This Forum

[PooshhMao]

In the beginning, it was. Shmups founder McNasty supported emulation openly, and offered a modest amount of roms up for download.
Roms that were all but recent and profitable of course - the guy had ethics.

Then there was Shmups MK2, and then Malc claimed the site again. From then on a swarm of terribly anal emu-haters claimed control of these boards, threads were censored, hideouts were raided, open supporters publicly humiliated. People not prepared to spend half a months wage on a videogame had no business here. The situation's loosened up somewhat recently, and emulation became discussable again.

ROM links and such should be avoided - we don't want or need attention from abusive nazi organisations such as IDSA (yes, suing a twelve year old girl surely sends the right message to the music downloading community) and such.

[GIANT SQUID]

I can agree with the fact that this forum really feels like it is a collectors meeting place, but i do see the few that love shooters. i have a pretty okay collection of shooters, and i don't do the PCB and import scene....i wish i had battle garegga so bad,... i really do. but it is not worth it to me. games are not about being privliged enough to play them. but i see the allure of a rare, good, game. it is neat to get a hold of them. but i am starting to feel that this "collection" is starting to own ME. so just play to play, and you will be happy. OR collect to collect... whatever makes ya happy. just don't do either to look cool. cause honestly...there really is nothing cool about paying hundreds for a single game. but yes...one day i WILL own some arcade pcb's, but only when it is in my price range...and only for MVS games and stretfighter hahahah.

[iatneH]

I wouldn't have started buying PCBs had it not been for emulation. There are games that I've emulated and loved to play, as well as games that have not been emulated but I've had a chance to play in a commercial arcade, but I guess as someone has mentioned, it is in my head when I say I feel all warm inside when I know I have these things in my hands.

At one point I was on the verge of either building a MAME cabinet or going supergun, but it was that (irrational?) collector's mentality that pushed me over to the supergun.

And about emulating ESP RaDe... it's one of my favourite games (that I don't own) but an arcade nearby has it, and I go play at the arcade rather than emulate because there's more slowdown in the actual PCB, it makes the game a bit easier :D

[llabnip]

there really is nothing cool about paying hundreds for a single game. but yes...

Why do people assume a collection has to cost loads of money? Many of the very best games (especially "classics" that are not current-generation) can be had for under a buck if you are willing to hit thrift stores, yard sales, etc. I've found all of my Atari 2600 consoles sitting on people's grass on a Saturday morning drive. None of them cost more than $10 and most were in the $3 range (and those more expensive were the boxed variety). NES, SNES, Genesis, Saturn and PSX consoles and games are all out there waiting to be picked up for 50 cents here and a buck there. Even online there are some great deals... make a game of it - look for buy-it-nows that are purposely lower than the average, look for common misspellings (did you know that a mis-spelled Silvergun went for $70 last year?) or just wait for a good auction that others aren't bidding on and snag it cheaply. Even with games that are rare - pick it up for a bit less than the average and you can enjoy it and re-sell it later for no significant loss (think of it as an ultra-high quality rental). Find some good online places and keep watch when games go on discount. Collections do not need to be built with a wad of cash. Another thing you can do is buy games you know are profitable - a Super Mario Bros 3 cart (I find one every other week) for 50 cents will sell on ebay for $5 to $7. A Super Mario RPG for a buck will sell for $20. Sell enough of these and buy your PCB and stop bitching about how only the privileged can play "real" games and the rest need to steal/download/'evaluate' them.

[BulletMagnet]

In my case MAME has actually led to me buying a lot of stuff...DoDonPachi, Garegga, Parodius, Batsugun, etc...I tried 'em all out in MAME first, determined how much I liked them, and decided how much (if anything) I'd be willing to pay for a port of each. Some stuff I bought quickly, others I waited awhile to find a deal, but in any event I would have had no way to test the waters when it came to this stuff had it not been for MAME, and probably wouldn't have been willing to shell out a bunch of cash on games I'd never played and hope for the best. For me, MAME is more like a rental service than anything else, and I'm glad it's there; I also get to try out some of the stuff that never got a home port, which is a bonus, since I can't afford the space or cash to collect actual arcade stuff. Considering how much stuff I HAVE bought, though, I can't say I feel exceedingly guilty about that.

