it will give you a "disc not readable" error. That's okay. Just reset your Saturn (don't turn off power) and back up your save. Then start Disc 2 from the rebooted Action Replay. Just keep in mind that the U.K version of Deep Fear (the only English version ever made) is friggin rare and expensive if complete.
Also, found on some message board:
Could Japanese copy work after all with AR? I'm tempted to get this version and try it out.
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 11, 2012 21:51:41 GMT
Finally, did a quick Saturn session this evening, Daytona, Sega Rally, Outrun, Salamander 1 and 2 and a bit of Nights (didn't play that one in a while), I found that I really enjoy Saturn when I jump from one game to the next, as if I actually was in an arcade center and wanted to try as many games as I can.
As for Nights, I found out my manual is missing and have no idea whether I just can't find it or I accidentally sent it with boxed copy of Need for Speed to the person I sold NfS to (it was one of those EA fat boxes, so it could handle two manuals, the Nights copy I have is the jewel case one).
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 10, 2012 18:43:49 GMT
Definitely not Panzer Dragoon as I played them all, that's why I was asking, I never heard those tracks in any Saturn game I had a chance to play.
So you're saying the first one is definitely not from RS? I'd assume it is, since all other come from this game. Anyway, I didn't know RS had such good music, I only played it briefly so I only heard what't at the beginning (quite good too, but didn't grab my attention as well as those). Now that I think of it, it does sound similar.
You're refering to the musical bits or the podcast in general? I must say I really love Retronauts, hundreds of hours of retro related babble, very entertaining, I have my favorite episodes I listened to multiple times. I recommend checking out the ones recorded at PAX in front of a live audience (about game collecting and NES), the crowd reactions make it even better.
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 10, 2012 13:01:30 GMT
So I was listening again to the Retronauts podcast episode about Saturn and I was wondering about the music that plays in between the segments of the show. I assume it's related to the topic (it usually does) so it's probably from a Saturn game though I might be wrong. Anyway I'd appreciate it if anyone could tell me where do these tracks come from, all excerpts sound like they're from the same game, probably an RPG. You can download this episode from here: www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?http://download.gamevideos.com/Podcasts/Retronauts/013108.mp3, the music plays at 4:30, 24:23, 48:02, 59:53, 73:26 and 88:28.
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 8, 2012 6:23:33 GMT
If I didn't sell my Athlete Kings copy a while ago, that's what I'd probably play right now. After trying out several different olympic button mashers I came to the conclusion that it is actually the best I've ever tried.
Shamefully, I don't remember my last time playing on Saturn actually, which is gonna change soon as I'm finally going to mod it with 50/60 hz switch this week.
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 5, 2012 18:29:13 GMT
I always thought a proper challenge is one of the most essential aspects of a game, without which it can become boring quite fast (that's how I felt about PDS unfortunately). So which Saturn games are, in your opinion, most difficult to complete? Which one made you feel like you've actually accomplished something after beating it?
Among the games I played on my Saturn so far, I'd number Gradius II, Salamander and Guardian Heroes. Gradius II I've only completed once, on easiest difficulty, same goes with Salamander, which is a real bitch as it doesn't allow any continues or extra lives (though you can set them up to 7 in options). During the first week of me playing it, it took me like 60 tries or more and I just couldn't make it. That was when I still tried to do it on default settings. After that I decided on my approach towards shmups - now I always start on the lowest difficulty and work my way up the ladder. With Gradius games even the easiest setting is no cake walk.
Guardian Heroes was more managable but it still took my lots of tries to actually beat it, never attempted to finish it without continuing though, that sounds like a completely different story.
|
|
sonix
Sega Saturn FTW!
Joined: March 2008
Posts: 938
Location:
|
Post by sonix on Aug 5, 2012 12:54:54 GMT
Retro game's prices seem to consistently rising for some time, I too wonder whether it'll stop or just continue indefinitely. And the more obscure system the worse it gets, hence why Saturn stuff gets more and more expensive.
I remember when 4 years ago I rediscovered Saturn and used to look up ebay all the time for prices. When I compared what I saw then and mere 2 years later I was pretty shocked. One example - Night Warriors Darkstalkers (PAL), in 2008 I saw it frequently and the price was usually around 5-10 quids, no more than that, it was one of the more affordable games, and certainly one of the cheaper 2D fighters. Fast forward and now apparently it's worth... 25 pounds? And that's if you're lucky... I don't check it that often, perhaps I missed some auctions where it was cheaper, but from what I see everytime is that it more than doubled in worth. Same goes for many other games, with emphasis on those less common. Not to mention the rare ones, their prices got even more ridiculous - PAL Deep Fear used to go for around 30-40 quid, now it goes for no lower than 80...
At least most of you guys have a chance to find some games in some local game stores, my only choice is finding stuff online, absolutely no retro games present in my vicinity and pretty much in the entire country, except for a few obscure stores with little amount of retro stuff anyway.
|
|