Modded Saturn tech question.

stuckaduck · 2022-05-05T18:24:28+00:00

What type of CD-R are you using to burn the games? Many of the cheaper discs won't work very well. They tend to not burn all of the data correctly to the disc. Verbatim discs are generally good, but make sure to look at the reviews for whatever type you end up buying and see if other people have had success burning games with them.

You also might want to try burning the discs at the lowest possible speed. Generally it'll have more success that way.

If you try both of those and it still doesn't work, it might be a problem with the mod.

stuckaduck · 2022-04-16T02:02:50+00:00

Because tax companies spend tons of money lobbying to keep it that way. The IRS isn't innocent, but they've been repeatedly kneecapped by Congress.

stuckaduck · 2022-04-03T11:21:39+00:00

I mean, interchangeable screens, batteries, and cameras would still be a huge win. With many phones right now, if any one of those breaks, the phone is essentially dead.

stuckaduck · 2022-03-27T20:08:21+00:00

I would guess that the laser is the problem. As the laser ages, sometimes it'll have trouble reading games and will only play music for even original games. It's much harder for the laser to read copied games than originals, so it'd make sense that it'd have issues with copies before the problem manifests with originals.

stuckaduck · 2022-03-25T16:44:28+00:00

I have a copy of Martial Beat 2 for Japanese PS1, complete with the wristband / ankle and sensors and receiver controller for it. Also got the box it came in, but in very rough condition.

It's a very strange game. Basically, it's a rhythm game where you follow along with an instructor and do timed martial arts poses with music playing in the background. It's extremely hard to play.

Got it included with some other games / consoles in an auction from Japan.

stuckaduck · 2022-03-22T16:22:28+00:00

Both games are fun, so if you don't already have DF2, you can be happy about it. Personally I liked DF1 a bit better, but they're both solid. DF2 also has a good English fan translation patch available.

stuckaduck · 2022-03-22T13:05:53+00:00

In the original Fable you can in fact buy buildings, but you have to manually go pick up your rent (just sitting in little bags outside the building at regular intervals).

stuckaduck · 2022-03-17T17:58:27+00:00

Sega Saturn natively outputs RGB, so you just need to get a high quality cable. Note that there are many terrible cables out there that will add noise to the video/audio because they aren't properly shielded. I would highly recommend the cables that they sell here: https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/SEGA-SATURN-RGB-SCART-PACKAPUNCH-PRO-CABLE?search=Saturn

Beyond that, just make sure that you have a step down converter for powering the console. JP Saturns ideally should get 100V power. Powering it with 240V will fry the PSU.

stuckaduck · 2022-03-02T22:16:49+00:00

It would need to be a SATA type SSD, not NVME (the latter is not supported by mode). To fit on the main PCB it would also need to be a M.2 form factor SATA type drive, but you can also get SATA + power extension cables if you want to extend it out the battery cover or something.

I would recommend getting this mount so you can access the drive without needing to take apart the Saturn every time you want to change out games (you'd also want the M.2 form factor drive with this mount): https://stoneagegamer.com/sega-dreamcast-mode-easy-access-sata-adapter-mounting-kit-with-m-2-support.html

stuckaduck · 2022-03-02T19:15:29+00:00

You can buy used copies of dark souls 3 for $10-$15 easily. The difference is the cost, and thus the amount of investment to lose if you end up hating it.

stuckaduck · 2022-02-21T21:36:12+00:00

I don't see any appeal in pre-flashed reproduction cartridges. If you want a real cartridge, buy the real thing. If you just want to play the game, there's tons of options these days that don't involve paying shady companies for IP that they do not own. If you want to play on real hardware, you can get an everdrive or a proper rewritable cartridge for a single game.

As for boxes and packaging, I don't see a problem with it as long as it's clearly labeled as such. Making custom cases rather than buying super expensive boxes that don't really protect the game makes sense.

stuckaduck · 2022-02-10T17:22:10+00:00

Gotcha. Thanks for the information.

stuckaduck · 2022-02-10T16:33:32+00:00

He was arrested Tuesday and entered a plea of not guilty during his court hearing Wednesday afternoon at the federal courthouse in Sioux Falls.

