It`s very sad that it`s becoming harder to digitally preserve games. In the past we have been able to archive ROMs, discs etc. and run them on hardware or emulation. We are unlikely to be able to do this for existing consoles / mobiles. With time it will rot and be lost forever.
(1/2)This begs the question: is there anything released on any platform newer than PS2 that`s worth keeping? I`d say - generally no. Nothing since PS2 brought me even a vague sense of enjoyment or amazement. Meanwhile, I boot up Sega AM2/3/4 and c64 games DAILY.
that and keep removing stuff, very irritating.
Mobile games are the first real casualty of this problem. So many great early iOS and Android games are already lost. And Nokia S60 games before that. And what about all the flash games?
Hmm perhaps but I remember being amazed by early ZX Spectrum emulators in 1990 ish and thinking it would never be possible to emulate an Amiga due to the dedicated hardware etc.
The only GOOD thing I can think of about this is that RETROGAMERMAG will finally be able get to THE END of the retro time line at some point now and go back to covering the 8bits =)
I think mostly hardcore but I`m not fond of that term. ie places like Gamefaqs, but I try not to visit these days, its not a pleasant site to frequent.
Im not sure what hardware youre referring to. People are already emulating Ps3, xbox360, and switch. You think the same wont happen to ps4 and xboxOne exclusives?
It`s also really bad for online games where the online component is taken down.
Modern gamers don`t seem to care, I`ve discussed this on a couple of forums but the general feeling was "We don`t care". The throwaway generation, their loss.
Whatever you think about Fortnite et al these online only games will not be preserved in meaningful way. Even if they exist in some form in the future, retro gamers then will not be able to recreate the authentic experience of playing them in their formative years.
This is another reason I don`t like cloud gaming, for all intents and purposes the software doesn`t really exist and is more or less certain to completely disappear at some point
No problem at all! And yes, it`s going to be definitely harder and harder for Retro-lovers. Perhaps the most popular stuff will be "remastered" someday, but it seems likely the vast majority of contemporary games will last far less than it used to do. Tough I wonder how /1
Erm, best if you don`t mention my name... ;-)
It isn`t just the hardware that`s a challenge. Software increasingly needs to `phone home` before it will run as well and/or rely on other network services.
Yup I was answering to that, too. By the way I`m not claiming it`s trivial to bypass DRMs/copy protections, but at least there`s a non-zero probability. As a person who often goes back to his own old library, streaming feels like a nightmare!
Quantum computing should be able to crack it easily, in theory.
1. This is why I believe digital delivery could end up being actually a good thing, assuming a Steam-like policy becomes the norm (console manufacturers are already moving to a pseudo-PC backwards compatible approach, and that`s good too!) 2. This is also why I really hope /1
Hmm, what if game companies made the server software available as soon as they pull said plug? If they deem the game useless enough to pull the plug, I`ll host the game myself!
I couldnt agree more. Unfortunately the genie is out of the bottle now, never to be fixed again.
If it`s not hardware, it`s services. There are many games that are perfectly playable, but the game companies have pulled the plug on the servers that you would need. "Single player" most of the times means "you still need our servers".
The preservation of the media I`m sure can be overcome if the example of the project is anything to go by, something `professionals` said couldn`t be done 10 years ago.
Right now the ticking time bombs are Japanese mobile phones, not only are the online stores closed but many of the devices themselves have been long bricked when the service providers cut support. Japanese preservation efforts as far as I`m aware have been largely private/lowkey
While this is true for a lot of stuff, I wont be sad to see the demise of in-app purchase games that plague our mobile phones nowadays. Very little quality there.
I suggest you get Bill Gates to start talking to manufacturers to leave a dated legacy. :-)
Due to things like protection, hardware locking and licensing you will only be able to run the software on physical hardware. You will need the original hardware to stand a chance of running the games. This hardware is likely to fail as batteries and other components fail.
