The plans for the Saturday shevling consultation fell through, but luckily he was free Sunday afternoon. He Came over and I showed him the room and told him what I had in mind. He said it was all quite doable.
So if everything goes well next Wednesday we will be purchasing materials and starting to peice things together. We are going to line the entire back wall of the closet with adjustable shelving so that I can change the heights as my collection grows. There will be a solid, unadjustable board running along the top and bottom to give it a proper shelving look, but everything in the middle will be adjustable.
One of my concerns was the water shut off being along that wall, but he was come up with a suitable solution for that problem. We are going to build a box around it to keep it looking tidy and clean, but leave a small door with access to the shut off valve. This will take up some of the shevling space, but it only means I'll have to place large items in that particular area rather than rows of games.
Since we got done drawing and pricing everything out a little earlier than planned we had some time left over to play Contra, Sky Shark and Battletoads. A good afternoon!!
I'll try to draw up a rough outline of what I've got planned in Paint over the next few days just to give you an idea of what we will be doing next week.
One look at this game nowadays and you would swear it came out around 1993/94ish. Its really hard to believe such a great looking, sounding and playing game came out pre 90s.
Gameplay: Sidearms plays similar to the earlier game Section-Z, where you not only shoot forwards but backwards as well. This isnt however a huge focus of the game and it is rarely used. Just kind of adds a little extra flavor.
One of the biggest assets Sidearms has to offer is the many different weapons at your disposal. There are 5 different weapon types that can be collected and upgraded. These range from quicker shots to giant lasers to spread shots. Nothing new, but to find them all in the same game is great. Now the best part is that once you collect said weapon you can swap between any of them at any time by pausing the game and choosing which one suits your situation. If youre the kind of guy that likes to kill bosses as quick as possible the turbo shots or giant laser would suit you best, however if you prefer to play it slow and safe you can keep your distance with the 3-way spread or shotgun which eliminates enemy fire.
Another nice touch is that when your ship is destroyed you dont start out with nothing. You only lose the weapon you were using when your ship was destroyed. You can keep all 4 other weapons if you have them and start blasting away right off the bat.
The last upgrade, Alpha Upgrade, is found secretly in each level. It is uncovered simply by shooting an area or specific enemy. They are quite easy to find on most levels as long as you shoot anything and everything. The Alpha Upgrade causes another piece of ship to attach to you and lets you shoot a spread that covers the entire screen, front and back, in addition to your already equipped weapon. Also when you get hit you simply lose the Alpha upgrade and not a life. It is extremely handy in later levels when enemies are coming from all directions more often.
Graphics: This game looks great not only for a game from 1989, but for a SNES/Genesis game. Very vibrant enemies stand out well on the dark mechanical backdrops. This contrast helps a lot in most shooters so that stray shots and enemies dont blend in with the background and cause unnecessary deaths.
Not once did I experience any slowdown even during the later more frantic levels. It always ran smooth.
Sound: Sidearms boasts some really great and catchy tunes. If youre a fan of the music in other games like Mega Man, UN Squadron or Gyruss you'll love the music in Sidearms as much as I did. I must have played the first level 20 times in a two day period when attempting to beat this game and not once did the music feel repetitive or annoying.
Sound effects were your standard shmup guns and explosions. Not bad, but didnt stand out from anything else.
Replay Value: If youre a high score junkie you'll have a bit of a reason to keep playing. There isnt a whole lot of room for massive scores, but it is quite a challenge to destroy everything near the end which could greatly boost your score.
If youre not a highscore junkie the only replay this game may get are quick plays once in a while for fun. There is no extra unlockables or better endings. It is however a great game to pick up and kill 20 minutes with.
My only real complaint with this game is that they simply have 3 boss types in the game. 2 of them get recycled throughout the game repeatedly, but the last boss is a new one not yet encountered. Because you fight the same bosses over and over again even the later versions get very easy because they are only slight variation of what you have already beaten and mastered.
