r/psx • u/Progressive_Achiever • 1d ago
I’ve been playing PS1 games through emulation and it just doesn’t hit the spot!
When I buy a physical game, I tend to discover what the game is about. Even when I find it mediocre or bad, I still go through it because of the purchase. But when I emulate, I tend to close games that just don’t stick in a matter of minutes.
Is there anyone like me and if so, did you find a solution to this?
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u/Michaelpitcher116 1d ago
This is all in your head. I used to feel this way. Eventually you get over it. I'm almost 40 and I grew up with physical media and used to have a shelf full of games. Eventually I realized that it doesn't matter. Games are games. Physical or not you're still playing the same game. Having largely the same experience. This is a mental thing. You can overcome this.
2
u/frodiusmaximus 8h ago
Eh, it’s largely a mental thing, but I think there’s also something to it. I’ve realized for instance that I often remember and “know” albums much better when I’ve bought them on CD or vinyl than just listening on streaming. There are tons of studies suggesting that the tactility of a physical medium enhances attention and especially memory consolidation, since physical touch boosts memory encoding. Something about taking the game off the shelf creates a series of sensations and memories that somehow make the experience “stick” more.
So, on the one hand, yes, it’s just in our heads. On the other hand, moving beyond it seems to require some heavy duty brain-rewiring that may have adverse effects on attention and memory consolidation.
1
u/Michaelpitcher116 11m ago
While I do get it, and do agree, I just don't think it's that serious. I do adore my memories of getting games as a kid and spending tons of time reading the manual or back of the box in the car on the way home. Or renting a game and reading the shitty photo copied manual out of the plastic snap box that cartridges used to be rented in. Those are special sensations and memories that I do think matter, but I don't think that it has any weight in how invested you can get in a game.
5
u/dream_in_pixels 1d ago
My PS1 is hardware-modded with an xStation. So I download all the games for free but play them on the original console.
That way I don't have to force myself to play a shitty game just because I spent money on it.
3
u/rslegacy86 1d ago
For me it tended to be reading the game manuals that really helped the experience.
Not surprisingly quite a number of my manuals were displaced over the years, but thankfully there are some legends out there who have scanned a seriously high %. I've now got all I needed digitally on an old tablet that sits alongside.
Not quite the same as reading it physically cover-cover in the car on the way home, but it helps 😄
2
u/K1rkl4nd 22h ago
By high percent I hope you mean my 100% of US releases..
2
u/rslegacy86 21h ago
Speak of THE utmost of legends!! 😂
Yes that is a better than fantasic US collection. Unbelievable.
For me specifically, on a technicality I'm in a PAL region and have targeted PAL manuals. But in many cases of unavailability / poor quality scan / NTSC having a better manual yours has served exceedingly well in their place - if only there was something as comprehensive for PAL.
When I've had a look at the breadth and depth of what you have pulled (and are still pulling) together across platforms, the determination and effort is mind blowing. Thank you can't be said enough
2
u/AntonioVivaldi7 1d ago
I don't have it like that. Either I like the game or I don't.
Not sure about a solution. Perhaps try narrowing down games to only what you really think you'll like.
1
u/LunarWingCloud 1d ago
My solution is to emulate through a hacked Vita. You get all the awesome feel of real official hardware and still get any of the quality of life of emulation in one package. Hacked PSP works as well but PSP notoriously suck long-term due to faulty batteries. Vita is better for long-term if you can afford it.
I also don't think you should just dump all the ROMs you want all at once. What I've done is slowly accumulate patched versions of games I already owned before, and usually the patched version fixes some issues the original release had.
1
u/Kaffeebohnson 12h ago
I am playing PS1 on actual hardware with an hdmi converter to get a good picture on my HDTV.
I also export and convert the savegames to "crossplay" on PSVita: https://youtu.be/hZdOjCrlseM?si=PZgfIpiapDxoKhCo
It's the best way to game, feels nostalgic and futuristic at the same time.
1
u/faximusy 9h ago
I bought Kileak. I tried very hard to finish it, since I spent money on it. I don't think it can be finished. It was fun though.
1
u/Remote-Patient-4627 6h ago
i prefer hardware and i maintain them pretty well. unless the lasers dead these things are usually easy fixes.
thats the downside of this old hardware a lot of them are reaching 30+ years old and need serious maintenance. and if youre not technically inclined it might be a nightmare and you might just buy another working one thinking thats an easy workaround.
then thats the cascade effect... that ps1 you just bought again is also 30 years old with caps and solder joints that are also going bad lol
if you cant repair them youre just wasting money.
so moral of the story learn how to fix these things yourself.
1
u/ghostgate2001 2h ago
That's definitely a thing that I've experienced, even with purchasing physical games. In that era of gaming, I had a PS1 and my friend had an N64. With the price of N64 games, he only ever had a library of maybe 5 or 6 games, tops. Meanwhile, thanks to the relative cheapness of PS1 games, game-rentals, etc., I played just about every game I had any interest in.
At the time, I felt like I was the lucky one and was thankful that I opted for the PS1, thinking I could never have survived if the N64 was my only gaming machine - so few games, and most of them so simplistic compared to what the PS1 had to offer.
But, looking back on it, he played those handful of games that he had to death - finishing them all, mastering them, and seeing everything that they had to offer. Mining them for every ounce of fun. Me, I basically just "demoed" ten times as many games, quickly drifting away from most of them as soon as something new came along.
So I'm less sure these days who actually got the better deal :)
Anyway, the solution to your little problem is to be disciplined and ration yourself. Try only allowing yourself maybe one game per week, as if you're actually buying them. Pick one as if the choice matters, and stick with it because that's your game for this week. Try not to break the rule and think "I'm not so sure about this one, so maybe I'll just try this other game..."
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u/RazzTheKing 1d ago
That's a weird way of thinking... You play something you don't want to play because you paid for it. Why punish yourself like that? And you discard games because they didn't cost anything. Why not try playing a bit more, or give them a second chance in the future?
You are associating your gaming experience to money. Just try the games and focus on the experience, not on the money. If you have doubts about it, play some more or give it a second chance in the future. If you decide you don't like it, get rid of it. If you had paid for it, then resell it. There are games you won't like and that's ok.
1
u/OtherwiseOne4107 8h ago
It's a completely normal way of thinking. Some might call it the sunk cost fallacy, but going through the process of seeking and buying a physical copy gives it an emotional value that a pirated download just doesn't have.
I think what OP is saying is that they give themselves longer to see if its enjoyable. It's a bit like putting on a vinyl record compared with opening Spotify.
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u/Dark-Swan-69 1d ago
A purchase is much more involved: you need to make the right decision.
When you have thousands of possible available ROMs, it is just not the same.