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Sega Saturn Appreciation and Emulation Thread

Galdelico

Member
Bought myself a little retro-bundle, to begin the new year with a smile! Got JP games for the Mega Drive, Mega CD, PSP and the Saturn, specifically Vampire Savior (the regular edition, yet complete, with spine and reg card) and that wonky Ultraman fighting game (guilty pleasure... I know it's mediocre at best, but I love Ultraman, and I'm a big fan of the Fighting Evolution series, so I thought to add this one too to my collection).
It's all coming from Japan, so I'll update with some impressions once I get the package. :)
 

entremet

Member
So what's wrong with Elevator Action Returns on the PS2 Taito collection?

The Saturn version is a well known wallet killer, but I want to play the game after seeing a Game Sack episode.

One of the hosts called the Saturn version definitive.
 

Dwayne

Member
So what's wrong with Elevator Action Returns on the PS2 Taito collection?

PS2 Taito Collection is 480i, so the image quality takes a hit, and apparently the emulation isn't 100% perfect.
hardcoregaming101 said:
The emulation on the American and European Taito Legends 2 pack for the PS2 is a bit off, since it nerfs the rapid fire on the machine gun and adds in a bit of extra slowdown. The Japanese Taito Memories Vol. 1 has a bit of slowdown, but otherwise does not suffer from these issues.
 

Teknoman

Member
So what's wrong with Elevator Action Returns on the PS2 Taito collection?

The Saturn version is a well known wallet killer, but I want to play the game after seeing a Game Sack episode.

One of the hosts called the Saturn version definitive.

It wasnt a wallet killer a year or so ago :( Just skyrocketed recently.
 

Saturn Memories

Neo Member
Interesting Saturn stuff from around the web:

"Jo Engine is a 2D game engine for the Sega Saturn written in C under MIT license.

It allows users to develop games easily without extensive knowledge in embedded development.

And... games can run on an emulator and the original system!"

http://www.jo-engine.org/

--------------------------------

And don't expect much if any progress in Saturn emulation this year:

"SSFの方はちょっと行き詰った感がある。報告のあった現象も原因はイマイチ分からないし。アセンブリ言語からC言語に変更しても直らないようだしなぁ。お手上げ状態かも。"

Machine translation says something along the lines of "SSF is stalled." And something to do with C and assembly langauge.

"とりあえず、今年はPS3Fをメインにしていこうと思う。"

Shima appears to be dedicating 2016 to working on PS3F instead.

So yeah... Hope for some big leaps from Yabause this year because I'll doubt we'll see anything out of SSF.
 
Also, the Saturn version of EAR lets you bind grenade to a separate button. PS2 version is emulated arcade release, which only had 2 buttons IIRC.
 
Interesting Saturn stuff from around the web:

"Jo Engine is a 2D game engine for the Sega Saturn written in C under MIT license.

It allows users to develop games easily without extensive knowledge in embedded development.

And... games can run on an emulator and the original system!"

http://www.jo-engine.org/

--------------------------------

And don't expect much if any progress in Saturn emulation this year:

"SSFの方はちょっと行き詰った感がある。報告のあった現象も原因はイマイチ分からないし。アセンブリ言語からC言語に変更しても直らないようだしなぁ。お手上げ状態かも。"

Machine translation says something along the lines of "SSF is stalled." And something to do with C and assembly langauge.

"とりあえず、今年はPS3Fをメインにしていこうと思う。"

Shima appears to be dedicating 2016 to working on PS3F instead.

So yeah... Hope for some big leaps from Yabause this year because I'll doubt we'll see anything out of SSF.
The guy should make the code available for everyone now.
 

TeaJay

Member
I'd like to get some more friends over to play Saturn Bomberman. What I'd like to know is are the multitaps region free like the system itself, when it comes to controllers? Can I buy the japanese multitap - on my modded PAL system - (or the bomberman multitap) and use my PAL controller, my Japanese controller and my 3D analog pad with it?
 

oneida

Cock Strain, Lifetime Warranty
i just had PDS resurfaced because disc 4 was pooping out on me. cross your fingers and hope i didnt just make a huge mistake.
 

