A Little Advice

Hello everyone

This may be a long story and appear off topic, so bear with me (my apologies!)

I live in the UK and have been an avid gamer since I got my first Atari 800XL back around 1987 (when I was 8!). I've always been interested in gaming but got a little disenchanted when I saw that most of the good stuff was only coming out in the states and Japan.

I remember years ago hearing about the Dreamcast dev-units and thinking how cool it would be. Likewise when I first saw the WonderMega. I used to dream of stuff like that. The last games console that I genuinely LOVED was my N64. Again, I was hoping for the 64DD, not least of all because I wanted to make my own FZero tracks. The rumoured ability to move characters between games using Polygon Studio etc really got my imagination running wild.

Well, since the N64 I've had Gamecube, XBox360 and Wii consoles. The Gamecube I was a little disappointed in, and the XB360 I felt was just the same old console. The extra power was great but that was all, it was just extra power. The Live! service wasn't enough to keep me. It's now the only computer of any kind that I've ever parted with. On the plus side, it paid for my Wii which I got on launch day here in the UK on the 8th December.

Now, to the point...

There are a few of these old machines that I really want now and with the internet I realise that I now can. Why it's taken all these years for it to occur to me I don't know, but now it has I can't hold back any longer.

I want the following and I'd appreciate any advice on the subject and how much I should expect to pay for them. Also, if anyone has any I'd appreciate it if you let me know and we'll talk about exchanging money.

Wanted list:

1) Original Wondermega (Sega preferably but happy to take a Victor off your hands also)

2) 64DD (would also require a Jap N64 I assume)
This would of course then require FZero-X and the expansion pack at least!

3) Satellaview (and Jap SNES)
I'm not too sure the point of this now but I wanted one since I first saw one!

That's the main list. I'm also keen of Dev-Units, especially for the Dreamcast and Gamecube, but I understand that just any old person can't sit down in front of one and make their own games. Is there any point in me getting one? Is it possible to get the tools to make my own games? Can anyone point me in the correct direction? I've seen OldEngineer's site and was very impressed with the GC gear and I'd love to get my hands on some of them.

Oh, as a side story, my best friend used to work at Eurocom and Codemasters. That's it, there's not much more to tell, he was just a games tester.

Thanks guys (oh, and I expect to be moved to a more suitable forum, sorry!)

Antnee

 

i think for number 2 and 3 you should get into contact with japan-games, here or on ebay. i remember him having those in his standard lineup, well maybe number 1, too

 

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=64DD

you re in luck. 64DD and sim city 64, plus F-zero Xpansion kit.

Both are very fun titles. The price is the "usual" one. The 64DD is an expensive hobby, but it makes you an elite member of the n64 era if you own and master its games

as for the GameCube development stuff.. check your PM

 

Is that part about the 2000 units true? I've read up on the dd64 quite a few times but never saw any figures regarding the number of units produced. Surely at 2000 units, and being Nintendo, this thing would be impossible to come by.

 

its more around 3K than 2K

 

Hi guys

Yeah, I've been in touch with Japan-Games about that 64DD. I thought there were closer to 5000 units from what I read but I'm certainly no expert. I may be getting confused with what I read about Wondermega. I wanted an opinion on whether the prices on there were realistic.

Looking around FleaBay I've found a number of 64DDs with varying prices, including a dev-kit one? Had a blue DD with it, never heard of it before. Prices are between $300 and $1000 depending. Some have a clear-black N64 with them, some a standard N64 and others nothing.

Out of the four things that I'm after (WonderMega, 64DD, Satelaview and GC Dev) given the opportunity to buy only one right now and see about the others later, which order would you put them in, bearing in mind that at present I have no dev-experience.

I was thinking something like:

1) 64DD
2) Wondermega
3) GC Dev
4) Satelaview

This is given the likelihood that I could do anything with what I buy alone. I'm not taking into account the rarity value, hence why I ask again!

Oh Barcode, thanks for the PM, I've replied via eMail!

Thanks everyone

 

I would agree with your list numbering.

The first two can play games, and the other two are just too cool not to have, despite not being able to do much with them!

 

The N64DD is very nice, and since you loved the N64 it might be a good choice for you. You are aware of the limited number of software titles, and know a couple you want. There is an excellent english translation guide for the F-Zero X expansion kit. A Japanese N64 is needed, as well as the 4MB RAM Expansion pak (NUS-007). The best video output by default on any N64 is s-video. If you want to add RGB, make sure you find a NUS-001(JPN) with a serialnumber in the NUJ11xxxxxx range. The N64DD gets it power from the N64. To use a Japanese N64 with 220-240VAC, without a voltage convert, a you can use the power supply from a European N64.

http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/n64dd/file/f_zero_x_expansion_trans.txt
http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/nintendo/ntsc_nintendo_64_rgb.htm

I love the WonderMega 1. It is a quality piece of hardware. Check it out in Retro Core volume 1. Great sound. Plays CD-Rs without any problems too. The only snag is that you have to mod it get get RGB - best default video output is s-video. There are region- and 50Hz/60Hz-switch diagrams for it if you want to add that. I got a "Megacart" in the mail, hoping that is will make the CD-ROM region free as well, but I cannot confirm that it is workning yet. For power it have a barrel type connector. If you don't want to use a voltage converter, finding a 220-240VAC replacement for the original power supply is easy.

http://www.segagagadomain.com/RetroCorepage-main.htm
http://www.gamesx.com/grafx/wondermega.jpg
http://www.gamesx.com/importmod/gen2import.htm
http://products.genny4ever.net/megacart_v1x.html

CF

 

That all sounds pretty much bang on. I'm actually learning to speak Japanese (slowly) but haven't even touched on reading yet, maybe I should speed that up! I suspected that the UK N64 PSU would work with a Jap model in the UK and did ask Japan-Games but got an "unsure" reply. Thanks for clarifiying that for me!

I think I'll have to go for the Jap N64 and 64DD then. I'm aware of the need for the RAM upgrade. Doesn't that come with the 64DD normally? I do have one in my UK N64 though I would have to ask if they're the same part (ie not region specific some how).

I don't have room by the TV for any more consoles but I do have a video card on the PC with multiple inputs in a breakout box (Radeon 9800 Pro All-In-Wonder) so the consoles will have to fit in here with the PCs, Suns and SGIs. My Gamecube is currently residing up here with the Wii downstairs. The N64 has been put out of the way recently but I can feel it having to come out again soon. Ooh, and I have one of those adapters to let me use GC, DC and PS pads on the PC, I keep meaning to get an N64 adaptoid too, must get around to that! (I think the N64 pad is the greatest ever!)

Thanks for all the advice, we'll have to look at availability and cost and I'll pick myself some new toys up. Just to clarify mind you, although I know I'll never work in the field, I would like to learn how to make games sometime and I don't mind working with essentially obsolete hardware if it's still cool (I think GDEV is definitely cool!)

Thanks a lot guys!

 

The N64 Ram expansion pak is meant to come with the 64DD in the box. But they are region free so you can use a UK expansion pack with no problems.

Its a nice little machine, i mainly love it for the mario artist discs its fun to spend hours creating stuff & moving it onto other discs to use in other games.

Welcome to the forum (^_^)

 

Hey, thanks Importaku. I see you're only up in Leeds. I'm based just north of Nottingham in Mansfield. I wish I could say I'm a hardcore gamer/developer or even collector like most of you guys seem to be. One day maybe?

Thanks for the extra info!