Interview with AraCorn (of RomList) (10/11/98)

<EliteGamer> AraCorn... First off let me say thanx for taking the time out of your busy schedule, to do this interview.... Most of my questions are from people in #neogeo on efnet... though I have thrown in some of my own. I am going to open with the question I got the most while collecting questions, and that is "KOF98"... What is your personal stance on this game? Because of it's still new status, should it be dumped or not?
<AraCorn> My opinion on this is split. We have received a lot of e-mails begging us not to release it becuse it is too new and saying that emulation will go into warez. But if it is donated I can't see why not to dump it. I also wonders if SNK can do anything about it? Some people want it dumped and some not. I would have dumped it, if it was donated.
<EliteGamer> Rumor has it there is a new copy protection installed on KOF 98 main board in the form of a special chip. Has Romlist been successful in uncovering anything about the mystery chip, and do you feel it will greatly interfere with the dumping of future titles?
<AraCorn> I have received different thoughts on the pld chip in question. Some tells me that it can be used for heavy protection but I don't think so. The hard thing is that P1 is surface mounted and therefor will need a unsooldering tool to get it off. If it can be read. You can blow fuses in it so it can't be read into an eprom reader/burner. But I don't think this PLD chip is needed to be read, just unsoldering the surface mounted rom P1
<EliteGamer> OK... so you think the "mystery" chip is pretty much NOTHING...
<AraCorn> Probably, it's hard to tell.
[NOTE: KOF98 will still not be released soon, because AraCorn would need the board, and this special toold before he can dump the P1 Chip]
<EliteGamer> Is there any amount of time that a new game should be out, before it is dumped and released?
<AraCorn> I think that 1/2 year is kinda fair
<EliteGamer> What are your feelings about the fact that people are going to download the roms you dump, regaurdless if they own the PCB/Cart?
<AraCorn> It's impossible for us to control which people download and which aren't. We could set a password for DL'ing but then it would be hacked and not to tell you of all mails we should get. Puh. I hope that they have the boards in question (when they Download).
<EliteGamer> As games like KOF98 are finally dumped (and the old games we are finding)... NeoGeo Emulation may become something a little less talked about (thought right now It seems to be one of the largest "scenes"... What do you think will happen when all the NeoGeo games are dumped and released?
<AraCorn> In time it will fade away but never to be forgotten, it's to big for that. New things will be discovered and emulated. Not to mention when CPS-2 roms are decrypted.
<EliteGamer> Once this happens, what will you do? More Arcade Boards, move on to another emulation scene?
<AraCorn> I'm already dumping for Raine and I have a project that I can't revile yet. The author of it has told me not to tell anyone. I also hope that my dumps of the Konami boards Sunset Riders and The Simpsons will be emulated. I don't know if they are 100% dumped yet.
<EliteGamer> What do you think about the NeoGeo scene, and where it is heading?
<AraCorn> In the beginning it was very fun but I think there're to many lamers (I hate that word) around. But I have received many new friends and I hate that I can't spend so much time on IRC as I would like to.
<EliteGamer> If you could emulate any "new" system (n64/psx/etc) perfectly.. which one would you emulate and why?
<AraCorn> Hahaha.. That would be N64 because I think that PSX is to much PC over it. Many games on PC exists on PSX too and vice verse. Therfore I would pick the N64
<EliteGamer> You mentioned not spending much time in IRC... is it just because of the "lamers", or are there other reasons?
<AraCorn> I don't have to time. I'm practising floorball 4 times a week and on weekends there are a games. I also have a girlfriend that needs attention.
<EliteGamer> Floorball? what is that?
<AraCorn> I knew I would get this question and I don't know how to explain it correctly. But I think you can say that it's like street hockey but with a ball and the sticks looks a bit different. But hardly it's the same.
[NOTE: Floorball Link : For those that want to know more : HERE ]
<EliteGamer> About how many games have you dumped?
