As we get older...

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zamardii12

2[H]4U
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So, my PS3 crapped out on me. I bought the launch 20GB version of the PS3 and have sworn up and down that when this one dies I will buy another launch system on eBay because I love the backwards compatiblity. The fact that the PS3 was/is backwards with all the PS2 and PS1 games is awesome, but after my PS3 failed I started thinking that since there are no PS3 games that I really want to play or replay right now I think i'll just save money for a PS4. Then I was thinking that I want to buy a PS3 and a PS2 so that when I do want to play those old favorite games of mine I can...

So I basically have to parts to this thread; one is what are the most reliable versions of the PS2 and PS3. With the PS3 I can understand the latest one would be the most reliable since it doesn't use a mechanical eject for the discs anymore so less things to break, but then what about the PS2? I honestly always wanted to buy the fat launch PS2 again because that was always my favorite design, but if I want it to last i'll get the more reliable one.

The second part of this thread is that... I am 28 now and I have been gaming since I can remember and I have many fond memories of games and gaming moments throughout my life as I am sure many of you do too. So in 30 years from now if I want to play some Resident Evil Code Veronica or something, I wonder how we are going to preserve these games for so long... I know emulation is more than likely the answer. I doubt the systems released over the last 2 decades will last that long, but it got me thinking how I will be able to play these games down the road when there are virtually no PS2s or Gamecubes or Dreamcasts around anymore... Maybe by then i'll forget about it because i'll be playing games in my mind or some futuristic shit like that... lol (not likely). I will always have a certain soft-spot for certain games and it'll be nice to be able to play them when I am older.
 
For the PS3 choice I can only recommend the PS3 Slim with the mechanical eject. While it may not last forever I think it is the most refined and beautiful version of the console. I have two and I love them.

PS2, I am not sure. I have a standard PS2 with a network adapter. I don't use it much.

As for preservation, I have many older game systems and rarely use them. They all still work and will probably keep working for as long as my eyes, ears and thumbs do. I would just say that getting collecting and keeping older systems is a joy and if done right, a cheap hobby. They are little works of art to me and in reality, while I idealize the games of old, I am far too busy playing newer games to wear out these older systems.

Collect, enjoy and if/when you have kids maybe they will enjoy them.

I would also recommend attempting to fix your backward copmpat PS3.
 
HardUp4HardWare said:
They are little works of art to me and in reality, while I idealize the games of old, I am far too busy playing newer games to wear out these older systems.

Collect, enjoy and if/when you have kids maybe they will enjoy them.

I would also recommend attempting to fix your backward copmpat PS3.
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I did try fixing my PS3. I took it apart, put new thermal paste on the CPU and GPU but still yellow light of death. It's toast. I have it fail on me the first time about 2-3 years into having it and paid Sony $150 to fix it at the time, but I don't think it's worth it anymore. The 1st gens have the highest failures out of all the PS3s so I think it'll be safer to just buy the systems separately as time goes on.

I agree with being buys with newer games, but i've actually done a reversal as of late. I still play newer PC games, but with the consoles i've been going backwards which is why I haven't and don't even want to buy a PS4 yet until at least The Division or Silent Hills or MGS or the new Resident Evil release on it... I have my Gamecube, and Dreamcast connected now and have been making lists of all the top games released for the systems that I never played or what to play again. I also have a growing list of Wii games I want to play which my Wii U is already backwards compatible with.

The next game on my list to play which i've never played which has rave reviews all over the net is Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem for the Gamecube. It's still about $50 on eBay so it's not cheap but I have read it's amazing... Also I have a bunch of Wii games I never played so I am basically creating lists of games for the consoles I didn't adopt when they released. I skipped the Gamecube, and I sold the Wii early on but there are so many amazing games out there for these consoles and I would much rather go hunting for same great games that look dated than buying a super expensive next-gen console with mediocre games that don't look any better or play any better than my PC.

So I personally am more excited about playing these older games than anything new at the moment and like you said it's a fun and exciting hobby if done right... especially for me because i'm not just buying shit to collect them... I actually want to play and experience them.
 
When the PS2 came out, I thought it was AMAZING that it was backwards compatible. I would be able to play all of those PS1 games that I wanted to play and didn't get around to. Never played any; just used an emulator.

When the PS3 came out, I was a little late to the game and they were releasing the non-backwards compatible models. I hunted all over and found a hole in the wall store that had a 60GB, and I snagged it. I needed backwards compatibility to play my PS2 games.

There just weren't any PS2 games that I missed out on. And to this day, I've never used the backwards compatibility.