[D]

Do you have hands on experience with buying another non-video game non-sega equipment and putting it in the Saturn?

No - then again, I've not had a Saturn........

Phew thanks, I was really worried there for a bit.
That's alot of Saturns floating around

*proven wrong (again)*

[Bishamon]

I agree that, in some cases, members may need to just chill out a bit. Despite buying 99% of all media I listen to, watch, or play today, back when I was a teen I had maybe three original C64 games and over 100 pirated games.

I enjoy playing games and I enjoy collecting games. Even if emulated versions (or CD-R copies of console games) played exactly the same (in some cases, they do), it still feels better to me to actually own the official version of the game. If I enjoy music by a certain band, I actually can't bring myself to listen to a copy if I don't actually own the CD. Lately I've been playing the Raiden Fighters series more on Mame than on the SPI carts, but I feel much happier playing the slightly inferior Mame versions because I have the SPI carts sitting on the shelf. To some, this will sound crazy, but that's the way I am. Part of it is my obsessive nature, and part of it is having grown up before downloading MP3s (and other content) was as acceptable as it is now. I have a real 'pride of ownership' thing which actually improves my enjoyment. It may all be in my head, but does that really matter? I consider videogames works of art, and I like owning original pieces, even when I'm playing a copy. There is also something more tangible to the experience of hooking up a PCB, or an old console, turning on the power, and playing on the actual intended hardware.

[Thunder Force]

Oh. Another mostly unsubstantiated rant topic, about why the forum doesn't fit someone's particular opinion of the shmupping scene. This time, apparently combined with a sprinkle of revisionist history about Shmups MK2? Let's try to keep this thread more constructive than "I've got gripes with you guys", because this one won't be allowed to get out of hand and explode into 200+ posts of flaming like the last one

Oh, and very clearly:

discussion of emulation is not a problem.

[CMoon]

Enjoying collecting and enjoying the games are not mutually exclusive.

This really is no different than saying that people who enjoy collecting cds and people who enjoy listening to music are a different group of people. I suppose if you REALLY love music, you should just download everything??

I know there is some truth behind your original post--that some collectors do not care about what they are collecting, only that it sits in their collection, but I really feel those are a rare breed. I wouldn't collect games and music if I didn't love both.

And yes, as llabnip says, a great deal of games (and even the consoles they operate on) can be had for very cheap. If you want to go the mame route (necessary for a few games), by all means go the mame route, but this is just another artificial division between the people on this board.

Ultimately, we are all still playing shmups. Having or not having a collection is up to you. (that said, I'd actually like to see more 'gameplay' posts)

[PooshhMao]

I have a real 'pride of ownership' thing

Capitalist dog!

[Dandy J]

I really don't think this forum is that collector-centric. I see way more discussion about score systems/new games than collector chat.

[Palmer Eldritch]

Let me tell you, I've played EspRaDe quite a bit on MAME but I just got the PCB the other day and it'sa completely different experience. It's just a very fun experience to have arcade machines in your home.

I agree wholeheartedly. It *IS* a unique experience. Perhaps because this was something we could only dream of as kids, and now, lo and behold, there´s a friggin arcade cabinet playing a cool shooter in your living room. (the dream-thing... could be only me, granted).

My point is, that having an actual PCB in a cabinet is a great experience that I wouldn´t want to be without, now that I´ve tried it.
My son and I converted part of the garage outside and installed four cabinets with shooters.
We have our own mini-arcade. It´s surreal, but amazing at the same time.

I wouldn´t dream of bashing emulation. But I also wouldn´t want to see this place turn into emulation-heaven, a place where the mere act of buying an original PCB or the occasional rare game is frowned upon.

[FatCobra]

I'm for and against emulation. Confused? Well, I see both sides to emulation.

The good things about emulation is that you get to play games you never got a chance to play or don't own anymore. In some cases, like the GBA, you can actually try before you buy (no game rental store I know of rents GBA games). It's also helpful for collectors and those who don't want to pull their old system and games out of the closet. What's easier, booting up a ROM or pulling that SNES out of the junk in the basement? Plus, you can preserve your games longer and the save files will never disapper due to a dead battery. With emulators, you can do some funky stuff like enhance the graphics, speed up the game to skip things like slow dialog and boring cutscenes, and save your game using save states. Plus, it's great for broke people or cheap bastards like me.

