Retroblox

[godslabrat]

New Pat & Ian clip: 

 

Summary: It's going to be tough to weigh the trade off of compatibility issues and high price Vs. Having a convenient pretty box.

 

I'm also pondering the point they made (and have made before) about making the distinction between the optical base and cart modules.  Essentially saying we can call the former a success while still dismissing the latter.  On one hand, I feel like this approach has some merit if you want to be objective about the concept.  On the other, I feel like that's exactly the mentality PolyMega wants us to have, in order to act like the bait-and-Switch was and is okay.  Basically saying since they delivered one set of features to one group of customers, it's okay that they screwed up the rest.

 

 

[elmer]

From the recent Mednafen 1.24.0-UNSTABLE release notes ...

 

Quote

Added settings "affinity.cd", "affinity.emu", "affinity.video", and "ss.affinity.vdp2" to specify CPU thread affinity masks for the CD read threads, main emulation thread, video blitting thread, and Saturn VDP2 rendering thread, respectively. Setting thread affinities properly can improve Saturn emulation performance on a dual-core CPU with hyperthreading.

 

Looks like the Saturn emulator needed some tuning for the PolyMega CPU (which is under Mednafen's recommended spec for Saturn emulation).

[SegaSnatcher]

The high price is my main beef with this system.  I can see the appeal of a plug n play emulator box that supports CD systems and what not, but when you consider the modules and such stuff gets expensive quickly, also I still don't feel confident they will hit their target release window.  We shall see. 

[Flojomojo]

Do you have to unplug the modules every time you want to change systems?

[SegaSnatcher]

1 hour ago, Flojomojo said:

Do you have to unplug the modules every time you want to change systems?

I'm pretty sure that is the case at least for cart based systems.  I believe the only games you can run from storage is from their digital store. 

[godslabrat]

On 1/12/2020 at 10:02 PM, SegaSnatcher said:

I'm pretty sure that is the case at least for cart based systems.  I believe the only games you can run from storage is from their digital store. 

I'm pretty sure you can copy ROMs and ISOs to the system, if you have the physical media.  

[derFunkenstein]

On 1/13/2020 at 10:35 PM, godslabrat said:

I'm pretty sure you can copy ROMs and ISOs to the system, if you have the physical media.  

And that's unfortunate because now you have to buy the module just to copy carts you own. Don't have the SNES add-on? No way to dump the ROM from your copy of Speedy Gonzales: Los Gatos Bandidos

[cybercylon]

You can spend less money and get a Retrode 2 and a CD drive for CD games and use emulators on a computer to play (image burn on hand for those emulators that don't support drives yet).

 

So what is the point of this thing again?

[Austin]

12 hours ago, cybercylon said:

You can spend less money and get a Retrode 2 and a CD drive for CD games and use emulators on a computer to play (image burn on hand for those emulators that don't support drives yet).

 

So what is the point of this thing again?

To not use a computer and play these games on your TV.

[godslabrat]

36 minutes ago, Austin said:

To not use a computer and play these games on your TV.

Except it's essentially a computer anyway.

[Austin]

1 minute ago, godslabrat said:

Except it's essentially a computer anyway.

What isn't these days?

 

As much as we all like to rag on this project, its purpose is to make emulating these games easy for the average Joe-blow to play on his TV.

 

Responses like, "Just emulate on a PC," is missing the point of a device like this.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Austin

[imstarryeyed]

Ha ha I never liked the don't do X because Y is cheaper.. argument

 

Don't ever go out to eat.. cause you can eat at home cheaper.. or save more money and just yet eat out of your neighbors garbage.

Don't ever buy a videogame because you can play an emulator

Don't ever pay to go to the movies, as movies are free at the library.

Don't ever buy a hammer cause you have your fist and its cheaper.

Don't do this, cause that is cheaper, better, etc..

 

In the end you go out to eat because you want to.

You buy videogames because you want to.

You go to movies because you want to.

 

I am very interested in buying the Polymega if it proves to be good and can play games a good speed.

 

My biggest win for me is that I can use my real CD Saturn, PS1 and Sega CD games on one system and allow patches to applied to my disc games.

 

I want a simple straightforward console that is easy to use and attractive to me that plays my real CD games and can be "patched" without me messing with ROMs, CD images etc.

 

If the system proves to be good I do not mind at all spending the money.

 

[Newsdee]

The emulation-in-a-box market is already very saturated, and flooded with sub-standard devices. 

 

This is promising if it can read original CDs, but for carts I feel that a Retro Freak fills the niche very well.

