Shit that sucked about retro video games

File: phantasy_star4_box_us.jpg (117KB, 432x600px) Image search: [Google]

117KB, 432x600px

>>3400180
Prices for almost everything were crazy. You think paying a hundred bucks for a game sucks now, try it in 1993 when you wanted to play Phantasy Star IV.

Also when CD based systems started being made, quality was not high on their priority list. I've had so many Sega CDs and Playstations die on me.

the fact that DOS and early Windows were very easy to break

File: 5175948+_2d437cb311ec6e101e9d1d037d24d928.png (23KB, 300x199px) Image search: [Google]

23KB, 300x199px

All the ephemera dealing with old disc based consoles, you know the cheap CD scratch things (DiscDr) and the like. Hell the ephemera for NES and SNES was bad too

File: ff1box.jpg (104KB, 640x905px) Image search: [Google]

104KB, 640x905px

>>3400214
I remember playing Final Fantasy, getting to the earth cave after what seemed like months and then the game froze and deleted my save. Didn't touch it for years and finally started a new game. Get to the tower right at the end and the exact same thing happens again.

And that's why I never beat FFI on NES.

Reviews. So few reviews and many(like now) are from shills.

Really, any reliable source of info was hard to come by. You couldn't just go on YouTube if you wanted to see the game played. If you wanted to try it first you'd have to hope the local video store had it, or hope it was on display somewhere. Now you can go on YouTube and see a let's play of the first 5 minutes at least, or emulate it to see if you like it.

That's just games. Hardware was something else. I'm sure you guys remember going into a funcoland or game crazy or something after the turn of the century and seeing all the old useless hardware that was marked down to like 50 cents. Tons of ignorant stuff, especially controllers. I bought a couple different flight style joystick controllers for the nes that were completely asinine. Not like an atari or arcade stick, but a stick like you find in a flight simulator. I found no game that would work well with it. Didn't work well with top down games like bomberman, didn't work at all for shooters because of how unresponsive they were.

TVs never seeming to have the right hookup always sucked. Like my tv only took co-axial, so I had to route a composite cable through a VCR.

>>3400243
>Reviews. So few reviews and many(like now) are from shills.

I never understood why people then and now take reviews so seriously. They're just opinions by people. It's always best to take them with a grain of salt and assume you're going to disagree at least in part.

I do agree it's much better these days getting to see actual gameplay videos very easily. There are a lot of games I never would have bothered with if I could see what playing them actually looked like.

The retarded blowing carts myth.

>>3400284
That shit STILL hasn't gone away.

>>3400254
I kind if agree, but I think what he means is, you couldn't just go online and find a community of gamers and see their opinions like you do these days, even for games old at the time, like

>"Yeah I had fun with the game"
>"It was ok but hard and obtuse"
>"It was fine but it was too easy"
>"I hated it, it wasn't fun to play"
>*insert story about something happening in the game*
>*insert talk about compatability*
Couple that with screenshots and video of gameplay, you can kind of get a better picture of what a game you haven't played is like, than back in the day where you get a bunch of blurry screenshots in print, a bunch of buzzwords, and a questionably truthful 8/10 score.

>>3400180
Could they have sounded comfortably like out of tune banjos?

PSM was pretty good about if there was a game on its cover, it would be pretty good. I stopped paying attention about the time they took a shit all over Legend of Dragoon though.

Generation transitions were always kind of rough, though. Like everytime the new hot console was out, they didn't launch a new magazine with it. They just sort of mashed old and new, and felt like they weren't doing either justice.

>>3400414
Yes, the D550, a similar synth engine, put lots of chorus and reverb over its detuned banjos so you can feel them swoosh comfortably over your ears a la Enya.

>>3400420
>I stopped paying attention about the time they took a shit all over Legend of Dragoon though.

But that game was horrible...

File: IMG_7571_zpslnrzbekx.jpg (157KB, 600x800px) Image search: [Google]

157KB, 600x800px

>>3400201
FUH-CKING this. My win 3 Packard bell broke so many goddamn times just from regular use.

>Run a game that is just out of my computers capabilities
>a little slow, loading takes forever but it still runs at about 80% speed
>play for a few hours
>somehow the save files balloon out of control
>hard drive fills up without warning
>crash
>parents are convinced its a virus
>we don't have internet and this pc has no way of connecting

I wish I was making this up but my parents wrote the book on out of touch parent memes.

>>3400397
Basically this, before you'd find a one paragraph review in a magazine you have to pay for with an arbitrary scoring system. At least now you can see general consensus easier. A lot of it isn't even the reviews. A Google search of any game and you'll find threads of people praising or criticizing it. If I like one game I can easily get recommended 10 other games I might like.