Saturn Memories

Neo Member
I'd like to get some more friends over to play Saturn Bomberman. What I'd like to know is are the multitaps region free like the system itself, when it comes to controllers? Can I buy the japanese multitap - on my modded PAL system - (or the bomberman multitap) and use my PAL controller, my Japanese controller and my 3D analog pad with it?

Peripherals aren't region locked. I've got a US multi-tap that I use with my Japanese systems. It works fine.
 

IrishNinja

Member
ebay bucks came in today, looking to finally grab Silhouette Mirage later! saturn high wants are down, its just hopes for a cheap copy of three dirty dwarves, maybe mansion of hidden souls & the like

So I'm near the end of Shining the Holy ark. Finishing up the East Shrine when I found a spot to level your characters real fast. I'll cover it in spoiler tags for those who haven't touched or don't want to know. Pics of location provided.

I don't think this game really needs grinding, maybe a little for money when you acquire all characters to upgrade weapons armor etc.. but if someone needs to quick grind. There ya go.

gonna refer back to this! tied up Shining CD, moved onto 2, i know i need to play Ark before the later scenarios of 3, and honestly i could prolly use a break from the strategy stuff so i was eyeing a playthrough of that one soon...Shining in the Darkness wasn't easy, but i loved the dungeon crawling. how's this one stack up, harder? easier /more fair or enjoyable?


oh man, i was just hyping your stuff over at the sega forums, that's awesome

So what's wrong with Elevator Action Returns on the PS2 Taito collection?

The Saturn version is a well known wallet killer, but I want to play the game after seeing a Game Sack episode.

One of the hosts called the Saturn version definitive.

having played both, i think the answer is not much at all - it's pretty good, and you get a bunch of other great games too

funny enough, i commented on a game sack video a while back about how they should cover EAR in a run & gun ep, and pretty sure joe replied he would if they did a walk & gun ep, haha

It wasnt a wallet killer a year or so ago :( Just skyrocketed recently.

seriously - again, look at what happened just last fall alone, from sold ebay prices. insane.

Was a fan translation for Policenauts (Saturn version) ever made available?

sadly no, havent looked it up in a bit but this & Snatcher are the kinda efforts i think will really get talk when they go down

I don't know, I think you must have been REALLY lucky, because - as far as I remember - the game was already quite pricey in 2014.

ehhh when i got mine in the spring of '14, i was shooting for <$50 and lucked out, but it was like $100 by summer i wanna say? could be off here, but it got particularly bad this year, again

i just had PDS resurfaced because disc 4 was pooping out on me. cross your fingers and hope i didnt just make a huge mistake.

shit, that's scary stuff man...godspeed, and post back!
 

Galdelico

Member
ehhh when i got mine in the spring of '14, i was shooting for <$50 and lucked out, but it was like $100 by summer i wanna say? could be off here, but it got particularly bad this year, again
I must be mistaking it for another game, then. Because I could've sworn Elevator Action was on the '100 Euros +' list since ages, now (not just a little bit more than one year).
 

IrishNinja

Member
honestly, you could be right - i always based my pricing off ebay sold (auctions, not buy-it-nows). maybe it did go for that already & i didnt notice? i mean, that'd explain my shock at the jump it;'s seen, at least a little
 
Interesting Saturn stuff from around the web:

"Jo Engine is a 2D game engine for the Sega Saturn written in C under MIT license.

It allows users to develop games easily without extensive knowledge in embedded development.

And... games can run on an emulator and the original system!"

http://www.jo-engine.org/

--------------------------------
Cool. We can finally get that 2D Sonic game for the Saturn that should have happened back in 1995.
 

Khaz

Member
Cool. We can finally get that 2D Sonic game for the Saturn that should have happened back in 1995.

Obligatory video of the engine in action:
https://youtu.be/gV-7cA9_h-4

What he's saying:
He has burned the game on a regular CDR disc
There not much gameplay as he focused on the game engine optimisation
Semi-transparent water, lots of smaller effects
In-game camera needs to be worked on
The engine is super smooth, which was the most important
Next step is to add all the gameplay elements: rings, better map, enemies...


When's the Freedom Planet port?

