Lets discuss repros and where they belong in the community.

[Danthor]

I only buy repos of games that were never released. Mother3 in english etc. Repos of REAL games are just one very small step from scamming.

100% ^
The only Repro I've ever bought was Mother 3, and it was definitely worth doing. Repros of existing currently high ticket games, like SSVS, or Earthbound, or romhacks that I see much more commonly (Some examples; Hyper Metroid, Mario RPG Armageddon, or more neo relevant, the countless KoF hacks that are usually on Multicarts)? Not a chance. Emulate or Multicart that stuff and call it a day. Even if repros of existing games were easily telling (like the red PCB idea) they still always end up costing more than anyone with sense should spend on a game. On top of that, I think it would drive the price of legit ones up even higher than the prices they currently fetch. But that's just me.

 

[StevenK]

Seriously, let collectors be collectors and people who want an authentic experience without a reverse mortgage have an option too.

This is the bit that I get stuck on. What makes the experience authentic?

If it's holding something that's relatively rare, and that was around at the time, in your hand then firing it up then a repro isn't going to do that so doesn't make sense.

If it's playing the game you can do that through emulation no problem.

If it's slapping an actual cart in the slot and playing it on the original console you can usually do that with a multicart.

So I don't see what the point of them is, other than to either try to fool someone else, or yourself, that it isn't fake, which seems either deceitful in the former or a bit odd in the latter.

 

[JoeAwesome]

I'm not talking "bootlegs" or something made to be confused with the real deal for sake of profit.

No, I'm talking about reproductions made to give access to things not normally available to the majority.

The two are not mutually exclusive in the wrong person's hands.

I know personally I'd have much rather paid ~$100 for a SamShoV Special repro cart than ~$1000 for a legit one.

Seriously, let collectors be collectors and people who want an authentic experience without a reverse mortgage have an option too.

Discuss.

We'd all like to pay 1/10th of the actual cost, but it doesn't exist. The NCI ones cost bigger money because of what's included, but when you replicate the game, the manual, and the case/art/box, you're not trying to get an authentic "playing" experience, you're trying to get the exact same experience as the original.

 

[Liquid Snake]

Think he means MVS. One just sold on here for $50 shipped and there's an SvC Chaos Super Plus with BROKEN ROMS selling for over $100 on YAJ right now.

MS5 boot was sold $25 shipped actually. Original was $50 but price was adjusted accordingly.

 

[Hellfromabove]

...On top of that, I think it would drive the price of legit ones up even higher than the prices they currently fetch. But that's just me.

You don't think it would devalue them?

 

[Danthor]

You don't think it would devalue them?

Not one bit, even with wide availability. That clear separation would allow for repros to go for less than current rates, sure. That's the whole idea behind it. But now with that, you've given collectors and shelf queens a new margin by which to set the value of their buy/sale, more than they already do, simply by a much clearer/simpler guarantee of authenticity.

OR, on the other end, a well enough made repro, lavished with enough fan love/extra goodies, you also leave potential for repros to cost MORE than the OG versions, which to me is the height of madness. Case in point;
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/PC-Engine-Tu...917979?hash=item3f6108fa5b:g:6boAAOSwKtlWqUVx

I at least have to give that seller credit for clearly stating in the description it's a homebrew/reprint. But still.

 

[mjmjr25]

You don't think it would devalue them?

When has a multi-cart or newly booted item dropped price of the originals? Never.

Every item has gone up once booted or multi-ed.

New people are "exposed" to the game and the hunt for originals increases.

Most recently the CPS2 multi drove the prices of even commons from $50-60 to $80-90.

AES / SNES / NES originals of now booted games sell for more than before, by significant amounts.

 

[Niko]

So then for the Neo community, the only "acceptable" solution for someone wanting a more authentic experience without shelling out the big bucks would be if someone ever made a proper everdrive type cart. As the multi's are flawed, and repros are bad.

So lets take this a step further.

We have all seen the "Retron" and "FC Twin" style system on a chip console clones. What if someone where to make an AES clone?

 

[Hellfromabove]

When has a multi-cart or newly booted item dropped price of the originals? Never.

Every item has gone up once booted or multi-ed.

New people are "exposed" to the game and the hunt for originals increases.

Most recently the CPS2 multi drove the prices of even commons from $50-60 to $80-90.

AES / SNES / NES originals of now booted games sell for more than before, by significant amounts.

Wow, had no idea. I don't really follow any of the prices or the collector market so that's all news to me. Makes sense though.

 

[mjmjr25]

So then for the Neo community, the only "acceptable" solution for someone wanting a more authentic experience without shelling out the big bucks would be if someone ever made a proper everdrive type cart. As the multi's are flawed, and repros are bad.

Assuming we're talking AES - What about playing the MVS version - not much more authentic than that.

If talking MVS - In what way are the multis flawed? The 161 and 120 both play extremely well - i'd suspect 99% of folks wouldn't know the difference. Granted, a few games are not on a multi - but the multis themselves perform well.

 

[sparksterz]

Wow, had no idea. I don't really follow any of the prices or the collector market so that's all news to me. Makes sense though.

Yeah, I've noticed this trend as well with the CPS2. The cost of Naomi Net Dimm/Sun PSUs went up pretty quickly too once there were pi bootable solutions for that platform.

 

[Hellfromabove]

Yeah, I've noticed this trend as well with the CPS2. The cost of Naomi Net Dimm/Sun PSUs went up pretty quickly too once there were pi bootable solutions for that platform.

