ifightdragons

2 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

@Matchbook I think the biggest thing is being real with ourselves.

Like, I know I want to tackle Metal Gear (NES) some day.  I have to play through it for reference, if nothing else.  It feels like a void in my gaming experience.

But I also know I'd rather play through the 45 games I have listed in this thread.  I'm much more likely to get addicted and stick with a Dark Souls 2 or a Nioh.

I've had the same problem with the Metal Gear games.

I've always wanted to play through the 5 mainline games... but everytime I get sick of sitting through the nonsensical story and insanely long cutscenes.

No joke, the split between cutscenes and actual gameplay is like 70/30. And it sometimes feels even worse. Especially if you're not into the writing and outlandish characters, which is like an anime storyline mixed with Hollywood blockbuster.

The thing about the storyline is a personal feeling. I totally respect those who enjoy that side of Kojima's games. It's just something that makes it nigh on impossible for me to actually get through the Metal Gear series.

And like you, it feels like a gap in my "gaming CV".

 

11 minutes ago, ZeldaFreak said:

The one and only contribution I'll make to this thread is that I do agree with that actually, that has always kinda confused me about why it's DLC and not just DC. I always assumed the L is the L in "downloadable," but even knowing that, it still never made sense to me since it's one word. Maybe the person who came up with the abbreviation thought it was two different words, like "down loadable content," haha.

Either way it doesn't much matter to me personally, abbreviations are abbreviations and if everyone agrees that this particular thing should be abbreviated in that particular way, or if everyone agrees on a particular portmanteau, then so be it. I'll do it the same way too.

...Also, I've always liked shmup because it sounds goofy, that's why I always liked the term, haha.

At least this is easily explained:

1. Download is frequently abbreviated as DL. So it makes sense to call it DLC. DC is way too broad, and is a common abbreviation used for way more prevalent things than downloadable content.
2. Download is originally two words, combined into one: down load. Therefore, DL makes sense.
3. An effective abbreviation needs to be google-friendly, these days. DC would not be a viable option. DLC works way better.

Ultimately, I agree with you. It's not optimal. But a lot of abbreviations work exactly like this. They incorporate a letter in the midst of a word. Often it's the first letter in what originally would have been separate words (like the L in Load).

DLC is at least more "user friendly" than DC, and I'd argue it makes a lot more sense than you'd initially think.

See title

Super Metroid is pretty damn close to a timeless example of perfection in game design.

It's still the complete package, almost 30 years later.

I highly recommend the Super Metroid Redux patch, for an even better experience. It provides a lot of QOL features that makes a stellar game completely perfect.

Good write-up by LM above me.

Personally, I find the entire game awful. Wish I didn't, but that's just how it goes sometimes. Definitely not for me

Playing it when it came out was an intense experience. Incredibly atmospheric and engrossing. It took storytelling in shooters to a new level.

I think it holds up pretty well to this day, especially the beginning.

You should probably look more into stuff before making assumptions. All the adapters are coming, btw.

Why you would lump FPGA projects like MisTer/Analogue into the same bracket as a Raspberry Pi is beyond me.

It's probably because the MisTer doesn't play carts? I get that is a dealbreaker for some. Couldn't care less myself, as loading ROMs is nothing different from using an EverDrive. But I get it, collecting and playing actual carts is fun, and I can enjoy that as well. Nothing beats popping in the gold Zelda cart... Except, the Legend of Zelda Redux improvement hack. That actually beats it. ROMs aren't so bad after all.

Anyhow, FPGA is the future of keeping retro gaming alive, and as true-to-original as possible. Even flashcarts like EverDrives run off of FPGA. Software emulation has also come a long way, but will never truly be a 1:1 experience. If playing carts is important to you as an authentic experience, understanding the difference between FPGA and software emulation is a great way to further your knowledge.

Authenticity won't always be available. But it can be replicated as good as possible via FPGA. At least when it comes to video, audio, gameplay and input lag. And at the end of the day, that's what really matters.

14 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Maybe because there aren't really any that use actual games but very few.  If you're just going to be some flash kit style half baked ROM running emulator box then that's fine.  These are really meant for those using the media or the slot wouldn't be there.  Analogue flaked out on the Duo and seemingly the PCE adapter for Pocket.  There's little else but original.

Analogue didn't "flake" out. They are both coming, just delayed.

