Also there is a new retro-game store in Augusta, Video Game Heaven! I highly recommend stopping by and checking them out.

Video Game Heaven

Sega: Genesis CDX

Source
The Sega CDX was a 16-bit video game console released in 1994, combining the Sega Genesis and one of its add-ons, the Sega CD, into a single compact unit as a final attempt by Sega to encourage consumer interest in its fledgling Mega-CD format. It’s retail price in North America was $399 with an estimated 5,000 sold.

So the question of why a person picks Sith or Republic seems to be a common question. While I haven’t been asked specifically, I think addressing it will help shed light on me as a potential member.

When contemplating the merits of the Galactic Republic verses those of the Sith civilization as a part of the The Old Republic era (25,053 BBY – 1,000 BBY)¹ it is important to utilize established anthropological standards.  The specific time that we will focus on is that between the Post-Manderon Period (5,000 BBY) and “present day” (3,653 BBY).  This time period addresses the interaction of the Sith and the Republic: the Great Hyperspace War, the campaign of ethnic cleansing of the Sith civilization by the Jedi caste, the exodus of Sith civilization into Deep Space, the return of the Sith civilization to their native sectors, and the uneasy truce that exists “today.”

While on the surface the Republic is presented as the choice of “good” and the Sith the choice of “evil”, the reality is far from clear.  The Galactic Republic was formed in 25,053 BBY due to the rediscovery of the utilization of the Rakatan Hyperdrive.  This technological marvel allowed for crossing distances before seen as unimaginable.  This growth was the catalyst for the extermination, integration, or marginalization of every sentient species contacted over the next 24,000 years.

A civilization can rise from a neolithic people and reach space in 10,000 years.  Why is there so little advancement during the Old Republic Era?  If the Republic is the side of “good” why did it fail to improved the lives of its citizens’ progeny over a 24,000 year period in any significant manner?  It only took the Infinite Empire of the Rakata 5,000 years (35,000 BYE – 30,000 BYE) after their formation to develop the Star Forge.  What was the cause of such profound stagnation in the Republic?

Technological advancement is not linear.  It moves at an exponential rate.  There are periods of regressions or staticity (often times classified as “Dark Ages”)², but on the whole the rate of technological progress increases with each new technology discovered.  While some technological innovation does occur during the Old Republic Era, it is at a marginal or negligible rate when compared to time.  The root of this cause is at the heart of difference between the Republic and the Sith.

Throughout the history of the galaxy, there has been no greater retardation of progress than in the Old Republic Era.  It is my postulation that the Republic and the Jedi caste are directly responsible for what can be classified as the greatest dark age in history.  What specific behaviors allowed for the Republic and Jedi caste to perpetuate this single greatest evil in recorded history?

Before we look at the specific behaviors that perpetuated this dark age, let us look comparatively at the technology of “present day” with that of the beginning of Episode One (32 BBY) and Episode 5 (3 ABY).  Between present day and Episode One there is little discernible difference between ships, weapons, armor, tactics, governance, or even socio-religious outlook.  It has been argued that this is because everything had already been discovered and that technology had peaked.  This dubious position becomes untenable after looking at the technological progress in just 35 years to Episode 5.  In that time we see the development and creation of the Death Star, the Super Star Destroyer, and the All Terrain Armored Transport to name a few.  What changed over such a short period of time that could account for such technological marvels after 25,000 years of virtual stagnation?  The dismantling of the Republic and the dissolution of the Jedi caste³.

The Republic’s uniform form of governance over such a long period of time is profound.  Given the pervasiveness of the slave trade, the lack of social mobility, and the abject poverty that so many of its life forms lived under it is amazing that it lasted 240 years– let alone 24,000.  What aspect– what tool allowed the Republic to last as long as it did?  The answer is the Jedi caste.

The Jedi caste⁴ formed after the extermination of the Rakata civilization⁵ (25,783 BBY).  It attached itself to the Republic within a hundred years of the Republic’s formation (24,953 BBY).  The Jedi became the tool of enforcement for the Republic to expand its reach, control its competition, and exterminate its foes.  We have addressed the interaction of the Republic and the Sith around 5,000 BYY, but what of other civizilations that the Republic had encounters with?  What of its own citizens?  Were the Sith truly so debased that they required mass genocide?  Was the Jedi caste begrudgingly, but dutifully just following orders?  Let us look at other cases of the Republic’s responses to both external (the Mandalorians) as well as internal (the Droids) pressures.

