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I got MS for christmas 1990 (actually because my dad was too cheap to buy Megadrive or a computer; rather lucky since I was tempted by a Commodore 64 pack with 14 games). So around this time of year I celebrate another anniversary by digging out the thing itself - rest of the year I just play on emulator.
Thus right now I have a number of issues to comment or ask.

1. I've had it 22 years!

And it's still running fine... except there is some damage on antenna cable so that I have to move it around to find position where picture is sharp. And maybe every fifth time you have to insert cart again after it shows "software error".
But nevertheless it works and I tell you that unit has seen rough times. It has fallen of table pretty damn hard, I don't think most consoles would survive that.

2. Light Phaser gets tricky sometimes

My current largest LP compatible TV, and one before it, had problems with LP. I solved it by adjusting MS channel bit off; image got blurry, perhaps black and white, but LP worked fine. I think that's been the case last couple years.
Now LP sometimes worked in center of TV, but only on small area and often not at all. After a search on this very forum, I set brightness to maximum and... works like new. Quite a facepalm moment.

3. I love Snail Maze

Of the about fifteen games I have I play most on most years, but the Snail Maze I play every year. Usually I win on second try, on bad year third. This time however, first time for ages, I did did straight on first.
How about you? If you right now tried, how many times do you need to play Snail Maze to finish it?

4. Does Populous have ending?

Here's one thing I need to ask. After 5119(? Your cheat page says 5199?) passwords stop working. Is there some actual ending if you just kept playing far enough?

There is no ending. Try the generated passwords to see the cutoff point.

Well I did check it, it is 5119. I just wanted someone else to confirm... and bother to fix it at cheat page. Guess I'll do it.
(Edit: except I can't do it; it's in the password generator page and not in the cheat page itself and... well can't bother to figure this out to fix one number, you do it)

I was wondering... does the game generate the qualities of level (evil rating/speed, swamps, water, starting amounts and powers in use of good and evil) from the level number or password?
If it works so, then couldn't you make a calculator that gives you the level number/password when you tell what kind of level you want?

Indeed it is 5119 - I fixed the name generator.

The stats seem to be in the ROM, rather than generated, at least partially - although I suspect they loop at some point.

Kaunisto wrote

How about you? If you right now tried, how many times do you need to play Snail Maze to finish it?

I can easily beat Snail Maze in one attempt. At one point I even recorded myself playing the game all the way through (as can be seen here (this channel is dead, so don't bother subscribing)). Did you know that Round 11 actually has two routes? In the video, I took the longer one, since I didn't know about the other.

As for myself, I'm a bit ashamed to say I never owned an actual Master System per se, and I'm getting most of my SMS fix from emulating. A couple years ago I bought a Master System Converter for my (miraculously still working, when everyone thought it dead for the longest time) Mega Drive, and I got a Master System Control Pad on my 17th birthday, but the only games I have right now are Enduro Racer, World Grand Prix and Super Tennis. If I remember correctly, Alex Kidd in Miracle World was the first SMS game I beat, though back when I had first contact with SMS emulation, it wasn't the game I played the most (I liked Golvellius and Action Fighter more).

I've been meaning to import Hang On/Safari Hunt from the USA and also get a Light Phaser while I'm at it. However, I'm not sure if it'll work on my TV. It's a CRT TV with a 16:9 resolution (although I can switch to 4:3 freely)...

^
Shame on you! :P Seriously, though, it might be cheaper to buy a Mark I with Safari Hunt and Hang On built in. At least you wouldn't run the risk of getting hit with import taxes. I wouldn't hold my breath about the LP working on your telly though. Over the years I've tried quite a few widescreen CRTs and not one liked the gun. All the 4:3 tellys have worked fine...

Although I have had an SMS for the longest time I have actually only played Snail Maze once... and that was when I first got it back in 89/90!

@Kaunisto; That's a lovely thing to do. A really nice way to keep your childhood alive. Thanks for sharing. :)

Please tell me you have played and beat Zillion all the way through.

Hot_Violet wrote

Seriously, though, it might be cheaper to buy a Mark I with Safari Hunt and Hang On built in. At least you wouldn't run the risk of getting hit with import taxes. I wouldn't hold my breath about the LP working on your telly though. Over the years I've tried quite a few widescreen CRTs and not one liked the gun. All the 4:3 tellys have worked fine...

I'd rather not buy a new console altogether unless my Master System Converter happened to break, so unless I can find an offer of the game in question somewhere in Germany, I might have to import. Or ask a friend to get it for me.

Are you sure it mightn't work? Even though I can switch to a 4:3 ratio?

From what I hear, compatibility with old light guns has to do with how the TV physically operates, not just the output aspect ratio.
They do things like rescaling the image that throws off the timing of the signal between the screen the gun causing wrong operation.

