Archive for the ‘Computers & MAME’ Category

Reading this Wolfenstien Gameplay review by HardOCP. In the conclusion is this statement…

Wolfenstein comes to us as yet another entry in a growing catalog of games which bare distinct signs of being console-focused titles. The lightweight graphics, memory, and processor requirements, the nonfunctional anti-aliasing, the clumsy menu system, and the mere handful of customizable graphics options all combine to show us that this chapter of B.J.’s World War II exploits was geared for the console and only adapted for the PC. While it can be argued that it makes sense from a business perspective for developers to focus on console development first, it does leave PC games wondering what exactly is next for us.

Further, it throws into sharp relief the dubious value of escalating the GPU arms race yet again. We are rapidly approaching the unveiling and launching of new silicon from both AMD and NVIDIA, and we are forced to wonder exactly what the point is. If a $200 video card will play so many new games (Wolfenstein, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, Ghostbusters, Demigod) so brilliantly on a 30″ monitor with the highest resolution and graphical fidelity right now, and if this trend is going to continue (which it seems to be), why do we need to invest in new graphics cards with the frequency at which NVIDIA and AMD would have us believe we should?

Valid point… why spend big bucks on a PC, when most of the PC titles coming out run just fine on low to middle quality hardware. The good side of this trend is it gives you the luxury to focus on energy efficient cards and CPUs, instead of focusing on performance.

The bad news is that PC titles are definitely not what they used to be. Kind of explains why I am transitioning into a console player, instead of PCs.

Although this game isn’t expected to hit the PlayStation Network until sometime next year, there is currently a PC demo available for download. The game is by Twenty-Four Caret Games and it’s called: Retro/Grade. It’s being touted as a shootem-up in reverse. Personally, I don’t think this qualifies as a shmup. It looks a lot like Bit-Trip-Beat and other rhythm-based-games with a shmup theme. There are some interesting things to the game though. For instance, you can switch between the standard 6-Axis and a Guitar controller if you wish.

This game trailer shows how the game works: (Make sure to click the HD button for best quality)

rhythm

ti-system

I read Madaracs’ comment in the little box, and I was on the phone within minutes. A 2 hour drive and $100 later, the system(not including the TV shown above) was mine. I got 2 consoles, the Peripheral Expansion Box(what I wanted), hookup cables,  some carts,  manuals, & a box of disks. I swear I recognized the handwriting on the disk labels.  Sadly, I have no Editor/Assembler cart so I can’t run any of the assembly language games.  There is some buyer’s remorse, but I’m okay for finances.

Posted under: Computers & MAME

Ben Heck did it again. He made a C64 laptop using original hardware. This is the same guy who did the Xbox 360 laptop… which is proof that an Xbox 360 “slim” is possible.

Commodore 64 laptop
Commodore 64 laptop

VIRTUAL APPLES.  Need a retro fix this week but don’t know where you’re gonna get it?  Head on over to Virtual Apple!  I’ve not visited their site in a long time.  For years they’ve offerred ROMs for apple games but now you can actually play the games right on the site.  Make sure you’ve got Java installed and browse there extensive catalogue of both Apple ][ and Apple ][gs games.  I had some fun with Conan and the A2-FS1 Flight Simulator.

ConanIIc

There is a perma-link to their site in the sidebar of this site.  Enjoy!