Undumped VS. Lost Video Games

[Magmavision2000]

For those who don't know, I have a series called Lost Gaming Vault on my blog where I talk about games that are lost. But I've noticed some of them aren't actually lost (as in no example has resurfaced) but are just simply undumped.

 

Examples: Western Gun was a precursor to outlaw (which was the first game to use a CPU), Even though there are multiple cabinets of Western Gun known to exist, it hasn't been dumped due to the fact it runs on discrete logic. For some reason, this is considered lost, even though you can still play it (granted, you have to be very lucky, but still).

 

Then there's stuff like Zero Racers where only screenshots exist, other than that there's nothing .

 

What do you guys think? Should I start making a distinction between lost and undumped in my future entries? 

 

 

[Blazing Lazers]

I would definitely make a distinction between the two. Even now there's games that aren't lost, but are unavailable as the people who own copies either don't know that they need to be preserved and shared or intentionally keep them to themselves. 

[CatPix]

11 hours ago, Magmavision2000 said:

Examples: Western Gun was a precursor to outlaw (which was the first game to use a CPU), Even though there are multiple cabinets of Western Gun known to exist, it hasn't been dumped due to the fact it runs on discrete logic. For some reason, this is considered lost, even though you can still play it (granted, you have to be very lucky, but still).

 

Make sense, discrete logic mean that graphics and gameplay are generated directly from electrical signals. It's digital, yes, but in the most crude form (0 and 1, but as  : voltage is on, voltage is off, not bits).

You can't dump such a game, that would be like trying to "dump a tube radio".

 

But considering it lost because you can't dump it is crazy. Pong can't be dumped, it's discrete logic. Is it lost?

 

I would make a distinction (whenever you learn about it) because it could spark interest for some people to recreate the game in software (there are VERY powerful electronic software out there, able to recreate discrete logic hardware) and for ROM-based games, either encourage people to look for them, solutions to dump existing know copies, or pressure greedy assholes to dump their copies.

Edited June 29, 2020 by CatPix

[Magmavision2000]

10 hours ago, CatPix said:

But considering it lost because you can't dump it is crazy. Pong can't be dumped, it's discrete logic. Is it lost?

I never thought of that. According to the criteria of the Lost Media Wiki (where I get my information), Pong would technically be lost media (which is bogus). I'll bring that up to the people over there and see if they could change their criteria (they probably won't, but it never hurts to try).

 

Also, Western Gun actually has a recreated version on Gamejolt by MasterofTTL, it has some sound issues, but other than that, it's pretty accurate. But it's still considered a lost game.

[CatPix]

The only way for a discrete logic game to be lost (an not undumped) would be for the schematics to be lost, for each and every game board to be lost, and possibly for the game board to use a specially made logic chip (à la Pong-on-a-chip) with no infos on it.