What have you actually PLAYED tracker for 2020 (Season 13)

[+Cafeman]

Atari 5200 Kangaroo - 1 hour. 

[+thegoldenband]

My times for the week:

 

NES:
Final Fantasy II (Demiforce translation) - 6 min.

 

Genesis:
M-1 Abrams Battle Tank - 677 min.

 

Beat every individual mission in M-1 Abrams Battle Tank on Novice difficulty. Once the game clicked with me, it became reasonably fun (and kind of hypnotic).

 

Unfortunately Campaign mode (in which you tackle all the missions consecutively, in random order) requires a long, single-sitting playthrough, and one of my eyes is giving me trouble. So I may have to take a break before tackling it -- which makes me wish I'd taken notes along the way.

[Atarian7]

Atari 2600

Death Trap - 60 minutes

Kaboom! - 23 minutes

Solar Fox - 27 minutes

 

 

[+wongojack]

A2600 

Decathlon 1 

Dungeon 2 

Pitfall 1 

Pitfall II 5 

River Raid 7 

Secret Quest 2 

Space Invaders 2 

Stargate 1 

 

A7800 

Alien Brigade 2 

Asteroids 4 

Scramble 4

 

I think I've got this 7800 I've been working on running well again.  I was just testing various games.  Probably will put more time on the 7800 in the coming weeks as I just bought a handful of homebrews.

[agb]

Times for the week

All Atari 2600

Death Trap for HSC 49 mins

Enduro for HSC 20 mins

Reactor for Facebook HSC 16 mins

Sold Fox 51 mins

 

Didnt care much for Reactor or Death Trap. Enduro has always been a fave. 

[Skippy B. Coyote]

It was a pretty small week for gaming for me this past week, mostly on account of spending 5 days of the week doing a rather huge housecleaning and furniture rearranging project so I didn't have a whole lotta time for gaming. Still, I managed to get in a bit here and there doing short check ins in Animal Crossing, continuing my yearly game of Doom 3, and playing some Enduro for the Atari 2600 high score club. I did set a new personal best high score of 1,284.5 in Enduro this week though, which was pretty awesome!

 

 

Ineligible (All Nintendo Switch)

Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 135 minutes

Doom 3 - 595 minutes

 

Atari 2600

Enduro - 183 minutes

 

 

Total Video Game Play Time This Week

913 mintes (15 hours 13 minutes) [183 minutes eligible]

 

Individual System Play Times This Week

Nintendo Switch: 730 minutes

Atari 2600: 183 minutes

[carlsson]

Here's the summary for Week 30, running from July 20 - 26. We logged 1966 minutes of eligible play, playing 43 games on a total of 11 systems.

Top 10:

 

1. M-1 Abrams Battle Tank (Genesis) - 677 min.
2. Enduro (Atari 2600) - 260 min.
3. Death Trap (Atari 2600) - 184 min. (#2)
4. Millipede (Atari 2600) - 141 min.
5. Solar Fox (Atari 2600) - 78 min. (#9)
6. Summer Challenge (PC (DOS)) - 64 min.
7. Kangaroo (Atari 5200) - 60 min.
8. Legend of the Amazon Women (C64) - 54 min. (#10)
9. Captain Beeble (Atari 8-bit) - 51 min.
10. Joust (Arcade) - 42 min.
 

Pre-NES top 10:

 

1. Enduro (Atari 2600) - 260 min.
2. Death Trap (Atari 2600) - 184 min. (PN#1)
3. Millipede (Atari 2600) - 141 min.
4. Solar Fox (Atari 2600) - 78 min. (PN#5)
5. Kangaroo (Atari 5200) - 60 min.
6. Legend of the Amazon Women (C64) - 54 min. (PN#6)
7. Captain Beeble (Atari 8-bit) - 51 min.
8. Joust (Arcade) - 42 min.
9. Squish 'Em (Atari 2600) - 40 min. (PN#7)
10. End, The (Arcade) - 35 min.
 

Top 10 systems:

 

1. Atari 2600 (821) (#2)
2. Genesis (677) (#3)
3. C64 (100) (#5)
4. Arcade (99)
5. PC (DOS) (75) (#7)
6. Atari 8-bit (69) (#6)
7. Atari 5200 (60)
8. MSX (44)
9. Atari 7800 (10)
10. NES/Famicom (6) (#1)

 

Two rather different kinds of vehicle based games are in the top of the overall list this week, with M-1 Abrams Battle Tank well ahead of Enduro, which in its turn takes the pre-NES title. Speaking of NES, it drops on the systems list from #1 to #10 and is only 1 minute ahead of the Super Cassette Vision to drop off the list entirely. Instead it is the Atari 2600 which becomes the most played system by a margin of 144 minutes over Genesis.

