oops
Yeah, the retro shop near downtown here is loaded with ps2s last I checked, easy if you have some cash and with FreeDVDBoot and some DVD-Rs (and a couple extra, in case the PS2 doesn’t like the burn or it degrades over time) you can play anything PS2 (Like Gitaroo Man. Play Gitaroo Man. I love rhythm games lmao). I would never be satisfied with emulation (except in rare instances where the TV is already in use) tbh, and the soft PS1 picture would be a dealbreaker for me, so we have a PSX, PS2 slim, and two PS3s (we each had one) lol
Aside, thoughts on dithering on the PSX? I like preserving the dithering, I have a SCART cable plugged into mine. When Partner was playing Silent Hill 2 I fucking was over the moon, loved the way it looked, but I know this is a very divisive topic, and I bet the devs themselves were not intending for the dithering to be seen. (I struggle with Genesis games since there’s no alpha blending as far as I can tell, but I really like the sharp pixels, so waterfalls in like Ristar or Sonic games are cool to behold, technically, but don’t really have the illusion correctly lol)
I find that, for PS1, S-Video on a CRT is sharp enough for my tastes but not so sharp that it starts looking unnatural. Genesis/MD I definitely go composite. Saturn I go back and forth.
Yeah, it’s kind of a personal thing, isn’t it? I can appreciate the composite output, and sometimes Pixel Perfect is too clean (esp. for text), but when I play an actual console I like it to be pixel perfect. When I actually do emulate, I try to muddy it up a bit with CRT/NTSC filters (although this depends heavily on the game). Maybe I just like bending the hardware against its will, lol.
I like seeing everything in new and different lights, so if it were easier with my current setup to switch between composite and SCART, I would, but my retrotink is out of ports lol
I only use S-Video for the n64 because I don’t have HDMI modded, and it is kind of a mess visually vs. emulator for obvious reasons (the famous smear filter, and I don’t have the Gameshark or whatever to disable it)
If you’re using a flashcart, you can get modded versions of games without the AA
waow
They used to be super common at the thrift near me, still show up occasionally. Also SMH SMH, of COURSE I have rewritable DVDs 😤 I made both of my FreeMcBoot cards with my own FreeDVDBoot disc. Rhythm games, yeah I wouldn’t emulate Project Diva on PSP for example… I would have a real PS1 but there isn’t an easy way to load backups. I have an MX4SIO for each PS2 I own lol
Scart cable ps1 north american scart… Uh to me I kind of have two approaches to Buttstation games, one is ALL ORIGINAL NO ENHANCEMENTS which I usually use when playing games via Wiistation on a CRT at true 240p. Otherwise I’m not against enhancements, like wobble correction and high res can be cool, I’m not super fussed though. Dithering can stay, it’s fine.
I struggle with Genesis games
Okay look, right you could buy an S-video cable when the mega drive was new, so even back then not everyone was seeing the alpha blended " transparencies". If the devs’ genuine intent was that RF or composite was the best video you’d see them with, those devs are fools, S-video was right there. I have a real model 2 Genesis hooked up via composite downstairs with copies of the Sonic games, too. I just think it’s silly, like “yeah for the full experience pls use the video cable that makes it look like a scruffy video tape”. For that I’d rather use a blaarg filter.
spoiler
Also SMH SMH, of COURSE I have rewritable DVDs 😤
sick and based, actually!
I made both of my FreeMcBoot cards with my own FreeDVDBoot disc.
wow, I didn’t actually get that far, I just use the patcher on the isos. I haven’t tried anything more than that, I honestly couldn’t find a guide I understood. all the terms seem a little ??? to me, like they’re random letters.
Rhythm games, yeah I wouldn’t emulate Project Diva on PSP for example…
I’ve never heard of this (looks it up) OH i should try this. I basically have not encountered Hatsune Miku at all until watching a YT video about the appeal and being like “cool, I should check it out”
I would have a real PS1 but there isn’t an easy way to load backups.
Yeah, I lucked out that I went to buy one from the retro game store downtown and they were like “we should warn you, this one has a modchip. We didn’t know until after we bought it.” I don’t think they literally winked, but they should have. It works great, but burning discs is finnicky for the PSX because the laser is really weird. Slowest my burner can go is 16x, and usually one burn will be unreadable.
