Emulators

[80sSmurf]

Thought a nice little emulator thread would be in place
These things have a huge crowd of followers you know, and I know at least one or two on the xchange use them (besides me), and there's bound to more of you out there

Why I like 'em ? Simple, they enable me to play all my old time fave games, relieve some of those magical moments from my childhood
Genesis, NES, SNES, Amiga & even the old arcade machines are all perfectly (or almost in some cases) emulated. It's so much fun to take a spin with Sonic or go ghoul hunting in Ghosts'n'Goblins, really a great way to reminisce....aaah.

I don't care about the newer systems that are emulated (ie. Nintendo 64, Playstation, GBA etc.), it seems to me these are used by people who are too stingy to get out and buy one, just another way to play (almost) new games for free. I can understand why it must be challenge to emulate a new system, I just don't see a use for these emu's yet. I like to think of emulation as a way to preserve old systems and their gamecatalogue...Making sure we can enjoy these games and systems for years to come
Maybe it's just me getting old, I dunno, anyway, I'd like to hear my fellowxchangers' thoughts on emulators

[Roemello]

The first thing I got when I got my computer was an NES emulator....I was in nostalgic heaven playing all those old games again Now years later, I have every emu for every system (except the newer platforms....I'm not stingy...I buy my own ).

My most recent interest has been MAME...awesome playing all those old arcade games I used to love...and some I've never got the chance to try

Bottom line...Emulators rule!!

[80sSmurf]

Originally posted by Roemello
...My most recent interest has been MAME...awesome playing all those old arcade games I used to love...and some I've never got the chance to try

MAME is indeed very very cool Thanx to ye ol' #5-key I finally got to see the end of SMASH TV (I bow in the dust to whoever finished that on 1 coin) & Double Dragon

When I finally beat G'n'G (after 12 years waiting) I was shocked to find out that I didn't...You have to finish that motherflucker 3 times in a row...Ahhh well gives me something usefull to do during Easter

And Roem, I agree...Emu's ROCK !!!!

[Flix]

Originally posted by Roemello
My most recent interest has been MAME...awesome playing all those old arcade games I used to love...and some I've never got the chance to try

Bottom line...Emulators rule!!

I agree! Thanks again for introducing me to MAME, Roem. It is the coolest emulator out there. I have played Tapper so much I almost started to like beer.

And Smurf, did you really complete G'n'G?? That's disgusting considering how hard that game is. I can't believe that anyone can go through it three times in a row.

[Roemello]

I've beaten GnG once...I don't have the patience to do that 3 times though....heeeeeeells no As for Tapper...I hear ya Flix. I still ain't going near beer, but that game is addictive as hell. Even though I suck at it....get to those levels where the tables are on the left and right and just get overwhelmed

One game I used to love and can still beat in one "quarter" is Black Tiger. Forgotten Worlds is another fun one I got some months back

[Shakey]

The only emu I have played with for an extended period of time was a TI99 emulator so I could play an old game called "Tunnels of Doom". It was a great dungeon style adventure game.

[80sSmurf]

Originally posted by Flix
...And Smurf, did you really complete G'n'G?? That's disgusting considering how hard that game is. I can't believe that anyone can go through it three times in a row.

Like Roem I didn't exactly beat it, I got thru' it once and found out I needed to beat it twice more...Couldn't be bothered to do that (maybe if MAME supported savetstates I could)

Shakey...What's a TI99 ? (specs and such). Haven't heard of that, sounds like the name of a calculator

[RetroMan]

Great topic Smurf
I grew up with with the classic Commodore64, I got one the day they were first released and I suddenly had a sudden influx of friends coming around my house after school!! mr popularity!my homework certainly took a back seat as well!
As time took it's toll on my prized system (through constant use and sticky kid fingers) one day it suddenly shat itself....years and years passed and I joined the PC age and discovered the CCS64 commodore64 Emulator - what a literal >>>BLAST<<< from the past! I thought the whole concept of vintage emualtors was the coolest thing ever. I was having the most amazing flashbacks while playing all the old games again, they're still as playable as they were back then! - I've got a CCS94 icon/shortcut directly on my desktop that says: LETS GO RETRO!

[nolanbuc]

I have tried a few good emus and enjoyed them alot, but I have to say MAME is my fave also! (I am another convert of the Roem)
With my Gravis GamePad Pro controller (thanks again, Roem for the recommendation) I can play Galaga til my thumbs hurt!

[Roemello]

I made it a mission to spread the word about emulation There's thousands of games to be played out there....and it's all FREE!

