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[BearChair]

I'd like to get an arcade stick to enhance enjoyment of the PS2's many arcade compilations (Capcom, Taito, etc.).

What would you recommend? And please provide links if possible.

 

[sixteen-bit]

I'd like to get an arcade stick to enhance enjoyment of the PS2's many arcade compilations (Capcom, Taito, etc.).

What would you recommend? And please provide links if possible.

My favorite PS2 stick is the Hori Real Arcade Pro 2 SA. It might be a little difficult to find and on the expensive side these days, though. If you like Japanese arcade controls it's the best retail release stick for the system. It uses authentic Sanwa parts. There's also the HRAP SE which has Seimitsu parts, but that was limited to 400 units and is extremely rare.

 

[RadarScope1]

Can't you also use PS1 arcade sticks on the PS2? I have been eyeing a PS1 stick on eBay for that very purpose (and for PS1 games like the Namco Museum series).

 

[NoFaceNico]

Can't you also use PS1 arcade sticks on the PS2? I have been eyeing a PS1 stick on eBay for that very purpose (and for PS1 games like the Namco Museum series).

If the game supports it it should.

I've used PS1 first and third party arcade sticks on PS2. But some games do not support PS1 controllers at all, like Mega Man Anniversary.

 

[oneida]

I'd like to get an arcade stick to enhance enjoyment of the PS2's many arcade compilations (Capcom, Taito, etc.).

What would you recommend? And please provide links if possible.

My favorite, by far:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/281573595818

great for shmups and, well, VF

 

[NormalFish]

The highly recommend PS2 sticks are so damn expensive these days.

Think I might end up making a custom, but I don't really know what I'm getting in to.

 

[socksfelloff]

The highly recommend PS2 sticks are so damn expensive these days.

Think I might end up making a custom, but I don't really know what I'm getting in to.

Grab a ps360+ and throw it in any stick you want.

 

[NormalFish]

Grab a ps360+ and throw it in any stick you want.

Damn that looks tempting... how difficult are these to install? Could I install it in a cheapo HORI stick like this: http://amzn.com/B014KXMEW4

 

[socksfelloff]

Damn that looks tempting... how difficult are these to install? Could I install it in a cheapo HORI stick like this: http://amzn.com/B014KXMEW4

Yes but no.

That stick uses buttons on a PCB like a traditional controller. The board is common ground but you dont want to use that stick.

Find a used madcatz/hori 360/ps3 stick and gut that. You'll get a much better stick for a similar cost and every part is replaceable so it will theoretically last you a life time.

edit: ps360+ is a solder less install

 

[NormalFish]

Yes but no.

That stick uses buttons on a PCB like a traditional controller. The board is common ground but you dont want to use that stick.

Find a used madcatz/hori 360/ps3 stick and gut that. You'll get a much better stick for a similar cost and every part is replaceable so it will theoretically last you a life time.

edit: ps360+ is a solder less install

Any recommendations on a model? Frankly I don't know shit about arcade sticks. Never felt a need until I started playing shooters.

 

[oneida]

Any recommendations on a model? Frankly I don't know shit about arcade sticks. Never felt a need until I started playing shooters.

if you're just playing shmups the vf stick can be found for $30-$40 pretty regularly

 

[NormalFish]

Got a copy of Armored Core 2. I had forgotten how odd these games are to control.

 

[psylah]

Got a copy of Armored Core 2. I had forgotten how odd these games are to control.

From don't care.

 

[NormalFish]

From don't care.

ain't that the truth. there aren't many games on console where I feel like the controls are super difficult even though they're totally remappable lol.

 

[socksfelloff]

Any recommendations on a model? Frankly I don't know shit about arcade sticks. Never felt a need until I started playing shooters.

The madcatz te sticks from last Gen are top notch and quite common. They use top of the line sanwa buttons and joystick and all parts are swappable.

The madcatz SE sticks are a smaller stick of lower quality(the buttons will fail gaurenteed) but all parts are swappable and sanwa goods can be swapped in.

Hori made some decent sticks but I'm not very familiar with them.

Razer made a decent stick but I don't think it's very common

Stay away from any of the PDP sticks.

You should stop into the fight stick thread. I'm sure they will be of better help.

 

[NormalFish]

Thanks for that. I've read through some shoryuken threads, and passed by the arcade stick thread, but I am not sure I'm quite ready to get fully invested (and if I seriously look in to these threads and specific models I promise you I'll end up 200$ poorer very quickly. Will definitely refer to them once I have a bit more cash on hand.

