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Topics - Arjak

#1
Off-Topic / Hey guys...
09/15/2016, 11:00 AM
Umm...you might have noticed that I haven't been around much lately. After how badly I embarrassed myself the last time I was here in any real capacity, I decided to take a voluntary leave to get my head together.

Looking back on what happened, I really was quite an asshole. Regardless of how I feel about Nightwolve, I had absolutely no excuse to behave the way I did, flipping my shit and betraying his trust like that. On top of that, I then tried to garner sympathy by blaming personal issues and offering a half-hearted apology only to flip-flop right back the moment that didn't work. My behavior was childish and disgusting, and all over something that isn't any of my business anyway. My most sincere apologies.

With that said, I am hoping to possibly return in some capacity, that is, if I'm still welcome. I will try to keep a more level head and not nuke any more bridges, and perhaps even be a little more proactive in contributing to the community, and not just be that guy who sits in the corner leeching off of everyone.

I hope you all can forgive me, but I also understand if you aren't ready, if ever. Regardless, I want to do my best to make it up to all of you. I hope I will be able to...
#2
EDIT: Please pay no serious attention to the author flipping his shit over something that is none of his goddamn business. Simply point your finger at him, laugh hysterically at his folly, and walk away.

The following is my original, embarrassing post:

So I was just on Facebook a moment ago, when I came across this cheerful sight:

IMG

Well, shit. NightWolve has finally resorted to Scorched Earth tactics. He has become so hellbent on destroying XSeed, that he now doesn't care if he hurts Falcom in the process.

I have never known where to stand on the whole NightWolve Vs. XSeed drama. I enjoy XSeed's releases, and am extremely happy that Falcom's work is finally starting to get some recognition in the West, but I was concerned about whether NW had indeed been screwed over. It's a real "he said/they said" issue. Still, my desire to stay on good terms with NW has until now allowed me to overlook his strange behavior.

However, after this...I'm sorry, NightWolve, but you are certifiably insane. You have lost all rationality on this issue. You are so obsessed with winning this battle that you don't care about anyone else who happens to get hurt in the process. I am TRULY sorry that you feel you got screwed over in this whole affair, but a wrong isn't fixed by committing fifty wrongs of your own.

Yeah, you didn't get the credit you wanted. You got screwed over.

Welcome to real fucking life.

I've been screwed over so many times in my life that I shudder at the very thought of trying to count. Yeah, I still bitch from time to time about some of the worst examples, but then I go on with my day. You, on the other hand, have gone into full Count of Monte Cristo mode, desiring revenge at all costs and refusing to move on.

I see it in every post or comment you make. The obsession with wallowing in this bad experience you had, and an insatiable need to get even. Where is it going to end, NW? Will you not stop until you have Deuce and Wyrdwad's heads on a pike in each hand?

I'm sorry, but I've had enough of your rotten temper tantrum routine. I'm done with accepting your ramblings to be polite.

You're also a hypocrite, because you are doing the exact same thing that you flipped out about when your Felghana patch got leaked. You did all that work on that patch, and hoped to get compensation out of it, and then a troublemaker got mad about it, and leaked it to the outside for free.

Now what are you doing? You hate XSeed, so when they are working hard to create the first official release of the PC Version of Ys VI, you quickly put together a translation patch, and threaten to release the entire game for free.

So, who is the warez pirate now, NW? I can't wait to hear your excuse about how these two events are TOTALLY different.

Seriously. You are sick, and you need help.

End of line.
#3
Self-advertising FTW!

A while back, I began working on the first episode of what will hopefully be a series of videos in which I discuss obscure video games. Well, the first episode was recently finished and uploaded to Youtube, and I invite you all to check it out. I hope you all enjoy.
#4
In case you missed it in the Legend of Xanadu 2 translation thread, Bonknuts (known here as Bonknuts) has been working on an English Translation of Spriggan Mark 2. He recently put this video up on Youtube:
I felt it was time this project received its own thread, especially since it seems a lot of progress is being made on this. Keep up the good work, Bonknuts! :D
#5
Off-Topic / Facts That Make People Cry
03/16/2014, 04:20 PM
Post and discuss facts that no one likes to talk about here! :twisted:

Example: Did you know that the voice actor of Duke Nukem, Jon St. Jon, also did the voice of Big the Cat in Sonic Adventure? True story.
#6
Fighting Street / The Petition to Ban Xak
01/29/2014, 06:52 PM
I should've made this thread a long time ago.

The member of this forum going by the username of 'Xak' has proven time and time again that he has nothing intelligent or noteworthy to add to any discussion on this forum. He has repeatedly shown that he cannot be taught, that he refuses to learn from his mistakes, and that he shows no remorse for his bizarre actions and posts. His posts add nothing to this forum, not even comedy value.

It is time for action. We need to show the negligent moderators of this forum that we will not stand for this obnoxious, vile behavior on Xak's part. I hereby ask all members of this forum to please sign this petition to the moderators for the express purpose of having Xak banned.

