Last month, the results of
Saturn 29th Game Competition Contest were published ... I'm a bit late to share the good news here but on the other hand it's the perfect moment to do that

So, after more than a decade without participating into a coding contest, I'm happy to announce that
my entry ranked with
the highest score in the "Original Games" category !!!


It's a double surprise for me : first to get a so high score and second to see that the judges of the contest evaluated my masterpiece to its real value

Also, it's cool to see that my friends vbt and privateye received pretty high scores too ! You both made a brilliant performance and I sincerely hope it will be outperformed on next contest

Folks interested in my entry can find it
on SegaXtreme forums and may also be interested in "
VTT" a.k.a. "
VBT Touring Truck" made by vbt as the name suggest. Before playing, please beware that these games may disturb the ones who forgot the good old times when retro games were made with 5 different colors, mentally designed during three months, coded during two days, tested during one night and finished at 3 A.M. just before the deadline

The game description that I wrote before going to bed.
As indicated in the title, this is a poll to decide which display method should be used when displaying game titles in disc image selection menu.
Why such kind of poll ? Because
privateye (in charge of Pseudo Saturn Kai beta testing) and me (in charge of adding bugs in Pseudo Saturn Kai) have different opinions regarding this default display method.
And as Pseudo Saturn Kai is here to please their users, I thought it would be cool to directly ask about that.
As illustrated below, display method can be either "centered" or "left-justified".
Centered display example
Left-justified display example
Both methods have their own pro and cons : "left-justified" is same as other disc image selection menus (and consequently users are more likely to be familiar with it) and "centered" may be felt as a more natural way to display menu items.
Ideally, it would be better to ask this on patreon because the voice of people who financially contributed to this project takes priority.
However, that's unfair for the supporters who left patreon and the ones who directly sent me a donation.
Also, I don't want to force someone to join my patreon page just to answer this poll.
So, feel free to share your opinion in the comments of this blog article ! It's free and doesn't even require any registration; there's a mail address input field but it's optional and just in case you want me to contact you back.
Rules :
- Poll is open until 2023 August 31st
- Don't hesitate to indicate the reason why you voted (or not) for this or that display method
- Don't flood the comments
- If the result of this poll doesn't pleases me, I will set default display method according to my personal preferences 
Extra bonus, limited to the first 5 person who will request that : if you want to be listed in "Display Method Decision Committee" section of Pseudo Saturn Kai credits page, please inform me about the nickname (no real name please) to display there !
Read more Default display method in disc image selection menu (2023/08/06)
This is an article about Dezaemon 2 user games and Saturn floppy disk drive, hence basically targeted for Japanese users. Please write a comment here if you want this article to be translated in English !
20数年前、デザエモン2で作成されたゲームをFDDへ保存され、そのデータが消える前にファイルへ吸い出し保護してみませんか?
Gamer's Cartridgeを使用すれば簡単に吸い出しできます!吸い出し手順は下記に説明いたします。
1. サターン電源OFF状態でGamer's CartridgeとFDDを接続し、電源を投入します。

2. 起動画面から「Save Data Manager」を選択します。

3. Backup Device Selection画面に「Floppy Disk Drive」を選択します。

4. Save Data Managerメイン画面から「Save Data Export」を選択します。

5. Save Data Exportメニューから「Select Save(s) to Export」を選択します。

6. Select Deviceメニューから「SD card」を選択します。

7. Save Data List画面からRボタンを使って「FDD1」を選択します。

8. 保護したいユーザーゲームを選択します。
※ Xボタンを使って複数ゲーム選択可能です。

9. 吸出し進捗画面が表示されます。
緑色で「Operation Ended」が表示されるまでお待ちください。

10. サターンの電源を切ります。
ユーザーゲームはSDカードのSAVES → <年月日> → FDD1_<ID> フォルダーからPC等へコピーお願いします。

Read more Copy of Dezaemon 2 user game / FDDからデザエモン2ユーザーゲーム吸い出し手順 (2023/06/13)
Before February ends I should hurry to write an article here ... it's not like I'm forced to write things here, but as I'm paying to make my homepage being publicly available, it would be a good idea to put some contents on it from time to time