<AraCorn> I don't really know. Org told we awhile ago that it's over 200. I don't count them, not interested
<EliteGamer> Is there any game you have really wanted to dump for awhile, and haven't been able to yet? (what is it?)
<AraCorn> Yes sort of. I couldn't dump 64Mbit roms but now I have a fully working 64Mbit driver.
<EliteGamer> Do you actually use emulators? If yes, which one is your favorite? and why?
<AraCorn> No I don't use them. I have used neorage a couple of times and tested mame and raine but I'm not a frequent user of any emu.I also have tested Callus of couse.
<EliteGamer> So what is your reasoning behind dumping the roms? Just for other people?
<AraCorn> For other people, for fame, and for fun.
<EliteGamer> How does it feel to be a young 25 years old, and to be so popular?
<AraCorn> It feels great to know that people are enjoying the games that are dumped and emulated. Also to receive letters telling us that they love the work I do.
<EliteGamer> Have you ever considered/attempted writing an emulator (or helping write one)?
<AraCorn> Oh no. I don't know anything about coding. I really admire all the authors that emulate dumped games.
<EliteGamer> Are there any games that you have dumped, that are not emulated yet, but being worked on (that isn't widely known)?
<AraCorn> No
<EliteGamer> Several people have said you are crazy calling "the simpsons" game boring... what don't you like about it?
<AraCorn> I'm the Shoot'em Up fan and RPG fan. So mostly all other games are crap to me. I don't like fighting games either.
<EliteGamer> Are you looking to dump as many games as you can? and are you interested in dumping some of the newer 3d games?
<AraCorn> I just dump a few games of a system to see that it'll be emulated. Then I can "mass" dump that system. I would like to dump newer 3d games, yes
<EliteGamer> Are you looking forward to dumping "System 24" boards?
<AraCorn> Namco boards, yes I'm looking into it. These are very hard because every rom is surface mounted and I will need a special unsoldering tool to get them off. After that I need to either buy an adapter or build one myself. All this is a question of money and I'm not a very rich guy so I guess it has to wait.
<EliteGamer> People have been talking about _Riddler_, I guess he was collecting money, to buy you some equipment, but ended up taking the money, and running, is this correct? and can you tell us a bit about it?
<AraCorn> Yes he was collecting money so I could buy myself an unsoldering tool. (about $60 or $80). I have mailed him a couple of times but he never returns any of my e-mails. For some weeks ago atila and Mario Silva has spoken with him and he told them that he has sent me the money. Like hell he did!!!!!
<EliteGamer> While dumping roms, have you ever accidently "killed" a chip?
<AraCorn> Yes it has happened. You got to have to right temperature of the iron solder because they're heat sensitive. Also the Taito F3 system boards and Konami boards are much more difficult and it takes about 3 hours to unsoder them.
<EliteGamer> How do you find the majority of the boards you dump?
<AraCorn> My source is secret, sorry
<EliteGamer> That's alright.. Can we at least know if you have to pay for the majority of them.. or are they "borrowed and returned"?
<AraCorn> They're borrowed and returned
<EliteGamer> As time goes on, and roms get bigger... do you think that roms will ever get to big to release on the Internet? if yes, how will that affect Emulation of new systems/arcade games?
<AraCorn> In fact there are many arcade games that uses Hard-disc's now. Some also uses cd's. I think that they would be to big to release.
<EliteGamer> So will all games eventually be that big? and pretty much stamp out emulation?
<AraCorn> In time I think all will be on hard-discs, cd's etc. They don't cost much nowadays and big roms are very expensive.
<EliteGamer> Romlist obviously has a "friendship" with the NeoRage team, Have you played with any versions of NeoRage not yet released? Anything you can tell us about it?
<AraCorn> I got betas from them before but now I don't have the time anymore.
<EliteGamer> Posted several days ago (when you dumped Simpsons) it said there were some new NeoGeo games coming out sometime... could you tell us how soon, and what they might be? (or at least hints)
<AraCorn> As soon as Org has time to release them. They're dumped and ready, hehe.
