Hu Cards breaking?

DildoKKKobold · 04/04/2013, 05:44 PM

Does anyone else have experience with broken hu-cards? I've had, so far, only one broken hu-card that would not work, despite massive cleaning, a copy of Ordyne. However, unlike NES, SNES, Genesis, etc carts, once a hu card is broken, its fairly impossible to troubleshoot.

I'm curious how many others have experienced a Hucard that was either already broken, or they managed to break; I'd like to know how frequent it happens, and how it does happen.

turboswimbz · 04/04/2013, 05:48 PM

I got overly excited and ate a KC for breakfast to get my Daily PCE intake.

Ahhh I got a broken in half Down the middle long wise KC years ago in a lot.

bob · 04/04/2013, 06:57 PM

Its not broken. Its just ordyne.

CrackTiger · 04/04/2013, 08:54 PM

PC Genjin 2 is mentioned more than other games as having issues or dying altogether. Of course, it's also probably one of the higher print and played games.

seieienbu · 04/04/2013, 09:06 PM

I think that it might be interesting to sacrifice a few Kieth Courage cards to find out how durable the things really are. Perhaps tests with bending, temperature, water, etc.

SMF · 04/04/2013, 09:27 PM

Quote from: seieienbu on 04/04/2013, 09:06 PMI think that it might be interesting to sacrifice a few Kieth Courage cards to find out how durable the things really are. Perhaps tests with bending, temperature, water, etc.

This is actually a good idea I might do this if I get some free time.

MrFlutterPie · 04/04/2013, 09:45 PM

I just got a non working Dead Moon today. I can't get it running no matter what!

PCEngineHell · 04/04/2013, 10:30 PM

This happened to me with a copy of Image Fight bought off ebay from that asshole seller bonesmeister a short while back. Listed the game in excellent condition, tested and working. Card arrived with heavy wear on the back of the card and also the card was DOA. Tried on two diff systems, and results were the same. After you press start at the title screen the game would freeze up. If you did nothing when the game tried to load the demo mode the same would occur. I'd also mention the seller sold items to me before that were not as described. His excuse was that he had multiple copies and a worker overlooked the damage by mistake when packing the items. I gave the benefit of doubt, tried him again, and got a Image Fight fail. Oh well, life goes on.

DildoKKKobold · 04/04/2013, 11:07 PM

Quote from: galam on 04/04/2013, 06:57 PMIts not broken. Its just ordyne.

So you are saying, not working is possibly a gameplay improvement? I'd be inclined to agree!

Quote from: seieienbu on 04/04/2013, 09:06 PMI think that it might be interesting to sacrifice a few Kieth Courage cards to find out how durable the things really are. Perhaps tests with bending, temperature, water, etc.

There are some interesting videos on youtube of people beating the ever loving shit out of SMB/Duckhunt carts, and them still working. I think the form factor of the hucard makes me believe that it is just much less durable.

Quote from: CrackTiger on 04/04/2013, 08:54 PMPC Genjin 2 is mentioned more than other games as having issues or dying altogether. Of course, it's also probably one of the higher print and played games.

As an aside, I don't get why PC Genjin 2 is sold for $40 on ebay. Its worth more than Bonk's Revenge, which is #1, English, and #2, (probably) far less published.

OldMan · 04/04/2013, 11:39 PM

HuCards are less durable. Mostly,m they break due to bending.
Why?

Cartridge games use stock chips, encased in plastic. To get the small height of a HuCard, only the dies are used for the chips - no enclosing plastic, just some black rubbery stuff to prevent shorting out.
I believe the problem is, the connecting wires tend to break/come loose when the card is bent.
Yes, I've checked with an ohm meter - the only 'dead' cards I've seen had open connections on some pins, including +5V. Cleaning the rubber stuff off is a pain, so I only checked one or two.

roflmao · 04/05/2013, 12:26 AM

Quote from: galam on 04/04/2013, 06:57 PMIts not broken. Its just ordyne.

WHAT!? I was just playing Ordyne earlier today. It's no Gradius or Thunder game, but it's 2-player simultaneous and has freaking awesome music. Honestly, I don't know what they were thinking releasing it in the US over other titles at the time, but I'm glad that they did because I spent a bunch of hours playing it with a buddy back in High School. I've beaten it more than once and it's always a blast to pop in and play for a bit.

