Game Sack

[NightWolve]

Joe I'm torn about whether I should go to retropalooza. I wished there was no football game that weekend. The hotel rooms are through the roof or booked.

http://retropalooza.com/

Oh, I see, it's coincidental that I shared that old video again right about when the event occurs annually. I was gonna tell you that was Joe's video from last year, I didn't know the event is about to occur again on the 26th-27th. By the looks of it, Game Sack will be there again this year then ?

EDIT: Yeah, Sack presence confirmed.

http://retropalooza.com/panels/

11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
ROOM A
Game Sack

Talk to the Sack. Dave and Joe will be on-hand for general chit chat. Ask whatever you want and all that kind of stuff. Just be sure to be there.

[captain_n77]

The Gameboy episode was fantastic. I'm not a huge GB fan, but as was said earlier, the episode was so good the time just flew by. I always get giddy every Saturday now, as opposed to every other Saturday, waiting to see the next Sack episode

[Joe Redifer]

But I know the default color palette for Kirby 1 on GBC/GBA/GBP was rather irritating garish and inverted, though it is not the palette seen in the video.

Yeah it is, it's just desaturated. I'm not sure why the GBA and related players don't just default to black and white for normal GameBoy games. I never understood that. That's how they look their best!

[ClodBusted]

Maybe it's the same reasoning behind having 4:3 content blown up to 16:9 - people arguing "I bought a color display handheld, so I want even monochrome games being colored by default".

The Super GameBoy had some nice default color palletes built in, e.g. try Tetris and Super Mario Land once if you like to.

However, I agree with you about what the monochrome games look best. For my taste, the monochrome pallete of the GBC/GBA/GBP has a bit too much contrast for my taste, so light grey and dark grey look too much alike white and black. I'd have welcomed a more softer palette or even one that's emulating the yellowish look of the original GameBoy.

[EvilEvoIX]

I really liked learning that the Super Game Boy II actually plays games at the proper speed Vs the original unit.  I wonder if it is worth searching out a Super Game Boy II to get it for that reason.

[IvanBeavkov]

I really liked learning that the Super Game Boy II actually plays games at the proper speed Vs the original unit.  I wonder if it is worth searching out a Super Game Boy II to get it for that reason.

You can install a new clock crystal to make the Super Game Boy run at the correct speed. See here for instructions.

http://soundofsilver.co.uk/blog/2015/02/super-gameboy-speed-fix/

[NightWolve]

Game Sack will be attending Retropalooza in Texas Sept 26th and 27th!
So did anybody here make it out to Retropalooza BTW ? I know a few people made it out last year.

[TR0N]

[Bloufo]

Great episode. I've never even heard of most of those.

[ccovell]

I love the sideways head tilt bit, 'cause I admit I've done that sometimes.

[esteban]

I perform spastic ballet @arcade cabinet.

[TurboXray]

The Trio Punch game uses a huc6280 processor (pce processor). The game could be hacked to run on the PCE if you hooked the graphic routines and converted them for PCE's video chip. From the looks of it, it seems fairly simple in what it's doing. The devil's in the details though.

[NightWolve]

Huh, so how many other arcades was Hudson's huc6280 CPU used in ?

[Bloufo]

[Gentlegamer]

paging NightWolve...

[NightWolve]

Saw it, yeah. ;) Somebody posted about Ys IV in the comments section, but the fact is, it was already covered in that general Ys special episode. This does look like a good idea for a recurring theme like Left in Japan/Arcades though since there are so many fan translations.

[shawnji]

I'm trying to think of some of the translation patches I've played that aren't mainstream, but nothing's really coming to mind...  it's all just SNES RPGs like Bahamut Lagoon, Tales of Phantasia, Live a Live, Seiken Densetsu 3, and Star Ocean.  Actually, come to think of it, I have a vague memory of playing a translated Love Hina game for the GBA.  Wow... Love Hina... that's been ages ago.  Funny that I've since come to hate shows like that.