 

[AmyS]

Late 1999. Great ambition.

http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1230000

Workstation effort

The Creative Workstation effort at present has three phases. For Phase 1, SCE intends to develop a workstation with about 10 times the performance of the development tool workstation, and to complete that work in 2000. The workstation will have the capability to handle graphics of 1,920 x 1,080/60p (progressive). SCE will not have time to develop new chips by 2000, so it will achieve the performance by using in parallel faster versions of the Emotion Engine and Graphic Synthesizer found in the Playstation2.

The Phase 2 workstation, scheduled to be introduced in 2002, will have 100 times the performance of the development tool workstation and will feature the Emotion Engine 2 and Graphic Synthesizer 2, each with an enhanced architecture over the current chips. The CPU will have 40 million transistors and will be fabricated on a 0.13-micron process. The workstation will handle the same 1,920 x 1,080 pixel graphics, and will have a flexible frame rate ranging from 24 to about 75 frames/second.

The Phase 3 workstation, scheduled to appear around 2005-2006, will have the Emotion Engine 3 and Graphic Synthesizer 3, which will have drastically changed architectures. As a result, the workstation will have 1,000 times performance of the development tool workstation, and will handle 4,000 x 2,000-pixel pictures at 24-to-120p. At this stage, Playstation3 will be taking a shape, Sony said.

The Phase 2 workstation will have real-time graphics production capability to handle movies, which could greatly change the movie production process, Sony said.

"We are going to raise the performance of Creative Workstations at a high pace," Kutaragi said. "So at a certain stage, it will have enough capability as a server for a mini-theater and at another stage it will have capability as a digital bit-stream transmitter at broadcast station."

Kutaragi said SCE is pursuing the workstations to support the creation of content. As such, SCE would be pleased to sell just 1,000 or 2,000 units a year, he said.

SCE and Sony together invested a total of about $1.1 billion on two fabs to establish a 0.18-micron process for the Emotion Engine and the Graphic Synthesizer. About $472 million was spent on the Emotion Engine's facility, which is a joint venture with Toshiba. About $660 million was spent on the fab in Nagasaki for the Graphic Synthesizer. "This investment will be recouped by selling Playstation2 on the consumer market," Kutaragi said. "We will continue to develop finer processes such as 0.15 micron and 0.13 micron to make chips shrink and to increase productivity."

Kutaragi said SCE's engineers have a very clear target when they develop process technology. "Process development without specific applications will make no sense," he said. "In Intel's case, it is very clear. They develop a process for a specific CPU. But even the process is fine, it makes no sense if it is developed for general purpose.

"Once such a finer process is established, we can make silicon as large as the limit of a stepper, say 20 x 20-mm or 22 x 22-mm chips. To develop such architecture is pure R&D. Pursuing desirable architecture for SCE's entertainment CPU and Graphic Synthesizer, we have a large freedom to challenge any architecture."

Kutaragi said SCE has no intention of entering the current workstation market with the Creative Workstation, but will aim to introduce the systems into the new sectors. "For example, movie theaters currently use film projectors, but in several years, they should be entering digital projectors," he said. "At that stage, servers for theaters will be a good target for our Creative Workstation." Once movie theaters are connected to backbone networks, it will be possible to distribute movies digitally to all connected theaters in one night.

"If we are pursuing future architecture, skilled, capable engineers will come to join us," said Kutaragi.

I do wonder if PS4 Neo can somehow add up to 1,000 X PS2, if someone got "creative" with some figures

 

[NormalFish]

One day I'll buy a TOOL

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

I rebought Dark Cloud. I liked it back in the day (loved the music), but it was the first dungeon crawler I played and I didn't quite get it. Nor did I finish it. I'm going to start the game tonight and hopefully correct that.

It's been 14 years since I've played it, so I think it's about time.

 

[televator]

I just did not click with Dark Cloud. Dungeon crawlers are bit too out of my range.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

I just did not click with Dark Cloud. Dungeon crawlers are bit too out of my range.

For me, the appeal is getting into that zen-like state where all you want to do is keep clearing floor after floor. But yeah, if you can't get into that mindset, it's probably a pretty dreadful genre.


I started the game and played like an hour and a half. Yeah, this game is cool.

 

[NormalFish]

For me, the appeal is getting into that zen-like state where all you want to do is keep clearing floor after floor. But yeah, if you can't get into that mindset, it's probably a pretty dreadful genre.

Yeah, that's a pretty good way to put it.

I think there's a lot of variance in dungeon crawlers, though. Lots of people probably get turned off to the genre due to claims that they're "RPGs" -- which, to many, implies strong characters and story -- or that they've got amazing combat systems -- which frequently, while very well designed at the core, tend to be obtuse or difficult to learn. Some titles try to streamline things and add hooks to pull in new players, but such games tend to attract some level of outcry from the old guard.

Kinda reminds me of shmups, in some ways. They're both genres dependant on a very dedicated group of people who will put time and effort to actually learn difficult games, and whom can get in to the mindset you describe in which you're not so much looking for gratification in the form of a crazy FMV/cutscene/etc. or beating the game, but instead just moving steadily forward.

