Well, I thought it is due time that I get myself well and seated in the soul’s game, and with the help of technology and a much-needed PC upgrade, I was able to get my ass back in the game. You might be curious what I mean when I say, by technology, well this time around I am playing this game completely on the https://rpcs3.net/ emulator. Excitement and bewilderment confronted me, when I first loaded the game. For this being the older of the bunch, not mentioning the Kings Field games of course. My expectations are high, while still having a realistic level of excitement. Starting out this felt much easier and very welcoming, than how I encountered Dark Souls. The path and environments are not as linear and easy to understand as you would expect. Speaking of which, the first section of the game is very unclear on what you exactly need to do. What I mean is that I was running around blindly killing shit for hours before I finally figured out the hub and its purpose for both progress and fulfillment of the story.
The first section presents us in a large castle and there are hordes of zombie fiends and other disgusting beasts. It’s very depressing and downtrodden setting, much of what you have found comfortable and inviting with this style of games that fromSoft has given us. Well so far, I love the pace and the setting because it allows me enough time to get my bearings together and to learn the proper art of dueling and sparring with enemies.
The first boss is this giant black lava oozing blob that has these butcher knives that shoot out and try to kill you. I found it especially helpful to use the turpentine to enhance my weapons and summersault around the boss. It was with this victory that put in me my hope and determination to conquer the rest of the game.
Something a lot of people today are interested in today is media and entertainment, I am no exception. I was born in 1984 and at my inception, I was groomed and brought up on a healthy dosage of it. I think our family was one of the few in the early 90’s to have the privilege of owning a home computer, TV, VCR and Video Games. I even remember it being a big deal to go over to my cousin’s house and they had a home video camcorder, for recording home movies. And of course, my grandparents even had HBO in the early days, which was amazing being able to watch actual uncensored movies.
Throughout my childhood I had the privilege of owning a NES, compliments of my grandma (on my dad’s side). I remember it came packaged with a dual cart of volleyball and soccer. And then I remember having to a cool spot game, that was a sort of puzzle game. And then later introduced to the Mario games, Milons Secret Castle, Astyanax, Mad Max, Home Alone and who knows what else? this really sparked my interest in video games and my love for it as a kid.
After the NES, my parents bought me a Sega Game Gear and that interjected in me a love and interest for Sega, but what really drove my devotion to Sega was receiving my free subscription to Sega Visions magazine. Yes, I still don’t have any idea how I started getting the magazine, but I do vaguely remember turning in one of those cards that would be included in an instruction booklet and can only surmise that that must have been why they began sending it to me.
After the Game Gear, my memory gets a little cloudy, but I do recall selling my NES and its games to FuncoLand to buy a Sega CD. I remember having Willy Beamish, Vay, Sewer Shark, Rise of the Dragon. This was also what interjected in me a morbid curiosity about the taboo and suggestive themes possible in games. Yes, I had this morbid curiosity about that game Night Trap, and it was my pursuit or eventually try and obtain and own it. Well that never did happen for me. I was shot down by an employee at FuncoLand when they interrupted my purchase to let my mom know that it was an “adult” game. That is neither here nor there, but just a funny story I remember.
Later when all my friends were getting into the PlayStation, I went a different route and got a Saturn. I remember. Saving a long time to get Panzer Dragoon Saga off of eBay for $150, and the guy was nice enough to even include a copy of x-men vs street fighter, with the 4mb cart. The Saturn was when I really started to seriously collect and buy for. I had all the AAA games and then some. I worked my ass off working lawn car to pay for them. That was my biggest drive and motivator to do landscaping.
I then got a Dreamcast and collected and had a lot of games for that too, almost all the defining games. In between all of this I remember having a PSX and N64, and PlayStation 2. This was more fueled by my older brother. I did get a 360 later and really enjoyed that console, especially the Xbox live service. This introduced me to Dark Souls and really jump started my love and interest for next generation games.
So, this summarizes and concludes my collecting for video games in retrospect it was a fun and memorable experience, but something about video games is that there was always video game outlets and sites like eBay where you could buy, sell, trade and this like a kind of recycling and retribution helped give and take the hobby. I think all this to say, is that now in my adult life I will never, and no way shape or form ever dream or even think about owning any of this stuff today.
As for today I buy digitally and play on computer. Most games I enjoy today are via emulation. If I feel a moral conviction or obligation about something I will pay or do my civil duty to compensate something that I believe garners it vestment. But no, I will not have a room loaded with physical media to show off and brag about online. See when I collected video games, it wasn’t so much a thing of what it is today.