Every user who posts in this thread is considered to have signed the petition. Hopefully, with enough support, we can make this forum a better place.

Thank you for your time.

EDIT: Do you tire of having to skip through Xak's inane posts, or even worse, read them? Follow this simple guide, so you may no longer suffer!

How to add Xak to your ignore list:

1. Go to the top of the forum and click the button under your username labeled "Account Settings".

2. Highlight the "Modify Profile" button. A drop-down menu will appear. Click on the option labeled "Buddies/Ignore List".

3. Click the "Edit Ignore List" button.

4. Type "Xak" in the text box labeled "Member", and click the username that appears.

5. Click the "Add" button.

Follow these steps, and Xak's posts will only appear if you click on the "Show this post" link, but only masochists do that. :P
#7
Off-Topic / Robotech: The Thread
12/26/2013, 10:07 PM
So a short time back, I was in my local Wal-Mart, and while looking at the video section, I stumbled across the newest DVD box set of Robotech, that classic anime adaptation that arguably planted the seeds of anime becoming big in America.

Ignoring the strangeness of a Wal-Mart carrying something somewhat niche, I immediately decided I wanted this for Christmas. I had heard a little bit about Robotech in the past, and so, being a fan of anime, I decided that this was the time to start watching. I was quite happy to receive this 20-Disc monster of a DVD box set (no Blu-Ray version, unfortunately), and so, I started watching it a day or so later, and today I have finished the first disc (the first 8 episodes).

And you know what? Despite being totally '80s, having stilted writing and acting, and lots of changes from the Japanese shows it was made from (apparently, Robotech is made up of three story arcs that were all created from separate-but-similar anime series and they just created a new storyline to fit it all together), I still think it's awesome!

Besides being a lot of fun to watch, it also has a unique historical significance. Watching it from the imagined perspective of a kid growing up in the mid '80s, it is quite unlike anything else that I can think of that was on at the time, especially when you consider that anime was almost completely unknown in the U.S. at the time.

What do you guys think of Robotech? Discuss all you like, but try not to put major spoilers in your posts. Remember, I haven't watched it all yet!
#8
I am serious. Every time we get a new member, they are instantly viewed with suspicion without cause, and the moment they do one thing wrong, there is a snobby forum regular waiting to put them in their place. It sickens me.

Now, I understand that there are some jerks out there, people who just want to try to scam us, etc. However, acting like jerks ourselves is not going to stop that. What it DOES do though, is hinder us from getting new members.

We all make fun of other forums for being very hostile places, like neo-geo.com, but I think we behave in similar ways. We are a VERY hostile community, and it's going to hurt us in the long run.

Discuss.
#9
This is the inevitable counterpoint thread to SuperDeadite's biased and hateful opinion. :twisted:

Here we discuss why Kickstarter is such a boon to those with skill and talent, but no money, and how it has helped get projects we love (like new games in our cult favorite franchises) off the ground without giving them away to evil money-grubbing corporations (like EA).

It used to be that the only way for a small developer to get their products to fans was to get one of those big publishers who don't give a fuck to distribute it for them, and in most cases, said publishers would twist their vision to make it "marketable to a demographic" or some shit, and in the process completely destroy what made their idea great in the first place.

Now that we have Kickstarter and other such avenues, small developers are no longer slaves to the big bad publishers, and have made fans' dreams come true with things like Wasteland 2, Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded, and many others.

If it weren't for Kickstarter, these developers would have no way to fight against EA and other such large companies. While there will always be a horror story here and there, it is the great successes that should have our attention.

Please discuss.
#10
So last night, I brought my Duo-RX to a gaming party to show it off, only to discover that HuCards were not booting up. This is not the first time this has happened. Ever since I got the system region modded by a member of these forums who has since left, I have occasionally found the wires coming loose, forcing me to have to re-solder them. The inside of my Duo is a mess of wires leading to this contraption that is my region mod, which makes re-soldering extremely difficult. (I had it done not long before the region mod chips started coming out.)

Well, I've had enough. I want a region mod upgrade. I don't care what it takes; I need help. I want the old region mod in my system removed and replaced with a new one that will work better and not break all the time.

Can anyone help me? [-o<
#11
I mean to kill you all!

-Guybrush Threepwood, Secret of Monkey Island

/druagalogo.jpg
IMG

Yes, it's true. I'm planning on making my own version of Tower of Druaga. It will be based on the arcade version, but will feature new levels and treasure solutions.

IMG

Since there was a port of the original game to the PC Engine, I'm assuming that it will be alright to have this thread here.

IMG

Now, it will be a while before there's anything playable, this first post is more of a letter of intent, really, but I am currently learning how to program with SDL graphics in C++ and this will (hopefully) be my first full game with it.

So far, all I've programmed is seen in that screenshot above, but I am learning quickly and hope to have something more exciting to show you in the near future.

Until then...  :twisted:
#12
General Gaming / The Druaga Series Thread
03/17/2013, 09:15 PM
Thank you for reading. You zapped to...Arjak's personal neurosis.