I always never really cared for the originals tbh. I always preferred emulation since everything is right there in a small area. I hate having too much shit around lol.

 

[FilthyRear]

So then for the Neo community, the only "acceptable" solution for someone wanting a more authentic experience without shelling out the big bucks would be if someone ever made a proper everdrive type cart. As the multi's are flawed, and repros are bad.

I think the multi's are fine. There are few games that I would want that aren't on a multi, and those are common.

 

[Lemony Vengeance]

What about repro art? What if it were offered on a website, mass production style vs. In limited batches on forums by enthusiasts?

 

[Niko]

Assuming we're talking AES - What about playing the MVS version - not much more authentic than that.

If talking MVS - In what way are the multis flawed? The 161 and 120 both play extremely well - i'd suspect 99% of folks wouldn't know the difference. Granted, a few games are not on a multi - but the multis themselves perform well.

Besides having to flip through %40 crappy hacks, they tend to have sound/graphical issues, incomplete versions of games, and the program rom for each game on those carts was modified so who knows what ill effects it could actually have on the game play.

People for years ( some people still do ) thought that emulation in general was perfect not realizing that in some cases the accuracy was so bad the game behaved differently and became harder/easier or just impossible to complete. My point being just because you might not be able to notice something doesn't mean it isn't affecting the experience.

 

[F4U57]

This thread is complete cancer.

Repros, conversions, bootlegs - they're all in the same shit boat to me and should not be encouraged.

If you want to own the game, save up and buy it. If you just want to play it, go emulation.

If you want a fake game on your shelf to appear as though you're in the same league as those that will pay to play, you're an idiot!

 

[Hellfromabove]

What about repro art? What if it were offered on a website, mass production style vs. In limited batches on forums by enthusiasts?

Those exist. Doesn't seem like anyone has a problem with it.

Going back to one thing Niko said, what about repro consoles? I don't see an issue with this. This kind of fits in to the area of the FC Twin or the Retron 5. Really like those and would love to see a repro AES.

 

[ShootTheCore]

Those exist. Doesn't seem like anyone has a problem with it.

Going back to one thing Niko said, what about repro consoles? I don't see an issue with this. This kind of fits in to the area of the FC Twin or the Retron 5. Really like those and would love to see a repro AES.

The repro AES already happened in a way with the Neo Geo X handheld. That didn't go over very well, partly because of the ways it differed from a real AES - handheld instead of console, widescreen display, tiny multi-game carts instead of the original big carts, glitchy emulation, and inferior joysticks that looked similar but performed differently.

If SNKP decided to the release a high-quality all-in-one AES reproduction console that hooked up to a modern HDTV, emulated and scaled the games accurately, and included quality joysticks, I think there'd definitely be a market for it. Doesn't seem likely though - they seem content to just give the library away in cheap Steam Humble Bundles.

As for EPROM-based carts, I'm against them for games that were released legitimately - either emulate if you just want to play the game or save up for the real cart. I'm fine with them for homebrew, prototypes and Neo Geo CD conversions.

It'll be interesting to see affect, if any, a Neo Geo flash cart has on the market after Darksoft or whoever else finally delivers one. I'm astonished at how many people use them on the Nintendo, Sega and NEC consoles.

I doubt anything will meaningfully affect the values of the original carts - for that audience, there's no substitute for the real thing.

 

[herb]

The only repros that interest are the one's of pricey Meha Drive games and some of the translated one's for NES, such as Sweet Home.

 

[Liquid Snake]

The only repros that interest are the one's of pricey Meha Drive games ......

Never heard of Meha Drive b4
Ban Plz

 

[Hellfromabove]

Never heard of Meha Drive b4
Ban Plz

Lol

 

[wyo]

OG or multi/flash carts.Individual repros are for shelf queen fagets.

 

[kuze]

Besides having to flip through %40 crappy hacks, they tend to have sound/graphical issues, incomplete versions of games, and the program rom for each game on those carts was modified so who knows what ill effects it could actually have on the game play.

People for years ( some people still do ) thought that emulation in general was perfect not realizing that in some cases the accuracy was so bad the game behaved differently and became harder/easier or just impossible to complete. My point being just because you might not be able to notice something doesn't mean it isn't affecting the experience.

If you don't like scrolling through crappy hacks, get the 138 in 1 and do the DIP switch mod.

Most or all of the program roms even match the originals on that cart.

 

[Hellfromabove]

There's a supposed 181 in 1 out there that has all the original games on the board along with some hacks. I have yet to see it though. I think it was created/ released when the demand for MVS carts started to diminish so it might have never really gone in to production.

 

[andsuchisdeath]

I'm not talking "bootlegs" or something made to be confused with the real deal for sake of profit.

No, I'm talking about reproductions made to give access to things not normally available to the majority.

I've been watching these SNES/NES repro carts for awhile now and I think its great idea. It allows people who cant or dont want to spend big money on rare or obscure titles to get a similar experience for a fraction of the cost.

At what point do we start excepting something like this in the Neo community? It only seems logical especially with the prices of AES carts. I know NCI has already started doing this and there doesnt appear to be any shortage in demand.

I know personally I'd have much rather paid ~$100 for a SamShoV Special repro cart than ~$1000 for a legit one.

Seriously, let collectors be collectors and people who want an authentic experience without a reverse mortgage have an option too.

Discuss.

What a loser!