 

None of the games advance into the 1000, 5000 or 10000 Minute Clubs.

[Atarian7]

Participation is down.    

 

I think I asked or said this last year but, is this because of summer?

 

 

[carlsson]

Generally there has been a decline in the tracker since the height of 2017. Already at the end of 2019, we were down by 15% compared to 2018 and by 33% compared to 2017. Summer vacations probably is a factor too, plus that we perhaps don't attract enough new blood.

[Eltigro]

I've been out for a couple weeks because I've been sick.  I've been playing some stuff, but just haven't felt up to getting the times and posting them.  Hopefully I'll have some times in for this week.  

[+wongojack]

I know that I only really noticed the tracker way back when Al posted a news item on the front page for it.  I believe it was when Atarian7 passed 100k mins on Kaboom!  Something like that might make new visitors to the site aware.  Could also consider posting on the Facebook page.  This activity might attract someone who otherwise wouldn't visit the forum.

[Steven Pendleton]

I've mostly been too lazy to bother tracking my times, but I finally decided to do it, so I'll finally be showing up here starting on Monday. So far I've barely played any games at all this week for some reason, but I've still gotten some time in.

[+cvga]

Turbo Grafx

 

Y's Book I - 943 minutes

 

Finally finished it. Something I never did even when my Turbo and the game was brand new. Getting ready to start Book II. Since the CD is Y's Book I & II I'm wondering if they get counted together or separately.

[carlsson]

It ... depends. On the TurboGrafx CD/PC Engine CD those two are combined, on every other system they're counted separately.

 

NEC PC-8801: Ys I (Ys II and Ys III exist, but have not been tracked)

NEC PC-9801: Ys I, Ys II and Ys III as three separate entries

Famicom: Ys II and Ys III separate (Ys I exists, but has not been tracked)

Sharp X68000: Ys I, Ys II, Ys III as three separate entries

Sharp X1: Ys I (Ys II exists, but has not been tracked)

SNES: Ys III (first SFC/SNES game in the Ys series)

TurboGrafx CD/PC Engine CD: Ys Book I & II (US) as a single entry

TurboGrafx CD/PC Engine CD: Ys I & II (JPN) as a single entry

TurboGrafx CD/PC Engine CD: Ys III as a separate entry

 

Edit: Ok, Wikipedia tells me the series originated on the PC-8801.

Quote

The first two games in the series were originally intended as a single game, but the creators Masaya Hashimoto and Tomoyoshi Miyazaki eventually decided to split it into two separate games: Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished (1987) and Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished – The Final Chapter (1988). They were later re-released together in the enhanced remake Ys I & II (1989)

This may explain why the TG-CD games are counted as a single entry but the other, somewhat older formats (NEC, Sharp, Famicom) are counted separately.

 

Other formats where you can find Ys games, not yet tracked:

 

Apple IIGS: Ys I

SMS: Ys I

Fujitsu FM-7 (a system never tracked here, though one game for the FM-77 AV was tracked): Ys I, Ys II

MS-DOS: Ys I, Ys II

MSX2: Ys I, Ys II, Ys III

Genesis: Ys III

 

Neither of the two Ys IV games for Super Famicom respectively PC Engine CD have yet been tracked. Sames goes for Ys V for Super Famicom. All subsequent games are too new for the Classic Tracker but would fit in the Modern Tracker.

Edited July 30, 2020 by carlsson

[Steven Pendleton]

So, just to get this right, Sonic 3 Complete, the ROM hack of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, counts as Sonic 3 Complete and not Sonic 3 & Knuckles, right? I am not entirely sure if ROM hacks count as their own separate entries or not, which then brings up things like that Castlevania Bloodlines color hack that changes the colors, but the game is otherwise completely unchanged. So, basically, at what point do ROM hacks count as their own games, or is it best to just not count them?

[carlsson]

We have plenty of hacks listed separately from the original game. I think different level designs which affects gameplay would be one of the factors that makes it different. Just replacing the sprites and leave everything else original only visually makes the game different.