If youre a fan of horizontal scrolling shooters and missed out on Sidearms do yourself a favor and pick this one up. It is really a solid game with only one real flaw.
Finally got an email back from my shelving guy. It reads like so:
"Hey. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Congrats on the newhouse. I would love to hang out. Build some shelves and shoot stuff.The next couple weeks are a little busy but I can stop by on Saturdayfor a bit and we can come up with a plan for the shelves and set up atime to hang and build them. It will be fun. Let me know if thisSaturday work. And what time."
So i'll know more on Saturday after we discuss things a bit. Just a bit of positive news I thought I'd share with you guys.
With the current generation of consoles, Microsoft and Sony have both touted their machines as being the center of your entertainment center. Microsoft banked on their userbase using Windows Media Player to share their media over your home network. Sony went more open with their platform by allowing any DLNA or UPNP device to share to it. Neither supports every format yet, but with the right software, you can rip and share your media to whatever device you may have at home. Since I first purchased my Xbox 360, I was trying to utilize the media capabilities. It wasn't easy, but it worked. When my wife and I purchased our first home, I wanted to continue to share media, but it obviously wasn't first on the list. Soon after, we purchased a PS3, and quickly it became our media playback device of choice. DVD upscaling over HDMI (I have an HDMI-less 360) as well as Blu-Ray playback, and we were set!
Went to Gamestation in town, looked round store, looked at cabinet next to counter, and what did I find?
I found the bottom of the cabinet filled with Neo-Geo Pocket games, N64 games, Dreamcast games, a Sega Saturn copy of Guardian Heroes, Sonic 3 and two copies of Sonic CD and Batman Returns for the Mega CD EACH! Apparently the store's basement had a huge stock of retro titles that needed to be gone, so part of them were on display. I got Batman Returns CIB (if I wasn't paying attention I would've gotten one without a manual) for 6.99 and Sonic 3 with Box (no manual) for 9.99. Continue reading...
As gamers and die hard collectors, we have a responsibility to buy new and old games and systems. I started my current collection in 2007 with 1 system and 5 games, now I have 40 systems and 1,700 games! In that time, I have been to about a half dozen game stores, and some I stopped going to due to horrible service, bad people, bad selection, etc. But for the stores that deliver great service and selection, I have spent literally thousands of dollars at a few fine stores! In the next 4 months my goal is to break 2,000 games and 50 systems in my collection. If anyone is interested in helping me out or want to give me advice or the great stores that they go to (Internet or Local - Virginia Beach, VA), please let me know! Gamers Unite!!
This was a very slow week for me. I started working out at the county fair on Wednesday to get our building ready for the fair on September 2nd, so I didn't get to a chance to go to the flea market on Thursday or to go garage saling on Friday. Saturday was a slow day as well, but also rather strange as everything I bought was new, but nothing very recent. Sunday's flea market was bad, very little other than the regular vendors, but I did manage to pick up a couple games there. Sadly, school started today for me, so my treasure hunting will be limited almost entirely to weekends for the rest of the season.
Hey everyone, I've won two new games and I just got my ticket today to go to the Reading Music Festival! Not only that but I've got some other news but you have to read on to find out what that is!
Hollywood Video. When one hears those two words they tend to think second place. Why? Because factually, they are second place next to Blockbuster Video here in the states. And usually located next to a Hollywood video (more than not, that is) is a store called GameCrazy, another second place runner up, this time to GameStop. Now, the reasons why Hollywood Video is behind Blockbuster are clear: Blockbuster is just better, plain and simple. Now, for GameCrazy however, something doesn't add up.
To me, GameCrazy seems like the superior store, for more than just one reason. If you haven't read my GameStop review blog post, do so now, so that you can see just how much better GameCrazy, at least to me, is.
And now... The Review:
Selection: Good, the majority of the time. It's a pity, that like GameStop, GameCrazy has phased out the majority of its older stock. This makes us as collectors unhappy, but doesn't necessarily have to do with selection. In terms of new games and being in stock, they usually are in stock all the time. A solid 4.5/5 in this section.
