Paprium: The Official Thread Mk 2

[Phantar]

The altera brand was still used after the acquisition. This component is active, maybe is still manufactured with the old label.

Intel was pretty rigorous in rebranding the chips from 2017 onwards to Intel PSG though. I would maybe buy into the "there was still new old stock available when he got the chips" argument, but that wouldn't explain the yet even older spansion flash memory. Also, both chips were (even are) still available under the Intel PSG/Cypress branding. (also I know from an industry perspective that many users were very wary when Intel announced to discontinue the Altera name, and they went very quickly about that). So availability wasn't an issue, the chips could still be gotten brand new under the new names. There are many rather sketchy 'distributors' listing them under the old names though, virtually all of them located in Asia or South America...

And the reason I am harping on this is probably the very same reason why some people (yourself included) have issues with their games even on supposedly supported hardware. It's simply because used chips (the industry even tends to call such chips 'plagiarized' since they aren't sold with consent of the IP holder) have a higher failure rate than new stock! Yes, the chances of corruption or other failure may lie in single digits of percentage, or even as low as, let's say, 0.5% (going by some sources). But that would still mean that one in every 200 Paprium carts might have at least one faulty memory or Fpga chip. And that would definitely explain issues like freezing, especially since I don't believe WM checked whether every single cart can be completed - they probably only checked whether they booted (which they probably still do if only certain registers or LUTs are corrupted).

[Kamon]

I don't want to give the impression that the game isn't worth more than it was being originally sold at, the r&d alone probably ate up most of the budget (although one has to wonder if anyone other than fonzie wanted all those extra features). It's the sparodic increasing of price and lack of a ceiling that's the issue. It's immoral, plain and simple. Price gouging isn't illegal on its own but it gets interesting when you mix refunds, exchanges and faulty goods into the mix. Given that customers that wanted a refund originally were told they'd have to pay the new price despite the wanting of a refund being that they weren't getting their game. They weren't even offered a choice, he knew he'd make more money by taking them back. Some of those cutsomer haven't even received their refunds yet but again are given no choice. A lot of people are also pointing out that the European editions are being priced higher than other editions, other are speculating that it is because its selling out faster. What hasn't been pointed out is that his next project also had the pricing of the european version doubled even when it doesn't exist yet! It's been updated so all of the prices match now, although who knows how long that will last.

[loempiavreter]

Intel was pretty rigorous in rebranding the chips from 2017 onwards to Intel PSG though. I would maybe buy into the "there was still new old stock available when he got the chips" argument, but that wouldn't explain the yet even older spansion flash memory. Also, both chips were (even are) still available under the Intel PSG/Cypress branding. (also I know from an industry perspective that many users were very wary when Intel announced to discontinue the Altera name, and they went very quickly about that). So availability wasn't an issue, the chips could still be gotten brand new under the new names. There are many rather sketchy 'distributors' listing them under the old names though, virtually all of them located in Asia or South America...

And the reason I am harping on this is probably the very same reason why some people (yourself included) have issues with their games even on supposedly supported hardware. It's simply because used chips (the industry even tends to call such chips 'plagiarized' since they aren't sold with consent of the IP holder) have a higher failure rate than new stock! Yes, the chances of corruption or other failure may lie in single digits of percentage, or even as low as, let's say, 0.5% (going by some sources). But that would still mean that one in every 200 Paprium carts might have at least one faulty memory or Fpga chip. And that would definitely explain issues like freezing, especially since I don't believe WM checked whether every single cart can be completed - they probably only checked whether they booted (which they probably still do if only certain registers or LUTs are corrupted).

Fkkkk, fonzie still needs to respond to my enquiry about the game and given his response time track record i domt think i will be playing papriun properly anytime soon...

[Stifu]

Given that customers that wanted a refund originally were told they'd have to pay the new price despite the wanting of a refund being that they weren't getting their game. They weren't even offered a choice, he knew he'd make more money by taking them back.

I agree with everything you said. I do remember reading about the refund requested = pre-order cancelled thing, but I also remember that mail that said "PS: For the (very few) of you who did rage-quit, you're still in the game and thanks anyway.". Which information is more recent?

And it really looks like that "Saga" guy is Fonzie.

[Phantar]

Quick question, is the rattling in my cart normal? it's been like this since I first got the game and the game works fine but I thought it was weird.