Stop making me want things.
 

piggychan

Member
I wouldn't put Burning Rangers anywhere near a top 12 game, even if your doing a US only list. Not going to argue with 1-4 though.

yup I would not include Burning Rangers in the top 12 either. Although it has it's fun moments there are also quite a lot of frustrating elements which sours things and I hate the way you cannot stand still for brief moments to enjoy the scenery and instead you get random explosions aimed at your ass to force you to complete your objectives.

Sad to see there is no Dragon Force or Shining in the Holy Ark in there either.
 
Does anyone know if it's possible to have SSF display in a 16:9 fullscreen resolution but in a 4:3 aspect ratio? I'm looking to stream Saturn games on my NVIDIA Shield and I can't get a proper image.

Asking this again because I haven't figured anything out since I asked. I doubt there's a solution, but maybe I'm just missing something.
 

Timu

Member
The picture quality is terrific
but do you ever use her gun attack?!
Ha, what's funny is that it's not even an official first party svideo cable, just a cheap aftermarket one. The upscaler used is perfect for 240p games and de-interlaces 480i games only in motion. Oh and setting the res to 1440p in Youtube increases the quality more than 720p and even 1080p.

I don't believe I did yet.
 

D.Lo

Member
I haven't really collected Saturn games for years, because I built up a kickass collection around 10 years ago (I have about 100 games).

But I'm now collecting the Sega Ages Saturn releases. This crap is going to get expensive.
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
Shit, the last thing I need is awareness of games that is skyrocketing - as that more often than not leads me to start buying them up.
That After Burner is might tempting...bought
 

HyperHip

Member
Ha, what's funny is that it's not even an official first party svideo cable, just a cheap aftermarket one. The upscaler used is perfect for 240p games and de-interlaces 480i games only in motion. Oh and setting the res to 1440p in Youtube increases the quality more than 720p and even 1080p.

I don't believe I did yet.

What upscaler are you using?
 

Gyrian

Member
I haven't really collected Saturn games for years, because I built up a kickass collection around 10 years ago (I have about 100 games).

But I'm now collecting the Sega Ages Saturn releases. This crap is going to get expensive.

I haven't found them to be too terrible to grab with a little patience. Even Power Drift!
Space Harrier continues to elude me, though. I'd like to get ready, but I'm not. :(
 

Bar81

Member
I haven't really collected Saturn games for years, because I built up a kickass collection around 10 years ago (I have about 100 games).

But I'm now collecting the Sega Ages Saturn releases. This crap is going to get expensive.

Yup. I just picked up the US triple pack - it was painful.
 

oneida

Cock Strain, Lifetime Warranty
Ha, what's funny is that it's not even an official first party svideo cable, just a cheap aftermarket one. The upscaler used is perfect for 240p games and de-interlaces 480i games only in motion. Oh and setting the res to 1440p in Youtube increases the quality more than 720p and even 1080p.

I don't believe I did yet.
back forward P+K!
it does half health and you can enter it 3 times in a row!
 

IrishNinja

Member
so Shining 3 would've been here today, but UPS lost the apt # somehow...tomorrow it is!

I haven't really collected Saturn games for years, because I built up a kickass collection around 10 years ago (I have about 100 games).

But I'm now collecting the Sega Ages Saturn releases. This crap is going to get expensive.

collection sounds amazing - yeah, i started with the Sega Memorial 1/2, then got Fantasy Zone & the US 3-pack...i know i lost a few tracks but i'm okay with it. Power drift would be cool though!

No Kidding. I recently found out about the Castle of Illusion / Quackshot double pack on Saturn. RIP.

aw man, what's that go for now?

I haven't found them to be too terrible to grab with a little patience. Even Power Drift!
Space Harrier continues to elude me, though. I'd like to get ready, but I'm not. :(

more Harrier is always good - what's a good deal on Power Drift?
 

Timu

Member
What upscaler are you using?
I use an Inline 1402 scaler. It's perfect for 240p content and works very well with even 480i content. Mine does composite and svideo but there are other models than can do RGB and component.

As of now it's the only way I can even record N64 games.
 

KC-Slater

Member
I picked up a sealed copy of Japanese Shining Force III today for $30 CAD. I'm sure it's pretty common, but it feels great to pick-up new-old games for so cheap!
 
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