Flojomojo Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Why did I stay up until the wee hours picking out a Famiclone and a mess of NES games from Ebay and EBGames when (a) I've already played those games to death when I had the real cartridges, and (b) can play them in emulation whenever I choose to? What the hell is wrong with me? More money than sense? Wishing I had the time to sit around and play with all these toys? Discuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeybastard Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I wonder about that too until I do sit down and play on real hardware and feel the joy of owning cool stuff. Emulation is fun but it's always going to be second best to real hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 It's more fun because it's the real hardware. Maybe I don't understand the question. -S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Helmet Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 It seems to me that in most instances, emulation isn't quite right...the sound is a little off, the colors are wierd. There is also the issue of controllers. Playing games with the original controllers is always preferable...well, unless you are playing the Colecovision or 5200, cuz those controllers suck IMHO. Also, with emulation, you are most likely going to be sitting in front of your computer monitor, rather than playing games from your couch on your 65 inch big screen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Also, with emulation, you are most likely going to be sitting in front of your computer monitor, rather than playing games from your couch on your 65 inch big screen 879447[/snapback] Actually in order to keep the experience as authentic as possible, I prefer to hook my classic systems up to a little woodgrain 13 inch TV that I have in my gameroom rather than to the big TV in the living room. -S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
128bytes Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 The game designers KNEW you would be using a television set, and a joystick designed for the system, and designed accordingly -- the concept of emulation was not even a glimmer in their minds. Yeah, it does feel better in most cases to be playing on the original hardware, and it's not just in your head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Helmet Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Also, with emulation, you are most likely going to be sitting in front of your computer monitor, rather than playing games from your couch on your 65 inch big screen 879447[/snapback] Actually in order to keep the experience as authentic as possible, I prefer to hook my classic systems up to a little woodgrain 13 inch TV that I have in my gameroom rather than to the big TV in the living room. -S 879449[/snapback] I used to have a smaller tv in my game room, but we got a new hdtv big screen last year for the living room, so the old big screen got moved to the gameroom. Modern games are more fun on a big screen, and the classics are still fun there too, although different than playing them on an old school TV. I just couldn't justify getting rid of the 65 inch tv in favor of the 27 inch tv that was currently there... Besides the ducks...er...dragons in Adventure are quite menacing when they are 6 inches tall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicgamingguy Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Good question. It just isn't the same as the real hardware experience. I love the fact that it's the REAL DEAL from the early era's. The computer's great for lots of gaming, IF you have a powerful enough system to play them (and yes, I realize emulation doesn't require much at all in the way of processing power...slowing them down is the real issue). Classic gaming deserves to be played on the original systems, with the "feel" of the joysticks, the sound and colors...it's all the best way to enjoy it. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danwinslow Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 If its played on an emulator, you are keenly aware of the fact that the PC hardware is totally crippled, and yet could still blow the doors off of this poor old emulated machine from sheer power. If its played on the real hardware, you are keenly aware of the fact that the hardware itself is relatively weak, but the stuff the programmers have made it do despite the limitations is really amazing. Watching a powerful PC running something like Numen is a real yawner, but watching Numen on an actual 8 bit is *IMPRESSIVE*. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin242 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 you are 99% right! I dont get the same thrill from 2600 games for instance on my pc as I do with my actual hevy sixer, but Project Tempest plays Tempest 2000 excacltly like the Jaguar, infact, with my 15 dollar USB controller I have a way better experience (and less cramps) then the (IMO) horrible Jaguar controller. So I guess some emulators can improve on the experience, but overall I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindfield Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 If its played on an emulator, you are keenly aware of the fact that the PC hardware is totally crippled, and yet could still blow the doors off of this poor old emulated machine from sheer power. If its played on the real hardware, you are keenly aware of the fact that the hardware itself is relatively weak, but the stuff the programmers have made it do despite the limitations is really amazing. Watching a powerful PC running something like Numen is a real yawner, but watching Numen on an actual 8 bit is *IMPRESSIVE*. 