Introduce Yourself / Turbo Mailing List Reminiscing

roflmao · 04/10/2011, 11:26 PM

Hi there!

I've been a lurker recently and finally decided to join up. I was reading a current thread that suggested an "Introduce Yourself" thread as there seems to be (primarily) two groups of Turbo-fans: Folks who have been fans since the time the Turbo/PC-Engine was released, and more recent fans, who have discovered this amazing system by word of mouth and from reviews on youtube (and other similar sites).

So I thought I'd introduce myself and get this thread going. Hopefully new users to this excellent forum will introduce themselves here as well so we can better gauge who is enjoying this system these days.

Just prior to starting high school in 1989 my family and I moved to Hawaii. That is where I first fell in love with the Turbografx-16. Actually it started with the Sega Master System, but I quickly opened my awareness to the TG16 and from there is was a pretty much monogamous relationship (until the SNES was released). I didn't own an NES until about 2000 just because it was always around. I never felt the need to own one until they started disappearing from friends living rooms. I was always drawn to the underdog systems. I was a huge supporter of both the Sega Saturn and the Dreamcast (both of which I still own).

So enough about me -- onto my relationship with the TG16. I was fanatical about it. My main purpose for keeping a job in high school was to feed my TG16 addiction. I purchased a TG16 in 1989. I bought the Express when it was initially released ($350!!) and the Turbo Booster (I don't remember what that cost me at release) and the CD-ROM attachment (Another $350 or $400) and remember shelling out easily $50-$60 per title, though due to my location there were lots of little import shops that sold PC-Engine CD-ROMS (I will never forget the day I purchased Spriggan or Street Fighter II). I spent a ridiculous amount of money on this system when it originally came out. And don't regret a penny of it. (well Keith Courage pretty much sucked, but you couldn't NOT get that game at the time).

In 1992 our house was robbed and my Express (With tv tuner!) and all of my turbochips were stolen (over 40 games! my largest system collection at the time.) Luckily the thieves didn't look in my closet and see my Turbografx w/CD Addon and all of the CD games or my SNES collection - but still it was thousands of dollars gone.

I eventually built my TG16 collection back up (even bought another Turbo Express and TurboVision). Heck, when the TurboDuo was released, I traded in my TG16 w/ CD attachment for one. Probably should have just kept the original system and purchased the TurboDuo outright, but I was a dumb highschooler - what did I know? And besides, that TurboDuo looked badass! Few (if any) systems since have looked as cool as the TurboDuo, IMO.

So in 2000, as a dumb college student I thought it made financial sense to sell off my entire Turbo collection. Including a Hori Stick and plenty of extremely rare games. What a dumbass. It wasn't 8 weeks before I felt the loss of that system and started rebuilding my collection... again!

So these days I have a TG16 w/ CD Attachment, System 3 card and an Arcade Pro Card, a TurboExpress w/ TurboVision (though the express has issues, which thankfully I've found this site to help me resolve them!) and a ton of games. The system doesn't get as much game time as it should (most of my friends these days have never even heard of the TG16, let alone remember its pure awesomeness). It's been boxed up for a few years now, but I think in the next week or so I'll have to get it out and hook it up to my old 27" JVC tube tv just to relive some of the awesome memories I've been reading about here.

Thank you for keeping such an amazing system alive.

BTW, I recognize a few of you back when there was a thriving mailing list for this system. I've probably bought games or accessories from some of you (10+ years ago!). I wouldn't say I was an active member back then, but I did participate in a fair share of auctions (back before ebay). Man, those auctions were awesome.

Jesse813 · 04/10/2011, 11:40 PM

I learned about this awesome place as it came up in forums on SEGA-16 a few times here and there so I decided to check it out and here I am

. I started collecting for the PCE a few years ago. I grew up w/ an SNES so spent lots of time playing the Mario & DKC Games, started getting into the Genesis & PCE in about 2008 and have been enjoying there excellent selection of games since than

Tatsujin · 04/11/2011, 12:00 AM

ROLFMAOL!

WC aboard.

Nazi NecroPhile · 04/11/2011, 10:41 AM

Welcome aboard!

By the way, though hardly thriving the Turbo Mailing List is still (barely) alive.

turbokon · 04/11/2011, 01:17 PM

Welcome aboard my turbo brother!!

