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Being successful in the video game hardware industry has proven to be financial lucrative for many companies throughout the years. Everyone knows about the old school power players like Atari, Nintendo and Sega - they began as a company focusing on this specific market (for the most part). Companies like Sony and Microsoft have also achieved like success in the last decade, though the technological expertise that enabled them to accomplish this were in complimentary field not specifically dedicated to video gaming hardware. These two giants (Sony and Microsoft) are the exception to the rule rather than the norm. Many other highly successful companies have attempted to enter into the video game console field in the past and have had little to no success. The following looks at a few of these mega corporations and provides a little background history, the console they released and what they are currently doing today.
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Believe it or not, the Fairchild Semiconductor company has been around since the 1920s when it was developing aerial photographic equipment and technology for the US government. At first glance, the decision to enter the video game console world is a bit of a surprise. Looking deeper into the history of the company reveals a different perspective. This company employed (and still does) some of the brightest technological minds that were available in the industry. Some of these individuals were at the developmental forefront of CPU technology. Why did they enter the video game console world - because they could. Their expertise in CPU development was solid.
| | The console they released... | What are they doing today? |
1976 - Fairchild Channel F
Fairchild Semiconductor beat out RCA in being the first company in the world to release a video game system that utilized programmable ROM cartridges, the Fairchild Channel F. This console was pretty advanced at the time, utilizing the newest CPU technology, the Fairchild F8 CPU. The console ultimately failed due to release of the Atari 2600, but did manage to spawn a second model release as well as achieve moderate success abroad. |
You might have heard of...
Though not directly related, the inventor of the Fairchild F8 chip that drove the Channel F was Robert Noyce, co-founder of the Fairchild Semiconductor division in 1957 and subsequently the technological powerhouse we know today as Intel (in 1968 with fellow Fairchild alum Gordon Moore). Fairchild Semiconductor is still an active, successful company with over 9000 employees, | |  |
Everyone has heard of RCA, but some may not know that Ralph Baer, designer of the Odyssey and the recognized father of the video game console, first approached RCA with this design. RCA obviously turned down the deal and their arch rival Magnavox snatched up this opportunity. Watching the success that Magnavox enjoyed as a result of their missed opportunity, RCA focused its resources to develop an answer. The result was far from what they were hoping for...
| | The console they released... | What are they doing today? |
1976 - RCA Studio II
RCA missed the boat again, this time in their attempt to release the first video game system that utilized programmable ROM technology - the Fairchild Channel F beat them to it by a couple of months. In their haste to release this system, RCA released an inferior product with video being displayed in only Black and White and sound being emitted through a single channel buzzer contained within the unit itself. Games were also brutal and this console was laid to rest officially with the release of the Atari 2600.
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Liquidation Sale...
RCA diversified their portfolio during the 1970s with the acquisitions of Hertz, Banquet Foods and Random House amongst others. Included in these new ventures was CED technology - an early form of the in-home movie format/playback - which RCA invested heavily into. This proved to be disastrous with the release of Betamax and VHS systems. These new kids on the block were much more affordable and quickly captured 99% of the market share within two years. RCA lost over $600 million and was eventually purchased by GE, who in turn broke the company apart and sold off the various components. | |  |
This highly successful electronics giant was incorporated in 1946. Their initial foray into the field focused on compact calculator technology. They were the first company to release this to the public back in 1975. Their electronics division grew to include the development of keyboards as well as wristwatches. With the video gaming industry booming in the early 1980s, Casio decided to temporarily divert some of their internal resources to developing their own entry...
| | The console they released... | What are they doing today? |
1983 - Casio PV-1000
Casio actually released this system prior to their home PC unit, the PV-2000. This is an oddity since most companies entering into the video game foray act in the exact opposite manner - PC first then the console. This console was essentially DOA since the Sega SG-1000 and the Nintendo Famicom hit the market at the same time. This, coupled with the Video Game Crash of 1984, resulted in a quick death for the PV-1000. Casio made another brief appearance in 1995 with the release of the Loopy - a console designed for young girls. This was a commercial failure as well.
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Still going strong...
Casio is still an electronics powerhouse and producing innovative technology to this very day. With over 13,000 associates, Casio has expanded their product offerings to include PDAs, musical instruments and digital cameras. | |  |
Commodore was one the leading technological forces in the personal home computing market beginning in the late 1970s and lasting well into the 1980s. Developing high powered yet affordable systems was a key to their success. The true star of Commodore at the time was the Commodore 64, still the best selling home computer of all time. The Amiga line of computers followed soon after, featuring extraordinary graphical and gaming capabilities.
| | The console they released... | What are they doing today? |
1990 - Commodore 64 GS
The Commodore 64 GS (Game System) was the consolized version of the popular C 64 personal home computer. This system was only released in Europe and had many issues, primarily outdated technology and lack of 3rd party developmental support. It quickly was an afterthought in the video game industry. Commodore did have two other ventures - the Commodore CDTV and the Amiga CD32. Both had little success success and Commodore never entered the console business again.
