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[manji]

...yeah, dropped my Famicom micro into the sink yesterday. It only spent maybe 3 seconds submerged, but yeah...it wasn't too happy about it. Worked for a few afterwards, then cut out, then worked again w/out sound, then went completely dead.

I removed the faceplate, unscrewed the Li-ion battery compartment, wiped everything down, and let it dry out over night. It's alive now, thankfully...but the display looks kinda like a bad TV signal...I'm missing every other line or so. It's still playable, but I'll most likely pick up a US version tomorrow.

GB...GBC...GBC Pokemon version...GBA Ltd. Edition...GBAsp(Black import)...GBAsp(Pink import for tha lady)...DS(Plat)...GBMicro (Famicom)...and now GBM #2.

Update:
Well, the screen works 100% again, and sound is fine...but the shoulder buttons are borked. the volume/brightness buttons are stuck on brightness, and L & R both don't respond.

So...any game that doesn't require the L/R buttons will work fine, but no Castlevania:CotM for me.

Also, the headphone jack works fine (wo0t! Electroplankton Headphones!), so I can still have quiet time w/ my Micro, as long as I don't try to play anything w/ shoulder buttons.

 

[cvxfreak]

Nintendo hardware tends to survive the worst of situations, like the Game Boy that survived a bombing in Iraq IIRC. Maybe if you give it time, it will get better.

 

[Mejilan]

Give it another 2 days or so to dry out, and it'll probably work.

I know the original GBA could recover from a dosing within a similar time frame.

 

[Juice]

That blows man. Apparently, gone are the days where Game Boys can survive months in the backyard, whethering the elements. Or Desert storm. Apparently Nintendo didn't think "image conscious gamers" would bother themselves with concerns over durability.

I recall dropping a memory card 59 in a glass of orange juice unknowingly. Finding it three days later, still submerged. Three and a half years later it still works fine. And it's still sticky.

 

[cvxfreak]

That blows man. Apparently, gone are the days where Game Boys can survive months in the backyard, whethering the elements. Or Desert storm. Apparently Nintendo didn't think "image conscious gamers" would bother themselves with concerns over durability.

I recall dropping a memory card 59 in a glass of orange juice unknowingly. Finding it three days later, still submerged. Three and a half years later it still works fine. And it's still sticky.

:lol Three days later? Wow.

 

[GDJustin]

My SNES has a hole in it and it still works.

 

[border]

Most electronics can survive water if they are not turned on while submerged and are not turned on before they dry out.

 

[manji]

Most electronics can survive water if they are not turned on while submerged and are not turned on before they dry out.

...yeah...about that "not turned on before they dry out" part...
...kinda didn't know about that...
:lol

I think I'm pretty lucky in this instance, it seems to work. Hopefully, the picture will come back 100% in another day or two.

Aside from that, I'm lovin' the system. Only complaints are:
1.) cheesy 80's on/off switch...I dunno what else I'd expect, but it just feels like it's a holdover from early technology.
2.) no hardware sleep-mode...PSP has spoiled us all...

 

[Drensch]

Itll work, but you shouldn't have had turned it on. Like Mejilan said, put somewhere very dry and give some time to dry out.

 

[Wario64]

im sure nintendo will replace it

 

[Mejilan]

Why does everyone think the PSP was the first system with hardware enabled sleep mode?

*cough*DS*cough*

 

[Sapiens]

Why does everyone think the PSP was the first system with hardware enabled sleep mode?

*cough*DS*cough*

I'm surprised at how many DS owners dont even know this. Just close the lid, fools.

 

[lyre]

2.) no hardware sleep-mode...PSP has spoiled us all...

What do you call 'pausing the game, putting it in your pocket'. You afraid the battery will die after a few short hours?