To get back on topic, I've never experienced a broken HuCard, though it pops up from time to time on the forums. Once my Arcade Card went funky on me while playing my Sapphire Booty, but I was using a diving board converter at the time and it hasn't arisen since my console was region modded.

majors · 04/05/2013, 09:39 AM

Quote from: guest on 04/05/2013, 12:26 AM
Quote from: galam on 04/04/2013, 06:57 PMIts not broken. Its just ordyne.
WHAT!? I was just playing Ordyne earlier today. It's no Gradius or Thunder game...

It's no Sidearms either.

I've had Hu's the need some added thickness to work. I put some paper on the bottom of the card to help make contact with the slot. SF2' is the biggest culprit.

xcrement5x · 04/05/2013, 10:39 AM

I had a Wonder Momo that was going to be used for raffle that was DOA. I tried everything I could to bring her back but she was dead for good.

turboswimbz · 04/05/2013, 10:47 AM

Quote from: guest on 04/05/2013, 12:26 AM
Quote from: galam on 04/04/2013, 06:57 PMIts not broken. Its just ordyne.
WHAT!? I was just playing Ordyne earlier today. It's no Gradius or Thunder game, but it's 2-player simultaneous and has freaking awesome music. Honestly, I don't know what they were thinking releasing it in the US over other titles at the time, but I'm glad that they did because I spent a bunch of hours playing it with a buddy back in High School. I've beaten it more than once and it's always a blast to pop in and play for a bit.

To get back on topic, I've never experienced a broken HuCard, though it pops up from time to time on the forums. Once my Arcade Card went funky on me while playing my Sapphire Booty, but I was using a diving board converter at the time and it hasn't arisen since my console was region modded.

HAHA. I THINK galam was making a funny Pun????

as in it isn't dead it's just OR - DIE - N

SignOfZeta · 04/05/2013, 12:30 PM

I've never seen a broken HuCard, but then I've never bent one either. There is a very evocotive cartoon in the front of many manuals saying not to do this so...I never did it.

BTW, Ordyne is great. Fuck you guys.

bob · 04/05/2013, 12:47 PM

Quote from: Boom Boom Big Cat on 04/05/2013, 12:30 PMBTW, Ordyne is great. Fuck you guys.

How did we know you would say this? Too predictable. You're losing a step man.

Bt Garner · 04/05/2013, 01:36 PM

Somewhere I have a Super System card that is wonky. It works find for CD games, and not so fine for SCD games. I figured that the SCD RAM chips had been fried, or bent, or something.

CrackTiger · 04/05/2013, 04:35 PM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 04/05/2013, 12:30 PMI've never seen a broken HuCard, but then I've never bent one either. There is a very evocotive cartoon in the front of many manuals saying not to do this so...I never did it.

BTW, Ordyne is great. Fuck you guys.

It's not so much an issue of whether you bend HuCards yourself so much as "have you ever purchased a used HuCard?"

I never bent my damaged PC Genjin 2. I tested it out after receiving if in a lot and noticed glitched graphics during the demo. None of the expected fixes worked. All the hardware I've ever bought new has performed well also. It's been secondhand consoles that have had issues. Except that recently, after twenty years, the caps in my TurboDuo have finally begun to break down. But that's not a result of misuse.

bob · 04/05/2013, 04:42 PM

I assume poor storage over the years from careless owners (prior to you owning it) would contribite to the degradation. Poor temp control, moist basements, humid attics could all be culprits

MrFlutterPie · 04/05/2013, 05:35 PM

Quote from: galam on 04/05/2013, 04:42 PMI assume poor storage over the years from careless owners (prior to you owning it) would contribite to the degradation. Poor temp control, moist basements, humid attics could all be culprits

This is very true. Heat damage for example can kill a game while keeping it looking good on the outside so you have no idea that's it's jacked.

SignOfZeta · 04/05/2013, 07:08 PM

Quote from: galam on 04/05/2013, 12:47 PM
Quote from: Boom Boom Big Cat on 04/05/2013, 12:30 PMBTW, Ordyne is great. Fuck you guys.
How did we know you would say this? Too predictable. You're losing a step man.