I must be nuts telling you all this, but...I like Namco's Druaga games. I say this without any sarcasm or joking. I really mean it. I don't know if this means something is wrong with me, but I really do enjoy this series.

Now, just in case you have no idea what I'm talking about, the Druaga series, created by Masanobu Endo for Namco, is a series of games based loosely on Sumerian mythology that began in 1984 with the arcade game, Tower of Druaga. Tower of Druaga is one of the very first Action-RPGs, and is also infamous for its brutal difficulty. In Japan, it was a smash hit, while most Americans have never heard of it, and those few that do most likely regret it.

In Japan, several sequels were released, here is a timeline:

-Tower of Druaga (Arcade, 1984)*
-Return of Ishtar (Arcade, 1986)*
-Quest of Ki (NES, 1988)
-Tower of Druaga (Remake)(PC-Engine, 1992)**
-Blue Crystal Rod (SNES, 1994)
-Sugoroku Adventure: Tower of Druaga (Arcade, 2000)
-Seme COM Dungeon: Drururuaga (Game Boy Color, 2000)
-Nightmare of Druaga: Fushigino Dungeon (PS2, 2004)*
-Druaga Online: Story of Aon (Arcade, 2006)
-Tower of Druaga: Recovery of Babylim (MMORPG, 2008)
-Labyrinth of Druaga (Mobile Phones, 2011)

* Released in the West
** Fan-Translated

Now, most of these games were never released outside of Japan, and only Nightmare of Druaga has made it to the West on its original platform. Some might say, "Good Riddance!" I, though, actually think that they are not all bad games; in fact, Nightmare of Druaga is a fairly respectable Dungeon Crawler RPG, and is actually quite fun. I've only played a few of the games myself, but I am eager to play more.

I am one of the few, the proud, the American Druaga fans.

What do you think?
#13
Since several Momotarou games were released for the PCE, I thought you all might be interested in knowing that the original Famicom RPG has just been translated.

Get the patch here: http://www.romhacking.net/translations/1779/
#14
Fighting Street / The Grudge Thread
10/24/2012, 12:52 AM
This thread is made specifically for the purpose of allowing us to talk about and discuss our internet grudges. Who do you hate? Why do you hate them? Please tell us so we can make fun of you for being an oversensitive pussy. :P

I'll start off...

I hate the GameFAQs community. They're all a bunch of assholes. I actually got banned from there not because I did anything horribly out-of-bounds, but simply because I posted some threads that the community didn't like, like that one thread about how some of the flash games on the Cartoon Network seemed to be designed to look like 16-bit system graphics. How DARE a 13-year-old kid say something so cruel and hateful! Of course, it was perfectly fine for THEM to joke about gouging my eyes out, and to post a whole thread about the repercussions of masturbating to Eva from MGS3. Now THAT is perfectly mature and appropriate. ](*,)
#15
So, I was on Wikipedia, looked up ICOM Simulations (The creators of Shadowgate, Deja Vu, Uninvited, Dracula Unleashed, and Sherlock Holmes - Consulting Detective), and was amazed to see that some of its original employees have formed a new company, Zojoi, which has acquired the rights to their old catalog. They are not only working on a remake of Shadowgate (with new locations and puzzles), but they have also re-released the first volume of their Sherlock Holmes series for iPad, Mac, and PC.

Since Infinite Ventures went under, I had been hoping for another chance to play some of these classic titles, and it looks like my prayers have been answered!

All three cases that made up the original first volume have been released as stand-alone games, for $3.99 each. Last night I bought the first case, having never played any of them. The video quality isn't high-grade HD, but it's still serviceable for what was originally an early CD game. I've only played around with the tutorials, but I think this is going to be interesting. My Dad was somewhat intrigued by Dracula Unleashed, so I was thinking of playing this with him.

I thought I'd let you guys know about this, seeing how some of these were released on the Turbo CD back in the day.

Here's a link to the new company's website: http://www.zojoi.com/
#16
General Gaming / Double Dragon Neon
09/19/2012, 10:56 PM
In the last few days, a brand new Double Dragon game has come out for X-Box 360 and PS3. Being a fan, I had to check it out, and I'm pleased to say that I am quite impressed for the most part.

The game contains the classic DD gameplay we all know and love, as well as all those new bells and whistles that spoiled modern gamers have come to expect, and the result is actually pretty good.

The thing that probably will be the most controversial about this new entry is the production design. The style of this game is "80's Overload" to the point of pretty much being a spoof of the time period. Personally, I love the cheesiness, but I can see how it might turn some fans off.

I really get the feeling that the developers (WayForward, designers of Contra 4, among other things) had a lot of nostalgia for the original games, while still wanting to make it their own. They have managed to find a balance between old and new that really hit home for me.

The one problem I have so far is the new villain; he is SUPER annoying and a little TOO cheesy and over the top. Other than that though, the character designs are pretty sweet. Marian and Linda are super-hot, Abobo manages to look both tough and ridiculous at the same time, and the Lee brothers are classic 80's action heroes, right down to the absurd one-liners.

