POLL: Bootlegs / Reproductions: What is allowed

[ninjainspandex]

Here's a question for the repro people:

Are there any technical advantages to using a bootleg as opposed to a flashcart?

I'm legitimately curious. I don't dabble in bootlegs and see no reason to when there are flash carts available.. Is there something a repro can do that a flash cart can't?

There is something satisfying about having a physical copy of say the SNES version of Star Ocean or Fire Emblem that the flash cart can't give you. It's all personal preference.

[Opa Opa]

There is something satisfying about having a physical copy of say the SNES version of Star Ocean or Fire Emblem that the flash cart can't give you. It's all personal preference.

I'm struggling to find the Good Feels in having a repro over a flash cart. The only difference I see in a repro is that you paid a guy to put data on a cart versus copying a rom yourself.
The Good Feels, to me, come from playing a game on the hardware. I'm not convinced at this point in time that repros are worth paying for.

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The reason why I say all this is that I want you guys/gals to ask yourself the question: Am I okay with seeing bootlegs of popular games in the marketplace?

Are you fine with fake copies of: Earthbound, Hagane, Little Samson, Chrono Trigger, EVO, Harvest Moon, et cetera...

And according to the poll, 66% of you are okay as long as things are "clearly labeled". Well it is all but guaranteed that bootlegs will eventually wind up in the public, non-forum marketplace. All it takes is a shell swap and a decent label and you have yourself a real-looking Game X.

I understand that boots will enter the market anyway regardless of what this forum decides, however sitting by and saying "all's good; be smart" does very little when we could be making an impact, however small it may be.

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After re-reading all I wrote I kind of sound like I'm preaching, but damn it, maybe I am. I'd like nothing more than the retro gaming/collecting hobby to be as open and fun as possible. I don't want people to shy away from trying out the critically acclaimed games because they are afraid of getting ripped off.

I sincerely hope the mods discuss this again before letting questionable items slide through the BST. Not because I have a secret stash of five hundred Earthbound carts that I plan to unload, but because some sort of standards need to be present in the gray area of reproductions and bootlegs.

[bryan_65]

Well it is all but guaranteed that bootlegs will eventually wind up in the public, non-forum marketplace. All it takes is a shell swap and a decent label and you have yourself a real-looking Game X.

Its a rare variant man.
How about in 30 years when our Grand-Kids find the ''Grind Stormer Variant'', its really rare.

[ninjainspandex]

People out to create convincing bootlegs to trick people into thinking they are going to do it reguardless, it is not expensive to buy a rom burner and a uv eraser, some chips and some labels printed at kinkos, there are tutorials all over the web. Bottom line is people should be checking their PCBs, not doing so is just lazy.

My view on this is like guns, banning responsible people from getting them won't stop people with bad intentions. But rather not get off on another discussion.

Onyxthecat sent me a pic of his bootleg pcb, no one with half a brain would ever think that is a legit board.

[Gunstar Green]

How about in 30 years when our Grand-Kids find the ''Grind Stormer Variant'', its really rare.

Well, the EPROM of most bootlegs and reproductions made today probably won't work in 30 years at least?

Even older legitimate carts might start crapping out by then.

Our hobby is ultimately an ephemeral one.

[Hobie-wan]

Well, the EPROM of most bootlegs and reproductions made today probably won't work in 30 years at least?

Even older legitimate carts might start crapping out by then.

Regular chips and EEPROMs aren't the same things. Legit carts or mass produced factory bootlegs are chips with discretely created pathways containing the information. EEPROMs are a bit like flash memory in that the data on them can be changed when under UV light. There is a difference in permanence in these things. Atari games that are 30+ years old work just fine as long as they haven't been horribly abused. EEPROMs that were burned 30+ years ago I'd be a lot less hopeful about unless they've been kept cool and dry.

[Fragems]

Well, the EPROM of most bootlegs and reproductions made today probably won't work in 30 years at least?

Even older legitimate carts might start crapping out by then.

Regular chips and EEPROMs aren't the same things. Legit carts or mass produced factory bootlegs are chips with discretely created pathways containing the information. EEPROMs are a bit like flash memory in that the data on them can be changed when under UV light. There is a difference in permanence in these things. Atari games that are 30+ years old work just fine as long as they haven't been horribly abused. EEPROMs that were burned 30+ years ago I'd be a lot less hopeful about unless they've been kept cool and dry.

Yeah I just got through testing 60+ Atari 2600 games last week which were all 30+ years old now. Not a single dead one only issues I had were dirty contacts which were easily cleaned.

[bryan_65]

A bootleg Curse, what the fuck, you can buy a legit one for $10 or $20. OK, just got back from PM5K time for sleep.

[Onyxthecat]

Thanks for posting that ninjaspandex. I just so happened to have one laying around, is that ok?

[mjmjr25]

Thanks for posting that ninjaspandex. I just so happened to have one laying around, is that ok?

Are you actually in this thread making jokes and boasting that you kill existing games to make bootlegs of $15 games that are readily available. Get ghosted.