879494[/snapback] That's kind of a good point. When you're using the original hardware to play the original software you know that the machine is working to its capacity -- the designers are making it to what it was intended to do -- and in many cases more than was thought it was possible to do, and it can be extremely impressive watching such relatively limited hardware performing such wonderful tricks. I watch demos on my PC and I'm never particularly impressed -- they're pretty, but I'm fully aware that everything the demo does is well within my machine's capabilities, so I'm not impressed on a technical level. That sense is only amplified when running emulators because I know my beefy PC is simply immitating vastly inferior technology. But when I watched later demos on the 8-bit Atari and saw it doing digital backflips when all I thought it could do is walk ... well, that impressed my socks off. Plus, there's no comparing using modern hardware to simulate the experience of the classics. In spirit you're still playing the original games and running the original software, but it's still all happening on your modern PC. Holding the cartridge, seeing its artwork, plugging it in to the original hardware and holding the original joystick provides the complete experience -- the same one you had back in the day when it was new, and it's very different from simply booting up an emulator and playing the games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 If its played on an emulator, you are keenly aware of the fact that the PC hardware is totally crippled, and yet could still blow the doors off of this poor old emulated machine from sheer power. If its played on the real hardware, you are keenly aware of the fact that the hardware itself is relatively weak, but the stuff the programmers have made it do despite the limitations is really amazing. Watching a powerful PC running something like Numen is a real yawner, but watching Numen on an actual 8 bit is *IMPRESSIVE*. 879494[/snapback] I've been quite impressed by emulations. Regardless of what it's ACTUALLY running on, I know the limitations of the hardware it was coded for, and still go "Wow, the 2600/5200/NES/WTFEver can do THAT?!?!?!" And I find the "original controller" argument funny, as I use an Advantage exclusively on my NES and a Quickshot on my 2600, with a Gemini stick in the cycle. And personally, I like my PC pad better than just about any other gamepad I own. It adapts quite well to most emulators. I still like the original hardware, and use it. But I make extensive use of emus, too. And the games don't really lose a lot for me in most cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christianscott27 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 its many things, much it has do with an attachment to the objects themselves. a lot of this is about nostalgia so sitting there with the actual items adds to overall feel. theres nothing about my PC that reminds me of christmas in 1983, my sears video arcade II on the other hand take me right back to the moment i opened that present. theres also setting, my computer sits on a desk with a keyboard, mouse and monitor, i'm sitting in a swivel chair inches from the screen. when i play my atari i'm slouched down in the couch with my feet up, a good 5 feet back from the TV. when i want to have friends over for a game of warlords we all squeeze on the couch and have fun, i cant imagine crowding around the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maibock Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 ahem.. why are real boobs better than fake boobs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATARIeric Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 ahem.. why are real boobs better than fake boobs? 879621[/snapback] hangers my man, hangers emulation for me is a way to test something out otherwise I enjoy sitting in a recliner, kicking back on the couch or even just flat out on the floor infront of the tv. I dont get that same kick back feeling when playing pc emulation games, I even tried it with a laptop on the floor, Its not the same and never will be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danwinslow Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 lol @ maibock touche. Pun intended Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Thag Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Emulation os great as a 'try before you buy' type deal, and I *love* it on my pocket pc, where I can play atari, nes or whatever at the DMV, on trips etc. When I'm at home, I only use the real thing. It's part nostalgia, part I-hate-playing-anything-on-a-tiny-pc-monitor, and mainly just prefering the look and feel of the real thing. Why do some people collect ming dynasty vases rather than buying indistinguishable replicas? It's just a matter of taste and opinion. I'm a real boobs kinda guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Why is the real hardware better than emulation? Well when talking about arcade games (especially pre-1984 arcade games) the difference is obvious. Put up a Mame cab playing Asteroids vs. an actual Asteroids cab. The glowing shots of the original cannot be duplicated. Or take any arcade game that had any type of custom dedicated hardware to it such as cardboard backgrounds, mirrors, flourescent lighting, controls.. you name it. Of course it just can't be duplicated by mame. I mean you can put up a screenshot of the background, but physically it just obviously doesn't compare. However, once you get up to the days