DragonmasterDan · 04/11/2011, 01:57 PM

Welcome to the board, and yes a fair number of us migrated here from the Turbo list.

nat · 04/11/2011, 07:41 PM

QuoteBTW, I recognize a few of you back when there was a thriving mailing list for this system. I've probably bought games or accessories from some of you (10+ years ago!). I wouldn't say I was an active member back then, but I did participate in a fair share of auctions (back before ebay). Man, those auctions were awesome.

Those early years of the Turbo List were indeed awesome. What name did you use on there? I was "Nat" or "Nathan" depending on which email account I was using.

Thinking back to the TurboList... It was such a great resource for Turbo stuff, such a polar opposite of the online Turbo environment these days. Sure, PCEFX has tons of invaluable information on the system, but I'm talking hardware and games. In the old days on the TurboList, people would trade games regularly ("I'll give you Pac Land and Space Harrier for your Bonk 3"). Great deals were had on a daily basis. There was no eBay market bubble driving up prices, and Turbo players were carefree to buy and sell amongst each other without the nagging thought "What if I trade this game and tomorrow it sells on eBay for $300 more than it did yesterday?" The thought "I can't trade you this game for that game, this game is worth $200 more!" never entered anyone's mind; the games were just.... games.

Nowadays you've got people who could care less about playing the games hoarding 15 copies of Magical Chase because three months or years from now they'll be able to sell them all at 850% profit and go buy that Ferrari they've had their eye on.

(BTW, that Pac Land/SH/Bonk 3 trade was just one of many ACTUAL trades I made through the TurboList back in the day.)

blueraven · 04/11/2011, 11:43 PM

Welcome

roflmao · 04/12/2011, 11:07 AM

Thanks for all the warm welcomes! You guys are awesome.

I don't recall if I had any particular handle on the Mailing List; I was probably just Dan. I'm surprised it's still around - I must not use that email address anymore! :p

I remember back in those days there was a guy who converted NES Advantage controllers to Turbo or Duo controllers for dirt cheap - I picked one up from him and it was just full of awesome. He's not on this forum is he? I'd love to get another one or at least learn how to do it myself now.

Another fond memory of the Mailing List was all of the talk about people's "pilgrimages" to Akibahara to soak in all the pce goodness. I'm sure these days the shops in Akibahara don't cater as much to the pce as they once did, but if I ever get the opportunity, I'm still going to find out!

There was one guy who came back from Akibarhara with tons and tons of games (sorry I don't remember anyone's names!). He put together a VHS tape with intros and a few minutes of gameplay for a bunch of games he picked up there. Somewhere I still have that vhs tape and I think I can capture it with my computer. Does anyone remember what I'm talking about? Would anyone like for me to host that video? (If the creator of the video is on this forum, do you mind if I host it?)

Thanks all!

DragonmasterDan · 04/12/2011, 11:19 AM

Quote from: nat on 04/11/2011, 07:41 PM(BTW, that Pac Land/SH/Bonk 3 trade was just one of many ACTUAL trades I made through the TurboList back in the day.)

I bought four loose Turbo CDs/Super CDs in a CD wallet for 50.00 from someone on the Turbo list. They were Sherlock Holmes, Magical Dinosaur Tour, Dragon Slayer (which was the game I really wanted) and This bad boy. http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff85/DragonmasterDan/100_1982.jpg

I called TZD and got the manuals for those four games.
Needless to say I can't imagine I would have made such a deal today

shabba · 04/12/2011, 04:23 PM

I'd say my story is much the same as yours. I bought all my TG-16 stuff way back in high school, around '91, and have had most of it ever since. I wanted an Express but as a college student, I couldn't afford one. That shit was a car payment or two back then. I've finally gotten hold of a nice boxed one. My wife just picked up a copy of Might and Magic 3 so I suppose I'll be looking for a system card 3.0 or a turboduo soon enough as well.

majors · 04/12/2011, 05:27 PM

Ah, yes...the ML was great. Lot's of titles went through my hands with that list. I remember selling 7 or so sealed copies of Galaga '90 on there for $10 shipped. Good times, no gouging!

blueraven · 04/13/2011, 03:24 AM

Still on the turbolist on my old-school email since about 1999. Bought my first American Duo there in 2000. I also bought copies of Final Zone 2, Burai II, and Far East Of Eden Kabuki Den.

