Retro gaming

eloic

Veteran
Hi! :)

I post this thread so that we can talk about retro gaming in general, not just the tech details (for which there are other spaces in this fora).

I'll start by saying that I'm playing NES games (emulated on my smartphone). I wanted to begin with the Final Fantasy saga from the very beginning, since I hadn't played any of its games, so I began with Final Fantasy and then beat Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy III (very recently).

Now I wanted to move on to the SNES, but since I also have the whole Dragon Quest saga in my backlog as well, I thought that it would be better to play the first NES games too, so that I can experience the evolution of both sagas almost in parallel.

So far, I liked FF but the third game was not as good as the previous ones, in my opinion, due to some story/level design issues, as I shared in the "What are you playing now? (console edition)" thread. Now I'm playing the first Dragon Quest game, which was previous than the first FF game. I'm not liking the menu for basic actions such as opening a door, but let's see how things progress.

Welcome!

@Cyan :D
 
Maybe you can try the SNES versions of the first DQ games, you might think they are prettier than the originals. I really like the look of SNES DQIII.
 
Maybe you can try the SNES versions of the first DQ games, you might think they are prettier than the originals. I really like the look of SNES DQIII.
Yeah, I know I could, but I prefer to play games in their original form and then, maybe after I finish all the games in a saga, I like to play a remastered version. :p
 
Hi! :)

I post this thread so that we can talk about retro gaming in general, not just the tech details (for which there are other spaces in this fora).

I'll start by saying that I'm playing NES games (emulated on my smartphone). I wanted to begin with the Final Fantasy saga from the very beginning, since I hadn't played any of its games, so I began with Final Fantasy and then beat Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy III (very recently).

Now I wanted to move on to the SNES, but since I also have the whole Dragon Quest saga in my backlog as well, I thought that it would be better to play the first NES games too, so that I can experience the evolution of both sagas almost in parallel.

So far, I liked FF but the third game was not as good as the previous ones, in my opinion, due to some story/level design issues, as I shared in the "What are you playing now? (console edition)" thread. Now I'm playing the first Dragon Quest game, which was previous than the first FF game. I'm not liking the menu for basic actions such as opening a door, but let's see how things progress.

Welcome!

@Cyan :D
hi eloy! How is the experience of playing retro games on your phone? Do you use a controller or the touch screen? I have GBA -my favourite handheld, a SNES on steroids-, Lynx, Game Gear, SNES, etc, emulators on my phone but the experience isnt' as good as playing those games on my PC.

In regards to Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest..., alas, I've never played those games in the past, nor in recent times.
 
Doom for the SNES (which I played via emulation, this version had great sound quality) was developed on a Commodore Amiga, the developer of the game said, talking about the challenges he faced and the features he wanted to include:

https://gamingreinvented.com/interv...s-lair-doom-and-bleem-developer-randy-linden/

And what was it like being a programmer on the project? What challenges did you have to overcome to get it working on the SNES?
I started the project independently and demo’d it to Sculptured Software when I had a fully operational prototype running. A bunch of people at Sculptured helped complete the game so it could be released in time for the holidays.

The development was challenging for a few reasons, notably there were no development systems for the SuperFX chip at the time. I wrote a complete set of tools — assembler, linker and debugger — before I could even start on the game itself.

The development hardware was a hacked-up StarFox cartridge (because it included the SuperFX chip) and a modified pair of game controllers that were plugged into both SNES ports and connected to the Amiga’s parallel port. A serial protocol was used to communicate between the two for downloading code, setting breakpoints, inspecting memory, etc.

Any features you wish you’d wanted to include but couldn’t get working here?
Sure! More levels for starters — Unfortunately, the game used the largest capacity ROM available and filled it almost completely. I vaguely recall there were roughly 16 bytes free, so there wasn’t any more space available anyway!

However, I did manage to include support for the SuperScope, Mouse and XBand modem! … Yes, you could actually play against someone online!
 
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hi eloy! How is the experience of playing retro games on your phone? Do you use a controller or the touch screen? I have GBA -my favourite handheld, a SNES on steroids-, Lynx, Game Gear, SNES, etc, emulators on my phone but the experience isnt' as good as playing those games on my PC.
Hi!

I use the touch screen. It's not the better option because I miss the touch of normal buttons, but I like the fact that I can just grab my phone and play anywhere without additional accessories/devices. Moreover, usually NES games don't need a complex/quick use of buttons, so it's perfectly fine.

On the other hand, I also used emulators for PSX games and it's considerably more difficult to play the games, of course. I beat Crash Bandicoot in a Motorola Moto G a few years ago. Tiny screen and the buttons weren't that responsive, sometimes, and I suppose you know that Crash Bandicoot can be quite hard. Now and then I remember that and I think to myself "how the heck did I do that?".