Organization/Product Quality: Well, unlike GameStop with their silly 'opened but new games' craziness, the new games are actually new. Organization can be a bit of a problem for the used selection, but the new stuff is usually very tidy. Their used product quality is very good, I have never had a problem with a used game, and they always let me check it before I buy it. If they think that it looks bad, they buff it for me for free, then will test it to make me satisfied. Product Quality and Organization is great, earning 4.5/5.
Prices: Used prices tend to be very low, and new prices are new prices. Nothing more to say than good prices, and they do have buy 1 get 1 free every so often, and other promotions in that type of vein. I'd say they are pretty darned close to perfect, so a 5/5.
Customer Service: As I said in Product Quality, they tend to be very good on the whole Customer Service thing. One thing that does annoy me is that they sometimes ask me about their disk protection service ($2.50 or so), and I say no, yet they still charge me for it. Even other times, they won't ask and still charge me for it. That is NOT cool. 3.5/5, due to the issues with charging me for services I specifically do not want.
GameCrazy earns a solid 17.5/20, or 87.5%. GameCrazy is, so far, my favorite chain around where I live. However, Play-n-Trade has recently moved into the area, presenting more competition. I will have to patronize them some to see how well they play into the mix.
Have any of you guys (or gals) ever had a success story with them? Possibly a horrendous one?? Leave a comment, post a blog, or PM me! And keep it on channel 3!!!!
Those of you who are a little more observant, may have noticed that little box over there on the right side of the home page that keeps track of the database stats. See it over there? Pretty neat isn't it? Well, you might notice that the total number of scans is just over 50,000. That's right, in a little over 5 years, RFGeneration has accumulated FIFTY THOUSAND scans.
This is obviously a momentous occasion for THE Classic and Modern Video Game Database, but we couldn't have done it without the hundreds of dedicated members who put in hours of their own time to scan these games. I've done my share of scanning, and I know how much work it can be to scan several games at once, so to those of you who have done thousands of scans, my hat goes off to you.
Some of our top image submitters since October 2006 include:
Tan
ga5ket
Fuyukaze
Y2richie
Pop Culture Portal
Rajaat the Warbringer
Belgarath
Funk_Buddy
Madir
James
Mezmoron
VACRMH
sharp
Tynstar
Lios
These are not the only users that deserve applause, however. There are hundreds of you that have submitted anywhere from one to hundreds of scans, and each and every scan is truly appreciated.
As the newest Site Director, I would like to personally thank each and every one of you that have contributed to the 50,000+ scans the site now has.
Now, let's see how quickly we can get to 100,000 scans!
This past Friday I caught a quick 9 after work and I can only put it one way - I got my money's worth. I really do not consider golf to be a social activity whatsoever, but I have never met so many people during a round in my life. I sprayed shot after shot into everyone's fairway except for my own. It got so bad that yelling 'FORE' and my resulting apology to my new 'friends' became a natural part of my post-shot routine. To add insult to injury, I could not even dull my frustration nor offer my new 'buds' a compensatory beverage - the Beer Girl had the night off! By the end of the round, I was dead tired (I probably hit that ball 8,000 yards on a 3,625 yard back 9 course) and felt humiliated beyond description. This 8 Handicap player had just carded a 63 - with no penalties! This was not the way I wanted to start off my weekend at all. I needed some sort of redemption.
The best way to heighten a sagging spirit like my own - get a video game! Call me a glutton for punishment, but I picked up Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 for the Xbox 360 on my way home. I fired it up and was once again all was right with the world. Birdies were no longer just a multiplier for my eventual score on basically every hole I had just experienced two hours earlier on the real links. This brought back fond memories of the various video golf games I had experienced in my past. The following is a trip down down memory lane for all of those wishing they could actually perform as well as their virtual golfing counterpart - I give to you my favorite and most memorable video golf games of all time.
