New member, just got a Duo R

[rCadeGaming]

Hi everybody.

I guess I registered here a while ago, but I finally got a Duo R for Christmas when I bit the eBay bullet.

Since getting it, I've modded region and RGB modded it.  Scroll down to the second post here:

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=43992

If you're interested in that thread, there will be some major updates this week.

Anyhow, so far my collection is:

4-in-1 Super CD - mainly got this for Gate of Thunder, which is amazing
Blazing Lazers - pretty good, but liking Gate more so far
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood - what can I say, this is what I bought the system for
Sapphire repro - haven't brought myself to tear open the packaging yet

Looking forward to:

Lords of Thunder
Soldier Blade games
Spriggan games

[hoobs88]

Welcome aboard! Lords of Thunder is great game. That should be your next pickup.

[NecroPhile]

Welcome!  Now rip open that Sapphire - it ain't any fun in a plastic prison.

[Bernie]

That's really nice!  Good to have another modder as well!

[rCadeGaming]

Thanks!  Here's the portable sticks I'm using for PCE shmups:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,118843.0.html

Eventually they will run in a full-size candy-style cab.

As for Sapphire, I'm not sure if I want to sell it or not (don't worry, I won't claim it's original).  I've heard it doesn't measure up to the better PCE shmups; I have an Arcade Card too, and I think it's the only thing I'd use it for.  I'll play it in Magic Engine some more and make up my mind.

[esteban]

Thanks!  Here's the portable sticks I'm using for PCE shmups:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,118843.0.html

Eventually they will run in a full-size candy-style cab.

As for Sapphire, I'm not sure if I want to sell it or not (don't worry, I won't claim it's original).  I've heard it doesn't measure up to the better PCE shmups; I have an Arcade Card too, and I think it's the only thing I'd use it for.  I'll play it in Magic Engine some more and make up my mind.

First: Welcome, COMRADE

Second: KEEP Sapphire. If you really don't like it, then give it away to someone who wants to try it out. SHARING IS CARING.

[Ji-L87]

Welcome, saw your thread over @ system11 and I must say that's some impressive work both with the mod and the switching setup

[NightWolve]

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=43992

Heya, welcome! Just wanted to say, wow, you put a lot of work into that thread!! That took ya a good while I bet. One small suggestion, I think maybe if you did 800x600 images instead, next scale down, and then just linked each image to the full 1024x768 one, readability/visibility would improve a bit, it'd be less overwhelming, etc. (I'm stuck in 1280 x 720p mode cause my 26" TV/monitor is not 1080p, and 1080i is horrible with a PC).

[rCadeGaming]

Thanks for the compliments everyone.

NightWolve, is there a way to show a small preview pic without having to create and host two separate files?

As for the PC Engine, I spent last night cleaning out all the old grease on the gears and tracks around the cd laser.  I replaced it with Molykote 44 Light, and adjusted all the pots.  Everything is loading fast and consistently now    (the 4-in-1 was pretty problematic before).  More details here:

https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?topic=14064.msg281184#msg281184

https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?topic=8926.msg152736#msg152736

[NightWolve]

Yeah, but it's a forum and it wouldn't allow you to do your own HTML. If you could just do an image tag that is linked to the 1024x768 images, you would put 800x600 in the width and height attributes (that would shrink it in the page) and also put a link around the image tag to click into it to fully view it. You'd need Javascript to make it so that you could click it and it'd go full size, inline, which of course is even less safe to allow when it comes to forums (security risks), etc. But yeah, not possible with most forums.

Anyway, cool you got the laser working better with regreasing. Anything special about Molykote 44 (never heard of it) ? I mostly heard light-weight Lithium is the way to go, but I dunno what is the best brand, exact type for this specific purpose.

[rCadeGaming]

I had the Molykote around for lubing joysticks.  Supposedly it's the same chemical makeup as the Shin-Etsu grease recommended by Sanwa, but it's cheaper since I don't have to import it.  It's pretty good stuff; it doesn't break down too quickly or eat plastics, so I figured it would work well for this.  The application is pretty much the same, plastic on plastic and plastic on metal; and the types of plastics and metals are pretty similar.

[VestCunt]

Welcome Rob. Nice library and nice tech work.

