I know this is kind of a MiSTer meme, that it requires tinkering or endless configuration or whatever, but it is honestly the opposite of that. Otherwise why would we use FPGA? As somebody who honestly just doesn't bother with software emulation for anything pre-1996 because it is so annoying, MiSTer kind of just works. Because it is a hardware clone, like a real console.
It not only just works, but the stuff you do have to setup like controllers is so streamlined it takes seconds. The initial setup is a one-time thing, you really just pick the best resolution for your display and the lowest-latency output type your display can handle, and can kind of ignore the rest.
Honestly, it is as fast and painless as plugging a cartridge into a console, and feels a little like magic, even after owning one for years. MARS will require the same basic video configuration, controller setup, and scanline choices. You will get a prettier software-based front-end, but it won't be as fast as an FPGA-based one. So that is a tradeoff.
TLDR: picture the opposite of Retroarch, and that is what FPGA gaming feels like. All FPGA gaming.
@atrac17 Then why not make and release a finished product instead of hyping it for apparently no reason? Because it does feel like a prelude to fund-raising, and that is the problem people many people actually have with this unveiling. It feels a little sketch.
I don't think MiSTer folks are jealous, or hate change, they are just wary of the PT Barnum-esque way this whole thing is proceeding. It feels almost insulting to people's intelligence. Cool stuff is cool, speaks for itself, and most importantly this isn't a competition. There's room for every open FPGA system.
Comments 2
Re: Could MiSTer Rival MARS FPGA Be The New King Of Retro Gaming?
@ChaseIQ
I know this is kind of a MiSTer meme, that it requires tinkering or endless configuration or whatever, but it is honestly the opposite of that. Otherwise why would we use FPGA? As somebody who honestly just doesn't bother with software emulation for anything pre-1996 because it is so annoying, MiSTer kind of just works. Because it is a hardware clone, like a real console.
It not only just works, but the stuff you do have to setup like controllers is so streamlined it takes seconds. The initial setup is a one-time thing, you really just pick the best resolution for your display and the lowest-latency output type your display can handle, and can kind of ignore the rest.
Honestly, it is as fast and painless as plugging a cartridge into a console, and feels a little like magic, even after owning one for years. MARS will require the same basic video configuration, controller setup, and scanline choices. You will get a prettier software-based front-end, but it won't be as fast as an FPGA-based one. So that is a tradeoff.
TLDR: picture the opposite of Retroarch, and that is what FPGA gaming feels like. All FPGA gaming.
Re: Could MiSTer Rival MARS FPGA Be The New King Of Retro Gaming?
@atrac17 Then why not make and release a finished product instead of hyping it for apparently no reason? Because it does feel like a prelude to fund-raising, and that is the problem people many people actually have with this unveiling. It feels a little sketch.
I don't think MiSTer folks are jealous, or hate change, they are just wary of the PT Barnum-esque way this whole thing is proceeding. It feels almost insulting to people's intelligence. Cool stuff is cool, speaks for itself, and most importantly this isn't a competition. There's room for every open FPGA system.
Anyway, good luck to all the people involved.