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Monday, February 28, 2011

NES: Friday the 13th

I was never able to beat this game when I was a kid, but I revisited and beat the game about 3 years ago.  Despite my great effort to beat the game, the ending really sucked.  Below is a video of the ending.


When I beat it, I used the torch.  I was never able to find the pitchfork as is used in the video.  There are six characters in the game; three girls and three boys.  The main point of the game is to, of course, stay alive but also protect the campers from Jason.  You have to defeat Jason three times to win the game, and with each defeat, Jason becomes faster and stronger.  But like Punch Out for the NES, Jason's moves are predictable.  Just learn the pattern and you'll beat the game.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

About My Focus...

So I'm leaning more and more toward making this blog about gaming.  Not about just any kind of gaming, but revisiting the games I grew up playing (Atari through N64).  Let me know what you think.  Meanwhile, enjoy a video of a speed run through The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past using  the glitch of pressing up + down while walking through a specific doorway.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Hacked Game Boy Printer


Here's a video showing the potential of a Game Boy Printer if you know how to hack into it.  Enjoy!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Game Boy Printer and Receipt Paper

So I finally got some receipt paper for my Game Boy Printer and it works wonderfully.  As I mentioned on a previous post, the only problem was the width of the paper.




The receipt paper shown in the picture is a little over twice the width of original Game Boy Printer thermal paper, so I removed the spool from the original paper roll and started wrapping the receipt paper around it.  When I was satisfied with the amount of paper wrapped around the spool, I cut off the paper and relocated the spool to one edge of the roll.  I then used a portion of the original thermal paper as a guide to cut through the new roll of receipt paper with a serrated knife.  Now this technique might be considered lazy or sloppy, but it is definitly the fastest way to get the most paper cut per unit time.





As the pictures show, the paper works perfectly in the printer.  And yes, the picture is of a cat caught drinking out of a toilet.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Information on Foosball

I had a question from my previous post from mtn asking why the game was called foosball.  I had no idea so I looked it up and decided to share the information.

Foosball is the American interpretation of 'fussball' - the German word for soccer. The formal name of the game is table soccer, but the most amusing name is babyfoot, its original name.  A Frenchman named Lucien Rosengart (1880-1976) is believed to be the inventor of the first foosball table.  He is also accredited with the invention of the minicar, frontwheel drive, and the seat belt.  Foosball has more uses other than recreation.  It has been used in rehabilitation of hand-eye coordination and social rehabiliation (federal correctional institutions).

Monday, February 21, 2011

Foosball Table

Another project that I have is a foosball table.


I received this foosball table for my birthday many years ago.  It was used when I got it, and some of the bars were bent (they still are).  The game can still be played with them bent, but it becomes annoying.  I can either try to straighten out the bars or buy new ones.  Also, there are no legs for the table, so I'll have to make some.  To be honest, I'm not in a big hurry to start this project because I have no place to put it.  I am hoping that someday I'll own a big enough house for a game room so I don't have to store all of my games in a garage.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Pac-Man Pics

I took some pictures of my Pac-Man Upright Cabinet to show the amount of damage it has taken over the years and the problem with the gaming logic.



Inside of game cabinet

Menu screen


Gameplay


As you can see from the last two pictures, there is something wrong with the gaming logic.  Other items that need to be fixed are the 2-player button and switch, the down direction switch on the joystick, locks on front and back panels, the wiring for the credit switch, and possibly many other things.  Cosmetically, I have a lot of sanding, filling, and painting ahead of me.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Pac-Man

Another project I am working on is a Pac-Man Upright Cabinet.