Now the bad things. Emulation is of course illegal and roms are hard to find sometimes. The compatiablity isn't 100% most of the time (especially if you're using a crap computer), and the sound isn't always accurate. Also, it feels soulless, but this is coming from a guy who believes it's better to own the actual thing, especially with GBA games. They look like crap on a monitor, but look awesome on my DS screen.

Basically, I use emulation to try games before I buy them (GBA and older games of course) and to relive the old days. I delete the roms shortly after I buy the game. Since I don't have the space or the funds to buy PCBs and build my own arcade, MAME has to do. At least I don't have to worry about quarters or broken sticks.

[BulletMagnet]

(that said, I'd actually like to see more 'gameplay' posts)

Methinks that those are just as likely to degenerate into flames as any other topic, if not more...

"Discuss Game XYZ's scoring system, etc."
"That game sucks!"
"It does not! YOU just suck too much to see how great it is!"
"No, YOU suck too much to see how crappy it is!"
Etc.

IMHO, the types of topics discussed don't create the problem, but rather the people who view opinions on games which conflict with theirs as either a) Some sort of personal insult aimed directly at their person and all that they stand for, and/or 2) Proof that only their opinion on anything is worth jack diddly.

[Icarus]

Off Topic:

I've also been here for a long time...since 97 or so. (I laugh when people think this site is sorta new) Things were a lot more simplified back then. There was FAR LESS flaming/arguing/bullshit going on, thats for sure. Then again, there were only 20 or so members posting maybe 3 times a week!

But yes, I do remember those days when nobody really looked down on emulation. In fact, one could even download Emu's and ROMZ right here at Shmups.com!!!! Go figure!?
Nowadays, if you so much as ask about emulation, chances are you will be stoned to death. (Thanks to Raymond Mckeithen the Turd...I'm mean III)
It was all about playing and enjoying "Wee Spaceship Shooties"... and not the morals of how you aquired them.

That's because back then, there was only about 30 active members. Everything was very close knit, everyone knew everyone else. The Forum, the main site and the IRC channel were like one whole, where things - no matter how taboo, like ROMs, games and MP3s - were (sometimes) shared, people discussed old and new games with enthusiasm, and the users could agree that there was a kind of harmony, a nice, peaceful, friendly atmosphere.

Nowadays, everything seems seperated. Users on the IRC channel don't bother with the forum; users of the forum don't care about the IRC channel; the site, while looking very strong, seems seperate from everything. Nothing feels as close knit as it used to be, partly because of the rapidly ballooning usercount of the community. The atmosphere here isn't as peaceful and calm as it used to be, lately there is a lot of hostility going around with flamewars, over-aggressiveness (a lot of the posters on this thread are guilty of that, myself included in some cases) and unnecessary arguments and snide comments.

I agree with Rando's comment that way back when, there was very little strategy and gameplay discussion at all (at least, not until the DDP Challenge started). But back then, the community was looking towards a future that may never see any new shooters released ever again, so older stuff was discussed/debated with fervour. You new users should count yourselves lucky that there is so much being developed in the shooter scene now, because back then, we would be lucky to see one or two a year, if at all.

Because of the massive increase in the userbase, everyone is now restricted in sharing things. Fair enough, it's about copyright, and no one wants to be shut down over distributing illegal stuff, but a long time ago, no-one in the smaller community cared.

It is quite saddening to see the change in direction. I still love the site and the scene, but the way things are changing here, I'm starting to lose enthusiasm about it. A lot of the older members of the forum have long since disappeared, or are still around, but don't contribute any more. *Sigh*

On Topic:
What's the problem with discussing purchases? It's fine if you like to play games in an emulator, because that's your choice. Just don't rag on those who actually like to own the game in it's original state, regardless of cost. This is a hobby, and like all hobbies, you get back what you invest.

And besides, a good collection can be had on the cheap, if you know where to look.