[Gentlegamer]

The first fan translated game I ever played was Final Fantasy V, followed by Final Fantasy IV by the J2e team.

[NightWolve]

Yeah, "Final Fantasy V" was the first patch I had the motivation to really sit down, learn how to apply it to the ROM and fire it up on the ZSNES emulator. Heh, I still remember how "cool" I thought it was when zsKnight, one of the emulator creators, had answered me back over email on tech questions/comments and what not. My more dopey past, it was another time, another place. ;)

Anyway, I had beat to FFV to play catch up in the Final Fantasy series, after all, this was the point where you were learning about all the untranslated games that got left behind in Japan, how FFII was the 4th sequel starting on SNES, and how you missed out on 2 NES prior sequels, etc. These sorts of things led me to pursuing fan translation projects of my own, along with meeting Neill Corlett who was the top hacker for "Seiken Densetsu 3," "Bahamut Lagoon" and some others.

I did try the "Seiken Densetsu 3" patch too but I couldn't get into an RPG flow at the time actually, I dunno. So only played it to the intro. :/ Something better that caught my attention though was learning about what the UK got, but we didn't, and that was Quintet's Terranigma! All you needed was the ROM and emulator, it was professionally localized to UK English! Truly a great privilege and honor to have gotten to enjoy another masterpiece in the "Soul Blazer" and "Illusion of Gaia" saga! For sure!

Next up was "Ys IV: Mask of the Sun" also for the SNES, and here I can definitely say I gave up after getting a bit stuck half way, but being so bored out by the script, I just no longer cared to resume the thing and figure it out, plus I found it an offensive counterpart to the REAL Ys IV sequel, "Dawn of Ys" for PC Engine CD!

That's a bit of my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Oh and uh, GameSack4ever, brutha!

[Gentlegamer]

Yeah, "Final Fantasy V" was the first patch I had the motivation to really sit down, learn how to apply it to the ROM and fire it up on the ZSNES emulator. Heh, I still remember how "cool" I thought it was when zsKnight, one of the emulator creators, had answered me back over email on tech questions/comments and what not. My more dopey past, it was another time, another place. ;)

Anyway, I had beat to FFV to play catch up in the Final Fantasy series, after all, this was the point where you were learning about all the untranslated games that got left behind in Japan, how FFII was the 4th sequel starting on SNES, and how you missed out on 2 NES prior sequels, etc. These sorts of things led me to pursuing fan translation projects of my own, along with meeting Neill Corlett who was the top hacker for "Seiken Densetsu 3," "Bahamut Lagoon" and some others.

My story is similar, though in 99 when I first came upon them, the FFV and other translated ROMs had been already patched and distributed. Remember the wild west before ROM naming conventions were formalized?

Another late 90s emulation memory is coming back... I remember having to download a single Neo Geo game all night over a 56k connection.

[Mzo]

Great episode, as always.

Super happy they showed Cocoron.  Takeru was formed by ex-Capcom employees (the Strider arcade guy and Akira Kitamura, the real guy behind Mega Man 1 and 2) and it really shows in the gameplay and design.  Their next game would be Little Samson, which is also excellent but bullshit expensive these days.

[GohanX]

No Mzo, Inafune is god of the Megamanz!

[Joe Redifer]

I really want to try that SNES Ys V translation patch. I can't recall my own Ys episode if the PS2 version was patched or not. Like I'd ever watch that hack of a show, the hosts are just awful. But anyway the SNES version is supposedly the "official cannon" version of the game so the next time we visit this topic that's one I'd like to try. There's soooooo much translated stuff on the SNES and NES. That's good and all but I wish there were more on other systems. We try to cover that stuff and we get "Why no Mother 3???" Who gives a shit? I mean I want to cover it just to get it out of the way but we don't have that one and there's no GBA Everdrive yet. Neither of us really wanna buy a repro of it. I'd rather talk about games like King Colossus or some other game that the entire internet doesn't already know about. Though sometimes we do cover those types of games to placate the masses.

