Difference between revisions of "Preservation projects"
(reworded article heading) |
m (→Proxy Projects) |
||
Line 235: | Line 235: | ||
References for this list can be found in [[Talk:Preservation projects#My "revive projects" bookmarks]]. | References for this list can be found in [[Talk:Preservation projects#My "revive projects" bookmarks]]. | ||
− | ===Proxy Projects=== | + | ===Proxy Projects for Retro Browsing=== |
− | These kind of projects usually retrieves pages from the [https://web.archive.org/ Internet Archive Wayback Machine] or [https://www.oocities.org/ OoCities] and delivers them in their original form, without toolbars, scripts and other extraneous content that may confuse retro browsers.<ref>https://github.com/richardg867/WaybackProxy#waybackproxy</ref> These are quite useful especially for [[POS_(Pong_Consoles)_CPUs_and_Other_Chips#x86_CPUs|DOS-based, Windows 1.0x/2x/3x series]], [[Windows_95/98/ME_emulators|Windows 9x series]], [[Windows_2000/XP/Vista_emulators|Windows NT series]] | + | These kind of projects usually retrieves pages from the [https://web.archive.org/ Internet Archive Wayback Machine] or [https://www.oocities.org/ OoCities] and delivers them in their original form, without toolbars, scripts and other extraneous content that may confuse retro browsers.<ref>https://github.com/richardg867/WaybackProxy#waybackproxy</ref> These are quite useful especially for retro browsing with [[POS_(Pong_Consoles)_CPUs_and_Other_Chips#x86_CPUs|DOS-based, Windows 1.0x/2x/3x series]], [[Windows_95/98/ME_emulators|Windows 9x series]], [[Windows_2000/XP/Vista_emulators|Windows NT series]],[[MacOS|MacOS]] emulators and [[Hypervisors]]. |
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" | {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" |
Revision as of 09:59, 19 October 2023
"...So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay."
- Robert Frost (1874-1963)
Over the years, technology has been rapidly evolving. Things that were once considered "new" or "innovating" can quickly become "old" or "outdated" over time. These changes can happen in a lot of ways, but overall as time goes on all things are at risk of disappearing someday. While it may seem like an impossible (and sometimes pointless) task, that hasn't stopped many people from taking it upon themselves to preserve what others would consider to be not as important. While there are many aspects with respect to preservation in general, emulation plays a key role in preserving software by documenting and allowing old programs to run on modern devices (because what's the point of archiving a bunch of old games if you have no way of playing them!). Because emulation is often associated with preservation, this page is meant to highlight some other projects that have similar goals relating to video games and technology, some of which can even be used in conjunction with emulation.
Contents
Preservation projects
Name | Platform(s) | Latest version | Active | Recommended | Preserves the following software |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
eXoDOS | Windows | 5.0 | ✓ | ✓ | DOS games |
eXoWin3x | Windows | 2.0 | ✓ | ✓ | Windows 3x games |
Retro Learning Pack | Windows | ✓ | ✓ | MS-DOS & Windows 3.1 educational software | |
eXoScummVM | Windows | ✓ | ✓ | ScummVM games | |
eXoAppleIIGS | Windows | 1.0 | ✓ | ✓ | Apple IIGS games & apps |
Flashpoint | Windows | 13 "Dart Frog" | ✓ | ✓ | Flash and other web games |
instance_archive(); | Windows | 15/10/2021 | ✓ | ✓ | GameMaker games. |
Kahvibreak | Windows Linux |
1.6 | ✓ | ✓ | J2ME games |
Pleasuredome | Windows | 0.266 | ✓ | ✓ | MAME & Non-MAME romsets |
Emerson Arcadia 2001 Central | Online | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | Signetics 2650-based machines
(Interton VC 4000, Elektor TV Games Computer, et al.) |
INTV Funhouse | Online | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | Intellivision fun, facts, tips & pics! |
hShop | 3DS | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | The ultimate 3DS content website |
Ghost eShop | 3DS | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | The ultimate content for 3DS Website |
Myrient | Online | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | A reenvisioning of video game preservation |
GameTDB | Online | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | Box art for GCN, NDS, 3DS, Wii, Wii U, and PS3 |
Flipnote Archive | Online | N/A | ✗ | ✓ | Nintendo's Flipnote Hatena |
Archiverse | Online | N/A | ✗ | ✓ | Nintendo's Miiverse |
Open Shop Channel | Online | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | Homebrew apps library for the Wii |
MarioCube | Online | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | Rare files for Wii/GCN. WiiWare/Virtual Console WADs from Wii Shop Channel |
Redump | Online | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | Database of checksums for disc-based games |
TOSEC | Online | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | Database of checksums for disc- and cartridge-based games |
No-Intro | Online | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | Database of checksums for cartridge-based games |
Revivial Projects
As the internet has become more readily available over time, a lot of people have experimented with adding online services to their products. However, because of how dependent these features can be on a single company or server they are at high risk of disappearing once the service gets shut down. MMOs are especially at risk as the entirety of the game is based on playing online. If the game has no way of allowing the user to host their own private server then once the service ends, so does the game. This will especially be a problem in the future as more and more games are becoming more dependent on online services. Depending on interest and importance, there has been a surprising amount of fans who have come together to keep a service alive, or even "revive" it, by creating their own functioning service.
