*UPDATED* NeoGeo proto screenshots

[SuperGun]

yes, on topic is always interesting

Honestly...I find this kind of chit-chat about labels, way far interesting than 3/4 of the whole forum...

Anyway, if you'll need as much information/funfacts as possible about PowerSpikesII and JPN labels , you know where to get them:

http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showt...-screenshots&p=3365498&viewfull=1#post3365498

100% Agreed.
I also enjoy discussions about the the game packaging, cartridge stickers, art packs, etc. It is on topic and relevant to the neogeo.

And even though what the previous post said about their not being a consistent pattern or procedure to try and find a standard here, when you have OCD like myself, and most high end super collectors do, your mind does not care about what may or may not be impossible. It simply attempts to apply logic and order to anything and everything no matter how inconsistent it may be or appear to be.

I also want to take this opportunity to tip my hat to the guy who bought the cartridge from the original seller who started the power spikes 2 topic. Thank you for posting those pics of the game running on your television. That is always the fastest and easiest way to 100% confirm things.

 

[massimiliano]

Funfacts

I really can't say I'm trying to establish anything... rather my interest comes from documenting as much as I can.

Given the limited amount of games for this platform, knowing this (or any) game has a peculiar label can easily taken as just an interesting "fact", not good nor bad.

I'm picky about JPN MVS artworks, because that's really *rare* stuff to document, and I'm confident there is a lot yet to be seen...its a shame that most of it has been dumped like garbage (and "operator use only" doesn't excuse it to me anyway.. romantic).

...and of course,I like pictures (people on the internet should post more pictures)

Edit:
(bottom line, me, or other collectors like Billy, has not to justify anything to anyone anyway)

 

[JMKurtz]

No more news???

 

[SuperGun]

No more news???

None that I know of.
All we need is 3 eproms desoldered and read.
The rest are all mask roms and most likely the same program as final.
It's just a question of whether the buyer plans to do so himself, or if he is sending it off to someone else to have it done.
So cooperation does not seem to be the problem. Patience is what we may have to have here.

 

[SNKorSWM]

Let's hope he wasn't deterred by all the drama on that other PS2 thread.

 

[Xian Xi]

That PS2 thread is superfluous.

 

[massimiliano]

Ok, just to avoid another Kizuna 4P bios situation (!) can we check if indeed the PRom has been altered (for unknown reasons, probably tied to Taito) in order to just display PowerSpikes title also on JPN systems!?

Before starting seeking memory addresses trying to reinvent the weel, Raz or someone with a debug/devel software, could you try to check please if there is some unused graphic data on the well known rom?

Chances are that we could then just enable a cheat on unibios to display the proper JPN title, or simply patch the Prom

I think it is worth a try, please let me know what you guys think!

Massi

 

[SuperGun]

Ok, just to avoid another Kizuna 4P bios situation (!) can we check if indeed the PRom has been altered (for unknown reasons, probably tied to Taito) in order to just display PowerSpikes title also on JPN systems!?

Before starting seeking memory addresses trying to reinvent the weel, Raz or someone with a debug/devel software, could you try to check please if there is some unused graphic data on the well known rom?

Chances are that we could then just enable a cheat on unibios to display the proper JPN title, or simply patch the Prom

I think it is worth a try, please let me know what you guys think!

Massi

Yes, this is worth checking. A good idea. Nothing to lose by looking.
Keep in mind that in the final released version of the game, the title screen for USA and JAPAN are indeed different.
Not completely different as to say "Super Volley '94" for example. But however the Japan title screen does have some
additional Kanji text displayed above the large title screen fonts. This can be seen on my website where I place the
title screens side by side to compare.

EDIT: Link HERE:
http://www.neogeoprotos.com/links/xacrow.htm

Also, the other thing mentioned by the owner, which was a "different introduction" might also not be a very big change either. Remember that games like Fatal Fury for example have DIFFERENT introductions from home and MVS modes. So since the owner of the early version rom did not specify how different the intro is, it might only be a minor difference.

I do think however that the 3 eproms on the boards of this earlier version should still be read and checked regardless of what we may find by examining the final release version. Because it will have differences regardless.

 

[Shito]

BTW, it just occured to me I never ever just googled for スーパーバレー’９４.

Seems the whole story is not a big mistery at all in NeoGeo homeland:


当初は「スーパーバレー’９４」の名で業務用が発売された。うちの店には最初こっちが入荷したんだけど、設置して間もなく回収になり、数日後に「パワースパイクスⅡ」と名を改めたものが再入荷。原因はよくわかりません。

Translation:

First the arcade edition was sold with the "Super Volley '94" title. Our shop first got that item, yet soon after its installation it was recalled, and several day later it was re-introduced with the "Power Spikes II" title.

