GRcade Retro Gaming Chat

[kerr9000]

I just restarted Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow via the Xbox One X. The opening levels are brilliant, especially the one set on a moving train.

They don't make 'em like this anymore. Unfortunately.

Even though they came out on other formats, to me the Splinter Cell games were synonymous with the original Xbox. The controller felt right, nothing was rushed, you weren't led by the hand because the game thought you were a moron, there weren't a million cutscenes interrupting you every five seconds like MGS, and the graphics epitomised the 'Xbox difference' at the time. The most recent one Ubisoft did was good but it wasn't the same - razmataz and overly glossy showmanship ('ooooh, we can put writing on the wall...') got in the way. It became a lot more action, shooty-bang-bang orientated too.

I agree that Splinter Cell even if available on other formats does feel very Xbox.. I didnt even think about banging these discs in my Xbox One lol

[Herdanos]

I really didn't get on with tooie, the levels were too big and didn't feel thst fun to explore. I think I dropped it at some fun fair thing.

I think I stopped in the same place

Levels were too big, and had too much locked content you had to return to with later moves

I did the exact same thing on my first playthrough, which must have been in around '07 or '08 on a second hand N64 cart. However, I completed the whole game on my second playthrough a couple of years ago via XBLA - I was about ready to give up again when I got to Terrydactyland, but at that point the level quality really ramps up. Which is a bit silly considering the size of the levels and their overall difficulty, as putting all the poorer ones in first just puts people off... as is obvious from this thread!

I wonder what kind of game Tooie might have ended up being, had they been able to master the intended technology. Wasn't the initial thinking behind Swap'n'Shop that it would work a la Sonic and Knuckles? As had the final version almost been a BK Deluxe or something akin to DLC, it'd have been almost universally well-received - I'm thinking you'd play the original game, complete it, unlock the eggs and ice key, and unlock Glitter Gulch Mine, Terrydactyland, Grunty Industries, Hailfire Peaks, perhaps a more cohesive Cloud Cuckoo Land featuring some of the better parts of the other cut levels.

[Herdanos]

Hope you'll forgive the blatant plug (to another GR thread) but I'm selling some retro stuff here.

[Cheeky Devlin]

That's my Saturn booked in for a Switchless multi-region mod.

So long shitty PAL conversions, hello fullscreen, full speed NTSC copies and Japanese shooters (Radiant Silvergun stream is a guarantee).

[Corazon de Leon]

Where you getting that done? Sounds pretty good!

[Cheeky Devlin]

Where you getting that done? Sounds pretty good!

Seller on ebay. Has good reviews and it's not expensive (About £30 all in). The mod on it's own costs about £15, so another £15 for a professional to install it seems fair.

Wish Famicom RGB mods were that cheap (Looking at £150 to get that done), but I might look at that some time next year.

EDIT:

Current retro set up update:


Main TV - Just about everything is hooked up to this, except the Master System and Dreamcast.
The shelves underneath hold my Wii, Wii U, PS4, PS3, XBox and XBox One.



My Sony WEGA CRT with my Dreamcast, Master System, PS1 and Famicom Twin hooked up.

Underneath you can see my AV Switch box which lets me flip between the various systems without constantly hooking and unhooking cables. This also goes into my old Elgato, allowing me to capture systems where I can't get RGB, Component or HDMI out.
The Master System is hooked up through old style RF, and the Dreamcast through SCART.

(Towel at the window is because the Cat likes to come in and out through them and he leaves mucky paw prints otherwise)



Top to bottom:
Yamaha Stereo - Takes input from TV, PC and Record player
Records - Mostly old rock stuff, but I have a couple of game soundtracks
Super Famicom with SD2SNES and wireless 8BitDo controller
Mega Drive (Region modded) with Mega Everdrive Pro and wireless 8BitDo six-button controller
Technics SL-D303 Turntable - My Dad's old record player which still works amazingly well.
GameCube with GameBoy Player (You can see my EZ Flash JR cart for my Gameboy plugged in)
Japanese N64 with Everdrive 64 X7
Softmodded PS2 with HDD installed and component video cables.
Big box O'Controllers
PAL Saturn (Soon to be region modded) with Psuedo Saturn flashed Action Replay Cart allowing backup discs to play.
OSSC (Open Source Scan Converter) - Image signal processor. Takes RGB SCART and Component inputs and upscales them and converts to HDMI output with zero input lag. Gives the cleanest possible image for the systems that are hooked up to it (SFC, MD, PS2, Saturn, Xbox).
2nd Big box O'Controllers
Smaller boxes of loose games (NES/Famicom, N64, Mega Drive/Master System, Game Boy and SNES/SFC)

[Choclet-Milk]

Phwoar. The jealousy is strong.

That CRT looks like it weighs a few KGs!

[Victor Mildew]

Very nice Devlin

[jawa]

They are terrific shots, Cheeky! I enjoy seeing how folk have their gaming gear setup and this combo of consoles, screens, vinyl and Yamaha is just great. I'm looking forward to more streams where you showcase some of these systems :-) .

