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Wntermute

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Posts posted by Wntermute

    "Online" passes are now in single player games

    in Modern Gaming Discussion

    Posted

    It doesn't end at video games. The days of people dedicating 6 feet of shelf space for LPs, closets for VHS tapes and 20 pound zippered cassette carrying cases so they can lug their music collection has long since past. You want to play a movie, or a song or a game today. You press a button. If one particular one isn't available, you have your choice of thousands...no, millions of others is why most people don't care.

     

    This is something that bugs me nowadays. Places like iTunes, Qriocity, Spotify, and the like are all going "we have MILLIONS of songs".. sure, you may have millions of songs, but not any of the ones *I* want. My tastes in music, games, and other entertainment are varied and eclectic. Since my tastes aren't mainstream, they don't get catered to, whatsoever.

     

    I'll be steering back to the topic here.. while others are quite happy to sip content and move on, I like to enjoy it at my own pace. That's why my wall is dominated by hundreds of titles for a myriad of consoles, audio/video devices and.. yes, good old books. I make it a point to buy whatever I can new to let the creators get their fair share and when there's content only available for a limited time, I do my best to get it then.

     

    Companies like Microsoft and Activision are killing the "long tail". There, I said it. You want DLC for that old XBL-aware Xbox game? Sorry, you can no longer get the Dark Jedi Cuisinart that is Asajj Ventress in your Battlefront 2. You want to play as villains or Juggernaut in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2? Sorry there too. The "long tail" is there for a reason, it serves a purpose, but it's sad that they can't foot the bill for an extra little server in the corner to let people get old content, even for free. I'm not advocating making all old DLC free, but it does have its pros and cons, just like making it available does.

    Emulating 32in1 cart

    in Atari 7800

    Posted

    Thanks, I knew it was just a relabeled 2600 cart, but I thought it would have some changes otherwise how would it run on the real 7800 hardware?

     

    99% (or so) of all 2600 games will work on a real 7800. As far as 7800 emulators go, unless it emulates the 2600 as well as 7800, it's not going to work or it's not going to work right. But apparently it works as intended in Stella, which makes sense.

    Emulating 32in1 cart

    in Atari 7800

    Posted · Edited by Wntermute

    Apparently the cartridge had additional hardware to jump to the next game when the system is restarted. Not sure if that could be properly emulated without specifically checking for that particular ROM. But like jaybird said, each of the games are available separately.

    PS2 games appearing on PSN without announcements?

    in Sony Playstation 3

    Posted · Edited by Wntermute

    (1) Technically, these two can be combined under the label "PSP Save File Backup Capability," since any PSP save file, no matter whether the PS3 can use, will use, or will never be able to use it, can be managed through that utility.

     

    (2) I see. I don't have any NeoGeo for PS3 games, but I have one for the PSP. I recall there being far more than just 2 save files for the emulator there, and I believe individual games may even have multiple files (without including replay files).

     

    (3) The PSP versions of these work similarly. Curiously, the PS3 and PSP emulators (i.e., the individual game binaries) are so disparate that their save files are totally incompatible with each other. It's kind of weird making one purchase and getting one game playable on two systems--but without cross-compatible save files as I've grown accustomed to with the PS1 Classics.

     

    (4) That's what I suspect as well, but do you have a reliable source for that information? That's what I'm looking for. I'm not trusting that PSN guy I found, since his claim of emulation "just like with the PS1 Classics," rather than partial porting, seems implausible.

     

    (5) I think you misinterpreted what I was saying. I'm aware that whatever is being used to allow these games to run on the PS3 is limited to what is currently being offered in the PS Store. My point in bringing up my own disc not working was to counter the claim by that PSN guy that it was straight emulation just like how the PS3 runs PS1 games, since it clearly isn't the same mechanism. The reason I brought it up was not that I couldn't understand why my disc didn't work.

     

    (6) I have to disagree with this analogy. The Xbox BC patches were meant to provide compatibility with physical disc copies of games, which is not what we're getting with the PS Store PS2 Classics.

     

    (7) That PSN guy noted that they specifically chose hard-to-find titles to start off the program.

