Zombie's Ultimate X-COM Collection

[NKF]

Emulation's come a long way in 10 years, so I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results if you attempt it again. I have given my PSX copy of UFO a spin and it runs great.

 

Having virtually no load times compared to running it on a physical console is divine!

[Zombie]

Having virtually no load times compared to running it on a physical console is divine!

 

Very true, I remember the load times for missions was really long on my PSX version of X-COM: UFO Defense. And to think I started my "testing" career on it.

 

While we are on the topic, I was just wondering how an emulator handles saves for the PSX? Is that possible? Only have 15 save slots? Etc, etc.

 

- Zombie

[NKF]

In-game the saves are the same as the memory cards are emulated. But the virtual memory cards are files you can make copies of, so you can easily archive away saves you want to keep.

 

With PSX emulation, there are also save states, which I think you might find useful for repeatedly testing things under the exact same conditions.

[Zombie]

You can get a tool such as ImgBurn to convert your PSX disc into an ISO file and then get an emulator such as ePSXe to run it. Alternately you can obtain a multi emulator front-end environment called RetroArch on Steam that can download the ePSXe core to emulate PSX ISO files.

 

I got ImgBurn to create a .bin of the PSX TFTD version easily enough, but from then on out it was nothing but trouble. ePSXe just crashes when I try to run the .bin and the same thing happens when I try to run TFTD directly from the PSX disc. I have a sneaking suspicion I didn't configure the program correctly as there is a error message sometimes: PSX Bios not found. ePSXe was not able to find a psx bios in your epsxe bios directory. You can use the HLE bios [yadda, yadda, yadda] but keep in mind that you can only have this file LEGALLY when you own a REAL Playstation. Dunno what's up there, and like I said I'm not very software savvy.

 

Looked on Steam for RetroArch. There's a page for it but the release date is TBD and it says Coming Soon when I added it to my wishlist.

 

See? Ten years later and nothing's changed.

 

- Zombie

[NKF]

No actually you are on the right course.

 

I had forgotten about the issue around the bios, which is one of the more grey areas you will need to contend with. Most of the emulators I've been spending a great deal of time on such as PPSSPP for the PSP don't have that particular hurdle to cross.

 

Personally, I've justified it by having spare physical consoles (hardware anxiety), so I jolly well want to be able to play the games I've paid for.

 

If you need help or advice, drop me a PM. I feel determined to get you experiencing these classic gems you've been collecting.

[Zombie]

If you need help or advice, drop me a PM. I feel determined to get you experiencing these classic gems you've been collecting.

 

Yeah, I'm probably going to need help as this isn't an area of expertise for me. I'm just really curious about the PSX version of TFTD. I know the music is better, but I'm not sure if the UFOpaedia has been completely updated to include 360 degree spinning picture entries like a few of the entries for UFO Defense. Those were cool. And of course I want to check out the Japanese PSX version of the first game. I'd like to get some screen caps and post those for people to browse.

 

Oh, and before I forget, I purchased a few more items for my collection recently. Picked up a 2-floppy demo set for the April 1995 PC Review issue which I just added to the Magazine Compilations page. TFTD obviously. But while I was looking for similar listings I also found (and purchased) a CD-ROM version from the same issue. Wow. I did unfortunately lose out on another listing which contained UFO: EU - while the seller was fixing the listing to allow me to buy it, it was snatched up by someone else. (CD-ROM Games Demo Disc - Number 12 April 1996). Bummer. Sometimes you just get unlucky.

 

I also purchased a set of buttons from MicroProse (supposedly original and not aftermarket) which should be arriving before the end of the month. No update on the Russian PSX version of TFTD, literally nothing. The tracking number still shows it's being prepared like it has been since October 15. Patience is a virtue though.

 

Also picked up a 3-floppy demo set (various issues, not sure which magazine or company released it either) containing TFTD. Will have to do a lot of research on this to figure out where it came from, the release date etc.

 

Most of these purchases have been off ebay.co.uk and I had to do a lot of work to orchestrate the buying and shipping aspects to secure them. Not only that, but I actually looked at every listing a specific seller had to determine if any of them contained an X-COM game (he unfortunately didn't include the contents of the CD-ROMs in the item listings... that's actually how I found the CD-ROM Games Demo Disc listing). So yeah, I walk the talk.

 

- Zombie

[Thorondor]

Wow, someone has been keeping busy on the interwebs.

 

From Russia with love perhaps, but running silent, running deep that PSX version of TFTD. Fingers crossed for delivery with no issues, Zombie!

[Zombie]

I received the PC Review (April 1995) CD today so I added scans of that along with scans from the Smart Collection (December 1996) floppy to the Magazine Compilations page. If any of you know anything about Smart Collection floppies, please enlighten me. I couldn't find anything in my searches.

