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Thread: e-Reader

  1. #1
    panegyric hoodedclaw's Avatar
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    Default e-Reader

    I tried one of these out a couple of days ago and I am pretty impressed. It is retro gaming heaven. I had a go of a "Game and Watch" game and the memories came flooding back!

    I really think that this is going to take off in a big way, wait and see. Kids loved "Pokemon" cards and this is much the same sort of "kids collecting heaven".


    In case you haven't heard of this:

    This original creation gives players the opportunity to not only play cheap mini-games on their Game Boy Advance, but also upgrade or enhance games that feature e-Reader functionality.

    e-Reader cards are basically standard trading cards, but with one difference: a strip of dots on the edges. By scanning the edge into the e-Reader device, users can upload game data, graphic data, sound data, and text data into the Game Boy Advance. Though the e-Reader's been available in Japan since the end of last year, Nintendo of America actually went back to the drawing board for the North American version of the device to improve it and make it even more worthwhile to own. The US version features more memory, more internal software, and, most importantly, a pass-through link port so that users can connect their GBAs to their GameCube while the device is in use (the Japanese version did not feature this support, making its functionality extremely limited in comparison). The US version also features a female voice that instructs users as they swipe their cards through their device...not really a necessary function, but it does brighten up the unit's interface.

    The package that the e-Reader ships in includes the e-Reader device as well as two foil packs of cards. The first pack contains a collection of five e-Reader compatible cards: A Game & Watch mini-game (Manhole), three Pokemon Expedition cards (Machoke, Machop, and Machamp) that give players a unique mini-game, and an Animal Crossing compatible e-Reader card that will transmit a letter to your mailbox in the GameCube title. The second package features one of two NES games, clearly marked on the package (either Pinball or Donkey Kong Jr.)...the NES game faces outwards on the back of the blister pack, so you know exactly which NES game is inside.

    This device could potentially revitalize the whole card-collecting industry; to unlock certain animations and games, you need more than one card to combine, like the Pichu/Hoppip combination in Pokemon Expedition, for example. If you don't have one needed card within the combination, there's no way to load in the designated data. Even if you borrow a friend's card, the mini-games that are scanned in through the Pokemon Trading Card Series aren't saved to the e-Reader...you have to scan those cards in every time you turn on the e-Reader for the first time If you want to play that specific game, of course.

    Over the time between the announcement of the e-Reader and the actual release of the device, a lot of folks have shrugged their shoulders with the ol' "so what?" attitude. On the surface, sure, it seems like an idle gimmick...some companies could potentially limit their GameCube games by "locking out" special items that can only be obtained by scanning the appropriate e-Reader card. But it's these cards that have the potential of sustaining the life of the GameCube game beyond its first few weeks out of the box. Animal Crossing is going to show how developers can utilize the e-Reader to its fullest potential, with its ability to load custom textures and songs directly off of data cards, as well as unlock furniture, clothing and other items through other strips. Nintendo could essentially include cheap e-Reader cards in magazines like Nintendo Power, or boxes of cereal, or within the game packaging itself to let players take advantage of their gaming investment.

    And, of course, how cool is it to carry NES games in a deck of cards?
    "So right, so pure,
    so hoodedclaw"

  2. #2
    DF Rookie Solidstate's Avatar
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    My girlfriend has just gone off to the US today and I asked her to get me one of these.

    I have also just got Animal Crossing & the Gamecube link cable so would like her to pick up some extra cards for this too. Anyone got any release dates for more cards. I think that the only ones available at present are the pack in cards and Excitebike.

    I think this the E Reader is a really cool idea - wonder if in time you could print your own cards out on an inket printer. Imagine that - at last legitimate homebrew games that can be distributed easily. Without Nintendo getting stroppy about "backup" carts.

