How do I make Steam for old consoles and computers?

[Plantman Knows Where Plants Grow]

I want to make Steam work with Sega Genesis(megadrive) for my first project into this idea. Steam would connect up with my Genesis from my PC's USB port and probably into the game slot in the Genesis.
With Steam and Sega's cooperation I would then be able to buy Genesis games from Steam (I actually already own the Genesis collection on Steam.) and then through the USB I would boot my Sega Genesis into games. I'm not sure if a USB 3.0 connection is fast enough to directly input cartridge data or if I will need a daughter board in the cartridge slot to act as a storage device.

I like the idea of getting this rolling with the Sega Genesis first because Sega seems to really want to work with Steam and they would probably love to sell their old games again. I think there are retro coders out there who would like to write games for old consoles too.

Once the Sega Genesis project is functional and doesn't need as much attention I would like to move on to other consoles that aren't disc based because without a cartridge slot I'm not sure how I could easily hook into a console(mod wire the disc drive but I would have to instruct others to do that too). I also have a love for old computers like Comodore, x86, and Apple II so I would love to touch on those as well.


The problem is getting started. Heck if I know how to get started on a project of this magnitude?? People have had a lot of success asking for money on Kickstarter but I don't even know what I need money for or if I need money? I am handy with electronics and computers so I think the knowledge is with in my range of ability but the guidance to use it is non-existent.

[Start_Running]

Publicado originalmente por Quint the Alligator Snapper:

That said, as mentioned by others, if getting the games on Steam means you've officially bought the ROM files, you could just take those ROMs and put them on a flash cart or something. I don't know how legal this is, but it seems ethically reasonable given that Sega no longer officially makes these games in cartridge format for the Genesis and your copy of the ROM would have come from a legally provided source as you've already bought the game.

'Ethically reasonable'. If I do enough mental gymnastics I can justify doing the thing i want to do but that I know is actually wrong.

This is why I cringe whenever anyone mentions the word ethics.

- You are getting roms. But those roms are still proprietar.

- Secondly, the Genesis Mini is a thing. So SEGA is actually still selling home consokle versions of these games.

- Thirdly. Carts have in them ttheir own proprietary tecch that must be licensed. This is why there was a rather large dust up between Tengen and Nintendo, which Tengen lost.

- There's also the actual dev software which is also proprietary and licensed, which again has to come from SEGA

It wouldn't get you Steam playtime, but then again Steam's way of managing those games is sorta cruddy anyway, if I recall correctly, since all of those individual games are treated as DLCs of Sega MegaDrive Classics or something.

That's how they were set up by SEGA. Because some people don't give a damned about Golden Axe 3....

Now the cart issue was less of a deal here because SEGA have always been rather open about that. GHeck they had official sega branded flash carts at one point.

The point is, that as said this is not a STeam question but a SEGA question. best brought up on SEGA's own forums. Also the idea of doingthis for systems other than Genesis falls flat real fast once you realize most of the others are kinda very tight fisted about such things. Nintendo especially.

[Quint the Alligator Snapper]

Publicado originalmente por Start_Running:

- You are getting roms. But those roms are still proprietar.
- Thirdly. Carts have in them ttheir own proprietary tecch that must be licensed. This is why there was a rather large dust up between Tengen and Nintendo, which Tengen lost.

Simply pointing out that something is proprietary doesn't change its legality.

Publicado originalmente por Start_Running:

- Secondly, the Genesis Mini is a thing. So SEGA is actually still selling home consokle versions of these games.

OP is looking to play on a Sega Genesis, not a Genesis Mini.

If Sega releases a way to let people play Steam-bought Sega games on the Genesis Mini, then you'd have a point. Have they done so?

Publicado originalmente por Start_Running:

- There's also the actual dev software which is also proprietary and licensed, which again has to come from SEGA

There have been multiple Sega Genesis games released since 2000, including Tanglewood and Pier Solar; how did they do it?

Publicado originalmente por Start_Running:

Now the cart issue was less of a deal here because SEGA have always been rather open about that. GHeck they had official sega branded flash carts at one point.

This actually supports the notion that Sega is on board with it, rather than Steam.

Publicado originalmente por Start_Running:

The point is, that as said this is not a STeam question but a SEGA question.

You just pointed out why the more likely scenario is how Sega is okay with it but Steam might not be.

[Plantman Knows Where Plants Grow]

(shrug) After seeing the reception of my idea I can't see it as being profitable. Maybe in the future if this topic ever shows some desire for the concept I will reconsider.

[Black Blade]

Publicado originalmente por The ★Plantman★ of Dojima:

(shrug) After seeing the reception of my idea I can't see it as being profitable. Maybe in the future if this topic ever shows some desire for the concept I will reconsider.

If you are seruise about it then you better posting it where the community of the sega is more likely to be then Steam general forums
You may find more market there

[cinedine]

Publicado originalmente por The ★Plantman★ of Dojima:

(shrug) After seeing the reception of my idea I can't see it as being profitable. Maybe in the future if this topic ever shows some desire for the concept I will reconsider.

Did you want to make it for yourself or for profit?

[Start_Running]

Publicado originalmente por The ★Plantman★ of Dojima:

(shrug) After seeing the reception of my idea I can't see it as being profitable. Maybe in the future if this topic ever shows some desire for the concept I will reconsider.

Profitable just boils down to how much you charge and how much your audience is willing to pay.
The thing is, your audience is going to be quite small to start with.

- People who have Still working GEnesis consoles (with necessary paraphanalia)
- People who actually have an interest in homebrew genesis games
- People willing to spend money on one of those homebrews as opposed to a similarly priced modern game.

That's what you call a niche market. And while there has been a retro revival the thing about itis, those are working because they are using modern tools and design assets to create games with the design aesthetics and philosophy of the retro titles.

So the question is. DO you think you'd be able to produce the games that would make your limited audience wnat to spend the money required to make your endeavour viable. There's a reaosn the majoprity of hoembrew games are dones as 'for fun' , 'for knowledge' or similar style of project but seldom for profit.

[MancSoulja]

Publicado originalmente por Start_Running:

- Thirdly. Carts have in them ttheir own proprietary tecch that must be licensed. This is why there was a rather large dust up between Tengen and Nintendo, which Tengen lost.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_v._Accolade