A Black Falcon
Member
The PS2's image quality problem isn't because of the output. It's because of the hardware inside itself.Wow that's insane.
I sure hope not!!!
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The Nintendo GameCube Appreciation and Collecting Thread.
- Thread starter Seik
- Start date
I don't even know anymore, lol.
I keep forgetting that, I don't know why.XD
Paid for a Wii last night for $30 on ebay, picked it up this afternoon. Unfortunately GS was the only place with component cables and they were pricey at $17.99, but they work for PS3, PS2, 360, Wii, and Wii U. I am bound to use it on more systems.
I was going to mod it when I got home mainly to disable the system music and enable disc auto start (this way you don't need a Wii controller to start a GC game). I power it on and just instantly see Homebrew Channel, Media Center, and quite a few USB loaders, was a really nice surprise and the guy included the SD card inside the system (which contained the applications). Took me a while to get Priiloader set up since it was an old menu (4.1), but I finally got it working.
Now my past experience with Gamecube/Wii component was on a 720 Visio (crap quality) HDTV from 2008. That was a long time ago before I realized about better displays (I now have a Sony 1080p HDTV, and a Sony CRT PVM) and calibration. I was really curious to see how this would look on my PVM.
Holy shit! Gamecube over component on PVM is glorious. Do you remember how when a certain system was brand new and the visuals were like nothing you have ever seen before? I have played Super Smash Bro's Melee so many times since 2003 and I am now once again blown away by the visuals just like I was when it was cutting edge technology. Just looks damn perfect. Love all the reflection effects especially. I took some pictures on my phone to demonstrate, but what came out did not do the visuals justice.
Trust me guys, do not pay for the GC component cables. This is insane. I can't wait to see what my other favorites look like, especially Zelda Collector's Edition and Double Dash.
Now I know people have talked about being able to recover 3DS and Wii U downloads through Nintendo customer support, but what about Wii downloads? I had some great VC games like R-Type Lightning, Super Castlevania IV, Contra III, and Sin and Punishment on my launch Wii before it broke 3 years ago. Any chance of getting those back or is it hopeless?
Nice, was my first GC I owned. I actually found the box in my garage relatively recently. Love the Kameo Elements of Power and Donkey Kong Racing screenshots on the back.
I was going to mod it when I got home mainly to disable the system music and enable disc auto start (this way you don't need a Wii controller to start a GC game). I power it on and just instantly see Homebrew Channel, Media Center, and quite a few USB loaders, was a really nice surprise and the guy included the SD card inside the system (which contained the applications). Took me a while to get Priiloader set up since it was an old menu (4.1), but I finally got it working.
Now my past experience with Gamecube/Wii component was on a 720 Visio (crap quality) HDTV from 2008. That was a long time ago before I realized about better displays (I now have a Sony 1080p HDTV, and a Sony CRT PVM) and calibration. I was really curious to see how this would look on my PVM.
Holy shit! Gamecube over component on PVM is glorious. Do you remember how when a certain system was brand new and the visuals were like nothing you have ever seen before? I have played Super Smash Bro's Melee so many times since 2003 and I am now once again blown away by the visuals just like I was when it was cutting edge technology. Just looks damn perfect. Love all the reflection effects especially. I took some pictures on my phone to demonstrate, but what came out did not do the visuals justice.
Trust me guys, do not pay for the GC component cables. This is insane. I can't wait to see what my other favorites look like, especially Zelda Collector's Edition and Double Dash.
Now I know people have talked about being able to recover 3DS and Wii U downloads through Nintendo customer support, but what about Wii downloads? I had some great VC games like R-Type Lightning, Super Castlevania IV, Contra III, and Sin and Punishment on my launch Wii before it broke 3 years ago. Any chance of getting those back or is it hopeless?
Shit, my brother used to work at Hollywood Video and got one for me for $5 when they were getting rid of GC games. I haven't really touched it since I own X and X4 on their original format and with the exception of X2, don't like the other games. It's just been sitting here, it may be time to sell.
Nice, was my first GC I owned. I actually found the box in my garage relatively recently. Love the Kameo Elements of Power and Donkey Kong Racing screenshots on the back.
Unfortunately, the Gamecube component cables are better. We all wish they weren't, but in motion the color saturation and contrast is better.
It's best to do what I did... hunt around for a broken D-Terminal cable and then re-terminate it into Composite. Same exact cable.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Sixfortyfive's comparison in the upscaler thread also does a pretty good job of demonstrating that the Wii's output is pretty blurry even in a static image, too.
I'm not even sure I saw that one! Time to hunt through the upscaler thread.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
It's the second to last page.
In fact, here's a link to the comparison: http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=51789
Version 3.0
Member
I can name one: Turok: Evolution. I bought it for the Cube, and the load times were terrible. Out of curiosity, I rented it for the other two systems and found that they both had much better load times.