  3. #3
    DF Member tinman's Avatar
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    Hello guys, I may have misunderstood something, and I don't mean to put GBA down, but why is it when Nintendo does it..it is supposed to be new!
    Even though one might argue there has been similar features on other platforms -- given they do not use these specific e-cards.

    Example:
    A Dreamcast user could save their game to a memory card device and take it and plug it into another Dreamcast (a memory card is called something else on DC can't remember, but it is a playable device stand alone )
    I think NeoGeo Pocket factors into this DC formula some how but I don't know how to do that so I am kind of stupid in this regard but I guess you see my point

  4. #4
    ABCMan
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    i havent got my e-reader yet

    but it can only emulate the very basic nes roms if you have a flash card you are better using the nes emulator to play nes roms

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    DF VIP Member Yazmon's Avatar
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    Is there a picture of the card with a NES game on and the e-reader?

    Donkey Kong Jr is 24,592bytes (Well the ROM is) which would is 196,736 bits. Even compressed its 135,216 bits, Im rather intrigued to see how they have printed it...
    Try Gentoo, the linux source distro...
    Currently Playing: Viewtifull Joe (GC), Mario Kart : Double Dash (GC), Mario & Luigi Superstars (GBA).

  6. #6
    DF VIP Member X-He's Avatar
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    how long will it take too hack the e reader and get free cards with your flash cart
    The person formaly known as He@! ;)

  7. #7
    DF VIP Member Yazmon's Avatar
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    The exact amout of time it takes to scan something and print it.
    Try Gentoo, the linux source distro...
    Currently Playing: Viewtifull Joe (GC), Mario Kart : Double Dash (GC), Mario & Luigi Superstars (GBA).

  8. #8
    DF Rookie Solidstate's Avatar
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    The missus is back from the US and more importantly my E-Card reader has arrived.

    Just so you can see I have scanned in the Manhole card first as a whole card and then as a zoomed up tiny section of the data strip.

    Whole Card

    On (extremely) closer inspection I very much doubt that these cards can be copied (by a normal bloke)- the printing is almost at atomic level - (thats a bit OTT but it is bloody small). My 1200DPI scanner can't get a clear copy and my printer certainly doesn't stand a chance of printing one out even if I could scan it.

    Zoomed Card


    Just so you know how it works there is a data strip at the top and bottom of this card - both need to be swiped for it to load manhole. Donkey Kong jnr comes on 5 cards and has 9 strips that need swiping - although once this is done you can save the data into the reader until you want to replace it.

    Its all rather clever - but like other people say - if you have access to a Flash card then that is a much better way of getting NES games into your GBA.
    I see it's most useful function being as a link up to use for entering small amounts of Data into the GC via the link cable. E.G. a good use would be to update Football team rosters for a new season etc. I will certainly be getting more Animal Crossing cards when they become available.
    Last edited by Solidstate; 13th October 2002 at 12:35 PM.

  9. #9
    ABCMan
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    i've seen those dot pattern data strips before, they were used at the dome for the vote now cards, i think that was the first ever commercial use, and they were read on a pc and data terminals, but they came pre printed, but you are right, you are going to need a VERY expensive scanner and printer to duplicate those patterns

  10. #10
    DF VIP Member Yazmon's Avatar
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    Sweet jesus thats small! How susceptible is it to corruption through dirt?

    Your going to need one very good printer + paper + scanner to copy that! (Though I guess it cannot be that hard!)

    Heh, if your interested, by my crude calculation I make it each square contains 1300bits, with error correction I would assume each one contains 1024bits (or 128B) of actual data. (For an idea of why a lot of error correction is needed, have a look at the whole card, at the top, around the 4th data square in there is a hair that is approximatly the same size!) Each line has 28 squares, so that makes 56kb (or 7kB) of data per side of the card!

    Any one know exactly how much is on the card?
    Try Gentoo, the linux source distro...
    Currently Playing: Viewtifull Joe (GC), Mario Kart : Double Dash (GC), Mario & Luigi Superstars (GBA).

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