The Pocket will also get a free TG-16 core, ported from MisTer.

4 hours ago, NESfiend said:

@Glovesconvinced me its not feasible to play in the weekly contests without a flash cart. He was correct. Before that, I refused anything not original and emulating in general. 

The flash cart is the only exception I think Id ever need to make and its a great one. Cost effective and I still get my original controller and console. Im convinced games play 100% the same. Ive tested it with carts I own. And I can play expensive games I own without having them out and about. 

Your conviction is correct. A ROM is a ROM, be it on an original cart or on a flashcart. As long as the flashcart is properly made, and the ROM is also dumped properly, it's exactly the same as playing the original cart.

8 hours ago, a3quit4s said:

I play everything on original hardware with the exception of whatever Analogue makes. I didn’t get a pocket but I do have a NT noir, Super NT, and a Mega SG. I’ll likely retire my TG16 if they ever get around to releasing the Duo. I’m not really an on the go gamer so the pocket doesn’t appeal to me. I do have an ODE in my GameCube but I have another non modded GameCube that I play on for the discs I have. Besides the GameCube ODE and the few roms on it, all my games are OG. I just like owning them. 

You do realize that if you use the Dock with the Pocket, it's a console? Just like the Switch.

Pair that with the MisTer cores now being ported over, you'll soon have all the Analogue consoles all-in-one, as long as you also get the Dock.

The newly ported SNES core on the Pocket is absolutely fantastic. No longer need my Super Nt. The NES core is dropping soon. GB, GBC, GBA, SMS and Game Gear cores are already out. Stuff like Genesis, TG-16, and more will be coming too.

So if I were you, the Pocket+Dock would be top of my list right now. Since you're obviously a fan of their consoles, the Pocket+Dock is going to be all you need.

Consoles: Analogue FPGA consoles or RGB/HDMI-modded original consoles. Both are top-notch, but the FPGA consoles offer more benefits and QOL features.

The Pocket paired with a Dock will likely be one of my main retro console going forward, seeing as the MisTer cores are being ported over. That way, I can play on my TV as a console with beautiful filters, or handheld on the best screen ever made for gaming. Best of both worlds.

Monitor: Modern low lag display and CRT. Both are great, and offer something unique from each other.

Carts or flashcarts: Both, but mainly flashcarts with improvement/QOL patches for many games.

ODEs for disc-based consoles: Oh, yes.

Controllers: 2.4G wireless from either 8BitDo or RetroFighters. They feel authentic, and have virtually no noticeable lag. No Bluetooth controllers though, as thet are way too laggy. I also own OG controllers for all consoles in great condition, but I'm done with wired controllers.

Other accessories: Stuff like PS1 MemCard Pro is fantastic. Same with FRAM Controller Paks for the N64.

20 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Look I'm not looking to start a pissing match, but I've been through this in various decades.  I used to blame this or that.  Originally I shat all over emulators using computer in the late 90s into the earlier 00s.  Now I know largely they developed from garbage into greatness around 1996-00 roughly, but I could always perform worse and felt it was off.  I'd blame frame skips, the screen, the emulator, using a crappy PC controller (not actually crappy, good gravis pads etc) as it just didn't *feel* right and I couldn't do as I did using my well broken in controllers, real hardware, and my then CRT (WEGA/Trinitron) at the time.  It set me off, so I relegated emulators as second class, meant for testing out potential buys, being really lazy and not caring on the PC, etc.  The computers and parts vs specs I was well on or over expectation for peak too.  I can handle the games I've dug into on the NES CE as well as I can on the old consoles still on the same screen, same screen settings.  I went through the display lag bs when I was on NA, dumped a good copy of SMAS (Wii) thinking it was shit coding, nope...shit Samsung (still have it, works fine for TV/movies.)  After that I bought TVs that had no higher than a 26ms refresh rate on the old displaylag.com site and it worked, issues gone.  Shooters, testy platformers, etc.  That's why I'm throwing shade because going into one video after another, you see people having the same comment, attitude, comparison, they're also largely not teens and 20 somethings, but grown adults who used the old stuff first or second hand(me downs) set in their ways.  What you're describing to me I blamed like hell 20 years+ ago on stuff, same stuff, just some random geniuses code vs Nintendo internal.

So basically you're taking your personal accounts, and extrapolating that onto others' experience... all the while not admitting you are obviously much less perceptive to lag than other people.