     

    ( 8 ) Assuming that these PS2 Classics releases are indeed partial ports, with some portions rewritten to be PS3-native, I'm hoping that Sony will eventually release "PS2 compatibility patches" per game in the PS Store as free downloads. That is, these would be binaries which hook into the PS3's existing PS2 emulator such that the emulator translates code from a PS2 disc in the drive along with running as-needed "replacement" code from the patches (e.g., "when disc code calls function X, use code Y from patch file instead of attempting translation"). This would be a workable method of reinstating backward compatibility, though perhaps not entirely user-friendly, along with being limited to a trickle of titles being patched in this manner.

     

    1. The list I made was to highlight the games for other systems that the PS3 can play. The PSP HD Remasters appear to be similar to the old Super GameBoy or Xbox/360 (example: the BK games) method of dual-platform compatibility, where there's a version for each platform on the same media. Other than the upcoming HD Remasters, the Minis are the only PSP games a PS3 can currently play (legally).

    2. I don't have any PSP NeoGeo games and shortly after I posted that, I did find a third "NeoGeo Station"-specific file.

    3. Keeping to the subject of differences between emulators on PSP and PS3.. I have noticed that the PS1 emulator on PSP will auto-generate a card for each title, whereas on the PS3 you have to manage them yourself. That said, I haven't really played with much of anything on the PSP because I can play most of it on my PS3 with a more comfortable controller.

    4 & 5. From what the official line was when they were announced, (http://blog.us.plays...ughout-october/) the PS2 games are "in their original form" .. whatever wrapper they add around them is what controls how the saves interact with the system (PS3-style) and how they tie into the PS2 BIOS (which clearly starts, at least on my BC model). Even the PCE games have more to them than just the game, as they include the manual as well. This way, what he said was true.. from a certain point of view.

    6. Atariboy may have been referring to the Xbox Originals, which are 360 downloads of BC-capable Xbox 1 titles .. with the same bugs in the emulator as the disc version.

    7. The PS2 Classics already released are a 3:2 mix of fan favorites and Greatest Hits titles. Since Maximo and Odin Sphere made the GH list, they're hardly obscure.

    8. That sounds amazingly like what Microsoft did with their BC. Obviously something happened hardware-wise between the software BC models and non-BC models that broke the emulator in such a way that it was quicker to turn it off than work around it. Whatever that was is no longer the case at least with these 5 titles and any released going forward (or their wrappers are title-specific emulators/native code for problem spots). Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they released a 4.x firmware that reinstated software BC for everyone... but then I wouldn't be surprised if that never happened either, because let's face it.. that would cut into the digital long tail they're developing with this new line.

     

    Aside from all that, I did notice recently that PS1 Classic games that were originally multi-disc have an extra menu option on the Home menu... to select which disc you're working on. I thought that was an interesting touch, since they could've just thrown all the files together in one larger-than-CD logical volume.

    PS2 games appearing on PSN without announcements?

    in Sony Playstation 3

    Posted

    The only PS2 component in the firmware of a non BC system is the save system, which was left intact in case people wanted to use their PS3 to organize and store their PS2 saves on.

     

    Actually, since there aren't separate firmware updates for the hardware BC, software BC, non-BC, and slim models, the PS2 firmware is on the non-BC/slim models.. it just wasn't used because the EE/GS chip or software BC ROM isn't there. It's like a regular computer operating system that way.. there may be drivers in the software for hardware that can't be attached or doesn't exist. Normal use just jumps around that part.

    EASY Platinum Trophies/Trophies

    in Sony Playstation 3

    Posted

    Also, there's a difference between 100% trophies and Platinum trophies. I've gotten several 100% completions but only 3 Platinums. While platinums count as a lot, don't underestimate how much bronzes and silvers can add up.

     

    Easy 100% - Title (Special, if any - trophy values) - Note on simplicity:

    Back To The Future 1-5 (Total: 35 bronze, 19 silver, 5 gold)

    .Detuned (Free from PSPlus - 4 bronze, 5 silver, 1 gold) - Digital art, not really a game

    Costume Quest (Now free from PSPlus & cheap DLC - 8 bronze, 7 silver, 2 gold) - Majority of trophies acquired during normal play, very few side-quests

    Faery: Legends Of Avalon (8 bronze, 3 silver, 1 gold) - As long as you talk to everyone and complete all the quests, you should get all the trophies

    Linger In Shadows (11 bronze, 5 silver) - Digital art, not really a game

    Stacking (15 bronze, 5 silver, 1 gold) - Hint system tells you how to get everything

    Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive People 1-5 (Total; 62 bronze, 6 silver, 5 gold) - Each episode has 1 or 2 trophies that can lock out if you don't click a particular object while it's available.