--

Just as I said, the scenario it's pretty clear. The game was originally coded to display different titles for each different region (JPN/US), so to be consistent in any of them with the local titles for the previous installment of the same series (Super Volley '91 / Power Spikes). For some reason, the JPN early released carts were soon recalled and the P-Rom was changed with a new one with a simply altered code made to lock both regions on the same title and logo (Power Spikes II). Given that, I bet whatever you want any Super Volley '94 cart will anyway display Power Spikes II if booted in US/EURO mode, and of course the original スーパーバレー’９４ logo graphics and all must still be there in any Power Spikes II MVS cart. :-)

EDIT:

Wikipedia JPN also points out that the robot-character in Sonic Wings (Tee Bee) is an intended reference in 'Super Volley '94', where he later appeared as the robot-referee. ;-)

Of course the original model for him it's pretty obvious as well (Number-5 from the Short Circuit classic movie).

 

[chrisr]

BTW, it just occured to me I never ever just googled for スーパーバレー’９４.

Seems the whole story is not a big mistery at all in NeoGeo homeland:


当初は「スーパーバレー’９４」の名で業務用が発売された。うちの店には最初こっちが入荷したんだけど、設置して間もなく回収になり、数日後に「パワースパイクスⅡ」と名を改めたものが再入荷。原因はよくわかりません。

Translation:

First the arcade edition was sold with the "Super Volley '94" title. Our shop first got that item, yet soon after it's installation it was recalled, and several day later it was re-introduced with the "Power Spikes II" title.

--

Just as I said, the scenario it's pretty clear. The game was originally coded to display different titles for each different region (JPN/US), so to be consistent in any of them with the local titles for the previous installment of the same series (Super Volley '91 / Power Spikes). For some reason, the JPN early released carts were soon recalled and the P-Rom was changed with a new one with a simply altered code made to lock both regions on the same title and logo (Power Spikes II). Given that, I bet whatever you want any Super Volley '94 cart will anyway display Power Spikes II if booted in US/EURO mode, and of course the original スーパーバレー’９４ logo graphics and all must still be there in any Power Spikes II MVS cart. :-)

EDIT:

Wikipedia JPN also points out that the robot-character in Sonic Wings (Tee Bee) is an intended reference in 'Super Volley '94', where he later appeared as the robot-referee. ;-)

Of course the original model for him it's pretty obvious as well (Number-5 from the Short Circuit classic movie).

just load the rom in mame and hit f4 and check the char roms for the graphic.

 

[JMKurtz]

Also, the other thing mentioned by the owner, which was a "different introduction" might also not be a very big change either.

Did you miss the video I posted of the different intro? It's completely different.

SV94 Intro

PS2 Intro (not my video)

 

[Shito]

WoW, I had missed your post, Jeff. Interesting stuff. From one side, it's confirmed that the US mode of the original SV994 shows the PSII logo anyway, on the other side we have an all-different intro, just like it was for the two releases of Magician Lord (in that case, the intro was added for the home cart 2nd release IIRC).

 

[SuperGun]

Did I miss something?

Hey, great video and thanks for posting but I don't get it, what do you mean: "did you guys miss the video I posted"...of course we missed it, because it wasn't here! When and where (besides right then in your post) did you post up the video in this thread?

Anyhow, yes, a very nice intro with some pretty good animation too. So how did you make the video? Was the cart already sent to you for reading those 3 eproms? Obviously if it is your video then you have the cartridge already?

Update please!
Thanks.

 

[JMKurtz]

Post # 408 in this very thread:

http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showt...-screenshots&p=3362200&viewfull=1#post3362200

The video is from someone I know's cart. He has the original artwork (flyers and marquee) with the jap SV94 logo too. He doesn't have a JAP BIOS or UNI-BIOS so he could only provide the video of the game booting to the US title. When I ask to borrow or buy the cart, the email usually goes unanswered. He won't part with it.

I have a strong feeling that the one that surfaced in this thread is long gone now too and we won't see it, but now people know what to look for and how to identify SV94.

This is why I offered to purchase this one so that it didn't vanish. But no worries, another will surface -- it's just a matter of time...

 

[JMKurtz]

Bump...

I had a feeling this would disappear again...

 

[massimiliano]

Yes, i have promise to make this.

Hi, any news about this?


Thanks!

 

[JMKurtz]

See... Should have let me buy it. We all would have it by now to enjoy.

Another will surface, but until then, I'll offer:

a) $300 for the cart
b) $100 to the first person that posts a working link for the rom dump in this thread, offer expires 7/20/2012 at 5:00 PM EST

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[ryo-sakazaki]

Hi, any news about this?


Thanks!

I will begin this week to make the dump.

 

[Xian Xi]

I will begin this week to make the dump.

I'd normally make a joke there but thank you for doing this.

 

[aria]

 

[massimiliano]

I will begin this week to make the dump.

Thanks a lot man!

 

[JMKurtz]

Any news on this?

 

[dragonpt]

I will begin this week to make the dump.

Updates on this ?

Dont tell me, there isnt one single member here, that haves that dump !

 

[SNKorSWM]

It's gone.

If it were thrown on ebay, at least it would be possible to guess who actually bought it.

 

[Lee Gray]

The second intro of power spikes 2 looks much better as better animation and more futuristic. the first one looked a bit boring.