A new PortsCenter Thread: Amiga A-Go-Go

[Ben Paddon]

(I was going to post this in the PortsCenter thread, but the site migration appears to have broken it.)

This year, thanks to the successful Kickstarter, I got to do something I’ve wanted to do for about a decade – buy a new Amiga. I spent $460 importing an A1200 from a chap in Houghton Regis, going over-budget on the computer itself, but ultimately saving money for the games considering it came with a built-in hard drive containing, I shit you not, every single Amiga game ever released. Ever. Yes, even that one rare game you’re thinking of right now.

The savings was nice, but until I acquired an American power supply I wasn’t able to actually use it. Also it needed a RAM upgrade because many of the games, including some I want to look at for PortsCenter, refused to load up. Bastards. Thankfully fans of the show have stepped in to cover both bases, and we have our power supply (the RAM upgrade is on the way). All we need now is two CD32 controllers, which are proving to be a bit of a bugger to find.

Anyway, I recorded this video looking at the Amiga. Nothing fancy, but it also serves as a “Where Are We Now?” video for PortsCenter. Bonus points if you can name all four Amiga games I filmed for this vid.

[mick]

Ouch! I hope that wasnt just a stock A1200 with WHDLoad and the complete library torrent on it, I’d have sorted you one out myself for a good chunk less than that.
Of course if you bagged and accelerator and/or a scandoubler its about right…

Enjoyed the video either way! I shall whack it up in various places ;-)

And for shits and giggles here’s my old girl:

[Seb Patrick]

Mick, have you got any shelfporn pics of all your PCs/consoles together? Or are they dotted around in disparate places?

Given the number of different machines you’ve mentioned, I’d love to see them all in one go if such a thing were possible. I imagine it being a bit like that bit with Todd Rodgers in Chasing Ghosts…

[mick]

They’re scattered all over the place sadly :(

On my main TV in the living room though I have: MegaDrive with MegaCD and 32X, Saturn, PSX, NES, Panasonic 3DO & original X-Box as they’re what I use most regularly. I dont have room for anything else there unless I ditch my Laserdisc and Betamax units for more console space haha.

Anything more than that ^^ set up at one time just starts to look horribly cluttered.

Computers as opposed to consoles are a massive ballache as obviously they need a lot of space, I tend to keep all those in storage and pull one out every now and again.

[si]

As a non-gamer, even I’m overawed at that, Michael. Lovely.

[MANI506]

Nice set up! (rubs legs)

[SgtSmileyUK]

will you be digging out the pc to play the reddwarf game?
(made by me, c’mon surely youve heard of me and it by now?)
Im confident ye shall.
http://imageshack.us/a/img41/4291/machine1.jpg

[SgtSmileyUK]

http://imageshack.us/a/img821/7043/starbug4.jpg <img

[SgtSmileyUK]

ps am I welcome here? I can say piss and bollocks a lot.
Love to meet admins to show the game.

[SgtSmileyUK]

pps sorry for spamming or derailing your thread (I had the Atari ST) btw (I’m a noob)

[mick]

Why have one post when you can have five eh :-/

[SgtSmileyUK]

yeah great init

[SgtSmileyUK]

ITs called Fucking Impulsivity

[Pete Part Three]

Please stop.

[Ian Symes]

Brilliant.

[SgtSmileyUK]

ITs ok I got my own thread now, sorry for causing upset stomachs, take antacid.
sorry
sorry sorry this is the last time Ill multipost too ok, shake?

[mick]

> shake?

I prefer to dab lightly with a sheet of andrex, but that’s just how I roll.

[Seb Patrick]

So, PortsCenter.

What’s the Amiga game you’re covering, Ben?

[Ben Paddon]

I’m covering a couple of Amiga games, actually, as well as a few games that originated on the Amiga and then wound up on other systems. Episode 1 is going to look at the Game Boy Color port of Cannon Fodder, for instance, and we’re also going to do an episode where we get a bunch of fighting-game competitive circuit players to play the three Amiga versions of Street Fighter II.

Then there’s the episode on Fury of the Furries / Pac-in-Time, and another that’s a sort-of platform game grab-bag where I’ll be looking at Another World, Flashback, Superfrog, James Pond II (that’s a special one, considering it’s been re-released for the GBA, PSone, PS2, PS3 and DS several times over the last decade, but featuring entirely different levels for some reason).

[Ben Paddon]

Mick: I wish I’d known you could’ve hooked me up before I spent money dollars on this Amiga, but OH WELL.

[HelloMabel]

Amiga, amiga, awaah, awaah! Amiga, amiga, awaah!

That’s your slogan sorted.

[mick]

Give me a shout if you ever consider buying any other hardware Ben, may be something I just have laying around :)

[anniescribe]

Now I want to watch First Contact again …

[Ben Paddon]

Give me a shout if you ever consider buying any other hardware Ben, may be something I just have laying around :)

Rock Lobster! Thanks, mick. I’ll keep that in mind.

