imstarryeyed Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 I wanted this to come out as well. I am not sure its coming out, but I have to say while I was waiting I did go for the Atari Flashback 8 Gold Activision Black Box Edition... This one has more games than the standard Gold edition. I found a link on Wal Mart for a cheap one with Posters!! If any of you all wanted one I recommend the website and get the one with the 3 Activision posters, they are really nice, heavy laminated and normal poster size. In true strange WalMart fashion, the best edition with posters is cheaper than the other versions with less.. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldLeader Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 I wanted this to come out as well. I am not sure its coming out, but I have to say while I was waiting I did go for the Atari Flashback 8 Gold Activision Black Box Edition... This one has more games than the standard Gold edition. I found a link on Wal Mart for a cheap one with Posters!! If any of you all wanted one I recommend the website and get the one with the 3 Activision posters, they are really nice, heavy laminated and normal poster size. In true strange WalMart fashion, the best edition with posters is cheaper than the other versions with less.. The posters look cool and all, and yes they are just bonus items, but I find it funny they'd include a poster of Laser Blast,...One pointless, crappy game if ever there was one...While they have good games like H.E.R.O., Beamrider, Spider Fighter, Megamania, and River Raid right in the system...Any one of which would have made a Better Poster IMHO... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 It could have been selected on grounds of being the first Activision game. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+LS650 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Or maybe someone thought the artwork looked cool, whatever the game. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jentzsch Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 I'm still holding out hope that they use a current version of Stella in a way that does not violate the GPL. This is achievable, and could make for a great product in the end. And I am holding hope that, in case they are violating GPL (== theft), no one in this forum would buy this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 And I am holding hope that, in case they are violating GPL (== theft), no one in this forum would buy this. I am further hoping the community is watching Hyperkin closely enough that the company won't get the chance to release an offending product in the first place. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Ideally, yes. But if they go retail, many people outside of the community are going to buy it up with nary a care. They may be counting on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Ideally, yes. But if they go retail, many people outside of the community are going to buy it up with nary a care. They may be counting on that. Considering this will be the third time they've had to own up to stealing code, it really reflects poorly on them as a company if this happens. They can't claim to be serving a community when they're literally stealing from it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHairy Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 (edited) There are a number of ways that they could be running a GPL'd emulator without violating the GPL, as discussed earlier in this topic. Also, they only have to release source code changes at the time they distribute the binaries. If they are just doing demos right now, then they don't have to release their source code changes (if any) until they do. I'm still holding out hope that they use a current version of Stella in a way that does not violate the GPL. This is achievable, and could make for a great product in the end. Indeed there are, but I haven't seen or heard anything that suggests that they are using a GPLed version of Stella and honoring the license (or that they are using a recent, GPLed version of Stella at all). If this doesn't change and they end up shipping a product that emulates flawlessly and supports DPC+ and CDF, they have either swallowed the bullet and done a cleanroom reimplementation of the emulation core and the cartridge code, or they are violating the GPL. If they are found to violate the GPL and thus are illegally monetizing our unpaid work, I hope that everybody who understands this and the implications has the integrity to not reward them with their money. Edited January 11, 2018 by DirtyHairy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 (edited) I think the majority of folks who understand the issues won't purchase a 77, if the license is violated. But they're a tiny minority. I don't believe it's enough to make or break the product. My concern would be the general public. The people who don't follow the Stella development threads. I do wonder how game sites and youtube reviewers would react. Edited January 11, 2018 by Keatah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHairy Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 (edited) I think the majority of folks who understand the issues won't purchase a 77. But they're a tiny minority. I don't believe it's enough to make or break the product. I do wonder how game sites and youtube reviewers would react. Just to be clear, in plain English: I don't give a shit about