Is it true? The messiah nex sucks

I just read a review about the messiah NEX nes clone and it says the products sucks. I was actually excited about it, but if it doesn't work I won't be spending $60 to find out it doesn't work. Heres a link to the review:http://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/6

 

It looks like the NES console my old day care used to have years ago.

I wouldn't spend that much on that. If I really wanted a NES, I would buy one from eBay, prob @ less than $10, and buy a new 72 pin connector for cheaper. :nod:

 

FOAC man. It's incompatible with some games...and the ones it is compatible with will have a tendency to look (sometimes colors will be off...some games might have garbled graphics at times) and sound (off pitch) bad. Check Messiah's website for a compatibility list--keep in mind that that list doesn't mention the standard Famiclone problems.

Famiclones are crappy and have a tendency to break down...I can't wait for all the Yobos and Messiahs to break down...and hear all the complaining.

 

yeah, it's true.
there is a discussion over at nesdev about it:
http://nesdev.parodius.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=698&start=0

 

Famiclones are cheap, you just have to keep buying them! In my experience your average famiclone seems to last about 6 months if you use it often. Ok this new messiah one sounds utter shite, but I have never found one of particularly high quality. Best would be the "famulator" if you use original controllers and a solid power supply.

 

I'm pretty gutted about the shocking quality. I was intersted in the wireless Megadrive pads, but if they have the same build quality as the NEX I'll stick with wires.

And I too beleive the whole NEX situation is very dodgy. Definately badly manufactured FOACs manufactured in HK somewhere and put into a nice pleasing case, along with some good Western marketing.

 

So, now that the NES hardware is out in the open, has anyone thought about doing a "kiosk" type clone? Really, it wouldn't be that hard to make a system with multiple slots and add in a simple boot loader that lets you select a slot to play.

 

maybe for private use but don't think Nintendo would be happy if someone put the "kiosk" on the shopping mall... O_O

 

You know its funny, but i alwasy thought it was ridiculess to do a fullout nes clone of the us market. Now an snes one, that migth actually really sell with the demand it has these days.

 

I use my Yobo a lot and I've never had any issues with it. My only beef with that thing is the lack of standard-ported controllers. The ports look like Genesis ports or something, so i can't use my NES Advantage or dogbones.

 

Shit, you mean this is one forum where Jagasian hasn't been waging his personal anti-Messiah vendetta already?

 

Indeed. It sounds like that dude just found out that Famiclones tend to suck no matter what.

 

While I haven't used them myself, everything I've heard about their pads says that they're nothing but high quality. In case you didn't notice, the pads are not only wireless, they also use a clicky thumb stick like SNK pioneered with the Neo CD and Neo Poke. If you've ever used on of those, you know how unbelievably perfect they feel (obviously for fighters, but really for almost any type of game). I like them even better than actual arcade sticks.

The NEX is a disappointment, though. Anyone who thought that it wouldn't a Famicom on a chip architecture was foolish, but the fact that they didn't even fix the video problem, the fix for which has been well documented speaks poorly for them. I also notice that their compatibility list makes it seem like maybe the currently non-working games could actually work if only Messiah had better carts to test, which is bullshit.

These problems and the initial attempts to pretend that they weren't using a Famicom on a chip were bad moves on their part and are causing all of their current bad reputation. They should have been upfront about things and said that they were using the Famicom on a chip design. The only ligitimate problems with the arcitecture are the sound issues and only the most ridiculous purists care about that and they probably wouldn't have had any interest in the system anyway since purists are...well, purists. The fact that a tiny handful of games don't work wouldn't have worried anyone if Messiah had said so from the get go (although I can say from personal experience that some Famiclones do work with Castlevania III and so probably also the Koei games, so maybe Messiah hoped they'd be able to solve those problems). Lastly, the quality concern some of you brought up is totally unfounded, the quality of the system has nothing to do with the archeticture and everything to do with the case and PCB design. It's not like the Famicom on a chip architecure is inhernetly prone to exploding or anything. The reason most Famiclones don't last is because the build quality of the systems themselves quite aside from their architecture (I have been using the same Famiclone for the last five years and I use it quite frequently). As I said before Messiah previously had a sterling reputation for quality based on their wireless controllers, so they really shouldn't have had anything to worry about.

Oh well.


...word is bondage...

 

I see that I am well known already. Yes I know that NOAC based Famiclones suck, but the NEX was promised to be a custom clone with improved accuracy and compatibility. When I pointed out, before it shipped, that this might not be the case, I got attacked. Now that it is shipped and reality shows that I was right, I am exacting payback on the people that attacked me and spread lies about how the NEX was not just another Famiclone.