And I use emulation myself, but often only to try a game before I buy it. And I've bought way too many the past 18 years to quantify the amount I've spent. -_-

[undamned]

If you thought this thread would not blow up into an "emu vs. real" discussion, you should know better if you've been around as long as you say you have.

And your whole "someday the original hardware is going to die" hook is a lousy excuse, as this will not come into play for a good 20 - 30 years, if that. My 20+ year old original Pacman PCB is running just fine. And my almost 20 year old NES? It works just fine too. And if you want to talk CD based systems, I bet you there's about the same, or even worse, failure rate for PS2 than for older CD systems. There's always more.

Rando hit the nail on the head: looking for shmup love? Hit the strategy forums.
-ud

[Herr Schatten]

IMHO, the types of topics discussed don't create the problem, but rather the people who view opinions on games which conflict with theirs as either a) Some sort of personal insult aimed directly at their person and all that they stand for, and/or 2) Proof that only their opinion on anything is worth jack diddly.

Quoted for truth.

If two years ago the board would have been as hostile as it is today, i'd never have joined.

It is quite saddening to see the change in direction. I still love the site and the scene, but the way things are changing here, I'm starting to lose enthusiasm about it. A lot of the older members of the forum have long since disappeared, or are still around, but don't contribute any more.

I couldn't agree more, even though I haven't been around as long as some others.

[jp]

Please STOP claiming emulators are evil and inferior - I used to own a chipped Saturn seven years ago or so, and every game I had on that machine is available in superior form on MAME.

Except for Hyper Duel, Battle Garegga, Radiant Silvergun, Soukyugurentai, Cotton 2, Cotton Boomerang, Game Tengoku... shit, way too many to list, sure.

"within ten years, there won't be any working Saturns left, and there goes your 400$ Radiant Silvergun 'investment'."

Really? Because there are still working pong machines, arcade cabs, etc. from 30 years ago. Strange that all Saturns will mysteriously die after 20 years.

And the only $400 Radiant Silvergun is a sealed one.

Plenty people haven't got the luxury here of having plenty of disposable income - me, I have to pay for my own house and own food, and every once in a while I'd like to go out and have a few beers with my mates.

Go to college, get a better job, and quit bitching.

No doubt this'll attract it's fair share of flames - I suspect most of the flamers will be middle-upper class people still living with their mommy and daddy.

Um... yeah. Interesting, I have an apartment, I go to college majoring in Optical Engineering, I have a job as a Manager/AV technician for the University Center, and I can still afford all kinds of stuff. Its my theory that people bitching about people actually buying games are high school drop outs working at Wal-Mart, so please quit crying.

[PooshhMao]

Please STOP claiming emulators are evil and inferior - I used to own a chipped Saturn seven years ago or so, and every game I had on that machine is available in superior form on MAME.

Except for Hyper Duel, Battle Garegga, Radiant Silvergun, Soukyugurentai, Cotton 2, Cotton Boomerang, Game Tengoku... shit, way too many to list, sure.

"within ten years, there won't be any working Saturns left, and there goes your 400$ Radiant Silvergun 'investment'."

Really? Because there are still working pong machines, arcade cabs, etc. from 30 years ago. Strange that all Saturns will mysteriously die after 20 years.

And the only $400 Radiant Silvergun is a sealed one.

Plenty people haven't got the luxury here of having plenty of disposable income - me, I have to pay for my own house and own food, and every once in a while I'd like to go out and have a few beers with my mates.

Go to college, get a better job, and quit bitching.

No doubt this'll attract it's fair share of flames - I suspect most of the flamers will be middle-upper class people still living with their mommy and daddy.

Um... yeah. Interesting, I have an apartment, I go to college majoring in Optical Engineering, I have a job as a Manager/AV technician for the University Center, and I can still afford all kinds of stuff. Its my theory that people bitching about people actually buying games are high school drop outs working at Wal-Mart, so please quit crying.

The first flame's in I'm all tempted to insult you back now, but I'm not gonna. Read again, college boy, but pay some attention this time - I'm not bashing people who buy games. That'd be very lame. I still buy games myself, even some I have warez'ed copies of. It's indeed nice to have the originals sometimes. Rather, I was just getting very bored of every other post dealing with value this and rarity that. But a well educated, clever and probably overweight ignorant Yank like yourself would find it hard to adjust their snobby theory. Oops, broke my promise

Not so sure about your list myself - Battle Garegga, Hyper Duel and Game Tengoku appear very fine to me in MAME.

