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Topics - Minerals

#1
Retro News & Chat / Online Genesis/MD Emulator
February 27, 2014, 22:27:01 PM


A friend of mine just linked me to this on Twitter, a great online Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulator that works directly from your internet browser.
It has just about every game ever released for the system, sorted well under both A-Z and Genre. Its easy to play too, as you can use your keyboard as the controller or plug in a joypad:

SSEGA.COM
#2
Retro News & Chat / Unreleased & Unfinished Games Thread
September 10, 2013, 20:53:07 PM
[size=140]Unreleased & Unfinished Games Thread[/size]


[size=100]Ive always been really interested in the subject of unreleased and unfinished games that never saw the light of day. There are many great examples of possible gems on a multitude of consoles over the years. I often wonder if many of these titles would have effected the sales figures, impact and legacy of various systems and the fortunes of once great gaming companies such as Sega and Atari......[/size]

[size=100]Heres a couple of examples you may know of potentially big games that never saw the light of day[/size]:


[size=120]Sonic Xtreme - Sega Saturn[/size]

Its a real shame that the Saturn never had its own original Sonic game and maybe if it had then the initial sales  and anticipation of the consoles release may have been stronger. Sonic Xtreme looked truly original and had real potential, but mixed opinions from a number of the 'big-wigs' at Sega meant the game was never finished. Rumored playable versions of the game still exist, one of which was auctioned off to an anonymous source in 2005, but was later proved to just be a demo based on the 'Nights Engine'. Im glad to see the ideas conveyed in this Xtreme are finally seeing fruition in the form in the upcoming release of Sonic: Lost Worlds on Wii U, even if the original game will never truely be imagined.

Sonic X treme Promo Video - Sega E3 Expo Video (1996) Cancelled Sega Saturn Game


[size=120]Super Mario's Wacky Worlds - Phillips CD-i[/size]

A deal was struck with Nintendo after the ill-fated CD add-on for SNES to be manufactured by Phillips never saw the light of day. This allowed them to release games on the CD-i system featuring their 2 biggest characters. This included the horrible Zelda: Wand of Gamelon and the slightly less horrible Hotel Mario, both of which bared no similarity to the games we had seen before on Nintendo consoles in terms of the core gameplay and actual quality. A game however started development to change all that and was planned to be a direct sequel to the hugely successful Super Mario World. Thousands of consoles could have been sold on the promise alone of a new Mario platform game.  Heres a look at what could have been:

Super Mario's Wacky Worlds
#3
[size=140]Xbox One boss Don Mattrick 'resigns'[/size]
[size=120]Microsoft head of entertainment and devices said to be joining Zynga as CEO[/size]

Don Mattrick, the most senior executive within Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, has allegedly announced his intention to leave the company.



According to The Wall Street Journal, Mattrick is departing to take up the role of chief executive officer at beleaguered social games group Zynga.

Microsoft has declined to comment

Mattrick made himself the global face of the Xbox One project, being the first executive to introduce the system at Microsoft's Redmond campus in May, and the man who officially announced the dramatic Xbox One DRM policy reversal - a move which undermined many of the console's core features that MAttrick and his team spent years building.

Insider sources claim that Mattrick is in line for the role of CEO at the struggling social games firm Zynga, in a move that would represent a major shake-up for the business that recently announced further layoffs and studio closures.

His departure, which has not been officially confirmed at the time of going to press, comes several months ahead of the global launch of Microsoft's third major games console.
#4
[size=120]Google developing Android console; eyes on Apple, Ouya[/size]



Search engine giant Google is preparing to deliver an Android based games console in a new bid to bring its operating system to living rooms.

The sprawling software empire is allegedly building both games console for the living room and a next-gen wristwatch that can play media, according to sources speaking to the Wall Street Journal.

These projects are a pre-emptive strike against Apple, which is expected to release similar devices in the future, alleged insiders claim.

