Messages

31

Classic Video Games / Re: Your Thoughts On Gaming Retro With Low Or Medium Ended PC With Newer OS?

« on: April 02, 2021, 10:14:08 am »

I mean, PCGamingWiki is perfect for this. Many popular retro PC games are listed with community mods that bring the games to life on a modern OS. GoG is also a good place to buy these games as most work well on a newer OS. PCGamingWiki is my go-to for even modern games when I want to know if they support ultrawide resolutions before buying a game for example. Just recently I got Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines working with the most recent community patches.

Like someone already mentioned, flash carts and ODE's are great, but they extremely expensive and not to mention needing the proper video hookups. A proper modernization of a Saturn can cost $500 and that doesn't include the system. I know because I did it! Most ODE's are $250+ and most flash carts are $150+. Rare and obscure systems like the NeoGeo AVS/AES can cost nearly $500 just for a flash cart. This is why emulation is still popular despite this.

32

Hardware and Tech / Re: Looking for Xbox One Advice.

« on: April 02, 2021, 10:05:54 am »

Sounds like it's fried. I recommend plugging anything expensive like that into a surge protector. Preferably a decently priced one. I have my PC stuff plugged into a UPS, and all my TV and gaming stuff are plugged into a surge protector. It's saved my stuff numerous times during power outages and storms. I'd rather a $30 surge protector die than a $400 game console or $3,000 TV.

You could send the system into an online repair shop, or contact Microsoft and have them diagnose it. They will charge you since this wouldn't be covered under the warranty (if it's not already expired) and see if it's cheaper than buying a new system.

33

Off Topic / Re: Have you stayed in a low paid job you were comfortable and settled in?

« on: March 11, 2021, 04:33:52 am »

Yep, did this for ten years as a security guard. I bounced around companies working minimum wage at the current year and tried hard to get promoted. I did both posts and patrol and hated all of it. A few posts I stayed at for a few years as I was in a remote area and could play video games all night. However, if you want to build a family, and make a relationship work as you move through your 20's things had to change. My last security job I got promoted up the ranks to eventually become Assistant Director at my first salaried position. Once my boss quit (he was the best boss I ever had, also one of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of working with) and the new boss moved in I was depressed, dreaded work, would hide out of the office every day, drive off property and hang out (being salaried I was actually allowed to do this, but I made up excuses as to why).

I eventually went to nursing school a few months after that and shortly after my first son was born and now my wife and I are both nurses and I can collect to my heart's content a few times a year when it's budgeted. It was a hard two years. We lost our apartment, my wife's car, and became homeless until we were able to sell her grandmother's home and use the money to move states and that was struggle fighting with her dead-beat siblings and actually get down to business and get it done. We endured the house flooding (I literally almost drowned), and at the very last week before we got the money from her brother into our hands we ran out of gas in our cars (she acquired another one eventually) a week before and were living on her brother's floor of their late grandfather's house for 3 weeks with my first son. Once we moved states she got a job as a nurse and I finished school. We literally barely made it.

Dead end jobs are something everyone goes through and some people either move on or do it for life. Some people like the routine and flow and every day being the same and not like anything changing, which is okay, but it can become self-destructive.

34

General / Re: If you could see 1 cutscene again for the first time, which?

« on: March 04, 2021, 03:06:38 am »

The opening scene in FF8. It was the first FF game I ever played. I traded off a SNES and some games for a few PS1 games (dumb I know, but I was 8 ). That cut scene blew my mind until I become disappointed realizing that scene was pre-rendered. That was also my realization of pre-rendered vs real-time in 3D games.

35

Off Topic / Re: Where Do You Shop For Other Entertainments

« on: March 04, 2021, 03:03:28 am »

Value Village, Goodwill, and Half Price Books for games. I used to collect CDs, but my girlfriend's car was broken into about 10 years ago and all of them were stolen. I wound up throwing all the cases away at the time except collector's editions. I had over 50 CDs at that point, by now I might have a few hundred. I rarely buy music CDs anymore because of that. Just for my favorite artists, like absolute favorite.

I don't buy movies or vinyl because that's another hobby that costs money. I mainly just buy video games when it comes to entertainment.

36

General / Re: How Many Collectors Only Collect What They Enjoy?

« on: March 01, 2021, 09:40:15 pm »

This is me. Money, time, and space are limited for most collector's. I feel if I don't limit myself to only collecting what I want to play I might become a hoarder, and there are hoarder game collector's out there. I don't need every single game ever made, just what I want to play or the few exceptions of a game being a holy grail or something. I don't go for complete sets, and I have other priorities financially so only extra money here and there goes to collecting. I've been collecting for 15 years regularly so what started out as many a few dozens games has turned into about 1,500 or so.

37

Hardware and Tech / Re: What is this Dreamcast memory card?

« on: February 06, 2021, 10:18:54 pm »

Strange. One of many unbranded generic Chinese knock-offs that were sold in-game stores. I remember these for PS1 and PS2 back in the day. When your parents couldn't afford an official memory card these were widely available. I doubt you'll ever find the brand. It was probably some cheap generic blister pack with no name on it. Probably super plain with just "Dreamcast Memory Unit" for less than $10 at the time. I thought I had a generic PS1 mega memory card, but eventually found info on it.

38

General / Re: How Do You Feel About The High Physical Demand For Game Collecting?

« on: February 06, 2021, 10:14:40 pm »

It's annoying for sure. Right now there's a boom in collecting because of COVID and people were so bored they took to collecting retro stuff, especially games. Right now prices are through the roof and I haven't bought a single retro game in the last year. I just recently started collecting again as some platforms have leveled out again, like Game Gear, but I feel physical games will eventually go by the wayside.