It probably isn't for everyone, but personally, I love it. What do you guys think?
#17
Well, I checked my bank balance just now, and I currently have -100 dollars. I need to sell stuff. Fast. I screwed up, and now I need help. Anything you can buy off me from this list would be greatly appreciated. All games with condition flaws or that are not working are noted. Prices are based on pricecharting.com. Pictures are available on request. More games may become available in the future.

Games that are crossed out have been sold.

NES Games

-Dragon Warrior (Game, Manual, Handbook, box) - $25
-Super Mario Bros 2 Japan/Lost Levels Repro (Game Reproductions) - $20
-Sweet Home Repro (NES Reproductions) - $20


SNES Games

-Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (GAME DOESN'T WORK!) - $5
-Dragon's Lair (Stains and slight peeling of the back label) - $5
-Super Mario Kart (Covered in Blockbuster stickers and has marker writing on the front) - $10
-Super Mario RPG (Slight grime on cartridge) - $30
-Super Punch-Out!! (Slight grime on cartridge) - $10

-Super Return of the Jedi (Stained label, sticker glue, GAME DOESN'T WORK!) - $5
-Yoshi's Island (Torn front label, GAME DOESN'T WORK!) - $5

Sega Genesis (Including add-ons) Games

-Doom (32X - Cart and Manual only) - $5
-Mansion of Hidden Souls (Sega CD - Disc and Manual only, might not work) - $5
-Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure (Genesis - Cart and box only, box has ripped plastic, plain, printed rental instructions included) - $5
-Thomas the Tank Engine (Genesis - Cart only) - $10
-Wacky Worlds: Creativity Studio (Genesis - Cart only) - $5
#18
A guy going by the username SamIAm is currently working on a translation for LoX2 (Why the first one was skipped, we may never know!) with EsperKnight. How do I know? Romhacking.net is your friend.

Along with translating all of the in-game text, they are also endeavoring to dub the game as well...
Link: wayback://voiceactingalliance/?KazeNoDensetsu-Xanadu-II-PC-Engine-CD-Fan-Dub

I am currently in the running for the part of Nuse. (I tried out for several roles, and Nuse was the one that worked best with my unusual voice.)

I'm so excited about all of this! It's always good to see a little love for our favorite system! Hopefully, this will be completed, as I am really wanting to see full translations of all the great PCE games, so I can, you know, fully appreciate them. It really feels to me like the PC Engine is one of the last great, unexplored frontiers of translation hacking. I would definitely like to see more! Who knows? Maybe if this project succeeds, more people will become interested in translating other PCE games...
#19
Yeah, this has probably been already done, but I never saw a thread for it.

Having read Arkhan's interview with himself in the latest issue of PC Engine Gamer, and his talk about the lack of chiptune love, I was inspired to create this.

This thread is brought to you by my favorite chiptune, the final level BGM of Gunhed/Blazing Lazers! It perfectly captures the spirit of the level, its frenetic pace, its climactic feel; it just kicks ass.

What's yours?
#20
Seriously, these posts about Joe Redifer are so silly and redundant that I couldn't help but join in.

Still, does my accusation match the cards in that little folder?
#21
I was taking a look around the PCE dev forum and was happy to see a new thread about Mysterious Song. The first post was politely stated and tried to be as inoffensive as possible, asking if any progress has been made lately, and what happens?

The first reply uses a lot of words to basically say "shut the fuck up."

I can't take it anymore...

What the fuck is everyone's problem!? All I see nowadays around here is people bitching, complaining about stupid unimportant shit, and looking for any reason to tear apart someone's post who meant well.

Yeah, I'm talking to all you assholes who can't take one joke or piece of criticism, examine posts for anything they can tear apart as if they were a lawyer in a courtroom, act like they're better than everyone else, take cheap shots at each other, etc.

There has been so much bullshit going on that I hardly even come here anymore. Even if I do, all the new posts I read will be mostly thinly-veiled insults towards other members. No wonder we hardly ever get any serious new members! Any interested parties take one look at this place and run because anyone who's smart isn't just going to come here just to get bitched at!

If you guys can't deal with the above, I really don't care any more. As far as I'm concerned, I have every right to post this as:

A. I haven't named any specific members. The ones at fault likely already know who they are.

B. I've posted this in the Fighting Street forum.

C. It is quite obvious that the problem I'm referring to not only exists, but has gotten quite serious.

We all like to complain about certain gaming forums and how horrible they are, but this place is becoming almost as bad.

As far as I'm concerned, it's time to stop the pissing and moaning and get on with our lives.
#22
Off-Topic / Arjak's BluRay Reviews
05/14/2010, 10:55 PM
I recently got a PS3 and have been experimenting with BluRay, and I must say that I am quite impressed with the quality of both the video and sound quality. With an HDMI cable and a well done transfer to the new format, I must say that BluRay has slightly exceeded my expectations. Granted, it's not nearly as big a jump from DVD as DVD was from VHS, or VHS from "Please let there be a theatrical re-release!" for that matter, but I must say that it is still an improvement.