 

[theSlacker]

I rebought Dark Cloud. I liked it back in the day (loved the music), but it was the first dungeon crawler I played and I didn't quite get it. Nor did I finish it. I'm going to start the game tonight and hopefully correct that.

It's been 14 years since I've played it, so I think it's about time.

I would love to replay that game, but there was a lot of grind in it for the way I play. So much killing to make the best weapons for all the characters. Then there was the fishing...

 

[NormalFish]

so how long is nocturne?

I'm level 37 and in

Spoiler

the tunnel from ikebukuro to asakusa with the manikins

. How far along am I? 50%? less? More?

 

[PhineBuyM3]

What's the name of those ps2 consoles that let you play games from any region?

 

[sixteen-bit]

What's the name of those ps2 consoles that let you play games from any region?

test

 

[NormalFish]

Otherwise known as debugstations, DTL units

 

[Rongolian]

so how long is nocturne?

I'm level 37 and in

Spoiler

the tunnel from ikebukuro to asakusa with the manikins

. How far along am I? 50%? less? More?

I'd say you're right about at 50%, maybe a little farther

 

[NormalFish]

I'd say you're right about at 50%, maybe a little farther

yeah, seems like it. Now at

Spoiler

the obelisk

and moving steadily forward. I think I'm going to take a bit of a hiatus to prevent burn out, though. Just got copies of Wizardry Tale of the Forsaken Land and Metal Slug Anthology to tide me over.

 

[Rongolian]

yeah, seems like it. Now at

Spoiler

the obelisk

and moving steadily forward. I think I'm going to take a bit of a hiatus to prevent burn out, though. Just got copies of Wizardry Tale of the Forsaken Land and Metal Slug Anthology to tide me over.

Taking a break on this one isn't such a bad idea. I played this one direcly after playing Persona 3 and Persona 4 and found that I liked Nocturne a lot less. The "demon negotiating" mechanic was literally random and unsatisfying, random encounters can be excessive, I felt like I was dragging along at points which I never felt with the Persona series.

That being said, I definitely think it's worth finishing! I think the improvements made to the SMT series over time make it pretty difficult to go back to older titles though.

 

[NormalFish]

Taking a break on this one isn't such a bad idea. I played this one direcly after playing Persona 3 and Persona 4 and found that I liked Nocturne a lot less. The "demon negotiating" mechanic was literally random and unsatisfying, random encounters can be excessive, I felt like I was dragging along at points which I never felt with the Persona series.

That being said, I definitely think it's worth finishing! I think the improvements made to the SMT series over time make it pretty difficult to go back to older titles though.

I'm actually enjoying this more than I enjoyed P3 or P4, but I'm not huge on the presentation of the recent Persona titles. I mostly have issues with nocturne because I've got a very short attention span and it's difficult to stick on one game for a long time. Makes finishing long games difficult. Nothing wrong with the game itself, really.

 

[Timu]

Uh oh, my PS2 Slim isn't reading any discs, in fact no discs are spinning even...

And I just got Def Jam Vendetta today as well!!!

 

[sixteen-bit]

Uh oh, my PS2 Slim isn't reading any discs, in fact no discs are spinning even...

And I just got Def Jam Vendetta today as well!!!

This was me a couple months ago, but just the other day I put in Raystorm and a DVD and they worked fine. *shrug*

 

[dubc35]

Uh oh, my PS2 Slim isn't reading any discs, in fact no discs are spinning even...

And I just got Def Jam Vendetta today as well!!!

It seems to be somewhat common given the google search results, the door buttons/nubs being a common culprit.

Don't tell televator if you throw it away, lol.

 

[psylah]

Found a copy of R-Type Final. Best difficulty levels ever:

BABY
KIDS
HUMAN
BYDO
R-TYPER

 

[Cheddahz]

I've been playing a bunch of Tekken 4 lately and man, it's still my favorite mainline Tekken game ever. I also ended up getting a complete copy of Dark Cloud 2, so I should probably start on that one day

 

[sixteen-bit]

I've been playing a bunch of Tekken 4 lately and man, it's still my favorite mainline Tekken game ever. I also ended up getting a complete copy of Dark Cloud 2, so I should probably start on that one day

Jin was so OP in this game lol.

I'm kinda sad this game didn't sell well; causing Namco to reverse course on future Tekkens. It has my favorite art direction of any Tekken, and I'm extra fond of it because of how amazing the graphics were to me at the time. The stage hazards were cool too.

 

[Cheddahz]

Jin was so OP in this game lol.