File: 1468648829501.jpg (7KB, 290x210px) Image search: [Google]

7KB, 290x210px

>>3400447
>anon occasionally uses PC to play Wolfenstein 3D or Diablo
>anon's dad surfs for Russian gay porn at night
>get CYKA_BLYAT.exe
>"Anon your videogames are giving the computer viruses!"

>>3400194
This, especially the part about early CD consoles. Between Sega CD/TGCDs prices and short life cycle and the shitfest that was CD-i/3DO I thought I had quit video games which in hindsight was better than if I'd actually bought in to the tune of the value of the car I drove in the 90s, which would have made me actively hate the video game industry for basically ruining my life.

Then Playstation made me a believer and I even went back and picked up a 3DO and X'Eye but almost wish I'd have known to pick up a PCE-Duo R since the value has never really gone down on those.

>>3400180
I was always happy enough with the SoundBlaster. Yeah it sounded wanky but so did the MT-32 apparently.

>>3400397
>I kind if agree
I disagree at least in part.

>>3400581
I more or less agree with this.

>>3400530
>1995
>use neighbors internet to surf porn when everyone is asleep during sleepover
>think I'm so cleaver
>some site baits me into a euro site
>CHARGES MAY APPLY
>somehow $50 charge on phone bill
>they know its me
>get crucified by parents
>was it all worth the 5mb of jpegs?
>yes

>>3400530
As late as 2010, I still heard people my own age say "Doesn't playing games give you lots of viruses?"

>>3400447
Just sounds like you didn't know how to use a computer.

>>3400180
>MT-32
>sounded uncomfortably like out of tune banjos

u srs r.now?

>>3400201

At least with DOS you could just hit the reset button without worrying about trashing something.

>>3400447

Was it a D&D game like Dark Sun? That sumbitch created save files that ran 8MB each when the entire game was only like 16MB installed on disk.

File: 1438700740488.jpg (592KB, 1999x1499px) Image search: [Google]

592KB, 1999x1499px

>>3400254
>They're just opinions by people
They're often not genuine opinions though. There have always been all kinds of influences that serve to bump up scores or make it appear like the person never even played the game (and if they did didn't do so for long.)

A subjective "I played mario and I hated it because I hate platformers" is semi-acceptable if you've got a writer over the long term and can sort of learn his preferences (and maybe later get a second opinion from a different one who loves platformers), but more often than not you'd get PR-man nonsense or any of the other sins in pic related.

Amiga Power is still fun to read today, given their correct use of a 0-100 scale (50 = average) and sense of humour.

>>3400447
>Packard Bell

>>3400530
Never happened to me, but had to fix loads of computers of friends and family with this kind of backstory.

>>3402039
Is it the same Packard as in Hewlett Packard? Or are they brothers like in Puma and Adidas?

File: 1465850385503.png (221KB, 576x432px) Image search: [Google]

221KB, 576x432px

>>3400180
Being a britbong in the 90's. No RPG's, and waiting sometimes up to a year after the US/JP release for N64 games.

>>3401654
My point was that if you still just take them all as other people's opinions and assume they are influenced by things you're not, then you can just take it at face value.

>>3400439
Maybe, but the fact they did a hit piece was a turning point to me, in as much that rather than saying "go play this game, it's really good", they said "don't play this game". It's a shitty attitude to have, and it's what gaming journalism basically turned in to. It's like every thing you read is either someone telling you that you shouldn't play a game for some reason, or if someone is telling you to play a game, they are a payed shill. It's like I can't find anywhere on the internet that has people who enjoy playing games.

>>3402130
hey buddy!!! pay is an irregular verb so in the past tense you gotta say paid and not payed!!! just a top tip from a hardcore verb pro . peace out homies

>>3402130
Honestly, if I was a reviewer when I played that game I would have done much the same thing. I thought that game was a steaming pile and to this day would strongly discourage someone from wasting their time and money on it.

Does that make my opinion "correct"? Of course not, it just makes it an opinion. Which is the point. A review SHOULD be someone saying they think you out to play a certain game or avoid it, that's why people write them.

Your job as a reader and potential gamer is to read what they say and decide for yourself what you want to take away from it. You don't have to agree with someone else's opinion or what they say in a review to find it useful.

>>3402057
No. It was a brand that wished it was up there with HP or Compaq back in the day, but only their name was fancy. We avoided Packard Bell like the plague.

Living in Brazil in the 90s, console gaming was fucking expensive. PC gaming was a godsend thaks to the multiple PC magazines with full games included, until the modded PS1s came in. Then it was all about going to semi-shady local markets to look for bootlegs (burning cds was much easier than doing the whole cart thing).