It seems to me that the only "old games" that I play are on the nintendo consoles. I know that I missed out on a lot of good 360/PS3 games, and I'd love to go back and play them. But the reality is now that I have my PS4, I probably never will. But ffs, for some reason, I re-buy Zelda and Metroid games on every nintendo console that gets released!
 
For PSX and PS2, I would just go the emulation route. In my opinion it's too much of a headache having to deal with multiple consoles. I get so annoyed right now just having to go between PS3/PS4 and 360/One whenever I'm in the mood for playing something from a different gen (which is often right now, BTW...).

For PS2 I would look for a slim console. It's about the size of a hardcover book and weighs less than one. Only problem I had with it was for some reason 1080i output didn't work in GT4, while it did with the original version. It comes with networking capability built in, but there are other accessories that are going to be incompatible with it.

The YLOD on the PS3 was caused primarily by the power supply failing. You should be able to find a fat PS3 power supply from resellers and on eBay for around $50 US. It is easy to replace yourself with only one cable and three screws. I had a fat 60GB launch console that had the YLOD, and replacing the power supply fixed it. Unfortunately the Blu-ray drive stopped reading discs a short time ago... I replaced the console with the latest super slim model. I like the old-school top-loading disc drive on it, but I hate that it only has 2 USB ports now instead of 4. But the fact it is 1/3 the size and weight of the original is a definite plus. I have just moved my PS2 gaming exclusively to my PC now.
 
zamardii12 said:
I did try fixing my PS3. I took it apart, put new thermal paste on the CPU and GPU but still yellow light of death. It's toast. I have it fail on me the first time about 2-3 years into having it and paid Sony $150 to fix it at the time, but I don't think it's worth it anymore. The 1st gens have the highest failures out of all the PS3s so I think it'll be safer to just buy the systems separately as time goes on.

I agree with being buys with newer games, but i've actually done a reversal as of late. I still play newer PC games, but with the consoles i've been going backwards which is why I haven't and don't even want to buy a PS4 yet until at least The Division or Silent Hills or MGS or the new Resident Evil release on it... I have my Gamecube, and Dreamcast connected now and have been making lists of all the top games released for the systems that I never played or what to play again. I also have a growing list of Wii games I want to play which my Wii U is already backwards compatible with.

The next game on my list to play which i've never played which has rave reviews all over the net is Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem for the Gamecube. It's still about $50 on eBay so it's not cheap but I have read it's amazing... Also I have a bunch of Wii games I never played so I am basically creating lists of games for the consoles I didn't adopt when they released. I skipped the Gamecube, and I sold the Wii early on but there are so many amazing games out there for these consoles and I would much rather go hunting for same great games that look dated than buying a super expensive next-gen console with mediocre games that don't look any better or play any better than my PC.

So I personally am more excited about playing these older games than anything new at the moment and like you said it's a fun and exciting hobby if done right... especially for me because i'm not just buying shit to collect them... I actually want to play and experience them.
Click to expand...

I skipped GC as well. I got a Wii recently and thought I would like catching up on old titles but the Wii controls are so deplorable I cannot stand it. Honestly it is the ONLY game system that I have ever seen a child get angry at due to the miserable lack of control.

I would dig a GC though, I always thought the Gamecube controller looked sweet.

Also the Dreamcast being my favorite I invested a little money into and got a custom VGA adapter.

I would love to get an intellivision and a TG16.
 
Depending on the game you play, some PS2 may not work properly with emulator (yet, if ever).The last time I tried pcsx2 was early this year, and Silent Hill 3 shadow still doesn't work correctly unless you use software rendering, and Ace Combat 4 wasn't playable (you can start a game, but the terrain is all black)

I have the PS2 slim, and I do think they are more reliable as the CPU/GPU have been shrink into a single chip and they don't generate as much heat.
 
Armenius said:
For PSX and PS2, I would just go the emulation route.

The YLOD on the PS3 was caused primarily by the power supply failing.
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What controller is good for emulators that isn't too hard to setup? I tried a Nintendo 64 emulator once and I found that mapping the keys was incredibly frustrating. I figure the 360 controller for PC was the defacto controller for the computer. Also, if there a repository somewhere of button mappings for game emulators? I suppose if I did do emulation, I could just order a USB version of every console controller so it's more familiar like this one for N64 I just found. http://www.amazon.com/Retrolink-Nintendo-64-Classic-Enabled-Controller/dp/B008L3UUPS

There is only one problem I see with the emulation route. I would still have to own every cart/disc anyway unless I want to be downloading games I don't own which I am sure is illegal. I think really I just am going to collect the physical games and then maybe years down the road when the consoles don't work then I can maybe start getting some emulated games.