If you can't notice the lag of the NES Classic, Nintendo Switch Online, or other official emulators, that's on you. And there's no harm in that! As long as you're enjoying the games, that's all that should matter to you.

But throwing shade on people who actually notice how awfully laggy some of these actually are, is just weird. The lag is there, and no amount of discussion is going to change that fact.

There's no elitism in acknowledging something factual. And no one is going to look down on someone for enjoying their NES Classic. It has its place, and is great for a casual stroll down memory lane. It's just not a very fitting solution if you're perceptive to lag on an above average level.

As a side-note: Modern consoles and games compensate for lag, and most modern games like shooters and platformers take lag into account to make the experience feel less laggy. Input lag usually only is a problem with retro games, and modern, competitive games.

To clarify: You do NOT need a CRT to play classic games.

FPGA consoles + any decent modern display will work wonders. Same with original hardware on any decent line multiplier or scaler with minimum lag.

20 ms of lag is a lot. My threshold is below 5 ms, but this will vary from person to person.

If someone can't detect that the NES/SNES classic is awfully laggy, though... They haven't really tested it thoroughly enough with the proper games. It actually hinders normal running and jumping in games like Mario, it's that bad.

I can also add that I have tried RetroArch on my NES and SNES Classic, and that did nothing to improve the lag. If anything, it was even worse.

They are novelty devices, with excellent physical design and a great UI. Fantastic for a casual trip down memory lane. But, as a dedicated retro gaming device, they are downright bad.

I now display them on my shelves, whilst playing on either RGB-modded original hardware, or better yet, on FPGA systems; zero lag, perfect image quality!

4 hours ago, Bearcat-Doug said:

It's bad. I had mine hooked up to an older plasma screen TV and it wasn't awful, but it was definitely there. Maybe it would be better on a CRT HDTV, but trying to play Punch Out is almost impossible.

HD CRTs have even more lag than modern displays, unless you're talking about PVM/BVMs. So I wouldn't recommend going that route.

5 hours ago, NESfiend said:

I dont have one, but I cant believe this is an issue. Aside from having a lot of titles in one place, I thought the big upside to the nes classic was that it was designed to run on modern flat screen TVs. I assumed it ran seemlessly.

For dinosaurs like me who insist on original hardware, live with old shit cluttered everywhere, and get heckled for it, this thread brings about a very big smile

Well, you better believe it. I own both the NES and SNES Classic, and the input lag is extremely noticeable if you're perceptive to lag -- which I am.

Some never notice lag, and in certain games lag won't matter much. But for any twitchy platformer - like Mario/Mega Man - it's a total bust. Not to mention Punch-Out.

It was only designed to display and look good on modern TVs. They didn't do much to account for lag. And it shows.

Tons of input lag on the NES classic, regardless of the TV/monitor.

It can't be fixed.

Cuphead and Celeste are up there.

I'd say the Zelda games definitely "made use" of the touch screen, but not in a good way.

The improvement hacks that introduce D-pad controls for both DS Zelda games are infinitely better and more natural to play.

I recommend the improvement hack that removes the crying, and makes red coins actually red.

If someone made hacks that removed or drastically shortened the cutscenes of the MGS games, I'd play them.

Until then, I can't be bothered.

Sorry, my bad! It does indeed measure upload speed. It wouldn't for me, but that must be a glitch.

2 hours ago, ZeldaFreak said:

Yup, I personally use https://www.speedtest.net/ most of the time, but either one works totally fine.

Speedtest.net is great for measuring download speed and ping.

However, it does not measure upload speed, which is a critical component in online gaming. You're sending a lot of information when playing. So a slow upload speed will wreak havoc on your sessions.

On 7/19/2022 at 6:27 PM, MegaMan52 said:

I ran a Smart Scan with Norton 360 Deluxe. According to Norton, my Internet Connection is strong. I'm able to browse the Internet fine; pages load fast and my connection rarely disconnects.

Don't bother with Norton. If anything, it makes your PC slower.

You should Google "Internet Speed Test" and use Google's speed test. It's highly accurate, and correctly measures the speed of download, upload, and ping.

Takes 10 seconds to run.

Report your results here, and it will be easy to discern whether your connection is the culprit or not.

https://www.google.com/search?q=test+internet+speed