Birdie King
Released : 1982 Developer : Taito Platform : Arcade
Golf
Released : 1984 Developer : Nintendo Platform : Nintendo Famicom
Now I do admit that this arcade classic was basically my introduction to the video gaming golf world. A roller-ball type of control was used, which was as responsive to the touch as one of my early dates to the High School Homecoming Dance - then again, maybe the problem was me all along (on both fronts). I do remember absolutely hating that circling buzzard - it would knock my perfect drive into oblivion and then consume more of my hard earned quarters without any remorse as I stupidly chose to 'continue' my round.
This was the first golf video game for a console that I truly enjoyed - I was actually a person (Mario wannabe) rather than just some white block on the screen. For whatever reason, this was important to me. The introduction of the 'swing meter' was also a welcomed addition. I grant you that this is as basic as it gets when it comes to the early golf games - but it was fun! I could change clubs and saw my 'linkster' in action. I still had to figure out and estimate the yardage and the like - a small price to pay for a rewarding experience back then.
Big Event Golf
Released : 1986 Developer : Taito Platform : Arcade
Lee Trevino's Fighting Golf
Released : 1988 Developer : SNK Platform : Nintendo NES
Big Event Golf was truly the pinnacle of arcade golf during its day. The first golf game to really capture the sport IMHO (along with my quarters). Rich colors and a detailed environment truly allowed one to really feel 'on the links'. The best part though was the viewpoint - you watched the flight of the ball from behind the golfer and could see your wayward drive disappearing into the underbrush - or the lake. Wind was either a friend or a foe. I cannot say enough about this game - it is a blast with your buds. I picked one up for $50 from a neighborhood that I would never venture into again (I didn't know this at the time). After a refurbishment, we still play this game religiously to this very day.
The infamous reverse 'TV-style' game view was just among the many things that made this fast paced simulation a hit. This was one of the first home console versions to feature multiple courses (two) and four-way play. The graphics were pretty impressive compared to the competition - golfers were more 'lifelike' rather than the cartoonish and the landscape, though still flat, featured much more detail than any of its predecessors in this genre. Still probably my favorite golf game for the NES system (just beating out Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf).
Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf
Released : 1989 Developer : Sega Platform : Sega Genesis
Links 386: The Challenge of Golf
Released : 1990 Developer : Access Software Platform : PC
This game did not introduce a great deal to the genre, with the exception of two vital things we still see in today's games - shopping for gear and the ability to upgrade your skills. Another interesting note is that your golfer (Arnie) is HUGE - almost 1/2 the size of the screen. You have three varied courses to chose from along with multiple play formats. The background tunes are kind of catchy too (or maybe I am just rather bland).
The true advent of the game as we know it today - Links 386 definitely has a place in every virtual golfer's heart. The lush, highly detailed terrain was no longer flat - it now breathed of life right down to the the occasional belch from a nearby frog. Commentary was digitized and spot on ("Jim, I think he hit the tree") and the amount of options were unlimited. Add-on courses were also available, in attractive boxes (5.25 disks). This series set the standard.
PGA Tour Golf III
Released : 1994 Developer : Electronic Arts Platform : Sega Genesis
PGA Tour '96
Released : 1995 Developer : Electronic Arts Platform : Panasonic 3DO
As Links 386 set the standard for the more advanced hardware of a personal computer, the PGA Tour series became the yardstick for the home console. PGA Tour III was the pinnacle of this series in the 16-bit generation. This game had everything - tournament play, a massive eight courses and 54 Pros to compete against. The digitized golfers are well presented and game play is fast. I can remember tournaments being held at the local speakeasy I frequented - yes, I rocked these due to my knowledge of the '50% rule' for those 'tweener' shots.
Thank goodness for 32-bit systems - courses are no longer flat!! Courses took a little longer to load, but the wait was well worth it. The undulating fairways and landscapes really blew you away - hearing the realistic sounding crowd cheer you was also a nice perk. The commentator is kind of funny to be honest - always speaking in a hushed voice and usually adding something that does nothing to help out your psyche ("This... for the bogie... to go 8 over"). Still a classic and ground breaking golf simulation for the home console system.
