AtariLeaf Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Was there ever any reason given behind now going 2 years into not making the handheld unit right while only re-doing the console properly was done? Ok maybe it's too early and I haven't had my coffee yet but I can't make heads or tails out of that sentence. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmadgames Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 (edited) Ok maybe it's too early and I haven't had my coffee yet but I can't make heads or tails out of that sentence. I think they are asking why the handhelds have not been updated while the consoles have been improved greatly. I think there are a couple possibilities as to why this is the case: 1. I think the NES classic changed the game for the consoles while there is no "better" competitor for the handhelds. 2. AtGames has limited resources and put the focus on the consoles first probably because they sell better. 3. I think Bill mentioned that there are some more minor improvements coming to the handhelds this year and future improvements/redesigns may be in the plans. Edited September 17, 2018 by bmadgames 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 I think it's number 2. You can get an RS-97 in the meantime. It will take a little bit of work, but it does more and can be updated. https://obscurehandhelds.com/2018/03/steward-releases-cfw-v1-2-for-the-retrogame-rs97/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanooki Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Ok maybe it's too early and I haven't had my coffee yet but I can't make heads or tails out of that sentence. No I fouled it up as I was being distracted at the time. I was asking if the Sega AT Games Genesis Handheld had any reason behind not updating it with the new emulation core. The last 2 years of the console version has had a new emulation core in it that's great. The handheld still uses that very broken firecore emulator everyone hates so much. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Honestly I am waiting for the handhelds to receive significant upgrades. I like my PSP that is all loaded up on emulators, but having something that can imitate the 2600 hardware and play every game perfectly would be a must buy for me as trying to play a lot of 2600 games on the PSP can be frustrating. Also, having a better Genesis handheld would be really nice to, although the PSP I have does the Genesis titles (plus CD and 32x) titles quite well. Still, having a device that run Genesis titles perfectly and emulate the hardware dead-on would be a really cool item to get. No I fouled it up as I was being distracted at the time. I was asking if the Sega AT Games Genesis Handheld had any reason behind not updating it with the new emulation core. The last 2 years of the console version has had a new emulation core in it that's great. The handheld still uses that very broken firecore emulator everyone hates so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanooki Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 That's my take on it. I don't want some swiss army solution at all, closest compromise is the EZ Flash Omega since it has 8bit emulators on it that work for GB/C, NES, and GG+SMS. I liked the old Genesis handheld and could kind of ignore the audio problems, but when it came to being incapable of running some games because of visual failures like Contra, and games not saving at all when they should (that they had to individually hack into newer units for the included pack-in games) was just too much. That's why I'm patient. I'd rather get it right and get it when they have it done whatever year it takes. I was patient with the Supaboy line, the first 2 are just awful and have lots of problems from bad control design of the d-pad to special chips part to entirely failing, but hte S/SFC model is so accurate it even gets weird quirks down on certain games that most emulators foul up and has no issues with chipped titles anymore too. It took years, but it happened, and I see the ATGames Genesis handheld doing the same slow marathon to completion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 According to this, the Sega Genesis model is delayed worldwide until 2019. http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/09/sega_mega_drive_mini_release_has_been_delayed_until_2019 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubersaurus Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 According to this, the Sega Genesis model is delayed worldwide until 2019. http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/09/sega_mega_drive_mini_release_has_been_delayed_until_2019 Apparently a Japanese developer is now handling the software, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 I think it is good thing to delay it if it means a much better product. Obviously, this means not getting the product in for this Christmas season, so that is a bit of a bummer. However, it didn't seem to affect Nintendo when it re-released the NES Classic this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyous Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 Apparently a Japanese developer is now handling the software, too. I hope that developer is M2. They handled the 3D Classics series for the 3DS and are currently working on the Sega Ages series for the Switch. Their work is impeccable! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+nanochess Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 Just checked at Amazon.com and the Atari Flashback 9 Gold will start shipping Oct/14. https://www.amazon.com/Atari-Flashback-9-Gold-Electronic-Games/dp/B07FFT5FPK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537406500&sr=8-1&keywords=atari+flashback+9+gold 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 One can only hope that the delay and inclusion of "proven Japanese software developers" will lead to a much better product than would be released by AtGames (not to say anything was really wrong with them). Definitely with Sony entering the retro mini console fray, people will have to step up their game as people clamor for better fit and finish in their products. I hope that developer is M2. They handled the 3D Classics series for the 3DS and are currently working on the Sega Ages series for the Switch. Their work is impeccable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derFunkenstein Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 (edited) I hope that developer is M2. They handled the 3D Classics series for the 3DS and are currently working on the Sega Ages series for the Switch. Their work is impeccable! I would much rather it just