A third R&D development has also been cited. Google is allegedly preparing to release an Android-powered media-streaming device called Nexus Q (which was unveiled last year but did not make it to retail).

Google "hopes to design and market the devices itself and release at least one of them this fall", the company added.

Android, which launched in 2008, has become the first-choice operating system for numerous smart phones from the likes of HTC, Samsung and even Sony. The software's ubiquity across numerous smart devices has encouraged numerous app and software developers to create content for the platform.

Whether the same app style games would remain desirable on the home TV is a matter for debate. The Android operating system has already become the backbone of the Ouya games console, which launched across the US and UK in June.

Rumours of the Android home system come weeks after both Microsoft and Sony unveil their next-generation consoles.

The alleged insiders say that Google is working on a games console under expectation that rival Apple will launch a videogame console as part of its next Apple TV product release.

Apple and Google have declined to comment.

In 2012 Google said it was on track to generate $8 billion annually in revenue from mobile devices.
#5
[size=140]id Software president departs after 17 years of service[/size]



id Software president and former CEO Todd Hollenshead has left the company, Bethesda confirmed with IGN today.

"After many years with the studio, Todd Hollenshead decided to leave id Software to pursue other personal interests," Bethesda's Pete Hines said. "While Todd was not part of the development teams, he was an integral part of id Software's success as the business head of the studio and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors."

Hollenshead joined id in 1996 as CEO, then served as the company's president following id's acquisition by ZeniMax in 2009. Hollenshead additionally hosted the annual QuakeCon gaming convention.

Development of id Software's current project Doom 4 has been reportedly troubled, as anonymous sources alleged that the game suffered at least one complete reboot following RAGE's mixed reception in 2011. These sources also claim that a proposed RAGE sequel was canceled in order to focus development efforts on Doom 4.
#6
General Retro Chat / Best Console Mods
June 15, 2013, 15:11:08 PM
[size=140]10 Best Console Mods [/size]

Consoles have also been on the modding scene for years now, with everything ranging from retro to current. Here's ten of the best.

The Nintoaster



As seen on various episodes of The Angry Video Game Nerd. Designed by , the nintoaster combines all the allure of old school 8bit Nintendo games, with the majesty of toast. Or freshly popped games to be exact. Richard Daluz created this second generation fusion of toasty goodness and old school technology, and it's even survived several rampages by the Nerd himself.

The Xbox 360 laptop



Ben Heck is no stranger to modding just about everything in the pursuit of gaming, but his latest Xbox 360 laptop takes the cake here. A 15 inch screen, built-in speakers and a sexy stainless steel finish? Shut up and take my money! All $2000 of it!

The Black Ops 2 Playstation 3



Black Ops 2, which won awards for best puzzle, strategy, racing, casual, RPG and shooter game from us last year has just earned itself another one: Best influence on a custom console. Created by Jriquelme Mods, it looks like an item straight out of the game, complete with some snazzy LED lighting to boot. Noob-tastic.

The Steampunk Gameboy



Man, I knew that the original Gameboy was heavy when it had batteries inside of it, but this is ridiculous. Throw in a selection of gears, knobs and various metal cranks, and you've got the arm workout from hell. Designer Kyle Robinson must have the biggest arms in the world after handling this for a few hours

The Nintendo Neutrona Wand



Ok, technically not a console, but the controllers were seen as more than just input devices when it came to selling the Nintendo Wii. And seeing as how I've forsaken Batman for Ghostbusters lately, this authentic proton pack design from Jack Rossi that incorporates the Wii controller is pure win in my book. So long as you remember not to cross the TV streams.

The portal Nintendo Gamecube



I don't think that words alone can summarise just how much I loved the Nintendo Gamecube. Despite being late to the party, it was a great gaming console, in mini-me form. And square! SQUARE I SAY! Well keeping the hypotenuse on the oblong (MATHS!), comes this 5 inch screen version of the console, in portable glory from Techknott. The funny thing? That screen is taken from an old Sony Playstation one portable device.

