Making a Homebrew

[wiseguyusa]

"....pays programmers $4K to $6K for completed games"

 

It seems that the way to go for a completely original game would be to make your development deal with a programmer, then try to sell the game to the publisher.

 

again bringing up the question of the level of competition, how many submissions does the homebrew publisher get in a week? a month? a year? is getting a 2600 game published like trying to get your band signed?

 

So the idea of repurposing those old Pac-Man & Combat cartridges is moot?

 

Just to understand the manufacturing end, and only educational purposes at stake, what is the cost to copy an existing cartridge to a new ROM, insert it into an old Combat/PacMan whatever shell ?

 

Not that I intend to do this, just want to know what the manufacturing costs are not including the cost of the programming.

 

For instance, lets say that I want to turn 5-6 commons into 5-6 Kool-Aid Man carts =AGAIN STRICTLY HYPOTHETICAL= This doesn't need to turn in to a thread about piracy. What is involved? Does it involve a clean room and a bunny suit? Or can it be done in a garage relatively cheap?

[+5-11under]

If you spend 5-10 hours searching the forums, you'll gain a lot of knowledge on the "business" of homebrew production. Then you'll have the information you need to be able to make a plan, and determine if it's viable.

[+nanochess]

A brief resume:

1. Usually around 50 copies are sold of an Atari VCS homebrew game.
2. No one can make a living of developing Atari games.
3. Homebrew programmers usually work only in their own ideas (and slowly) because they have real life and real work.
4. Sometimes homebrew programmers will help with your idea but only if it's amazingly great.
5. Sometimes homebrew programmers are available for hire but it's not a common case, again only if your idea is good, and probably you'll come out of the adventure being even.

[+5-11under]

 

A brief resume:

1. Usually around 50 copies are sold of an Atari VCS homebrew game.
2. No one can make a living of developing Atari games.
3. Homebrew programmers usually work only in their own ideas (and slowly) because they have real life and real work.
4. Sometimes homebrew programmers will help with your idea but only if it's amazingly great.
5. Sometimes homebrew programmers are available for hire but it's not a common case, again only if your idea is good, and probably you'll come out of the adventure being even.

 

 

 

You're making it too easy for him.

40-150 copies(?), depending on a number of variables, including quality, console, retro-ness. Research.

$15-$35 loose, $25-$55 boxed. These are very approximate, but good enough for calculations. More research.

Crunch some numbers (in Excel or equivalent) to figure out where the money will go... programmer, assembled PCB, shell, label, instructions, box, packaging, profit, etc.

[+nanochess]

 

 

You're making it too easy for him.

40-150 copies(?), depending on a number of variables, including quality, console, retro-ness. Research.

$15-$35 loose, $25-$55 boxed. These are very approximate, but good enough for calculations. More research.

Crunch some numbers (in Excel or equivalent) to figure out where the money will go... programmer, assembled PCB, shell, label, instructions, box, packaging, profit, etc.

 

Oh, well, the fun would have started when he realized how much work it takes

Edited January 3, 2014 by nanochess

[+Andrew Davie]

How much "hardwork", indeed!

[RetroFiends]

To be frank, if you really have a dream to do something, nothing should stop you. If you want this to happen, the only person holding you back is who? Someone pointed Batari Basic which is so easy a kid can do it. If you need things exactly to your specifications, Andrew Davie above me, IIRC, did a huge service by writing up the 2600 101 segment which can be found here in these very forums. There is no shortage of documentation or helpful folks to push you in the right direction. People are responding the way they are, not because they're trying to be rude, but because they're trying to be real. As an "ideaguy", you're playing in the programmers court, and as a homebrewer, you couldn't ever realistically offer a number that we'd be interested in. We'd have to be into your ideas as much as you are into them for the the time and effort spent to be worth it. And then, we all have our own ideas. So there really is no incentive here.

If I was in love with your ideas, it'd still probably take me a few benjamins to start considering it enough to move away from my own ideas.

As the saying goes, ideas are cheap, execution is everything.

[adamchevy]

Since we are on the subject of homebrews, does anyone use a compiler other than the Hi-Tech C compiler or the CCI compiler on Daniel Bienvenu's website for compiling colecovision games?

 

[wiseguyusa]

What about hardware? Who makes those cool gadgets for the XL/XE?

 

Is my dream of a "conversion kit" to transform a dead 4 switcher into a Iphone dock/charger unrealistic?

Edited January 3, 2014 by wiseguyusa

[dubxcube]

I've seen a converted 2600 into an iPhone dock somewhere around the internets before

Edited January 3, 2014 by dubxcube

[2600 Forever]

Must be a member of Team Savage.

