Retrode Device

[rimsky82]

http://www.retrode.org
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/retrode-en.html

I could care less about using it for playing games on the computer, but it would be cool to be able to access SRAM on my carts. I believe it writes to SRAM as well, which might make it worth the cost.

Once you buy plugins for other systems though, it might be too steep. Still, for someone like me that likes to play on real hardware, but do a little savegame hacking on the side or cheat to get past a certain point, this is a cool device.

[OldSchoolGamer]

till, for someone like me that likes to play on real hardware,

Not quite sure I understand. The Retrode uses emulators to play the games, so it's not like playing on real hardware. It's the same experience as playing an emulator on a computer without the Retrode. You can even use real, official controllers using an adapter. So I don't understand why someone would want to buy this unless they felt downloading ROMs were morally wrong and refused to participate in that "illegal" activity.

[Demonic722]

>So I don't understand why someone would want to buy this unless they felt downloading ROMs were morally wrong and refused to participate in that "illegal" activity.

I believe that's why it says this in their about page:

The Retrode is for you if…

• you like playing legacy video games on your PC, and doing so legally

and this:

The Retrode is not for you if… you don’t see the difference between making private backup copies of games that you own, and downloading 10,000 ROMs from the internets.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Yep, I've read that. It would be interesting to find out how many units he winds up selling.

[rimsky82]

lol, did you read my first post?

Obviously anyone with half a brain and less than astronomically high standards wouldn't use this to play games. You have to see it for what it really is to see any value.

It's essentially a device to make your own roms. If a cart comes along for one of these systems that hasn't been dumped yet, this device will let you do it without some other elaborate cart dumping hardware. It's likely that won't happen unless you're a rare cartridge collector and actually come across an undumped game.

I like playing on real hardware. But, there are times I get frustrated at the limited hackability of said hardware. With this device being able to read/write SRAM (save games), all of a sudden you have the ability to back up your saves, alter and write saves, make saves with an emulator and transfer to the cart, download saves from the net, etc etc.

But yes, of course, if you don't give a shit about hardware and like to use your keyboard to play Mario, then by all means, ignore this thread.

[OldSchoolGamer]

I misunderstood this part:

Still, for someone like me that likes to play on real hardware

I thought you were implying it was like playing real hardware.

I like playing on real hardware.

Me too, it's always my first preference. But if I don't have the cartridge, then I gotta do what I gotta do.

But yes, of course, if you don't give a shit about hardware and like to use your keyboard to play Mario, then by all means, ignore this thread.

umm, I don't think anyone here uses a keyboard to play emulation and the Retrode is not needed to use controllers. You can use USB controllers and even official controllers (if you buy an adapter.) I use the console's official controllers and I also have an inexpensive $9 USB PS1-type controller. If somebody can't afford $9, then they probably couldn't have afforded a computer to begin with to play emulators. And the adapters that you can buy that let's you use the consoles' real/official controllers are also inexpensive as well. But you know all this already. Playing Mario on a keyboard is reserved for when you're at school or work ... it would look kinda bad if your boss/teacher walks by and you got a controller in your hands, heh. But personally, I'd never game at work.

[rimsky82]

But you know all this already.

Yes, I have adapters and controllers from retrousb. Had them for years, hardly use them since I only really use the computer to hack, not to play.

I also own many flash carts for various systems, and have a decent collection of (likely still copyrighted) original carts.