[elmer]

There's soooooo much translated stuff on the SNES and NES. That's good and all but I wish there were more on other systems. ... I'd rather talk about games like King Colossus or some other game that the entire internet doesn't already know about.

Errr ... Errr ... Errr ... So after your entire GameSack episode complaining about not being able to understand anything on the PC-FX, and then SamIAm and I get Zeroigar translated, and it hits your bullet-points, and ... ... ... nothing???

Just too obscure, I guess. 

[SamIAm]

I believe that the PC-FX system that they used for that episode was loaned to them.

Hey Joe, if you ever want a PC-FX for "Fan Translations 2", holla. I have five spares in my house. That's right, five.

[esteban]

I really want to try that SNES Ys V translation patch. I can't recall my own Ys episode if the PS2 version was patched or not. Like I'd ever watch that hack of a show, the hosts are just awful. But anyway the SNES version is supposedly the "official cannon" version of the game so the next time we visit this topic that's one I'd like to try. There's soooooo much translated stuff on the SNES and NES. That's good and all but I wish there were more on other systems. We try to cover that stuff and we get "Why no Mother 3???" Who gives a shit? I mean I want to cover it just to get it out of the way but we don't have that one and there's no GBA Everdrive yet. Neither of us really wanna buy a repro of it. I'd rather talk about games like King Colossus or some other game that the entire internet doesn't already know about. Though sometimes we do cover those types of games to placate the masses.

Your show is great at balancing popular/trendy franchises with lesser-known/fallen-out-of-favor/__________ titles. This is to the benefit of all.

I am not the typical viewer, but I imagine that many viewers learn about many games from your show.

GAMESACK — We are not the Top 40

GAMESACK (UK) — We are not Top of the Pops

GAMESACK (NJ) — Mother 3? Mother-f*cking hipsters.

If anything, I want GAMESACK  to go waaaaaay more niche and obscure, but understand that my peculiar interests are probably not shared by the GAMESACK audience...

Anyway, I always learn something from GAMESACK, especially because my knowledge of PS1 and beyond is weak

[shawnji]

I'm going to echo NightWolve on Terranigma.  Fantastic game that we sadly missed out on in the US.  Illusion of Gaia was one of my absolute favorite games.  I still have an old VHS tape somewhere with a recording of me playing through the whole thing and getting all 50 gems to beat an old foe from Soul Blazer.  I love, love, love that game.  It's what got me to actually research the Nazca Lines and Angkor Vat.  Those are both bucket list places for me to visit.

Actually, now that I think about it, there's a game on the PS1 from the guys at Quintet after they left Enix called The Granstream Saga, and it was also pretty fun.  That'd be an interesting one for you guys to cover in an episode.  I had fun with it, but sold it sometime in '98 or '99.

[Dicer]

I believe that the PC-FX system that they used for that episode was loaned to them.

Hey Joe, if you ever want a PC-FX for "Fan Translations 2", holla. I have five spares in my house. That's right, five.

I want one, because well, I want one...

[esteban]

I'm going to echo NightWolve on Terranigma.  Fantastic game that we sadly missed out on in the US.  Illusion of Gaia was one of my absolute favorite games.  I still have an old VHS tape somewhere with a recording of me playing through the whole thing and getting all 50 gems to beat an old foe from Soul Blazer.  I love, love, love that game.  It's what got me to actually research the Nazca Lines and Angkor Vat.  Those are both bucket list places for me to visit.

Actually, now that I think about it, there's a game on the PS1 from the guys at Quintet after they left Enix called The Granstream Saga, and it was also pretty fun.  That'd be an interesting one for you guys to cover in an episode.  I had fun with it, but sold it sometime in '98 or '99.

Xevious = my Nazca intrigue.

[Bloufo]

[o.pwuaioc]

"longer and harder" - more dick puns, please!