 

[+Gemintronic]

Since we are on the subject of homebrews, does anyone use a compiler other than the Hi-Tech C compiler or the CCI compiler on Daniel Bienvenu's website for compiling colecovision games?

 

Are you looking for something like this:

http://colecovision.eu/ColecoVision/development/libcv.shtml

http://sdcc.sourceforge.net/

[adamchevy]

Thanks!

[wiseguyusa]

Back to the followup to the original question:

 

Who developed the hacks & homebrews included on the Flashback II system?

 

Did they receive monetary compensation or just bragging rights?

 

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I was asked for FB 2 (Thrust). Atari requested unlimited rights and wanted to pay for them.

 

I skipped because IMO the money offered was too low compared to what they wanted.

[Andromeda Stardust]

What about hardware? Who makes those cool gadgets for the XL/XE?

 

Is my dream of a "conversion kit" to transform a dead 4 switcher into a Iphone dock/charger unrealistic?

They also make lamps too.

http://atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=997

 

If you want an ipod dock from an old Atari, then get a dremel drill and some glue, a soldering iron, and whatever else it takes to make your vision a reality.

 

If you want to design a game, then I recommend reading the book "Racing the Beam" which does a brilliant job explaning the Atari's limitations in layman's terms. Next, download Batari Basic, and read up on the tutorials online. Start with the basic stuff. Display a static image onscreen. Then make a dot move around based on joystick inputs. Start designing player sprites. Add sound. Create an enemy sprite. Add collision detection and AI. Create a life counter and some sort of scoring system. Bam, you've got a game!

 

Wat to burn ROMs into carts? You'll need blank cart shells, typically harvested from crappy R1 Atari games that nobody wants or supply exceeds demand for. Scrub the label off. Get blank PCBs and an EPROM burner and eraser. Erase the ROMs if their UV type, then program the data onto the chips. Good idea to have a socketed test cart to verify the ROM works on real hardware before you solder it in. Harmony cdev cart can be used to test ROMs before you burn them. You'll need a good printer and adhesive labels and some image editing software to design lable art. Exact knife will make a more accurate cut than scissors. If you want boxes that process is even more involved.

 

But simply asking people to do the work for you is unfair. As stated above this is a hobby for the vast majority of us. A hobby is something people do for enjoyment, not for to make money (job). Typically homebrewers barely brake even, and that is not even considering the many hours spent working on a project.

[+Andrew Davie]

I also rejected a request to include Qb on Flashback. Or, more accurately we could not agree on $ and IP.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Question for Andrew and Thomas: If you guys had accepted Atari's offer, would you have still been allowed to distribute ROMs or sell carts on AtariAge?

Edited January 4, 2014 by stardust4ever

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I think so. But as soon we might collide with Atari's business, some stupid lawyer sure would have been after us.

 

Just look at the naughty C&D Andrew got for his completely harmless website.

[+Andrew Davie]

I can't recall exactly, but I seem to remember the IP would belong to them. I was under no circumstances willing to give up the IP. Also I was asking for too much for them.

[RetroFiends]

Asking someone to give up all the rights to something they created for a lump sum of cash is kind of outrageous, especially when being approached with the intent to put said IP into a specific product. It would seem to make more sense to license it.

I could probably be convinced if the number was high enough, AND I was sure I wasn't going to do anything else with it. On the flip side, I wouldn't be bothered at all if someone made derivative work of something I'd done. In fact I'd be flattered.

[Andromeda Stardust]

On the flip side, I wouldn't be bothered at all if someone made derivative work of something I'd done. In fact I'd be flattered.

Yes, exactly how Nintendo was "flattered" by Sprybug's Princess Rescue homebrew.

[adamchevy]

Mario seems like he should be fair game. He's been around for over 30 years! I can't believe someone would want to make a tribute game on the Atari. That's weird !

[Andromeda Stardust]

Mario seems like he should be fair game. He's been around for over 30 years! I can't believe someone would want to make a tribute game on the Atari. That's weird !

But what a fine tribute it was!

[RetroFiends]

This is the second time I've seen Princess Rescue brought up on this. I need to find the thread with the deets on it.
Edit: I hope this doesn't mean it's not available anymore. I was saving up for a cart
Edit: Oh, wow. That blows. It's like Great Giana Sisters all over again. Yet nintendo at least forgave that one enough to release Giana Sisters reboot on DS...

Edited January 5, 2014 by RetroFiends