What Video Games Are You Currently Playing

Getting into collecting some Limited Run, and other small physical runs of Switch games, for the occasional gem.

  On 5/16/2019 at 10:00 PM, juiceciuj said:

apparently the cv1 rom is a recalled version that crashes in later stages due to sprite overload

Apparently, the uncensored Japanese versions will be added in a free update:

https://www.dualshockers.com/castlevania-update-japanese-versions/amp/

  On 5/19/2019 at 5:37 AM, bitchroast said:

got the MiSTer setup and running. MiSTer is so much fun

big issue with it is .. documentation is a bit sparse and all over the place. you really need to sink time into reading the main wiki, but then also because it's all so in development and in flux, you kind of want to be reading the forums and community side of things as well because there's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes that makes improvements that you wouldn't know about otherwise. things to improve the scaling and output resolutions and speeds.. documentation is all over the place or non exististant and you really need to spend time digging around to get things set up properly. also things like... the NES core seems to be saving (tested Zelda 1 save file) but SNES core isn't saving... so i need to look into that. setting up 2 players on some of the cores is really fiddly and can get wires crossed pretty easily and need to look into that. the NES core can seemingly boot FDS games but i couldn't get any of the files to run (.... so i need to look into that). yoshi's island seems to run okay but then i got to the bit where you go "behind/inside" a cave, and the wall disappears to reveal more level.. and for whatever reason this was flipped around and the wall was appearing/disappearing in the reverse fashion... lots of little bugs and inaccuracies pop up during testing different games. 

having said all that, it's still really cool and fun playing around with the different cores. having the NES core running, and then you just press F12 to access the list of available cores that you've (pretty much drag and drop) installed onto the SD card.. and booting into a new core is instant. booting into a rom file is pretty instant. 

i don't have a rasberry pi set up to compare to.. but comparing the MiSTer NES and SNES cores, to the emulators i've got on Nintendo Switch (Nintendo Switch Online, Megaman Legacy Collection).. and the MiSTer is notably more responsive and has seemingly a whole layer of input lag taken out of the equation. it looks and sounds crisper too. like you can tinker with the scaling options on the NES core on the MiSTer and get it looks really crystal clear super sharp.. and then you compare it back to what the Switch emulators are outputting.... and it looks like comparing a compressed JPG to a PNG file. 

it's really cool stuff very addicting just getting lost looking at file after file. 

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I haven't paid much attention to this stuff until recently, and I just discovered my SNES has the dead CPU (I THINK, I haven't tried RF out yet but I'm not hopeful) and since I never owned one as a kid and only have 4 or 5 games that came with the free one the video store where I worked in college was throwing out, I'm not sure if it's worth replacing.  I was planning to get an Everdrive or something for it in the fall (all of my money until then is earmarked for a synth building project) but if the timing's good and the sound is OK this might be a better option.  Is it possible to set it up to use original controllers via GPIO or something instead of usign USB adaters (yeah I know I could Google it)?  That would probably eliminate most of the lag if you can get it working with a fast monitor (which I don't have).

OTOH the main reason I had the SNES around to begin with was to record live video from a Gameboy camera through a Super Gameboy adapter, so maybe I should just spend the $20-$30 to replace it.  Trouble is finding a working console on its own (don't need PSU or controllers or anything, just a console that works and is a revision that isn't known for CPU failures, at a fair price), usually they're either untested and questionable, bundled with a bunch of games and accessories I don't want and marked way up, or priced fairly but with really excessive shipping fees (which is a classic tactic - I knew a guy in the record store days who was selling $0.50 bargain bin LPs nobody else considered worth selling on eBay, with $0.01 starting prices and made his entire income on shipping fees even though he sold a lot of the records at a loss relative to what they cost him).  Between that and his wife's income they were able to buy a house and support a family so it was working well at least for a while.

i think .. with MiSTer, it's largely a project to bring together work being done in replicating old computers/old consoles using FPGA, using the Terasic DE10-nano board as an affordable entry point. (the Terasic DE10-nano board is affordable compared to other FPGA boards as it is subsidized and intended as a development tool). if someone is doing work on a different FPGA board, i believe once that work has been done and shared online, it pretty much should be possible for someone else to then port that work to the Terasic DE10-nano board/MiSTer. (likewise, in the future, if the community jumped to a newer FPGA board and replaced the MiSTer project with something new, the work done should be easily ported). 

this is the Terasic DE10 baord that MiSTer is built around > https://www.terasic.com.tw/cgi-bin/page/archive.pl?Language=English&CategoryNo=205&No=1046&PartNo=3

one of the GPIO connection gets used up for the SDRAM (required for most cores. required for SNES core, for example). the other GPIO connection gets used for the optional IO board, which adds a fan + additional SD slot (required for some cores), plus has analogue video and audio outputs. (IO board is not really required to play SNES via HDMI) https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/wiki/IO-Board

i'm guessing... while old controllers going into MiSTer via GPIO is probably possible, there's currently no solutions here and i would also guess the work done to have a solutions here would be too niche and specific.