I received the Pac-Man game through my church 4 to 5 years ago.  The church purchased it around 2001 for a game room that included a foosball table, air hockey table, etc., but through the years the arcade suffered wear and damage and eventually stopped working.  I heard that they were going to send it to the dump, so I offered to take it off their hands.  I was going to college at the time, so the arcade would have to be stored at my parents' house.  My mom was not very thrilled about the idea, but she let me have it.  Years went by and I hardly gave the cabinet a thought.  After graduating college, I decided that I was going to check it out and see if it could be fixed.  My brother helped me move it from the shed to the front porch and I started to work.  I opened it up and found dirt and many dead bugs, which was expected.  I used an air compressor the clean out the crap.  The paint was in bad condition and some of it flaked off while cleaning.  The cabinet needed a paint job, but first I had to find out if it would work.  I plugged it in and viola! it worked....

Well not completely.  I could hear the old CRT monitor power on, but there was no picture.  The marquee lights didn't light up and there was no sound.  But at least it had potential!  So I cleaned it up real nice and brought it inside the house.  Once again my mom was displeased.  I plugged the machine in again to show my mother that it worked and ... nothing happened.  No noise, no anything.  A few days passed and I got enough time (and willpower) to tinker around with the wiring.  I moved the cabinet away from the wall, plugged it in, and to my surprise it turned on again!  I then determined that there was a short in the power cord.  Easy fix!  Replace the existing power cord with an extension cord and now it turns on every time.

That was just the beginning.  There is a lot more to come.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Update: Game Boy Printer

I received my Universal link cable yesterday evening!  The good news is that I purchased the correct cable and I can transfer data to my Game Boy Printer.  The bad news is that, as I suspected, the printing quality is terrible due to the aged thermal paper.  I took a dark picture on my Game boy Camera to show how bad the problem is.




Unfortunately, Nintendo does not sell the thermal paper anymore (discontinued 2002-ish?).  I did find a seller on Amazon that had the original Game Boy Printer paper.  As I read the customers’ comments, I quickly discovered that the paper was no good.  Despite it being in the original box it was initially sold in, the paper still aged and was used.  Within the comments, though, someone suggested that receipt paper should work.  The only problem with receipt paper is that it is too wide, but that is a problem that can be fixed.

So my next plan of action is to acquire some receipt paper to see how well it works with the Game Boy Printer.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Game Boy Printer

I have decided to share a few of my projects that I am working on in my spare time.  The first project is a Game Boy Printer.


My family recently moved from a 3 bedroom house into a 2 bedroom house.  The room that was lost was my office room containing my books, desk, computer, etc.  Since we were downsizing, I had to sort through my possessions and get rid of as many things as I could.  During the sorting process, I came across a box containing numerous portable gaming items.  I did not have any intention to play these games anymore, so I decided I would donate them to my mom who frequently watches over my nephews.  But while I was going through the box, I became more and more attached to them due to the memories I have playing them when I was younger. I did donate most of the games but I kept a few.  Some of the things I did keep were a Game Boy SP, Game Boy Camera, and Game Boy Printer.  I was so amazed at the condition of the camera and printer (considering that they are over a decade old) that I could not let my nephews ruin them (maybe just an excuse, but a good enough one for me).

The only thing I am missing from the joy that is the Game Boy Printer is the cable to connect the printer to the game boy.  I rummaged through my gaming and wiring boxes, but the only cable I could find was the Game Boy Advanced link cable, which did not work.  Through some research I discovered that I would need the Universal link cable.  I was happy to also find out that the Game Boy SP is compatible with the Game Boy Printer.  This is good because I always traded in my old Game Boys for discounts on the newer ones.  I ordered a Universal link cable on Amazon and it should be here today or tomorrow.  I am hoping the thermal paper I have for the printer is still good.  I read that the paper degrades over time, so I might have to find new paper.  But once I get the cable I will see how everything works and go from there.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

First Post

To be honest, I do not know a lot about blogging.  Of course I have heard of it, I have used it (for college classes), and I understand the concept of blogging.  I am ready to take the next step.  By making my own blog, I hope to figure out why so many people put time and effort into his/her blog.  My hypothesis is that I will use my time to sort through my thoughts of what is important to me.  I hope to give as well as receive input to/from others.  The first challenge I suspect is me becoming lazy and not continuing this effort.  But I guess time will tell...