Sonic and Sega Retro Message Board: SpeedStarTMQ - Viewing Profile - Sonic and Sega Retro Message Board

Hey everyone.

I recently got R-Type for the Master System. Sometimes when I put the game in it shows a blank screen and doesn't show anything- no sound or picture. Sometimes it decides to work, then when I turn the console off and on again it won't without me putting it back in and trying again at random intervals.

My Mega Drive is fine. I've got 30+ games that work with it. The Master System Converter is fine, I have tried it many times with Sonic and had no problems. I've even turned it on and off with that game about 20 times and each time has been fine. The Master System Converter, the Mega Drive and the games have all been cleaned with cleaning alchohol and swabs, as well as air dusters and are all totally free of any dirt and are like new.

I seem to have narrowed it down to R-Type itself, but can't figure out why it won't always start. It's clean as a whistle and basically new. When it does work, it works fine. Can anyone help!?

Thanks.

-SpeedStarTMQ

Hey guys, thought it would be best to post this here rather than anywhere else on the web, because you all seem to know your stuff. I'm really looking to expand this page with more useful information as well as get some advice for myself.

So I've got a Model 1 Mega Drive, and this came with two 1650 pads with white start buttons and short leads.

I've also got a Model 2 Mega Drive with the longer leaded controllers with the red start buttons, these are model 1650's also.

I've also got another 1650 white short leaded and a short leaded SJ- 3500 with a blue start button.

The reason why I'm posting these is because they all seem to perform differently and I'm really looking for opinions on the best controllers so I can go out and buy the highest quality ones, as well as confirm any extra information I have so that the SEGA retro wiki can be updated.

The white start buttoned controllers all seem to be really nifty, well built with strong solid d-pads. I've never had any problems with them, though they've been used less than the others.

The blue start buttoned control seems to be built very basically, internally there's not much to them, though they seem to be of fair quality. The d-pad however is more pushed in and there's less of a clicking feeling when pressing the buttons. However in many ways this helps because the Mega Drive controllers were prone to wearing d-pads and this issue doesn't seem to affect this model as much because it's softer to press and move. 8-way directions are also a breeze because the definition between each click of a direction is less and thus you can glide it in a 360 rotation with your thumb and not stick the d-pad.

The red ones, though having a longer lead, are a fucking nightmare. They're built with larger rubbery internals for the d-pad, meaning that pressing is soft yet also loose and difficult. The d-pad is attached to the innards by a tube mechanism which slots together with the d-pad presser inside, which seems to also cause more of an issue because it leaves too much space for the pad to slide around. They're prone to breaking and they don't seem to push down fully either. All in all, they're not fantastic by any stretch of the imagination.

Now, I probably sound like I've answered my own question here, as I own the three main types of Mega Drive controllers, but I don't know what other types are out there. Am I best sticking to white start buttoned ones? Are there extra ones out there which are even better build? What about the official 6-button controllers? What experience have you guys had with them? Are they reliable?

It would be nice to document this further for future use as well as figure out which ones are the best out there.

I'm open to unnofficial, though I really would prefer official ones. I'm an official whore.

Thanks guys,


-SpeedStarTMQ



(here's a pretty picture because I like having them in my topics)

Hi everyone.

Just posting a quick topic to see if I may have found a 'new' glitch in Sonic The Hedgehog. Basically, the invincibility music was about to end and I jumped on a 1-up box and hit a badnik in Green Hill Zone Act 3 as the stars vanished, and afterwards the music kept on going endlessly. This was done on the emulated iOS version which is the Japanese revision 02.

I'm going to try and do it again and get a video. I saved it on my iPod, but then stupidly bounced on to another invincibility box without thinking whilst showing it to my brother, alas, I have no current footage.

I suppose there's not much more to say here- other than that if anyone else can give it a go it would be awesome because I think I'm gonna have trouble doing it again. It must be a rare occurance because I've never heard of it, and have played the game a good 16 years and never seen it before either.