 

[manji]

Why does everyone think the PSP was the first system with hardware enabled sleep mode?
*cough*DS*cough*

Sorry Mej, I meant 1st system with games I actually play long enough to want a sleep mode

Funny enough, I haven't missed sleep mode w/ Awars DS, simply because the save system is so clean. I *could* (as posted below, something I actually forgot about) just close it, but it's like 3 clicks to save, so I save.

It was bugging me because the 1st game I threw into the micro was Castlevania:CotM...worst case scenario, darkness-wise. Got caught near a boss battle w/out a save point nearby, something came up, and I realized that I couldn't just slip straight into powersave mode and come back later.
Of course, I'm reaching...the lil' system is awesome. that's why they're my "only complaints". Would it have been *that* much of a reach to, say, have L+R+Sel put it into/out of sleep mode?

What do you call 'pausing the game, putting it in your pocket'. You afraid the battery will die after a few short hours?

Not sure...still on my 1st charge *that* is awesome, I've actually put a good amount of time on the lil' thing, and still gettin' a bright blue glow when I power on. Anyone know the battery life of the Micro?
Still, , If any system could accidently "unpause" in your pocket (even inside the magic bag of softyness), it'd be the GBM.

 

[Mejilan]

Should be able to get 10 hours out of the Micro, IIRC. Though, if you crank up the screen brightness to the max level (level 5), I expect that to drop. I don't think GBA games SUPPORT hardware sleeping. I mean, if you close the lid of a DS on a GBA game, that will not initiate sleep mode. That only works with DS games. So I don't think any iteration of a GBA will ever allow it. Most GBA games these days that aren't of the pick up and play variety come with software sleep modes, of course.

 

[manji]

yeah, I saw that Minnish Cap had a software sleep mode, and I suspect the rest of the 1st party games do as well. All I really meant (the psp comment) was that I was spoiled w/ the quick "curl right thumb~tap power up real quick~close face armor~slide into pocket" motion...makes HSG a dream to play in mini-sessions (sometimes a hole or two at a time, sometimes just a few strokes).

the Famicom Micro works right now, but with the screen wackiness...I'm gonna keep it powered down for at least another day and see what happens.

edit: power-wise, 10hrs should be plenty. The entire time I've been playing, it's been on the highest brightness...just don't see any reason to ever cut it down.

 

[cvxfreak]

I was wondering, if someone properly modified a GB/GBC cart to fit inside a Micro (or DS for that matter), would it actually work?

Or an e-Reader for that matter.

 

[dark10x]

I recall dropping a memory card 59 in a glass of orange juice unknowingly. Finding it three days later, still submerged. Three and a half years later it still works fine. And it's still sticky.

Memory cards are ultra tough...

That reminded me of when a friend of mine lost his PS2 memory card. Didn't know where the hell it was and it was lost for like 3 weeks. We found it by chance sitting in the gutter by the street near another friends house. It looked like crap, but worked perfectly. Couldn't believe it.

Mario carts are the best, though. We used to buy hundreds of Mario carts from the local Gamestop for like 1 cent a piece. Had a large collection of them. Smashing them with bats, heel kicking them, running them over, throwing them into water, you name it! It didn't matter what you did to the thing, it would come back working like a champ.

 

[Mejilan]

Meh. Closing the DS lid and slipping that into a pocket is easier and smoother. And hell, you get personalized sleep chimes/sounds unique to each DS game! ;p

Then again, I haven't played my PSP since like April or May, so... *shrugs*

I don't think ALL GBA 1st party games have sleep modes. Hell, Fire Emblem autosaves with every button press, so you can ALWAYS shut it off no matter where you are in a fight. But the lengthier games that have save slots versus a save anywhere mechanic? Most do.

 

[Mejilan]

I was wondering, if someone properly modified a GB/GBC cart to fit inside a Micro (or DS for that matter), would it actually work?

Or an e-Reader for that matter.

Doubt it. They likely stripped out the hardware required entirely.