Btw, thanks for telling me about the YLOD. I ordered a replacement power supply on eBay for $15 free shipping. I am excited to see if that will fix it. I could have sworn it was just a heatsink problem because that's what everyone was eluding to in my research.
 
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zamardii12 said:
What controller is good for emulators that isn't too hard to setup? I tried a Nintendo 64 emulator once and I found that mapping the keys was incredibly frustrating. I figure the 360 controller for PC was the defacto controller for the computer. Also, if there a repository somewhere of button mappings for game emulators? I suppose if I did do emulation, I could just order a USB version of every console controller so it's more familiar like this one for N64 I just found. http://www.amazon.com/Retrolink-Nintendo-64-Classic-Enabled-Controller/dp/B008L3UUPS

There is only one problem I see with the emulation route. I would still have to own every cart/disc anyway unless I want to be downloading games I don't own which I am sure is illegal. I think really I just am going to collect the physical games and then maybe years down the road when the consoles don't work then I can maybe start getting some emulated games.

Btw, thanks for telling me about the YLOD. I ordered a replacement power supply on eBay for $15 free shipping. I am excited to see if that will fix it. I could have sworn it was just a heatsink problem because that's what everyone was eluding to in my research.
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I've been using a USB adapter for the Dualshock 2 that I purchased almost 8 years ago. It was only $15 and came with its own software that works flawlessly with everything that supports DirectInput (the software came on a 1.44MB floppy!). I can't remember what it's called... I'll have to check up on that.

Mapping N64 controls can be pretty frustrating on the modern Playstation-type layouts. If you want the authentic experience you can find a USB-enabled repro like you linked. In N64 games, though, I use the 360 controller. The layout depends on the game, but I generally go for a Gamecube-like configuration. C-buttons go on the right stick, 'A' and 'B' go to 'A' and 'X' respectively, 'L' & 'R' to LB & RB, and 'Z' to RT. Games like Goldeneye I'll map the C-buttons to the face buttons, and 'A' and 'B' to the stick clicks.

I have burned my whole PSX library to an external drive and most of my PS2 collection to a 1TB HDD. My opinion, though, is that if you already own the game in question then you should be able to download a copy of the same game for yourself. I don't think the hardware needed to backup cartridges is readily available anymore.

Glad you found a replacement for only $15. I hope it works out for you.
 
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450 said:
If you are emulating PS1 and PS2 games, why not just use PS3 controllers?

http://betterds3.ciebiera.net/
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Because I'm not installing MotionInJoy even to install another driver. I have been keeping an eye on DS4 software, though. But the bottom-line is I've never had any issue with the USB adapter for my DS2, so there is no reason for me to change.
 
The most reliable version of each system is the last one released. I'd stay away from launch units since both PS2 and PS3 have had poor reliability (disc read error lawsuit, thermal design of PS3).

Keep in mind that all PS3's and PS2's are backward compatible with PS1.

Unless you like having a ton of machines I'd recommend getting that last PS2 and the last PS3. Both work very well for PS1 games, and you can transfer stuff off PS1 and PS2 memory cards to the PS3 with one of the adapters. (Holy crap the official one is expensive).
 
Armenius said:
Glad you found a replacement for only $15. I hope it works out for you.
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Didn't work unfortunately. Apparently it's the motherboard that is toast so i'll just let it go.

Mozex said:
you can transfer stuff off PS1 and PS2 memory cards to the PS3 with one of the adapters. (Holy crap the official one is expensive).
Click to expand...

I still have that adapter. lol. I bought it when I first bought the PS3 for $20 brand new and only ever needed to use it much.
 
Preservation is a fight against entropy. You can not win this battle. The Universe suffers from high entropy at an ever increasing rate.

Things will simply not last. It all depends on conditions , varying in nature , involving the collect items and storage conditions. Outside of materials like gold you really have no way to be certain..

Its more frightening to me that more modern things like CD's are showing signs of being totally unreliable past 20 years or more of age. There are threads after threads of people who store CD's in very favorable conditions only to take them out of storage and find that the discs have decayed beyond any usable state. There isn't really anything you can do to prevent this as CD's where never rubber stamped to last any "fixed" date. Vinyl's have , for instance , stood the test of time very well. But they are a much heavier and more robust material than say an average CD (which has only a single plastic casing and 2-3 coats of insulation).

Its a big concern of collectors and its being heavily monitored by them. My best advice is to monitor various enthusiast forums and keep up to date on such conditions to make sure you do your best in preventing such decay under the conditions you can actually control.
 
Godmachine said:
Preservation is a fight against entropy. You can not win this battle. The Universe suffers from high entropy at an ever increasing rate.

