Emulators

[Glynopolis]

So what are they, how do you use them and what can you do with them

 

[Napalmbrain]

They're computer programs that allow you to mimic an older system. In the case of video games, they allow you to play old video games from the past (The Virtual Console is actually an emulator). There's a ton of unofficial emulators for pretty much any console you can think of, which can usually be downloaded for free, although publishers sometimes try to get them shut down (to find them, just Google "<console name> emulator" and you're bound to find one).

 

[Glynopolis]

Thanks for the info, but is there a way to download an emulator and play the games on the wii for free without using the VC

 

[Frogger]

Thanks for the info, but is there a way to download an emulator and play the games on the wii for free without using the VC

Who would make any gain from that other than the user?

 

[laderer5]

You would need to hack your wii which bypasses the user agreement and maybe require a modchip but you can download pretty much any game or system off the internet.

 

[ciper]

Thanks for the info, but is there a way to download an emulator and play the games on the wii for free without using the VC

Yes but you would need a gamecube boot loader or a mod chip to run them.

Who would make any gain from that other than the user?

I don't understand your question. Of course the user benefits. Isn't that the point?

 

[Frogger]

I don't understand your question. Of course the user benefits. Isn't that the point?

If that was the case then a lot more people would be giving things out for free. We have to pay for VC games, and Nintendo gets a slice of the profit to use for their joy, but, this guy wants emulators for free, where no one would benefit but themselves. It's like downloading illegal music. No one produced things for free.

 

[ciper]

If that was the case then a lot more people would be giving things out for free. We have to pay for VC games, and Nintendo gets a slice of the profit to use for their joy, but, this guy wants emulators for free, where no one would benefit but themselves. It's like downloading illegal music. No one produced things for free.

You are wrong.

Not everyone is motivated by money. When I was helping to develop the Intel Wireless driver for OSX I never expected anything in return except for a few people to say thanks. Its usually the same for the people who write the emulators. Some times the people writing the code do not even play games so the motivation is only that its a challenge to get it working. I remember one developer who was helping to code an emulator that would run on the Dreamcast and he didn't even own the system! He had to ask one of the forum members to try his latest code and report the results.

There are even emulators written for old calculators. Its not because "OMGZ that calculator game was the roxzorz so lets steal it."

I still have my copy of Sonic CD and every few months Ill pop a copy of it into my computer and play it on an emulator. Is that illegal in your mind?

 

[Frogger]

You are wrong.

Not everyone is motivated by money. When I was helping to develop the Intel Wireless driver for OSX I never expected anything in return except for a few people to say thanks. Its usually the same for the people who write the emulators. Some times the people writing the code do not even play games so the motivation is only that its a challenge to get it working.

There are even emulators written for old calculators. Its not because "OMGZ that calculator game was the roxzorz so lets steal it."

I still have my copy of Sonic CD and every few months Ill pop a copy of it into my computer and play it on an emulator. Is that illegal in your mind?

No, it is not, but I actually love emulators (Flash Flash Revolution being one of them) and with the competition in the videogame industry I don't think Nintendo would want to put their VC up for free though.