 

Regarding the Sonic games, we have the following entries for Genesis:

 

Sonic & Knuckles

Sonic 1 & Knuckles [aka Blue Sphere]

Sonic 2 & Knuckles [aka Knuckles the Echidna]

Sonic 3 & Knuckles [aka Complete Version]

Sonic 3 Complete (fan made, which Skippy played earlier this year)

Sonic 3D Blast

Sonic 3D Blast: Director's Cut

Sonic Spinball

Sonic Tetris

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

 

plus of course a number of Sonic games for other systems.

[Steven Pendleton]

2 hours ago, carlsson said:

We have plenty of hacks listed separately from the original game. I think different level designs which affects gameplay would be one of the factors that makes it different. Just replacing the sprites and leave everything else original only visually makes the game different.

 

Regarding the Sonic games, we have the following entries for Genesis:

 

Sonic & Knuckles

Sonic 1 & Knuckles [aka Blue Sphere]

Sonic 2 & Knuckles [aka Knuckles the Echidna]

Sonic 3 & Knuckles [aka Complete Version]

Sonic 3 Complete (fan made, which Skippy played earlier this year)

Sonic 3D Blast

Sonic 3D Blast: Director's Cut

Sonic Spinball

Sonic Tetris

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

 

plus of course a number of Sonic games for other systems.

Great, thanks. I'll list it as Sonic 3 Complete when it's time.

 

I think most people forget that Sonic 3's stage layouts are slightly different in a few places than the same stages in Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Sonic 3 Complete does modify the level layouts from Sonic 3 & Knuckles, but mostly to change them back to what they were in Sonic 3 without Sonic & Knuckles attached. It also moves Flying Battery in between Carnival Night and Ice Cap, which is where it was originally intended to be, rather than after Mushroom Hill.

[+davidcalgary29]

Does the Evercade belong here, or in Modern Gaming? I've got 33 minutes on Magical Drop 2 to add.

[carlsson]

I suppose if it plays original ROM files - or more precisely if the cartridges sold for it contain original games run through some emulator, it should be listed as its native format. If those are reworked titles for a new hardware format (I can't imagine that to be the case, though), it would belong in the Modern tracker.

 

Since before, Magical Drop 2 has been tracked on Neo Geo AES/MVS and Sega Saturn, with Magical Drop 3 also on the PlayStation 1. I would assume that the game on the Evercade emulates either of these systems, though perhaps it doesn't specifically say which one?

[Steven Pendleton]

31 minutes ago, carlsson said:

I suppose if it plays original ROM files - or more precisely if the cartridges sold for it contain original games run through some emulator, it should be listed as its native format. If those are reworked titles for a new hardware format (I can't imagine that to be the case, though), it would belong in the Modern tracker.

 

Since before, Magical Drop 2 has been tracked on Neo Geo AES/MVS and Sega Saturn, with Magical Drop 3 also on the PlayStation 1. I would assume that the game on the Evercade emulates either of these systems, though perhaps it doesn't specifically say which one?

From what I understand, the emulators for the Evercade are contained on the carts and the Evercade hardware just runs the emulators. Not sure of the specifics, though.

[carlsson]

Ok, so the cart is like a bootable CD-ROM if you want, with the execution environment and all the games contained in one? Might make it harder to pinpoint which system it emulates. The cartridges called Atari Lynx kind of give away which system those games come from, the others might not be as easy. I saw that the Data East Collection 1 contains these games:

 

BurgerTime (arcade 1982, ported to Apple II, Atari 2600, ColecoVision, C64, Intellivision, Aquarius, MSX, NES, PC, Sharp MZ-80/700/800, Sharp X1, TI-99/4A etc)

Burnin Rubber (arcade 1982, ported to Amstrad CPC, Atari 2600, C64, ColecoVision, Intellivision, NES, Sharp MZ-80/700/800, Sharp X1)

Karate Champ (arcade 1984, ported to Apple II, C64, NES)

Side Pocket (arcade 1986, ported to Game Boy, Game Gear, Genesis, NES, SNES, WonderSwan)

Bad Dudes (arcade 1988, ported to Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, C64, DOS, MSX, NES, ZX Spectrum)

Midnight Resistance (arcade 1989, ported to Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, C64, Genesis, ZX Spectrum)

Two Crude Dudes (arcade 1990, ported to Genesis only)

Fighter's History (arcade 1993, ported to SNES only)

Magical Drop 2 (arcade 1996, ported to Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD, Saturn, SNES)

Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics (SNES 1994, doesn't seem to have existed on arcade)

 

Based on that history, I'm willing to think that this cartridge runs some form of MAME and emulates the arcade versions of said games, with the possible exception for Joe & Mac 2.

