Reproductions: What is our community ok with?

[Retrogamer0001]

Maybe we should start requiring people buying unlabeled repros to sign a contract stating that they will not resell them as originals.

[Ziggy]

I enjoy buying English repros sometimes, but we really need to get some new shells made. I don't like the idea of destroying carts.

Of course, easier said than done. The hard part is the money. Getting shells made isn't cheap. If you're selling them in any kind of volume, it's not bad, but you need the money to start.

The only way I'm cool with repros these days is if a fan-translation is applied to the cart of the actual game. For example, taking a Seiken Densetsu 3 SFC cart and putting the Secret of Mana 2 English translation on it. Or taking a Final Fantasy V SFC cart and putting the FF5 English translation on it. In this case, they're not "repros". They're legit carts that were modified so that the game is in a different language than it original was. And in this case, I wouldn't be concerned about any copyright holder backlash.

The game has to remain in it's original SFC cart shell. Putting it inside an NTSC-U SNES shell means you're messing with another game. Also, the cart has to be made so that it can be restored to stock if wanted or need be. No cutting out mask ROMs, etc. This is what I mean by nondestructive.

Whoa.....I'd like to know more information about this method, since I just got into importing Super Famicom games (ok so I have just one at the moment, but it's a start).

it's an identical process as i understand it except that instead of a typical US SNES donor, you'd use the original JP SFC Cart and put the patch or mod onto that board. So you've got the original product with a modification instead of destroying one game to create another. it tends to be a bit more pricey, but in terms of legality there is probably a lot more ground to stand on.

Exactly.

It's only more pricey if the SFC costs you more than what a donor cart would. But if you're collecting games, you were likely to spend the money on that cart anyway.

[Retrogamer0001]

Ziggy, does it break your heart to know what they're doing to all those poor copies of Shaq Fu?

[Gunstar Green]

Ziggy, does it break your heart to know what they're doing to all those poor copies of Shaq Fu?

On the bright side my Shaq Fu will one day be very rare and prized.

Maybe people will buy reproductions of it and we'll come full circle.

[AppleQueso]

Somewhere someone is getting the idea to gut copies of Wild Guns and turn them into Shaq Fu repros.

[theclaw]

Exactly.

It's only more pricey if the SFC costs you more than what a donor cart would. But if you're collecting games, you were likely to spend the money on that cart anyway.

Well repros cost so much relative to flash carts as it is.

[mjmjr25]

Somewhere someone is getting the idea to gut copies of Wild Guns and turn them into Shaq Fu repros.

That's the good stuff. Missed it. Hope you're back for a good while.

[aaron]

Somewhere someone is getting the idea to gut copies of Wild Guns and turn them into Shaq Fu repros.

That's the good stuff. Missed it. Hope you're back for a good while.

co-sign.

[Ziggy]

Ziggy, does it break your heart to know what they're doing to all those poor copies of Shaq Fu?

Shaq Fu is LoROM and has no SRAM, the vast majority of repros are need a HiROM cart with SRAM. Shaq Fu is relatively safe.

But again, where do you draw the line? You think Shaq Fu sucks and who cares if it's used as a donor cart. What about Illusion of Gaia? That's a HiROM game with SRAM. Certainly not, right? Well, I think Paladin's Quest sucks. Is it OK to use that cart for repros?

[ninjainspandex]

speaking of reproductions I was wondering on thoughts of taking Japanese RPG's and reflashing the chip with an english translation? I have a Japanese Crusader of Centy that is really cheap to get is it possible to solder a new chip inside it with the english rom? Also how the heck to you open Japanese Megadrive carts, I see no screw holes on it.

Also was thinking of putting the romhack that restores the healthbar in the Genesis version of Contra which was present in the Japanese version making it a much more playable game. Same with my cart of Streets of Rage 3 that has a re translated version with the easier difficulty of the Japanese version.

Is this a simple task?