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Can you spare a buck brother...
Commodore officially filed for bankruptcy in 1994. IBM PC compatibles and the Apple Macintosh significantly devoured the market share Commodore once enjoyed during the 1980s. In their last attempt to stem the steadily flowing red ink, Commodore invested heavily into the development of the Amiga CD32. The mild success of this system could not dig them out of the huge financial deficit facing them. The Commodore brand name has passed through a few hands since then, with a new line of computers unveiled in 2007. | |  |
Memorex was established in 1961 and primarily focused on disk drives and other computer peripherals for the home computer. Developing state of the art recordable media formats really put them on the map - and directly into the crosshairs of Tandy Corporation. Tandy, who already owned Radio Shack, acquired Memorex in 1982. Tandy had already achieved significant success in the home personal computing market with their TRS line of systems.
| | The console they released... | What are they doing today? |
1992 - Tandy / Memorex VIS
Tandy decided to enter the 'multimedia frenzy' of the early 1990s with their release of the VIS (Visual Information System). The VIS was essentially a stripped down Windows PC in a VCR style casing. Though marketed as a gaming machine in addition to being an educational tool, the fact that so few true games were released for this system quickly sealed this console's fate. Tandy rebranded the machine with the Memorex label to try and increase sales but in the end nothing could help this sad system.
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Focusing on their power alley...
After various mergers and acquisitions, Memorex still lives on to this day. They are primarily focusing on what initially gained them brand recognition - recordable media for personal computers. | |  |
Pioneer has been at the forefront of audio/video technology since the early 1950s when it released Hi-Fi speakers and other audio components. In the late 1980s, Pioneer set its sights on Laserdisc technology and bought a majority stake in the format. Though technically superior at the time compared to the popular VHS format, Laserdisc technology had less than a 2% share in the home video market. Pioneer, already heavily invested in this area, asked you to do the same..
| | The console they released... | What are they doing today? |
1993 - Pioneer LaserActive
Pioneer's answer to the growing multimedia, all-in-one console market - the infamous LaserActive. At the time, the LaserActive was the closest system to deliver a product that did meet most of the multimedia demands of the consumer - movies, games, karaoke, music, edutainment - all presented in the best audiovideo quality available. The problem - to be able to enjoy all of this would set you back roughly $2,900 in 1993 ($4,500 in today's dollars)!
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Still in the lead...
Pioneer is still a leading manufacturer and developer in the fields of car audio, televisions, navigation systems and other consumer electronic components. They employ nearly 38,000 and are a recognized leader in today's market. | | | |
{Insert super awesome relevant picture here}
With all of the recent exposure Nec and Hudson Soft's Turbo Grafx (Pc Engine in Japan) has gotten via the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console, many people have decided that getting a Turbo Grafx and some games for themselves is worth the investment. While never really a commercial success outside of Japan, it still managed to get a small, but overall good and varied library in the US, and a huge one in Japan. With a lifespan of 13 years there is plenty to look forward too. (Actually is was technically more like 8 as the last game, released in 1999 in Japan, was the first game made for it since about 1994/1995. 1993 was the last year for Turbo Grafx games).
Unfortunately, as you may have noticed, prices on Ebay are crazy. The prices for most Turbo Grafx games and hardware have gotten out of hand as of late. For whatever reason, just about everything but the Turbo Grafx has not been rising in value. I'd wager that many resellers are taking advantage of this newfound interest in the console and ask exorbitant prices in the in the hopes of unknowing new collectors assuming that their values are sane and bite. To make matters worse, most of the auctions are buy it now only, leaving only really common, and often loose and/or poor condition games for auction ending up at prices that won't leave a hole in your pocket.
Prices on certain games and hardware are going to be high and deservedly so, it is estimated some excellent games had a print run as low as 5000 copies and even lower for certain games in Japan. There also exists plenty of desirable hardware that does not turn up often.
So where does that leave someone new to the "scene"? How would anyone know what is a reasonable price for anything, especially with few modern sources for info aside from ebay, and more importantly, how can one go about getting games without being price gouged? Not all of us live in Japan where a lot of this stuff can be had for fractions of what we pay in the rest of the world and not everyone knows how 17+ pieces of hardware differ and what is the best value for the money.