May be one for the Wiki too.

Thanks,

-SpeedStarTMQ

Edit; I've done it, see the below post.

Hello everyone!

I recently bought a brand new SEGA MegaDrive I (PAL) RGB cable. I'm having few issues with its compatibility to my TV, and was wondering if anyone here could help, or knew of any quick fixes.

Basically, it seems to work fine on another TV I've tried, a '19 LG LCD screen. My '19 Bush TV seems to create the same great quality picture, but with a weird constant scan line at the top of the screen, and this will move position and stay in the exact same place (for example, always on Sonic's hud) no matter what size I flick my screen to (user, zoom, cinema etc.). If I change my SCART output from RGB/anything else to CVBS (which I believe is for composite video), then the scanline vanishes, but instead I'm left with a worse quality picture.

I'm a bit stumped, and really just wondering if anyone has any advice to fix this. For information purposes, my TV has only one SCART socket, whereas the other TV has two. This is sort of what the scan line looks like;



I may have answered my own question I'm afraid, but if anyone knows of any way to remedy this, or some background info as to why this probably occurs, then that would be brilliant.

Many thanks.

Good day, ladies and gentlemen,

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 will be upon us in a matter of mere days. Whatever the feelings that are held towards the game; whether they are good or bad, it is still in essence the game- Sonic 4 - that players have waited sixteen years to play.

In light of this event, I thought it would be a fantastic idea to share our experiences of the classic titles in this short period.

Although there's a lot of anticipation for Sonic 4, there's also some worry, and some agitation among many.
Sonic Retro has always been about the connection we forumers have had, and still have with the classic games. They have brought thousands of hours of joy to all of us, and without a doubt we have all had wonderful experiences playing them. It sounds pretty nerdy, but we're all here on this site, and it's true. When you're sat here reading and writing, replying to the hundreds of other posts, you lose sight somewhat of what we're actually here for. I know I'm here purely because the original games have resonated with me in such a way to keep me playing, even over a decade later. The games made such an impact, that I became the fan I am today, and they kept me playing Sonic games well into the future.

This thread is a way to just discuss the games of old. Maybe there's a question to something that you have which you never previously understood? Maybe you know some odd things which you haven't heard or seen anywhere else? Or perhaps you remember a certain event or time playing your Mega Drive/Genesis? If you want to post a speedrun, post a speedrun! If you have a score which you're proud of, put it here!

I, for one remember travelling to Disney World's Epcot in Florida, and seeing a big games room with a SEGA booth, way back in 1996. Before this time, I had never owned Sonic 3 OR Sonic & Knuckles, and I distinctively remember being in a level much like Marble Gardens or Angel Island, and seeing Knuckles run off. I preceded to follow Knuckles with Sonic and Tails through a jungle-type area, which I always remember being a bit like a hallway, with a low ceiling. I also became desperately stuck, not being able to find a way out of the area I had gotten into.
Despite having played all of the games to death, none of the scenes I've seen have ever really matched the memory I had as a child, and I put that down to my young mind interpreting and changing what I saw at the time, as it was a very brief moment, in which I was excited as hell. I could even have been playing Knuckles Chaotix, because I remember Knuckles being there, and although I remember playing as Sonic, I don't know if I actually did. I remember feeling frustrated as it somehow wasn't what I was used to, and maybe being attached by cord to another character was the reason why.

It's quite random, but I also know of a way to load up Sonic and Knuckles when playing Sonic 3 & Knuckles, whether it's on the SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis, or Sonic Mega Collection, or the Sonic Classic Collection on the DS. It works on all ports and versions of Sonic 3 & Knuckles. It also enables the player to aquire debug mode on Sonic and Knuckles. It's pretty nifty, and if it's not something that anyone else knows (as far as I'm aware, no one does), then I'll definitely be documenting it for you It's pretty odd.