The comment Necromancer made about it being "Like an old dog farting to remind you it's still around." made me roflmao.

haha

TR0N · 04/13/2011, 06:55 AM

Hmm when i see the person name i'm reminded of this song dunno why

roflmao · 04/13/2011, 12:03 PM

That's funny!

esteban · 04/15/2011, 03:07 AM

Welcome, roflmao.

I got into tg-16 when it launched. I was on TurboList back in the day but I didn't trade/sell/buy (I wasn't interested at the time). I casually read the digests when I had free time, but I remember frequently deleting a lot of stuff without ever reading it. My priority wasn't tg-16 at the time of TurboList's heyday, it seems.

MasonSushi · 04/18/2011, 03:53 PM

I am Nintendo collector mostly. When I finished that set, I moved onto the 32X and discoverd a few new games and had a blast with them. I then decided to focus on colleciting sets, because it let me find all the obscure and under appreciated games in the library. The N64 and the Master System are teh next on my list. But then I played a tg-16 emulator and it was all over. I had to play for of that system.

Well i got my PCE a year or 2 ago and I have been enjoying the system ever since. I recently decided to make the plunge for the Hu set, and hope I can do it for a reasonable price. I have come to LOVE Parasol Stars and Blazing Lazers.

esteban · 04/18/2011, 05:32 PM

Welcome, MasonSushi (you are new to me, anyway

).

Was anyone here a member of the Prodigy community back in the early 90's? There were a handful of TG-16/PCE fans on there back in the day and I used to answer easy questions, but I loved asking 1-2 gurus tons of questions. I've mentioned Prodigy before, but I never find anyone who actually used it.

roflmao · 04/18/2011, 06:31 PM

Wow, I haven't thought of Prodigy in forever. I had friends on Prodigy but I was a Compuserve user for a while, then became an AOL user.

esteban · 04/19/2011, 12:54 AM

Quote from: guest on 04/18/2011, 06:31 PMWow, I haven't thought of Prodigy in forever. I had friends on Prodigy but I was a Compuserve user for a while, then became an AOL user.

Well, at least you know about Prodigy and Compuserve!

shabba · 04/21/2011, 03:24 PM

Quote from: esteban on 04/18/2011, 05:32 PMWelcome, MasonSushi (you are new to me, anyway ).

Was anyone here a member of the Prodigy community back in the early 90's? There were a handful of TG-16/PCE fans on there back in the day and I used to answer easy questions, but I loved asking 1-2 gurus tons of questions. I've mentioned Prodigy before, but I never find anyone who actually used it.

Wow...I was part of that back in high school. Jesus that is going back. I used to get on from school and get in trouble for not doing my work in computer science. A buddy and I made a Turbo Pascal program that was a basic text RPG for a project. Teacher was pissed that "weren't taking it seriously" and gave us low grades. It was then that I started getting on Prodigy and giving my finger to the class haha!

I remember being excited to talk about the TG-16 and how cool it was despite not owning a big library of games at that point.

thesteve · 04/21/2011, 05:14 PM

i got into the TG16 when it was first released in high school.
never had the cash for most upgrades/extras.
started getting broken ones and repairing them not long after.

esteban · 04/22/2011, 09:13 AM

Quote from: shabba on 04/21/2011, 03:24 PM
Quote from: esteban on 04/18/2011, 05:32 PMWelcome, MasonSushi (you are new to me, anyway ).

Was anyone here a member of the Prodigy community back in the early 90's? There were a handful of TG-16/PCE fans on there back in the day and I used to answer easy questions, but I loved asking 1-2 gurus tons of questions. I've mentioned Prodigy before, but I never find anyone who actually used it.
Wow...I was part of that back in high school. Jesus that is going back. I used to get on from school and get in trouble for not doing my work in computer science. A buddy and I made a Turbo Pascal program that was a basic text RPG for a project. Teacher was pissed that "weren't taking it seriously" and gave us low grades. It was then that I started getting on Prodigy and giving my finger to the class haha!

