Emulation Device

[KamakoKamako's icon]

What is the main type of device you use to play 5th Generation games or earlier?

How would you rate the experience?

Does it affect the type of games you try to emulate?

(5th Generation = PS1, N64, SEGA Saturn, 3DO)

 

[ZEGA ZONICZEGA ZONIC's icon]

A laptop.
Using a phone for emulation seems a bit unorthodox lol

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

A laptop.
Using a phone for emulation seems a bit unorthodox lol

I use my phone to emu games when I'm on the go. It usually works quite well, especially on older titles and menu heavy games which usually have simple controls and gameplay (NES games for example).

I think phone might be more common than you think (but I might be wrong). xD

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

I use both a smartphone and a tablet.

PS1 runs beautifully even among the lower spec crowd, while results vary wildly when it comes to Nintendo's machine (and not always for understandable reasons).

I have got no interest on the other systems from that generation.

 

[kbcinharoxa kbcinharoxa]

I use my laptop, but my preference is the original hardware :/
Yeah, you can say it: "What about HD patches, fan dubs, bug fixes, widescreen support and blah blah blah?"
Nah, I'd much rather play a game the way it was originally made to be played, even if it's a complete mess :,v
COUGH COUGH... Sonic '06, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, and 300+ others..."

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

I use both a smartphone and a tablet.

PS1 runs beautifully even among the lower spec crowd, while results vary wildly when it comes to Nintendo's machine (and not always for understandable reasons).

Hell yeah. Further proof that the PS1 is the best console. TBF it seems like the N64 had some hardware quirks that makes emulating it quite a bit trickier. The argument still seems to be burn strong today as to which emu gets closest to the original experience/offers the best QoL.

I have got no interest on the other systems from that generation.

Fair enough...the Sega Saturn is pretty neat though! Shame its architecture makes it so damn hard to emulate. The Dev's behind the Saturn emu's are straight up wizards.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

TBF it seems like the N64 had some hardware quirks that makes emulating it quite a bit trickier.

The - alleged - reason for it is that Nintendo allowed devs to modify and program on top of the very base code running the system (RARE was particularly infamous for it in an attempt to curb piracy), which results on emulators swinging at curve balls every time you run something, because they don't know what to expect, and programming a million plugins to account for every single instance of this free-for-all is just impossible.

But, hey, it's only been 32 years since that accursed thing was released xD

 

[Tsukishima]

N64 games always feel off to emulate, but I'm willing to be it's due to the emulators I've tried, they're either incredibly basic or ... scummy. I don't get what gall a person behind an emulating machine goes through to try to make you buy a "Pro" version of the emulator when it is literal piracy to begin with.

I wish I had a real Sega Saturn to play the system with instead, the six face button interface is rather sketchy when you're trying to use an Xbox One controller oddly enough, sure I can map some of these buttons to bumpers and what have you but the whole thing is truly strange. I wish I was there for the Saturn / Dreamcast era to get a feel for those incredible out-of-this-world peripherals, like that small monitor in the controller? That always looked so cool to me.

PS1 is always so good to me, bless whoever made Duckstation, they made gods gift with that incredible emulator. I love playing with it, messing with it, 'unlocking' the save file icon for list view after I make my first save in the game I'm playing ... It truly is a labour of love.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

I don't get what gall a person behind an emulating machine goes through to try to make you buy a "Pro" version of the emulator when it is literal piracy to begin with.

I'm not defending them, but programing an emulator is a ton of work and is often non-profitable due to the very nature of the software — I see most of those as an "enhanced" form of receiving donations (I'll wager the average emulation player isn't too keen on clicking on the PayPal button next to the download, but getting something out of it makes it much more palatable and enticing).

Besides, even my ebook reader does the same in the form of a "Pro" version that gives you a few more options.

It is what it is.

 

[Sfjeov]

Laptop plus xbox one controller

 

[shaggi shaggi]

I use a PC for emulation. I also have a cheap portable console that can play 8/16-bit games.