Also, Joe, is it just me or have you (instead of Dave) done more and more Nintendo games over the past few years. I was surprised seeing you cover all the Famicom games and Terranigma, too.

Anyway, cool video.

Other games I would have liked to see are Gleylancer, Alien Soldier, the Master System Sonic games, Recca, and a crap ton of PC Engine games!

[TR0N]

All you're bases belong to us 

[shawnji]

Ha!  Very nice to see Terranigma covered right after talking so much about it.  A happy coincidence indeed.

I have to agree with the font.  It was definitely a turn-off for me initially when I first started to play as well.  It's odd, but I never had the same complaint with Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia, despite them using a similar font.  I guess I need to go back and look at them again.

Y'know, I know it seems completely non-tangential, but I was just thinking that I'd like to see you cover some of the better Sony Imagesoft games on the SNES.  Soul Blazer got me thinking about Skyblazer, and then I remembered Hook as well.  They aren't fantastic games, but a lot of fun to play through.  Hook is particularly interesting, considering it was a licensed movie tie-in.  I don't know, maybe most people hate it, but I genuinely have a lot of fun with it every time I play through it (which only takes an hour or so if you're familiar with everything).

[MattJ]

Very enjoyable episode Joe!

I second o.pwuaioc comment on the Sonic Master System games that were PAL only. I basically bought my first Master System just so I could play some of those. I think you may have covered Master of Darkness in an earlier episode, but that's great one to be pointed out. There were several quality Disney games too. We only got the Game Gear versions, but I enjoyed them. They're not like a the Capcom-produced Disney games for the NES and have a more puzzle-like feel instead of being a straightforward action platformer. I like the change of pace and variety that brings: 
- Donald Duck's Lucky Dime Caper
- Deep Duck Trouble starring Donald Duck
- Castle of Illusion
- Land of Illusion

The Asterix series is great, and I like the Ninja Gaiden SMS game, because it is completely different from the NES versions.

[o.pwuaioc]

I second o.pwuaioc comment on the Sonic Master System games that were PAL only.

Thinking about it now, a whole episode could be devoted to MS PAL games.

[MattJ]

I second o.pwuaioc comment on the Sonic Master System games that were PAL only.

Thinking about it now, a whole episode could be devoted to MS PAL games.

That would be an awesome episode!! 

[ClodBusted]

When I got my hands on Terranigma in 1997, I was O.K. with the font used, both style as well as size wise.  Since I had just a tiny TV back then, this made the text easier too read. But even today I prefer large fonts over those puny fonts used in today's games. Skyrim, Forza 4 and the unpatched version of Banjo-Kazooie Nuts and Bolts are premier examples of bad font design where you need a magnifying glass for reading the text even when sitting right in front of a 32" HDTV screen.

[NightWolve]

pbs.twimg.com/media/CRZThwrUsAUZSyR.jpg

[TurboXray]

W h e n  I  g o t   m y   h a n d s   o n   T e r r a n i g m a   i n   1 9 9 7 ,   I   w a s   O . K .   w i t h   t h e  f o n t  u s e d ,   b o t h   s t y l e   a s   w e l l   a s   s i z e   w i s e .     S i n c e   I   h a d   j u s t   a   t i n y   T V  b a c k   t h e n ,   t h i s   m a d e   t h e   t e x t   e a s i e r   t o o   r e a d .   B u t   e v e n   t o d a y  I  p  r e f e r   l a r g e   f o n t s   o v e r   t h o s e   p u n y   f o n t s   u s e d   i n   t o d a y ' s   g a m e s .  S  k y r i m ,  F o r z a   4   a n d   t h e   u n p a t c h e d   v e r s i o n   o f   B a n j o - K a z o o i e   N u t s  a n d  B o l t s   a r e   p r e m i e r   e x a m p l e s   o f   b a d   f o n t   d e s i g n   w h e r e   y o u   n e e d  a  m a g n i f y i n g  g l a s s   f o r   r e a d i n g   t h e   t e x t   e v e n   w h e n   s i t t i n g   r i g h t   i n   f r o n t  o f   a  3 2 "  H D T V  s c r e e n.

