Console Games on the Computer

[Nangbaby]

No, I'm not asking how to use or where to get emulators, roms, or anything like that. I don't WANT them, to be clear. I just want factual information about the most prominent N64 emulators.

Are the most prominent ones like the ePSXe games where it mimics the actual game but makes reverse engineering impossible, or is the N64 one like ZSNES that has roms that are hackable? If it were the latter, I'd have to wonder if people would hack Ogre Battle 64.

[¤ Jit ¤]

All roms are hackable silly. Depending on ones skill of course.

[JBlink]

From what I have seen, 64-bit emulation still isn't running very well. I'm sure that we can program something better than Project 64. I don't personally know if you are allowed to hack the game code through any particular emulator, and I don't think any of us are going to know (unless I am seriously under estimating someone here).

A hack of the OB64 rom would be a very good thing, but the only copy that was uploaded onto the internet is really crappy (like Arc and TrueRomantic found out).

[¤ Jit ¤]

Nobody wants to mess with it as much. It, in case nobody thats tried to use or currently uses it has noticed, is quite big. Messing with old school games in a synch because theyre small and mostly pretty simple. Does anyone remember when 64 first came out? I remember how big of a deal all those games were as they first came out. Goldeneye was a big one i remember. But yeah thats part of the problem im guessing. If a group of people actually set out to do it they could it wouldnt be that big of a problem, but theres not exactly a market for it. Well there definately is but its more of a shoplifters market. Nobody would make any money off of it and its quite a bit of work.

[Nangbaby]

Hey, thanks for clearing up my misconceptions.

Then I bring up an idea that I may have hinted at in another thread. If Ogre Battle 64 is too complicated to hack for right now, then why hasn't there been much work done on hacking the original Ogre Battle for SNES? Is it also too complicated to hack? Or are there just too few fans?

[JBlink]

Hacking started with the big games that never came to America. Final Fantasy V, Tales of Phantasia, Bahumat Lagoon, and a whole other slew of games on the DeJap websites. Because those games were fan translated the technology already existed for them to have Debuge modes and all the stuff you need to hack a game. Then there are the big two with huge fanbases: Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger. Their fans base was so big that someone took it apon themselves to make hacking programs for them. Now things like Awful Fantasy exist. The trend seems to be that only games with huge demand online get hacked, and the SNES Ogre Battle just doesn't have too many fans.

There is the debate about Tactics Ogre for SNES. Many people want it translated, but all the big translators are retired and nobody else wants to do the work. It really is a shame.

[Nangbaby]

Well, the thing is that Tactics Ogre has also been released for the PSX, so there is a translated version of the game, albeit flawed.

But at the same time, I know there has been some work done on Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen as far as hacking Save States, but then again I'm not that into emulation to know if that's much different than hacking the actual rom. There are two, very brief Save State hacking FAQs on GameFAQs.

While the fanbase for the March of the Black Queen is small, there are people who are fans of it. And I'm certain there are some ROM hackers out there who are looking for a challenge.

[¤ Jit ¤]

What misconceptions? Or are you being sarcastic??

Its not that OB64 is extremely complicated. Just basically the point that Blinky said though. Its just that its complicated enough that its a good bit of work and there isnt really a payoff for doing it. And also something you hinted at, there isnt a big enough fanbase as far as there isnt anyone that has done this before apparantly thats a big fan.

Sidenote. I really really really really hate playing games that have been translated very poorly. Its so annoying.

There very well could be hacked or hack ready versions of both games but where to find them is a very good question. The ones that are famous the hacks get around just because they spread with the word. Ones that arent as big wont get around as much so you just have to know the right people to find them.

In the end. I wish someone would start making more games that people dont ever even have to think about hacking. Games good enough that you dont want to hack it because its already as good as it gets. That would be awesome.

[Nangbaby]

My misconception was that Playstation games weren't hackable. They are hackable, but not as readily as NES and SNES games.

I personally prefer how the game plays than the translation, and with role playing games I've also found that an inaccurate but flowing and easily understood translation is often better than a more pure, rigid one. I'd rather the adaptation fit the language and culture of where it is exported.

In any case, if it weren't totally illegal *coughlaughcough* and if I had an abundance of hacking skill, I'd make a hack of March of the Black Queen that would use the same "engine" so to speak (with a couple of additional classes) but compltely new maps and a different story. But that's a dream of mine that will never come to pass, but it's nice to express it verbally.

[¤ Jit ¤]

Never say never. I want to do that to both games. Even if hardly anyone ever played my version, just to make it a little better for my own enjoyment. But yeah definately to add a few classes, maybe get rid of a couple while were at it. Now that i start talking about it i could go on all day with little things id like to change. Its very possible though. And also as ive already stated, who knows, there very well could be a few other 'versions' out there right now.