Set free your nostalgia....join the emulation revolution

[80sSmurf]

Originally posted by RetroMan
Great topic Smurf
I grew up with with the classic Commodore64, I got one the day they were first released and I suddenly had a sudden influx of friends coming around my house after school!! mr popularity!my homework certainly took a back seat as well!

another thing we have in common Retro

Loved my C64 no end, staying up all night hoping my mum wouldn't catch me playing (No not that kind of playing...freaks , this isn't LL). Great titles that spring to mind are Bruce Lee, Boulder Dash, Up'n'Down, Tiger Mission, Green Beret, International Karate, BagMan and the lists go on...I even remember playing Dragon's Lair, whoa talk about shitty gfx

My first computer was actually a Spectrum ZX81 had to punch in the games from a book and save them to a tape afterwards
I wonder if a ZX81-emu has been made...Hmmmm....Something to check out tonight

[Poison PJ]

I'm an emu Junkie. I Have Emulators for almost every system. My Faves Are MAME for arcade, Gens For Genesis, Snesx9, Nesticle For NES & Visual Boy Adavance For GB

[Boggle]

I visited MAME. With all the technical information and games that are and are not emulated is confusing. How do I go about selecting a game to download? How's Dragon's Lair for the arcade?

[Roemello]

I wouldn't go to MAME for MAME related stuff (I know, weird but they're no help in their site )

The place you need to go for all your MAME needs is: http://www.mame.dk

EDIT: NEVERMIND!! I just checked the site and it seems they've been forced to shut down their service because of them flucking greedy game developing sons a bitches!!

Now let me tell you how I really feel.....

[80sSmurf]

Originally posted by boggle400
I visited MAME. With all the technical information and games that are and are not emulated is confusing. How do I go about selecting a game to download? How's Dragon's Lair for the arcade?

Hey Boogle
Bad news 1st: Dragon's lair isn't emulated yet, and it's gonna be a looooooooooooong time before it will be, since it uses laserdisc for graphics...It's not a standard cpu-board based arcade game, so you can't really dump it (to make it a playable rom), you'll have to rip the actual Dragon's lair laserdisc (would take a very very very very looong time), sorry.

Have you downloaded MAME yet ?
If not post in here and I'm sure the lot of us will do our best to help you out
If you're new to MAME you might wanna take a look at these sites
http://www.mameworld.net/easyemu
http://www.mame.dk

As for downloading roms, well this is a grey area...As you may or may not know programming, downloading, having etc an emulator isn't illegal. Any amulator you find out there is perfectly legal, since it's basically a piece of softeware designed to emulate (duh ) a piece of hardware.
The roms on the other hand are very illegal to have if you don't own the original game. That said, there are actually legal roms on the net, these are mostly demos made by various groups, or old games the developer's don't care about, thus making them freeware.

I don't know the rules regarding romsites on the xchange, but seeing that most boards out there don't allow this, I think this would also apply to the 80sxchange, sorry no romlinks from Smurf.

I hope this long rant was of some use to ya Boogle, if not please feel free to yell at me and tell me to me more specific and get to the fluckin' point

[80sSmurf]

Originally posted by Roemello
EDIT: NEVERMIND!! I just checked the site and it seems they've been forced to shut down their service because of them flucking greedy game developing sons a bitches!!

Now let me tell you how I really feel.....

Yup MAME.dk got shut down for the 2nd time in a year less than 2 weeks ago...Grrrr...Guess Metal Slug, Marvel Super Heroes and all the other new arcade games did the job

Damn looks like Roem just beat me That's what you get for ranting StupidRantingSmurf

Roem is it allright to post romlinks in here ?

[Roemello]

You mean direct links to ROMS? I'd prefer posting sites that have a good ROM selection, but I guess a few couldn't hurt....

[80sSmurf]

No I don't mean posting directly to the rom, I mean posting a romsite that has everything Really

Just one problem, they also have n64-roms, PS1-isos and other very illegal stuff, but if ya say go Smurf I'll go....Posting the site that is, what were you thinking

[RetroMan]

[quote]Originally posted by 80sSmurf
[b]

another thing we have in common Retro

Loved my C64 no end, staying up all night hoping my mum wouldn't catch me

Ha ha! right on Smurf! I remember all those games so well! I remember thinking Bruce Lee was the best game ever because you could take turns with your mates at being either Bruce or that big green guy, and you can gang up on that little ninja that aimlessly runs around. Recently I found a Windows remake of the game and it's identical, right down to the last blocky pixel!

I spent hours on Boulder Dash and when Boulder Dash Construction kit came out, I would make levels for my brother and laugh at him as he attempted them, and he would do the same to me! man, what great memories!
In Up'n'Down! the car used to 'suddenly' be able to 'jump' other cars with a push of a button! you could even change lanes like it!
Did you know that the International Karate games were made here in Australia by a company called Melboune House? I only found out a few years ago!! they made International Karate I & II and also IK+ along with 'The Way Of The Exploding Fist' and Fist II
I can't believe that 'punch in the goolies' sneaky move, they never had that in Street Fighter or Mortal Combat!

Yeah Dragon's Lair!! ha ha ha ha!! everyone was expecting the ground greaking arcade version! ha! what a crappy version the C64's version was!

oh my gosh! a Spectrum ZX81! didn't those things have big square rubber keys? how retro is that!

[80sSmurf]

Ahh yes BD con. kit. Good game, easy to use, I had more fun builing stages than actually playing them

Exploding Fist, thanx for reminding me Retro, I couldn't remember the title...Great game. If memory serves the 1st was kind of like a IK clone, & the 2nd was a walking-beat 'em up right ?

As for my ZX81, yup it had rubber keys, and I thought it looked very cool at the time