 

That is if they manage to release something. It's been a while since this is talked about.

[atm94404]

11 hours ago, Newsdee said:

The emulation-in-a-box market is already very saturated, and flooded with sub-standard devices. 

 

This is promising if it can read original CDs, but for carts I feel that a Retro Freak fills the niche very well.

 

That is if they manage to release something. It's been a while since this is talked about.

But that is the paradox of the Polymega (which is independent of the ability of Playmaji to even deliver the damn thing).

The target audience is someone who is enough of a purist to want to use original media EXCEPT they feel something like an Analogue is "overkill".

The target audience wants the convenience of an all-in-one box EXCEPT to play original carts and use original controllers requires swapping a module that itself is the size of an Analogue box every time you switch cartridge platforms (or controllers).

The target audience are such enthusiasts they want to play original CDs EXCEPT they're not interested in playing games they don't already have copies of.  I mean, you're such a huge Sega Saturn fan that you want to play your original discs (that you've probably already played to death) BUT you have no interest in playing ultra rare games like Panzer Dragoon Saga?   Now I'm sure someone will point out that they could download the ISOs for PDS, burn them to CD-Rs, and use those with the Polymega.  But there goes the "all-in-one, standalone, convenient, push a button" argument.  The same for the "Polymega will have a digital store" answer because 1) I highly doubt it will rights to titles like PDS  2) I thought one of the big selling points of these boxes was to get away from the "it's digital, it will go away when the company does" fear because it plays your or physical discs and won't need the internet.

Also, how many people have a large enough collection of original carts or cds from multiple systems to make the "it can play everything" argument worthwhile?  Not that many.  Sure, some kids were rich or had divorced parents who engaged in escalation of buying their kid's affection ("Oh, your dad got you a Saturn, eh?  Well how about this Playstation?") but people with original discs and cartridge tended to stick to a single platform for a console generation.  Now I'm curious about about platforms I never owned, but I'm certainly not going to go to eBay and hunt down original discs and cartridges to satisfy that curiosity for something like a Polymega.  I'd try a free emulator or two, and after THAT if I REALLY liked it I'd want accuracy with

something like an Analogue box (and a multicart) or a MiSTer.  I wouldn't "upgrade" to a $200 generic box + more $$$$ for each module and cartridges to play the same free emulators I explored the unit with.  I'd throw that money towards a multi-cart.

 

Again, this box uses existing off-the-shelf emulators.  You can use Retroarch to play physical discs now with the same (or better) emulators on your own hardware for free.   Yet supposedly there is a crowd of people who say "I don't have time to watch a ten minute video on how to setup RetroArch or download the app" but they're willing to wait over a YEAR while Playmaji misses deadline after deadline?  You can watch an awful lot of "How-to" Youtube videos in a year's time.

 

The Venn diagram for people who find the Polymega a good value is exceedingly small- as evidenced by Playmaji missing all their initial funding goals and having to extend the pre-order deadline by a month to (allegedly) reach just the first one.  People on Twitter asking about future modules (and Playmaji being coy with "we don't have specific plans at this time but we'll see") are really in for a massive letdown.

Edited January 16, 2020 by atm94404

[imstarryeyed]

atm94404 makes a very good point and I totally respect his / her point of view.

 

I think I may be the ideal audience for the device.  I own an almost complete collection of US Saturn games and most of the Japanese ones that are playable for non Japanese speakers.  I had the type of adult life that my job constantly had me travel and buying Saturn, PS1, Sega CD and other games back in the late 90's until today and that has given me a lot to do on "my get back to playing it" list one day.  I owned a video game store here in Texas for 11 years helped in making that list grow as well.

 

I am now finally settling into a 8 to 4 job and now feel I have the time for the first time in my life to play games and make videos so this system seems ideal for me.   I dumped most of my collection onto images to be used in my Die Hard Arcade cabinet with a Saturn and Phoebe device but unless its a shooter game or fighter it just does not feel right to me.

 

I setup many PCs and Raspberry PI's and cell phones and devices with ROMS over the years, but the whole experience felt hollow to me.

 

The kid in the candy store dilemma really kicks in, I have all of these ROMS to play and they are so easy to switch between them I hardly ever play any of them more than a few minutes or until I lose my first life.  After switching to a few games I just kind of give it the "meh" I don't feel like playing anymore.

 

I have to believe if you ask most Mame builders how much they use their cabinets I am going to say that most will simply say, "a lot when I first built it, but not too much, but my company enjoys it and that gives me a great feeling. I think building it was more fun.."

