39 replies to this topic

[ady]

Following the latest 'Ebay disc' thread I was just curious how any of us found FME existed...

Sorry about option Five, just a little joke!

[SUPER7]

Hate to admit it but bought a emu cd off ebay but the good thing was it had a link to this site.

[Chopaholic]

Following the latest 'Ebay disc' thread I was just curious how any of us found FME existed...

Sorry about option Five, just a little joke!

No option there for me!

I bought MPU3/4 (as it was called then) directly from its author, Chris Wren, in July 2001 (IIRC), I think it was V5.9 back then. He was advertising it on a UK fruit machine newsgroup (can't remember what it was called) for £50. It came supplied with 39 machines, 37 Barcrest and two Global, all using either MPU3 or MPU4. (These were the only two techs emulated at the time.)

All the layouts were 'classics' as the DX hadn't even been dreamed of then, and the MPU3 machines didn't have sound, neither did MPU4 machines that didn't use sound samples.

The version I bought was the 'no design tools' variant, it was also possible to buy the 'with tools' version for £100.

I was utterly entranced by it and set up a website almost immediately, extolling the virtues of FME (the first fruit machine emulation site on the internet, fact fans) and offering the emulator and layouts+ROMs to download for free (this was a bit naughty but I really was incredibly excited by it all), and everything pretty much took off from there.

MPU3/4 got hacked (not by me) to open up the design tools, I set up an MSN Community which were the first FME forums effectively, one guy came up with the idea of using real machine images, and the first DX layout was born (Viva Espana) - and, well, loads of other stuff between now and then, lol.

[brucegeorge]

I have to say I dont and never will have a problem with the guys who sell DVD's of machines on Ebay I wouldnt have found the FME family without them and the way I look at it is if every DVD sold gets FME new members then its give and take you never know the next new member could be the one that brings that machine you have always wanted to play to life FME wins both ways

[ady]

Hate to admit it but bought a emu cd off ebay but the good thing was it had a link to this site.

Thats what i'm so curious about though tbh, I did search the net but soon after I did buy a disc too (at which time it consisted of a maximum 70mb or close to lol)

Yes I despise these sellers making a quick buck, but then they introduce so much new 'blood'...would the 'scene' become boring without it?.....hence the poll...

SUPER7 without the disc you bought, FME wouldn't have you as a totally supportive member as you would it?

No way am I saying 'Selling discs is good'....I for One hate the thought of the work put in is appriciated in these discs sold...."oh (says Mr Seller) its all the work I did creating the DVD"...but then...

I and a lot of us can say "the petrol to pick-up machines" the members who have meets and take the time to take images hence "fares and cost to upload (its all pennies that add up!) etc is simple forgotten by them leeching and sitting on their arse's.

**edit** I replied as Bruce had posted...seem's we all think the same??

[saynowt]

this is my second account here i was a member way back when the likes of club blackjack was first emulated i found the site from a disc given to me by a friend.there was a link included i used to use my sisters internet but she moved away and i couldnt afford the price of the internet so was off for a couple years, when i came back on i tried to access my account but was no longer valid so i created a new one.

Edited by saynowt, 08 August 2010 - 03:53 PM.

[brucegeorge]

I just feel FME has bigger problems than this I mean at lest they give a little something back with links to ours sites


Its the members who log on and just TAKE TAKE TAKE without 1 post or anything back I think are the real problem


But im sure other people will have there own thoughts thats what life is all about I guess

[Daryl]

I was just looking for any kind of fruity to play on my computer when I first went on the internet, and Fruit Forums and MPU World (remember that one ) came up in the search.

As soon as I realised that you could play the real arcade fruities on your computer, it saved me pounds because I didn't need the fix of having to go to the amusement arcades and spend all my money. All of this was in 2002, just after my father died and I took over his flat, and all the repsonsibilities that go with running your own place - I soon realised that you couldn't spend money like that. So actually, finding FME in all those years ago really came in useful.

For these last eight years I have had a wonderful time with FME, and big thank you goes out to Wizard, DialTone and the bloke who did the BFM emulator (I have forgotten his name now) and to all the countless layout creators who have given us all the memories of being able to play the fruities as realistic as possible - you all have my eternal thanks as a true, dedicated FMEer!

Long Live FME!

[Daryl]

the way I look at it is if every DVD sold gets FME new members then its give and take you never know the next new member could be the one that brings that machine you have always wanted to play to life

Yes, and then again we could also get another topgun and pies too! lol, so it works against as well as for, and Fruit Emu has had its share of some spamming new members that have really brought the site to the point that I didn't post for a long time. So it is swings and roundabouts.