    • Like 1

    PS2 games appearing on PSN without announcements?

    in Sony Playstation 3

    Posted

    Keep in mind that there are already multiple emulator levels on the system already:

    - PS1 Disc Backward Compatibility: Original software and emulated memory card

    - PS1 Digital Backward Compatibility: Downloaded software and emulated memory card

    - PS2 Disc Backward Compatibility: Original software and emulated memory card

    - PS2 Digital Backward Compatibility: Downloaded software and separate save file system "Saved Data Utility (PS2)"

    - PSP Mini Backward Compatibility: Downloaded software and separate save file system "Saved Data Utility (minis/PSP)"

    - PSP HD Forward Compatibility: Downloaded software and separate save file system "Saved Data Utility (minis/PSP)" - This is for the upcoming PSP HD Remaster line

    - NeoGeo Backward Compatibility: Downloaded software and PS3 save file system "Saved Data Utility (PS3)" - There are 2 save files for the emulator itself plus 1 for each title you've started in addition to any saves you've made

    - TG16/PCE Backward Compatibility: Downloaded software and PS3 save file system "Saved Data Utility (PS3)" - There is a Backup Ram file for each title that supports it in addition to any saves you've made

     

    The reason the PS2 game won't work directly in a non-BC model PS3 and the new digital version can is that the new version is a partial port.. it's rewritten to run on the PS3 but still uses the BC firmware (you can tell because the Sixaxis/DS3 will SHUT OFF when the PS2 firmware loads and you have to restart the controller.. just like with the BC model PS3s running an actual game.

    PS2 games appearing on PSN without announcements?

    in Sony Playstation 3

    Posted

    What's the graphic quality like with these? Do they run at a higher resolution, have any texture smoothing, anything above what an actual PS2 would offer? I like the idea, but I keep remembering how bad the PS2 looked even on a CRT with nice cables & I'm afraid of how it'd look through HDMI at 46".

     

    These are PS2/PS3 Hybrid games at the moment.. they run using the PS3 hardware but hook into the PS2 portions of the firmware that normally get ignored by the non-BC models. So they use the same PS2 smoothing and scaling options as the BC models. Only real difference a user will be able to see between the digital and disc version (other than not using the optical drive) is... you don't have to manage a virtual PS2 memory card for these games. They basically generate and utilize their own cards. These save files appear in a new folder "Saved Data Utility (PS2)"

    PS2 games appearing on PSN without announcements?

    in Sony Playstation 3

    Posted · Edited by Wntermute

    For anyone looking for the PS2 games on the PS Store:

    1. Open the PS Store

    2. Open the "Only On PSN" listing on the left (the "Only On PSN" icon under "New Releases" goes to the same listing)

    3. Open the "PlayStation 2 Classics" icon on the right

    4. Browse the available games.

     

    Currently, there are 5 titles and they are planning to release 4-6 titles per month going forward. (A little better than their PS1 Classics release schedule, even with the imports)

    Visual Pinball madness

    in Classic Console Discussion

    Posted

    I would say if you're on a pinball kick.. you should give Flipnic: Ultimate Pinball for PS2 a shot. The tables are technically physically impossible, but that's what makes them so awesome.. vertically, upside-down, iced over, thawed out.. with a hefty dose of "What do you mean it wasn't made on drugs?".

     

    Other games to try are: Marvel Pinball & Zen Pinball / Pinball FX2

    Shameful Gamer Confessions

    in Classic Console Discussion

    Posted

    - Out of the first 4 Super Mario console games, I've only beaten 2 and World.

    - I've never beaten NES Metroid (same battle in Super Metroid and Metroid Zero Mission, I can beat), always die fighting Mother Brain because of those stupid flying cheerios

    - I feel Vanish + X-Zone/Doom on Final Fantasy III/6 is a legitimate strategy

    - I feel that playing kids games and/or movie license games for easy gamerscore/trophies is a legitimate strategy (Simpsons Game: Press Start = achievement.. it's that easy)

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