opcode

Jess, it's been that way for quite some time now. We even had a third major publisher until recently (Pixelboy). But I don't really see myself as a "publisher" per se, at least not in the sense of publishing others' games, just my own, especially in the ColecoVision realm. Those ColecoVision clubs pretty much do the same thing, you get a membership and games with them. But there are some differences as well. We announce the games beforehand, whereas CollectorVision keep theirs under wraps until shipment. Both options offer great value if you're into the games they offer.

Oh, they do. Well, technically they do own the trademarks. Same modus operandi as usual, apply to the trademark and see if that sticks (aka if the proper owner isn't paying attention). AFAIK Sega contested and got back the Zaxxon trademark, but somehow it doesn't matter for them...

Ha, this is funny. Clive Sinclair complaining about people using his machine for video games. What was he expecting? Serious applications? With that "keyboard"? You're correct, Jess, it is completely unsuitable for video games. But then it is completely unsuitable for anything else! Lol

Yes, it's well-documented that they used the TMS9918 as their starting point, as Uemura himself mentioned in several interviews. For those interested in technical details, grab a chair and let me explain. The capabilities and performance of a graphics chip are typically linked to its video memory bandwidth. The more bandwidth a chip has, the better graphics it can deliver. Surprisingly, the NES video chip (PPU) and the TMS9918 share the same bandwidth (and the same funny pixel clock as well). However, Nintendo achieved additional graphical capabilities through clever design choices. They relocated the sprite attribute table inside the chip itself, rather than in the VRAM. This optimization significantly reduced VRAM access during each scanline, allowing for better tile and sprite graphics. On the other hand, the TMS still outperforms in some aspects. For instance, it allows VRAM access at any time during a frame, albeit with different timings, which isn't the case with the PPU. With the PPU, VRAM can only be accessed during VBLANKs, posing a significant constraint. In our next magazine we should be discussing some of this for.... reasons.... Hopefully you will be helping us with that.... Oh, and by the way, still related to the CV, Sega was ready to launch an official ColecoVision for the Japanese market when they decided to scrap the deal with Coleco and pursue their own design, which turned out to be a clone. Consequently, after the ColecoVision, the video game world was inundated with ColecoVision "clones", one way or another. The TMS chip was the very first modern 2D video chip as far as consoles are concerned. And as much as I'm holding myself back from saying it, player-missile graphics leave much to be desired (aka suck).

I agree that the lack of hardware scrolling is a significant weakness in the TMS9918 video chip. However, it's worth noting that it wasn't originally designed with video games in mind. On the other hand, let's not forget the exceptional impact of the Famicom. It took the industry by storm, hardware-wise, due to its remarkable strength at an unmatched price point. At the time of the Famicom's release, no competitor in Japan could match Nintendo's price, not even Casio with their PV-1000. This leads me to believe that Nintendo was incredibly fortunate to secure a deal with a chip factory that was essentially idle, likely offering them an unbeatable deal. Under normal circumstances, the Famicom should have cost significantly more than its 15,000 yen price point (equivalent to less than $70 US in 1983!!!). Such pricing was exceptionally low for hardware of its caliber. Had the Famicom been priced closer to $200 US in 1983, the SG-1000 and ColecoVision would have been much more competitive. It's also important to remember that the SG-1000 remained in the market until 1986/87 in Japan, while the MSX1, utilizing a similar chipset, endured until 1988.

Adjusting from 60Hz to 50Hz isn't trivial in most cases (I mean, in terms of ColecoVision). Music playback is fairly easy to adjust, but movement of all the screen elements might be a big headache. I feel sorry for all PAL CV users out there, as they keep playing everything 20% slower than it should be.

Yes, we are still alive and kicking. Please try this page: http://opcodegames.com/digital/order_now.html

My apologies for the late response. In case you still need assistance with this, please contact us at support [at] opcodegames [dot] com. I can get you an invoice if necessary. Thanks!

Good morning. It is hard to say for sure without knowing your real name, but since we double check each order before shipping, chances are that you paid for two copies.

Thank you! DK jr. is a particularly challenging game for the CV because Jr himself is already 4 sprites wide. That explains why Coleco made him so small in their origina port. But we are keeping him arcade size, so our usual "More Color" mode truly stretches the limits of sprite flickering. Usually for the "Less Flicker" mode I keep the main character intact and remove colors from enemies only, but for this game I have figured out a way to save an extra sprite for Jr. as well.

Yes, you can deleted all saved scores and settings if you want. And sure, I will keep posting here.

About 8"x6"x1 3/8"

Thank you! Appreciate the kind words and support!

Big thanks once again to everyone who pre-ordered! Your support means the world to us. Apologies for not posting here daily, but rest assured, we've been hard at work behind the scenes. I'll keep you updated as soon as we have news to share. Also, exciting news: we're sending out test copies to prominent YouTubers, so stay tuned to see more of our games in action soon! 😊

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the members who placed their pre-orders yesterday. Your support and patronage mean a great deal to us, and we're committed to doing our utmost to meet and exceed your expectations. Thank you once again for your trust in us!