newcoleco

ColecoVision Unreleased Stuff - Part 1 http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=-qZ4vBbb-TA For the next part, I need your help. I'm looking for more unreleased game informations, including scans, roms and exhibition footage. I've already send an email to BlueSkyRanger to have their collaboration to show the unreleased games He-Man Master of the univers. If you can help me, please contact me.

RWB saw a way to make money by exploiting a brand name wellknow by retro-gamers. They did fail in exploiting right the names Coleco and Head-to-Head, giving the Coleco brand a bad reputation. Finding a name for the new game system may be easy. I'm sure we can find a cool name like "flashback". Bit Corp did the hardware for dina 2-in-1 also know as the personal arcade and these names don't sound like the word Coleco. I suppose we can collect donations and pre-orders to get enough money for a production. I'm afraid you are right about not having enough money to cover the research and development part, and that's why only a fan based console can be possible at this point. We need first to decide which console project to do, then figure out how to make it at low cost.

Yes, 5000 sounds too big... but I think it's only because we have no idea how great this project can be. I don't know if it counts, but my video about how I make new ColecoVision games in cartridges actually beat the 5000 views. It's the most popular video in my channel. There are more Coleco fans out there! We just don't know how many. The sales number of CV homebrew games reflect only the reality of the actual ColecoVision owners. By adding more consoles in the hands of Coleco fans who just don't have the chance to own an original one, we will see a positive boost in the ColecoVision homebrew scene and bring back the real power of this incredible game system powered by the fans. If selling wordwide is a problem, then let's go for a more specific market. As soon as the console came out, the fans will do the rest to modify it to be playable everywhere they want. * a side note * I saw so many people who just can't play again with their own ColecoVision game systems because of broken controllers, video chip problems, and much more. In years 2000-2002, I had to sell my spares ColecoVision game systems, and one of them goes to Serge-Eric Tremblay, who did a ColecoVision homebrew game named Amazing Snake. I do not have enough fingers to count the number of times I heard about ColecoVision game system problems from friends I meet with the Internet, and it's not because it was a bad game system. I had to say "sorry" to some people who think I was someone from the original Coleco Industries and can replace their broken controllers or find a particular cabbage patch kid toy.

Telegames told me we need a minimum of 5000 units to release in the market. The question is : "is there at least 5000 people who will want to buy a ColecoVision clone system?" Hopefully, the answer can be find with the help of the Internet to quickly spread the word, do a survey, collect opinions and do pre-orders when the project will be in the production phase. Even if I'm very enthousiast, I know we can only focus on one clone system with the biggest chance of success, we have to study all the possibilities and find the best one to support it. During that time, I want to make a short video asking people if they want a ColecoVision clone system for today's tvset, and with luck, I may keep the attention of webzines, news, press, and all the Coleco fans around the world. Some people may say : "it's a waste of time."; answer them : "doing nothing is a waste of time".

With Hi-Tech C compiler, you can add codes in assembler in your C project. Even if I did experiment using assembler a couple of times to switch banks, it was only for multicart projects, not bigger rom projects. By using assembler, you can specify addresses for the data rather than using references (or pointers). So, if the game engine is in the first 16k and the rest is data, you can use an hex editor to merge all the parts together to fit the pcb specificiations. I did something like this in the past and it works fine, but it was not related to a game project.

Yes, this thread is familiar to some others. For me, this means it's a good idea and we should do it.

Not personally, but in year 2000 or 2001, someone email me to say that he did use a 24k original coleco pcb to make his own dacman cartridge.

msx in a chip, and coleco in a chip, I knew it was possible. Personally, I can't make a prototype. However, I can offer my games and keep the contact with Telegames UK. I'm sure there is enough brain here to figure out how to make the console and how to mass product it at low cost.

Stay on your chair and read carefully. I admit to be one of those who expected a ColecoVision tvgame system. For those who don't know it, TechnoSource did a couple of tvgame systems including those with Activision and Intelivision games. They also did some products with the name Coleco on it, but nothing with ColecoVision content. The only tvgames released with the name Coleco was an attempt to port electronic games like the head-to-head games to a console to plug on tv. Some people mix Coleco and ColecoVision, so they bought these tvgames with high expectation and finally they got a big deception because they wanted ColecoVision games. I tried to contact RWB, but they are maybe in vacations. So I contacted TechnoSource to know if RWB asked them to make something with the ColecoVision brand name. TechnoSource simply reply this : I suppose then RWB are not going to release anything related to the original ColecoVision game system. For those who don't know it, Telegames still have the worldwide copyrights on most of the ColecoVision games we know. I don't know what RWB said to Telegames, but the result is we still not have a Colecovision related tvgame system... I don't know for you but I think it's sad. I talked with Telegames UK and they told me they are going to stop completely their 8bit activities in a few months, they have no dina 2-in-1 left, and no mold to produce more cartridges, they just selling stuff they still have in their inventory. I decided to continue the discussion and talk about an idea of making a tvgame system with built-in ColecoVision games like Donkey Kong, and this is the answer : I ask them if I can talk about this with my friends; the answer was quick and affirmative. I don't know what you think about it, it looks like we have the ok to do our own tvgame system with classic ColecoVision games. The idea I submited to Telegames was between a close tvgame and an open console system. I heard about making console emulation in a chip, and I suppose it's possible to make one chip that emulate well enough the ColecoVision game system. And if this console made with this coleco in a chip thing can handle real ColecoVision cartridge too, with a cartridge slot, this will make fans happier and help a lot the Coleco homebrew scene as well as the Coleco fans. The replay value with a cartridge slot increase the selling potential in my opinion. Well, It seems to me that it's up to us to develop a ColecoVision tvgame system for the fans. What do you think about that? It's a good idea or not? Will we do it or not?