If you are curious about upgrading copies of your favorite movies from DVD to BD, let me tell you that BD players can also play DVDs, so unless you're a quality freak, you may wish to wait to upgrade. In this thread, I'll be looking at BluRays that I buy and tell you if it is worth it, depending on whether you have it on DVD already.

Let's begin with one of my favorite action movies:

Terminator 2 - Skynet Edition

So I put the disc in my PS3 for the first time, and after the obligatory downloading of data to the Hard Drive, I am immediately given a surprise. According to my television, Skynet (the sentient evil computer from the Terminator films) has located my ISP provider, and proceeds to show a nearby large city on a map, and give the current time and temperature there! I didn't know whether to laugh or freak out.

I'm not kidding. It's like Skynet was saying, "You better watch it!" Maybe I shouldn't have hooked the PS3 up to the internet... :wink:

After I get over the shock of that, I wait through the obligatory company logos that you always want to skip but the damn thing won't let you, and finally get to the menu. I go to "Select Version" to watch the film, and indeed, there are three options: Theatrical Version, Special Edition, and a secret entry that is locked with a code, although I have good reason to believe that it's just the so-called "Extended Special Edition" which is just the Special Edition with a deleted scene and alternate ending tacked on. I stuck with the good old Special Edition, the one I'm most familiar with.

After waiting through a few more logos, the film finally starts, and WOW! The picture and sound quality is nearly perfect! It's also really loud, like you're in the theater.

The next day, I decide to check out some special features. There are two audio commentaries; one from the DVD, dated 2003, and another that I can only assume is from a laserdisc because it's dated 1993, the same year the Special Edition came out. It's also got a trivia track, pop-up videos about the making of the film, the ability to read the script and see storyboards while the movie plays, theatrical trailers and the deleted scenes put back in for the E.S.E. You can also log on to Skynet and do stuff that I haven't explored yet. It looks like you can play chess against Skynet so you can teach it more about human decision making and strategy.

I think I'll save that for a rainy day when I really hate humanity. :twisted:

Worth Purchase?

If you don't have this on DVD, then the answer is an "F**k Yeah!" But if you do, I should warn you that I didn't see any documentaries about the making of the film like some of the better DVD releases. Still, I thought that the wonderful A/V quality and features that are both unique or from older releases made it worthwhile. Whatever you do, though, make sure you get the SKYNET EDITION. I believe there is also a bare-bones standard release, and that is NOT what you are looking for.

Final Rating: A- due to great presentation but lack of special features from certain DVD releases.
#23
I was just checking out the Ancient Land of Ys forum, and I discovered this:

http://voiceactingalliance.com/board/showthread.php?t=45645

I already posted this in the Translation thread I started, but I figured it deserved its own topic for extra visibility.

Casting is still open, so if you want to be a part of Ys translation history, I'd recommend clicking that link and following the audition instructions.

I'm trying out for the role of Duren. [-o<

P.S. From what I can tell, yes, Nightwolve knows about this.
#24
After finally getting a new cable for my Duo RX, I now have another problem! Several wires for my region mod have come loose from opening the console for inspection and now I cannot play HuCards!

What should I do? #-o
#25
So I just bought this game after hearing mediocre reviews but loving the classic series. I was a little worried. Would it hold up? Would it be too modernized? I'd heard that the game was easy. But, being a big fan of the series, and liking what I had seen of it, I purchased it.

What was my reaction?

Something along the lines of: "This kicks ass!"

Adventure Island: The Beginning is everything I could think of wanting in game from this classic Hudson franchise.

First of all, I was impressed by the models of the characters, especially Master Higgins. He moves so fluidly and fast that the game's speed is definitely kicked up a notch. He had great animation. He controls very well and just like the classic games. He has a nice selection of weapons, and all the classic power-ups are present. Killing the coyote even gives you a Wiimote! The music is also top notch. The first area has a beautiful fast paced jungle sound to it that perfectly fit the series. Now, don't let anyone fool you, this game is HARD. I have yet to make it past 1-4, so this review is actually more of a "first impression." Luckily, it's not a "frustrating" hard, just a "you suck" hard. One nice thing is that the enemies only do damage, instead of killing you completely. Something I felt made the "Health" feel more like a "Timer" in the originals. If they didn't change this, I'd have no hope.

All in all, this game is an extra-solid addition to the series from what I can tell, should please many fans of the series, and besides the new graphics, it feels like no time has passed whatsoever since the last game came out.

Higgins has most definitely got his groove back.

I hope that this review has caused interest in this great game. It is definitely worth the 800 Wii Points.

Bye for now, and remember: Eggplant kills! :wink:
#26
Notice: The following review is not meant to be taken seriously. I love the Turbo/PC Engine. This is only satire.

*Sigh* ](*,)

Where do I even begin!?

Lords of Thunder is one of the great classics for the TurboGrafx/PC Engine, and still holds up today as a brilliant example of how to make a great shmup. When game design becomes a class in school, this should be one of the games that is analyzed as everything that is right about the genre.