of JAMMA games (i.e. generic arcade games put into generic cabs) the difference kind of starts to not matter Console games are a different story. For collectibility and coolness factor originals are the way to go. However as far as GAMEPLAY for gameplay's sake.. i.e. you just want to play a certain game: Like a lot of things.. it's really a case-by-case basis. I mean.. I think playing Punchout on an emulator either on the pc or on the xbox is sufficient.. at least to me. However if even a little bitty thing like sound is off or muffled (as is in many of the Turbografx-16 emulators) I refuse to play it. Why would I want to play it when it's subpar to the original experience? "I want to hear the THUD in that explosion and this emulator just doesn't do it!" You pick and choose what's important to you Videogames emulated or on the real thing... Personally I try to gorge myself on both sides of the fence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Why is the real hardware better than emulation? Well when talking about arcade games (especially pre-1984 arcade games) the difference is obvious. Put up a Mame cab playing Asteroids vs. an actual Asteroids cab. The glowing shots of the original cannot be duplicated. Though MAME doesn't even try. AsteroidsGL TRIES, though it isn't perfect. http://webpages.charter.net/astgl/astgl.htm Or take any arcade game that had any type of custom dedicated hardware to it such as cardboard backgrounds, mirrors, flourescent lighting, controls.. you name it. Of course it just can't be duplicated by mame. I mean you can put up a screenshot of the background, but physically it just obviously doesn't compare. An excellent point. The SNES Space Invaders cartridge suffers a similar problem, as does 1993's JAMMA SI DX game. However if even a little bitty thing like sound is off or muffled (as is in many of the Turbografx-16 emulators) I refuse to play it. Why would I want to play it when it's subpar to the original experience? "I want to hear the THUD in that explosion and this emulator just doesn't do it!" You pick and choose what's important to you Videogames emulated or on the real thing... Personally I try to gorge myself on both sides of the fence 879647[/snapback] I usually only use emulation for a quick game when I don't want to get up. Or to play games I don't actually own(ARRR, MATEY!). But that's a whole 'nother thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dones Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 (edited) ahem.. why are real boobs better than fake boobs? 879621[/snapback] I don't mind if they are fake, I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I think the "real is better" argument is like trying a blind Coke/Pepsi test. People believe they can tell the difference. They "prefer" a certain brand over the other yet many fail the taste test. Emulation for popular consoles is so good that most people would not be able to tell difference unless being told so, knowlegdeable fan or just plain luck. Edited June 23, 2005 by Dones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATARIeric Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 (edited) ahem.. why are real boobs better than fake boobs? 879621[/snapback] I don't mind if they are fake, I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. 879700[/snapback] slow down! If you probably cant tell then all thats saying about you is that your in a rush Ofcourse you can tell the difference Edited June 23, 2005 by ATARIeric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Thag Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Ofcourse you can tell the difference You betcha! I passed that Coke/Pepsi test too, btw.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danwinslow Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 wtf I like boobs a *LOT* better than either coke or pepsi. What kind of dumb ass test is THAT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendra Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Actually in order to keep the experience as authentic as possible, I prefer to hook my classic systems up to a little woodgrain 13 inch TV that I have in my gameroom rather than to the big TV in the living room. -S 879449[/snapback] Did you notice any artifact or any other problem in the modern TV that didn't happen in the old tv? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 ahem.. why are real boobs better than fake boobs? 879621[/snapback] I don't mind if they are fake, I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I think the "real is better" argument is like trying a blind Coke/Pepsi test. People believe they can tell the difference. They "prefer" a certain brand over the other yet many fail the taste test. Emulation for popular consoles is so good that most people would not be able to tell difference unless being told so, knowlegdeable fan or just plain luck. 879700[/snapback] Dude... Coke and Pepsi taste NOTHING alike. I'd believe people's preference in the blind tests is diffrent than their stated preference, but not that it's impossible for most people to distinguish one from the other. If they can't tel the diffrence, the results over multiple tests will be roughly 50/50. If they actually prefer something diffrent than what their brand loyalty says they do, they will consistently vote for the "unliked" product. That's more like a ColecoVision VS INTV debate than a real VS emulation. They're diffrent products in the same market, as opposed to one thing trying to recreate the experience of another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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