Private Platform Servers
Name | Platform(s) | Active | Recommended | Preserves the following service |
---|---|---|---|---|
Goldberg Emulator | PC, Steam | ✓ | ✓ | Steam's online features (use multiplayer over LAN) |
RiiConnect24 | Wii | ✓ | ✓ | WiiConnect24 |
WiiLink | Wii | ✓ | ✓ | WiiConnect24 and obscure out-of-region Wii Channels |
Wiimmfi | Wii, DS | ✓ | ✓ | Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection |
Sudomemo | 3DS, DSi, Online | ✓ | ✓ | Flipnote Hatena |
Pretendo | 3DS, Wii U | ✓ | WIP | Nintendo Network |
rverse | 3DS | ✓ | ✓ | Miiverse Network |
RPCN | PS3 | ✓ | WIP | Playstation Network |
Ultima | Windows | ✓ | ✓ | Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst |
Ephinea | Windows | ✓ | ✓ | Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst |
Schthack PSO | Windows, GCN, Dreamcast | ✓ | ✓ | Phantasy Star Online (various) |
Sylverant | Windows, GCN, Dreamcast | ✓ | ✓ | Phantasy Star Online (various) |
The Archstones | PS3 | ✓ | ✓ | Demons Souls |
Destination Home | PS3 | ✓ | WIP | Playstation Home and Sony Medius Servers |
Insignia | Xbox | ✓ | ✓ | Original Xbox Live Network |
PSORG Revival | PS3 | ✓ | WIP | Playstation Network |
Private Game Servers
Name | Platform(s) | Official Servers/Active | Revived? | Revive Group/Community | Revived Platform(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battlefield 1943 | ~ Servers for Battlefield 1943 will be shut down on December 8, 2023. |
✗ | N/A | N/A | |
Battlefield Bad Company | ~ Servers for Battlefield Bad Company will be shut down on December 8, 2023. |
✗ | N/A | N/A | |
Battlefield Bad Company 2 | ~ Servers for Battlefield Bad Company 2 will be shut down on December 8, 2023. |
✗ | N/A | N/A | |
Free Realms | ✗ The game's servers were shut down on March 31, 2014 in a closure of three other SOE MMOs that year. |
WIP | Free Realms Sunrise | ||
Happy Wars | ~ Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows servers shut down on December 17, 2018. The Xbox One and Xbox Series home console versions is now the only platform the game can be played on. |
WIP | ? | ||
Flatout 2/Ultimate Carnage | ~ Flatout 2 servers were down. However FlatOut Ultimate Carnage multiplayer still works in 2022 and will likely work forever since it uses P2P for connecting/hosting servers. Also GFWL has merged with Xbox Live and still works with FlatOut Ultimate Carnage.[1] |
✓ for Flatout 2 |
OpenSpy |
References for this list can be found in Talk:Preservation projects#My "revive projects" bookmarks.
Proxy Projects for Retro Browsing
These kind of projects usually retrieves pages from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine or OoCities and delivers them in their original form, without toolbars, scripts and other extraneous content that may confuse retro browsers.[2] These are quite useful especially for retro browsing with DOS-based, Windows 1.0x/2x/3x series, Windows 9x series, Windows NT series,MacOS emulators and Hypervisors.
Name | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|
ProtoWeb | ✓ | ✓ |
WaybackProxy | ✓ | ~ |