Questions about my Saturn

[J-Manic]

First of all, I own the grey and blue model, just so you know.

(1) For some reason, my Blast Wind isn't playing. It's been almost a month since I last played it, and it's played fine until today for some reason. I can hear the lens working and the disc spinning (sometimes I can hear it spinning super fast). All of my other games are playing just fine. It's just my Blast Wind that doesn't want to load. Anyone know what the reason for this might be?

(2) How do you take out that small circular battery in that port in the back of the console? I can figure it out, and I don't want to risk breaking anything. I need to replace it with a new one.

(3) Would that battery have anything to do with Blast Wind not working?


Thanks.

[Limbrooke]

1. This might be obvious, but is Blast Wind the disc in worse condition than the rest of your games? That seems the most likely. Otherwise I'd question how you're playing BW, on an official JP Saturn, or domestically with some bypass device, although I've not heard of any issues there.

2. Remove the back panel on the Saturn, and simply pop out the CR2032 Li-On battery. A flat-head screwdriver works well for me. Of course be cautious.

3. As far as I know, not a chance.

[J-Manic]

Thanks for replying.

My copy of Blast Wind is in near mint condition, with barely any scratches. I have a some games that are in far worse condition, and yet they all play perfectly. My Saturn is a 100% authentic Japanese Saturn, and so are all of my games.

You know, I also have the same problem with my copy of Shin Shinobi Den, which I bought brand new. That game rarely works. I mean RARELY. I bought it like four years ago, and I've only been able to play it like 4 or 5 times.

Shits pissing me off.

[D]

Clean the lens?
Is there anything unusual attached to the system?
Perhaps playing with a peripheral of some sort might block certain games
Are you using the Multitap as an extension cord? No, well you could
I bet this is a tip that's for everybody

[Ganelon]

Are you having any graphical break-up at all in any of your games (esp. 2D games)?

[J-Manic]

@D - Maybe my lens is a little dusty. I bought my Saturn around 5 years ago, and I haven't tried to clean it once. But like I mentioned before, all of my other games are playing just fine. If my lens did need to be cleaned, wouldn't my other games have trouble playing as well? And there are no unusual attatchments on/to my console. Just the console, two hook-ups and a controller. No multitap either.

@Ganelon - None that I've noticed. Can you give me some quick examples of graphical break-up that I should be looking out for?

[Ganelon]

Maybe a graphical layer disappears or a part of the graphics becomes garbled. I say this because this graphics problem is a known issue with all SS models.

Remember also that it's not the size of the CD that always matters than it is the depth. From my experience, some used discs, even when they look almost flawless under direct sunlight, have had hiccups in loading.

[J-Manic]

I get'cha Ganelon. Thanks for the tip. What I'm going to do later on today is test out some other shmups, and 2D fighters, and see if I can spot any graphical problems while playing them.

I still don't get why Blast Wind would all of the sudden just not play at all. It's fucking mind boggling! UNLESS!!! (check this out) What if the person who sold it to me might've had the game disc buffed to get some scratches taken out, to make it look "almost mint"? It doesn't appear to have been buffed. But if it was, would that be a problem?? You never know.

[J-Manic]

So, after messing around with the game for almost a half an hour, it started working again. I didn't even do anything! I didn't clean the disc, nor my lens. I just kept resetting it and turning it off and on and it just started right up. And now my Blast Wind seems to be working fine. WTF! So I guess my console will load it whenever it feels like it? Wierd.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions guys.

[Specineff]

Maybe the laser is starting to die out?

[J-Manic]

That's what I fear Specineff. But if my laser is malfuctioning, wouldn't my console have trouble playing all of my games, and not just one or two?

[Specineff]

Have you checked the CD against a light to see if there are any pinholes in the reflective layer? I had a Panzer Dragoon Zwei go all swiss cheese-like on me.

[D]

So U still refuse to clean the lens then?
Like Ganelon said it's the depth, a dirty lens might work with a certain focus (depth) but with another focus the dirt might intervere.
I like your paranoid comment about the seller of the disc.

[J-Manic]

@Specineff - I didn't see anything like that when I held it up to a light. I think it's just my console. I just have to accept the fact that it's getting old. It's hard though.

@D - Nah, I took a q-tip to my lens to get whatever dust there might've been off. It didn't help though because the game still wouldn't work after. And I'm serious about that comment I made. You really can't tell if someone is getting over on you when it comes to Saturn games. How could you tell? Really?? Blast Wind and Shin Shinobi Den are practically in mint/near mint condition, and they're the only games my console has trouble playing/reading. Yet, Samurai Spirits III & IV, and Donpachi (for example) play just fine, despite the minor scratches on them.

I don't know what the hell was wrong with it. I kept taking the game out and putting it back in, then starting it. I did this for a while. I also kept looking for fingerprints and small hairs (and anything else the lens might be having trouble with) on the disc, and wiped it down a few times. Finally, it just played after doing this for, like I said, about a half an hour or so. You should've seen how red my face was.

Again, I appreciate you guys' help.

[Specineff]

Maybe sprinkle some holy water on it?

[J-Manic]

On the game or my console? I'm actually thinking about calling in an exorcist, or maybe a witch doctor.