there's a thing called "retropad32" that should maybe answer your controller questions. or, as you pointed out.. those individual controller > usb adapters that you can find. 

the MiSTer accepts pretty much any generic usb controllers. i'm using 8bitdo snes styled controller. i think ps4 and xbox one controllers for example send too much additional jargon and are not compatible. 

i believe the nature of the MiSTer project, eliminates the prospect of there being a way to read SNES cartridges = eliminates Gameboy camera / Super gameboy adapter. 

the Analogue Super NT is a commercial product that uses FPGA to replicate snes hardware, and that *does* have a cartridge slot. and also has custom jailbreak firmware available to allow reading ROMs via SD card. 

@TubularCorporation

Persona 5 is the comfiest game ever

  On 5/20/2019 at 7:04 PM, chronical said:

Persona 5 is the comfiest game ever

I'm still hoping that a Switch port will be announced, maybe at E3... If not I might consider buying a second hand PS4 just for this and Bloodborne

  On 5/20/2019 at 6:52 PM, bitchroast said:

 

Thanks for all the MiSTer info. Will be helpful when I get around to it.

  On 5/20/2019 at 7:07 PM, Stock said:

I'm still hoping that a Switch port will be announced, maybe at E3... If not I might consider buying a second hand PS4 just for this and Bloodborne

I'm sure there'll be a Switch version, or that at least there could be one. P5 came out on PS3 first after all. Bloodborne is love

  On 5/20/2019 at 7:11 PM, Crossword Enthusiast said:

Thanks for all the MiSTer info. Will be helpful when I get around to it.

Same.  My dream, of course, is a drop in board that would replace the CPU in an original SNES with an FPGA clone.  There are enough of them with CPU issues out there that it would be great to be able to salvage them, but then they don't really sell for enough now to make it worthwhile for a business to repair them and I doubt most owners would want to tackle taking out the old CPU, installing a socket, and then installing a board.  And I don't know how much of the work on FPGA emulation would translate to that scenario, or whether you'd basically be starting from scratch more or less.

Still holding out hope that mine actually works with RF, I never used the composite out before I tried it last week but hooking up RF is a pain these days.

Playing watchdogs on the moment.

  On 5/18/2019 at 2:25 PM, Rubin Farr said:

Yeah where the fuck is that DLC?

actually i somehow managed to skip on this masterpiece til now, despite being the perfect target audience, so i've got no reason to complain.

absolutely love the mega man meets zelda 2 gameplay, binged the main quest in like 2 sittings, now i'm trying new game + while getting the "destroy all checkpoints" achievement. to mix things up i also started the other 2 stories. plague knight seems a bit tedious (lots of menu navigating to adapt to specific situations) but spectre is an absolute blast to play.

good times.

None of the Resident Evil Remasters for Switch use motion controls for aiming, weaksauce.  Guess I'll be skipping RE4.

  On 5/18/2019 at 2:25 PM, Rubin Farr said:

Yeah where the fuck is that DLC?

Didn't they just come out with the final DLC pack for it?

  On 5/20/2019 at 7:11 PM, Crossword Enthusiast said:

Thanks for all the MiSTer info. Will be helpful when I get around to it.

here's quick run down on how to get started started. it's honestly so worth it.. imo. the level of accuracy in running these cores, compared to emulation. you can notice it immediately. and the cost entry point is a little high, but it's not that high compared to the Analogue FPGA commercial products for example, offering much more focused finished products, but not the same level of flexibility. it's also like, with the MiSTer there's no guarantee what the project will look like in a years time, but there's no reason to assume support and interest is going anywhere any time soon + where project currently is today is already really exciting and in a very solid place i think. 

  On 5/21/2019 at 4:28 PM, Joyrex said:

Didn't they just come out with the final DLC pack for it?

Still delayed, along with the Shovel Knight Amiibo 3-pack.  And a price hike is imminent, so grab it on sale now.

Grid 2 free on Steam til tomorrow

https://store.steampowered.com/app/44350/GRID_2/

What's the best dungeons and dragons esque computer game rpg? Recently finished up Baldur's Gate 2, and am thinking about picking up Planescape: Torment.

  On 5/21/2019 at 9:50 PM, Brisbot said:

What's the best dungeons and dragons esque computer game rpg? Recently finished up Baldur's Gate 2, and am thinking about picking up Planescape: Torment.