As for Sapphire, I'm not sure if I want to sell it or not (don't worry, I won't claim it's original).  I've heard it doesn't measure up to the better PCE shmups;

Don't be afraid to open Sapphire. Fudoh has continued to reprint that Sapphire bootleg and keep it "in stock" for almost eight years now. It's the ONLY glass-master PCE/TG game in continuous production, making it the least rare, sealed game one could possibly own. While Sapphire is no GoT (what is?), it's an above-average shooter and great tech demo to play on original hardware (and multiplayer!). It's only faults are that it's easy and it can't live up to the hype. Faussete Amour and Kaze Kiri have the same problem. They get bad reviews from:
A) dumb rich gamers who can't believe the game isn't worth the four hundred dollars they just spent
B) poor gamers with sour grapes

[Robocop2]

I'm really not new per se. I registered several years ago and this is my first post as I had lost my password and hadn't been back by but just wanted to say howdy folks. I had a TG back in the day and I want to get back into it. So I may not post a lot but ill be around. Thanks for all the info you guys have on your site!

Sorry to thread jack misread the title

[esteban]

I'm really not new per se. I registered several years ago and this is my first post as I had lost my password and hadn't been back by but just wanted to say howdy folks. I had a TG back in the day and I want to get back into it. So I may not post a lot but ill be around. Thanks for all the info you guys have on your site!

Sorry to thread jack misread the title

I'm glad you hijacked the thread.

Welcome, comrade. I encourage you to throw a comment out here, every now and then.

Also, don't waste your time with Kaze Kiri because it is truly bleh.

While Sapphire is no GoT (what is?), it's an above-average shooter and great tech demo to play on original hardware (and multiplayer!). It's only faults are that it's easy and it can't live up to the hype. Faussete Amour and Kaze Kiri have the same problem. They get bad reviews from:
A) dumb rich gamers who can't believe the game isn't worth the four hundred dollars they just spent
B) poor gamers with sour grapes

C) esteban

[Robocop2]

I'm really not new per se. I registered several years ago and this is my first post as I had lost my password and hadn't been back by but just wanted to say howdy folks. I had a TG back in the day and I want to get back into it. So I may not post a lot but ill be around. Thanks for all the info you guys have on your site!

Sorry to thread jack misread the title

I'm glad you hijacked the thread.

Welcome, comrade. I encourage you to throw a comment out here, every now and then.

Thanks I plan to at lest if I have something to say lol

[rCadeGaming]

Welcome Robocop2; hope you start building back your old library, and discover some new favorites as well.

While Sapphire is no GoT (what is?), it's an above-average shooter and great tech demo to play on original hardware (and multiplayer!). It's only faults are that it's easy and it can't live up to the hype. Faussete Amour and Kaze Kiri have the same problem. They get bad reviews from:
A) dumb rich gamers who can't believe the game isn't worth the four hundred dollars they just spent
B) poor gamers with sour grapes

C) esteban

This made me laugh.

Well, I gave Sapphire another chance on Magic Engine.  I still don't think it's the best in the world, but it's fun for what it is.  It's very playable, and cool to own just as a neat collection piece as well.  So, yup, you convinced me to keep it.  I tore it out of the plastic rap and popped it in.  It's even more fun on the real hardware!

[esteban]

[Tatsujin]

Lol esty

@Sapphire: as others said, it may not be the best shewty on the
system, but sure it's the best tech demo on any 8/16bit homeconsoles
(AES excluded) you can find.

[rCadeGaming]

mmm... the Super FX games on SNES are pretty impressive for the time.

[rCadeGaming]

Okay, here's a dumb question that doesn't deserve its own thread:

What color cases did American Turbo CD games originally come in?  Whenever I see Japanese ones for sale it's always white, but for American ones it's randomly white or black, even among the same game.  Which should I use to be "authentic," "correct," whatever?

[NecroPhile]

Okay, here's a dumb question that doesn't deserve its own thread:

What color cases did American Turbo CD games originally come in?  Whenever I see Japanese ones for sale it's always white, but for American ones it's randomly white or black, even among the same game.  Which should I use to be "authentic," "correct," whatever?

Almost all of 'em came originally with black trays, the only exceptions being Valis II, Final Zone II, and the pack-in version of Ys Book I & II (the boxed retail version was black).  As for US Super CDs, they're also all black except for Gate of Thunder, Implode, Meteor Blaster DX, and Insanity.

[rCadeGaming]

Are you referring to Japanese CD's in the first sentence?  Do you mean "almost all of 'em originally cam with white trays"?