[Pecospete666]

FYI

http://www.gizmag.com/complete-snes-collection-sale/25365/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=fc47937624-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email

[ori-STUDFARM]

I loved Sword Of Sodan on the Amiga back in the day…Especially that one time it crashed and I couldn’t die and I was able to stroll through the whole thing. That day was good.

It could have been better if ‘Mamma’ had cooked breakfast with no hog though…

[Ben Paddon]

PortsCenter officially debuts next Monday, January 28th. Tell your friends!

[Ben Paddon]

Our first two episodes are live. If you like Cannon Fodder or Resident Evil 2, you’re in luck.

[Connell]

Very enjoyable reviews. Also loved the inclusion of the Dwarf book on your coffe table!

[Ben Paddon]

Thanks! I wish I could take the credit for that one. That was my friend’s Tyler’s idea. My book, though.

[Ben Paddon]

Last week’s episode looks at the link between a licensed Pac-Man game and a bizarre European puzzle-platformer, while this week’s episode looks at five Xbox Live Arcade games – Doom, Doom II, Crazy Taxi, Resident Evil 4 and Sonic CD. Guess which ones I liked.

There’s a rather big Red Dwarf reference in this week’s episode, by the way. I won’t spoil it for you.

[Jonathan Capps]

This series has been excellent so far, Ben. I especially loved the Furries / Pac-Man one. WELL DONE.

[Phil]

I was wondering why you didn’t upload these to youtube…then I saw you did. I guess I just forgot to subscribe. WHOOPS. So I clicked subscribe, heard you say that a version of Resident Evil 4 other than the one for the Wii is definitive, and immediately unsubscribed. You’re a monster, Paddon.

Anyway, since some of the above is false, I have a question: are you deliberately making all of your episodes around this length, or are you planning on longer and shorter ones as well? I’m just curious. And I don’t even know why. I LIKE THE SHOW.

[Ben Paddon]

I’m aiming for around the 6-7 minute mark for each episode. Some episodes, like this week’s, fall a little short of that (it would have been 5mins 30secs were it not for the longer-than-usual easter egg after the end credits).

And the Wii version of RE4 isn’t great. Those controls really didn’t work for me.

[Phil]

I loved those controls so I win the argument!!!! Or not. But I do love those controls, personally. It’s the first Resident Evil game I played where I didn’t feel like there was a lengthy-adjustment period to learning the quirks of movement / firing. Have you tried Revelations on the 3DS? I’m just curious if you like the gyroscopic aiming on that one. It’s the only time I HAVE liked gyroscopic aiming, but I’d be curious if that left you cold too.

But yeah, good stuff so far. Looking forward to more.

[Ben Paddon]

I haven’t actually played anything on the 3DS, owing to the fact that I don’t have one. I plan on picking one up when I can afford it, though – a 3DS and a Wii U, if at all doable. That’s the goal, anyway. Might be my last console purchases for a while – the PS4 is a hot mess, and if what I’ve heard about Microsoft and the next Xbox is true then I’m checking the fuck out of the console gaming market.

[Ben Paddon]

Forgot to post about episode 6, which looks at the unreleased Game Boy Color port of Resident Evil, and this week’s episode which is about the Amiga port of Mortal Kombat.

Next week’s episode is about the oft forgotten Game Boy Color port of Donkey Kong Country.

[takerdemon]

I’ve not listened to any of these yet, somehow they escaped my radar however my interest has piqued. Will be listening as soon as I’m back from Prague… if I don’t get murdered and raped that is. Which in fairness is just as likely to happen in Central London as it is in Prague!

[Kris Carter]

I’d recommend watching them too – listening is all well and good, but you’ll only be getting half the experience really. :)

[Ben Paddon]

I uploaded episode 10 yesterday, which looks at a bunch of 90s-era platform games – Another World, Flashback, Superfrog and James Pond 2: Codename RoboCod.

[Ben Paddon]

Awright, which one of you magnificent bastards posted this comment?

[NoFro]

Whoever they are they’re extra magnificent for having that avatar.

[Ridley]

When in doubt, assume it’s Phil.

[Phil]

It is. :(

[Ridley]

AHHH PHIL! Oh Phil. Isn’t he the best?

[Ben Paddon]

I assume it was Phil who also emailed me just now demanding a second series and calling me a “cuntwhistle.”

Which… y’know, I’m still trying to figure out… I mean, I guess you’d sort-of slide it in a little bit and wait for a queef, but…

…I’m just not seeing it.

[Phil]

It wasn’t. :(

[Ridley]

For crying out loud, Ben. You can’t just go around assuming everything is Phil!

What is wrong with you?

YOU’RE OBSESSED.