Well fret no more, for I am here to help! Let your confusion be dispelled, and many myths be demystified, as I explain some of the fine details of collecting for the Turbo Grafx 16. In the interest of attempting to keep this short I am going to split it into two parts. (Going to be very hard, as there is a lot that needs to be explained). Today I will talk about the hardware.
Choosing the hardware that suits your needs (and budget)...
"Which tg-16/pce system is the best?" With at least 17 different consoles, revisions, upgrades, and what not, it's easy to understand why this is such a common question. Unfortunately, there really isn't any definitive answer. It varies widely on why a collector wants to collect for tg16/pce, and their budget. Answering some questions can help immensely in making a decision that suits your needs.
Are you more of a collector or gamer?
Even when not ridiculously priced, tg16/pce hardware can get quite expensive. If you simply want to play the games, and generally don't need for a system to be boxed/complete, a loose plain old Turbo Grafx 16 can be had with controller, system with cover, dc adapter, and sometimes a rf switch and game for $25-$40 depending on condition. Compare this to an American Turbo, which can run anywhere from $125-$200 on average for a similar setup or the Pc Engine LT and Pioneer LaserActive PAC-N10 module which can easily run upwards from $300 and $500 respectively. Certain pieces are truly for the collector such as the PAC-N10 module, and the Pc Engine Shuttle, which can only play Japanese HuCard games despite having a near identical expansion slot for the cd add-ons.
If you choose to go the tg16 route, you can get a tg-cd, dock, and system to enable play of cd-rom games, composite video and the ability to save in select games later down the road. However due to reliability issues (they develop gear issues and laser problems, and replacements are near impossible to come by) and the additional price this is not the recommended approach for gamers.
Can you deal with rf video?
If not then you will probably be buying a Turbo Booster, Turbo Booster+, Tg-Cd dock, or Turbo Duo. The first two give you composite video and composite video+the ability to save in games. A Tg-Cd dock gives the same functionality as a Turbo Booster+, but offers the advantage of playing cd games when equipped with a Tg-Cd and a proper system card. If you don't mind importing, which is highly recommended anyways, every import system aside from the original white Pc Engine has composite video and stereo sound output. Additionally every piece of tg16/pce hardware can be RGB modded for the best video output you will ever get from any piece of pce/tg16 hardware.
Is portable gaming desirable to you?
If so the the Turbo Express/Pc Engine GT would be right up your alley. If you are patient a fully working one can be acquired for $60-$90. The GT is actually more expensive from my observations, and a LT is really for collectors, so a TE is the way to go. Keep in mind that when these units were made, LCDs were still very early in development and dead pixels are very common. Like the Duo both the TE and GT are prone to sound issues, and also video issues. If you can solder, it's an easy fix.
Do you mind importing to save money?
If not, for gaming, hands down a Pc Engine Duo-R is the way to go. While not as aesthetically pleasing as an American or Japanese Duo (but hey what system is?), it is far more reliable and can play all of the same games. Black Duos are notorious for developing sound (via bad caps) and laser issues. Save yourself some heartache and the inevitable cost of future repairs, and avoid the black duos. A Duo-R can be had anywhere from $125-$250 depending on condition and what comes with it.
Region and RGB mods are common and popular for this model. If you live in the Japan or in most of Europe they come with everything you need for RGB Scart video. While not as useful if you live in the US, it's not impossible to take advantage of the RGB mod.
With a Duo-R you can play all but the Arcade Cd-Rom2 games and the 5 Super Grafx only games (which only the Super Grafx can play) out of the box with no additional purchases. Arcade Cd-Rom2 games can be played with the help of an Arcade Card Duo or an Arcade Card Pro. Arcade Duos are cheaper (by about $20) than the Pros for the fact that all Pro cards work on any Pc Engine system (though they work in the shuttle and the portable Turbo Express/Pc Engine GT, you can't take advantage of it for obvious reasons). Arcade Duos work only on select systems.
Also worth mentioning, there is a Duo-RX model. It is identical to the Duo-R in every way, except the color of the silkscreened logo and the controller that came packaged with it originally (Nec Avenue 6). Unfortunately it cost a lot more for no practical difference in the console itself. There are many other models of the consoles, but this is not meant to be an exhaustive in depth list of all the different hardware's pros and cons. If you want more info please refer to: http://pcenginefx.com/mai..._compatibility_guide.html.
A word on region mods
Region mods are a must if you only plan on owning one just one tg-16/pce console to play all of your games. Pc Engine versions of Turbo Grafx games are in almost every case, a LOT cheaper than the US counterparts. In some cases, $200-$300 cheaper, especially with late Us Super Cd-rom2 game releases. While a region mod does not affect cd games, as they were not region locked, HuCard games can have large discrepancies in price too. While region converters exist, they are very expensive nowadays (easily over $100) and they only work on American consoles without modification. They will work on Japanese consoles, but an internal modification is still needed. Kinda ironic, huh?