I did quite a few of my own cross-platform comparisons that gen, just for fun. The Gamecube won most load time comparisons, though the Xbox got a handful and was usually a very close 2nd anyway. The PS2 was usually significantly slower than the other two.
Actually, now that I think about it, there may have been one more. I don't recall the load times, but Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 was a far better game - on a technical level - on the PS2 than on the other two. The Xbox and Gamecube versions were done by other teams and were awful by comparison. They may still have loaded faster, though, I'm not sure.
Version 3.0
Member
There's a mention in that thread of the possibility of a Wii model with improved component output, but the poster didn't know the model. Does anyone know if there's truth to that?
Also: I'm stunned by the difference between Gamecube and Wii component. I could see from Day 1 that the Wii's video quality was not as good as the Cube's, but I've often told people that it's not a big enough difference to worry about, especially given the price of Gamecube component cables. I think I've changed my mind.
That's super interesting, I had no idea that Turok loaded faster on other consoles. I wonder why that was...
sixteen-bit
Member
Timesplitters 2 reviewed favorably on Cube because of this IIRC.
There are drawbacks though. I remember the smaller storage space meant they had to cut languages present in the PS2 and Xbox versions of BGE, for evample.
And some games have really compressed audio, like Skies of Arcadia.
Bar81
Member
That's why you buy the DC original (and the OST).
If you want the inferior version, sure =P
Definitely don't recommend getting the DC version over the GC version. You lose 480p, music quality and any VMU functionality in exchange for bonus missions and MUCH reduced random encounter rate (and thank god.) I'd honestly go with the GC version 100% of the time.
I saw the images and the differences are very slight, it is not a huge improvement by any means.
If I set Test Suite to the wrong resolution it'll jitter too. There are different modes for test suite (NTSC, Full RGB, 240p, 240i, 480i, 480p etc). Guy probably didn't set it right.
Apparently a VCR is meant to go into the AV5 slot for recording and can draw power from the other consoles connected. All you do is cut a trace with any knife and it's fine though.
I've said it in the other thread, but I really cannot detect ANY difference between the two. Someone mentioned that the model of Wii may make a difference, and now I'm really wondering if it's possible that not all Wii systems were created equal. For the record, I have one of those Red Super Mario Anniversary edition Wii systems they sold for a few months in 2010 or so. I'd love to see if there were any way we could test out different models.
There's no evidence as of yet. It IS a possibility, but right now that's all it is, a possibility. I'd assume right now that it's not the case until proven otherwise.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Alright, so just so I know what I'm getting myself into in advance: what's the best way to mod a GC to make it region free?
- I only need it to run US and JP games. Don't care about PAL stuff.
- I don't want it to mess with the bios menu at all. I want it to function just as a normal GC would.
- NO SWAP DISCS
- I only need it to run US and JP games. Don't care about PAL stuff.
- I don't want it to mess with the bios menu at all. I want it to function just as a normal GC would.
- NO SWAP DISCS
You suuuuure you don't want to play English Language Doshin the Giant and uh... Jacques Villaneuve's racing challenge?
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Jacques Villaneuve can get deez nutz.
sixteen-bit
Member
Did You Know Gaming? Tackles GCN:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST0dvzT1y28
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST0dvzT1y28
D.Lo
Member
That was hopeful speculation by someone, not evidence. Just like people 'hoping' one of the many cheapo Xbox DACs had better component output than the GCN component cable's high quality DAC, which is also unlikely.
Hackers know the inside of the Wii very well, and the DAC does not appear to have changed over the console's lifespan. You can use the same app to hack the video region in any model, implying it is the same chip.
The Red and Black Wiis, and non-GCN port models DO have a new DVD drive in them, as NIntendo changed that in late 2009. So it's a slight possibility, but unlikely.
What's more likely is your display set-up compensates for the lower quality Wii Output, or degrades the GCN output to a level that they look the same. Some kind of sharpening/amplification processing would achieve the former, and softening the latter.
That makes sense.
Question, GamecubeGAF.
Is the Legend of Zelda 4 in 1 disc worthwhile? Most importantly, how does Majora's Mask play? I'm sad to admit I've never finished the game, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to take a stab at it again. I tend to prefer the Gamecube controller to the N64, but I don't know how well the game was translated.
I do have an N64 running RGB, and my Gamecube is hooked up via component. If the Gamecube version is comparable / nice looking, I'd probably go with that.
What say ye?
Is the Legend of Zelda 4 in 1 disc worthwhile? Most importantly, how does Majora's Mask play? I'm sad to admit I've never finished the game, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to take a stab at it again. I tend to prefer the Gamecube controller to the N64, but I don't know how well the game was translated.
I do have an N64 running RGB, and my Gamecube is hooked up via component. If the Gamecube version is comparable / nice looking, I'd probably go with that.
What say ye?
Ok so.
I've played through both and there are things you should know. From what I've read, apparently I got miraculously lucky, because the game never crashed on me when I played on the 'cube. And yet so many people complain of crashes and due to the nature of the save system, even the slight chance of such an occurrence is baaaad.