There. T e r r a n i g m a i s e d your post for you.

 Seriously, the problem with that game isn't the font or size, it's the spacing between the characters.

[ClodBusted]

Must have been lots of work on the space bar for you. Now that's dedication! Many thanks, got it!

[NightWolve]

Lot of work to make a point about its font.

[elmer]

Lot of work to make a point about its font.

Hahaha ... so Bonknuts ... keystroke-macro or regexp (or even "sed" if you're a Linux guy)?

[Gredler]

havefunnytime.com/thumbs/its-called-kerning-155984.jpg

[TR0N]

[shawnji]

I was actually surprised to see Joe gush so much over Mario after giving the Sonic games such a hard time.  I mean, I shouldn't have been, considering all the 3D Mario titles are much, much, much better. 

Still, I have to confess that I'm a fan of both Sonic Adventure titles.  I had the first one on the Dreamcast, but only ever had the demo of the second that came with Phantasy Star Online up until I bought the recent HD remaster of it on PSN.  I had actually rented it for the Gamecube once, but for some reason, as soon as the Tails mech stages were forced on me I was completely turned off.  I don't remember what year it was that the remaster came out, but I got 100% of the trophies and recall being surprised at what a blast I had with it.  Granted, I also somewhat enjoyed Sonic 4: Episodes 1 and 2, so what do I know?

I'll also say that I found Generations to be a FANTASTIC return to form.  I highly recommend you at least give it a whirl, Joe.

I also was surprised to see so many mainstream games in this episode.  Rayman 2 and Maximo were nice to see, but when I initially saw the episode title I thought I'd probably be seeing stuff like Gex, Croc, or the Banjo games.  I guess that'll have to be for another episode.

While I don't personally think of them as platformers (the first is most decidely not), you guys REALLY need to talk about the Legacy of Kain series.  It had some of the most engaging writing I had heard back in the late 90's.  That's also despite the fact that I typically shunned most games developed in the west back in my late teens and early 20's.  These managed to be an exception for me.  I mainly just like the first few games (though the load times in the original on PS1 are horrid), but I hear the others are okay.

[TurboXray]

Lot of work to make a point about its font.

Hahaha ... so Bonknuts ... keystroke-macro or regexp (or even "sed" if you're a Linux guy)?

Manually. (*/ flexes fingers */)

[gekioh]

Getting to meet Joe and Dave was pretty rad. Thanks GameSack for coming to PRGE this year and I really hope you guys come back again next year.

[BigusSchmuck]

Getting to meet Joe and Dave was pretty rad. Thanks Game Sack for coming to PRGE this year and I really hope you guys come back again next year.

Shoot, if I had known you were there too we could have met up. I got a good picture with them too and got some questions in (could have killed Joe for calling me DildoKKKobold lol) during the Q&A. Unbelievable how fast it went and how many people were losing their voices from talking so much during the convention. Here's me and my buddy that I haven't seen in 14 years.


https://i.postimg.cc/yYLrMfcz/20151017-153618.jpg

[gekioh]

Well shoot yeah that would have been rad to get a PCEFX group photo. Oh well always next year. Are you local to Portland area BigusSchmuck? Ha ha did he call you Dark Kobold on purpose or is there a running joke behind that im not aware of?

[BigusSchmuck]

Well shoot yeah that would have been rad to get a PCEFX group photo. Oh well always next year. Are you local to Portland area BigusSchmuck? Ha ha did he call you Dark Kobold on purpose or is there a running joke behind that im not aware of?

Yeah there is some history between me and Darky (rather not open old wounds). I'm not local to the area, I live in rural eastern Oregon about 5 hours away from Portland. Anyway, I'll post some pictures and my thoughts on the thread I created about the convention. BTW,last episode rocked my wife loved it. Thanks again guys for posting quality stuff.