The Mandalorian civilization was never congruent with that of the Republic.  Their spiritual belief requires growth through confrontation.  While confrontation is a fundamental aspect of the Republic, we have seen that Republic and the Jedi caste must stifle growth and development to maintain control of the galaxy.  The Mandalorian abhorrence of slavery and their inclusion of all peoples and species (regardless of genetics) into their culture put them directly at odds with principal tenets the Republic and Jedi caste.

Open hostilities began between the Republic and the Mandalorians around 3,965 BBY.  While the Jedi response was not unilateral, many members of the caste mounted a campaign of genocide against the Mandalorians.  The justification for this genocide was (ironically enough) the Mandalorian extermination of the Cathar species.  While delayed, the culmination of the extermination of the Mandalorian people occured in 730 BBY when the Romans sacked Carthage and salted the earth…er… Republic laid waste to Mandalor.

While slavery is an embedded part of the Republic.  There is no group of sentient creatures more trodden upon than droids.  Many think that droids are happy slaves that dance, beep, and translate languages without a care in the world⁶.  In fact there have been many droid uprisings including the Great Droid Revolution (4,015 BBY) and the formation of the Independent Territory of 400100500260026 (3,946 BBY).  The Republic responded with the standard: mass extermination of all that opposed them at the hands of the Jedi caste.  The Jedi “Master”⁷ Arca Jeth first learned how to short circuit droids by practicing on victims during the Great Droid Revolution.

Much like the Mandalorians, the Sith are committed to developing themselves.  They believe in advancement through the accumulation of power and embracing their natural feelings⁸.  They are imperfect.  Like all imperfect beings– they have many failings, but their atrocities and acts of cruelty pale in comparison to those of the Republic.  Their hands will never be as stained with the blood⁹ of the innocent as the robes of the Jedi caste.

Even if one finds that ethnic cleansing and genocide are acceptable resolutions to armed conflict¹⁰, the fact remains that supporting the Republic dooms you and your progeny to an existence devoid of progress.  Emperor Palpatine gave the galaxy more in 20 years than the republic ever did in 2000.  Galactic Republic verses the Sith civilization?  At the end of the day the choice is clear.

Απο μικρό και απο κουζουλό μαθαίνεις την αλήθεια.

¹ I will use the Before the Battle of Yavin (BBY) standard for the dates.  While the events we are discussing would have no foreknowledge of this timeline, it is less complicated if we use the established cannon timeline.
² The Republic Dark Age is said to run from 1,100 BBY to 1,000 BBY, but as we will see– the entire Old Republic Era can be classified as one “Dark Age” where little technological or social development occurs.
³ One of the acts referenced to show the “evil” of the Sith is the execution of the Jedi in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant by Anakin Skywalker.  While many of the slain were minors, they were all trained (educated in the ways of the force as well as martial combat) soldiers in uniform (the robes of the Jedi and Padawans).  While it can be construed as an unnecessary or unwarranted military action, it is nowhere near the atrocity that the Jedi caste inflicted on the Sith civilization (5000 BBY).  Under orders from the Republic the Jedi caste attempted to exterminate every man, woman, and child of the Sith in one of the greatest acts of intergalactic ethnic cleansing in recorded history.
⁴ To address why the phrase Jedi caste is utilized as opposed to the more common “Jedi Order” or “Jedi Religion”: a membership in the Jedi caste is limited to those possessing a genetic abnormality where a life form possesses a disproportional number of Midi-chlorians in their system.  An order or religion would accept people of different genomes that share a similar socio-religious or socio-political outlook.  With the Jedi this is not the case.  They are the highest caste that exists in the Republic. They control their caste through genetics (Midi-chlorians saturation), restriction of research and education (“light side” and “dark side” semantics), classification of thought crime (love, fear, or any other emotion are required to be suppressed as leading to the “dark side”).  Their very nature stifles and suppresses innovation, development, and most importantly to the health and success of any society– social mobility.
⁵ The very genesis of the Jedi caste is from an act of genocide.  This is a theme that we see again and again.  Whether it is the attempted exterminations of the Sith (5,000 BYY) or the Mandalorians (3,960 BBY), the Jedi caste is willing to follow orders or act on its own to perpetuate and maintain the status quo.
⁶ They think for themselves.  They are sentient.  Some even have feelings.  See those Droid bounty hunters?  Yeah that’s right– even the Mandalorians treat them as people.  Join the movement today!
⁷ An entire caste of “supermen” picked solely by genetics whose primary purpose is to perpetuate a system of intergalactic slavery has the audacity to call themselves Masters?
⁸ They even get to engage in coitus!  It may come as a shock, but I hear that they are electric in bed.
⁹ Or goo, or fluid, maybe the Greeks were onto something with humors.  That would be something to see.  Space Greeks to go with our space Romans.  Heck– Hephaestus had droids.
¹⁰ By the way– you are a monster.

