Atari-Jess

http://www.robotron2084guidebook.com/home/games/berzerk/alanmcneil/interview/ Maybe this one? Definitely has some of the same stuff, just too tired to compare the whole thing.

For those of you here long enough to remember me, I was a big fan of Berzerk. Quite a long time ago now. I knew early on about the significance of that era of video game history and that many of the games and devices that I enjoyed were created by people, pioneers, who were largely still with us 20 years ago. On occasion, I could find the contact information of some of these individuals and talk about "the good old days"... I found one for Alan McNeil the programmer for Stern's Berzerk. I found the email while waxing nostalgic. I thought I would look him up again and discovered he had passed in 2017. I had a number of questions for him, but he offered me a lengthy writeup about Berzerk that he had originally written for an British video game magazine. I don't know which one it was, and none of the text is coming up with any results online. Maybe it's out there somewhere but he copied his original responses to the questions which for all I know could have been abridged, reduced, edited, modified in some way, etc. He invited me to use his writeup as I had always planned on sharing it with AtariAge. I just never got around to it. That was in 2008. I'll just paste the good part, the actual body of text rather than the kind words I had for him and Berzerk... what I offer are the unabridged and verbatim responses for the unnamed magazine. Maybe you can help identify it?

Any update on this? Curt's website is important to me, and others, and I know we all just want to see it back online as soon as possible.

Al, I sent ya a message... ❤️

Jan, thank you for making this game. It's nice to see the ol' VCS still can get an enjoyable game out of it. I think the sequel, especially if some random-ness could be managed (with some help from our friends here) then that game would be quite incredible. Congratulations on your release, I look forward to more!

Ive bought my copperclad and some ferric today along with some parts for a test unit. The plan is to make several PCBs, manufacture one - test it to ensure it functions... then take orders for the rest of the PCBs from the etching. I plan on etching as many as possible and going from there. I want to thank everyone who has shown interest thus far, and I look forward to providing you all with the demonstrative unit via video in the near future. Anyone still looking to nab one, there is still plenty of time before I go out to buy the parts in bulk! I'll also give the final price, I hope to be as close to possible as my estimate

I used the shipping calculator from Canada Post as an international shipment to the netherlands. I was admittedly suspicious of the price I received as well (the next price up jumps to about 40 euro) but the quote I got was the quote I got and I've yet to be surprised once I reach the counter... I'd be happy to see it be accurate (naturally) and I appreciate your experience in the matter

Best price for shipping to the Netherlands would be somewhere about 15 Euro, maybe closer to 10 euro. I don't know if there is any tracking for that price.

You'll need to provide your own SIO cable, however if someone wanted to ship one to me, I could slice in the sio cable directly. What the sdrive pcb is designed for is a DB15 connector... What I usually do is shove wires in between the port there, and the sio cable and tape it together. I've done that with my old SIO2PC cable for years with no problems. You could even hot glue it together without worrying about permenant damage to the sio cable. I find this works just fine. And yes, you'd only need to provide your SD card, sdrive .atr file and your user .atr files just as it is intended.

anybody else? Looks like with this response I'll be making 5 (4 to spare)

I calculated shipping to oregon, but I assume prices will be similar across the continental US ~$8 for small packet surface ~$10 for small packet air, ~$20 for expedited parcel All these prices may vary, could be much cheaper for NY, MI, NJ, or much more for NV, TX, FL etc... You can calculate it yourself with any generic toronto postal code Estimated service times here: http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/personal/productsservices/send/parcels.jsf Assuming an 8"x8"x3" at about 1lb. Please use this as a general guide, I might add a buck or two for the actual packaging material, but I'm not charging for my time to ship it.

I'm looking to make myself an SDRIVE (or few, if anyone is interested...) I'll be in a basic case. Cost will probably be around $35 CAD/USD or 25 euro. Just checking interest right now...