[jp]

Please STOP claiming emulators are evil and inferior - I used to own a chipped Saturn seven years ago or so, and every game I had on that machine is available in superior form on MAME.

Except for Hyper Duel, Battle Garegga, Radiant Silvergun, Soukyugurentai, Cotton 2, Cotton Boomerang, Game Tengoku... shit, way too many to list, sure.

"within ten years, there won't be any working Saturns left, and there goes your 400$ Radiant Silvergun 'investment'."

Really? Because there are still working pong machines, arcade cabs, etc. from 30 years ago. Strange that all Saturns will mysteriously die after 20 years.

And the only $400 Radiant Silvergun is a sealed one.

Plenty people haven't got the luxury here of having plenty of disposable income - me, I have to pay for my own house and own food, and every once in a while I'd like to go out and have a few beers with my mates.

Go to college, get a better job, and quit bitching.

No doubt this'll attract it's fair share of flames - I suspect most of the flamers will be middle-upper class people still living with their mommy and daddy.

Um... yeah. Interesting, I have an apartment, I go to college majoring in Optical Engineering, I have a job as a Manager/AV technician for the University Center, and I can still afford all kinds of stuff. Its my theory that people bitching about people actually buying games are high school drop outs working at Wal-Mart, so please quit crying.

The first flame's in I'm all tempted to insult you back now, but I'm not gonna. Read again, college boy, but pay some attention this time - I'm not bashing people who buy games. That'd be very lame. I still buy games myself, even some I have warez'ed copies of. It's indeed nice to have the originals sometimes. Rather, I was just getting very bored of every other post dealing with value this and rarity that.

Not so sure about your list myself - Battle Garegga, Hyper Duel and Game Tengoku appear very fine to me in MAME.

Interesting, because last time I checked this isn't DigitPress or Neo-Geo.com, and there is very MINIMAL discussion on "this game is rare, how much of this game is there, whats this game's value?" So I think you're:
A. Trying to post this on another message board where said discussions actually occur.
B. Just whining for the sake of whining.

But regardless, this thread has no purpose on this forum because, well, it has nothing to do with shmups. Its just you crying about playing MAME. And last time I checked, very few people on these forums give a shit about emulation. Once again, that would be neo-geo.com.

Battle Garegga, Hyper Duel, and Game Tengoku all have extra versions on the Saturn. So no, they aren't as good "in MAME".

But a well educated, clever and probably overweight ignorant Yank like yourself would find it hard to adjust their snobby theory. Oops, broke my promise

Oh God, just go to the IGN Vestibule now. Thats probably the single most pathetic remark I have seen on this forum yet. I don't know if you're calling me a "yank" as in the British term or the US one, but if its the US one then I can assure you, the only two states I've ever lived in are Alabama and North Carolina. Everything else is just too juvenile to even comment on. And FYI, I only flamed you because:

"No doubt this'll attract it's fair share of flames - I suspect most of the flamers will be middle-upper class people still living with their mommy and daddy."


Yeah, that alone shows that you're just some drop out who resents people who can actually do something for themselves.

[PooshhMao]

Alabama? Isn't that where school teachers are instructed to teach creationism and consider Darwin's theories as pagan?

Sorry, I'll stop now, I'm being anything but constructive. I do find comfort in the fact that from all the nice replies received, you're the only one disagreeing in a childish 'get with the program' manner.

What say we have this thread closed before one of us gets his feeling hurt?

[jp]

Alabama? Isn't that where school teachers are instructed to teach creationism and consider Darwin's theories as pagan?

Sorry, I'll stop now, I'm being anything but constructive. I do find comfort in the fact that from all the nice replies received, you're the only one disagreeing in a childish 'get with the program' manner.

What say we have this thread closed before one of us gets his feeling hurt?