 

[manji]

And hell, you get personalized sleep chimes/sounds unique to each DS game! ;p

Dammit, now you bastards are starting to piss me off...is this true?
Closing it w/ AWarsDS sounds different than closing it w/ WWare or Kirby?
That's actually pretty awesome. Maybe I'll fire the DS up again today, while the GBM is in recovery...

 

[Deku]

GBA and SP contains the GB chipset, I don't believe the Micro has the GB chipset.

But that also raises the interesting question of what happens to the GBA games that appear to use the GB's soundchip. While playing Namco's Rebelstar Tactical command, the game's sound struck me as very... GB-like and it was running on the micro.

For all we know, micro may have the GB chipset miniaturized into one chip for full GBA compatability but Nintendo choose not to allow GB playback for aesthetic reasons.

 

[dark10x]

Dammit, now you bastards are starting to piss me off...is this true?
Closing it w/ AWarsDS sounds different than closing it w/ WWare or Kirby?
That's actually pretty awesome. Maybe I'll fire the DS up again today, while the GBM is in recovery...

I just tried it with Kirby and Castlevania and heard nothing when sleeping or waking. I wonder how you enable it?

 

[Stinkles]

:lol Three days later? Wow.

And who the fuck is so filthy they leave a glass of orange juice laying atround for three days?


His memory card was probably full of pubic lice too.

 

[Aruarian Reflection]

Why does everyone think the PSP was the first system with hardware enabled sleep mode?

*cough*DS*cough*

PSP came out before DS, hence it's first

 

[Tarazet]

DS came out before PSP, hence it's first

fixed..

 

[mj1108]

PSP came out before DS, hence it's first

No it didn't. DS came out before PSP in every territory.

 

[golduck342]

DS sleep mode isn't even hardware, it doesn't work in GBA mode.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

I just tried it with Kirby and Castlevania and heard nothing when sleeping or waking. I wonder how you enable it?

I imagine those games just don't bother. I believe SM64DS has Mario saying "Bye bye", and with Nintendogs you get a few barks when you close the system.

 

[Mejilan]

PSP came out before DS, hence it's first

In who's world? Japanese launch date (first territory) of the PSP was December 12, 2004, IIRC. DS came out in the US (first territory) November 21, 2004. Or thereabouts.

 

[manji]

.oO(...could they be talking about the closet?)

 

[Mejilan]

Closet?

 

[DCharlie]

i accidentally washed a pair of jeans that had Mario DS and Wario in the pocket.

After they were washed - they spent 40 minutes in the tumble dryer...

When i descovered them, toasty hot, and smelling of Downy i thought they were done for.

But lo-and-behold - they both worked.
huzzah

 

[Jason]

I accidently dropped a VMU in a glass of milk once. So many saves gone.

 

[Forgotten Ancient]

I washed and dryed Pokemon Sapphire in the laundry a few years ago. The game worked pretty well, but when I first turned it on it said there was some kind of battery error and events that were time-effected (or something like that) wouldn't work anymore. Not sure what that meant, but I decided not to play it again.

I loved that game, too
First and last pokemon game I played.

 

[cvxfreak]

My GBA copy of Konami Krazy Racers also got put in the wash. Still worked.

 

[MoxManiac]

Another person here that washed a GBA game. My copy of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance went through both the washer and dryer cycles before I found it (managed to stay in the pant pocket (!)) and still works fine to this day.

 

[Mejilan]

You people are insane! Don't any of you use carrying cases to store your portable systems and games? :lol

 

[mj1108]

You people are insane! Don't any of you use carrying cases to store your portable systems and games? :lol

No, we prefer to keep our systems clean by putting them through the washer and dryer. Nothing beats the smell of a game that is Downey fresh.

 

[ChrisReid]

...yeah, dropped my Famicom micro into the sink yesterday. It only spent maybe 3 seconds submerged, but yeah...it wasn't too happy about it. Worked for a few afterwards, then cut out, then worked again w/out sound, then went completely dead.