I love video games, I like playing them, I love that it encourages brain activity and motor function, it encourages friendly competition and comradeship with people. It’s a healthy and positive past time. But like anything else it does have its share of pitfalls and dangers. But one thing I know about physical media and collecting really anything for that matter, is that we are mortal and finite beings that will someday be dissolved from this earth, and when your dead and gone none of that stuff will accompany you or be a part of you. And yes, I do believe that there will be a judgment and a moment before God where we will need to answer and account for our time here on this earth, and I do with all sincerity hope that He will find my life here an acceptable example of living. And if you’re not a believer yourself, I encourage you to do some searching and develop a relationship with God or at least come to terms or grips with whatever you find agreeable in your existence. Because see it’s not up to me, it’s up to you as an individual and as your own person to decide and figure this stuff out for yourself.
A youtube channel by the name of Black Z Studios Electronics Entertainment has several videos showing games like Panzer Dragoon Saga and Guardian Heroes being emulated. Here is an excerpt you can find from on their youtube page.
DEMO of a development version. Work in progress. The current version of the SEGA Saturn™ Station emulator produces several bugs with this games such as error calculation in 3D positions, graphical glitches, etc. Also it needs to implements features like RBG screen emulation.” -via youtube page
There are already several guides available to help you with the Emulating the Saturn, but I thought I would offer my expertise and put together my own guide concerning this under dog of a console. Note this guide is for Windows users.
First things first…
Getting an Emulator is actually a lot easier than times past. It seemed that the only available option was SSF , easily the highest compatibility of the bunch. But the GUI leaves a lot to be desired, and the options of graphical enhancements are left to a bare minimum. That being the said, the newest version “TestVer (07-02-2017)” does indeed include an overhaul to modifying and adjusting settings to make games look pretty damn good.
The Emulator that I personally use unless of course there is compatibility issues is Yabause, particularly the unofficial port uoYabause. I find that uoYabause offers more functionality and is also frequently updated. By that same token I find Yabause to run games better than uoYabause on windows 10.
A multi-console Emulator of interest is Mednafen. I have tried several ROM’s with this EMU and find that it is virtually flawless in terms of compatibility. It does not offer any kind of Gui so be prepared to use a terminal and operate settings through command prompts. You can however download a GUI, such as MedGui v2.00 aka MedGui Reborn and/or Mednaffe. I personally cannot tolerate programs such as Retroarch, but I might as well at-least mention it. In terms of graphical enhancement it is bare minimum. And you might just as well use an Emu like SSF. Though it is a remarkable project and they are making up to date progress with it.
I feel as if I am morally obligated to mention, that piracy of any kind is illegal and not encouraged. If you legally own the hardware and games, than it is fine. On the other hand Retro gaming has become nothing more than a bragging right, and if you spend in the upward of $500-1000 for a video game you’re clearly trying to over compensate for some inability in your life. I could run off on a tangent concerning the state of current retro gaming, but I feel like I am the old man in the chair, complaining about “times past”. All the same, I grew up as a kid with original hardware and games. Even into my adulthood I held onto my Saturn and Dreamcast, and collected all the well sought after titles of today. I digress, you can find a lot of good information HERE, HERE and HERE, for Rom‘s and Bio files. Listen, out of print titles and merchandise go to individual consumers and do not benefit the manufacturer. Your patronage is better suited in buying next gen SEGA merchandise.
Something a lot of people today are interested in today is media and entertainment, I am no exception. I was born in 1984 and at my inception, I was groomed and brought up on a healthy dosage of it. I think our family was one of the few in the early 90’s to have the privilege of owning a home computer, TV, VCR and Video Games. I even remember it being a big deal to go over to my cousin’s house and they had a home video camcorder, for recording home movies. And of course, my grandparents even had HBO in the early days, which was amazing being able to watch actual uncensored movies.
After the Game Gear, my memory gets a little cloudy, but I do recall selling my NES and its games to FuncoLand to buy a Sega CD. I remember having Willy Beamish, Vay, Sewer Shark, Rise of the Dragon. This was also what interjected in me a morbid curiosity about the taboo and suggestive themes possible in games. Yes, I had this morbid curiosity about that game Night Trap, and it was my pursuit or eventually try and obtain and own it. Well that never did happen for me. I was shot down by an employee at FuncoLand when they interrupted my purchase to let my mom know that it was an “adult” game. That is neither here nor there, but just a funny story I remember.
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