Poll: Emulation, your thoughts?

[Sevre]

For those of you who don't know, Emulation the term used to define playing console games on the PC.Naturally its frowned upon by many devs but I feel that its actually a good idea. Classic consoles and older consoles have dedicated emulators such as PSX and NO$GBA and I don't see the problem with it. These consoles are not available to purchase in big retail stores and support has dropped completely for them. They give you a chance to play games you never could 4-10 years ago. Nintendo won't find many buyers for Pokemon Yellow now,but thanks to emulation there are always people ready to play the classics and create alternate versions of the classics. You can say " Well I can play GBA and PS1 games on the PS2 and DS" but where do you plan on getting those games? Many amateur developers and programmers cut there teeth by creating new "hacks" for these games for the emulation society. Newer consoles have been emulated but they came too soon and failed. They don't work very well and are glitchy,but in the future these consoles will have dedicated emulators and their fans will be able to play all the games they couldn't get. I know it is illegal so I don't endorse it but I fail to see the point of taking someone to court for getting FF7 onto the PC. If the game was still available to buy and Sony were giving full support for it then that's a different story. I think by dropping the ability to play PS2 games on the newer PS3s was a serious blunder.But in 5 or 6 years we might be able to play decent quality PS2 games on the PC.In 10-15 years perhaps Gears 2 on your PC! Although I suspect the actual port will come out sooner than that.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

I've tried a few times, but my PC is a complete dickhead and won't do anything properly.

 

[Flushfacker]

I voted yes, but only to games long out of production because thats what I use them for. Without the old emulators I would struggle to get hold of and play classics of yesteryear.

 

[Tech Team FTW!]

I love the N64 emulator.

 

[Dys]

Yes, my '64 died halfway through majoras mask the other week....it needs to be finished damnit!

 

[Squid1361]

I don't own an x-box or playstation...
No consoles except for my computer.
But with an emulator, I can play whatever game comes out. Put it in the disk drive, run the emulator, hook up my pad, and game away. I still gotta buy the games, I just don't own the systems.

 

[Allan Foe]

But in 5 or 6 years we might be able to play decent quality PS2 games on the PC. In 10-15 years perhaps Gears 2 on your PC! Although I suspect the actual port will come out sooner than that.

5 or 6 years? Make it 2 to 3 for decent emulation of the best titles.
For example Odin Sphere is already fully playable, tested it myself, but MGS3 has many compatibility issues (from what I've read, can't check it out for myself - not enough pixelpower). Popular games get compatibility fixes first, so things like FF and Persona series will probably reach full compatibility within a year-two.

P.S.

I know it is illegal so I don't endorse it but I fail to see the point of taking someone to court for getting FF7 onto the PC.

Yeah, that wouldn't make much sense, seeing as FF7 is a PC title already, heh.

P.P.S.
Don't forget about things like DOSbox [http://www.dosbox.com/] (even Id Software uses it) and non-x86 PC platform emulators, where would we be without them?!

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

Some games work that way, some don't. Considering the game, I might.

 

[WillSimplyBe]

I've used it, but just for games for consoles so long out of production. I only have a snes emulator, and I mostly use it for translated versions of games that never came to the west.

 

[Sir Ollie]

I've used it, but just for games for consoles so long out of production. I only have a snes emulator, and I mostly use it for translated versions of games that never came to the west.

Same here Secret of mana 2 FTW!

 

[NinjaKirby1322]

I've only used emulators to try games and to back up my favorites. Nothing's better than playing the game on its original console, but if the console decides I'm not going to do anything with it one day, I always have it available on my computer.

 

[Ushario]

While I voted yes, only for games long out of production, I do have a DS emulator.

I am interested in doing some games development for the DS, and being a student can't afford one. So I got the emulator and tried some games out.

 

[Clirck]

Only really old PS 1 Nin 64 games.

 

[varulfic]

I got myself a urb adaptor for my PS2 controller, which I have plugged into my pc and use for my emulation needs. Which is alot, I play more emulated games, NES and SNES then I do regular PC titles. I'm having a blast. Thousands of classic games at my finger tips, played with the best controller ever devised, and it hasn't cost me a cent. Emulation is Gods gift to the lazy cheap nerd.

 

[WillSimplyBe]

I got myself a urb adaptor for my PS2 controller, which I have plugged into my pc and use for my emulation needs. Which is alot, I play more emulated games, NES and SNES then I do regular PC titles. I'm having a blast. Thousands of classic games at my finger tips, played with the best controller ever devised, and it hasn't cost me a cent. Emulation is Gods gift to the lazy cheap nerd.

I've been thinking about acquiring one of those cables or controllers to plug into my PC.

 

[gustcq]

Definitely

When i feel the urge to go retro to those chilhood games such as mario, mario allstar, metroid, etc... Sure enough its time to bring out the nes and Snes emulators

 

[tucci]

I think as long as its two generations out dated i think its okay

 

[bor_gamewiz]

I think old games are ok to emulate. I think if the devs stop supporting and releasing a game it's no holds barred and up for grabs.

 

[SimuLord]

I'm perfectly OK with emulating games that are at least two console generations old---legality of the issue aside I'm a supporter of the "abandonware manifesto", although I have a personal rule against emulating any game that's been re-released in its original form (remakes don't count---FF6 and Chrono Trigger aren't the same game on the GBA/DS) for a modern console or handheld.

I deleted all my old Mega Man ROMs when the Anniversary Collection came out for the PS2 and I only recently re-downloaded some old NES games that are part of the Classic NES Series for the GBA (now that those GBA carts are themselves abandonware).

 

[psyko1]

I like emulating old games, MAME is sweet and allows me to replay countless games I pumped quarters into in my youth. Meaning the large old arcade games that were never brought out or done badly. Like sinistar, great on arcade sucked on nes. Not to mention countless others.