 

I like to buy the neo retro games here on Atariage because it comes with the box, manual and that ooh so wonderful tactile feeling of a cart in a system with a controller, turn on an play... not turn on and try to play an wonder why I don't have sound this time, or my controller is remapped or my machine is starting to run slow.. or whatever of the many problems I have "mysteriously" had with my PC's over the decades. etc etc..

 

While I think I may fit that profile you are talking about, I have to believe there are many others like me who have their own sets of games that they were looking for a fun solution for them to break them out and play them again.  I met lots of them as customers in my store and I am just here in south texas.

 

I am not sure if this unit will even come out but I am hoping as I have been looking for something like this for a long time.  I am not even sure if this unit will give me that tactile experience I am looking for but I do have to say I am looking for something.  My CD systems are getting old and the lasers are going to need to be replaced and while I prefer to play on a CRT, I would not mind the Poly for my frequent use and my CRT and original system for when I just have to play on real hardware.

 

 

 

[RetrogamerX]

Wow it’s 2020 and thIs console still isn’t out yet?  What the hell are they doing?

[Keatah]

Not much.

[atm94404]

 Since this Twitter poll was also posted on the Amico thread, it seems only fair it also be here:

 

[RetrogamerX]

On 1/20/2020 at 12:47 AM, atm94404 said:

 Since this Twitter poll was also posted on the Amico thread, it seems only fair it also be here:

This poll seems rigged.  There’s been little talk and Little interest on this Amico device and it tops the poll?  Mmmm

[Newsdee]

It was probably mostly shared among Amico fans...

[derFunkenstein]

I'm surprised to see the Polymega get such a large percentage, honestly. ?

[Gamemoose]

Nintendolife had an article about some lucky few pre-order customers could beta test a Polymega, which was said to be supposedly releasing this year. Read here.

[Ricdeau]

To add to the previous comment anyone that has preordered can apply for the beta test. Polymega has claimed they are aiming to officially release next month sometime, but given their track record...

 

https://www.polymega.com/2020/01/21/beta-test/

[DurradonXylles]

So we're more than a week into March, and not only did February come and go with no actual updates (only a couple of VG screenshots, a tweet about getting hookuped with the Sega RetroBit controllers, and a "fun fact" about the console's database which is currently pointless since no one has the hardware in their hands yet), but only on the 5th was there an "actual" update on the beta saying that the actual big update will come out next week. Along with a retweet from ModernVintageGamer being excited they got into the beta.

 

 

 

 

I also decided to look at the #Polymega hashtag on Twitter, and found that others were tweeting about their acceptance into the beta test. Playmaji usually hops all over positive press @'ing them or using the hashtag, so it seems rather interesting that the only retweet about beta acceptance comes a major retro gaming YouTuber that's announced as such so far. Kinda funny that they latch onto it, since MVG could also prove to be the one that makes or breaks potential future purchases or keeping of preorders if it proves to not be accurate enough with its emulation for the price.

 

This is, of course, assuming that this thing doesn't keeps getting delayed into oblivion as previous events have shown, but that's another kettle of emulation cores. Speaking of, here's a Reddit story from last week (found as the first popular result on Twitter if you look up #polymega):

 

Yeah, it seems they already have unhappy preorders from the constant shifting of dates with little to no news or interaction to those who bought into Polymega unless they say: "No console yet? Give me my money back." This is one of the reasons people like myself are skeptical that this thing will ever see the light of day.

 

Knowing that at least one prototype unit exists and has been shown off does little to quell the accusations of scamming, or at the very least incompetence, pointed at Playmaji and Bryan Bernal. If that's all it took to quiet critics, my eating shit a year ago over the Saturn HLE BIOS would've likely been where the conversation ended.

 

Since we know eyes are on this thread: we don't need more tweets showing retro gaming ephemera and fluff journo pieces, Playmaji, we need tangible evidence that more units beyond the 1-2 prototypes that exist, and that they are ready to ship out to those who gave you money. Bigger companies have been able to get away with multiple delays because of their proven track records of performance, and even they haven't continually changed dates as much as you have. You aren't in the same position as Atari, guys, where you can hide behind a LLC and a IGG campaign to keep stringing out BS and find yourself with little legal recourse; you took money directly for a product under the guise of a preorder, and you are an incorporated company, so you are under the full extent of US consumer protection laws.

[Cosmic Owl]

They've been happy to use any excuse they can to delay things. I am positive, legitimate or not, they will use covid-19 to further delay things.