Author	Message
Kaunisto Joined: 19 Apr 2012 Posts: 51 Location: Finland	Snail Maze, LP, Populous and some personal nostalgia Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 7:51 pm
Kaunisto Joined: 19 Apr 2012 Posts: 51 Location: Finland	I got MS for christmas 1990 (actually because my dad was too cheap to buy Megadrive or a computer; rather lucky since I was tempted by a Commodore 64 pack with 14 games). So around this time of year I celebrate another anniversary by digging out the thing itself - rest of the year I just play on emulator. Thus right now I have a number of issues to comment or ask. 1. I've had it 22 years! And it's still running fine... except there is some damage on antenna cable so that I have to move it around to find position where picture is sharp. And maybe every fifth time you have to insert cart again after it shows "software error". But nevertheless it works and I tell you that unit has seen rough times. It has fallen of table pretty damn hard, I don't think most consoles would survive that. 2. Light Phaser gets tricky sometimes My current largest LP compatible TV, and one before it, had problems with LP. I solved it by adjusting MS channel bit off; image got blurry, perhaps black and white, but LP worked fine. I think that's been the case last couple years. Now LP sometimes worked in center of TV, but only on small area and often not at all. After a search on this very forum, I set brightness to maximum and... works like new. Quite a facepalm moment. 3. I love Snail Maze Of the about fifteen games I have I play most on most years, but the Snail Maze I play every year. Usually I win on second try, on bad year third. This time however, first time for ages, I did did straight on first. How about you? If you right now tried, how many times do you need to play Snail Maze to finish it? 4. Does Populous have ending? Here's one thing I need to ask. After 5119(? Your cheat page says 5199?) passwords stop working. Is there some actual ending if you just kept playing far enough?

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14740 Location: London	Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:00 pm
	There is no ending. Try the generated passwords to see the cutoff point.

Kaunisto Joined: 19 Apr 2012 Posts: 51 Location: Finland	Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 6:41 pm
Kaunisto Joined: 19 Apr 2012 Posts: 51 Location: Finland	Well I did check it, it is 5119. I just wanted someone else to confirm... and bother to fix it at cheat page. Guess I'll do it. (Edit: except I can't do it; it's in the password generator page and not in the cheat page itself and... well can't bother to figure this out to fix one number, you do it) I was wondering... does the game generate the qualities of level (evil rating/speed, swamps, water, starting amounts and powers in use of good and evil) from the level number or password? If it works so, then couldn't you make a calculator that gives you the level number/password when you tell what kind of level you want?

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14740 Location: London	Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 10:48 pm
	Indeed it is 5119 - I fixed the name generator. The stats seem to be in the ROM, rather than generated, at least partially - although I suspect they loop at some point.

mk1995 Joined: 11 Jan 2009 Posts: 116 Location: Germany	Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 2:05 pm
mk1995 Joined: 11 Jan 2009 Posts: 116 Location: Germany	Kaunisto wrote How about you? If you right now tried, how many times do you need to play Snail Maze to finish it? I can easily beat Snail Maze in one attempt. At one point I even recorded myself playing the game all the way through (as can be seen here (this channel is dead, so don't bother subscribing)). Did you know that Round 11 actually has two routes? In the video, I took the longer one, since I didn't know about the other. As for myself, I'm a bit ashamed to say I never owned an actual Master System per se, and I'm getting most of my SMS fix from emulating. A couple years ago I bought a Master System Converter for my (miraculously still working, when everyone thought it dead for the longest time) Mega Drive, and I got a Master System Control Pad on my 17th birthday, but the only games I have right now are Enduro Racer, World Grand Prix and Super Tennis. If I remember correctly, Alex Kidd in Miracle World was the first SMS game I beat, though back when I had first contact with SMS emulation, it wasn't the game I played the most (I liked Golvellius and Action Fighter more). I've been meaning to import Hang On/Safari Hunt from the USA and also get a Light Phaser while I'm at it. However, I'm not sure if it'll work on my TV. It's a CRT TV with a 16:9 resolution (although I can switch to 4:3 freely)...

Hot_Violet Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 95 Location: Scotland	Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 3:07 pm
	^ Shame on you! :P Seriously, though, it might be cheaper to buy a Mark I with Safari Hunt and Hang On built in. At least you wouldn't run the risk of getting hit with import taxes. I wouldn't hold my breath about the LP working on your telly though. Over the years I've tried quite a few widescreen CRTs and not one liked the gun. All the 4:3 tellys have worked fine... Although I have had an SMS for the longest time I have actually only played Snail Maze once... and that was when I first got it back in 89/90! @Kaunisto; That's a lovely thing to do. A really nice way to keep your childhood alive. Thanks for sharing. :)

olaf Joined: 14 Oct 2006 Posts: 256 Location: NYC	Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 10:56 pm
olaf Joined: 14 Oct 2006 Posts: 256 Location: NYC	Please tell me you have played and beat Zillion all the way through.

mk1995 Joined: 11 Jan 2009 Posts: 116 Location: Germany	Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 1:21 pm
mk1995 Joined: 11 Jan 2009 Posts: 116 Location: Germany	Hot_Violet wrote Seriously, though, it might be cheaper to buy a Mark I with Safari Hunt and Hang On built in. At least you wouldn't run the risk of getting hit with import taxes. I wouldn't hold my breath about the LP working on your telly though. Over the years I've tried quite a few widescreen CRTs and not one liked the gun. All the 4:3 tellys have worked fine... I'd rather not buy a new console altogether unless my Master System Converter happened to break, so unless I can find an offer of the game in question somewhere in Germany, I might have to import. Or ask a friend to get it for me. Are you sure it mightn't work? Even though I can switch to a 4:3 ratio?

KingMike Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Posts: 510	Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:56 pm
KingMike Joined: 14 Oct 2008 Posts: 510	From what I hear, compatibility with old light guns has to do with how the TV physically operates, not just the output aspect ratio. They do things like rescaling the image that throws off the timing of the signal between the screen the gun causing wrong operation.

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