DON'T TURN WET ELECTRONICS ON. If something on falls into the water, turn it off immediately. Water doesn't damage most electronics. Minerals in water damage electronics when the devices are turned on. If you drop something in the water, the best thing you can do is rinse it out with super fresh clear water, then let it dry for several days.

 

[manji]

DON'T TURN WET ELECTRONICS ON. If something on falls into the water, turn it off immediately. Water doesn't damage most electronics. Minerals in water damage electronics when the devices are turned on. If you drop something in the water, the best thing you can do is rinse it out with super fresh clear water, then let it dry for several days.

...yeah, got that memo 'bout a day late :lol
If I ever decide to dunk any other electronics, I'll definitely follow your advice.

 

[Mejilan]

No, we prefer to keep our systems clean by putting them through the washer and dryer. Nothing beats the smell of a game that is Downey fresh.

:lol :lol

Anyone brave enough to get their PSPs to smell Downy-clean?

 

[jgkspsx]

Carts, memory cards, and DS gamecards are passive devices. There's no battery, no power applied, and therefore nothing to short out when one gets wet.

Something with a battery in it can be permanently damaged if current flows somewhere it's not "supposed" to. If water gets into a liquid crystal display, the effects can also be very bad (not that I've attempted it myself .

Such a shame it happened to a Famicom micro, though. Why not swap the guts with your US model?

Also: I don't believe the DS's sleep mode is any less "hardware" than the PSP's. The "sleep" interrupt is triggered by the hardware and the program is supposed to deal with it. It's just that DS devs seem to be mostly lazy sods (of course working on small teams) who don't turn everything off that they're supposed to.

 

[manji]

Such a shame it happened to a Famicom micro, though. Why not swap the guts with your US model?

Interesting idea, actually. I was able to get the Li-ion battery compartment open w/ a computer screwdriver, but the main compartment is held together with two "Y" screws...I should be able to get through that w/out too much trouble, if I really want to.

Well, we'll see. A buddy walked in and powered it on before I could stop him...the screen fixed itself, and I ended up running it through some tests. Everything's back to normal, except volume control doesn't work anymore. it's currently playing sound, I just can't turn it down.

I'm definitely not complaining, since I had written it off as a "$110 ltd. edition faceplate" just last night...but we'll see if it gets back to 100%.

Yeah, if not, I might perform some kind of surgery.

 

[koam]

Erm, some GBA SP games had sleep mode built-in. Metroid games come to mind.

 

[Senretsu]

when anything electronic gets wet, you should wait until it's completely dry until you turn the power back on. water and electricity do fun things together after all.

 

[jgkspsx]

Erm, some GBA SP games had sleep mode built-in. Metroid games come to mind.

But it's completely software-based -- you have to manually select "Sleep" from the in-game menu. The PSP and the DS use hardware cues -- closing the latter's lid or quickly flicking the former's power switch -- to tell software it needs to prepare for sleep mode.

 

[Yossarian]

i accidentally washed a pair of jeans that had Mario DS and Wario in the pocket.

After they were washed - they spent 40 minutes in the tumble dryer...

When i descovered them, toasty hot, and smelling of Downy i thought they were done for.

But lo-and-behold - they both worked.
huzzah

:lol :lol

Anyone brave enough to get their PSPs to smell Downy-clean?

Heh, I did the same thing with Hotshots Golf: Open Tee. I play it to this day.

 

[shuri]

I think a fellow canadian gaffer once recalled the story of having lost his original gameboy in November, only to find it again in Spring.

The gameboy.. was still working perfectly fine. It had survived the canadian winter :lol

 

[Ironclad]

There was a story in NP not too long ago about a kid who left his original GB outside only to be rained on and to be run over by a lawn mower and it was still functioning perfectly when he found it. Not as bad as the bombing GB though.

Try not to turn the system on while it's drying. If the components are still wet and you try to power on the system, it could fry something very easily.