Others have already mentioned this, but the rattling probably means that the metal shielding over the 'Datenmeister' chipset has come loose. Since it apparently doesn't do anything but cover up the actual chipset running things, you should be fine. But it would probably be advisable to open up the cart and either reattach or entirely remove the loose shielding, if only to prevent it from causing any further damage to the PCB down the line - it IS a rather big chunk of metal bouncing loosely around the inside of the cartridge, after all.

[Devil N]

So is there a specific game genie code or just plug it in through it? Is there a way to clear everything too like your progress? The game booted with the Paprium 2044 when I first got it, what made it do that and then stop?

Just plug it in the Game Genie and the game will start up in the mini-game. You don't need to enter any codes. The game does have a "clear saves" option but it does not trigger the mini-game. The theory here is that the game boots up in the mini-game if the SRAM used for saves is empty, which it is first time you start up the game. Next time you start it up the SRAM will have been formatted and the game boots normally.

[Phantar]

Well, my package has arrived. Others have alredy commented on the lavish packaging, which is indeed nice (though my wife was pretty taken aback by the rather garish pink/purple color scheme! ). And I'm rather bemused by the amount of "mint condition" sealing that went into this... You need to open a sealed package to get to the sealed game box, wherein you find the cart in another blister pack... talk about excessive! It's almost too precious to actually be played.



Too bad the quality of the cart itself seems a bit lackluster. I also hear the telltale rattling that signals that the 'Datenmeister' shielding has come loose, and I don't have the tools to open the special screws holding the cart together... splendid.

Also, there's this:

There's a hole in the bottom, on the right next to the pin connectors... kinda looks like the plastic has melted. Did anyone else notice something like that?

Other than that, I haven't yet played the game proper, but I did a quick test on both my PAL Model 1 Mega Drive and my NTSC Model 2 Genesis (well, PAL modded for NTSC) with a 32x. Seemed to work like a charm, I could start the game, select a character and enter the first stage for a few minutes without a problem (the troll mini game only automatically came up on the very first boot-up on the Model 1 btw, but I guess that much was already well known). Interestingly the game looked much brighter (and, well, better) on the Model2/32X combo, though they're both hooked up via SCART cable to the same CRT TV... I'll need to have a closer look later today. I'll also test it with the Nomad and the V0 Japanese Model1 Mega Drive I got lying around (the latter'S not hooked up yet, will do so later in the day) to see how what it'll look like there.

[peido]

Hey guys,

I can confirm that Paprium exists in Portuguese soil...
Attachment 15748


It took almost one week but it has safely arrived at my hometown on the other side of the Tagus river.
Now its time to destribute these to friends who already forgot that pre-ordered this!

GLS this time even called me before arriving at my door, I guess those complaints that I made back in 2012 made some results!

Now... I'm going to play SOR2.

Mine is still in France, hasn't arrived to Portugal yet
I hate GLS, always had problems with them.

[sjorspion]

So I have played a good amount of the Arcade mode and after that a few hours the Original mode. No crashes or other weird things here...

[Spendle]

Have any of my fellow UK residents had their shipment leave Carvin, France yet?

[wedeservedit]

Have any of my fellow UK residents had their shipment leave Carvin, France yet?

Mine's coming from Brest but has the border situation resolved yet....was hoping to play it for Xmas!

[Spendle]

Mine's coming from Brest but has the border situation resolved yet....was hoping to play it for Xmas!

It's meant to have opened this morning but anyone crossing needs a recent negative Covid test result - there could be a delay in a) finding a driver or two willing to cross the channel so close to Christmas and b) able to get a test at either end of the journey.

My hope was to have it on UK soil before January 1st as, if it doesn't, I think it then becomes open to import/customs tax!

[nihilblack]

EDIT: The Grand Stick III does work with the Mega SG, sorry for the confussion.

[crazyteknohed]

Have any of my fellow UK residents had their shipment leave Carvin, France yet?

Mine has gone from Brest > Paris > Flevy and is now in Neuenstein, Germany (!)

Like the rest of us UKers, I’m bricking it wondering if it’ll ever see these shores.

[matteus]

Have any of my fellow UK residents had their shipment leave Carvin, France yet?

Nope still in CARVIN :/