 

Previously we've had some mix-ups between true arcade games and those for Neo Geo AES/MVS. One way to keep them apart might be checking the start screen. The arcade version displays credits with two digits, the Neo Geo version has only one digit. For some reason the credits may also be placed higher onto the screen on the arcade version?

 

https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/magical-drop-ii/screenshots/gameShotId,658640/

https://www.mobygames.com/game/neo-geo/magical-drop-ii/screenshots/gameShotId,104753/

[Steven Pendleton]

16 minutes ago, carlsson said:

Ok, so the cart is like a bootable CD-ROM if you want, with the execution environment and all the games contained in one?

Yeah, that's how I understand it, but this is only what I've heard, since I don't have one myself.

 

16 minutes ago, carlsson said:

Based on that history, I'm willing to think that this cartridge runs some form of MAME and emulates the arcade versions of said games, with the possible exception for Joe & Mac 2.

I think it only has the home ports of everything right now and none of the arcade versions, but it's been a while since I looked into it and I might be wrong.

16 minutes ago, carlsson said:

Neo Geo AES/MVS

So I went to the arcade yesterday and I played the MVS, but I also played a few games on my AES at home as well. Not the same games, of course; I'm not spending 100 yen per credit to play KOF 98 when I can play it for free at home! Anyway, should AES and MVS be tracked separately or together?

Edited August 2, 2020 by Steven Pendleton
spelling

[carlsson]

In the tracker, we have three different Neo Geo systems: AES/MVS (as one), Neo Geo CD (because CD) and Neo Geo Pocket Color. Thus you group the AES and MVS games into one lot. In particular people playing through MAME sometimes mistake those for Arcade or vice versa, but if you see the hardware it is easier to tell what it is.

[Steven Pendleton]

1 hour ago, carlsson said:

In the tracker, we have three different Neo Geo systems: AES/MVS (as one), Neo Geo CD (because CD) and Neo Geo Pocket Color. Thus you group the AES and MVS games into one lot. In particular people playing through MAME sometimes mistake those for Arcade or vice versa, but if you see the hardware it is easier to tell what it is.

Okay, thanks, I'll just put them all together as Neo Geo AES/MVS, then, since I was using the AES and MVS. It will be Monday in 1 hour and 52 minutes, so while my pre-2000 stuff is already calculated unless I play something in the little time remaining (I might since my Saturn is sitting right next to my hands as I type this with a new game inside that I just bought yesterday), I do need to check my StarCraft II times for all of the games I played last week for the modern tracker.

Edited August 2, 2020 by Steven Pendleton

[Steven Pendleton]

Well, it's now Monday in my time zone, so here you go.

 

MD/Genesis
Sonic the Hedgehog - 32
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - 10 (estimate)

Sonic 3 Complete - 139

Vampire Killer - 15

Yes, I did specifically play Vampire Killer instead of the US or PAL versions for some reason. That's just how it turned out.

All played on the Nomad because the Nomad is awesome.

 

Neo Geo AES/MVS

The King of Fighters '98 - 34

Magician Lord - 71
Metal Slug X - 27

Played this one at the arcade on the MVS. Magician Lord and KOF are on my own AES.

 

Arcade
Altered Beast - 8
DoDonPachi - 7
Splatterhouse - 6
Thunder Force AC - 7

Went to the arcade on Saturday! Never played DoDonPachi before, never played the arcade versions of Altered Beast or Splatterhouse before, and I've only played Thunder Force AC on the glorious 32-bit Sega Saturn, so it was a lot of fun to play these, most for the first time, in the arcade. I somehow got 1st place on the Thunder Force AC cabinet and 5th in DoDonPachi despite never having played it before in my life! As I mentioned earlier, it's usually 100 yen per credit here, so it gets crazy expensive very fast here, so I don't do this often. Thunder Force AC cabinet was actually in a PC store down the street and this cabinet is set to let you play for free!

 

Saturn
Cotton 2 - 59

Just got this game on Saturday and it's another great arcade port for the Saturn. I'd rather have Boomerang instead, but this is what I found and I got it for a decent price, so why not?