When the Turbo Duo came out at around 1994, this was one of the flagship games for the system, and rightly so. So TTi made a little promotional video to show everyone just how badass the game was. This tape was designed to create intense hype for the game and system.

What they created was something so terrifyingly bad and horrifically hilarious that it stands as a testament to why the system failed miserably.

Now, if you've never seen this video, I highly recommend that you download a copy from pcengniefx.com, for this is something that can't be explained...

It must be experienced...

The tape begins with the Duo logo, and then a Point of View shot of a kid coming home, running to his room (an early use of shakycam), and sitting down to play Lords of Thunder. You can hear the music coming from the TV, and already it seems to sound nice, but then the video takes you into a scene of gameplay footage. By this point, any smart gamer can tell what kind of game this is by the footage shown. And it looks incredible! The game is shown to be action-packed and full of beautiful graphics, adrenaline-inducing hard rock music, and lots of good old fun.

Okay, so far so good...

Cut to a game store. We see some kids playing the game. As one of them leaves the demo kiosk, the cameraman approaches him and asks what he though of it. The gamer tells the camera that he thought the game was "great," and that he would proudly trade his Sega for a Duo.

Now, pretend that you are a young kid who loves games for just a second. Pretend that you don't know that this is most likely just an actor, and that you believe that this young man is telling you through the TV that the Turbo Duo is better than the Sega Genesis. This guy is a young teenager, a few years older than you. This is powerful stuff. You instantly believe this guy, because he is older and more experienced in the world.

So, okay, decent use of a "mentor" type for advertising...

After some more sweet game footage, and some shots of more kids playing the game (one with a ridiculously intense facial expression), we see video of one of the bosses of the game. Holy shit! He's f'ing huge! He's as tall as the screen! He lets out a mighty roar and the epic battle begins! At this point, you are getting really psyched about this game. Your interest has been greatly heightened. You want to applaud.

"Okay," you say, "This isn't so bad! What's your problem with this?" Well, give me just a few more minutes.

After the boss, you see an Asian man telling you that this game is the best shooter around, and after what you've seen, you're inclined to believe him.

Then you see menus showing just how customizable the game is. You don't know what the "Armor Select" means, but you definitely see what appears to be a stage select, and...

WTF!? This game has a SHOP?

Yes, the game has a shop where you can buy power-ups, complete with a sexy woman who makes you feel very uncomfortable for some strange reason...

So, yes, the game is awesome; you can already tell. So, you're just about to pause the video and beg your mother to buy you a Duo when, all of a sudden, something very strange happens in the video.

We see an old man walking down the street. The cameraman approaches him and asks him if he's played the game. His response:

"Huh?"

The scene makes you laugh, but you are a little puzzled: "WTF does this have to do with anything?" you wonder.

And so, a third of the way into the video, it begins to take a trip into total madness...

Some more gameplay footage gets you to forget the strangeness preceding it.

Then some random guy takes his hand from off the lens and says it's a great game. Okay...

After more game footage, the offscreen player loses, and then, some strange Asian guy tells you that "you need practice." What the hell!? I wasn't even playing! This guy repeats the word practice a couple times. The final time, you smile because he stumbles over the word.

Then all of a sudden, we're looking out of a car window as a woman driving in the next lane tells you that Lords of Thunder is a great game. You can barely hear her over the wind, but it's what happens next that blows your mind.

Her car crashes randomly.

You make this face:  :-s

Then a split second later, you find yourself unable to stop laughing.

But no, that's not the strangest part. It gets worse.

More awesome gameplay footage appears on the screen, but this time you can't forget the previous scene. It was just too bizarre. Then you remember the last weird scene, the one with the old man, and you start to think, "Why!?"

Then the video starts telling you about the awesome music. Okay, fair enough. They get several people's opinion on how awesome the music is.

They say things like:

"The music is much like concerts I go to, when standing in the front row."

You are just starting to forget the previous weirdness when, guess what? You get blindsided again.

Cameraman: What do you like about Lords of Thunder?

Strange old man: The lyrics.

Cameraman: The lyrics?

First old man: Huh?

You:  :-s

You:  :lol:

So, yeah...by this point you are starting to ignore the game footage, and are wondering, "What could possibly come next?"

You are not disappointed.

After some guys broadly hint that gamers prefer the Duo to the Sega CD, a guy with a promo T-Shirt, and of course, game footage, the next scene makes you blow yet another circuit:

IMPLIED CHILD ABUSE!

 :shock:

No, I'm not kidding. A mother talks about how after having a baby, all she does is play Lords of Thunder. So, I guess the baby isn't going to last very long...

More footage of the game comes next, but it does little to dull your pain. You think this video can't get any worse. It can't get more cheesy, right?

Wrong.

Next comes the most mindblowingly crazy moment in the whole thing. A moment that causes your jaw to drop in disbelief. A moment that makes you realize that you are never, EVER going to buy a Duo. You'll take your chances with Sega. At least their commercials were cool.