This picture remembers me the cartridge I had for testing some homebrew games like puzzle twin (puyo puyo) and other coleco projects never release yet. I called my cartridge with a zif socket a protocart. Since I let others publishing my games, testing my games with the cv usb multicart is just what I need now. I didn't receive a mr.chin cartridge yet.

If I'm allowed to answer this question, I will say something like this : Well, I collect games and video game systems because I want it in the first place. It's not a real answer so let me go further. Well, collecting games makes me feel that what I purchase in the past can stay alive if I collect even more games for these lovely game systems I played during my life. And because I had the feeling that the video game crash interrupts my fun to play with my ColecoVision, even if it helped my older brother getting games in the first place for a cheap price, I decided that this particular game system didn't deserve to die like this. So, what I tried to do, was collecting games and lean how to make some more. And if it's nostalgia, then I'm a nostalgic person; if it's passion, then I'm a passionate person; if it's pathetic, then I'm a pathetic person. Even if my story seems to be dedicated to a single game system, I have 10 game systems, a Commodore 64, and some other computers like a Tandy1000 and a ti99/4a. I have games for all these game systems and computers, but I have to concentrate on a few systems because all this cost time and money. Do I collect for others, no. Do I collect to sale things, not if I can avoid it because selling the games I bought for my collection is not something I do when everything goes well for me. Do I collect for any bad reasons know to mankind, I don't think so. Do I have the impression of preserving games, yes for some games but no for the majority because they are on tapes and disks like those for the Commodore 64 that I know are in real danger or probably just demagnetized. I have to dump my original Commodore 64 stuff and I still have no x1541 working cable. and I hope every year it's not too late. I tried 5 years ago to play one of my games and the magnetic information just peel off the disk surface by reading the directory sectors.

ABOUT GZ I'm using 7zip that was not associated with file extention gz in my Windows, but it's works fine with gzip files. ABOUT ROM I tried the game, and so far I have tons of questions. When I tried the game, I had memories of "Omega Race", "Combat", and also my Coleco minigame "Space Trainer". My first question is : So far, what is your prediction, your plan, about this game project? My second question is : Will it be part of a bigger game? or tons of graphics variations like "Combat"? or part of a multiple games cartridge? My third question is : Why I can't shoot straight? My last question for now is : What is true and wrong in this affirmation : the blue projectiles are "repulsive", green projectiles are "attractive", and red projectiles are "targetting"?

I can't answer your question because I don't know enough about Atari technical details and the possible development kits available. But, if we only talk about reproducing the rules of these games engines to make similar games for the Atari consoles, my guess is it's possible. But based on my actual knowledge, Atari version of these minigames are not in progress and not even in our plans. Maybe it will change in the future. Tell us which minigame you prefer and I'm sure people here will be happy to make an Atari version... I may even give it a try.

An official web page have been done to order a cartridge of ColecoVision Minigames. You should take a look at the web page even if you don't want a cartridge. http://www.adamcon.org/cartridge.html

Any progress for this game? Are you already in the process to release the final version or there still a lot of things to do?

Hello J-F, I'm sure I will get my cartridge soon. During that time, can I ask you what will be the next game from you after Mr.Chin ?

Hello again Scott, I'm writing this message to put back at the top this thread and to ask you a question : How this project is going? Any progress about selling this game soon?