HuCard, Turbo Chip, Super Cd-rom2?! Oh my!
As you have probably noticed, there are a lot of different formats for pce/tg-16 games. The full list is as follows:
Turbo Chip or HuCard in Japan; SuperGrafx games were also simply called HuCards, despite the fact that 5 games only work on SuperGrafx hardware, and 2 others have enhanced graphics when played on a SuperGrafx.
CD-ROM^2 officially pronounced "CD Rom Rom"
Super CD-ROM^2
Arcade CD-ROM^2
If you don't have much money to plunk down initially, any hardware that only plays HuCards alone is a good choice. Getting one that can be upgraded is a good idea, or later down the road you can sell your first system to help fund a combined system.
If you don't want to buy an Arcade card, it's really no big deal. There weren't that many "must have" games that utilized the arcade card. Some hybrid games could be played with or without an arcade card.
A Turbo Grafx or Core Grafx I or II (same hardware barring the logo color) are excellent starter systems for those on a budget.
While a Super Grafx with a CD add on and an appropriate system card (an adapter is needed to connect a plain old pce-cd) is the only system that will play every Pc Engine game, you have to really ask yourself if it is really worth the extra $$$ for 5 games and enhanced play in 2. Only 2 of the games are any good really.
Arcade Card games can be played on US systems that have been region modded or with a region converter and the appropriate arcade card and hardware
If you have any other questions www.pcenginefx.com is a nice small community populated with people passionate about the tg-16/pce. Some of my best deals were made with members on that site. The members are nice and friendly, and are more than willing to answer all of your tg-16/pce related questions.
Finally don't rely on ebay for buying or gauging the value of tg16/pce stuff. I know tg16 stuff doesn't exactly pop up much in the wild, but it does pop up on communities such as pcenginefx, digitpress, atariage, neo-geo, gametz, and our very own rfgeneration more than you would think.
I know it's a lot to take in and digest. Many of you are probably not even reading anymore by this point. Either that or you are sleeping or dreaming of not reading this article while you sleep Nonetheless, I hope that even if it was only skimmed, interested collectors have a better understanding, and a firmer grip on Pc-Engine hardware and prices, if only by just a little bit.
Stay tuned for part 2, where I will talk more about the software, offer game suggestions, and give tips to determining when someone is price gouging.
Guilty Gear, one of the last remaining 2D sprite based fighters, has always been just as fun to play as it has been to listen to. Many of the names of the characters and their special attacks are based on various real world music sources, for example, antagonist Sol Badguy's real name is Fredrick, named after Queen's Freddie Mercury and Ky Kiske's super attack, Ride the Lightning, is named after a Metallica song, just to name a couple. The soundtracks for the games, with the exception of the Korean versions, are done by Daisuke Ishiwatari who also designed the characters, wrote the story, and also voices Sol Badguy in the games. Below I will list some songs from the various games as well as a couple of the vocal albums, I enjoy a lot of the music from the games myself, and I hope that some of you guys will as well.
Continue reading Melodic Notation: Guilty Gear
Today, I got my first Japanese Mega CD game to add to my Mega CD collection. Now reaching 20 games! I rarely buy Japanese games, who could blame me. Some games require you to know the story and that won't help if you don't understand the story, so I only get simple Japanese games if I have the chance. However, this game I had to get mainly for the purpose of a collector. Continue reading and I'll tell you what happened.
Continue reading First game from the Far East
So I decided I would do my first "tie-in" interview. My last one was Tynstar and I had mentioned how Cap'n here was his partner in crime. Cap'n was also the leader of a couple of the many clans I was a member in back in my Halo 2 days. Remember the Drunken Pelicans? What about Guesswho, Mr. Winky, nickm and the rest of the old crew?
Maybe i should have thrown those into the interview instead of as an after thought 
Let's get to it
GENERAL
How did you find RFGeneration?
I found RFG because of my best friend (tynstar / Scott)
What made you join?
I really like the community feel, and felt I could contribute.
What made you stay?
Over the years RFG has made huge advances, and the community here is THE BEST
Have you met or personally know any of the other members of the website?
Obviously I know Tynstar, but I also know Jagdiesel. I've met several others who are members here while I attended CGE2K7 (Classic Gaming Expo 2007) Most notably, I remember meeting National Gaming Depot.
Are you an active game collector? If so anything specific?
Well, the last few years have been a bit slow on the collecting side, but yes I am a collector. Specifically, I love NES games. I haven't updated that count in a while, but I am very close to 700 NES games. Of which, I probably have 600 of them CIB.
