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FAQ
| Forum Index |
| Good manners |
| Can I discuss off-topic subjects? Generally avoid it. We will tolerate a little, but don't abuse that. Back to top |
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| Can I post to say nothing interesting? Generally avoid it. We will tolerate a little, but don't abuse that. Or at least, make it fun to read. Back to top |
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| Can I beg for something? Generally avoid it. We will tolerate a little, but don't abuse that. Or you'll lose all your new friends. Back to top |
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| Can I edit my message? The board allows editing your own messages for correcting errors you may have made in your posts. Please avoid using this feature to remove content from your post (unless it is offending someone or it is implicitly asked for). Using this feature makes topics difficult to follow for readers. Back to top |
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| Games |
| I want to trade games... Post a list of games you have or want. If anyone's interested they'll either contact you or reply to your post (so don't just tell people to email you and never check the forum); if not, you're probably get no reply, but that doesn't mean nobody read your post. Back to top |
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| Is game XXX rare? ER? UR? Where are the rarity lists? Rarity lists are a fallacy. They are dangerous as they drive prices up for certain games. Price is only determined by what people are willing to pay on a particular day; a game might sell on eBay for $30 one week and $1 the next. Price and rarity also vary a lot depending on geographical location. Just pay what a game is worth to you and don't expect too much if you're selling. Watch what's going on, and learn to wait for good occasions. Back to top |
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| I'm stuck in game XXX! Can you help? For tips or a walkthrough, check out Raccoon Lad's Cheat Code Database or The Sega Notebook. Else, maybe you could search in Google. Or you could keep playing - that's what people did back in the Old Days. If all else fails, you can post on the forums asking for help. You'll be more likely to get help if you give us a screenshot of the place you're stuck. If you can, upload a savestate of the bit you're having trouble with to your webspace and give us a link. Back to top |
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| Is game XXX dumped? Probably. Open MEKA's "compat.txt" and see if it's in the list; if it is, it is dumped. However, note that games exist in different versions across the world, and not all versions may have been dumped. Back to top |
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| Is game XXX dump released? If a game is listed in MEKA's "compat.txt" with an asterisk (*) next to it, it is dumped but not released. Back to top |
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| Why are games dumped but not released? SMS Power has a policy of slowly releasing roms. It saves us bandwidth costs and it helps sustain interest. We don't stop anyone else dumping and releasing roms, though. Another reason certain dumps are not released is that they are waiting to be properly sorted/labelled. Trying to relate different dumps of the same game is tedious work and often takes time. You may be able to help us. Back to top |
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| Can I request a dump to be released? Yes. If no issues (technical, ethical) prevent a dump from being released, I won't mind prioritizing its release. Requests are welcome if not abused. We are amenable to people actually playing games, rather than ROM collectors. Back to top |
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| Hardware |
| Can I fix my Game Gear's quiet sound? Yes, but you'll need electronics skills. See the guide here (zipped Word document) or here (HTML conversion). Back to top |
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| How can I open a cartridge? Early SMS cartridges come with ordinary Phillips head screws which are easy to open. Later ones come with security screws to discourage you from doing that. These are known as "External Line Head" or "Game Bit" screws and if you search for those terms in Google or eBay you can find places where you can buy screwdrivers for them; but they are often quite expensive. However, there are some cheaper alternatives:
If you have any tips on opening GG cartridges then they can be added here. Back to top |
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| How can I replace a savegame battery? Most SMS games with savegame facilities (notably Phantasy Star) will be starting to fail as the battery wears out; but it can be replaced. After opening the cartridge you'll see something like this - a 3V CR2032 battery connected to the board. You need to desolder the old battery, so if you're not handy with that kind of thing then try to get a capable friend to do it. You then need to replace it with another 3V battery. You can buy replacements with "solder tabs" for connecting them to the board (like the original), you can buy holders for regular tab-less replacements, you can solder directly to the new battery if you like living dangerously, you can even attach a couple of AAs if there's room (the PS board is quite big). Disclaimer: I haven't done this myself. Someone who has might have more to add. If you're not handy with a soldering iron then I suggest you don't attempt it because you could conceivably destroy your beloved Phantasy Star cartridges, and instead find someone more capable who will do it for money/sex/beer (delete as applicable). If you do succeed then let us know how it goes and if you have any tips. Back to top |
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| How can I dump my games? You can build an SMSReader yourself if you have electronics skills. Back to top |
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| Can I play ROMs on my real SMS or GG? If you build a programmable cartridge you can, but it's not easy. See the SMSReader pages for one that works with the SMSReader; if you have an EPROM programmer you can make a simpler version. If you need an EPROM burner, see EPROMr 2 Low-Cost EPROM Reader/Burner. Back to top |
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| Can I reprogram cartridge XXX with another game? No. ROM chips cannot be reprogrammed. See "Can I play ROMs on my real SMS or GG?" for details of how to make a programmable cartridge. Back to top |
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| Registering / Donating to SMS Power |
| How can I access the protected area? How can I register MEKA? See MEKA's "meka.txt" file. Basically you can support SMS Power by donating anything related to Sega 8-bit systems, or if that is not possible you can give money (including using PayPal). Back to top |