A narcissistic mind would think that, that everything I think and feel and say only exists in response to you, but I've been a fan of Ordyne for more than 20 years, irrespective of ROM channel flipper's opinions. It's not as good as Aeroblasters or Gate of Thunder (and the Namco Museum ver. on PS has better graphics) but its a %100 solid shooter in every way. It's better than Twinbee, IMO. I had a Duo at this time so don't think I fell in love with it because I was desperate. I had other shit to play, CDs, but he only had Hu capability.

My brother bought this game because it was cheap. At first we didn't take it seriously, but since we didn't have a lot of games for TG-16 and nobody rented them, we ended up playing it a lot and learning that it was good. ROM whores never end up doing this because they can always just flip to another ROM after they decided that the first 30 seconds of Magical Chase "sucks", as you did.

Related: my brother also bought Night Creatures at around the same time. No amount of playing ever turned up any good in that POS. It wasn't until recently when hipster douchebags started living things because they are garbage that the game earned fans.

Bernie · 04/05/2013, 07:41 PM

I mean damn! Lmao!

DildoKKKobold · 04/05/2013, 08:34 PM

Quote from: CrackTiger on 04/05/2013, 04:35 PMI never bent my damaged PC Genjin 2. I tested it out after receiving if in a lot and noticed glitched graphics during the demo. None of the expected fixes worked. All the hardware I've ever bought new has performed well also. It's been secondhand consoles that have had issues. Except that recently, after twenty years, the caps in my TurboDuo have finally begun to break down. But that's not a result of misuse.

Interestingly, I got a handful of rental games. Every last one worked fine. The broken ordyne came in an ebay lot, where he said beforehand that it didn't work, but was his favorite game. Probably over-handling led it to break.

jelloslug · 04/06/2013, 09:46 AM

I have a copy of Tailspin that has garbled graphics.

fraggore · 04/07/2013, 09:36 AM

I have 2 broken hu-cards space invaders just wont work at all and bikkuriman world loads the menu and music then tries to play demo and crashes.

Ordyne is not bad game its pretty good.

SeymorOnion · 04/07/2013, 12:39 PM

This thread's title gives me heart palpitations.

esteban · 04/07/2013, 02:12 PM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 04/05/2013, 12:30 PMI've never seen a broken HuCard, but then I've never bent one either. There is a very evocotive cartoon in the front of many manuals saying not to do this so...I never did it.

BTW, Ordyne is great. Fuck you guys.

DUDE, unless you get all your games brand-spanking-new, some dipsh*t in Japan (wherever!) could have used the HuCARD to spread wasabi on his bagels.

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 04/05/2013, 07:08 PMRelated: my brother also bought Night Creatures at around the same time. No amount of playing ever turned up any good in that POS. It wasn't until recently when hipster douchebags started living things because they are garbage that the game earned fans.

UMBRAGE: As a hipster douchebag, I take umbrage to this statement. I simply follow the trends. I can't personally distinguish a "good game" from a "bad game" unless I read about it on facetweet. Also, I'm too busy buying "retro gaming" shirts to bother playing the games.

UPDATE: Actually, upon further reflection, I'm just a douchebag.

Hany, with the clarity of a virgin spring, calmly responds to Zeta: "Penniless gamers living in squalor have always been forced to squeeze some entertainment from even the crappiest of games. These street urchins, growing up in the 80's and 90's with nothing but bargain-bin games, were frustrated, but they SURVIVED. They survived. SNK's Athena (NES) and Super Pitfall (NES) could have ended the careers for many-a-gamer, but thankfully, they didn't. Why? WHY? BECAUSE WE FOUND SOMETHING TO CHERISH IN THOSE GODFORSAKEN TITLES. We knew we weren't going to get another game for a few months, anyway, so we found a way to survive. Esteban may indeed be a hipster douchebag (he listens to Metronomy and Blouse on his iPod, after all), but his passion for shitty games is THE ONLY SINCERE EMOTION in his entire vapid heart--the only genuinely honest thought percolating through a sea of his atrophied gray cells. THE HOUSE OF PCEFX MUST STAND UNITED. Don't hate the hipster douchebags. Hug them."