What's your favorite game or series? Why?
Hmm, my favorite game or series... The easy answer would probably be something like Zelda or Castlevania since I cherished those games when I was a kid. But to be honest, Phantasy Star Online, and Phantasy Star Universe have really captured my interest in the past several years.
As far as why I like this game and series... I like the fact that it's an action RPG, and while it doesn't qualify as an MMORPG it certainly has an MMO feel to it.
What are your passions?
As far as gaming goes, I'd have to say finally completing my CIB NES collection. Other then that, my Son, family and friends.
What do you do outside of RFG?
Well, I work as a facility manager, but my interest outside of RFG and gaming include playing hockey (goalie) and classic Ford Mustangs. I haven't worked on a Mustang in nearly 10 years, but I plan on buying another classic and restoring her.
SPECIFICS
I thought for sure you had finished off your NES collection. Are you still seeking them out or are you taking a hiatus for the time being?
I am always looking for missing pieces, but collecting has taken a back seat to a few things over the years. I will finish it off eventually.
In the same vein as the last question are/where you seeking out any major/minor NES game/hardware variations to your collection?
The 3 Panesian games are probably going to be the hardest pieces to add at this point. However, I'm not sure if I am going for non-licensed games at this time.
Do you still game with your son? If so what is your favorite game to play together? My son loves playing games! I know he loves playing Castle Crashers with me.
How many complete collections(if any) do you have now?(I thought you had NES and VB)
My NES collection and Virtual Boy collections are getting there, but I think realistically I am only going to complete the NES collection.
You mentioned you haven't worked on a classic mustang in 10+ years. I remember you used to own one(that i knew of) what happened to it? Also please brag about how totally bad ass it was  I love classic cars.
Basically, I have owned 8 classic mustangs. I've also bought a few, made a few restorations and sold them for a profit. My 3 favorites of which I owed were 2 1965 Mustangs and 1 1966. The 66 Mustang was my pride and joy, I probably spent 10k on a full restoration of this beauty. Sadly, I was involved in a very bad accident with this car, and it was beyond repair.
The last Mustang I owned was a 1965, and it was a GT. When I got a divorce, I needed to buy an everyday driver in wich my son could safely drive in. And the cost of the divorce forced me to sell the 65 for the cash I needed for a everyday driver.
I'd really like to buy another classic Mustang in the next few years, and get it ready for a full restoration in which my son could help me with. That way I could pass on a love of classic cars and the knowledge of working on cars to him.
I'll try and dig up a few photos of my cars when I get a chance, as I'd like to "show them off" a bit But basically, the 66 was a very clean powerful looking pony. I once had her up to 140 MPH.(I realize now how stupid this was) I still remember feeling the front end of the car getting lighter as I reached 140... And even to this day, I feel like the car was about to lift off and take flight. 
GAMING FIRSTS
What was the first game you played and on what system and how old were you?
The first system I played was the Atari 2600. The first game was Combat if I recall correctly. The year was 1978 I believe, and I was 5 years old.
First console owned?
The first console my family owned was the Atari 2600
First game you bought yourself?
The first game I bought myself was Either Mario Bros. or Metroid for the NES.
What made you decide to buy that particular game?
Seeing as I can't remember which game it was in particular, I'll just give a general answer. I'd have to say that at the time, there were just so many great games out there to play... And I just ended up buying something that looked fun.
First game you beat?
I really had to think about this one... I actually believe the first game I beat was Raiders of the Lost Ark for the Atari 2600.
First time you wanted to destroy something because of a game?
Hmm, I can't recall any specific first times. But I do recall Kid Icarus for the NES making me want to destroy my controller.
Recently, I was a bit upset with a level on Army of Two.
2 things i want to note before I publish this.
1. I couldn't use his real username in the tags because he has an Underscore which is apparently a no-no in the blog tags.
2. The car question was an afterthought and isn't quite a polished nice looking question but it was a cool question with an awesome answer.
Huge thanks Rick. Dig out them pics for us!
So this guy Matt is pretty awesome. He goes by the name Kimoosabi and almost three years ago got married to me. That was cool. So Matt's really sweet and nice to me. But if you're not me, he'll make fun of you. If he really likes you, he'll REALLY make fun of you. That's just the kind of guy he is. I'd just like to say that he's the super bestest guy ever. He's also Canadian and yay Canadians! Okay, thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: I still have no clue what Froggin Ashbowl is yammering about.
Super Disclaimer: This blog post is suppose to be a silly one and was more of a joke between Matt and I because I had said I was making a review for a game and he said "Do one about me!" so I did and again, Froggin Ashbowl, what the freaky deaky were you talking about?