So, today topic is Gamer's Cartridge : few years ago I announced the end of their production, basically because I was lacking of free time to assemble new ones and also because I was lacking of a good plan to get cartridge shells.
Free time is still a problem, but as Gamer's Cartridge have the advantage to be easy to assemble, it is possible to produce some cartridges ... at a limited speed, but possible anyway.
The problem of cartridge shells is solved thanks to 3D printable case designed by zone66x : for a long time, Gamer's Cartridge was relying on Action Replay shells but now it uses original (and classy !) shells

I plan to open back Gamer's Cartridge sales around March 12th
at the usual place, so please stay tuned until that time

大変遅くなりましたが、3月中旬にGamer's Cartridgeの販売を再開する予定です!
今までどおりのホームページから直販の取り引き方法に加えて、
日本国内で便利なメルカリからも入手可能になります。販売再開までにお楽しみに♪
2023/03/10更新:メルカリに出品しています。よろしくお願いいたします!
(カートリッジについてのご質問等はメルカリのコメントでも当ブログでもどちらでも構いません)
2023 March 10th update : some cartridges are added on Mercari Japan. Please wait for a few days until I make available them from my homepage too.
Don't hesitate to write a comment on this article in the case of any question regarding Gamer's Cartridge or when they will be available back in stock etc.
Read more Gamer's Cartridge back soon ? (2023/02/28)
2022/11/16 update : Orders are closed for this sale. Thank you everyone and happy playing !
In the case you arrived too late, another batch of cartridges will be available at the end of this month

2022/11/16更新 : 完売いたしました。今月末に販売を再開する予定♪
Last time I
mentioned Gamer's Cartridge in this blog, it was the matter of selling last carts I had at that time and to eventually assemble new carts at the conditions of finding appropriate shells for them.
Next batch of Gamer's Cartridge will be available on my homepage at the end of this month. But before that, some carts whose 3D printing didn't went well are for sale here.
As this sale is about cartridges whose shells are in "outlet" condition, the price is lower than usual.
So if you are on a low budget, this is a good occasion to get a Gamer's Cartridge. And if you want a regular cartridge, then please wait for around two or three weeks until next batch is ready.
BTW, 3D print files for Gamer's Cartridge shells are open source. So if you want to try to print a better shell for your cartridge, this flash sale is for you !
Thingiverse page : https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3684074
The page contains several variations of STL files and printing of the following ones is recommended :
- gamers_cart_front.stl
- gamers_cart_back_mascot.stl
As only 4 outlet cartridges are available and that all of them have unique features, it is required to publicly specify which cartridge to purchase by posting a comment on this article.
Also, it is necessary to indicate an email address in the appropriate field when writing the comment so that I can contact you back to continue the ordering of the cartridge.
Rule to be selected for the ordering of a cartridge is "first-come first-served" so if someone wrote a comment with the ID of your favorite cartridge, please select another cartridge or wait for next regular or flash sale.
List of cartridges available : (please click on the pictures to see them in details)
- "Blue" : blue shell, USD 61 + shipping
As shown on the picture, the letters as well as the logo are poorly printed.
-
- "Grey #1" : blue shell, USD 61 + shipping
As shown on the picture, the surface of the case as well as letters are poorly printed.
Also, one side of the shell bent during the printing, which caused the cartridge not fitting into its slot.
This was fixed by manually filing the edges of the shell.
- "Grey #2" : blue shell, USD 61 + shipping
(Same condition as "Grey #1", hence not taken in picture)
As shown on the picture, the surface of the case as well as letters are poorly printed.
Also, one side of the shell bent during the printing, which caused the cartridge not fitting into its slot.
This was fixed by manually filing the edges of the shell.
- "Transparent" : half-transparent shell, USD 53 + shipping
As shown on the picture, the 3D print result is in poor condition and may break easily.
This is a good deal if you are ready to print another shell by yourself, or to take extreme care of this cartridge.