[undamned]

PooshhMao, quit your stereotyping and contribute to this community or leave. Yes, Get with the program.
-ud

[Randorama]

Oh. Another mostly unsubstantiated rant topic, about why the forum doesn't fit someone's particular opinion of the shmupping scene. This time, apparently combined with a sprinkle of revisionist history about Shmups MK2? Let's try to keep this thread more constructive than "I've got gripes with you guys", because this one won't be allowed to get out of hand and explode into 200+ posts of flaming like the last one

Oh, and very clearly:

discussion of emulation is not a problem.

The original thread "I've got gripes with you guys" was focused on gameplay, though, and i happen to remember that it was before the creation of a Strategy section. Also, its juvenile nature of bitching was partially questionable due to one basic aspect: wtf you rant about if you don't move a finger to have some changes happenning?

On the other side, latest flames have one characteristic in common: the apparently sound and rational habit to decide what's wrong and what's right in the way a person enjoys a game, or trying to find normative ways about how someone in Japan should produce games. It is also amanzingly frequent how the persons who witch-hunt about unchangeable things (like, say, Garegga's rank, but please feel free to point out any other examples) seem to be surrounded by an aura of invicibility and allowed to happily insult others, while the ones who "defend" the scapegoat of the moment are to be considered irrational.

Personally, most of the hostility i see around is based on a sort of anxiety syndrome: "omg the genre is dying (What? There are more shmups now than 5 years ago) we (we who?) should cherish everything etc etc", which is quickly burnt off at the very moment of the game's release. On the other side, but someone (and i won't make names) is missing, so infinite flames about "omg fake low-res" seem to be trascurable.Lastly, there seems to be a few "casual hangers" who really post because ehi, 2D is dying and now shmups are cool, aren't they?

If we want to be more specific, the general hostility is somewhat aboundant in two specific sections: Shmups Chat and Off-topic. The other sections have specific purposes and well, the general tone seems to be completely different. After all, if someone wants to find out how a game works, there's simply no point in flaming - it works in a given way, you learn the rules, discussion is cooperative.

I would add that a user has the right not to love sheepishly everyone on this forum: personally, i keep relationships with persons based on things we share together.If i find that someone with my same musical taste, for instance, has a questionable view about democracy, i won't feel compelled to agree with him because of the "omg community thingie!".

My two cents.

[M0nk3y]

Suppose I should comment....

Ok, so piracy is bad, right. And emulation is basically using a free piece of software to play a game ROM/ISO that you haven't paid for in any way, shape or form (and no, the cost of your PC/Xbox/monthly BB subscription doesn't count). Which would be stealing right? And shoving £/$50 in a cabinet at an arcade doesn't give you the right to d/l the game either, as you were paying for a provided service.

If you want to play DDP or LayerSection, get a Saturn or a PSone and buy the damn game. You don't need to play the Mame ROM, as these are perfectly good home conversions. There's enough affordable console shooters (conversions or originals) to satisfy anyone. Be happy with the games that are available for your console(s) of choice. If you really want to play Batrider buy the PCB and build/buy a supergun/cabinet. I personally refuse to pay the (IMHO) silly prices for AES games. Does that mean I should basically 'steal' these games and play them on an Emu? No, I chose to consolize an MVS and buy the same games, but cheaply. Seems odd that Piracy/ROMs/ISOs are frowned upon, but MAME seems to be accepted as OK?? I'm sure Raizing don't think it's OK you're d/ling their hard work for free. People need to use self control. Just because you have a PC/Xbox that is capable of playing ROMs, that doesn't automatically give you the right to fill the HDD with Mame/SNES/MD whatever ROMs.

Sorry to sound harsh, but the world is a harsh shite place and things just aren't free. Unfortunately, if you want to play Radient Silvergun, its gonna cost you £80-100 or a bit more for an STV MoBo and the cart version.. Sorry, but through no fault of mine, or yours, that's the way it is. If you can't afford it, that doesn't in any way give you the right to burn a copy and chip your Saturn. Currently, I can't play Batrider, Progear etc as I need to build another Jamma rig and sort out a display (either CRT/LCD). I could play them on my Xbox, but that would be stealing (and Xbox isn't for playing games, it's for running XBMC).... So yeah, I'm gonna have to buy the PCBs.

I too have to run a household, X5 BMW, fund a Missus and a 1yr old. And there's another sproglet due in February. All this needs to be paid for, before I even start on my daft videogaming adventures or clothes shopping in Paul Smith. And no, I'm not a collector. I buy these games to play.