It's been a while since the last installment, but for once this year, it's not because of a lack of sales, but because I simply couldn't go to many sales these last few weekends. Last Saturday, I was in Cleveland the entire weekend so I couldn't do any garage saling. I had planned on going to some gaming stores that were only 10 minutes from my hotel, but I had limited Internet connectivity in the hotel and had a tough time getting a map and directions so I wrote down basic instructions on a piece of paper, but it disappeared the morning I was going to go and then I couldn't get back online to get new directions, so I wasn't able to make it. This past Saturday, I spent the first half of Saturday volunteering at our new township park, so I missed the best garage saling times, but did manage to get in a few sales after 1:00, but I didn't find anything. Luckily, I was able to get to the flea market yesterday and found enough stuff to make a worthwhile post.
Continue reading Treasure Hunt Chronicles '09 - #4
Hello, and thanks for all the comments on Part 1, 2, and 3.
I contacted the guy again, about a week later, and still no one else had bought any.
So I went back to his house and I bought all that he had left except for 6 games that I already had CIB.
[img width=700 height=525]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/railroad1/tn_CIBNESGAMES051.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/railroad1/tn_CIBNESGAMES052.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/railroad1/tn_CIBNESGAMES053.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/railroad1/tn_CIBNESGAMES054.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/railroad1/tn_CIBNESGAMES055.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/railroad1/tn_CIBNESGAMES056.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/railroad1/tn_CIBNESGAMES057.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/railroad1/tn_CIBNESGAMES058.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/railroad1/tn_CIBNESGAMES059.jpg[/img]
This was my final trip to his house, 63 CIB NES games in all. Most of them so Minty Fresh you could brush your teeth with them.
[img width=700 height=525]http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h63/railroad1/tn_CIBNESGAMES060-1.jpg[/img]
Thanks again everyone for the comments on my 3 previous blogs. I have never made a blog before, so this was all new to me.
| The Collector's Corner | | Edition 1 : Privacy and Protection | This series of articles focuses on the real life tribulations, joys and helpful tips for all
collectors in our shared passion - video games and the hardware that drives them. |
Monster video game collections - they are out there, but so few of them are rarely displayed to the general public. This is true of most significant compilations, regardless if the passion of said person are video games, stamps, coins or even Barbie Dolls. There are really two main reasons for this - security and privacy. These are genuine concerns for any avid collector, especially in today's economic climate. This is a sad reality, but appropriately pragmatic in nature. The well known collection displayed above is an exception rather than the norm - but yet he has remained completely anonymous to most everyone.
I don't classify myself in the class of collectors that I am referring to, but I still nonetheless take the following safeguards. These are a few items that I would recommend to alleviate the stress in owning a large collection (however you define it).
| | Insure Your
Collection |
This seems like a no-brainer, but do not overlook this most important aspect. Take pictures, catalogue items and keep your insurance company updated. You will need to provide a value for everything (if you truly want to insure your collection). This will take some time, but it will be well worth it. Not doing so might have you underinsured.
| | Be Wise When
Posting Pictures |
Eliminate/erase any personal references in the pictures that you do choose to share with the general public. This includes personal photos of family members, menus, anything that might be in the background that may identify you. Do not unnecessarily subject yourself - black out/blur completely where appropriate.
| | Be Verified via an
Alternative Address |
Do not use the address of your collection (or your personal home) when making purchases. You can get verified easily through PayPal without having to reveal this information. This is completely legit and will in no way harm your reputation as a buyer or seller - you just have to have a safe haven to sign/receive goods and a verifiable payment source. Do not have things delivered directly to your homeplace of your collection. This will unknowingly result in the widening of your 'circle of friends', regardless if you think so or not. Also, make purchases from trusted sources when sharing this info if you must, and only with those whom have as much to lose as you do.
| | Remain
Anonymous |
Prudently share information, and with only those you completely trust. This is of paramount importance. Ensure that your 'inner' circle is completely trustworthy. Not doing so will put you at risk. Make certain that members in your circle of trust are limited to a select few. Even with this small number, do not trust that their own respective inner circle(s) can be trusted. Instruct them that this sharing of your collection is privileged for one - not the many (including family). Can they guarantee that none of their personal entourage will spout off at some point about what they saw. This is important to consider when sharing. I have hurt someone in the past by having to instruct them not to share any info about my collection (modest as it is) with their family simply due to the fact that I was aware they were a bit too loose with their mouth after having a few pops on a Friday night at the local speakeasy.
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This article is not meant to be a "fear-for-your-collection" piece at all, more of how to take the proper precautions in protecting your investment, both now and in the future. Trepidation in sharing what one has amassed is natural. Taking some steps to be able to alleviate this stress will put your mind at ease. You can share your collection - all of us gamers love seeing it. Just be wise when doing so.