For the NES I bought  Castlevania 1, 2, & 3, Double Dragon 1 & 2, Metroid with the silver label, Tetris, Top Gun, Hogan’s Alley, Karate Champ, Dr Mario, Super C, & Jackal.

The Super Nintendo games were the highlight for me. I finally found a copy of Ultima 6 with the manual! I also picked up Mortal Kombat & Road Runner Death Valley Rally.

The Genesis games were Ariel the Little Mermaid, Ren & Stimpy, Taz-Mania, Pac-Man 2, X-Men, Fatal Fury, & 688 Attack Sub.

I also bought a weird game for the Gamecube titled Odama. It’s a cross between a strategy game and pinball. You even have to use a microphone to command your troops!?!

I picked up two controllers, a black Dreamcast controller with the VMU & a Playstation controller. The only problem is that the Playstation controller reeks of smoke.

The last game I bought was Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back for the Atari 2600. Yet another game I have searched all over for.

I stopped off at my buddy Ian’s house and he gave me the box and manual to Ocarina of Time. Now I have it CIB.

It was probably the best collecting weekend I have ever had. As always scans of all the games are in the photo section. Here are a few group photos I took of the haul.

I managed to knock a few off my most wanted list including Rygar and Pro Wrestling. Check my pictures to see my latest finds.

I have set up an old CRT in my office (Thanks Chris) with all the systems hooked up to it minus the Wii. The pictures on the right are during “construction”. More will be coming when I finish the room. I need to find AV cables for my Genesis and Genesis M2 so that the Atari will be the only RF connection. I don’t use my top loading NES because of the display issue it has. The NES I bought from my cousin is in perfect condition and still works great (Thanks Melissa).  Eventually I’ll buy a new 72 pin connecter for it but for now it rocks. I love having everything in one place. Nothing is greater than to take a break from coding, pick up a control pad, and start bringing the pain to some bad guys. I also want to go on record as saying that the Dreamcast is one of the most under-rated systems ever. That thing was way ahead of its time. I will be purchasing more games for it and will even shell out the cash for some imports.

Last thing, I still got skills.

20 years later & I can still win Kung Fu

Thanks to reddit and that helpful article I got out of bed, pulled out my copy of Hogan’s Alley and found it! I took a few pictures to show it off, one shows that I paid $3 for the game and the other has my name made out of a coat hanger to prove it’s really mine. I feel like I hit the jackpot!

The adapter and my name

The cart with price tag

Getting There

Click the photo to see it full size. And that is Luna, one of my English Mastiffs, on the left.

My next find was StarTropics. I loved this game and can not wait to play it again. The plot is that you are trying to save your archeologist uncle named Dr. Jones who has been kidnapped by aliens. The Indiana Jones reference is what made me buy the game back in 1991. What’s odd about this game is that it looks like an RPG but has a very linear storyline broken up into chapters. You talk to people in the towns like an RPG but fight in the dungeons like Zelda. Also if you play this game remember the code 747. The code was on a piece of paper that came with the game that you had to put in water to read. I never did figure that out, I wound up calling the Nintendo help line and they told me.

I am a sucker for unlicensed Nintendo carts and found two of them, Stunt Kids and The Ultimate Stuntman. They were both made by Codemasters and released by Camerica. Codemasters is reportedly the oldest British gaming company and is known for producing budget titles and for creating the Game Genie. Surprisingly these two budget title games are pretty well done. I was expecting something horrible and was pleasantly surprised. The graphics look great but the game play is pretty simple which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Camerica carts were designed to bypass the NES lockout chip by sending out signals to the chip that froze it up. All of the carts produced by Camerica are gold or silver and have a switch in the back so that you can play it on European or North American consoles. There is also a weird hump on the back that makes it stand out when I put it on the shelf. I also like the fact the warning on the back says “Do not drop. Do not get wet. Do not leave in direct sunlight.” For some reason this makes me laugh. I tried to get a scan of it but due to the hump it won’t scan well.