But I'm not going to judge anyone, it's not my place. All of the above is my personal opinion. Disagree with me if you want. If you don't want people to judge you, don't mention in posts how you're playing a certain game. Ask about the AC version, or the home version. No need to mention Mame or burned disks at all. Let's get back to talking games. I don't think you should steal games, and I'm sure someone out there would object to this rather um, herbal roll-up I'm currently chugging away on. Each to their own, do as you choose in life (just don't get caught).

[Zweihander]

Hi,

I might not have posted much here but I've been a shmups visitor since it's humble beginnings. I love to read and talk shmups, and I feel the need to vent - just about every post is about collecting, owning, value, ebay, shrinkwrap, rarity, prices, ebay, greedy, having the biggest penis, and emu-bashing.

I miss the good old days where shmups was about dissecting the games, enjoying them, and reading reviews. Malc and postie weren't anal about playing 'the real thing', in it's less than arcade-perfect, degradable form.

Nowadays the boards are overrun by collectoholics who seem to value owning a game more than playing it.

I have no right to tell you people what to discuss, and there might not be that much activity yet, but I hope the shootthecore forums'll be all about playing and enjoying the games again.

Please STOP claiming emulators are evil and inferior - I used to own a chipped Saturn seven years ago or so, and every game I had on that machine is available in superior form on MAME. If you claim playing games through emulation is a soulless experience, please take the time to set it up properly and get a good controller - within ten years, there won't be any working Saturns left, and there goes your 400$ Radiant Silvergun 'investment'.

Plenty people haven't got the luxury here of having plenty of disposable income - me, I have to pay for my own house and own food, and every once in a while I'd like to go out and have a few beers with my mates.

No doubt this'll attract it's fair share of flames - I suspect most of the flamers will be middle-upper class people still living with their mommy and daddy.

www.livejournal.com

[visuatrox]

I guess I have to add my view too, as I guess I'm one of those evil collectoholics that actually buy stuff and ruin this place Although I like playing the games too, is that wrong or do I have to choose between being a gamer or a collector?.. maybe I can just be pure evil... I'm confused

[Raidenfighter Kirkov]

I guess I have to add my view too, as I guess I'm one of those evil collectoholics that actually buy stuff and ruin this place Although I like playing the games too, is that wrong or do I have to choose between being a gamer or a collector?.. maybe I can just be pure evil... I'm confused

If you just scored 6 6 6 at Galaga your are SATAN himself my friend.

So beware the shmup inquisition...we double check all your scores !



Ah btw. you are one of those satanic collectors ? Damn, couldnt you start to collect rpg´s instead of shooters ?



Greetings
RFK

[kemical]

You close with a nice bit of flamebait...


It was mame that really opened the door to shooters for me, since I didn't know what was out there.. and I like mame a lot. And emulation is great.

but honestly it feels much more worthwhile playing a shooter that I own in physical form, than playing it on mame or some other emulator.

I think it might just be a psychological thing related to actually having spent money on the game and everything though. I just dedicate more time to the ones I own rather than playing it on mame...

I'm really picky with shooters too, so I won't even touch esprade or guwange anymore on mame, even though I credit fed them when they first were emulated, ...gotta take it one game at a time. (mame was just too much to choose from, no real weight to feel dedicated to one particular game)..

So now with actually collecting the games, even if I've already played them on mame, I feel like I'm actually doing something and it helps motivate me to actually try 1cc, etc, on a game. can't really describe it completely.

It's the same reason I tracked down a complete copy of Ranger-X for genesis so that I could 1 life it isntead of just playing on an emulator.. it's a game I loved when I was younger (and still do) and dedicating that much time to playing it on an emulator just isn't doing the game enough justice or wahtever... just how I feel.

[TWITCHDOCTOR]

^ Its not any form of "psychological attachment from having spent money".
Its holding the original in your hand, setting it on the shelf when not in use.
The whole "package deal". (artwork,manual.marqee,etc,etc)

You mean to tell me, that if I GAVE you my Sega Saturn with 50 or so shmups, you would simply sell it off to upgarde your computer to install more ROMZ?