It's just part of the times and part of technology evolving. I will always collect physical when I can, but I know one day that won't be possible anymore for the newest systems. It's disappointing, but I'm also not mad. I have my collection of older games that make me happy and I have my slice of video game history. Thanks to us, however, history is being preserved. Lots of people are restoring systems, and the more games end up on shelves in a home the less likely they will end up thrown around in a Goodwill or rotting in someone's basement.

39

Video Game Database Discussion / Re: Why do my submissions keep getting deleted?

« on: February 16, 2020, 02:21:37 pm »

I am trying to add three games to the database. They are:

Noble Racing [PS2, EU]
Summer Athletics [PS2, EU]
Baja Edge of Control [PS3, EU]

But they keep disappearing! I've just added them for a third time - this time with box art and more information to prove these exist - and hope that they stay there. Who is rewsponsible for these deletions because I think they should come forward and apologise.

I just looked these up and there's zero info on the pages. No publisher/developer, no release date, no box text, no barcode. Also, the admins delete these and probably because you weren't following the guidelines more than anything. Also, no one has to apologize, especially if the guidelines weren't followed. Posting is a privelage not a right.

40

General / Re: February 2020 - Recently Added to Collection/Recently Purchased

« on: February 16, 2020, 02:59:06 am »

All games are CIB. I replace the cases for CD jewel case games including the double CD ones. I have a lot of retro games stores in my area so I visit them once a month or two and this month dropped some cash on rare games. I also did some shopping on eBay.

Xbox
*The Godfather: The Game
*The Suffering: Ties that Bind
*Scarface: The World is Yours
*Def Jam: Fight for NY

PS1
*Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors (Longbox)
*Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix
*Championship Motocross 2001 Featuring Ricky Carmichael
*Gran Turismo (Black Label)
*Herc's Adventures
*Clock Tower II
*Rampage: World Tour
*Spyro: Year of the Dragon (Black Label)
*SuperCross Circuit
*Wild Arms 2
*Syphon Filter (Black Label)
*Legend of Mana
*Jet Moto 3 (Black Label)
*Mortal Kombat: Special Forces
*No One Can Stop Mr. Domino
*Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire
*Legend of Legaia (Black Label)


Switch
*Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King [Retro Edition] (Horizontal Box)
*Turok 2: Seeds of Evil

PC
*Bloodrayne (Sealed)

GameBoy
*Mortal Kombat
*Tetris

DS
*The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

PS2
*Micro Machines V4
*Ar Tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica (Premium Edition)
*Echo Night: Beyond

41

Hardware and Tech / Re: PS2 hdmi conversion issues.

« on: February 16, 2020, 02:42:50 am »

The PS2 Pound HDMI cable is what I use and it's awesome. It upscales everything correctly and I haven't run into any issues yet.

42

General / Re: What Room Do You Use As A Game Room/Play Room? Or Setup Discussion

« on: February 16, 2020, 02:35:14 am »

We have a three-bedroom apartment and my wife and I each have our own office. I have a decently large room. I have a 65" TV along one wall, PC table along another, shelving on the third wall, and the fourth has a half-closet and my Mortal Kombat arcade cabinet. It's well organized with all of my rare games mounted on the walls. When we buy a house in the next 12-18 months I'm going to be looking for a basement of some sort to spread out more. I want more arcades and wall space for shelving as my collection is rapidly expanding. I've acquired over 300 games in the last year alone and I'm seriously challenged with organization as I don't want the feeling of clutter. It's well organized and it's a serious challenge.

43

General / Re: Going For Quantity Or Quality In Games

« on: May 12, 2019, 06:34:12 am »

Quality ONLY. That's why I don't have 8,000 games in my collection as some people have. I literally created a Wishlist for only the consoles I want to play and the games that scored high, are the most popular, and hidden gems in a sense. I'm not someone to complete entire console libraries as I will never have the space or money for that. Over the years, my wishlists are pretty small now with just buying new games that come out and I've basically bought up all the common games that are cheap. I will also only buy CIB games and never loose ones including carts. If I stick to these golden rules I won't ever start hoarding. I'd rather spend $300 on a rare game that I will play than 30 cheap games that are $5 each because I just can and it makes my numbers grow. 2 months ago I bought Suikoden II for PS1 at a local game store and that was all I could buy that day instead of a bunch of cheap games just because I don't own them.

Someone stated quantity is hoarding and I agree. If I won't play the game I don't buy so I don't hoard. That's what sets collectors apart from hoarders is we collect, we have a list of items we specifically want, but some people aren't like that.

44

General / Re: Your Most Reliable Gaming Devices

« on: April 29, 2019, 02:18:29 am »

Everything I own is reliable. It's newer system that tend not to be. My Xbox 360 died twice on me back when they first came out and I just had a slim PS2 not make it in a move. I had a fat PS2 die on me as a kid as it stopped reading discs. Everything else works perfectly fine and has for years and years. As long as you keep the dust out and handle them with care they will last as long as you want.

45

Off Topic / Re: Oldgamerz Is Guilty And Admits Of Being Jealous Some Other Collectors.

« on: April 29, 2019, 02:13:08 am »

Don't compare yourself to others. I have a massive game collection, tens of thousands of dollars just in physical games, but I don't talk anyone down or bring people down for having smaller collections. Everyone starts at the beginning and I remember when I bought my first couple of retro games and put them on a shelf. I was too in a few positions where I had all my games in a storage room for months or boxed up for years because I had nowhere to put them. Be happy with what you do have because even when my collection was small I was proud of it. Just because someone's collection is bigger doesn't also mean it's better. I have a friend who has just shovelware because he's too cheap to buy anything good and is proud of it...more power to him. Someone needs to buy up all the shovelware rotting in the game stores.