<EliteGamer> Does RomList have anything HUGE planned for New Years... As a present to the Emulation Community? Not that they deserve one :)
<AraCorn> Maybe a Tekken 3 dump? don't know to soon to plan that far away
<EliteGamer> NeoCharity has a NeoGeo list posted on their site, and some games listed say PROTOTYPE. Could you tell us what that means, and the likelyhood of finding and dumping these games?
<AraCorn> I don't know this. But probably, it never has been released  for some reason?
<EliteGamer> Can you tell us a bit about your demoscene history? What groups were you in, and demos you helped code?
<AraCorn> You mean when I was a member of TSL in my amiga years? Well I was a Modem-trader for TSL (sweden(not much of a coder)). And I had a very good time while trading and I miss that period, time to time.
<EliteGamer> Several other people from Sweden say that the Arcade scene sucks there... do you have time to go to Arcades, and if so, do you agree?
<AraCorn> I don't know where they live, but in the larger cities they have the newer games and pinballs. So I don't agree with them.
<EliteGamer> Has SNK or any other developer ever contacted you about a dump (basically looking to see if anyone has come after you for dumping the games)?
<AraCorn> No, never
<EliteGamer> Favorite game of all time, and the system it was/is on?
<AraCorn> Blazing star and Neo Turf Masters NG
<EliteGamer> NeoCharity has denied "competition" (and I agree) with RomList... yet so many people still seem to think there is. (Paraphrase from #neogeo "Well, NC released Panic Bomber. How Soon is RL going to strike back?"). What are your thoughts on this?
<AraCorn> Many of their games released I didn't have, or couldn't dump. So I don't think it's competition. I always have a numbers of games that org can pick to release. But I don't have so many left to release.
<EliteGamer> So the number of games you have (that aren't released) is pretty low compared to what it used to be?
<AraCorn> Yes, Sometimes I have 10-15 but now it's much less.
<EliteGamer> Where did you meet Org?
<AraCorn> In the good old amiga years. A very good friend of mine, and I, went to a party and there he was, crazy and drunk, as usual.
<EliteGamer> Do you have any other hobbies (besides the girlfriend and floorball)? (Dumping roms seems time-consuming)
<AraCorn> Yes I like to mixing music, when I have the time and play a good RPG on my PC from time to time.
<EliteGamer> We know "aracorn" came from your D&D character... but how did you come up with the name?
<AraCorn> I always have difficulties in finding a name for my characters so a friend "gave" it to me
<EliteGamer> Do you like SNK or Capcom games better?
<AraCorn> SNK - just because of neo turf masters and blazing stars
<EliteGamer> If you leave your house, walking twords Org's house, at a speed of 4 miles per hour, and Org drives his car, to your house, at 30 miles per hour. What is the speed a chicken must travel, to walk from Sweden to Finland, in half the time it takes for You and Org to dump my Microwave's Bios?
<AraCorn> WOW. this is silly. I would have to be a genius at math, to have a chance to answer this. Does a microwave have a bios? haha!
<EliteGamer> Well I would like to plug www.romlist.com for you real quick, say thanx for the interview, and hope to see you around. Keep up the good work AraCorn.
[NOTE: Exchanged some kind words, goodbyes and such]

Many ThanX to : stupid^2, fssd, gijoe77, Kaij, Fa][aL, MegaHertz, Jooseppi, Limbs_aF, djchocobo, Ben-209, NeoGouki, EricX, MrDobee, NeoGeoSHK, atila, Spunky123, SBait, TheXar, TerminatR, Default, niceshoe, crashZ^F5, TheSoul, Roddy_, SSJ4, GomaGoma, VirtuaSto, Brian^, Gav, Draft, PtitFous! (Plus everyone else in #neogeo on EFNet) - Who helped with questions :)

EliteGamer © 1998 - 2001 M. Elzer, All Rights Reserved
Visit #ELITEGAMER on EFNet