[NecroPhile]

Are you referring to Japanese CD's in the first sentence?  Do you mean "almost all of 'em originally cam with white trays"?

Both sentences pertain to US disc games.  I can't think of any PCE disc games that didn't come in a black white case, other than something like Motteke Tamago that didn't come in a jewel case at all.

[rCadeGaming]

I agree that from what I've seen for sale, a lot of US CD's seem to come in black cases, the exception I've seen most often being the Gate of Thunder/Bonk 4-in-1.  So the US CD's are what I'm confused about.  It just depends on the game?

I can't think of any PCE disc games that didn't come in a black case

I'm pretty certain about Japanese CD's though, and no offense but unless that's a typo I don't think you're right.  Japanese PCE CD's seem to always come in white cases from what I've seen.

[NecroPhile]

I agree that from what I've seen for sale, a lot of US CD's seem to come in black cases, the exception I've seen most often being the Gate of Thunder/Bonk 4-in-1.  So the US CD's are what I'm confused about.  It just depends on the game?

Right.  Except for the seven titles listed above, all US titles came in black cases; even the three unofficial booby games came in black cases, albeit slims.

I'm pretty certain about Japanese CD's though, and no offense but unless that's a typo I don't think you're right.  Japanese PCE CD's seem to always come in white cases from what I've seen.

Yeah, they're all in white cases.  Whoops, typo! 

[rCadeGaming]

Ok, I gotcha.  Thanks, I'll keep that list of seven saved somewhere.

So, how about the card games.  So far, I haven't looked much, but I noticed that my US Blazing Lazers came in a black case, and my JP Arcade Card came in a white case.

[NecroPhile]

So, how about the card games.  So far, I haven't looked much, but I noticed that my US Blazing Lazers came in a black case, and my JP Arcade Card came in a white case.

Early PCE hueys came in black cases and later ones came in white cases (trays that fit in standard jewel cases); the switch was late '91 / early '92.  Similarly but infinitely more lame, early TG-16 hueys came in black cases and later ones came with nothing but a flimsy plastic tray to keep 'em from rattling around in the box.

[Tatsujin]

White is so much more beautiful when it comes to cd trays.

[rCadeGaming]

Sounds like a mess with the hueys.  Were the early PCE cases the same as the early TG16 cases, or were they a black version of the later PCE cases?

I prefer the later PCE ones (assuming my arcade card case is one); know of a good place to buy spares?

White is so much more beautiful when it comes to cd trays.

Distasteful jokes brewing.  Not going to go there...

[NecroPhile]

Were the early PCE cases the same as the early TG16 cases, or were they a black version of the later PCE cases?

They were similar to the US cases, the difference being that they didn't have a plastic clip to hold in the huey.

I prefer the later PCE ones (assuming my arcade card case is one); know of a good place to buy spares?

Not really.  Your only option is to harvest 'em from other games, thus making some other game homeless. 

The best deal is to buy copies of SFII and Populous (both cheap) and swap one of their two trays for a white cd tray; it's a win-win, as you gain a huey case and the original case remains intact (more or less).

[rCadeGaming]

Ok, I think I'll just try and stick to buying games that are complete with the correct case (easier said than done, I know), now I that I know better how to evaluate that.  Thanks.

[Tatsujin]

White is so much more beautiful when it comes to cd trays.

Distasteful jokes brewing.  Not going to go there...

lol, no pun intended here

[rCadeGaming]

Ok, more updates!

Here is my PCE collection so far:

-HuCard-
Blazing Lazers
Final Soldier (NTSC-J)
-CD-
4-in-1: Bonk 1/2/Gate of Thunder/Bomberman
Akumajo Dracula X: Chi no Rondo (NTSC-J)
Lords of Thunder
Ginga Fukei Densetsu: Sapphire (NTSC-J, repro)

and here is my shopping list:

-HuCard-
Soldier Blade $
Super Star Soldier $
Air Zonk
-CD-
Alzadick $
Nexzr Special (Summer Carnival Version) $
Rayxanber III
Seirei Senshi Spriggan (NTSC-J) $
Spriggan Mark 2 (NTSC-J) $
Terraforming $
Air Zonk: Rockabilly Paradise $

Anyhow, I've noticed that of the games I have so far, only Bomberman and Sapphire are multiplayer.  Any good multiplayer games to look for?

