Dracula X Copy Problem

[Tempest]

Yeah yeah I know what you're thinking, but I'm not asking for the Dracula X files or how to burn it so I don't think I'm violating forum rules. Although I'm sure I'm skirting a gray area...

Anyway, after much debate I've decided that paying Ebay scalpers $120 for Dracula X is nuts since it's simply not worth it (I still feel that way after playing it). So I burned myself a copy (don't ask me for the files, I don't have them anymore). It worked great at first, I was having fun (although not $120 fun), when it started to wig out on me. When I got to the stage with the lesibian vampiress (gotta love those Japanese bosses), I noticed that some of the graphics were corrupted. I played through it anyway, got a few stages further and noticed the corruption returned but it was still very playable (the graphics corruption was mostly in the cut scenes). I took a break from the game, started it up again and noticed the title screen was corrupted (it wasn't before), and then the Clocktower stage was corrupted (also not corrupted before). Now I'm noticing that even the first stage (on the wagon) is corrupted. Worse yet the CD doesn't always work the first time (it just never loads).

My question is: Is it possible for a CDR to degrade? It seems like the graphics corruption is getting worse and worse (after only a few hours) and I can't figure out why. My TurboDuo isn't messed up, other games work normally, but Dracula X appears to be slowly dying. Is this because it wasn't burned correctly in the first place? If so why did it work for awhile before corrupting? I guess you can say I got what I paid for (i.e. free), but I'm really curious as to what's happing.

Tempest

[kyosuke75]

Tempest,

I have a turbo with cdrom attatchment with arcade pro card and converter and I put in Forgotten Worlds (original not copy) and even that went all funky on me. Even some other originals I have don't work properly.

I was wondering if its due to the converter or even the arcade pro working on a turbographix instead of a pc engine?

I'll try some other games... but if anyone knows anything about turbo16 and the arcade pro card game incompatibilities let me know.

Kyosuke75

[lionforce]

I bought a copy of Dracula X for the SNES a few years ago and still haven't gotten around to playing it yet. What is the difference between that version and the PC Engine version?

[maxlords]

@ Tempest: All CDs biodegrade as a side effect of the chemical process that makes them. However this takes a rather long time, somewhere in the neighborhood of 10+ years for CDRs and over 20 for factory premade discs. Eventually everyone's CD-ROM games (PSX, Saturn, Duo, etc) will ALL biodegrade and they'll all become unplayable. It's hard to say when that will happen though. If stored in the right conditions, they might last 50+ years...no one really knows yet...it's too new of a medium to tell, and the CD making process has gone thru several refinments. Suffice it to say that it's quite probably NOT the CD degrading...it's way too early.

As for burning Drac X, I made a CDR of my original so I didn't have to risk scuffing it (I paid $200 for it a couple years back..OW!). I used Nero version 5.5.2.3 to burn it from my original and it works completely flawlessly and I've never had a glitch with it or any other system. Oh...and I use a Duo that has a built in Super System 3 protocol, not a TG16 w/CD-ROM

@ kyosuke: It definitely has nothing to do with playing import CDs on a US system, as they are playable with no conversion at all. I've NEVER had a glitch with my system on ANY Duo game, and I deal in them as well, so I've tried a LOT of games on it You don't need a convertor unless you're playing import Arcade CDs or import huCards. I've never had an Arcade CD glitch if I got the arcade card into the convertor properly (but sometimes that takes a couple tries). I have has huCards glitch due to the convertor, as it's not a first party NEC item...none of the convertors are. if you want to avoid problems, the best convertor to get is a Kisado..but I couldn't afford one, so I have the fat white one and I use it in my Duo. Works like a charm, but sometimes it takes a couple tries to get the contacts lined up right withthe huCards. That's the only time I've ever had ANY glitches, from CDR backups or from original games, and I've never had them on original Japanese CDs. Maybe it's something to do with using the CD-ROM attachment? I've never used one of those myself...always had the Duo.

@ lionforce: Drac X for the SNES is based on the level designs of Drac X for the Duo. The Duo versionhas an extra playable character (Maria, cinema sequences with spoken dialogue (Japanese and German), MUCH better graphics and music, larger and more complex levels with branching pathways, more levels, MUCH better control, and a save function so you can actually go back and play again later from where you left off, or switch characters when you want to. There's really no comparison between the two. While SNES Drac X is rare, IMO it's a horrid game and one of the worst Castlevanias, while Duo Drac X is my favorite Castlevania of all time, and even tho I overpaid for it, I don't regret it or feel it was a waste of money. I HIGHLY recommend the Duo version to any Castlevania fans, as I liked it much more than ANY other Castlevania title, including Shadows of the Night, as Drac X is is far more traditional of a Castlevania game....all action. It's well worth the price tag attached to it, which is considerably lower than it used to be....the game used to sell for $300 a copy. It now runs about $60 if you get it in Japan or around $100-150 if you get it off eBay.