shipped using Gens like previously rumored. M2 does fine, I guess, but the Gens core in RetroArch does some really great things with audio, starting with the low-pass filter that makes the games sound much more like the real hardware. That's missing from even the Genesis Classics on modern consoles is missing that and it really hurts the overall package. BTW this is huge egg on Sega's face if they can't ship the 30th-anniversary console during the 30-year anniversary year. Also, I refuse to buy the 2017 model. This is total Osborne effect, and AtGames/Sega would be missing out on the holiday shopping season. That's bad, no matter how Sega tries to spin it (which, I mean, it's quoting the official Sega Japanese Twitter, so it's got to be confirmed) Edited September 19, 2018 by derFunkenstein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 30th anniversary or not, I don't care. Better a superior product than one rushed out the door to meet some arbitrary deadline. Besides, the Genesis wasn't released in America until 1989 anyway! If they want a product for the Japanese anniversary of the Mega Drive, perhaps they can send a few patches down the pipe to make Genesis Flashback worth playing on the Xbox One and Playstation 4. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romeoteknik Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 (edited) Wow, that's great Sega news. I guess they realized you need to up the quality when the competitors are outputting awesomeness. Plus, I'm sure alot of the comments from fans, since the initial announcement, were to not use AtGames. https://twitter.com/SEGA_OFFICIAL/status/1042216730049753090 Google translate: "[Notice] We will change the release of "MegaDrive Mini (tentative name)" announced at SegaFe's 2018 to 2019. We had been developing for the launch this year, especially the response from overseas customers is great, again we will prepare a model that reproduces "GENESIS" in North America and European version "Mega Drive" in Europe, It is scheduled to be released at the same time in." "Moreover, in order to achieve the quality which can satisfy all of Sega fans more, we reviewed the design centering on the original members of MegaDrive and took a system to cooperate with domestic developers with proven software development. I'm sorry for all the fans. Please wait for a while with expectation" Edited September 20, 2018 by romeoteknik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 (edited) I think it's too bad, at least for 2018. I really wanted to see what the AtGames product had to offer in 2018 before Sega possibly left that relationship behind like indications suggest is now the case here. Edited September 20, 2018 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DamonicFury Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 I think it's too bad, at least for 2018. I really wanted to see what the AtGames product had to offer in 2018 before Sega possibly left that relationship behind like indications suggest is now the case here. Agreed! From what Bill had indicated, the planned AtGames release may well have finally been the Sega product we had all been waiting for. Hard to say what we'll get now... I wouldn't be surprised if we get a cut-down release with just 20-30 games and no SD support, matching the NES, SNES, and PS1 Minis. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanooki Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 I'm lost, you think ATGames got dumped and that another unit isn't happening after like next year? Sega set a very broken very low bar for a very long time whoring out their games with bad emulation in TV games to good emulated large bundle packages on optical and Steam(etc) downloads and had no one really fighting them with it. People whined, but they kept on buying or it would have stopped. Finally when Nintendo did their sledge to it 2 years back with the NES, they suddenly care some and emulate a nice Android box with a good core to it, and then further improved it the following, but perhaps it was too late. Nintendo beat or matched their value for an HD box with far less games and no filler either, and now Sony is in on it too in December all priced at or above Sega with it coming off looking watered down (or worse still like crap as most people won't read and not realize it got fixed up pretty much.) By cutting ties and doing it themselves in house like Nintendo and Sony have done they can try and take a visible high road and recover from it so they put it off a year and make sure it is right and not up against Sony too in the same season. Clearly Nintendo has no Gameboy or N64 bomb to drop this year, they're riding the NES/SNES pony as it's done easy and very profitable. This is their year to grow and Sony to shine with their new budget holiday HD toy, Sega would have been screwed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 I concur with you. I would think people would prefer a much better product that has much better build quality and/or software at and/or near the same price. True, it is a bit of bummer that a new release won't happen this year. But, previous indications were that it was going to be more of same anyway, so not a real big loss. 30th anniversary or not, I don't care. Better a superior product than one rushed out the door to meet some arbitrary deadline. Besides, the Genesis wasn't released in America until 1989 anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DamonicFury Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Just checked at Amazon.com and the Atari Flashback 9 Gold will start shipping Oct/14. https://www.amazon.com/Atari-Flashback-9-Gold-Electronic-Games/dp/B07FFT5FPK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537406500&sr=8-1&keywords=atari+flashback+9+gold FWIW, there's similar page for the AtGames Sega product, also said to be released Oct 14th. We'll see... https://www.amazon.com/Sega-Genesis-Flashback-Gold-Electronic-Games/dp/B06XWBLSKW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537464838&sr=8-3&keywords=sega+hd+flashback&dpID=51JmddUVH4L&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 (edited) But, previous indications were that it was going to be more of same anyway, so not a real big loss. Not at all. I may have the specifics wrong, but following this thread my impression was the exact opposite. This was to be a major revamping. It sounds like it was to be their 2017 high-definition capable hardware from last year, with brand new software utilizing a popular and respected open source Genesis emulator known as Genesis Plus GX in place of the flawed in-house emulator from the year before that had some annoying