Now this is the one game I have not personally experienced on this list, but I would be remiss to exclude it. This is probably the most expensive golf video game that is out there for the home console. It reminds me very much of the early Golden Tee arcade games, specifically the camera angle that follows the flight of the golf ball after being struck. From what I have gathered the few people that I do know that have this game, they all say it is a blast and definitely the highlight of arcade-style golf games. I will have to save up for this ($200+).
OK - I admit this up front - this is the weakest entry on this list by far. T&E Software had previously released some real clunkers in this genre (Pebble Beach, Wicked 18, etc.) and I was not eagerly anticipating this game at all. Others had been rele3ased, but for whatever reason I could not (and still don't) embrace the analog stick swing control - I hate it! Swing Away Golf was the only alternative that I had since they still utilized the old-school 3-click swing, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the anime-style cartoon golfers, this game is very deep and a load of fun.
XavixPORT Golf
Released : 2004 Developer : SSD Company LTD. Platform : XaviXPORT
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010
Released : 2009 Developer : Electronic Arts Platform : Xbox 360
This is not a well known title at all, nor is this video game console. Graphics are on par somewhere between a Neo Geo and a 3DO - not that great to be honest for a system being released in 2004. However, what merits its inclusion is the controller - an actually golf club! That is right, before the Nintendo Wii, the XaviXPORT was the first game console to entirely embrace motion sensing technology. The game is fair at best in all honesty, but swinging that club makes it a blast! Simple, easy play is its forte - time to get off the couch!
All I have to say is that I am happy to be reacquainted with an old friend - the 3-click meter in a next-gen golf game. Making it's reappearance in Tiger Woods 2008, this release in the most successful golf franchise of all-time is why I keep coming back. Luscious visuals, easy to use controls, this has it all for me. There are some things that still need to be tweaked here and there, but you will not find this old-school gamer complaining at all. This truly displays all of the innovations that have occurred within this genre.
There are many golf games\series that just missed inclusion but all are great games in their own right, most notably Hot Shots Golf and Golden Tee among others. I admit that this gamer is 100% biased to games utilizing the 3-Click swing method - that is why they call me Tripe O-G at work - I am definitely old-school, Let's here your thoughts, experiences and top golf games!
Hey guys. I finally got everything in order (camera, batteries charged, pics loaded onto laptop and photobucket, some spare time, etc.) and have some pics of the new game room. We have spent our focus during the last week getting most other rooms set up for a family visit tonight and therefor left the gameroom in dissaray for now. I am also trying to get a hold of someone who can help me put up some proper shelving before I unpack everything. Anyway here it is at last:
It doesnt look like much now, but I've got a lot of plans for this room. All the music stuff will be in another area of the house so that will free up a lot of room. I've been playing around in Paint for the last few weeks with possible ideas to paint the room. I would like to get some custom shevling installed lining the entire closet. An Arcade Cabinet in the corner alcove. Custom entertainment center to hold all my consoles and have them hooked up simultaneously. Maybe some carpet and other things as they come to me.
First and most important goal is the shelving. I've had sub-par shelving for the last 2 years and really need to step it up. I've had a carpenter friend offer to help me build something once we got a house so now Im just trying to track him down and work out the details. After the shelving is up I'll have to see what I've got for money to spend and figure out what will come next.
NES_Rules also sent me some helpful info to make my Blog posts look a little spiffier so as the room comes together I'll hopefully be making improvements to my Blog posts at the same time. This one was kind of a rush job to get the pics up before our family comes to visit so I'll put more time into making the next look more unique.
Today at the gamescom convention in Cologne, Germany, Sony finally confirmed alltherumors of the PS3 Slim. The new unit will be 33% smaller and 36% lighter than the existing models. Most importantly, it will launch on September 1st for $299. Can't wait that long? All PS3 systems are now $299, effective tomorrow.