A man says the following, and I quote:

"I LIKE TO PLAY THE GAME!!!!!!"

He says this in what sounds like a bad Arnold impression, and you...well, are in awe. Awe of how genius this video is in building up your excitement in a heartbeat, and then destroying your soul twice as fast immediately after.

At this moment, you snap completely. You can't take anymore of this. Footage of other Duo games is not even noticed.

You just sit there.

Thinking.

Realizing that you have spent the last seven irredeemable minutes of your life on the ultimate LSD trip.

You hide in a corner and cry.

Lords of Thunder: Great game, horrible video.

If you never saw the video during the system's heyday, feel fortunate. You can look back on it and laugh.

If you did see it back then, well, now you know why you never got a Duo until much, much later.
#27
Today, I tried to start up my Duo RX and it wouldn't work! :cry:

I have reason to believe it might be the power supply. I was twisting the cord around the plug box for storage in a way that twists the place where the cord connects to the plug. I also wasn't using a voltage adapter.

Can anyone send me a new one? I promise I'll treat it better! [-o<
#28
DISCLAIMER: I HAVE NO ABILITY TO TRANSLATE, AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE TO LEARN. THIS IS NOT ME LOOKING FOR A PROJECT.

Now that that's out of the way, what are the Japan-only PC Engine games that you are dying to play in English? I certainly have a few projects I'd like to see!

-Ys 4 Dub
-Anearth Fantasy Stories
-Double Dragon II Dub
-Far East of Eden: Ziria

And these are just a few off the top of my head. What games do you want to see in English?
#30
Have you ever made such a victory in a PCE/TG game that you just wanted to cheer? Here's a place to ramble about it!

After getting my Duo-RX modded (thanks Turbokon!), I sat down to play a nice game of Blazing Lazers. Because I sucked when playing on Magic Engine, I thought playing on the console would be no different. On ME, I couldn't get past Area 2. :-({|=

This time was quite different. I made short work of the first three areas, and then after some trouble on Area 4, I blasted through another group of levels, until I finally made to Area 9, the last level (and the one with the best music). I was stupefied. Not only had I made it much farther than ever before, but I might just beat the game!

Then I watched in horror as I lost 2-3 continues and all my lives. Game Over.

Although I didn't beat the game, I'm still proud of the huge stride I've made in this game. I hope I can do better next time.

Thank you for listening, and don't forget, the Shield and Field Thunder weapon are your friends! :wink:
#31
In this thread, you can talk about any awesome deals you found and participated in for Turbo or PC Engine games.

The reason I started this is because my copy of Last Alert (U.S. Version) came today. It cost only $40 and came with the manual and case. A good deal, considering it usually goes for about $100. My copy had a cracked case and the last page of the manual was caught one of the tabs, but I think that it was just my copy. I found this on ebay of all places. The seller was ultimate_video_game_connection, and I highly recommend her!

P.S. If YOU are also looking for a copy of Last Alert, she still has two left for only $40 each! :dance:
#32
I just noticed how long it has been since we heard any news about Mysterious Song, and I was wondering what progress has been made on it in the last few months. Also, any news on System Card 4?
#33
When I saw this, I just had to share it with you guys. This guy is milking this for all it's worth; and then some!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Turbo-Grafx-DUO-16-RARE-GAMES-with-cases-and-manuals_W0QQitemZ280201976238QQihZ018QQcategoryZ62053QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

$250 Start?

$300 Buy It Now?

Wow, what a greedy monster...

EDIT: There's also a sealed copy of Dracula X for $1,000, but I've come to expect things like that.
#34
So yeah, I've been wanting one of D-Lite's awesome Duo-Rs with S-Video, region switching, and all that good stuff for a really long time. But my parents are unwilling to spend $275 on a console that's over ten years old. I have Magic Engine, but upon hearing of its problems, and the realization that my computer sucks, my need for a real PC Engine/Turbo has grown larger than ever. What's a slacker teenage gamer to do? The sad simple answer is easy to figure out.

I need a job.

This past December, I applied for a job at a local book/movie/video game store in my area. It is now a month after I was supposed to start. Due to the manager of the store leaving, I have only just now been hired, I will most likely start next week.

I'm finally on my way to owning a real, honest-to-goodness NEC console! But for some reason, I still feel a strange sense of foreboding. Hence, this journal giving a play by play as the adventure unfolds...

1/16/2008,  $ -60 saved

This week has been really trying. First, I bought a DVD set of a show I like. Not too long later, me and my bratty sister get into a fight over the mail that ends with the mailbox being broken. Our parents said that they were going to split the cost of fixing it and take it out of our allowance. Luckily the damage was so minor that they decided that it wasn't worth it.

It was that little she-bitch's fault anyway.

Two days ago, I find a pristine copy of Ys IV for PCE on ebay for a good price. I beg my mom for it, even though I have no money, but she refuses. The next day, the Gods of Gaming smiled upon me. I finally heard back about my job and get everything sorted out. Upon my mom's learning of this, I beg for the game again and I am granted my wish. Sure, I'm sixty dollars in debt, but hey, Ys and Captain S rule!