-
Cartridges support in-game backup memory access to SD card, Pseudo Saturn exploit (play games copied onCD-R), cheat codes and smooth support of Rhea/Phoebe and Fenrir ODEs.
On the other hand 1MB/4MB expansion RAM, CD-ROM emulation or any other advanced features are not supported.
Pricing of the cartridge is as indicated above and shipping is described in EMS homepage in "Up to 500g" row.
So for example of blue cartridge ordered from USA, the total is USD 61 + JPY 3900 (around USD 28) = USD 89.
Payment method is Paypal only.
Shipping method is EMS only, so please verify if it can be delivered in your country.
If you live in a country not (yet ?) covered by EMS, the only alternative is surface mail, which takes an eternity to deliver (well, I exaggerate, but three months is quite long for a small package to arrive) and not super well tracked too.
(Lower half of this article in same as above but in Japanese. All your bases are belong to us)
久々のアウトレットカートリッジを販売しています。よろしくお願いいたします!
ケースの3D印刷状態がいまいちということで「アウトレット」になっています。全体的な動作を確認していますが、ケースが壊れた場合は保証をいたしかねますのでご了承ください。
今回販売のカートリッジは以下の4点です:(画像をクリックすると拡大版が表示されます)
- 「Blue」 : 青色ケース、USD 61 (約8,460円)+送料
写真のとおり、文字やロゴの出来が悪い。

-
- 「Grey #1」 : 灰色ケース、USD 61 (約8,460円)+送料
写真のとおり、ケースの表面や文字等の出来が悪い。
また、ケース片面が歪んでいたためサターンのカートリッジスロットへの挿入が難しかったです。
カートリッジを挿入できるように、ヤスリで形を調整しています。
- 「Grey #2」 : 灰色ケース、USD 61+送料 = USD 65 (約9,000円)
(「Grey #1」と同様のため、写真を撮っていません)
写真のとおり、ケースの表面や文字等の出来が悪い。
また、ケース片面が歪んでいたためサターンのカートリッジスロットへの挿入が難しかったです。
カートリッジを挿入できるように、ヤスリで形を調整しています。
- 「Transparent」 : 半透明ケース、USD 53+送料 = USD 57 (約7,900円)
3D印刷は途中で失敗したようでかなり壊れやすいです。
取り扱いの丁寧な方もしくは3Dプリンターをお持ちの方以外、推奨していません。

-
送料は日本全国一律JPY 600 (約USD 4)です。
支払い方法はPayPalです。ご迷惑をおかけして申し訳ありませんが他の方法は取り扱っていません。
※ ケースの3D印刷ファイルは公開されています。そのため、今回のアウトレット販売は3Dプリンターで挑戦してみたい方にお勧めです。
Thingiverseページ : https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3684074
- 表面: gamers_cart_front.stl
- 裏面: gamers_cart_back_mascot.stl
カートリッジは現品限りのため本書き込みのコメントで注文する流れになります。
ページの下にWrite a commentのところで以下の欄を記入:
Name: 適当なハンドル名 (本名は記入しないでください)
E-mail: メールアドレス (ブログに公開されません)
Site: 空欄
Comment: カートリッジIDを記載
例:「Grey #1」カートリッジを購入したいです
スパムチェック: サターンを英字で記入
コメント確認後は折り返しメールで取り引きを行います。そのため、メールアドレス綴り等のダブルチェックお願いします。
注文のルールは「早い者勝ち」ですので最初にコメントを記入された方から取り引きを行います。1~2日でメールの返信がなかった場合はキャンセル扱いになり次の方に取り引きを切り替えます。
Read more Outlet Cartridges Flash Sale ! (2022/11/12)