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Hey everyone, over the past month, I have been adding in loads of variations to both the Atari 2600 and NES databases. So far, there have been a handful of people who are aware of these variations and have added them to their collections. I'd like to go ahead and make everyone aware of these variations so that it will make it easier for everyone to update their collections. Here is a list of variation titles to look out for:
Atari 2600
Numbered
Text Label
Picture Label
Rerelease
"Use With Paddle Controllers" Error
NES
5 Screw
3 Screw
3 Screw w/Round Seal
3 Screw w/Oval Seal
Round Seal
Oval Seal
If anyone has any questions regarding these variations, please don't hesitate to PM me. Thanks!
Review: Mined Out, Dragon 32
I know that the older tape based systems don't seem to get much love or attention, but I really enjoy revisiting some of these games. Mined Out is one of the gems from my childhood, I originally played a friends copy - the same friend who donated his Dragon 32 to my collection last year in fact - and I loved the game even then. I don't think I ever really understood it though. The mechanics are pretty straightforward, you have to manoeuvre your character from the bottom of the screen to the top, avoiding the hidden mines along the way. After each move a little message tells you how many mines are adjacent to you, similar to Minesweeper in windows. From there you have to make informed decisions about how to progress, risk it and push forwards, or back track and look for a safer route, with the added danger that you might be caught by the chasing bug which appears after a length of time. Step on a mine at any point and it's instant game over, and you're given the option of starting again from the previous level, although the layout of the mines will have changed. After almost 25 years I finally feel able to tackle the perils of rescuing Bill the Worm.
 Progression through the game was fairly easy, reaching level 3 presented no difficulties. There are seven levels to the game in all, of progressing difficulty, usually adding more mines to avoid. Level 4 included a wall with a moving gap half way up the screen which you must pass through, and other levels included 4 question mark boxes which contain bonus points, and sometimes mines. The choice here then is ignore the potential bonuses, or risk it all for higher score? The bonuses do nothing for later levels, they simply add to the final score. On level 7 I got sight of Bill the Worm - he's imprisoned in a walled enclosure in the centre of the screen, and again there's a minefield to navigate to reach him.
I didn't really have any problems with the game now, and I can't say the challenge is that great, it's amazing what the addition of 25 years experience makes to playing a game. The only times I really had difficulties were getting over-confident with my mine-logic, hitting a mine when I was sure there wasn't one. Back-tracking to the previous level and re-doing it presented no further problems. When the bug appeared for the first time I got myself into a bit of a tangle and managed to head straight for it, instead of away, but that was the last time I made that mistake. All in all the game took me about an hour to complete, which is not exactly great by today's standards, and for something that cost GBP8.00 in 1983 that was a lot of cash, for not much return. I can understand why dad was always so reluctant fund a regular supply of games now, it would have cost him a small fortune.
It's a great little game to while away an hour or so, especially if you try and beat your score. Attempting to shave a couple of moves off levels is good fun, but it doesn't have long term appeal and the sound effects will probably get to you before long.
Over the years, gaming has gone from a sort of niche hobby to a full-blown, mainstream activity. I seen gaming go from an activity that only a few of my friends growing up did to dorm room gaming to my 1080p, 5.1 audio setup at home. The first community I was a fairly active member of was the GameFAQs forum. Did the collection on IGN, tried out Digital Press forums before finding my way here. I lurked for a while, primarily using only the Collection tools. I finally started posting more and more, and the people here are extremely nice and really my kind of people. Then came the chat.
I jumped in, and as the new guy, I sort of found it difficult to jump in. After 2-3 times (that I could tell), I felt like I was starting to feel as a part of the group. I am now on a first name basis with pretty much everyone in chat. This type of small community is what I need. I grew up in a small town, and that's the sort of vibe I get here. These people are RFGeneration, down to the roots.
I'm very thankful for this place. It's kind of hard for someone like me to put myself out there and jump into conversation, but when I did, I wish I would have sooner. I plan on sticking around for a long time and I really hope that the community grows while keeping the roots of the small site. I consider all of you my friends and hope to meet many more of you along the way.
Thank you.
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Posted on May 1st 2009 at 03:27:37 AM by ( logical123) Posted under Glitches, Super, Mario, Bros, 1, Nintendo, Entertainment, System, Minus, World, Glitch |
Welcome to a world where a game's physics engine doesn't dictate what happens. Welcome to a world where damage means nothing, or everything. A world where random spawns are the norm, where accidents DO happen. Welcome to a world of Glitches. Welcome, to The Glitch Files, where you will encounter some of the strangest, most bizarre, and downright odd glitches of the gaming world. Not only will we show you footage of the glitch, but will give directions on how to exactly preform said glitch for yourself!
