true, same thing here, people usually use RF for mega drive (Genesis) and below, even in late 90s they still use RF for PS1 (they use 70s PAL/SECAM TVs with “RGB-to-PAL and RF adapter”, the TV was 50hz only so they change the V-Hold and it work fine with 60hz!)
in the beginnings of the 2000s they (majority) start using composite, but people like me went far and use RGB SCART and component with PS2 but like 99% of people I know use only composite or RF, nothing else, then they jump to HDMI later
I never ever used S-Video. I used RF and Composite until Sept 2009 with my PS3 and I used Component for one day and then got a HDMI cord afterwards.
same, BTW the Component cable for PS2 was man-made by me not official 
I think they’re all intended, and spread around for maximum coverage: s-video for people who had access to the better televisions, composite and rf for the rest. That way, both parties can be satisfied. It’s common in business to broaden the demographics.
It’s just like games that use addons. For example, I remember playing a couple of light gun games on the Dreamcast back then, but I didn’t have the actual guns and had to play using the controller. Perhaps it wasn’t optimal, although I still had lots of fun that way. Ironically, it actually helps those games to be still playable these days, as light guns do not tend to play nice with modern screens. Also had a blast playing Samba de Amigo with the controller.
All in all, there’s really no need to fret. Basically, if option A is unavailable or not to your liking, just go with option B. People just need to open their minds a little more.
Well put. Anything the console supports is intended. The only time composite is required IMO is for NES and TG16, it’s the only thing they supported and RGB seems wrong on those consoles. That said, there’s probably an argument that artists didn’t really intend for things to be displayed through composite at all, it was just the reality that they adapted to, etc. Basically, just do what feels right.
Are you for real? I have one right now lol but I haven’t played the PS2 since like 2013.
yes, I find “PS1 N-Pal convertor” cable (with AV socket) in the street back then and use it as a base to make Component cable using other av jacks
console supports thing dosnt mean the game devs will take it into consideration, I think they will target the majority and the attached default cable is composite, IIRC even ps3 and xbox 360 come with composite cable
They intended for you to see the composite effects… through composite
They did not intend for you to use composite. It was simply a reality they adapted to. It is extremely strange to say “s-video and RGB are available, but you’re not supposed to use those!”
They intended for you to use the best connection you had available on your TV. That’s why they included the additional options. Nothing else makes sense.
Even the artists themselves would probably prefer RGB. Speculation you say? So is claiming that they intended for you to use composite- the fact that they made things look as best as they could through composite does not conclusively mean that they intended for composite to be used when better connections are available. The latter doesn’t necessarily follow from the former.
A true enthusiast back in the day would have acquired an RGB monitor and cables. I guess they were doing it wrong?
Devs most definitely did their graphics with composite cable as that is what 90% of users would see. E.g. avoiding some dithering patterns or very saturated colors. It would look fine on RGB but not on composite.
I didn’t dispute that, though. The fact that they made things look as good as possible through composite doesn’t mean, necessarily, that they intended for composite video to be used (especially given the availability of better connections) It simply does not follow.
They intended for you to use the best connection you had available on your TV. This is the only thing that makes sense. “We took the time to add these additional ports just to confuse you”
Yeah, or think about something like the Super Game Boy. Distorts the aspect ratio, plays games at a different refresh rate, but this was their “intended way” to bring Game Boy games to CRT screens.
You can take this to absurd degrees. Companies didn’t and don’t care that much ofc about replicating original experiences, they can’t even be trusted to preserve their source codes. What about the developers? They seem to have mostly moved on.
It’s mostly enthuasistas of today who are passionate about it. That doesn’t even entail “grew up during that era” or “has real hardware” (no shade intended 
)
“Intended” is what the devs used when creating the game and the system’s default setup, the rest are “options”. They took into account there were many countries that didn’t have RGB or S-Video and left it as an “option”. Most importantly they would want to sell the console, not to gain some fame about having the best picture.
You’re trying to infer intent from what they were most likely directed to do, it just doesn’t work man.
Can someone really be said to be doing something of their own intention if that decision is completely determined by external factors outside of their control? The artists didn’t decide, collectively, that composite video should be the primary connection available for customers and that this is what they should target- this was the result of economic factors way outside of their control, and then the directors told them to target composite video. The artists were doing what they were told to do, so is that “artist’s intentions?” It’s just way more complicated than that. I remain skeptical of any argument that rests on speculation regarding “Artist’s intentions.”
I know none, Retro celebrities who enthusiast and had documented their lives on VHS like “Angry Video Game Nerd” and “My Retro Life” used composite, if you know someone that use something better than composite before 2000 then please mention him/her
AVGN would have been like 10 when NES came out so I’m pretty sure the parents were making the decisions
Seems to me you are trying to raise a debate about already known facts and pretty obvious things. The system was shipping with that cable but we’re questioning if that was the intented cable. Nintendo shipped over 50 million consoles with that same cable.
You conveniently ignored the logic of my argument. There is no “intended cable” the way you think there is. You’re thinking “cable is included” = intended cable. It simply doesn’t necessarily follow. I can repeat it a hundred times but you won’t get it.
No, you’re trying to tell everyone that there’s a “correct” way to do things and everyone else is wrong and I have a problem with that.
I guess the S Video and RGB are just there for show, you’re not supposed to actually use them. Come on. Do you know that outside of a tiny group of “always composite” zealots, that most people prefer RGB? Let people enjoy things the way they want without making questionable inferences about artists’ intentions in a lame attempt to discredit how they choose to enjoy this hobby.
they kinda actually like this (also they may used in other things like how RGB of genesis used in 32x) the selling point of anything better than composite is sharping and no color bleed and artifacts, This is enough to make the user turn a blind eye to what he lost, such as merging of the dither
Exactly Nailed it.
Take 100 random people who know nothing about video games and show them the same Sonic image through RGB and composite, the vast majority will choose RGB.
Educate them about the importance of dithering and blending effects, demonstrate it. Then ask the question again.
The majority are still going to choose RGB- the gain in sharpness, clarity and color fidelity is by far what the average person is most sensitive to, and they will think it’s worth the loss of dithering effects.
The composite only crowd is a very tiny minority- and that’s not to discredit those who enjoy composite, but claiming it’s the only right way to do things is just not plausible. There’s a thriving RGB modding scene for a reason.
Are we saying that the opinions of the uninformed are worth less than the “expert” opinions? That seems like an elitist position and one which I would hesitate to embrace. I also consider how to best preserve and present these games for those new to the hobby, and what is going to most appeal to them. Are they going to understand and appreciate the highly complicated composite video simulation? Or are they just going to go for the brighter colors and sharper details… it’s important that we have multiple options available for people with different goals and tastes.
Just to clarify, I’m not claiming RGB or S-video or anything else is “correct,” I’m saying the very notion of a “correct connection” is not really tenable in light of all the evidence available.
While I played a large portion of PS3 The Last of Us on RF after my primary TV broke, I have no regrets. The experience was good, with its ups and downs