I remember being excited to talk about the TG-16 and how cool it was despite not owning a big library of games at that point.

When I was in computer science, not a single computer was online. The lab was a sea of Apple IIGS. I remember Turbo Pascal for class assignments, but I spent all my time writing games/demos in BASIC. My brother did the art (on graph paper! With a limited color palette!) and I would spend all my free time on the computer.

I wish I still had the program printouts, or his original art, or anything from back then.

Back to Prodigy...I was lucky enough to find folks who very knowledgeable in the topics I was interested in, which included:

1) music / music zines
2) "counter culture" zines
3) tg-16
4) what is college like? life after high school? -questions

ha!

shabba · 04/29/2011, 10:02 AM

Quote from: esteban on 04/22/2011, 09:13 AM
Quote from: shabba on 04/21/2011, 03:24 PM
Quote from: esteban on 04/18/2011, 05:32 PMWelcome, MasonSushi (you are new to me, anyway ).

Was anyone here a member of the Prodigy community back in the early 90's? There were a handful of TG-16/PCE fans on there back in the day and I used to answer easy questions, but I loved asking 1-2 gurus tons of questions. I've mentioned Prodigy before, but I never find anyone who actually used it.
Wow...I was part of that back in high school. Jesus that is going back. I used to get on from school and get in trouble for not doing my work in computer science. A buddy and I made a Turbo Pascal program that was a basic text RPG for a project. Teacher was pissed that "weren't taking it seriously" and gave us low grades. It was then that I started getting on Prodigy and giving my finger to the class haha!

I remember being excited to talk about the TG-16 and how cool it was despite not owning a big library of games at that point.
When I was in computer science, not a single computer was online. The lab was a sea of Apple IIGS. I remember Turbo Pascal for class assignments, but I spent all my time writing games/demos in BASIC. My brother did the art (on graph paper! With a limited color palette!) and I would spend all my free time on the computer.

I wish I still had the program printouts, or his original art, or anything from back then.

Back to Prodigy...I was lucky enough to find folks who very knowledgeable in the topics I was interested in, which included:

1) music / music zines
2) "counter culture" zines
3) tg-16
4) what is college like? life after high school? -questions ha!

I used Prodigy to find information on my favorite bands of the time, Faith No More and Queensryche. Wow...so long ago.

3000bc · 04/29/2011, 05:30 PM

I got into the TG16 in 1990 when I saw it on display in Radio Shack. Keith Courage actually impressed me at the time for a pack-in. My best friend (a huge Sega fan) begged me to get a Genesis instead, and would trash-talk the Turbo any chance he got. Actually, our friendship never really recovered from my TG16 purchase - it's amazing how seriously some of us took gaming in that era!

The few people I knew who had a Turbografx never bothered with the CDs and eventually moved on to the Genesis or SNES. Luckily I stuck with it and got the Express, Duo and most of the games when they came out, including Dynastic Hero (but not Magical Chase unfortunately). I'm surprised that there are so many fans for this system now and that the games are so insanely expensive. Stores could barely give this stuff away back in the day.

Anyways, I recently pulled out my collection after 15 years in storage. I also can't wait to play all the PC Engine imports that I had no easy way of getting back then (Neo Nectaris, Valis IV, Motoroader II, Ys IV, Rondo, etc.) Damn I love this system!

TEKTORO · 07/01/2011, 06:06 PM

Hey there to all,
Iam new to the site and looking foward to being part of the community!I found out about you guys threw Racketboys Turbo/PCE guides and happy to know theres a faithful solid community to learn and enjoy my Turbo/PCE.I have a massive passion for Retro gaming,and TG-16/duo hold high on my list for enjoyment.I currently own many great games for the systems (Now playing Beyond Shadowgate and Valis II).I would like to thank Pcenginefx for having a place to call home when you cant get enough info on the console we love so much.The compatibility charts/guides help a bunch when it came to deciding which Pcengine to get.I now own a TG16 and pcengine duo and proud of it.See you guys around

Nazi NecroPhile · 07/01/2011, 06:11 PM

Welcome aboard, TEK.

TEKTORO · 07/01/2011, 06:20 PM

Quote from: guest on 07/01/2011, 06:11 PMWelcome aboard, TEK.

Thanks!