Regarding the comparison to PC that you mention, I prefer to play some games with a keyboard and mouse (such as Amiga games, but some modern games as well), and for others I prefer the feeling of a controller. The same way, I prefer to play NES games in "handheld mode" with my phone instead of using my computer.

In regards to Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest..., alas, I've never played those games in the past, nor in recent times.
Except for my highly annoying experience with FF III, I had a great time with the other two and now I'm liking a lot Dragon Quest, even though I complained about the basic actions menu (I just got used to it).
 
a video showing the spectacular sound of Doom, SNES version. It sounds better than in a Gravis Ultrasound or a Sound Blaster AWE 32, imho.

 
a video showing the spectacular sound of Doom, SNES version. It sounds better than in a Gravis Ultrasound or a Sound Blaster AWE 32, imho.

Well, I know you're kind of a sound nerd. I don't pay that much attention to sound, though, so I don't have to knowledge to compare, really.

However, I was very surprised to see this game running in a SNES. I didn't know it was ported there. :-O
 
Well, I know you're kind of a sound nerd. I don't pay that much attention to sound, though, so I don't have to knowledge to compare, really.

However, I was very surprised to see this game running in a SNES. I didn't know it was ported there. :-O
It barely is running on the SNES. It's running on the SFX chip, and the SNES is streaming it, pretty much...
 
nd for others I prefer the feeling of a controller. The same way, I prefer to play NES games in "handheld mode" with my phone instead of using my computer.
Then the pc has you covered
MJhCgwt.jpg

https://www.gearbest.com/mice-keybo...MIysTh3ZHN3QIVw7TtCh2-dwWDEAQYAiABEgLqfPD_BwE
 
Remembering some songs from PS1 games:



BTW, Toshinden was a really good game, IMO. Most of its characters had charisma and the graphics were pretty.
 
It barely is running on the SNES. It's running on the SFX chip, and the SNES is streaming it, pretty much...

Not even just the normal superFX, it's using the double speed one and it still runs at about 10 fps :p


For that price, I'd expect a piece of junk that breaks in a week. They're more, but 8bitdo makes quality stuff. The reviews are surprisingly positive though..
 
Remembering some songs from PS1 games:



BTW, Toshinden was a really good game, IMO. Most of its characters had charisma and the graphics were pretty.
Battle Arena Toshinden is a very good looking game on the PC -the version I got back in the day- if you had a 3D accelerator. I enjoyed it very much, but didnt remember the songs were that good tbh, the 3D graphics were my main focus, after purchasing a 3D graphics card.
 
Remembering some songs from PS1 games:



BTW, Toshinden was a really good game, IMO. Most of its characters had charisma and the graphics were pretty.
I loved Toshinden 1 soundtrack.

My first game on the PS1 along with WipEout which also had some of the best soundtracks ever

 
My first game on the PS1 along with WipEout which also had some of the best soundtracks ever

Indeed!

---------------------

Still playing the original Dragon Quest (Dragon Warrior), NES. I got used to the action menu and I'm having a great time, actually. The game is simpler than the first FF games, but it's older, so I'm still expecting some kind of evolution in the next title.
 
Battle Arena Toshinden is a very good looking game on the PC -the version I got back in the day- if you had a 3D accelerator. I enjoyed it very much, but didnt remember the songs were that good tbh, the 3D graphics were my main focus, after purchasing a 3D graphics card.
Yes it was.
The game was visually such a masterpiece for it's time. Everything was 3D, it had beautiful lighting effects, environments were massive and detailed and you could sidestep when games like Tekken and Virtua Fighter still didnt have it.
I was ecstatic playing this and WipEout. It screamed next gen. I was so young and those vistas were like digital drugs for my little brain. The jump to high quality 3D for the first time was a revelation. It was also the first time we got high quality sound from consoles. This is why the soundtrack also played a major role in the whole experience. The boss fight was so epic with those 3D effects and music. Even the end credits after the epic fight contributed to it
 
Yes it was.
The game was visually such a masterpiece for it's time. Everything was 3D, it had beautiful lighting effects, environments were massive and detailed and you could sidestep when games like Tekken and Virtua Fighter still didnt have it.
I was ecstatic playing this and WipEout. It screamed next gen. I was so young and those vistas were like digital drugs for my little brain. The jump to high quality 3D for the first time was a revelation. It was also the first time we got high quality sound from consoles. This is why the soundtrack also played a major role in the whole experience. The boss fight was so epic with those 3D effects and music. Even the end credits after the epic fight contributed to it
So true. I discovered Toshinden 2 after playing Tekken 2 (both demos). 3D was new to me and I was amazed. Even though Tekken seemed to had somehow crisper graphics (mainly because of the character models, their weight and the artstyle), Toshinden had a special charm. Besides the 3D stages, I remember noticing how Toshinden had translucent shadows (Ellis' skirt, IIRC), when Tekken didn't.
 
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