issues (But which was still a huge leap forward compared to the standard definition AtGames Genesis line with their awful audio reproduction). The case sounds like it was to be of higher quality, more like what Nintendo's two plug and plays have used in place of the cheap and flimsy feel of the 2017 launch system for the new AtGames HD platform. And alongside the usual cartridge slot for original media, it was to have a SD card slot and support rom loading which was a feature previously exclusive to AtGames systems without a Genesis cartridge slot. Short of perhaps the menu system that didn't go over well (Although I bet it was being changed as well), pretty much everything that needed fixing sounds like it was being addressed for this year's follow-up to last year's launch hardware. Only the internal hardware sounds like it was staying, and there was no indication that that area represented an issue for either the Atari Flashback 8 Gold Edition or the Sega Genesis Flashback HD. I think it's a shame if we end up not getting it to see for ourselves, just as AtGames had really started to ramp things up over the past 12 months after years of stagnation. Edited September 20, 2018 by Atariboy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Hardware wise, yes, you are correct. It looked like the sound and overall emulation was going to be addressed. However, software/game wise it was (more or less) going to be a same with the virtually worthless bonus games tagging along as well. I agree as well that it is a shame we are not getting this in 2018. However, I much prefer to see a stronger, better product out than a rushed incomplete piece (cough, RetroN-77, cough). Just my personal preference. Not at all. I may have the specifics wrong, but following this thread my impression was the exact opposite. This was to be a major revamping. It sounds like it was to be their 2017 high-definition capable hardware from last year, with brand new software utilizing a popular and respected open source Genesis emulator known as Genesis Plus GX in place of the flawed in-house emulator from the year before that had some annoying issues (But which was still a huge leap forward compared to the standard definition AtGames Genesis line with their awful audio reproduction). The case sounds like it was to be of higher quality, more like what Nintendo's two plug and plays have used in place of the cheap and flimsy feel of the 2017 launch system for the new AtGames HD platform. And alongside the usual cartridge slot for original media, it was to have a SD card slot and support rom loading which was a feature previously exclusive to AtGames systems without a Genesis cartridge slot. Short of perhaps the menu system that didn't go over well (Although I bet it was being changed as well), pretty much everything that needed fixing sounds like it was being addressed for this year's follow-up to last year's launch hardware. Only the internal hardware sounds like it was staying, and there was no indication that that area represented an issue for either the Atari Flashback 8 Gold Edition or the Sega Genesis Flashback HD. I think it's a shame if we end up not getting it to see for ourselves, just as AtGames had really started to ramp things up over the past 12 months after years of stagnation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 (edited) The software selection wasn't an issue in my opinion. It was to have dozens of classic games included. And the generic bonus games which people did complain about in 2017 were easily ignored and hardly a significant problem, so I wouldn't say it's exactly a leap forward if they're now gone. And I rather doubt the replacement for this product will take significant steps to improve the library on offer, such as by licensing some popular 3rd party classics like Nintendo did. But maybe we'll be surprised. And the library selection would've been a rather moot point with the AtGames product. If you're just looking at the built-in library, you're ignoring half the features. Not only did it have a cartridge slot which very well may fall by the wayside here now, but it was also for the first time in an AtGames console had a SD slot and would've allowed the user to load their own selection of rom images. Hopefully it's all for the best, whatever the situation may be (I don't think we actually even have it confirmed yet that AtGames is out, although we're all assuming that's the case). That said, assuming we're now looking at a very different product going forward, I still would've liked to have had a look at what AtGames was about to release. Everything Bill Loguidice was saying about the Sega Genesis Flashback HD 2 sounded like what needed to be done to fix what needed fixing. Sounds like a very different AtGames than the one of old, and I for one wanted to see what they had cooking. Edited September 20, 2018 by Atariboy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 All valid points. However, if they can improve the product and a delay is necessary, I am for it. But, as you pointed out, if they delay it and remove some really cool and highly expected features (cartridge slot, SD slot), then Sega deserves to take heat for it. At this point, we are at a wait and see as AtGames still hasn't announced this year's line up (so, it could change even up until then), and we don't know what exactly Sega will do with the mini-Genesis now that they have taken more control of it. Hopefully everything will be for the best. The software selection wasn't an issue in my opinion. Dozens of classic games were included and the generic bonus games were easily ignored. And I rather doubt the replacement for this product will take a substantial leap forward in this area such as by licensing some popular 3rd party classics like Nintendo did. But maybe we'll be surprised. And the library selection would've been a rather moot point with the AtGames product. If you're just looking at the built-in library, you're ignoring half the features. Not only did it have a cartridge slot which very well may fall by the wayside here now, but it was also for the first time in an AtGames console had a SD slot and would've allowed the user to load their own selection of rom images. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beetch18 Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Bill Loguidice, is it confirmed AtGames is out and will not be involved with the next genesis/mega drive mini? If so, this is surprising. As others have said i really thought they were on track to get this next version right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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