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| I want to register but all I have is some really common games/no games at all, so I can't, can I? It doesn't matter if the thing you donate is common. If you really have nothing then donate some money; it will go towards buying cool Sega stuff, and you can donate as much as you feel it's worth so don't worry if you're from a poor country, or just a kid, or just mean. Back to top |
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| Why do you ask for donation, you greedy bastards? Money goes towards finding and purchasing old Sega hardware/software for preservation purposes. Most of our work currently consists of gathering and dumping Sega 8-bit software. Some items are easy to get, some more difficult and pretty expensive. Any donation is greatly welcome, and generally is used for that. In addition, reliable web hosting (we have several thousand files) free of banners, popups, or any form of brain-annoying advertisement does not come for free. One of our team is kindly paying the monthly cost for web hosting. Donations currently do not even cover that web hosting cost, but hopefully some day they will. If you'd like to donate to specifically support web hosting, please contact us and we'll work it out. Back to top |
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| Login and Registration Issues |
| Why can't I log in? Have you registered? Seriously, you must register in order to log in. Have you been banned from the board? (A message will be displayed if you have.) If so, you should contact the webmaster or board administrator to find out why. If you have registered and are not banned and you still cannot log in then check and double-check your username and password. Usually this is the problem; if not, contact the board administrator -- they may have incorrect configuration settings for the board. Back to top |
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| Why do I need to register at all? You may not have to -- it is up to the administrator of the board as to whether you need to register in order to post messages. However, registration will give you access to additional features not available to guest users such as definable avatar images, private messaging, emailing to fellow users, usergroup subscription, etc. It only takes a few minutes to register so it is recommended you do so. Back to top |
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| Why do I get logged off automatically? If you do not check the Log me in automatically box when you log in, the board will only keep you logged in for a preset time. This prevents misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay logged in, check the box during login. This is not recommended if you access the board from a shared computer, e.g. library, internet cafe, university cluster, etc. Back to top |
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| I've lost my password! Don't panic! While your password cannot be retrieved it can be reset. To do this go to the login page and click I've forgotten my password. Follow the instructions and you should be back online in no time. Back to top |
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| I registered but cannot log in! First check that you are entering the correct username and password. If they are okay then it may be because you clicked the I am under 13 years old link while registering; you will have to follow the instructions you received before you can log in. Back to top |
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| I registered in the past but cannot log in anymore! The most likely reasons for this are: you entered an incorrect username or password (check the email you were sent when you first registered) or the administrator has deleted your account for some reason. If it is the latter case then perhaps you did not post anything? It is usual for boards to periodically remove users who have not posted anything so as to reduce the size of the database. Try registering again and get involved in discussions. Back to top |
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| User Preferences and settings |
| How do I change my settings? All your settings (if you are registered) are stored in the database. To alter them click the Profile link (generally shown at the top of pages but this may not be the case). This will allow you to change all your settings. Back to top |
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| The times are not correct! The times are almost certainly correct; however, what you may be seeing are times displayed in a timezone different from the one you are in. If this is the case, you should change your profile setting for the timezone to match your particular area, e.g. London, Paris, New York, Sydney, etc. Please note that changing the timezone, like most settings, can only be done by registered users. So if you are not registered, this is a good time to do so, if you pardon the pun! Back to top |
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| I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong! If you are sure you have set the timezone correctly and the time is still different, the most likely answer is daylight savings time (or summer time as it is known in the UK and other places). The board is not designed to handle the changeovers between standard and daylight time so during summer months the time may be an hour different from the real local time. Back to top |
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| Posting Issues |
| How do I post a topic in a forum? Easy -- click the relevant button on either the forum or topic screens. The facilities available to you are listed at the bottom of the forum and topic screens (the You can post new topics, You can vote in polls, etc. list) Back to top |
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| How do I edit or delete a post? Unless you are the board admin or forum moderator you can only edit or delete your own posts. You can edit a post by clicking the edit button for the relevant post. If someone has already replied to the post, you will find a small piece of text output below the post when you return to the topic that lists the number of times you edited it. This will not appear if no one has replied; it also will not appear if moderators or administrators edit the post (they should leave a message saying what they altered and why). Please note that normal users cannot delete a post once someone has replied. Back to top |
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| Why can't I vote in polls? Only registered users can vote in polls so as to prevent spoofing of results. If you have registered and still cannot vote then you probably do not have appropriate access rights. Back to top |
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| What is BBCode? BBCode is a special kind of HTML. You can disable it on a per post basis from the posting form, and disable it totally from your profile. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML: tags are enclosed in square braces [ and ] rather than < and > and it offers greater control over what and how something is displayed. For more information on BBCode see this guide. Back to top |
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| Private Messaging |