Life is full of trials and errors. Let me try to explain the situation I experienced during all these years. My dream was to make games for the ColecoVision game system and it's exactly what I did. At the beginning, my experience in coleco programming wasn't filled with tools and emulators like today, we developed all these tools and ways to publish games during the last 8 years and no one complains about it. It's fun to talk about all the cool stuff we are making to people who share the same passion. And if you still don't understand why we bother to publish in carts, look at what we did during all these years... personaly, I think it's cool! we did make new games for the golden age consoles! it's amazing! And there is nothing like the real deal, the real machine, no emulator is perfect and a usb joypad or a keyboard with more than 100 buttons is not a Coleco or an Atari joystick... it's really not the same. There is nothing bad about playing public domain games with emulators; but it's just not the same. The reason why we publish games in cartridges? Read all the messages in forums like this one and you will have your answer. You know, I'm starting to consider you as a troll. So I will apologize and stop answering your messages because it's really going off-topic.

To complete the discussion, there still another possibility... Rather than doing games we want, it's making games for others as a contract. Because of the contract, the game rights is something the programmers lose but also avoid legal problems. I had the chance to experiment a contract at least one time with success. And more recently, I received two offers, and one came from River West Brand, to make Colecovision games... and I think it's because of the visibility I tried so much to increase during years. It's very difficult to do an original game, and those who can do it, congratulations! I have some original ideas, but I have other projects in the way. Free time is another problem, but it's not related to the actual subject.

The Omega Race game I remember was only Black and White. I have no clue on where are the graphics and how it's coded in the rom file. Using debug mode with bluemsx should help you to figure it out by yourself. However, my guess is what you are planning to do will need more than changing a couple of pixels. I think you will need to rewrite some part in assembler because what you want to do seems not supported by the actual version.

It's not getting creepy, this is the real life for the homebrewers that some gamers may have no clue about it, and it concerns more than just the coleco homebrew scene. So I see the point PKK is giving here, and it's a good advice. Only the term homebrew is enough for some people, and specially lawyers, to consider something illegal. These persons also forget that homebrew is how means things a person build at home, exactly what people did in thepast before being big companies like Apple and Microsoft. I can't deny that many homebrew games are not considered legal, but at the same time it's what gamers want, and for game systems like Atari2600 and ColecoVision no more in the market, what is the problem to have a fan made games library? I can't see the problem of publishing original games. In fact, more I develop projects, more I want to publish my own games rather than programming games already made. I worked at a video game company and I can say that they continuously copy each others, they just try to not make them looks too much alike and never use a trademark or copyright name on it.

Even if it's an open secret, it's better to not name anyone.

Hello Philipp, Actually, getting a license to make a port is something I didn't see yet. And the critics about original games mostly finish like : "it looks like this and that" or "it's crap". What I know for sure is there are some people who pay, or at least ask permission, to release in cartridges the prototypes made by companies like AtariSoft, and that's why we finally get pacman, digdug and joust in cartridges. But some prototypes, like He-Man, are ready to be release but not release at all because both part, the toys company and the actual owners of these rom, do not agree about money. There is something I don't understand about prototypes. The rights to make a game based on He-Man, Drangon's Lair or whatever license was already granted in past, so how these games never released suddently became not license to be release if originally it was supposed to be released? If I'm wrong, prove it to me. The toys companies logic is beyond my conception of logic; what I think it's happening is they saw a way to make even more money on something they already negociated in the past and "forgot" for their own benifits. They want to make us afraid of them just because they want more money, that's the only purpose I can see, and it works. It's true that arcade games have more success than original content for at least 3 reasons : 1st - nostalgia, gamers played these games in the arcade. 2nd - colecovision success was based on license arcade games. and the story continue. 3rd - a good reputation of an arcade game result in an immediate success of the port version. All these reasons explain why it's more difficult to suggest original content than arcade games. Each time we have something new, some people said it's a reskin of this or it looks like that, and if it's too original the gamers are afraid and prefer something they already know. What can we do? With time, if the original games we made are really good, the reputation and success will be there, just delayed. And a way to keep a success is to base the new games on a same character that became a mascot, an icon that gamers will recognize as good quality. That's why sequels work, that's why a name like Mario gets already the attention, even if some games are bad. Making original content for ColecoVision is not an easy task, and it's satisfying to realize that you did it all by yourself, it's your own idea and it's a success. At this point, you can consider yourself as a real video game company with a good reputation and success; and gamers are then expecting no more than excellence for your next games and this can be hard to deal with. PKK, I'm very impress of what you did and what you are doing now. I encourage you to continue. I admit it, I don't have all your games, but it's just a question of time. Take care and good luck in your projects. Sincerely, Daniel Bienvenu

I think it should stay as is, otherwise it will multiply the forums to check just to be informed about the homebrew scene. Maybe I'm wrong, but if your complain is about the Coleco content, and more specific about my messages, let me know directly. Coleco and Atari was great competitors. I think this competition still alive between video game systems users, and it's ok. In a way, it keeps both systems alive like in the past. By coexisting, we are stronger.

I will not blame you to not release the rom file. In fact, most of the conversions are not available in ROM files. Each author is different and I don't see a problem with that. For me, it's another story, I like sharing my coleco stuff.