I recently had the pleasure of having an audience with Zophar of the legendary emulation website Zophar’s Domain from the late 90s, remember the early days of the internet. Below is just a basic summary of some of the points covered with timestamps. It was an absolute pleasure to have this conversation and it was also very enlightening.
00:00:01 Introduction: Pixel Cherry Ninja opens the stream and introduces Zophar from Zophar’s Domain, highlighting the website’s significant role in the early days of online emulation.
00:00:56 The Origin of “Virtual Hydlide”: Zophar explains why Virtual Hydlide is on the screen. It was the first 3D game he ever played and one of the last he enjoyed before launching his website. He is also the world record holder in six of the eight speedrunning categories for the game.
00:03:04 A Closer Look at “Virtual Hydlide”: The discussion shifts to the game itself, with Zophar acknowledging its poor frame rate and cheesy graphics but emphasizing its innovative randomization features and overall fun factor.
00:09:32 Zophar’s Domain: How It Began: Zophar discusses the origins of Zophar’s Domain, which was created in response to the fragmented and difficult-to-navigate world of emulation in the mid-1990s. He recounts his early experiences with dial-up internet and IRC, where he discovered emulators but struggled to find a single, reliable source for everything he needed.
00:19:39 Naming the Site: The name “Zophar’s Domain” was inspired by the final boss in the Sega CD game Lunar 2: Eternal Blue.
00:23:27 Learning to Code and Early Site Development: Zophar shares how he learned HTML by reverse-engineering other websites and built the first version of Zophar’s Domain on GeoCities. He credits early collaborators Evil Homer and Infy for their contributions to the site’s design and programming.
00:30:15 Gaining Traction and the Rise of Nesticle: The site gained significant popularity in early 1997 with the release of the Nesticle emulator, which made emulation more accessible. Zophar’s friendship with the emulator’s creator, Icer Addis, gave him early access to information, further solidifying the site’s reputation.
00:34:23 Early Challenges: Hacking and Security: Zophar recalls the site being hacked in its early days due to security vulnerabilities, such as storing passwords in plain text.
00:37:38 The Site’s Evolution and Focus on Soundtracks: As emulation became more widespread, Zophar’s Domain shifted its focus to archiving video game soundtracks, which were not widely available at the time. The site became a go-to resource for game music, a legacy that continues to this day.
00:43:08 “Zophar’s Retro Rewind” and the Challenges of Content Creation: Zophar discusses his YouTube series, “Zophar’s Retro Rewind,” and the time-consuming nature of producing high-quality content. He also touches on the importance of staying within a niche to appease the YouTube algorithm.
00:47:47 Leaving Zophar’s Domain and Its Continuation: Zophar explains that he left the site in 2000 to focus on his personal life and career. The site was sold and eventually passed into the hands of its current owners, who have maintained it, with Martini and Azopria now keeping it up to date.
00:52:04 Commercialization and Legal Issues: Zophar discusses the commercialization of the site, including running ads to cover bandwidth costs and sharing revenue with his team. He also mentions legal issues that arose when a subsequent owner began selling backup devices, which led to a cease-and-desist letter from Nintendo.
00:58:01 A Trip Down Memory Lane: Sega and the 16-Bit Era: The conversation veers into a nostalgic discussion about Sega, the Sega Genesis, and the 16-bit era, with both hosts sharing their favorite consoles and games.
01:02:23 Sega’s Downfall and the Saturn: They analyze Sega’s decline, attributing it to a series of poor decisions, including the release of the 32X and the mismanagement of the Sega Saturn. Zophar laments the Saturn’s premature demise, while Pixel Cherry Ninja expresses his newfound appreciation for the console.
01:10:51 Modern Gaming and Emulation: The discussion touches on modern ODEs (Optical Drive Emulators) like the Satiator and the SU, as well as the MiSTer FPGA’s Sega Saturn core.
01:16:04 Bugs and Unplayable Games on MiSTer: Zophar mentions a bug in the MiSTer’s Sega CD core that makes Dark Wizard unplayable, highlighting the ongoing challenges of perfect hardware replication.
01:21:20 The Legacy of Zophar’s Domain: From Emulators to Soundtracks: Zophar reflects on the site’s evolution, noting that older users remember it for emulators, while a younger generation knows it for its extensive soundtrack archive. He shares an anecdote about Toby Fox, the creator of Undertale, who once submitted a ROM hack to the site.
01:32:42 Alternative Soundtrack Resources: Pixel Cherry Ninja shares another website he uses for soundtracks, leading to a brief discussion about the quality and completeness of different archives.
01:35:54 Modern Games and Streaming: The conversation shifts to modern gaming, with both hosts discussing the challenges of incorporating new games into their retro-focused content. They also touch on their love for streaming and the real-time interaction it allows with their communities.
01:48:38 Future Plans and Closing Remarks: Zophar provides links to his Twitch and YouTube channels, and they discuss potential future collaborations, including a co-op stream of an upcoming Marvel game. They thank the audience for watching and end the stream.