>>3400530
Lol sames.

>>3400180

Ironically the MT-32 and SC-55 sounded best when handled by Japanese composers. A lot of the x68000k midi sounds equal or sometimes better than the OPM FM chip onboard.

>>3402125
Well yeah, that's valid.

I just love posting that picture because it's perfect. (Well, if you like that sort of picture, this is the sort of picture you'd like. Try before you buy, 73/100)

I remember PCs having literally a dozen sound options and my sound blaster could run about half of them so it always confused me as to why they were there.

>>3401618
Isn't Dark Sun 2 something like 70 MB? I remember the installation being a long list of .wav files of (absolutely atrocious) voice acting.

>>3400180
>>3402516
Sierra had some great sounding MT 32 games

>>3400180
I finally installed munt because it was an option in dark lands. Sounds fucking incredible.

File: vidadapt1.jpg (16KB, 336x184px) Image search: [Google]

16KB, 336x184px

fuck this mothefucking shit.

>>3403237
These were long since on their way out before I was even born, but I understand they could be really awful to deal with.

>You NEED this baby if you want to get the best quality sound
I have never seen that thing before in my life and I don't know what it is.

Very mild issue, but games just finishing annoys me. I'm referring to games like OOT where you can't go to the menu screen after it ends; it just stays at the end screen until you restart. I like that it gives the game closure but at the same time it makes me worry my game froze right at the ending.

>>3400243
Eh I agree to an extent. I never read the part of the reviews that state " I didn't or did like..." I just read the objective things like how it plays length and most time I just take it as a guide line to go into it.

>>3400631
Kek

wired controllers

>>3403378
I can deal with wired, but I vastly prefer the freedom of wireless ones.

>>3403378
Nigger, I'll take controllers where I know I have instantaneous input thanks to the wires than any bullshit. Not to mention early wireless controllers were fucking trash.

>>3403395
Well obviously old wireless pads weren't anything amazing, but today they're pretty alright.

I'm getting instantaneous input with any of the stuff I do.

>>3400180
sounds like you didn't play games that actually used the MT-32 and not just general midi

stuff by Origin and Sierra was fantastic

>>3403378
Wired is objectively best.

>>3403452
I enjoy getting instant input without having to recharge batteries.

>>3403871
I've been using a wireless analog stick thing for my laptop ever since I bought it last fall and I have only changed the battery once.

Likewise I have a wireless mouse from roughly as long ago which I haven't changed batteries on once.

Some modern electronics can run quite efficiently on regular storebought batteries.

In contrast, my PS3 controller I think holds an 8 hour charge (good enough), and if I need to charge it I can plug it in while I do something else (like cooking), only taking about an hour to fully charge, and not needing to be fully charged to be used.

>>3400253
on this note I think it's great that HDMI is omnipresent these days, no more hunting around for system-specific cables. If you want to hook up a new system you just unplug what's there and plug the same cable in, very easy. That's one big up for hardware these days.

>>3403930
not that guy, my counterargument would start with the fact that rechargeable batteries eventually stop being rechargeable. That means that anything wireless will someday be wired, assuming that it (like most things) only uses some sealed-in, proprietary battery which will also stop being made someday. Now you may say "well that doesn't matter, it'll be decades before that happens" but remember that we're on /vr/, where 30-40 year old games and hardware are still played and discussed. I can guarantee you that someday all of our non-retro rechargeable things will be dead, with little/no batteries to replace them, and will basically be stuck plugged into a wall.

Plus, there's the second part, where wireless signals are inherently less reliable than wired signals (even if admittedly they are better than ever at keeping a good connection) but moreover that wireless devices can have their batteries die mid-play, especially if it's something that can't recharge conveniently for whatever reason. And beyond that, waiting for batteries to recharge is a pain. Sure, you can go do something else, but you're there to game, not do something else.

I'll finish by saying that I don't oppose wireless controllers and own several in fact. I simply don't choose them over wired in most any situation, because I find the inconveniences of wired pads minor compared to the inconveniences of wireless pads. I have to also give a shout-out of respect to every device that uses AA batteries, and in particular, a word of fondness for Microsoft, which has consistently used AA batteries for their wireless controllers. Anyone who plays retro handhelds knows that modern rechargeable AAs are a gift of the universe, and I applaud MS for realizing (maybe accidentally) that AAs will have the long-standing resiliency which will not be seen in proprietary rechargeables, even if it is only because they are a standardized format.

File: a man who likes his mallomars.jpg (138KB, 500x750px) Image search: [Google]

138KB, 500x750px

>>3403946
I do like equipment and tools having established industry standards, in pretty much all fields, because it makes a lot of things rather simple, it also facilitates development and experimentation by giving you a foundation to start on.