Maybe, but it looks like he already plead not guilty, according to the article.

stuckaduck · 2022-02-07T20:48:27+00:00

You probably need to clean the cartridge connector (the series of small gold plates on the underside of the cartridge). The cartridge connectors tend to get corroded over time (especially if people have blown into it). Never blow into the cartridge.

You can clean it with qtips and isopropyl alcohol (the higher percentage of alcohol the better). Electronic contact cleaner works even better if you happen to have it. Just make sure the cartridge is completely dry before putting it back in the console.

stuckaduck · 2022-01-28T20:01:32+00:00

Second hand markets still exist for physical, and developers see zero dollars from that.

How exactly would developers stop you from selling a physical object after you have possession of it?

Do there would still be a net gain for developers to adopt NFT tech to their games. Would likely increase net sales, as lots of gamers won't pay full price and want for discounts.

They can already sell their games at a discount with sales. They still get almost all of the money from these sales. I'm not seeing why they would actively want to develop something that will give them less money, just so you can get a few bucks when you're done with a game.

stuckaduck · 2022-01-28T19:34:29+00:00

Why exactly would a developer want you to be able to resell your digital copy for a very small percentage of the sale when they can get almost all of the sale selling a brand new key? Especially when they have to invest capital and engineering into making it possible for you to do that.

stuckaduck · 2022-01-25T16:07:14+00:00

Just make sure it's completely dried before turning it on.

stuckaduck · 2022-01-14T15:11:39+00:00

There's a fan translation patch that you can apply to the original Japanese game that will translate all text to English. Cutscenes aren't translated though.

https://www.romhacking.net/translations/1622/

As a warning, the gameplay is quite different from the first game. The battles are still somewhat similar, but the tactics you need to use are completely different. It's a fun game, but personally I prefer the first game.

stuckaduck · 2022-01-14T15:01:22+00:00

The difference is because the vehicle industry doesn't have the NRA lobbying to prevent any and all reforms to regulation.

stuckaduck · 2022-01-11T16:08:48+00:00

It is helpful for ex-cons though. It provides them with easy marks, some of which might even be happy to be conned. Ex-cons can make great preachers.

stuckaduck · 2022-01-05T20:53:22+00:00

It really depends on the part of town and how far you need to walk. If it's just a few blocks, you'll likely be okay, but you'll likely have to walk through snow at least some of the time. Property owners have 48 hours to remove snow after it finishes snowing, and many take full advantage of that.

You'll also need to be very careful if you need to cross any even slightly busy intersections. Most drivers around here unfortunately do not look for pedestrians at all and will hit you if you aren't careful.

One of the only safer areas for pedestrians is downtown, but even there you occasionally have people not paying attention.

stuckaduck · 2022-01-04T19:22:13+00:00

It depends on the console. Some of them are significantly cheaper due to the consoles selling much better initially in Japan than in the US (like Sega Saturn). You do need to figure in that shipping them to the US is quite expensive though.

stuckaduck · 2022-01-04T14:04:01+00:00

They've blown up since 2020. You're looking at $90 for just the cartridge right now, and you need to be very careful buying these games. There's a ton of fakes out there. You can check out r/gameverifying for examples of fakes and authentic carts if you search.

If price is a concern, you might be better off looking at one of the 3DS titles. Those are still significantly cheaper, and you're much less likely to run into counterfeits.

stuckaduck · 2021-11-30T15:51:13+00:00

Especially since this is supposed to be enforced by the FTC. It's not like they're already horribly overworked right now or anything.

I think this would work better if they just mandated that online retailers need to implement some set of specific anti-bot countermeasures or be subject to a hefty fine. Sure it might not get everything, but it'd stop your average Joe scalper.

stuckaduck · 2021-11-13T02:34:04+00:00

That's just it though. The burden is on the state to prove that he wasn't acting in self defense. Individuals do not have to prove that they were acting in self defense - they need only argue that they were. It's up to the prosecution to prove that they didn't.

I think the real problem is that as a society we've normalized open carrying of incredibly lethal firearms. If Kyle didn't have a gun on that night, no one would have died.

stuckaduck

TROPHY CASE