I have an MX4SIO for each PS2 I own lol
Oh, I just looked this up, that looks neat. I should look into this further… Does this work with FreeMcBoot?
north american scart…
we use scart for ps1, genesis, snes, saturn, ps2, and dreamcast. they are new cables, people are making them for some reason lol
ALL ORIGINAL NO ENHANCEMENTS which I usually use when playing games via Wiistation on a CRT at true 240p
damn, I didn’t know the Wii could emulate PSX, that’s cool, are you using Wii U for it?
Otherwise I’m not against enhancements, like wobble correction and high res can be cool, I’m not super fussed though. Dithering can stay, it’s fine.
Yeah, sometimes I watch people play PSX games and the high res and wobble correction is fascinating and easy to watch, but I feel like wobble+dither+240p all together makes for such a vibe I just can’t resist it. Like, it all fits together in my mind so well.
I get why people upscale N64/PS2 games too, but … most of the time, I want to play it as original, I guess. We occasionally do a OOT randomizer seed (OOTMM is probably too hard for us casuals btw) and we defs load it on the Everdrive, even if that makes the D-pad hard to reach. there’s something magical about it to us.
That being said, as a tiny enby I definitely played a ton of snes games in zsnes on keyboard, wow the platformers are hard on keyboard lol.
you could buy an S-video cable when the mega drive was new, so even back then not everyone was seeing the alpha blended " transparencies". If the devs’ genuine intent was that RF or composite was the best video you’d see them with, those devs are fools, S-video was right there.
yeah, that’s a good point!
I just think it’s silly, like “yeah for the full experience pls use the video cable that makes it look like a scruffy video tape”. For that I’d rather use a blaarg filter.
Yeah, I don’t like the composite blur when I’m playing generally, even if it’s like the Genesis. I do like scanlines tho, helps with the harshness of pixels, the retrotink 5x has like a bit of CRT phosphor sim, but it’s basic, nothing as complicated at the shaders and simulations you can get with Retroarch, or various emulators (such as blaarg)
gaming
sick and based
WHY YES, I have tons of writable media around for if I need it. Never know when you will… PS2 softmodding is a little convoluted at times but I understood it eventually. Some things I wish they would explain better.
have not encountered Hatsune Miku at all until watching a YT video about the appeal
Miku is pretty funny, I think as a teen it was a combination of genuinely liking weebslop and gender envy, lmao.
they were like “we should warn you, this one has a modchip. We didn’t know until after we bought it.”
Waow, I wish I had a modchipped PS1… all those burned discs though Idk. The PS1 is a 2X disc drive at best so it makes sense you would have issues with 16x, by god you need a slower drive. I have many that go as low as 1X… Discs burn better slower…
Does this work with FreeMcBoot?
Absolutely, you just use OpenPS2Loader, OPL. It’s pretty easy to set up, I did it twice. Memcard ports are slightly slower than disc (5.5mb/s vs 3.5mb/s) so some games might load a touch slower but it’s nothing like the stutters you get on USB1.1 for instance.
they are new cables, people are making them for some reason lol
Oh no kidding, of course. Was just shocked because scart is a rarity here. I assume you just use the Retrotink with a scart switch? Never seen a TV with scart here…
I didn’t know the Wii could emulate PSX, that’s cool, are you using Wii U for it?
Oh I wrote a post about this! You could use a Wii U, and even PCSX-R on Retroarch there, but I use it on an original Wii running component to my CRT. Gotta have true 240p.
I feel like wobble+dither+240p all together makes for such a vibe I just can’t resist it.
I gotta say PS1 games do smell pretty good in this way look at my stinky polygonal boys…
Lol for PS2, really? To me PS2 games are so close to modern (widescreen, Pro Logic II multichannel, progressive scan sometimes) that upresing them just makes more sense Idk. I do play them on original hardware a lot but Idk, PS2 enhancements pay dividends compared to N64 where the textures and UI will always be ugly… How does an everdrive makt the dpad hard to reach…?
as a tiny enby I definitely played a ton of snes games in zsnes on keyboard,
Waow same!!! Ah the bad old days… now you can hook the real controllers up to a PC lol
I do like scanlines tho, helps with the harshness of pixels, the retrotink 5x has like a bit of CRT phosphor sim,
Yeah I play with scanlines on flat displays too. For phosphor sim I have seen some amazing 4K stuff…