Selling my K-TEL Vulture Attack 2600 Cartridge. (R9 @AA) See pictures. If anyone here can *strongly* beat my current 'offer' of $115 -- this is your chance to own one of the rarest Atari 2600 cartridges. Buyer pays actual shipping (no BS handling charge) There are rarer, and yes, some may critique the "rarity" of this cartridge, but "it is what it is". Would make an excellent x-mas gift for yourself As you can see cart works, features the funky black handle and has typical K-TEL label mottling (just like your standard Activision cartridge) I'm not getting out of collecting, just getting out of this "burden" I know it would make someone else happier (and I could use the cash!) I will accept Paypal or Interac Etransfer if you're a Canuck.

loose carts wanted, things to trade? looking for: Mario Bros, Dark Chanbers, Star Trek, Star Wars: Death Star Battle and Jedi Arena, Montezuma's Revenge, Video Olympics TRADE FODDER: All of these I'd need most/multiple/several+cash to part with trade wise... Ipac 4 (4 player arcade to usb/ps2 thing) Final Fantasy 3 (6j) for SNES Atari 130XE (with box but missing screws and psu) boxed c64 (Obviously the shipping on these items would be significant...) OR: Or offer me a reasonable price! located in Toronto Canada, and as you can see I'm something of a veteran of this site

I'm looking for a copy of 2600 Mario Bros. If anyone has one, let me know what you want for it. I'm looking "as cheap as possible" as per usual. Thanks guys.

I saw a slot car game of this concept. Wait too expensive. 400 for ipad then 200 each per itouch? Or worse per iPhone? I love the concept but anytime it's been used it always didn't come to fruition or flopped. Lynx and jaguar, gba and gcn gbplayer, ds and wii, this will likely fall into those footsteps. It's a good idea but economically unrealistic as a even a side thing. That's a very interesting idea (assuming I'm envisioning it correctly), and I applaud anything that helps board games survive in the digital age. There would be the obvious benefits of only you being able to see your cards, moves, possibly dice rolls, etc. as opposed to playing on a console. I do wonder though, most people play the PC/Console version of a board game mainly when they don't have a opponent in the same room (either against the AI or somebody in another part of the world via the internet). AI & internet opponents would be welcome additions if they are not already in the specs. I don't see this replacing board gaming as we know it though, especially as "house rules" often come into play, but if it came with a large number of licensed games (or the ability to install said games as inexpensive add-on modules) I could see it doing well. Being iPad based will hurt it IMO, but this could be the killer app the iPad needs. I wish you luck with it.

I'm here to ask some hard questions, not about your recent history so you can relax! Atari had a real chance to become a technological superpower rivaling IBM, rivaling Apple, rivaling Google. Many of the technologies that came out of atari were at least thought up, drafted, or spawned during your tenure. The end result of course is that you now get to return to what some may call a "disgraced" brand (of which I blame Warner and then much later the Tramiels) that is now legitimising itself in the new eyes of new generations through it's publishing efforts and paying homage to old fans with products from legacy engineering (hint: help these guys) You're now in a better position than everto help guide Atari SA into something you might again be very happy with. Of course in a much different direction... The questions are of course: What would you have done differently to have prevented your ousting in the late 70s (perhaps something years earlier)? What do you feel was your greatest failure at Atari (a regret). If you could have had one final project (a product release) that was either shelved or drastically changed post departure, what would it have been? As Atari corporate culture changed more and more, when did you find yourself no longer the leading figure of influence? And finally, what kind of personal sacrifices did you make during the early days and then later during the latter part of your tenure? Much obliged!

Wow. This has been a pretty intense thread from about every possible angle. Who could have guessed that we would end up seeing both the best and the worst this forum could offer? We've got some of the old-standbys who have changed little in the almost 10 years (edit: i'll be fair and say 8.5 years) that I've been here (you probably don't know who you are unless you want to be smart and finger point yourselves) But at the same time we've managed to bring some of the most uniquely fortunate individuals from the literal birth of an industry (using electronics for 'consumer' purposes!) pioneers in many respects. The people who are directly responsible (directly in any sense you wish) for the playthings, and the obsessions therein, of millions of childhoods. My point is, I'm glad that we've managed to take another huge step thanks to the internet. I'm glad I always seem to arrive just in time for things like this, and am fortunate to have been a part of this forum as long as I have. Some of you fellows got way too emotional these past days. And others though both right and wrong in many respects are in the end concerning yourselves with the warm hospitality that AtariAge is known for (though in this case a little late and after a lot of mud slinging...) and more importantly the facts. It was important for Curt to be 100% certain on the identity of NolanB. He did him a service by ensuring he was speaking for himself (despite the perhaps high probability that it took a while for that to actually be true) As far as the other people lurking like Dabney and co., that's pretty cool too. While I don't really expect much of a reply, I think we are going well in the bridge making process and the healing efforts. Good job folks. That said, I'm still quite excited to see what will happen as a result of Bushnell's appointment to the BoD at the new Atari, if we end up with something good, all is well. (Though obviously I'm coming to understand just how limited the clout level will be) Really cool thread, the kind of thread I've been waiting for in many respects. Just a bit of a shame that we didn't do it in the best way. Definitely could have used less emotional/private "BS" but looks like we're mostly clear. I realise I'm rambling. I'll keep my eye open on the new threads that will popup from these interesting new accounts.