their or anybodies sales (I have stopped believing in fairies long ago), but I do care about and have a tendency to be pretty much pissed at anybody who knows that someone is stealing my work and gives them money for doing so Edited January 11, 2018 by DirtyHairy 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Just to be clear, in plain English: I don't give a shit about their or anybodies sales (I have stopped believing in fairies long ago), but I do care about and have a tendency to be pretty much pissed at anybody who knows that someone is stealing my work and gives them money for doing so DH, Speaking at least for myself, if you'd take objection to Hyperkin violating the license and would take action against them, then I'd be more than happy to go all Spartacus on this and join in. (Much as I might want an R77 otherwise). But I do think the onus kind of falls on you to raise your voice and let people know what's going on. Perhaps, if it comes to that, I could lend you some Ideas? But yeah, we have to see if this thing even gets released at all, and what's loaded onto it, before anything else gets discussed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenJ Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Like many of you, I've been hoping for the R77 to become a reality just so I can easily play Atari 2600 games on modern TVs. I don't care at all about any of the goodies emulation brings. I just want an true Atari 2600 clone system (like the Coleco Gemini or even an Atari 2600 on-a-chip)...but one that has a quality internal up-scaling of the video to HDMI and also provides standard AV outs.. That way I know that my Harmony Cart and all of the controllers would work without any problems on any TV.If the general public has to have games come with the system, include a multi-cart. Your thoughts? All the best, StephenJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 I think the majority of folks who understand the issues won't purchase a 77, if the license is violated. But they're a tiny minority. I don't believe it's enough to make or break the product. My concern would be the general public. The people who don't follow the Stella development threads. I do wonder how game sites and youtube reviewers would react. Hopefully they would get the word out and recommend not buying the thing. That's what I would do. I would imagine some of the big channels would be behind this and I'm sure Pat and Ian would be all over it. Ian would have a field day with Hyperkin if they pulled that shit and I would be delighted as watching that means something good came from it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 If it does, they are very likely violating the GPL. Unless they pull a rabbit out of a hat and manage to emulate the hardware while interfacing the bus in realtime! Indeed there are, but I haven't seen or heard anything that suggests that they are using a GPLed version of Stella and honoring the license (or that they are using a recent, GPLed version of Stella at all). If this doesn't change and they end up shipping a product that emulates flawlessly and supports DPC+ and CDF, they have either swallowed the bullet and done a cleanroom reimplementation of the emulation core and the cartridge code, or they are violating the GPL. If they are found to violate the GPL and thus are illegally monetizing our unpaid work, I hope that everybody who understands this and the implications has the integrity to not reward them with their money. Realtime bus access. Don't need current Stella for that. Make it happen... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Like many of you, I've been hoping for the R77 to become a reality just so I can easily play Atari 2600 games on modern TVs. I don't care at all about any of the goodies emulation brings. I just want an true Atari 2600 clone system (like the Coleco Gemini or even an Atari 2600 on-a-chip)...but one that has a quality internal up-scaling of the video to HDMI and also provides standard AV outs.. That way I know that my Harmony Cart and all of the controllers would work without any problems on any TV. If the general public has to have games come with the system, include a multi-cart. Granted you can't use carts (although it is possible) and the controller options are currently limited to NES (e.g. NES Advantage), but it's worth noting the NT Mini-with-jailbreak is pretty close to exactly that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) The posters look cool and all, and yes they are just bonus items, but I find it funny they'd include a poster of Laser Blast,...One pointless, crappy game if ever there was one...While they have good games like H.E.R.O., Beamrider, Spider Fighter, Megamania, and River Raid right in the system...Any one of which would have made a Better Poster IMHO... Hard to argue in favor of Laser Blast, which is a shame. The gameplay is fine, the controls are fine, and the audio/visuals are great. And I love that you can navigate your crippled spacecraft into an enemy laser base, kamikaze style. But Laser Blast has an unforgivable flaw with the difficulty quickly leveling off at much too manageable of a difficulty level. Someone should hack this to speed it up. The foundation of a true classic is all there, it just needs some challenge. Edited January 12, 2018 by Atariboy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 If the general public has to have games come with the system, include a multi-cart. Your thoughts? Adding in a cartridge will drive the price up by at least 10 bucks. Especially if it's a multicart. And then there's licensing fees for most of the games - any games that are worthwhile. Hyperkin already said this product is going into a cost-sensitive market. Therefore I would not expect a multi-cart. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schizophretard Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 And I am holding hope that, in case they are violating GPL (== theft), no one in this forum would buy this. I'm not even interested unless it has Stella while following the GPL. I think of Stella as being like the community's VCS emulator. Therefore, I view duplication of effort by not using Stella as just trying to profit off of the community instead of profiting with the community. It is one of the reasons I'm not interested in the Flashbacks either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 I'm not even interested unless it has Stella while following the GPL. I think of Stella as being like the community's VCS emulator. Therefore, I view duplication of effort by not using Stella as just trying to profit off of the community instead of profiting with the community. It is one of the reasons I'm not interested in the Flashbacks either. The Flashbacks from 3 forward have used their own in-house emulator. However, if hypothetically said Flashbacks were to switch to Stella (or an equivalent on the Sega side) in 2018, it would be 100% by following the GPL and contributing back to the efforts. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 The Flashbacks from 3 forward have used their own in-house emulator. However, if hypothetically said Flashbacks were to switch to Stella (or an equivalent on the Sega side) in 2018, it would be 100% by following the GPL and contributing back to the efforts. If hypothetically this happened, I might actually recommend people buy them if they're casually interested in some retro-nostalgia fixes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBeefy Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 The Flashbacks from 3 forward have used their own in-house emulator. However, if hypothetically said Flashbacks were to switch to Stella (or an equivalent on the Sega side) in 2018, it would be 100% by following the GPL and contributing back to the efforts. That would be cool! I wonder if any homebrewers would offer up some of their games to show them off with an improved system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 That would be cool! I wonder if any homebrewers would offer up some of their games to show them off with an improved system? AtGames is no longer including homebrews with the products. We hope to create a portal at some point for homebrew availability. Let's wait until some of the official announcements in the coming months to discuss more specifics of all of this. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaximRecoil Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) That's right. I'm a veteran gamer having had the VCS when I was a kid, and even I don't want the hassle and inconsistency of older analog-style equipment. Not when I've experienced the games 100% in the digital domain. Yes I can tune RC networks and track down crosstalk and high current drain on an address line. But why when there's a better way altogether? Because classic games look bad on glorified calculator screens. I also would not expect the new and current generation of gamers to spend time hunting down CRTs, adjusting them, cleaning them, and aligning them, and learning enough electronics to make it all work. And what if they dislike electronics or don't have the tools to begin with? Then they would be well-advised to stay away from worn out CRT TVs from e.g., the '70s and '80s. Those TVs were never that great anyway, especially since nearly all of them had no inputs other than RF, and they maxed out at about 27". Find a CRT in good condition from the 2000s, when 32" with composite, S-video, and component inputs were common, and you don't have to mess with anything at all. If you buy anything that's worn out you're going to have to fix it before it will work right, obviously. A CRT in good condition will, in all likelihood, far outlast any digital TV made today. Sure some of on AA wouldn't have it any other way. Some of us even *like* doing it for fun. But for the wider general populace, read as casual gamer or budding collector, it's a different story. The hassle factor is too great. You have a bizarre notion about CRTs; it sounds like you've never owned one that wasn't worn out. The CRT TV that I use for classic consoles, a 32" RCA, I bought new in 2005 and it still works like new, and its picture still looks like that of a new TV as well. I've never had to do anything to it. Edited January 12, 2018 by MaximRecoil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 I'm not even interested unless it has Stella while following the GPL. I think of Stella as being like the community's VCS emulator. Therefore, I view duplication of effort by not using Stella as just trying to profit off of the community instead of profiting with the community. It is one of the reasons I'm not interested in the Flashbacks either. In a way.. I did a little bit of testing and bug reporting. I would be upset if I were to be doing that for free for a company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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