Cynicaster Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 (edited) My preference is real hardware, but I grew up with the 2600. I think the whole "emulation is not the same experience as real hardware" argument only holds significance for those who played the system when it was current. To us, of course playing Space Invaders and Enduro windowed on a LCD monitor with a keyboard or some generic Logitech d-pad controller is going to be different (in a bad way). But if you don't have that "ideal" of what it is "supposed" to be like, then I don't think it really matters whether you play the games on hardware or an emulator, because the potential for enjoyment of the games is probably about the same. You see a similar thing with MAME vs. real arcade cabinets/hardware--some people will swear up and down that MAME is for chumps and the only "real" way to play the games is on original cabinets. Personally, I disagree, and MAME is hands down my favorite gaming "platform". I look strictly at the games themselves to determine whether or not they entertain me, with little to no regard for whether the joystick is the exact model originally used or whether the control panel I'm using has the right stickers on it. A fun game is a fun game, and a crap game is a crap game. Edited October 20, 2014 by Cynicaster 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectorGamer Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 You see a similar thing with MAME vs. real arcade cabinets/hardware--some people will swear up and down that MAME is for chumps and the only "real" way to play the games is on original cabinets. Personally, I disagree, and MAME is hands down my favorite gaming "platform". I look strictly at the games themselves to determine whether or not they entertain me, with little to no regard for whether the joystick is the exact model originally used or whether the control panel I'm using has the right stickers on it. A fun game is a fun game, and a crap game is a crap game. I won't necessarily disagree with this, but there are examples where playing the arcade game using the controls that were intended to be used by the manufacturer are superior to what one would normally game with in MAME. I can play Gorf on my MAME cab with an 8-way and a fire button but the game plays better with the arcade stick with built-in trigger. You can play games like Star Castle, Space Fury and Asteroids with joysticks but they are better played with all button controls as designed by the manufacturer. I could go on but I think my point is made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomaios Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 At the risk of sounding like a technophobe, MAME isn't the easiest thing to configure. And for me, it loses on the experience ground. All emulation does. It just doesn't feel the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynicaster Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 (edited) I won't necessarily disagree with this, but there are examples where playing the arcade game using the controls that were intended to be used by the manufacturer are superior to what one would normally game with in MAME. I can play Gorf on my MAME cab with an 8-way and a fire button but the game plays better with the arcade stick with built-in trigger. You can play games like Star Castle, Space Fury and Asteroids with joysticks but they are better played with all button controls as designed by the manufacturer. I could go on but I think my point is made. Sure... I'll throw in Pole Position, Star Wars, Tron, Mad Planets, Battlezone, Paperboy, Ikari Warriors... even I will concede these are all best played on real cabinets because their original controllers were special in some way. But games in that category constitute a pretty small percentage compared to games that play just fine with a generic joystick and generic buttons. I will say that it helps to properly choose between 8-way and 4-way joysticks, but that is only so you can avoid frustrating input errors. At the risk of sounding like a technophobe, MAME isn't the easiest thing to configure. And for me, it loses on the experience ground. All emulation does. It just doesn't feel the same. If that's how you feel then there is probably nothing anybody can say to make you feel otherwise. I'm just saying that for me, the whole "experience" and "authenticity" thing seems kind of arbitrary most of the time. Sure, if there are certain games that you spent lots of time playing in the 80's and 90's, to the point where any "non-authentic" control panel feels "off", then I get that. But, at least for me, there are dozens of games that I played all the time back then, but there is nothing "special" about the joysticks or buttons that has stuck with me to the point where I could even articulate the differences between a "real" control panel and my MAME setup. So, who cares? Play the game and enjoy it. For the diehard guys, it doesn't matter if they have any true memory of what a "real" control panel feels like for a given game--MAME with generic controls is enough for them to shun it, simply because they know it's not original. The analogy to music would be, I'm just fine listening to my MP3 collection to enjoy the music that I like, whereas these arcade diehards won't settle for anything other than a vinyl LP on an a wood-grain Kenwood stereo--not because there is anything objectively better about it, but because that is how it was done in "the good old days". Edited October 20, 2014 by Cynicaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectorGamer Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The analogy to music would be, I'm just fine listening to my MP3 collection to enjoy the music that I like, whereas these arcade diehards won't settle for anything other than a vinyl LP on an a wood-grain Kenwood stereo--not because there is anything objectively better about it, but because that is how it was done in "the good old days". Something the arcade bigot should remember is that with the MAME project preserving these games they have provided access to many who do not have the luxury of playing the arcade game. And there are a lot of people like me who got back into the hobby of classic arcade gaming because of MAME. If I lived down the road from Funspot or Galloping