[Ben Paddon]

Episode 11 is a LucasArts adventure game special.

I’m sad now.

[Ridley]

So today I watched the Pokémon TCG episode of PortsCenter which led onto my watching a playthrough of the sequel of the game which led onto my playing the online beta over on the TCG’s website.

Why is the online version the most un-Nintendo looking of official Nintendo things ever? It’s a convoluted, overly monetised Facebookesque Flash thing rather than a simple, questionably charming Flash thing that runs on the idea that if ain’t broke don’t fix it and asks for your money nicely.

[Connell]

Ben, out of curiosity, have you ever played any games from the Oddworld Series? With the release of footage from the new HD remake of Abe’s Oddysee, I’d love to see you review such an iconic PS1 game. Of course if you haven’t played it, I suggest you do immediately!

[Ben Paddon]

I love the first two Oddworld games. Didn’t like Munch’s Oddysee so much, and I haven’t spent that much time with Stranger’s Wrath, but those two Abe-centric games are incredible. I love ’em.

[Danny Stephenson]

Fuck me New ‘n’ Tasty looks absolutely fucking brilliant, doesn’t it?

[Ben Paddon]

Just a bit, yes. :)

[Connell]

I’m in total agreement. The first 2 games of the series are just masterpieces in every shape and form – definitely a benchmark for other platformers – depth of story, intricate levels beautifully designed, interesting characters, the works.

Munch’s Oddysee is best described as a letdown. Oddworld Inhabitants were lured over to the Xbox to be exclusive with promises of better hardware and more freedom of creativity, and were then rushed and forced to downsize the game by almost half it’s original size, which was very costly. Despite this Munch was one of the pioneering games for the Xbox and a very recognizable launch title.

Stranger’s Wrath was certainly a step up from Munch in terms of quality, but it was Oddworld exploring a different genre, one which I’m not that much of a fan of. I got wind they were releasing HD updates of Munch and Stranger and the proceeds would be toward future games and naturally I immediately purchased a copy from the PSN, I’ve played it about once but it was nice to contribute to a company that was a great part of my childhood.

And New N’ Tasty is just going to be a dream. I can’t wait to get that nostalgic feeling play through those levels, I just hope it lives up to it’s expectations. To add to the bashing Microsoft have received at this year’s E3 they are giving Oddworld Inhabitants a lot of hassle trying to get New N’ Tasty onto their platform – The lack of support for self publishing indie developers on their console forces Oddworld Inhabitants to go through a larger publisher to release their game, something which doesn’t seem feasible for them at this time, despite Oddworld helping them to sell their console in the first place! Sort it out Microsoft.

Apologies if I’m starting a conversation over nothing. I loves a bit of Oddworld, me.

[Ben Paddon]

Me too. But over the last three years Microsoft have gone from being one of the most indie-friendly companies to one of the least. It’s tragic.

[Danny Stephenson]

And for someone who loved Exoddus and couldn’t play Oddysee because I was shit at it, I was overjoyed to hear that they’re introducing Quiksave to New N Tasty…

Oddworld truly was a game that was too good for it’s time, the Quintology they had planned was a visionary concept. Remember being absolutely floored by the artwork in the game, every screen was just gorgeous to look at (If you haven’t got ‘The First Ten Years of Oddworld’ book, get it!) and the puzzle like gameplay is a joy. What game hides a secret level on the first screen you see… Oddworld does… :D

[Ridley]

I do want new stories from Oddworld ASAP.

(Microsoft is no longer interested in the audience Oddworld formerly used to attract.)

[Connell]

http://weknowgifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/nintendo-sony-microsoft-gif.gif

[Ben Paddon]

Time for another PortsCenter! There have actually been a few in the last couple of months, but I’d forgotten about this thread. Oh well. Have some Ninja Turtles, you bastards.

[Ben Paddon]

And I’ve just formally announced Season 2.

[genericnerdyusername]

Don’t have twitter or a youtube account anymore, but wanted to say I enjoyed that Candle Cove episode. I look forward to Season 2!

[Ben Paddon]

Here endeth season one. Seb Patrick guest stars. No, really.

Fun fact: It’d take about 25 more minutes to watch all of PortsCenter’s first season than it would to watch Red Dwarf X.

[Ridley]

Sebby Shitpeas.

[Ben Paddon]

I made a trailer for the show. It’s 45 seconds long and took me all bloody day to male. I am far too proud of it.

[Connell]

Just watched the corrections episode.. the “up next” gag in the credits had me in absolute stitches. A fitting end to a very enjoyable series, and I thoroughly look forward to this years episodes.

[Ben Paddon]

I’ll be doing a livestream commentary of the entire first season on January 24th at 7pm PST (10pm EST, or 3am on Saturday morning in the UK). Full details here.

[Ben Paddon]

I done a thing.

[Author]

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