I do however see your point BG, but in all the search engines, espeically in present times, the list of FME forums are more than they were when I joined, so anyone looking up fruit machines on search engines for fruit machines will now come across FME, so it doesn't neccesarily rely on eBay for new members.

Its the members who log on and just TAKE TAKE TAKE without 1 post or anything back I think are the real problem

And I bet it is those people that make the discs and sell them on.

Edited by Daryl, 08 August 2010 - 04:43 PM.

[launton]

As I said in another thread I bought a CD off ebay. The guy did put links to fme and encouraged usage of the proper sites. It was YEARS ago, at least a decade.

[SUPER7]

Thats what i'm so curious about though tbh, I did search the net but soon after I did buy a disc too (at which time it consisted of a maximum 70mb or close to lol)

Yes I despise these sellers making a quick buck, but then they introduce so much new 'blood'...would the 'scene' become boring without it?.....hence the poll...

SUPER7 without the disc you bought, FME wouldn't have you as a totally supportive member as you would it?

No way am I saying 'Selling discs is good'....I for One hate the thought of the work put in is appriciated in these discs sold...."oh (says Mr Seller) its all the work I did creating the DVD"...but then...

I and a lot of us can say "the petrol to pick-up machines" the members who have meets and take the time to take images hence "fares and cost to upload (its all pennies that add up!) etc is simple forgotten by them leeching and sitting on their arse's.

**edit** I replied as Bruce had posted...seem's we all think the same??

Never thought of it that way but is very true as i would have never knowen about this place, as Bruce said it maybe is a good thing about the discs being sold on ebay after all!!

[Mavroz]

A friend directed me to Maroney's Web Hovel, where i promptly downloaded the first MFME along With Viva Espana DX layout, oh joy......... And of course here we all are today.

Edited by fevernova, 08 August 2010 - 04:52 PM.

[brucegeorge]

True but you wouldnt believe this could happen unless you saw it for real I mean its crazy real machines being made online to download free we dont know how lucky we are sometimes people need to see a video on you tube or buy a disc to believe


Plus 1 would take 20 Top Guns if it ment the 21st was someone like Guitar who can help move FME forward its well worth it

[chasnbons]

I also got a disc off ebay a few years ago, I didn't quite believe all this was possible and to be honest half expected getting a blank disc, but for £1.50 I thought what the hell. It contained a link for this site and stated that all the disc content could be obtained for free. Didn't realise when I joined what a great bunch of guys (and gals) would be here as well as all the machines, not to mention all the other stuff that is available. This site has saved me God knows how much by not playing machines anywhere near as much in real life. I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank EVERYONE! who has ever uploaded ANYTHING to this site which they thought my be of help to someone. All of you are total stars!

[niallquinn]

No option there for me!

I bought MPU3/4 (as it was called then) directly from its author, Chris Wren, in July 2001 (IIRC), I think it was V5.9 back then. He was advertising it on a UK fruit machine newsgroup (can't remember what it was called) for £50. It came supplied with 39 machines, 37 Barcrest and two Global, all using either MPU3 or MPU4. (These were the only two techs emulated at the time.)

All the layouts were 'classics' as the DX hadn't even been dreamed of then, and the MPU3 machines didn't have sound, neither did MPU4 machines that didn't use sound samples.

The version I bought was the 'no design tools' variant, it was also possible to buy the 'with tools' version for £100.

I was utterly entranced by it and set up a website almost immediately, extolling the virtues of FME (the first fruit machine emulation site on the internet, fact fans) and offering the emulator and layouts+ROMs to download for free (this was a bit naughty but I really was incredibly excited by it all), and everything pretty much took off from there.

MPU3/4 got hacked (not by me) to open up the design tools, I set up an MSN Community which were the first FME forums effectively, one guy came up with the idea of using real machine images, and the first DX layout was born (Viva Espana) - and, well, loads of other stuff between now and then, lol.

Eye on The Isle Of Man site.

Protocol found it, posted about it on the old retrogames emu news site, summer 2001? I then pestered Choppers for said emu, joined the MSN group, then FF.

But I first saw a beta of it in the old Chris Smedley fruit machine mailing list, and that was the late nineties. Pretty sure it was the classic of Nifty Fifty, no reel symbols, just reel numbers.

First DX was interesting because I remember me and you having a conversation if it was possible, when Gary said, "You mean like this"? And that was Viva Espagne.

BF.

Edited by bertfry, 08 August 2010 - 06:00 PM.

[ady]

Thanks for the replies here, from the newer members and especially the older Ones too...

Some names here I am chuffed to see has made a reply, the hovel has been mentioned Twice already...Mr House what did you do? lol

[ploggy]

I found FME emulation existed when I visited Maroney's Web Hovel back in the day. Then I joined up to the MSN site that was created, and I've been around ever since. Long may it continue.