 

Was browsing some more listings today and got another nibble on a magazine compilation cd I didn't have yet. The seller didn't offer shipping to the US so I'm discussing this with him. We shall see.

 

Still no new update on the Russian PSX version of TFTD in case anyone is interested.

 

- Zombie

[Thorondor]

That PC review CD comes with some nice extras, Zombie, namely a Dark Forces demo which would've been great purchase bait by itself.

 

Then there's Lost Eden's showcase of "some of the most stunning graphics ever seen".

 

There are some nice touches on those Smart Collection floppies - golden text imprints and an actual in-game screenshot on it, all guaranteed "virus free!"

 

I sure hope that Russian PSX version of TFTD didn't get diverted somewhere along the line. Without tracking updates it's mostly a waiting game.

[Zombie]

Well, I got the Russian PSX version of TFTD early last week. Finally! Also that PC Guide Interactive disk featuring X-COM: Apocalypse (just the demo) arrived the day after that. Wouldn't you know it, but the hard drive on the rig I use for scanning crapped out. My backup rig has a broken optical drive so I can't install the scanning software. Got a replacement optical drive on the way so I can get some scans of this stuff up on the site. Fingers crossed.

 

The MicroProse button set is still on it's way apparently. Supposedly the eta was Nov 24 via DHL from Germany but eBay is warning things are really delayed due to the Coronavirus emergency. Not sure when that'll arrive. Hopefully this year yet. I'm patient though.

 

So that's the update in case anyone is interested.

 

- Zombie

[Thorondor]

Well, I got the Russian PSX version of TFTD early last week. Finally! Also that PC Guide Interactive disk featuring X-COM: Apocalypse (just the demo) arrived the day after that. Wouldn't you know it, but the hard drive on the rig I use for scanning crapped out. My backup rig has a broken optical drive so I can't install the scanning software. Got a replacement optical drive on the way so I can get some scans of this stuff up on the site. Fingers crossed.

 

The MicroProse button set is still on it's way apparently. Supposedly the eta was Nov 24 via DHL from Germany but eBay is warning things are really delayed due to the Coronavirus emergency. Not sure when that'll arrive. Hopefully this year yet. I'm patient though.

 

So that's the update in case anyone is interested.

 

- Zombie

 

Left us scanning the horizon, Zombie?

 

The "heavy hitter" of the bunch you mentioned, in my view, was the Russian PSX version of TFTD and you've finally got that delivered to your doorstep. Great!

 

I guess we'll join you in the waiting for the MicroProse button set for now. Maybe they'll send that over sooner than currently expected and then you can upload the pics of the whole lot in one go.

[Zombie]

Ok. so I finally got some time today to install my "new" DVD drive to my "retro" XP rig, plus found and installed the scanning software to it. So at least I'm back up and running in terms of scanning things. Might as well catch up on adding images of my "recent" purchase of the PG Guide Interactive (October 1997) which you can find on the Magazine Compilations page. I also saved and uploaded some auction images of the CD-ROM Games Demo Disc (April 1996) which I lost out to in October. The one that got away, hopefully I can find another copy of that!

 

Didn't get around to the Russian TFTD version, I'll try to get that up this year yet.

 

And still no update on that MicroProse button set. I know shipping has been horrible the last month due to the pandemic, let's hope it shows up soon.

 

- Zombie

[Thorondor]

Good to see you're back in business hardware-wise, Zombie.

 

On the software front, looking at that PC Guide Interactive stuff, I'm kind of surprised I've never come across BlueByte's Extreme Assault. In fact, I just found out from Wikipedia that Incubation even shared that game's "3D" engine.

 

Always refreshing too is to see splash guarantees that your CD is "Virus Free".

 

Given the rather trustworthy source I'd frankly likely be more wary of bloatware with all that they crammed in there, should it not run on the disc itself and require an install on the PC's HDD.

 

Fingers crossed for the postal services to get their act together while still in 2020 because inebriation from New Year celebrations surely isn't going to help them finally get things sorted in a hurry.

[Zombie]

Given the rather trustworthy source I'd frankly likely be more wary of bloatware with all that they crammed in there, should it not run on the disc itself and require an install on the PC's HDD.

 

I got the cover program for the disc to run on my rig no problem, and didn't need to install anything (though I didn't try everything on it).

 

So I took some scans of the Russian TFTD PSX and put that on the Game Versions page today. Also did a little formatting on the page so I could fit 5 pics wide instead of 3. I noticed I'm missing scans of almost all the discs/floppies and "innards" so I guess that'll eventually be next on my list.

 

I managed to get some scans of that X-COM EU PSX promotional flier too. The size of the flier (1 page though) is just barely small enough to fit in the bed of my scanner (the dimensions were 8.22x11.66 inches). Even at 300dpi the file size is a mind-numbing 24.71MB.