Things will simply not last. It all depends on conditions , varying in nature , involving the collect items and storage conditions. Outside of materials like gold you really have no way to be certain..

Its more frightening to me that more modern things like CD's are showing signs of being totally unreliable past 20 years or more of age. There are threads after threads of people who store CD's in very favorable conditions only to take them out of storage and find that the discs have decayed beyond any usable state. There isn't really anything you can do to prevent this as CD's where never rubber stamped to last any "fixed" date. Vinyl's have , for instance , stood the test of time very well. But they are a much heavier and more robust material than say an average CD (which has only a single plastic casing and 2-3 coats of insulation).

Its a big concern of collectors and its being heavily monitored by them. My best advice is to monitor various enthusiast forums and keep up to date on such conditions to make sure you do your best in preventing such decay under the conditions you can actually control.
Click to expand...

For CDs all you have to do is rip them in a lossless format and then burn them on a CD whenever you want.
 
at some point in life it won't matter if you have these things or not....I wouldn't dwell on it.

I have a huge collection of games and system, I'm 32 now and I'm at that wishy washy point of sell it all for lots of money or just let it sit here and do nothing.

At some point, I'll just not care to ever use these things again and with emulation, if I really wanted to, I could just get any game for any system and play it, and probably get bored with it in 15 minutes.
 
I had a NES, SEGA Master system, Super NES, PS1,PS2 and a metric crap ton of games.....EBAY is now my friend. Sold All of them and never looked back. I have a PS2 and a XBOX 360. The PS3 is my blueray player and I play all my games on my 360.
 
I've gone the emulation route since I don't feel like dealing with a ton of old hardware & discs. Emulators, ISOs, & ROMs are what keep me busy. The only legacy console/handheld I own is the Nintendo DSi XL & even use emulation on it for older gen Nintendo games.
 
I gave away a lot of my old hardware (3x NES, SNES, PSX, PS2, Gamecube, Wii), but my Dreamcast sits on my bookshelf, though. It reminds me of simpler times. I've got the accessories/controllers in my closet, but haven't felt much of an urge to play it.

I mostly just give it the occassional cuddle.
 
I actually sold my N64 and SNES stuff about half a year ago...it was kind of depressing, but at the same time I couldn't think of a practical reason to hang onto them, other than maybe increased collector prices. I'm sure emulation will continue to be around should you want to play an older game though.
 
Armenius said:
Because I'm not installing MotionInJoy even to install another driver. I have been keeping an eye on DS4 software, though. But the bottom-line is I've never had any issue with the USB adapter for my DS2, so there is no reason for me to change.
Click to expand...

Motioninjoy isn't the only way to use a DS3.

To the OP, I wouldn't worry about buying a PS3 for backward compatibility. The ONLY advantage to using a PS3 for playing PS2 games, is a cleaner video signal (HDMI on PS3 Vs. Component on PS2) for upscaling on your HDTV and being able to use a Dualshock 3 (see: wireless).

Otherwise, you are using way more electricity, just to play your old games. Get a PS2. If you already have a computer with a decent processor in it, you can try PCSX2 for emulation. The "sofware" mode attempts to give you a pure PS2-like result. If you have a decent videocard, you can use hardware accelerated mode to increase the rendering resolution and add extra effects like Anti-Aliasing.

PCSX2 is very good nowadays. Many games work fully.

Still worth noting that using a PC is also consuming a ton of electricity, just to play your old games.
 
Choopyplz said:
I actually sold my N64 and SNES stuff about half a year ago...it was kind of depressing, but at the same time I couldn't think of a practical reason to hang onto them, other than maybe increased collector prices. I'm sure emulation will continue to be around should you want to play an older game though.
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The thing about saving them for collectors is that you have keep the box and paper work and packaging intact.

I normally just sell it after the cycle ends or near the end. I remember dumping my Dreamcast collection on eBay when I heard Sega stopped making them. Back then it took months for normal people to get the news, got a good price for a dead system... fun system though...
 
Games make me feel young and exercise my brain doesn't keep me very active though which is a tradeoff.
 
umeng2002 said:
The thing about saving them for collectors is that you have keep the box and paper work and packaging intact.
.
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not so much anymore, there is a such a huge market for old gaming stuff that anything sells now unless it is totally beat to hell.
 
Bigbacon said:
not so much anymore, there is a such a huge market for old gaming stuff that anything sells now unless it is totally beat to hell.
Click to expand...

Yeah, obviously having that stuff would increase the value, but it's true that old gaming stuff can sell for a decent amount regardless of having the box/manual/etc.

I see copies of Pokemon for the gameboy sell for $20-$30 all the time with just the cartridge.
 
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