| I cannot send private messages! There are two reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on, or the board administrator has prevented you individually from sending messages. Back to top |
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| I keep getting unwanted private messages! If you keep receiving unwanted private messages from someone, inform the board administrator -- they have the power to prevent a user from sending private messages at all. Back to top |
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| phpBB 2 Issues |
| Who wrote this bulletin board? This software (in its unmodified form) is produced, released and is copyrighted phpBB Group. It is made available under the GNU General Public License and may be freely distributed; see link for more details Back to top |
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| Why isn't X feature available? This software was written by and licensed through phpBB Group. If you believe a feature needs to be added then please visit the phpbb.com website and see what the phpBB Group has to say. Please do not post feature requests to the board at phpbb.com, as the Group uses sourceforge to handle tasking of new features. Please read through the forums and see what, if any, our position may already be for features and then follow the procedure given there. Back to top |
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| Whom do I contact about abusive and/or legal matters related to this board? This board is managed by Omar Cornut. Please contact him regarding such issues. Please note that phpBB Group has absolutely no control and cannot in any way be held liable over how, where or by whom this board is used. It is absolutely pointless contacting phpBB Group in relation to any legal (cease and desist, liable, defamatory comment, etc.) matter not directly related to the phpbb.com website or the discrete software of phpBB itself. If you do email phpBB Group about any third party use of this software then you should expect a terse response or no response at all. Back to top |
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| Attachments |
| How do I add an attachment? You can add attachments when you post a new post. You should see a Add an Attachment form below the main posting box. When you click the Browse... button the standard Open dialogue window for your computer will open. Browse to the file you want to attach, select it and click OK, Open or doubleclick according to your liking and/or the correct procedure for your computer. If you choose to add a comment in the File Comment field this comment will be used as a link to the attached file. If you haven't added a comment the filename itself will be used to link to the attachment. If the board administrator has allowed it you will be able to upload multiple attachements by following the same procedure as described above until you reach the max allowed number of attachments for each post. The board administrator sets an upper limit for filesize, defined file extensions and other things for attachments on the board. Be aware that it's your responsiblity that your attachments comply with the boards acceptance of use policy, and that they may be deleted without warning. Please note that the boards owner, webmaster, administrator or moderators can not and will not take responsibility for any loss of data. Back to top |
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| How do I add an attachment after the initial posting? To add an attachment after the initial posting you'll need to edit your post and follow the description above. The new attachment will be added when you click Submit to add the edited post. Back to top |
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| How do I delete an attachment? To delete attachments you'll need to edit your post and click on the Delete Attachment next to the attachment you want to delete in the Posted Attachments box. The attachment will be deleted when you click Submit to add the edited post. Back to top |
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| How do I update a file comment? To update a file comment you'll need to edit your post, edit the text in the File Comment field and click on the Update Comment button next to the file comment you want to update in the Posted Attachments box. The file comment will be updated when you click Submit to add the edited post. Back to top |
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| Why isn't my attachment visible in the post? Most probably the file or Extension is no longer allowed on the forum, or a moderator or administrator has deleted it for being in conflict with the boards acceptance of use policy. Back to top |
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| Why can't I add attachments? On some forums adding attachments may be limited to certain users or groups. To add attachments you may need special authorisation, only the forum moderator and board admin can grant this access, you should contact them. Back to top |
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| I've got the necessary permissions, why can't I add attachments? The board administrator sets an upper limit for filesize, file extensions and other things for attachments on the board. A moderator or administrator may have altered your permissions, or discontinued attachments in the specific forum. You should get an explanation in the error message when trying to add an attachment, if not you might consider contacting the moderator or administrator. Back to top |
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| Why can't I delete attachments? On some forums deleting attachments may be limited to certain users or groups. To delete attachments you may need special authorisation, only the forum moderator and board admin can grant this access, you should contact them. Back to top |
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| Why can't I view/download attachments? On some viewing/downloading forums attachments may be limited to certain users or groups. To view/download attachments you may need special authorisation, only the forum moderator and board admin can grant this access, you should contact them. Back to top |
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| Who do I contact about illegal or possibly illegal attachments? You should contact the administrator of this board. If you cannot find who this is you should first contact one of the forum moderators and ask them who you should in turn contact. If you still get no response you should contact the owner of the domain (do a whois lookup) or, if this is running on a free service (e.g. yahoo, free.fr, f2s.com, etc.), the management or abuse department of that service. Please note that phpBB Group has absolutely no control and cannot in any way be held liable over how, where or by whom this board is used. It is absolutely pointless contacting phpBB Group in relation to any legal (cease and desist, liable, defamatory comment, etc.) matter not directly related to the phpbb.com website or the discrete software of phpBB itself. If you do email phpBB Group about any third party use of this software then you should expect a terse response or no response at all. Back to top |
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