It's actually because of my enjoyment of the classic games, because I've been viewing Namo's Sonic 3 & Knuckles thread (Which brought back some great feelings), and also in light of Sonic's upcoming adventure that I have decided to again replay the older titles in an orderly fashion, one per day.

I'm actually really interested to see how all of us fare on the games, and see how experienced we are as a community, so I'll be making notes, so my stats can be viewed. I think that would be awesome if others could read this, and think, “y'know what? I'm gonna have a pop at one of the games and see how good I am too”, because let's face it, that's what we're about, right?


I'm going to start of by giving MY experience as a Sonic player.


Stats for the countdown playthrough:

Day 1- Sonic The Hedgehog playthrough;
Final score: 283,190
Time: 50 minutes.
2 deaths; Crushed by cork in Labyrinth Zone, spiked by ball & chain in Act 3 of Scrap Brain Zone.
All Chaos Emeralds by start of Act 3 of Spring Yard Zone (No opportunities missed).


Day 2- Sonic The Hedgehog CD playthrough;
Final score: 443,300
Time: 1 hour, 7 minutes.
2 deaths; Killed by Metal Sonic boosting in Stardust Speedway Zone Act 3. Killed by first buzz-saw enemy in Metallic Madness Act 1.
All Time Stones by start of Act 2 of Quartz Quadrant Zone (No opportunities missed).


Day 3- Sonic The Hedgehog 2 playthrough (with younger brother playing as Tails);
Final score: 368,900
Time: 1 Hour, 8 Minutes
1 death; super spin-dashing off the plane in Sky Chase Zone.
All Chaos Emeralds by start of Chemical Plant Zone Act 1 (No opportunities missed).


Day 4- Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles playthrough (Sonic 3 part) (with younger brother playing as Tails);
Final score: 241,130
Time: 1 Hour, 20 Minutes
1 death; Crushing glitch in Carnival Night Zone.
All Chaos Emeralds by start of Marble Garden Zone Act 2 (No failed levels, but likely missed many Super Rings).


Same day- Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles playthrough (Sonic & Knuckles part part) (with younger brother playing as Tails);
Final score: Unknown; Over 400,000
Time: 1 Hour, 40 minutes.
2 deaths; Sandopolis Act 2 by Scorpion Badnik, Death Egg Zone by Chainspike.
All Super Emeralds by start of Lava Reef Act 1 (5 opportunities missed, as well as missed Super Rings)

I forgot to take a picture in the heat of Doomsday, so I didn't photograph my overall score, but I know it was well over 400,000, so I apologise!

Same day- Sonic & Knuckles playthrough (as Knuckles) ;
Final score: 54170
Time: 1 Hour, 20 minutes.
6 deaths; 1 by evil ghosts in Sandopolis Act 2 as I spawned, 3 glitch deaths by getting stuck in Lava Reef Zone Bosses hand and crushed(?), 2 by messing about near spikes on chains. in LRZ.
All Chaos Emeralds by start of Lava Reef Act 1 (1 opportunities missed, as well as missed Super Rings)

I forgot to take a picture again, so I didn't photograph my overall score, but luckily I made a mental note.

I'm not going to boast, I've seen a LOT better. I would say that I'm pretty proud of my stats though, It's taken years of effort and probably thousands of hours of Mega Drive/Mega Collection/iPod playing to get to where I am today. I also didn't do anywhere near as well as I usually do on Sonic 3 & Knuckles this time around.

I did learn something though. There are at least a few unfair experiences in the classic games, most of which I experienced in Sonic & Knuckles with Knuckles. Of course at some point we have all been aware of a glitch or so at some point, so it can only be said that glitches can and will occur in any games, good or bad. As we've seen, things like these can't really contribute to how well made a game is, and we should at least respect, even with the newer titles, that some glitches can and will occur, and that it is nothing to start getting overly upset about.

Now, bring on Sonic The Hedgehog 4!.



Happy gaming! Thank you for your time, Retro.

Note; I apologise for the different colours of text, I imagined it would be easier on the eyes.