 

- Zombie

[Thorondor]

Looking over your pristine Russian TFTD PSX scans Zombie, I find it only too fitting that the soldier on the back is still aptly named Tough Guy.

 

Other than that, your New Year resolutions for further content upload are also duly noted.

[Zombie]

Looking over your pristine Russian TFTD PSX scans Zombie, I find it only too fitting that the soldier on the back is still aptly named Tough Guy.

 

Yeah, I noticed that too. Not sure how deep this version "dives" into Russian (bah-dum-dum, gotta love puns) as the top screenshot of the Leviathan UFOPaedia entry is still in English and so are the other screenshots under it. I recall other people saying (sometime, long ago) that it's just a normal English version underneath all the pomp and circumstance.

 

Other than that, your New Year resolutions for further content upload are also duly noted.

 

Got those PSX promotional flyer scans up on the UFO: Enemy Unknown Promotional Items page today. At least I did something constructive today. Gotta work tomorrow, but maybe this weekend I'll continue on with other items.

 

- Zombie

[Thorondor]

That promo flyer is pure marketing gold, Zombie.

 

"It's Going To Sell Like Hot Venusian P00tang"

 

 

Oh, man, can't make this stuff up.

[Zombie]

I also purchased a set of buttons from MicroProse (supposedly original and not aftermarket) which should be arriving before the end of the month.

 

Finally got this in the mail yesterday evening! If you are counting with me, that's a 2-month delivery frame. So I don't think it was 100% the seller's fault or due to Covid-19. The package was sent in a oversized bubble envelope (paper outside), folded over and taped shut. Apparently in transit the tape let loose somewhere. It was sorta retaped, and the contents were not damaged.

 

Zombie rant: seller was probably 50-75% at fault for the long delay due to shoddy packaging techniques. Don't be this person! It's dirt easy to get decent packaging materials - almost everyone carries them, and if they don't, you could always ask around at local businesses to see if they have cardboard boxes, styrofoam packing peanuts and/or bubble wrap which they are going to throw out or recycle. We occasionally get questions like that around the shop (mostly for cardboard boxes) and I'm happy to comply if we have something suitable. There's nothing wrong with a bubble envelope for protection, but for overseas shipping I recommend a TYVEK untearable outer mailing envelope as the adhesive flap will never let loose.

 

Anyhow, turns out the MicroProse button was not actually a button, it was a yo-yo of all things. It's literally brand new and unused. I was worried about this being an aftermarket produced item, but now not so much as the cost for even a limited production run would cost too much. (Suppose you could 3D print it and then silk screen on the logo but why)? Plus it comes with two old Maxell buttons which leads me to believe this was an actual MicroProse promo item. As for why it was produced in the first place, I have no idea. Big companies with money to burn sometimes do strange things.

 

That's the news. I'll be putting up pictures of the yo-yo and buttons soon. I'm also in the process of scanning the contents of the German Best of MicroProse Strategy 3-game compilation. Lots of stuff in that box so it is going to take a while.

 

- Zombie

[Thorondor]

That's why they call a long haul delivery, Zombie.

 

That must have been one of the longest waits for something to land on your doorstep, but it was worth it for the novelty item you ended up getting. A yo-yo of all things!

 

I'm thinking they figured - how about seeding brand placement among kids? The sooner you get them into the fold the better.

[Zombie]

That must have been one of the longest waits for something to land on your doorstep, but it was worth it for the novelty item you ended up getting. A yo-yo of all things!

 

Yup, by far the longest I've ever had to wait for delivery. Though there were a few items that took over a month to reach me, the Russian TFTD PSX version was the latest but the Japanese EU PSX took a long time and so did some of the Italian Apocalypse, TFTD and Interceptor versions. Nature of the beast I guess. Fast shipping (especially from overseas) comes at a significant cost so I'm fine with waiting. But in this case I was actually losing hope it was even going to arrive.

 

I'm thinking they figured - how about seeding brand placement among kids? The sooner you get them into the fold the better.

 

I thought about that too, but were yo-yo's even popular in the 90's? I guess some kids still played with them but they were never a super popular pasttime in the recent decades. If you have the marketing money to spend to expand product placement or brand recognition I guess it all helps.

 

Finally got pics of the yo-yo up on the MPS Promo items page today. Carefully took the thing apart to show how long the string was too.

 

- Zombie

[Thorondor]

To take a little stroll back:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH40bhqgt_o

 

So yeah, Zombie, the yo-yo was at some point in the 90's sort of cool I suppose but probably not the plainer variety MicroProse went for.

 

It would be leaps and bounds more fashionable and with-the-times to be carrying, say, a Game Boy then. Though that spoke to status as well of course.

 

In any case, you can always just put on one of those Maxell buttons to become instantly Super!