But the real reason I am posting here is this. I was an early adopter of their wireless SNES controller, which is similar to the NES controller. Everything about the controllers is great, especially the no-lag, long range, long battery life wireless... except one crucial part, which really sucks. The D-pad, though seemingly innovative, is almost useless for playing NES or SNES games. You really have to try it out for yourself to be able to see what the problem is, compared to an official NES or SNES D-pad.

The D-pad is extremely sensitive, so while you can lightly rest your thumb on other D-pads, without accidentally pressing a direction, you cannot do so with the Messiah D-pad. You have no idea how often you just rest your thumb on a d-pad, without pressing a direction, but once you use the Messiah D-pad, you will see. There are other problems. For some reason it is too easy to accidentally hit the wrong direction, typically you accidentally hit a diagonal direction. The final problem with the Messiah D-pad is that it can't be used for double-tapping a direction, which is required in many NES and SNES games to start running in a direction (Double Dragon) or in fighting games double-tapping a direction is used to execute a special move (Street Fighter 2).

You might think that the D-pad is good for fighting games, but for the life of me, the biggest problem I had was accidentally jumping or crouching when I wanted to run forward or backward because I was accidentally hitting the diagonal directions.

 

That sounds very noble, people are sorry they doubted you!

Wait, no, that just sounds stupid and immature. You 'exact payback' by being annoying on message boards?

Anyways, this is really disappointing news about the NEX - I was actually hoping that we'd get some sort of quality all-in-one clone, because lets face it: Original Famicom hardware and NES toploaders are a bit spendy, and replacing the 72-pin connectors on a NES is just an unnecessary pain in the ass. It sounds like the Messiah just wasn't the savior some of us hoped. :-(

On a Famiclone note, has anyone tried that NeoFami toploader? Does it seem to have any particular merits or flaws?

 

NeoFami toploader was what I used till I got the Famulator. It actually is just as good as the Famulator, except it is a bit bigger and not as good looking. As a machine it looks quite decent, quite small. It has a really cool light in it and it comes in a couple of good colours.

So nothing really special, controllers are decent (what you would expect) with turbo fire (and slow) It does the job well, for playing games it is very solid, slight image problems (nothing major) and sound is not as perfect as it could be. Still it does what you want it to and if you need a famiclone it is probably the market leader in Japan and very cheap as well. Only real flaw I have heard it that my chums power supply failed in his after about 3 months of good use, no idea why either. Mine is still working fine last time I checked.

 

I totally understand why you're angry. I read a little bit more into it...and realized it wasn't the fact that it was an FOAC, but that they were never straight with it that got to you. I'm if my last post was in any way offensive to you. I just generally hate clones, and hate even more that so many people like them (Screw you, crappy Superjoy!).

I remember reading the NEX site and they said something like this (paraphrased):

Q: Will the NEX be based on a FOAC just like all the other ones?

A: Blah blah, No way, It's based upon the NES Algorithm (somebody please tell me how that makes sense)

I'll admit that even seeing that, I thought it would be another clone...just one with 2 cartridge slots (which isn't a new idea...it's been done remember). I don't know what to tell you though...some people are willing to roll over and take it, accept a shitty product. (Sidenote: Does anybody else find the name "Messiah" and their "Bringing gaming back to life" slogan really obnoxious?)

Just be happy that you didn't get one. You can obviously tell a quality product from a clone. Let everybody else buy their NEX systems, Ronex watches, and Sorny TVs--that just leaves more quality stuff for us.

As much as I hate to say it, I'd just forget about getting apologies from everyone else though. Some people are just unable to admit when they're wrong. You're the minority, and the minority tends to get screwed.

Look on the bright side now...you're officially a member here at ASSEMbler now.

Welcome!

 

I've seen your 'crusade' over at DP, Jagasian, but I do agree with you. It really isn't the fact that it's a FOAC, it's more that they blatantly lied, and are now coming up with crap excuses to cover-up these false truths. It really doesn't help that the cart socket (or something?) isn't even wired correctly, lessening the already dodgy compatability.

Had Messiah (I agree about the name, Blur) actually delivered what they promised, and produced a new acurate clone along with Composite/RGB/S-Video & stereo output they'd be onto a winner. Especially as the dual cart slot design is great IMO and it uses original NES pad sockets.

But they didn't, they lied. And are still lying and disgracing the company name and reputation. The answer? Go buy a NeoFami/Famulator or wait till someone does the job properly.

And one daft question before I go, which is the more acurate - a decent Famiclone (if such a beast exists) or a NES/Fami emulator on the PC/Xbox/DC etc?

 

You can't get much more accurate than a famulator with an original famicon pad in my experience.

 

Well, theres still games that Famiclones don't play. Emulators (espcially on PC...as they are the most often updated ones) can play anything...and anything new that the pirates make (and somebody clever writes the support for it). So...until somebody updates the FOAC chip for accurate sound and support for EVERYTHING the NES does...an emulator is your best bet.