Things I can tell you for sure about the Gamecube port though is that there are significant loading times added where there were none. They're not huge, but they're there. I believe with Component the game is rendered at 480p now rather than the 240p of the original, but I can't say for sure because my copy is, alas, a PAL copy I've been meaning to replace. I know it definitely outputs at 480p, but I'm not sure if it's upscaled or re-rendered like the Wii VC... The game occasionally has sound glitches, but truly i very rarely noticed these.
Overall, most people are going to direct you toward the N64 version and they're probably right, but the gamecube version isn't as bad as most say. Honestly? Probably best to wait out for the 3DS version that's most likely in the pipeline.
On the overall value of the 4-in-1 disc, that's really up to personal preference. I know a lot of retro GAF aren't so keen on compilations in general, but the prospect of having 3 of my favourite games on one disc (...and the original LoZ) was too good to pass up. It's definitely one of the best gamecube 'games' out there IMO.
Do not play Majora's Mask on the Gamecube unless you're willing to be in a situation that makes you want to kill yourself.
for example when I finished the snowhead temple with all fairies, finished the goron race, got the glided sword...and then the game crashed on me.
NEVER AGAIN. fuck the gamecube emulation of Majora's Mask. It's unstable as shit. Stick to the Wii VC version. Majora's Mask is not a game you want to risk crashing on you.
for example when I finished the snowhead temple with all fairies, finished the goron race, got the glided sword...and then the game crashed on me.
NEVER AGAIN. fuck the gamecube emulation of Majora's Mask. It's unstable as shit. Stick to the Wii VC version. Majora's Mask is not a game you want to risk crashing on you.
TheMoon
Member
or get a Wii VC copy for superior resolution.
This exact thing happened to a friend of mine while he was playing through that temple at my place. He had just beaten the boss and the game crashed while loading the next part. He completely lost the will to play it. I felt bad for him so I played through that part again after he left and then saved it so he could continue playing.
So yeah, it is prone to crashing at times, which is reason enough not to play that version. The image quality is fantastic compared to the N64 however. Hopefully that 3DS remake actually happens at some point.
TheMoon
Member
yes, or that. you waited this long, wait until the inevitable anniversary remake/remaster gets announced.
Oh, huh! It actually runs in a higher resolution on the Wii? Does it generally play better overall?
It runs at 480p as opposed to the lower N64 resolution. Everything else is basically the same.
TheMoon
Member
N64 games are actually rendered at 480p (or is it 480i?). Don't quote me on this, though lol.
Yeah they render at 480p, and while I do like having physical copies, the higher resolution does help for Polygonal N64 games. It's also probably a cheaper option than buying the cart. If you end up loving it you can always get a physical copy and by the time you beat it maybe the 3DS version will have been announced.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Having second thoughts about buying an orange Gamecube, because I kinda want to have the bios menu in English. I know, it's dumb.
I was also wondering, though -- are there games that, even when the system is modded, don't tend to play nicely on other-region systems? I know that's sometimes the case.
I was also wondering, though -- are there games that, even when the system is modded, don't tend to play nicely on other-region systems? I know that's sometimes the case.
PumpkinSpice
Banned
I thought the region switch mod caused the menus to be in Japanese when set to JPN region. At least that's what it looks like in reverse.
sixteen-bit
Member
could always buy a junk/busted orange dol-001 and do a case swap
Just a word of warning, seperate memory card for different language games. Some (I think Namco?) Japanese games will wipe the memory card if they see there's US save data on the same card.
Uh, there are some 50hz only PAL games, most notably Doshin, so if your TV can't handle it then, that's a compatibility issue. Other than that, I'm not aware of any incompatibility.
D.Lo
Member
You can force Doshin to 480p with Swiss or the Wii loaders!
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Yeah, I could... but it's kinda ghetto. I dunno. I wish it wasn't so tough to choose between indigo and orange at this point. Orange is bolder, but indigo is totally the GC's color... and it contrasts better with the power light.
Truly first world problems.
digita1alchemy
Member
What model PVM do you have? I thought most can only display up to 480i, right? (still new to PVM stuff). I love my 20M4U, but I'd kill to have one that could do 480p.
Version 3.0
Member
When you say bios, do you just mean the system menu? Because it'll be in English if you install a region switch, which is incredibly easy to do. You don't even have to solder, just a couple of wires, a button, and scotch tape is enough.
I've been using a Japanese Gamecube since that launch, mostly for US games, and never encountered a problem in my 100+ game library. I can't speak for PAL games, though; I only have Japanese and US versions.
Version 3.0
Member
sixteen-bit
Member
Q is really garish.
It does not appeal to me.
It does not appeal to me.
I think both Pearl White and Indigo are the best colours, but honestly I like them all. Jet Black and Platinum look good as well.
I like the black one. Silver is cool too.
Pancakes R Us
Member
I'm getting a custom job done on mine, gonna be yellow. WOOHOO.