[Tempest]

Hmm... It could be the ISO file I'm using. I read somewhere that there's a corrupt one floating around the net. But then that still wouldn't explain why it worked before...

Incidentally I used Nero and I'm running it on a TurboDuo with the System 3 rom built in.

Tempest

[WiseSalesman]

@Maxlords: Re: the cds biodegrading. I believe you, but find it very odd that this was never really publicized. I'm curious about the science behind it. You wouldn't happen to have an article or something you could link me to, would you?

[Raedon]

If you don't make a cd image in the correct way you will not have an exact copy of the game.. The most common problem - reading and writing a Console game CD at over 8x.. You cause all sorts of errors you don't notice with an ISO or audio CD when burning over 8x that can be corrected by a computer, but not a console.. this is most evedent with Sega CD games and Dreamcast rips..

Use Clone CD - can't stress this enough.. Clone CD is the best program for making clean copies. all console games are Multimedia Audio CD's not Game CD's.

If you need a copy of Dracula X I have it for the Saturn only.. and Snes, but that i can't trade I could suure use a copy of Zork I for Saturn 8)

[Tempest]

Well I tried it again last night and it did the same thing. At first it worked flawlessly, then around the fourth stage I noticed a graphics glitch in a cut scene. The next thing I know the level won't load and now the CD won't work at all. I just can't understand how it could work for a little while and then die after an hour or so.

Tempest

[Raedon]

If the game was ripped from a scratched disc that had problems then your copy won't do any better. If you were traded a game in the old .ISO format I would ask the person who traded it with you to give you a copy in .bin .cue or Clone CD image format.. The ISO format is really horrible, and no one uses it to trade console CD games. If someone actually traded an ISO chances are they don't have a clue how to rip and probably ripped the game to .iso at 52x read speed killing any chances that it would ever work right.



All CD's have a life of 100 years or more. Most CD-R media is expected to last close to 200. Now if you leave your discs outside in your car where the humity is 80% and the temp is 115F then I guess your lucky they work at all :lol:
If you stuck a CD in a jewel case and stuck it in a temp/humidity/dust controlled room it would last longer then your childrens childrens childrens children...

[digitalpress]

I think what Raedon is trying to say here is "use Clone CD" :P

I own the game but burned a copy for myself to prevent wear and tear. I haven't had any problems with the copy either, though I used the far inferior product Nero to burn my image.

[Raedon]

Nero is a great program, much better then *ahm* EZ CD

Nero is great for DC rips and making copies of games you own (safe copies in case of kid) The problem with nero and it's .nrg format is only a problem when considering all the different versions of Nero out there. Even though Nero offers free upgrades (omg, their the greatest!) many don't go to the site for the upgrades and the .nrg format has had a few changes that has caused skipping in FMV and audio problems.

Nero is the best all around CD burning program ever made.. The newest versions even do SVCD really well.

[kobunheatforum]

I don't know what all this stuff is about this game going cheap in Japan; my copy cost about $100 in Tokyo and the ones I see in Kyoto are even more than that.

[rbudrick]

I think the most likely reason is a faulty lens or drive assembly. Sure, originals may work well, bu the laser may not have the gusto (anymore?) to read cdrs (or at least, only sporadically). Try it in an emulator or another duo/turboCD.

-Rob[/img]

[Tempest]

Nah I doubt that's the problem. It's never given me trouble before and it was NIB when I got it (only a year ago). I think the problem is a bad ISO file.

Tempest

[snorter]

Re: CDs going "bad"

The major way that CDs go bad is if the bonding at the outer edge is poor - if air diffuses in, it will oxidize the metal substrate. You sometime see this too if the top of the CD gets a deep scratch - a discoloration starts to appear on the CD when viewed from below.

I have seen a cheap gold CDR that was in my car get this problem - the CD slowly turned black. At first, the CD could still be read, but now there isn't enough reflectivity in the metal layer to be able to read the CDR.

Any CDs I plan on keeping in my car, I copy to "sacrificial" CDRs. The combination of high temperatures and humidity will greatly accelerate the decay process.

Dr. Hinklesnort
Ph.D. Chemist