I really think USB was a monumental step up over old Gameports and other specific input ports, for instance.

>>3403960
oh fuck me, USB was a gift from heaven, it's been so omnipresent that I didn't even realize.

I have good hopes for USB-C, I just wonder if it will ever really take hold to the level of its predecessor.

>>3403959
>rechargeable batteries eventually stop being rechargeable
True, but my analog chuck and mouse is running off of regular commercial AA batteries, the same you'd put in a Gameboy or some dildos.

I like the built in rechargable units for now, as they are a functioning utility, but I do recognize that these batteries have their limits (I've replaced the battery on this laptop one time).

That said, I think in the future we'll see "Battery Modding" when it comes to old games consoles and machines for tech nerds (like an adapter that fits a modern battery to provide the device with an equivalent charge, it'd be the shape of the original battery and take it's place).

I figure it'll be a niche business, but enough interest will be there that it can exist.

>but moreover that wireless devices can have their batteries die mid-play
Usually they'll tell you that their battery is running low though.

My analog stick will flash it's light when it runs low, as will my mouse.
On the PS3, the controller will show you a little prompt in the corner when there's 1hr left of battery, and the lights on the pad will flash. What I do is either to plug in the cord and sit closer to the TV (and supposedly have slightly more responsive controls, though I don't play any game fast or frantic enough where I've noticed), or I'll put it down to feed my internet addiction. To me, it's almost helpful in some ways.

I have never actually had a battery outright run dry in the middle of playing something, I recognize it can happen, but it just hasn't occurred to me.

>I simply don't choose them over wired in most any situation, because I find the inconveniences of wired pads minor compared to the inconveniences of wireless pads
I actually prefer wireless because after trying it, I eventually found the weight of the cable hanging on the end of the controller to be kind of distracting.

File: rf-500x500.jpg (80KB, 500x500px) Image search: [Google]

80KB, 500x500px

This fucking thing and its shitty copper wire in the screw-on connector that always got bent and I would have to fiddle with it to hell and back to maybe get a fuzzy image and play my zelda

God forbid I had a TV that didnt have the proper port, then i'd have to hook it up through a VCR

>>3403959
>I have to also give a shout-out of respect to every device that uses AA batteries
That makes me think of the Gameboy, and how modern AA batteries actually give it a good few more hours of time.

>>3403960
Like, Jesus, one of the things I hated as a kid was if you had a gamepad from somewhere, you plugged it into the Gameport, and fuck you it doesn't recognize the shoulder buttons or the X Y buttons for whatever reason so you're stuck trying to play a SNES game with what's not a glorified NES pad (with memories of reaching over to the keyboard to use whatever wasn't mapped to the pad)

USB is SO helpful in that regard, it just goes into the port, then it either installs drivers from the device or comes with a disk, and it allows you to map it however with all the buttons working.

>>3403962
I actually haven't heard of USB-C, what will it do?

>>3403972
>connecting to the VCR
Oh yeah, I remember hearing about that kind of bullshit as a kid, and never understanding it, because our NES was hooked up to the TV with a SCART cable (which doesn't give amazing audio or video, but you don't have to crawl behind your TV set with a screwdriver).

>>3400243
This is with all video games

Ive got an off brand snes turbo controller, the start button doesnt work, but if you switch it to "slow" it just mashes start over and over. wtf is going on with the thing? finicky controllers, fuck em

File: functional-pin-out-figure-2.jpg (83KB, 990x554px) Image search: [Google]

83KB, 990x554px

>>3403978
>I actually haven't heard of USB-C, what will it do?
It was born as USB-3.1 reversible, meaning it is just usb with extra pins in the recptacle to manage flipping.
However, they kept connected all the 4 high speed data pairs lanes in the cables(unlike the two slow 2.0 lanes), so it can deliver a lot of other protocols, for example it can give you high definition display if the four pairs are configured to display port data lanes, or it can transport thunderbolt or PCI-e data (unsure on how those work since they require more than 4 data lanes), so you could use it to hook up an external videocard. It can also deliver up to 8A on the 5V bus, maning it can charge shit faster.
It has it's downsides, however. The cable to do all this shit is active, meaning that it contains a small microcontroller that talks to the host and configures the data pats accordingly. This means that USB-C cable might go old when new protocols come out, there are more way for it to fail or wear out. They will also cost more and buiyng chinese products is 100% more risky. Also they come only in mini variety, and I think mini-ports are shit except on tablets and cellphones, while on bigger machines a big port with good friction would be appreciated

>>3404032
So more likely to be a future additional standard rather than replacing an old standard, I gather?