[Cheeky Devlin]

Cheers guys. I'm pretty happy with it, but there are still things I want to do.

Cable management is not my strong suit, so need to do something to tidy that up.
System wise I've got just about everything I really want, though there are some more obscure ones I'd like to add (Jaguar, 3DO, PC Engine etc) at some point down the line, though none of them are particularly cheap.

[Green Gecko]

Cheers guys. I'm pretty happy with it, but there are still things I want to do.

Cable management is not my strong suit, so need to do something to tidy that up.
System wise I've got just about everything I really want, though there are some more obscure ones I'd like to add (Jaguar, 3DO, PC Engine etc) at some point down the line, though none of them are particularly cheap.

For you I'd get some of those Velcro/neoprene/woven tubes, in white, so you don't really early need to route any cables they just don't contrast against your decor.


Been meaning to do the same thing but I have a TV unit and consoles so close together, can't really see the enormous rats nest of cables behind it.

[Cheeky Devlin]

Cheers guys. I'm pretty happy with it, but there are still things I want to do.

Cable management is not my strong suit, so need to do something to tidy that up.
System wise I've got just about everything I really want, though there are some more obscure ones I'd like to add (Jaguar, 3DO, PC Engine etc) at some point down the line, though none of them are particularly cheap.

For you I'd get some of those Velcro/neoprene/woven tubes, in white, so you don't really early need to route any cables they just don't contrast against your decor.


Been meaning to do the same thing but I have a TV unit and consoles so close together, can't really see the enormous rats nest of cables behind it.

I was thinking about that. It doesn't really bother me too much but it doesn't look great in photos.

Got my Saturn boxed up and posted today as well. Hopefully turnaround on it won't be too long as I'm looking forward to getting into some NTSC games.

[kerr9000]

Cheers guys. I'm pretty happy with it, but there are still things I want to do.

Cable management is not my strong suit, so need to do something to tidy that up.
System wise I've got just about everything I really want, though there are some more obscure ones I'd like to add (Jaguar, 3DO, PC Engine etc) at some point down the line, though none of them are particularly cheap.

I have to admit to the Jaguar being a huge disappointment, I grabbed one a few years back and a fair bunch of games and even the best game I got AVP is not something I can often be bothers to go back to, heck I'm more likely to play Alien Trilogy on the PS1. PC Engine is one I've considered but at the moment I'm just happy playing the mini one. Never had a 3DO but have enjoyed a few bits on one, ironically I have a CDI and a few games but don't have a control pad and never see them for anything less than crud loads..... If you were to go for one I'd say go for the engine.

[Cheeky Devlin]

Cheers guys. I'm pretty happy with it, but there are still things I want to do.

Cable management is not my strong suit, so need to do something to tidy that up.
System wise I've got just about everything I really want, though there are some more obscure ones I'd like to add (Jaguar, 3DO, PC Engine etc) at some point down the line, though none of them are particularly cheap.

I have to admit to the Jaguar being a huge disappointment, I grabbed one a few years back and a fair bunch of games and even the best game I got AVP is not something I can often be bothers to go back to, heck I'm more likely to play Alien Trilogy on the PS1. PC Engine is one I've considered but at the moment I'm just happy playing the mini one. Never had a 3DO but have enjoyed a few bits on one, ironically I have a CDI and a few games but don't have a control pad and never see them for anything less than crud loads..... If you were to go for one I'd say go for the engine.

Yeah I've played enough Jaguar stuff on emulators to know that it's not got the most illustrious library. As you say, even AVP is a fun novelty for 10 minutes before you realise it's not really very good.

PC Engine is the most likely one for me to actually get as I could see myself playing some of the games on it. The rest would mostly be out of curiosity more than any desire to really play them.

[kerr9000]

I have been out of hospital a week and was feeling up to it so walked to the local charity shops and managed to get a few bits



I got this for 50pence alongside getting King Kong, Goldeneye Rogue Agent and Enter the Matrix all in similar state for 50pence each.

and this arrived in the mail, I spent 10quid on this complete, I cant help myself when it comes to Japanese Megadrive games

[Drumstick]

Nothing stops Kerr.

[Corazon de Leon]

I managed to grab the first two Dead Space games for a quid from my local charity shop recently, was pretty pleased with that.

[Sandy]

I just want to know where this mythical charity shop is. There are 7 charity shops in my town and not one of them ever has anything other than 20 copies of FIFA and a couple of versions of Just Dance.

[Victor Mildew]

Don't forget PS2 copies of the two towers LOTR game

[kerr9000]

im in the east midlands and visit charity shops in like Nottingham, Stapleford, Hucknall, Bullwell , Sherwood, Beeston etc

Trust me I see a lot of beat up rubbish Fifa games and sometimes come back empty handed but I get a lot of enjoyment just from trying to find things.