Question about emulators

2005-09-29 03:25:29 pm

I've been working on a Ninja Gaiden speed run for a few weeks now, and I use RockNES 2.0 for Mac OS X. I know the rules say you can't use an emulator because you can't prove that cheating did not occur, but are there extenuating circumstances? For example, RockNES for Mac OS X (any version) is notorious for having freeze states that do not defrost correctly (I tried; they don't work).

Technically I could use a real NES and record a run, but I am used to the keyboard controls (right hand controls movement, left hand controls jump and attack) and it's a lot easier to redo a failed run by just restarting the emulator instead of restarting the NES and the tape in the VCR.

In the worst case scenario, I'll probably end up working on a few emulator-based runs before gradually moving to the real NES and VCR combo (once I'm positive it won't take too many re-records).

It'd be great to hear your thoughts on this. Smiley

Thread title:

AquaTiger

2005-09-29 04:00:40 pm

Never give up!

I think the rules don't allow for any exceptions whatsoever to their no-emulator policy.

As for the whole 'restarting the NES and the tape in the VCR' thing? It'd be okay to only restart the NES. Assuming you'll be sending this to Nate, you only need to tell him where the REAL run starts; I don't believe he cares if there's failed version of that run on the tape as long as he can tell where the successful one is. Besides, restarting the tape will degrade it, so it's prudent to avoid that.

soteos

Edit history:

soteos: 2005-09-29 07:00:43 pm

2005-09-29 06:58:11 pm

If you have an emulator, go here http://bisqwit.iki.fi/nesvideos/ and you'd better know how to use it to it's full potential. Otherwise, your run is to be done on the NES. No extenuating circumstances in your case.

For tapes, some people record hundreds of failed attempts. I wouldn't worry about tape degradation, unless it's an old tape. You'll be prompted to say where on the tape the run starts anyways.

Hitaro

2005-09-30 12:51:12 am

What the other two said...

And for further info about why they're not accepted here, given that you still don't listen to the other two or just plain don't know, ROMs are illegal. The end.

Tub

Edit history:

Tub: 2005-09-30 01:03:34 am

2005-09-30 01:03:23 am

m00

Quote:

ROMs are illegal. The end.

in what countries and under what circumstances?

just saying "ROMs are illegal" is bullshit.

sorry for not adding to the topic, but everything important has been said already Wink

Hitaro

2005-09-30 01:24:48 am

Quote:

in what countries and under what circumstances?

just saying "ROMs are illegal" is bullshit.

Oh, sorry. It does seem too rushed...

And isn't this site American, wherein it's illegal? I'm not even sure it depends on wether or not the OP is.

soteos

2005-09-30 01:28:27 am

How are roms legal? Are there some countries where the game producers are like "let them have the games for free, we don't want their money"?

Hitaro

Edit history:

Hitaro: 2005-09-30 01:29:56 am

2005-09-30 01:29:35 am

Quote:

How are roms legal? Are there some countries where the game producers are like "let them have the games for free, we don't want their money"?

No, it's just in some countries (like Canada ): ) it's not official yet. The law (for Canada) is suppose to pass this fall or something.

Sad, I know.

-Suzaku-

2005-09-30 01:41:01 am

Eternal Understudy

Yay Canada!!!!! It's also not technically illegal in Canada to copy music.

AquaTiger

Edit history:

AquaTiger: 2005-09-30 02:01:41 am

2005-09-30 01:49:29 am

Never give up!

Dammit, why did I have to be born in the U.S. (just how uber-strict are they on this kind of thing here anyway? I always hear that, by the letter of the law, it's an incredibly strict viewpoint)?

Anyway, I've wanted to avoid speaking about emulators on SDA's forums, but here's what I last recall hearing.

It might have been years ago when they had this rule, but at least in the U.S., I think at one point people were permitted to have a ROM for 24 hours, after which time they had to delete it if they did not own the original game. (I'm certain other countries just say 'no, you cannot have it at all', but I don't know which countries.) Also, the actual unauthorized (I don't recall the details that authorized this) distribution of ROMs was what was illegal.

The problem arises from at least the following: The parts about deletion and distribution were hardly ever followed.

Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, for the reason emulator runs aren't taken here.... isn't that discussed in the rules or FAQ or something?

Dammit, why did I have to be born in the U.S. (just how uber-strict are they on this kind of thing here anyway?  I always hear that, by the letter of the law, it's an incredibly strict viewpoint)?

Anyway, I've wanted to avoid speaking about emulators on SDA's forums, but here's what I last recall hearing.

It might have been years ago when they had this rule, but at least in the U.S., I think at one point people were permitted to have a ROM for 24 hours, after which time they had to delete it if they did not own the original game. (I'm certain other countries just say 'no, you cannot have it at all', but I don't know which countries.)  Also, the actual unauthorized (I don't recall the details that authorized this) distribution of ROMs was what was illegal.

The problem arises from at least the following: The parts about deletion and distribution were hardly ever followed.

Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, for the reason emulator runs aren't taken here.... isn't that discussed in the rules or FAQ or something?

scaryice

2005-09-30 03:06:57 am

Nobody's gonna arrest you for downloading a few roms of 15 year old games. It's really a non-issue.

VorpalEdge

2005-09-30 03:26:18 am

welcome to the machine

Quote:

It might have been years ago when they had this rule, but at least in the U.S., I think at one point people were permitted to have a ROM for 24 hours, after which time they had to delete it if they did not own the original game.

That was never true. The presiding theory over its growth is that major ROM sites lied to increase downloads. Can you even imagine the current government doing something like this?

AquaTiger

Edit history:

AquaTiger: 2005-09-30 03:32:12 am

2005-09-30 03:31:57 am

Never give up!

Quote:

That was never true. The presiding theory over its growth is that major ROM sites lied to increase downloads. Can you even imagine the current government doing something like this?

Guess that shows what I know about this. See why I myself didn't want to discuss emulation? Too many gaps missing in my knowledge of it.

tmont

2005-09-30 06:46:13 am

Not going to school today

Quote:

Yay Canada!!!!! It's also not technically illegal in Canada to copy music.

What? Copyrights don't exist in Canada?

alexpenev

2005-09-30 09:07:14 am

Rom/music/software laws are funny things.

It's technically illegal in Australia replicate digital music in quite a lot of shapes and forms, including legal downloading of songs onto your PC and transfering them to your iPod. Stoopid.

As for Rom being illegal... perhaps. But where are you going to BUY a 15 year old game.. that system hasn't been supported for a decade.

Mkt2015

2005-09-30 09:11:34 am

MGS for PS1 forever.

Quote:

That was never true. The presiding theory over its growth is that major ROM sites lied to increase downloads. Can you even imagine the current government doing something like this?

I once read somewhere that one site decided to use the "24 hour limit" just to seem legit...and then the other rom sites decided to go that route as well.

Before Ebay and other places online where you could buy lots of old stuff, roms were fine...cause there were no other places to get old NES games. There were pawn shops around, but they always had a crappy selection.

Yoshi348

2005-09-30 07:09:20 pm

dinosaur from the past

I still find most places accept used games and sell old ones have a bin of NES games on par with the SNES bin. (Of course, usually they're the same bin, but they both take about half the bin. Hopefully the size differences don't scre me over too much.)

Of course, maybe it's a local thing.

whacko_jacko

2005-10-01 03:47:58 pm

I just don't use emulators period, partially because my computer is probably too slow to run anything more advanced than NES, but I was always under the impression that it was legal to have ROMs of games on your computer, as long as you really do own the original game, you know, just like having backup copies of CD's incase they go bad.