Today's special features the Minus 1 World Glitch, from perhaps the most popular game on the planet, Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System or Famicom in Japan. This glitch, which occurs in World 1-2, takes you to an infinite loop underwater level, and has no real purpose, because the only way to get out is to die and get a game over or reset! Nevertheless, it is still a fun and interesting glitch to preform. More info after the break.
Continue reading The Glitch Files: File #2 - The Minus 1 World Glitch
My 21st b-day was nothing like how i hoped it would go.
It had decidedly less drinking than i had hoped for and involved much less fun in general.
Midnight(yes it literally started sucking the first minute of the day)
I wasn't very tired and kind of restless so i was kicked out of bed by Aubrey because i kept waking her up.
12:30-1am
Aubrey comes out and tells me to stop leaving the closet light on. Its a pretty much dead florescent so when i want it on it doesn't turn on. When i need it it either doesn't turn on or is so dim its useless.
2-3am
One of the dogs starts whining. I promptly smack its crate and yell at it to shut the fuck up.
6-7:30am
family is all getting ready to go to work/school i wake repeatedly
7:30-8am
Aubrey wakes me up because she was going to make me breakfast. She doesn't know the only breakfast items we have is oatmeal so i know i will not be woken back up since nothing will be cooked.
8:30 am
Rowan slept in late
9am-1:29pm
Rowan has breakfast. Me and Aubs smoke cigs, rowan plays outside, we watch TV and Heroes after Rowan goes down for a nap.
1:30pm
Electricity gets shut off. For a few hours because somehow the dumbass in the vehicle was unaware we had payed our bill.
2pm
I spent the last half hour smoking, lifting weights, punching our freezer/refrigerator, looking for the phone number to the electric company so i could bitch them out. Rowan is awake now so we get him ready to go to the park.
3ish pm
We make it to the Park after picking up a mutual friend so she could get out of the house.
Rowan stares at kids, doesn't like the swings this time, does like the slides this time and just runs around and discovers things.
4:30ish
we are back at our friends house. She makes hot dogs and mac and cheese for everyone. Yum breakfast/lunch. Butterscotch pudding for dessert.
6PM
We get back home. Rowan is pretty cranky from having lots of action and not so much naptime earlier. I get a card from my grandmother with 20 bucks
7:45-8pm
Rowan goes down for bed a little early. We watch wheel of fortune and Jeopardy.
8-9
I go to the packy and pick up small bottle Grey Goose and a bottle of Mudslide.
Get home and get ready to watch Lost. Mom gets home gives me a cake and 50 bucks.
The rest of the night we watched lost. I had a strong vodka and diet pepsi drink and a shot then i crashed on the couch again since Aubrey had to go to bed early to get up early for work.
Not how i had wished it would go. I did have alot of fun with Rowan but the day was pretty much tainted by the overwhelming sameness of it.
On Monday I was able to get (with the help of my mum) new shelves to put all my Sega games. Originally, my Sega Mega CD games were in a small black box kind of shelf, with my Mega Drive games in a wicker basket. Until now this was kind of awkward, especially getting out the games.
This is the new shelf units and as you can see, there is still room for more games!
[img width=480 height=640]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3626/3581481043_17e34557f4.jpg?v=0[/img]
Left to Right: Unless I say so all games are CIB, any games are stacked will be listed top to bottom
Above: Lethal Enforcers Box (with innards but no manual), Konami Justifier and you can barely see a CD game case which has my two copies of Lethal Enforcers.
Top: Sonic Spinball, Sonic 2, Olympic Summer games and Vectorman (cart only), Ecco the Dolphin, Flicky, Gunstar Heroes, Marble Madness, Micro Machines: Turbo Tournament '96, Micro Machines 2 Turbo Tournament (no manual), Rocket Knight Adventures, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic & Knuckles (no manual).
Middle: Dragon's Lair, Keio Flying Squadron, Road Avenger, Microcosm, Sega Classics Arcade Collection, Sensible Soccer, Sol-Feace/Cobra Command, Sonic CD, Soulstar, Starblade, Thunderhawk, Time Gal, Tomcat Alley, The Adventures of Willy Beamish, Fahrenheit, Panic!, Revenge of the Ninja, Sewer Shark, Datel Pro CD-X
Bottom: Sega Master Converter, Tom & Jerry: The Movie, Taz-Mania, Sonic Chaos, Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
My MP3 player is on the floor, on the right side is a folder with all my Demo disks (including the Roadkill soundtrack and the DOS game Novastorm) and my Dancing Stage Dance Mat.
This is my collection as of 29th April 2008
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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.
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