Advice about decluttering / you can't take it with you.

[tripletopper]

Hello.

 

I got a big physical collection of over 3,000 original games.

 

I'm in a situation where I literally have no heirs I know of.

 

I got a couple questions about the Now versus later, and what is essential in enjoying video games.

 

I've heard that owning a decent PC helps one play certain classic video games online if there is a community for them that bothered programming a server for the game.

 

I also heard for single player games or local multiplayer it's more important to own the original machine than it is to own the original game delivery method, (cartridge/CD).

 

The original ROM data just straight dumped should be able to play on an everdrive type cartridge for machine.  Is that correct? I heard it plays exactly like a legitimate version of the ROM on a real machine if you play an everdrive on a real machine.  So if I want a true life experience save my machines and controllers but sell the software.

 

Now remember I have very poor internet at only 5 MB in 5 megabits out.  I should start out with the machines that have the smaller sized games.  I should wait to get the CDs sized, and the DVD sized games when I have a faster connection.

 

Usually it's a good idea to wait until something is two Generations old if you don't want a label as a pirate.

 

Is it correct to assume that every cartridge based system from the Atari 2600 and Fairchild Channel F all the way up to the Neo Geo Pocket Color and Game Boy Advance has a everdrive or some equivalent thereof, that let you run downloads on real hardware.

 

Are ever drives considered multi-region where you can play any regions' game on any regions' console?  Also Everdrives lets you play games and buy the virtual version license of retro brews to support new development for old consoles.

 

As for the size of the game and libraries I think I know what the size of a typical game is everything before the Master System was 1 megabit or less.  Then cartridges crept up to 64 MB by the time the N64 came out and that was the largest cartridge until the switch had their new proprietary game paks.

 

If internet speed wasn't an issue, is there a solution for CD based games?  Like for example I do have the Sega CD for my Genesis and 32x but I don't have the CD for the Turbo Grafx 16 or Atari Jaguar. I would prefer a removable solution like something that sticks in an auxiliary part as opposed to getting rid of the CD drive and putting in a flash based ROM reader. Let me keep some of my legitimate games until it makes more sense to sell my CD and higher media.

 

I heard therewere different versions of ROMs.  Both differences in raw ROMs, the original ColecoVision Donkey Kong and the corrected ColecoVision,  and differences in ROM files you use for particular emulators.  

 

I have friends who buy play and collect video games.  Even if I get more from strangers on eBay I would prefer to sell them to my friends.

 

Finally, I cannot make too much money, or else I risk losing Social Security and Medicaid.

 

I guess I could trade with my friends give them the cartridges and in return get ever drive equipment a computer for online gaming something to bring decent internet to the house temporarily, and it would also make it easier if mom and dad die before me if my brother and I have to move to a smaller place having less cartridges to move around would make things easier.

 

Also I heard if you want to play light gun games the way they were meant to be played, keep your CRT TVs.  Go through as few conversions as possible.

 

I just want some answers to these questions because these cartridges would be more valuable to my friends as collectibles than they would be to me as an estate when I'm dead.  And I could still play the games by a PC emulation and everdrive with real hardware.

 

Finally is there a place to look up original instruction booklets.  I remember the old days I had to buy a CD on eBay and have it printed out on paper or look directly on disc for it.  Is there either a disc or a website full of original instructions and box art?

 

I'm saying I could probably get more value out of real media by giving it to my friends and getting ever drive and emulation equipment then after I'm dead having the government take my stuff because I was on Social Security.

 

Just wondering if I'm making sense.

 

 

 

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[sirlynxalot]

My eyes kinda glazed over when reading this but it sounds like part of what you're asking is whether there is good pc based emulation these days for old 80s and 90s systems.  The answer to this is yes.

 

Then it sounded like it would be difficult for you to re-download all the games that you own in real life. I don't think its legal, but these days it seems that many people sell hard drives and even fully configured emulator computers stuffed with thousands of old console system roms on regular mainstream auction websites... so that's a way to acquire games without having to manually download them through your slow connection one at a time...

 

Then you were asking about everdrives/flash cartridges and whether downloading a rom to those and sticking it in the system is effectively the same technological functionality as sticking the actual cartridge in.  The answer to that is yes.

 

Then you were asking about having devices that would emulate CD-based peripherals for consoles.  I think there is some tech along these lines, for instance, there is a sega genesis flash cartridge that doubles as a Sega CD emulator, but this stuff tends to be very expensive.  There are also disc drive emulators for disc based systems like PS1, dreamcast, gamecube and 3do, but these devices can also be expensive and hard to find depending on the system.

 

Then you mentioned something about light gun games and CRT tvs. That's right, I think you need to have a CRT TV or monitor in order to use old lightgun hardware. 

 

You were asking about instruction manuals and whether you could find these online. The answer is yes, but there is no central database for these. I think some atari game instruction manuals might even be available here at atari age... nintendo had online versions of some game manuals on its website for a long time in connection with the release of the snes classic, and there was a website I went to years ago that had virtually every sega CD, saturn and dreamcast instruction manual scanned.

 

 

[TheGameCollector]

Mega SD will play Sega CD games on a Genesis without a Sega CD attached.

Atari Jaguar Gamedrive will play Atari Jaguar CD games without a Jaguar CD attached, but you have to convert the roms to an exclusive format using their tool.

Super HD System 3 Pro will play TurboGrafx-16 CD games without a TurboGrafx-16 CD attached.

Neo SD Pro will play Neo Geo CD games on an AES or MVS without having to buy a Neo Geo CD.

 

There might only be compatibility with some games for these libraries though. Especially when it comes to the Neo Geo CD and Jaguar where disc drive emulation of those is a little bit newer. 

[Keatah]

A few points.

 

Back in the 1990's I decided to go forward with emulation-only for all systems, minus the Apple II and PC - because I still had/have hardware for those two platforms. Couldn't have been happier with my choice. So many conveniences. Extraordinary reliability. Superbly versatile. All in an aesthetically pleasing setup.

 

I do, however, have a nice emulation setup for Apple II. It really complements and enhances activity on real hardware.

 

For emulation, R-Pi, MiSTer, and a Windows PC (including DosBox-X and VirtualBox) is a hugely versatile set-up and should be the minimum baseline.

 

Everdrives have been made for every system of popularity and relevance. The one that stands out as not having one, AFAIK, is the Bally Astrocade. Though I'm not current on that platform's modern hardware enhancements..

 

PAL vs NTSC shouldn't matter for everdrives. It doesn't for the Harmony cartridge on the VCS. Harmony plays PAL/NTSC ROMS equally well. And emulators do it even better.

 

That's right - the fewer video conversions going on the better. I've seen some really insane setups with 3 or 4 boxes in-between the source console and destination display. With original hardware strive for just zero or one. With emulation it's an automatic zero, because, HDMI-to-HDMI!

Edited August 12, 2021 by Keatah