Here's SCEI CEO Kaz Hari unveiling the new PS3 model at the gamescom press conference. It also gives you an idea just how much smaller it is when he holds the system in his hands.
One thing I learned many years ago is to never throw away a necktie, unless I had soiled it beyond repair by dribbling Arby's barbecue sauce all over myself during a rushed luncheon. Neckties are to gentlemen like shoes are to women - they will always come back in style at some point down the road. I almost hate myself for saying this. I know I am just pouring gasoline on an already healthy fire known as my lady friend's 'Shoe Museum' that now occupies the space formerly known as my closet. The most popular medium of today's internet is somewhat similar - the Forum.
While perusing a Sacred 2: Fallen Angels board this morning an odd déjà vus moment hit me. The year was 1991 and my warrior was getting beat on like a rent-a-car in Conan the Cimmerian by Virgin Interactive on my Packard Bell 386 computer. Back then the rage was all about 'Hint Lines' - a telephone number you could call to get assistance and tips on a certain game. But there was another option that was available to frustrated gamers - the Bulletin Board System (BBS). This was basically the precursor to what we now know as Forums.
The BBS was developed in the late 1970's as a means to allow users to share information, data and to communicate with each other on their mutually shared passion. Most of these were purely text generated graphical affairs requiring a modem to dial into the host - for the most part they were not supported in the early days of the internet. A long distance call was often required from your LAN line to connect to these hubs (usually ran off a dedicated server in some guy's house). You had to be quick - get in, post/get your info and log off. Time dawdling would result in your telephone bill skyrocketing beyond your fiscal means (at least for me). The foundation for the Forum as we now know it was laid.
Besides the sharing of information, creating communities has always been a goal of the internet. I did not embrace this aspect of the BBS in its early days - I just wanted the info to defeat Saranj and his entourage of saber wielding bandits in the courtyard of Nanuck. I was frugal with my discretionary financial resources, which were extremely limited at the time, to fully partake in this aspect of the BBS. Thank goodness technology has evolved to allow resources like RF Generation, Digital Press, ASSEMblers and the like to provide this integral goal for free.
Unlike most of my 50+ neckties that sit in storage awaiting their rebirth, the groundwork established by the BBS has reemerged countless times during the development of the internet. From My Space to Twitter to our favorite bookmarked Forums, the legacy of the BBS still lives on and flourishes to this day. Only time will tell what new incarnation of the BBS will surface down the road.
We are a community of collectors, gamers and the likes, and some of us enjoy to let the world know what is on our mind. For those members, we have the community blogs, a place where they can publish their thoughts and feelings regarding life, universe, and everything. Some of those members might even choose to write about gaming and collecting! Whatever they write about, you can find it on their blog. You can either see the latest community blog entries in the feed you see to the left, or you can browse for your favorite blog using the menu above. Interested in having your own blog hosted on RF Generation? It's rather simple, first be a registered member, and then click the "My Blog" link that you see in the navigation above. Following those two steps will certainly get you on your way to blogging.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy our entries, rantings, and completely unrelated series of thoughts. We write for you to read, so we certainly hope that you enjoy our material.
This past Friday I caught a quick 9 after work and I can only put it one way - I got my money's worth. I really do not consider golf to be a social activity whatsoever, but I have never met so many people during a round in my life. I sprayed shot after shot into everyone's fairway except for my own. It got so bad that yelling 'FORE' and my resulting apology to my new 'friends' became a natural part of my post-shot routine. To add insult to injury, I could not even dull my frustration nor offer my new 'buds' a compensatory beverage - the Beer Girl had the night off! By the end of the round, I was dead tired (I probably hit that ball 8,000 yards on a 3,625 yard back 9 course) and felt humiliated beyond description. This 8 Handicap player had just carded a 63 - with no penalties! This was not the way I wanted to start off my weekend at all. I needed some sort of redemption. 
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