I'm kinda sad this game didn't sell well; causing Namco to reverse course on future Tekkens. It has my favorite art direction of any Tekken, and I'm extra fond of it because of how amazing the graphics were to me at the time. The stage hazards were cool too.

Jin really is OP in the game lol, but you're right, everything about the art direction in this game is beautiful and I think that's why I'm just really fond of it

I was actually playing the game with my girlfriend a few nights ago and I hit a pipe in the laboratory stage and was amazed that it actually came apart and a bunch of steam started bursting from it. Just the little details in the stages in the game are remarkable and each stage felt "alive"

The soundtrack is also just amazing

 

[Timu]

This was me a couple months ago, but just the other day I put in Raystorm and a DVD and they worked fine. *shrug*

It seems to be somewhat common given the google search results, the door buttons/nubs being a common culprit.

Don't tell televator if you throw it away, lol.

No games are spinning!!!

 

[dubc35]

No games are spinning!!!

I think you said you don't open consoles but this shows how to check if it is the switch if you decide to try. His tape fix suggestion is not ideal IMO though. Disclaimer: I've never opened a PS2 slim (or fatty for that matter).

 

[IrishNinja]

Suikoden 5 is the best since 2, if we're still on JRPGs...some fantastic SMT noms there, but Wild ARMs 3? i barely made it through 1 in the day, and only cause id play anything before FF VII opened the floodgates..did that series really get better?

more like xenosaga 1 and 3, and not 2 lol

kinda didn't like how 3 ended either, whole series goes inna bushes

 

[Timu]

I think you said you don't open consoles but this shows how to check if it is the switch if you decide to try. His tape fix suggestion is not ideal IMO though. Disclaimer: I've never opened a PS2 slim (or fatty for that matter).

I never open consoles.=O

Just got a fat(1st one was back in 2005).

 

[dubc35]

I never open consoles.=O

Just got a fat(1st one was back in 2005).

Are you throwing out the slim? I'll take it if you are

 

[televator]

It seems to be somewhat common given the google search results, the door buttons/nubs being a common culprit.

Don't tell televator if you throw it away, lol.

I never open consoles.=O

Just got a fat(1st one was back in 2005).

Are you throwing out the slim? I'll take it if you are

Timu, you throw away that PS2 and I swear I'll jump right out of your garbage can and slap you.

 

[NormalFish]

bought an IDE to USB adapter to try to write some homebrew to my PS2 HDD.

Piece of crap seems to have ruined my hard drive. No longer boots.

Only one on ebay that's similarly from a dev unit is up for 200$.

pretty upset, tbh.

 

[televator]

bought an IDE to USB adapter to try to write some homebrew to my PS2 HDD.

Piece of crap seems to have ruined my hard drive. No longer boots.

Only one on ebay that's similarly from a dev unit is up for 200$.

pretty upset, tbh.

Sometime hacking and maintaining console leads to a bust. That's inevitable sometimes. I bricked a PS2 when cleaning one and I FUBAR'd a memory card trying to turn it into a FMB card. There was also the recent case of me corrupting my computer's Sys32 registry while attempting to directly FTP to an OG Xbox... That one really rustled my jimmies. Sorry to hear about your HDD. I know the feeling.

 

[PumpkinSpice]

bought an IDE to USB adapter to try to write some homebrew to my PS2 HDD.

Piece of crap seems to have ruined my hard drive. No longer boots.

Only one on ebay that's similarly from a dev unit is up for 200$.

pretty upset, tbh.

Did it come with the TEST unit? If so it might have crapped out from just being old.

Is there anything special on those hard drives that you couldn't replace with a new normal hard drive or compact flash or SD card?

 

[NormalFish]

Sometime hacking and maintaining console leads to a bust. That's inevitable sometimes. I bricked a PS2 when cleaning one and I FUBAR'd a memory card trying to turn it into a FMB card. There was also the recent case of me corrupting my computer's Sys32 registry while attempting to directly FTP to an OG Xbox... That one really rustled my jimmies. Sorry to hear about your HDD. I know the feeling.

C'est la vie

Did it come with the TEST unit? If so it might have crapped out from just being old.

Is there anything special on those hard drives that you couldn't replace with a new normal hard drive or compact flash or SD card?

It was working just yesterday quite well. it had never even been formatted, but I suppose it's possible.

I can replace it for sure, but this one has the sticker on "for use with debug station" or whatever, so I would've liked to keep the set.

 

[A Black Falcon]

Let it not be said that it's impossible to find a really good deal anymore -- I got a sealed copy of Silent Hill 3 at a local pawnshop today for $3. It's got the holo-seal and everything.

 

[davidwhangchoi]

Let it not be said that it's impossible to find a really good deal anymore -- I got a sealed copy of Silent Hill 3 at a local pawnshop today for $3. It's got the holo-seal and everything.

wow! that's a steal