Older Classic Top-Down Pause-able Turn-Based Role-Playing Games:

Baldur's Gate & Baldur's Gate II Shadows of Amn

Planescape Torment

Neverwinter Nights & Neverwinter Nights 2

Fallout & Fallout 2

Divine Divinity

Icewind Dale & Icewind Dale II

Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich

Newer Classic Top-Down Pause-able Turn-Based Role-Playing Games:

Divinity Original Sin & Divinity Original Sin II

Dragon Age Origins

Pillars of Eternity & Pillars of Eternity II Deadfire

Shadowrun Dragonfall, Shadowrun Hong Kong & Shadowrun Returns

Wasteland 2

Tyranny

Pathfinder Kingmaker

Expeditions Viking

Torment Tides of Numenera

South Park The Stick of Truth & South Park The Fractured but Whole 

Japanese Pause-able Turn-Based Role-Playing Games:

Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X, X-2

Dragon Quest XI Echoes of an Elusive Age 

The Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky

Disgaea PC, Disgaea 2 PC & Disgaea 5 Complete

Anachronox

That's about all of them I could find.  

  On 5/21/2019 at 9:50 PM, Brisbot said:

What's the best dungeons and dragons esque computer game rpg? Recently finished up Baldur's Gate 2, and am thinking about picking up Planescape: Torment.

Tyranny?

  On 5/21/2019 at 11:52 PM, MaartenVC said:

That's about all of them I could find.  

Thanks. I'll be looking them up. I am more interested in the older games. I tend to enjoy older RPG's since they didn't have it down to a science then and innovate in ways newer rpgs just don't. 

  On 5/22/2019 at 12:01 AM, Brisbot said:

Thanks. I'll be looking them up. I am more interested in the older games. I tend to enjoy older RPG's since they didn't have it down to a science then and innovate in ways newer rpgs just don't. 

If baldurs gate, or icewind dale etc is your thing I really do recommend tyranny though! 

Quite difficult but I think they nailed that type of gameplay pretty well.

  On 5/22/2019 at 12:14 AM, StephenG said:

If baldurs gate, or icewind dale etc is your thing I really do recommend tyranny though! 

Quite difficult but I think they nailed that type of gameplay pretty well.

Yeah I watched the trailer, and it's going on my rather short rpg list. I actually haven't played Icewind dale. Which one is the best one? I heard the story isn't all that great but the combat is as fun as Baldur's Gate.

On a non-dnd rpg note I also want to play thru the mother series. At least earthbound.

  On 5/21/2019 at 6:04 PM, bitchroast said:

here's quick run down on how to get started started. it's honestly so worth it.. imo. the level of accuracy in running these cores, compared to emulation. you can notice it immediately. and the cost entry point is a little high, but it's not that high compared to the Analogue FPGA commercial products for example, offering much more focused finished products, but not the same level of flexibility. it's also like, with the MiSTer there's no guarantee what the project will look like in a years time, but there's no reason to assume support and interest is going anywhere any time soon + where project currently is today is already really exciting and in a very solid place i think. 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

things you need > https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/wiki/How-to-start-with-MiSTer
setup guide > https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/wiki/Setup-Guide

to get started, you need the Terasic DE10-nano. 
this thing can be purchased from Mouser, Amazon, etc. the DE10 nano comes with power supply and an 8gig SD card (which can obviously be swapped out for something much bigger

then you need the addon parts, the SDRAM board and I/O board and a powered USB Hub. 
these add on parts are open sourced and can be purchased from any number of sellers online. https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/wiki/How-to-get-your-own-addon-boards ... i got the above 3 parts and 3D printed case from misteraddons website. RetroShop.pt is another place seems to be selling the additional boards and casing. + people selling directly on atari-forums, people linking to etsy accounts etc... i find the 3D printed case and overall mister package to be pretty small and lightweight, and having the usb hub directly connected to the box makes the whole thing pretty volatile and easy to be knocked around... but it works. 

once you have all the parts.. putting together is pretty straight forward process of clicking things into place, and running the SD card installer and following instructions... it's a bit more fiddly and constantly in flux than something like a rasberry pi, or a MAME solution for arcade, or what have you.. but there's benefits here in using FPGA hardware that make the whole project really exciting and worth tinkering with i reckon. 

 

 

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Looks like you should be able to use the VGA ouput with the appropriate adapters and a Monoprice 107114 analog component-to-composite converter to output composite video to a CRT without adding any extra lag, which is huge for me (I play a lot of NES and it just doesn't look right with anything other than composite - all of those streams you see people doing with RGB-modded consoles look terrible to me, since the games were designed for composite or RF output and there are a lot of visual effects that don't work right with higher quality formats). If I didn't already have a couple of working consoles and about 50 games I'd be seriously considering one of these now.

  On 5/22/2019 at 12:18 AM, Brisbot said:

Yeah I watched the trailer, and it's going on my rather short rpg list. I actually haven't played Icewind dale. Which one is the best one? I heard the story isn't all that great but the combat is as fun as Baldur's Gate.

On a non-dnd rpg note I also want to play thru the mother series. At least earthbound.

I just naturally assumed you had played Icewind Dale if you were into Baldur's Gate, sorry! 

They were both really good from what I recall but in all honesty I think it was about 15 years ago I played them - I don't recall being disappointed with either in any way. And they're easy to find for free. You should def play those if you have time!