Would you keep your PCBs if...

[OlDirty]

a multicard would exist. I'm talking about multicards like the ones for NEOGEO of CPS II. So multicards which let you play the games in 100% original quality. The thing is i'm always wondering why people spend thousands of dollars for example Neo Geo AES games. Whats the sense if you can have it as a multicard and don't notice any difference in gameplay sound and graphics? Is it something emotional? I would really like to understand why people are doing this. I would for sure sell my games and spend my money in a better way than in software. What would you do and why?
PS: is it a heretical question?

[Queen Charlene]

IMO, it's definitely more for the sake of preservation than feasibility. it's a collector's item as well as a piece of history.

it's kind of like why you might own a thousand-dollar vintage '60s Fender that's out of production instead of just buying a more common mass-produced Fender that does the same thing and is more sturdy.

[OlDirty]

I understand that with cars because it'll be never the same when you drive the car. For sure you notice other stearing, motor sound, suspension etc, but for software which is running on original hardware just as a mulitcard i don't get it.

[brentsg]

You could pose this question on any forum that deals with something that can be owned or collected.

Why own an original piece of artwork if you could grab a print?  And that's not even a great analogy because at least the artist should get royalties from the print.

[OlDirty]

hmm i think its really something else to collect software than other stuff. you can‘t copy art so its 100% the same, but that works with software. a software copy can be 100% the same as the original so i would give a **** about the original if i can get the copy for a much lower price.
Maybe people collect PCBs just in the hope the get more valuable over time?

[EOJ]

Music CDs and vinyl records, console games, etc. You can make perfect copies of each, yet it's not hard to find certain ones that sell for big money (due to rarity, desirability, nostalgia, etc). Some people care about having the "real deal" and will pay for it. It's as simple as that.

I think most people collect PCBs because they have cabs, and for most games there's no really accurate substitute for the original PCB when playing on a cab.

[OlDirty]

Ok i think i got it. Maybe im just not that collector guy. i got many Cave PCBs for my Cabs,BUT only because there are no 100% copies of them. Also have groovy MAME PCs installed in the cabs for all other stuff than Cave.But as soon as there are 100% copies of the games my PCBs land on ebay.

[brentsg]

Music CDs and vinyl records, console games, etc. You can make perfect copies of each, yet it's not hard to find certain ones that sell for big money (due to rarity, desirability, nostalgia, etc). Some people care about having the "real deal" and will pay for it. It's as simple as that.

I think most people collect PCBs because they have cabs, and for most games there's no really accurate substitute for the original PCB when playing on a cab.

I think there is this nostalgia for PCBs and related arcade items that you just can't get anywhere else.  Some of my best memories are related to frequenting arcades.  There's (was) some magic in walking into an arcade, being bombarded with all the sound effects blending together.  I remember getting my quarter/token situation squared away, then surveying to see what I'd play.

Absolutely none of that nostalgia gets tickled by MAME, mini-consoles, PS4, etc.  My cabs, PCBs, art, MVS carts, etc are the closest that I'll ever get.  I haven't even played that much in several years and the shit makes me happy.

[OlDirty]

And if you play your Metal Slug AES game as the original cardridge or the AES Multigame which plays 100% the same it still makes a difference right? In price of  course  , but in gameplay  . The same with the CPS II games which you can play in a cabinet like the original games. No emulation there, but i guess even in this case you find people rather collecting the beefy cardridges instead of having the one multi cardridge which can do everything as well.
I get it with the MINI consoles which are completely not the same, gamplay - and graphics wise.

[el_rika]

Absolutely none of that nostalgia gets tickled by MAME, mini-consoles, PS4, etc.  My cabs, PCBs, art, MVS carts, etc are the closest that I'll ever get.

If you have those PCBs in your house (bedroom living room, garrage), then you might as well use mame. That feeling you are talking about was mostly the anticipation of "going" to the arcades, combined with the adrenaline release, in those small moments of "glory" when surrounded by kindred souls.
It's going into an arcade VS just playing the game, regardless of the platform.

[EOJ]

I have yet to find a game in MAME that I've played on PCB that plays exactly the same in MAME (I'm not just talking about CAVE stuff). Right away I can feel all sorts of differences in slowdown, timing, etc. MAME is far from an adequate replacement for the original PCBs if you own the PCBs and are used to the way they play. And that's a big part of the authentic "arcade experience". I could say the same about the X360 CAVE ports, but at least they have cool and useful extra features like training modes and arrange modes, which makes them worthwhile for me.

[el_rika]

Can't argue with this, of course 
However, as i was pointing out, big contributing factor to that "arcade experience" apart from details like accuracy and playability, is that specific arcade environment.

Yeah, the ports are amazing ws well!

[OlDirty]

Going to an Arcade or playing at home has nothing to do with PCB or not PCB in my opinion. It's the location, which makes the whole experience special.
I played Mushihimesama on the PC with the Steam port, had a few 1CCs there and switched to my cabinet with the PCB. But if i'm honest i don't feel much of a difference, if any. The most obvious differences for me are always in the sound. But playing wise I don’t feel much of a difference, even with GroovyMame. But maybe I’m just a bad player.

[EOJ]

Mushihimesama feels quite different on the PCB compared to the port (the slowdown speed is different). Not to mention the port has high resolution graphic sprites, so they don't look the same either.

If you cannot detect any differences between the PCB and ports/emulation, you might be better off selling the PCBs.

[Saroumane]

Mushihimesama feels quite different on the PCB compared to the port (the slowdown speed is different). Not to mention the port has high resolution graphic sprites, so they don't look the same either.

If you cannot detect any differences between the PCB and ports/emulation, you might be better off selling the PCBs.

I just discovered this forum (from the thread that compares Cave PCB to their ports) and this comment is *exactly* what I was looking for.
So Mushihimesama (Steam version)'s native resolution is 480p right ? Or maybe 720p ? (but going so high will degrade backgrounds ?)

I'm asking because I'm looking for the "best" way to play this game (on a CRT). And I was blindly thinking that 240p on a CRT TV was the way to go. (picture on left)
But then I tried 480p on a PC CRT monitor (picture on the right), and it looks better for sprites *and* background ?!



(Yes it's Tate on left and Yoko on right)

Sorry if this it too much off topic, I will delete.

[EOJ]

Yes, the X360 and steam ports with "HD" graphics have 480p sprites.

[Saroumane]

Thanks !
A few years ago I was playing Mushihimesama "HD" on a 1080p LCD : it wasn't pretty. A few months ago  I managed to play it on a 240p consumer CRT TV : better.
And tonight I finally found the right modeline to play it at 480p on a CRT PC Monitor : it's so gorgeous !