Interview with Naz... (9/21/98)
This is the most fun I have had to date ;>
Text edited to condense (removed carrige returns - spelling errors/typos remain)

<DragonYen> How is a rom dumped.. People actually seem to be interested in the TECHNICAL side of this question... explain as in much detail as you care to...
<NAZ> well.. to try to explain it is hard.. but here goes. the ROMs must first be extracted from the pc board. Usually there in a socket, but as in Neo geo carts they are soldered in. After unsoldering they are seated into my reader. My reader is hooked to my parallel port and stores the Rom images in binary Format. I have to identify the rom and then read it in. the chip are usually numbered but when there not.. it's sort of a guessing game. Electronic experience is a must. Don't wanna blow the chips. They are static and heat senstive.
<DragonYen> ok, so it's not as easy as buying some piece of equipment, and throwing chips in it...
<NAZ> well it could be for smaller roms..
<DragonYen> Which is better/easier to remove from Cartridge or Arcade?
<NAZ> easiest to remove..? Well both cartridges are the similiar boards.. soldering & desoldering is the same. it opening the carts that is hard.
<DragonYen> Opening the carts is hard? explain...
<NAZ> MVS (arcade carts) are just screwed together. AES (home carts) use snap clips and are also glued together.
<DragonYen> Ok.. once you "copy" the game what do you do with the board/carts
<NAZ> Anything done for neocharity is usually reassebled and returned to owner, though sometimes donations are permanment, which i reassemble sometimes and keep for research
<DragonYen> How long does it take to dump 1 game?
<NAZ> one game including soldering and desolder usually take between 1 to 2 1/2 hours. The Bigger the roms are the longer they take to read in.
<DragonYen> Why do you guys (you, chem, the guys at Romlist) seem to be so secretive about what is coming out, ect...
<NAZ> Email problems. Lamer problems. if we said what was next im sure i would get 80 time more "Lamer mail" a day, Plus we like to keep everyone Guessin :) It's FUN :)
<DragonYen> VNG (from #neogeo) heard that the coin ops are the same as the console with added hardware for currency control, and wondered if it were true...
<NAZ> the Carts themselves, no.. they are different sizes. and will not plug into each other. The MVS carts are about 15 Pins longer.. though im not sure.. Never counted
<DragonYen> There's a lot of talk in #neogeo that you know something about the cps2 project, do you?
<NAZ> well I do know something. Im still in the dark. To be honest, I haven't hears from anyone about the Crack project. No status or anything. I wish i did :)
<DragonYen> Rain_1 (from #neogeo) wondered if you play the games that you dump..
<NAZ> honestly...? Strange question.. yes.. i do. Except for CPS2 stuff.. Obiviously. I really don't play a lot of games though. I work too much.
<DragonYen> A source told me that Chemical tried to Dump Last Blade 4 times, without success... #1 - Does Chemical Dump Roms? and #2 - Is this information true?
<NAZ> Nope I do the Dumping. Chemical runs the neocharity page and does the screening for donations and press releasing for new ROMS. Info is false.
<DragonYen> Have you unsucessfully attempted to dump the rom?
<NAZ> Not yet. There are some roms i can't do because of lack of equiptment,but i have had good luck..
<DragonYen> Do you have any games dumped, but not released? if yes : why aren't they released?
<NAZ> YES of course. Well I haven't released some of them due to bandwidth or lack of there. and some because they are too new.
<DragonYen> So approx how many games would you say, have you dumped and not released...
<NAZ> at least 15 or more.. and for those who are interested almost all of them are not neogeo.
<DragonYen> Most of them arcade games?
<NAZ> ALL of them
<DragonYen> It seems that most people are worried about KOF97/98 and Last Blade... what about Older NeoGeo games... are they hard to find, or are we just not worring about them?
<NAZ> I am hoping to get more games through neocharity. If someone would compile a list of what is out and what is left, that would help. I just don't think people know that they have a cart that we need.
<DragonYen> I have a list of about 50 games not out... be they CD/Arcade/Cart I don't know.. I will email the list to you though :)
<NAZ> great.. i put i on my page and on neocharity page
<DragonYen> What do you think about CD-Support for NeoRage... Are you excited to see they are working on it, or do you care about it?
<NAZ> Neo CD support, Well i doesn't effect me in anyway since i don't have cds. but I would be nice to see, but i think neo cd's althought the look perfect, Aren't as good as the cart support.
<DragonYen> How soon do you think we might see (even priliminary) sound support in NeoRage?
<NAZ> I really don't know. I would love to see it, but it depends about how the rage team feels about it since the whole "HACK" thing.
<DragonYen> So do you think it is possible (and fair) for the NeoRage team to hold out on sound, because some jackass(es) hacked the program?
<NAZ> If I were in there position, I might to the same. Very Recently, I was a target of a hacker. But they were unable to do anything. But if i were hacked, I would change things respectively.
<DragonYen> It seems harsh to punish everyone, for one person... almost like a Bank rasing everyone's interest rates, because someone robbed the bank :)
<NAZ> True it does seem harsh, but if someone does get away with it, then someone else will follow.
<DragonYen> I see your point on that one ;>   How closely do you work with Romlist and/or NeoRage team...
<NAZ> I try to work closely with the Rage team on new titles. They test my stuff and work out quarks with emulation and sorts. As for ROMLIST, After my fallout with them, I have rarely spoken with them at all. Maybe best not to at this time.
<DragonYen> Ok... Tell me about the fallout... I was not aware of that...
<NAZ> I was Invited to join ROMLIST just after the Neocharity program was developed.Shortly after joining, I decided to Quit and go back on my own with neocharity. The reasons were leaving were conflicts in the releasing of new titles. After this leaving, there was a long drawn out War of words that lasted for sometime on the IRC. It has quieted since then.  I hold no anger at ROMLIST. I respect them for what they do and would hope the same for them on me. I just feel it was better for all to have two group
releasing different titles. And For me, I would gain more experience in the process by myself, Which I have.
<DragonYen> How are you handling the "fame" -- do you get a lot of stupid questions, and people wanting to interview ya ;P
<NAZ> Fame? heh. I really don't call it that. Just someone contributing. I do get lotsa stupid questions. How to run these roms with this emulator and the "where is the emulator for...." But I have never been interviewed. This is the first time anyone has asked.
<DragonYen> Hey, I wanna thank you for your time, and plug neocharity.retrogames.com and naz.retrogames.com and thank you for all the memories you are helping us relive!! Anything you want to add?
<NAZ> Just support us people! Donate and give to other what they have for you. And for god sakes, lay off the what next questions :) Thanx DragonYen for interviewin me.
<DragonYen> In that case.. I have one more question... What Next :P, Thanx Again Naz!!
<NAZ> ahhahah :)

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