The Super Genintari 4-in-1



Super Genintari is half Sega Genesis, half Super NES, half Atari 2600, half NES and all awesome. Just look at that beautiful case, which was custom "formed and shaped on a homemade stript heater". All that retro glory, in a package that doesn't even require more than one cable for all four consoles.

The portable Atari Jaguar



This is by far my fave on this list, I wouldn't mind owning a portable version of the Jaguar, as designed by Evil Nod.

The PSP fit for a God...of war



God of war is a manly game! A game meant for strong men! Men who keep their emotions bundled up inside until they reach a tipping point that gets them sent to jail for their violent sprees of violent violence! Which is why this macho PSP exists. Because of God of War.

The Playstation 3 George Foreman Grill



Possibly the laziest mod, as the design hardly changes much to incorporate the grill.
#7
[align=center:21zx1g32][size=120]Road Redemption, a Road Rash spiritual successor on Kickstarter[/size]

DarkSeas Games is looking to finance a spiritual successor to Road Rash through Kickstarter. Road Redemption is a Unity-based game for PC, Mac OSX and Linux featuring a single-player story revolving around biker gangs and drug distribution routes and online multiplayer. As you can see in the announcement video above, the Road Rash influence is palpable:

Road Redemption | Kickstarter Trailer

Melee weapons, firearms and explosives will all be tools of the trade for bikers, with a counter and parry system at the heart of combat. Bikers can also kick other bikers into oncoming traffic because bikers are violent maniacs.

Gameplay is being "geared toward experienced players," the Kickstarter page says. The developers explain the systems will feel more satisfying because of the difficulty. A few months after launch, should the Kickstarter drive yield success, DarkSeas Games will release the source code, art assets and project files to the public for modding.

It's important to note that none of the individuals involved with Road Redemption actually worked on the Road Rash series, odd considering co-designer Dan Geisler's statements on Reddit last month. When asked, "Why hasn't this game resurfaced?," Geisler responded that he wasn't ready, but is now and may even seek funding through Kickstarter. Awkward.

Road Redemption is looking for $160,000 over the next 29 days. As of right now, the campaign has pulled in around $8,000.[/align:21zx1g32]
#8
Retro News & Chat / Sega's new console-inspired laptops
February 15, 2013, 21:13:07 PM
[size=140]Sega is finally returning to the hardware market... well, sort of.[/size]

It's releasing a set of laptop PCs in Japan called the Sega Note, each designed to look like a retro Sega console.

The four covers - Mega Drive, Saturn, Dreamcast and standard blue Sega - can be removed and replaced, meaning you wouldn't need to buy four laptops.

However, while there are four different models, each with their own specs, only the most expensive "Premium" model (costing £1359) comes with all four covers.

For that you're getting a 2.40GHz Intel Core i7-3630QM Processor, 8GB of DDR3 SDRAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GT650M 1GB graphics card, a 120GB SSD and a Blu-ray writer.

Given the price of the Premium and the fact that you'd need to import it from Japan, it seems that for now all most of us can do is stare at them lovingly. If you're made of money though, you can pre-order them  from: http://ebten.jp/p/4974365702854



#9
[align=center:1e4latex]00477[/align:1e4latex]

Primal Rage 2 is one of the more mythical cancelled games of yore. Plenty of rumors and legends surround its life and death, but there's very little in the way of concrete, verifiable information when it comes to what the game was actually like. Now though, thanks to some new off-screen footage captured from a working prototype version, we have a slightly better idea of what could have been.

As shown in the video above, Primal Rage 2 maintained the claymation aesthetic found in the original game, though the character models and their various animations look much more fluid than Primal Rage's Harryhausen-esque staccato jitters. Furthermore, the combo system appears to have been improved and expanded, though to what extent is difficult to ascertain.