Today, I write this. I hope my job goes well. I need this system! I bet that when I finally get the money and buy the system, it will arrive smashed by those evil postal workers I hear so much about. Will it be able to play DVD-Rs? Should I also invest in a memory card and multitap? What about an arcade card?

I need to control myself. When I get the system, and if it works, there will be plenty of time to worry about that stuff later.

Here's hoping that this all works out...

-Arjak
#35
I recently discovered this awesome website where you can send in NES cartridges to the webmaster and he will put on a game unreleased in America of your choice! For example, you can get copies of translated Japanese games like the original versions of Final Fantasy 2 and 3. You can also get american prototypes, even hacks!

Here's the site:

http://www.nesreproductions.com/

Apparently, what this guy does is take out the old rom chip of the game you send in, solder in a new one with your game, adds batteries and new components when necessary, attaches a new label for the game on the cartridge (you heard me right), and sends it back (all for a price, of course).

At this point, you're probably wondering: What does this have to do with the PC Engine?

Well, today I was looking at ebay for a Hucard game I was interested in getting after I buy one of D-Lite's Duo-Rs with the S-Video and Region mods and I was thinking, "Too bad it's in Japanese, I wish I could have the translation right on the Hucard; that guy at nesreproductions.com can do that with a NES cartridge."

It was about then that I had the epiphany. I thought, "Why can't I?"

Now that all of that backstory is out of the way, I pose the question:

Is it possible to replace the rom chip of a Japanese Hucard with a chip of the same game after it's been patched with a translation hack, and have it work on an actual PC Engine?
#36
Buy/Sell/Trade / Huge TZD Sale!
09/21/2007, 09:13 PM
If you are interested in any of the games at Turbo Zone Direct, they are having a mega-sale right now. If you buy something, you get an item of equal or lesser value free. Just write BLOWOUT in the comments section. It ends midnight, on October 1st.

They sent this out in their mailing list. Also, in the message was a special thanks to Aaron Nanto and bt Garner for creating the new site. :dance:

Just thought I'd let you know... 8)
#37
So a while back by copy of LOH came, and I have fallen in love with it. But after playing for a while, I've gotten stuck. I'm on the continent of Wyndgard (sp?) and that turd Drax has taken over one of the cities! So I go to stop him, and he uses this cheap-ass spell that knocks out a party member instantly! Obviously, he makes short work of me. Somehow I get saved by a mysterious someone who carries me back to another town. But now I need to find a way to prevent him from using that spell. Here's where I'm stuck. I know that I need the spell called "Calm," and I know it's in Wind Tower behind that locked door on the top floor, but I don't know how to get through the door! The only person that I know who might be able to help me has disappeared, only leaving me a message saying he has "gone North." I've searched the whole continent for anything that might help me, and I can't find a single clue on what to do. Can someone tell me what I've missed?
#38
So, I finally find a "good" copy of Ys Book I & II on ebay for a good Buy It Now price, I order it, and what do you know, the manual is in shreds! Of course, immediately after, a bunch of other copies pop up. ](*,)

So, what I'm wondering is, would anyone be willing to sell me a spare manual in good condition? I would really appreciate it!

Just post your (reasonable) prices (and pictures if you wish) here in this thread or PM me.

Hopefully this is a more reasonable request than my last one, eh? :wink:
#39
Buy/Sell/Trade / WTB: US Turbo Duo
07/18/2007, 05:36 PM
System must come with all hook-ups, be in very good, working-perfectly condition, and have at least one controller. No games necessary.

If possible, post pictures.

Oh yeah, and must be fairly cheap. I don't have $400 just lying around.

Hey! You in the back! Stop rolling your eyes!
#40
I've noticed that many consoles have a thriving translation community, all except the Turbo/PCE.  #-o

The purpose of this thread is to discuss what games you believe are in need of a translation to english.

My picks would have to be Xak I & II, and Legend of Heroes II. I have heard good things about both of these series, but only Xak III and LOH I have been translated into English. I am interested in these games, and want to be able to play!

What games would you like to see translated?
#41
I found another Lords of Thunder Comparison of the Duo and Sega CD versions.  This one is from a Sega Genesis site. Check it out, you might be surprised. I like how the article (in my opinion at least) is fairly unbiased, and is much more in depth, unlike a similar article on a certain site I could mention... :P

Here's the link:

http://www.sega-16.com/Side%20By%20Side-%20Lords%20of%20Thunder.php
#42
I just recently bought Magic Engine (because ebay prices for actual systems are insane) and I was wondering what CD games I should get. I currently have the following on my want list:

Lords of Thunder (ordered and waiting for arrival)
Ys series
Gate of Thunder
Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes
Implode
Meteor Blaster DX

Please make suggestions on other games I should look into; and feel free to praise or criticize any of the games listed. I don't want to get a bad game by accident!