Ghost I probably wouldn't bother housing my own MAME and arcade cabinets as I would just frequent the arcade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynicaster Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Something the arcade bigot should remember is that with the MAME project preserving these games they have provided access to many who do not have the luxury of playing the arcade game. And there are a lot of people like me who got back into the hobby of classic arcade gaming because of MAME. If I lived down the road from Funspot or Galloping Ghost I probably wouldn't bother housing my own MAME and arcade cabinets as I would just frequent the arcade. Exactly! I would kill to have a Funspot or Galloping Ghost in my hometown. I think I'd still have my own MAME cabinet at home, but I'd be at the arcade at least once a week, or whatever I could manage. And even if you DO have a large arcade nearby, there are lots of games that you're probably never going to see. I discovered a game called "Eggs" in MAME, which has turned out to be one my favorite games of all time. Good luck finding a real cabinet to play that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godzillajoe Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 At the risk of sounding like a technophobe, MAME isn't the easiest thing to configure. And for me, it loses on the experience ground. All emulation does. It just doesn't feel the same. I play MAME standing up with a wonky controller in near darkness to simulate the arcade experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bakasama Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 At the risk of sounding like a technophobe, MAME isn't the easiest thing to configure. And for me, it loses on the experience ground. All emulation does. It just doesn't feel the same. You ever owned an arcade machine? You still have to configure an arcade machine to get the settings you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godzillajoe Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 You ever owned an arcade machine? You still have to configure an arcade machine to get the settings you want. Also, MAME is pretty easy to set up, especially if you use something like the MAME Classic front end. A lot easier than MESS and all those bios files Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomaios Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 You ever owned an arcade machine? You still have to configure an arcade machine to get the settings you want. I'm aware, but then I have the experience. Also, there are places around me where I can go to still today and plop some quarters into a e.g. Galaga, Centipede (with Trakball!), Space Invaders, Paperboy, Discs of Tron, Dragon's Lair, or Simpson's Arcade machine and get that experience again, except better since there is often beer involved, and I'm a whole lot better off money-wise than I was when I was a kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godzillajoe Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Barcade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomaios Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 ^Two of those around here. There are other arcades around here without a bar attached to them, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlepaddle Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Every arcade machine I'm aware of, at least through 1984, did not REQUIRE configuration in order to play. Maybe change the number of quarters to play, score(s) for extra guy, or maybe invert display or something if it was set upside down for some reason. I concur that MAME may sometimes run with minimum effort, but there always seems to be some unexpected problem to resolve, tweaks to get the controller working, display working, sound working, etc. My wife wouldn't even know what to do if I renamed her "home" folder, yet alone configure MAME. Definitely not "plug and play" like the flashbacks, for example, or even a real 2600 (notwithstanding the cart cleaning issues, what to plug in where, channel switch, left/right controller? etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godzillajoe Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 ^Two of those around here. There are other arcades around here without a bar attached to them, though. BYOB! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army Of 2600 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Do you need an Atari 2600? Yes. Yes you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbeliever Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) Just to confirm my addiction to my Atari 2600, I received a complete copy (sealed) of Stargate today and had a nerdgasm. Yeah, you need an Atari 2600. Oh yeah... Edited October 22, 2014 by wolfpaw1966 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Phruby Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Do you need an Atari 2600? That's like asking if you need a heart. Yes, you need an Atari 2600 and its a lot cheaper than a new heart! http://gizmodo.com/5904129/heres-how-much-body-parts-cost-on-the-black-market 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karokoenig Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Just to confirm my addiction to my Atari 2600, I received a complete copy (sealed) of Stargate today and had a nerdgasm. Yeah, you need an Atari 2600. Oh yeah... Hope you opened and played it right away. Everything else would be pointless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbeliever Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Not yet, being at work. Not sure if I should do that or just get a cart-only to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlepaddle Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Do you need an Atari 2600? That's like asking if you need a heart. Yes, you need an Atari 2600 and its a lot cheaper than a new heart! http://gizmodo.com/5904129/heres-how-much-body-parts-cost-on-the-black-market Stomach $508..., so mine's worth $1500-$2000! I should sell 75% of it to 3 other guys; win-win. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Ideally you should have more than one I find it convenient to have two setups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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