Essentially, it looks like everything we ever could have wanted. Finding absolute proof that we're not living in the best of all possible universes wasn't really on our "To Do:" list today, but here we are. Someday we'll open a worm hole to the bubble universe where Primal Rage 2 was released, and it'll be so great. Provided everyone in that universe breathes oxygen, of course; alternate universes can get complicated.
#10
A recently-surfaced 1980s brochure reveals that Nintendo nearly released a knitting add-on for the NES. Posted on the Facebook page of former Nintendo employee Howard Phillips, the brochure shows off the Nintendo Knitting Machine, a device that would have connected to the NES and allowed players to create and print their own designs.

"You're looking at the Nintendo Knitting Machine," the ad reads. "It's not a game; not a toy; not something a young girl can outgrow in three or six months or even a year. It's a machine that interacts with the powerful Nintendo Entertainment System to actually knit sweaters: and not just one or two patterns but a multitude of different and unique designs."



"The Nintendo Knitting Machine is just one more example of the innovative thinking that keeps Nintendo on the cutting edge of video technology," it continues. "And your customers on the edge of their seats. Of course we should probably mention that no other video game system offers anything even remotely similar. But why needle the competition?"

According to Phillips, original Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa asked him to pitch the peripheral to Toys R Us chairman Charles Lazarus in a live demo, which he humorously describes as "one of my least genuinely enthusiastic demos." While no reason for the cancellation of the Knitting Machine has been revealed, Phillips added that it was shown off at the 1987 Winter Consumer Electronics Show to gauge retailer demand "and then forgotten."

Phillips also noted that while the Nintendo Knitting Machine was never released anywhere, pattern editing software was released in Japan in 1986 for the Famicom Disc System. While it didn't include a peripheral, Phillips said with a wink in the comments of the photo that "The Famicom Disc software alone was a 'hit' in Japan likely because every father who bought a Famicom Disc System purchased the knitting software too in order to help justify the purchase."

A bit of the Japanese knitting software can be seen below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... YbANpltcm4
#11
Homebrew Chat / Angry Birds ported to Megadrive
June 26, 2012, 10:10:15 AM
Chinese programmer zhengyaxin_8bit of the spritesmind forum has ported Angry Birds to the Megadrive:



It only currently available via downloadable rom version.
It is unknown at this point whether Rovio have approved this version so i wont be posting the link on this forum for that reason. (But im sure you could find it through google if you wish)
#12
Redux: Dark Matters is the sequel to Dux, a 2009 shooter on the Sega Dreamcast. However, developers Rene Hellwig and KTX Software want to bring the side-scrolling followup to PSN, XBLA, and Steam, and have posted a $25,000 Kickstarter drive toward that goal.

But the developers haven't forgotten their insane drive to keep the Dreamcast alive. If you contribute $65 or more, you'll get a limited-edition Dreamcast copy of Redux, exclusive to the Kickstarter campaign. Anything that leads to more Dreamcast games can only be a good thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXN5nnf2kPk


Quote from the Kickstarter.com website:

KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN:

Our goal is to publish "Redux: Dark Matters" on STEAM, XBLA and PSN. To achieve this, we are offering a Kickstarter exclusive preorder for a Limited Edition of Redux on Sega Dreamcast. Only 1000 copies will be produced ever! It will only be available, right now, exclusively through this Kickstarter campaign.

The required devkits to release on STEAM, XBLA and PSN are costly - so we are offering an exclusive Sega Dreamcast version of Redux: Dark Matters to fund the development for these additional platforms. We want to bring Redux to as many people as possible. Pledging your support directly makes this a reality!

The Sega Dreamcast is one of our personal favorite video game systems. We thought, what better way to reach our goals than to offer something we know or fans would love: a limited edition Sega Dreamcast version! Help keep the Sega Dreamcast alive by preordering a copy of Redux: Dark Matters today!

Supporting our campaign not only helps keep the Dreamcast alive - but directly helps us bring Redux to more platforms and more people.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/red ... -dreamcast