The biggest thing is that I've realized that everything on both lists are shmups except Bonk, Bomberman, and Castlevania.  What are the best non-shmup titles I should look for?  (I'm not really into Ys)

For either of these, I'm only interested in games that were either exclusives, or superior to all other versions available (including arcade versions).

[Bardoly]

You need to get some Bonk action going on!  Bonk 3 is 2-player simultaneous cooperative.  I am also a multi-player video game aficionado, so i'm always on the lookout for good multi-player games.  There is a thread somewhere here which lists the multi-player TG-16/PC Engine games.  Cadash is great 2-player fun too.

[rCadeGaming]

Uhh... probably gonna get some flak for this...

I have Bonk 1 and 2 on the 4-in-1 Super CD, which I really only got for Gate of Thunder... and it's sooooo mediocre.  No challenge, and super bland level design.  In terms of platformers, even the original Super Mario Bros. was so much better...

Also, Cadash is an arcade game.  I'm building a cab that will play MAME and real pcb's, so I'm not interested in ports unless they're significantly better than the arcade version.

[Tatsujin]

Wowzers!! 

[Bardoly]

Uhh... probably gonna get some flak for this...

I have Bonk 1 and 2 on the 4-in-1 Super CD, which I really only got for Gate of Thunder... and it's sooooo mediocre.  No challenge, and super bland level design.  In terms of platformers, even the original Super Mario Bros. was so much better...

Also, Cadash is an arcade game.  I'm building a cab that will play MAME and real pcb's, so I'm not interested in ports unless they're significantly better than the arcade version.

Yep, get ready for the flack... 

Not being an arcade game aficionado, I had no idea that Cadash was a port of an arcade game.   Just from reading on the forum, it seems that a lot of console games in the late 80's and early 90's were arcade game ports, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying them.  Anyway, I guess that I can't help you with your search for non-ported games.  Enjoy them, and once you come up with a good list, I'd be willing to look at it.

[rCadeGaming]

I'll keep looking on Racket Boy and Hardcore Gaming 101.  I'll post anything if I find it.

Anyone else?

[NightWolve]

I'd agree with ya on Bonk III, so damn boring, the music mainly, I can't really take it... but I enjoyed the first Bonk well enough (I think it's the best) and liked how Bonk's Revenge improved graphically, color-wise, and provided another adventure, etc. As a kid back then, I wasn't too picky so I could enjoy the first two when I had rented them. I imagine I wouldn't be so impressed now, but true for a lot of other games I enjoyed BITD.

[Mishran]

I personally really enjoy Bonk 2. It's a more "laid back" title. Not a large amount of enemies to fight, slower paced, boss battles don't have you throwing your pad, etc. Game is easy to complete, yet still gives you some satisfaction when you see Bonk dancing around the screen during the end credits. I lost track of how many times I've burned through the game. Mini games are fun too.

It's a bit late, but a big welcome to where the cool boys hang.

[majors]

I have Bonk 1 and 2 on the 4-in-1 Super CD[snip]... and it's sooooo mediocre.

Devil's advocate here, I can see someone that was not a 1st gen Turbo player say that Bonk is "drab". No parallax, repetitive game play, slow character movement...the rose colored lenses are not present when you play it for the first time now.

I dare say you will not like Legendary Axe also. I think both games are must have's for any turbo owner, they are both very much "turbo". At least you gave Bonk play, maybe you'll see the charm in it later.

What are the best non-shmup titles I should look for?  (I'm not really into Ys)

From my personal collection I'd say the Crush games, Dungeon Explorer, Military Madness, Ninja Spirit and Parasol Stars would be some suggestions. For some 2nd tier "try before you buy" games: Bloody Wolf, Power Golf, Splatterhouse, Victory Run. I got enjoyment out of them.

[rCadeGaming]

We all have what we could call "guilty pleasures" I guess.  For some inexplicable reason I've played through 100% of Sonic R twice, and yet I know it's crap.  I guess you wouldn't want to call Bonk a guilty pleasure, but Splatterhouse would have to be...

Ninja Spirit is an arcade game.

I'm not sure how much I'll like pinball games, but I'll try the Crush games.  I haven't gotten much into Bubble Bobble yet either, so I'll try Parasol Stars.  I'll look into Dungeon Explorer and Bloody Wolf too.

Keep em comin!