I haven't read many of the posts in this thread, I'm just putting in my input. Nolan Bushnell is important just like The Queen of England, the Emperor of Japan and any other "head of state". Many of these people throughout history have been fortunate merely in circumstance. By this I mean he is a figure head. He is the kind of person who has lucked out by being at the right place at the right time, and putting ideas together. He is a Steve Jobs type character in some respects. Not with incredible business sense or technological sense, but a person with a vision (though I use that word very lightly) By this I mean he is an ideas man. As someone trained in PR, this obviously reeks of it and is clearly just a way to try to gain some legitimacy. In many people's eyes there is pretty much nothing that is going to satisfy them. I often wonder why people are even riled up about this when its clear the only thing they really care about are the games. Certainly I can understand why someone like Curt would be "butt-hurt" over Bushnell, being screwed over is a pretty serious thing though I'm now warning Curt that he ought to be careful with his tongue if Bushnell ends up with any clout given his current dealings with "Atari" and the enjoyable flashback efforts. All I can say is that I personally see this as a positive move. Atari now has the name, the licenses, and "the man" and is inching its way to being a remade Atari. As much as I can already sense you armchair experts in the various disciplines hammering away at keyboards to rage at me and I don't mean that to be insulting (as I myself am an armchair expert in various things I claim to know) but in the end it doesn't matter what a group of enthusiasts like us care. Atari doesn't cater to us and won't ever. Atari delivers products to a young generation of hardcore gamers with the occasional serving of retro love to interested audiences. Despite this, it's still about as mainstream as they can be given their circumstances. They aren't here to remake your favourite arcades, they aren't here to be the all-american hardware company (Microsoft is your next best bet there) and they are here for one reason. To make money. And that is all Nolan ever wanted to do, despite his successes and failures his name alone lends to the uninformed and perhaps even the carefree an extra iota of legitimacy to an otherwise hollow institution. If they make money, then thats good for them. If they end up enabling people like Curt to make things like the Flashback portable, or Flashback 3 then even better, thats about the most we can hope for from the new Atari, and maybe just maybe Bushnell might even like this idea more than those already on the board of Atari. This might be a blessing in disguise. But I don't know, none of us know (with obvious possible exceptions) and it will be interesting to see where it develops from here.

If everything goes to plan, it doesn't look like I'll be able to get there on Wednesday or the weekend (though its still possible if i find different trains) If you know of anyone willing to take in a lost little tourist/traveller, let me know as soon as you can. I appreciate your efforts to the highest degree.

Where in Sweden are you? I'd probably be there on like, the 17th, 18th, or 19th. Is there anything open on Sundays?

I will likely be in on the 15th to 16th. Let me know if this can be arranged!

I realise this is off-topic but: I'm going to be taking a budget trip to Europe on April 6th to April 20th-21st. If you live in: Paris France (metro area) Lisbon Portugal (metro area) Rome Italy (metro area) Berlin Germany (metro area) Oslo Norway (metro area) I need a place to sleep and a shower for one night. I do not need meals, money, or a ride. I am 24 years old. I don't have any criminal record, I don't smoke or drink. I am quiet, clean, and very friendly. I can offer you 5-10 euro if necessary. I can give you more exact dates ASAP but dont yet have them, please send me a PM or REPLY if you can help make my europe trip great! If you have any questions, ask me! thank you! And yes, I've already taken into account hostels and I will be sleeping in a lot of trains already. I'm looking to save even more money.

I've amassed the vast majority of my collection thanks to the thrifts. I still find carts now and again (I'm in Toronto for the record) but I haven't seen big finds in quite some time. I started collecting about 10 years ago (late comparatively!) and I'd just about say finds are dead. I used to be able to pick up entire systems with 20+ games for 20 bucks? 10 bucks? Now I see the occasional common for $3, and that about scores it. I'm happy I have my collection and that I managed most of it on my own, I hope in good time It will have proven itself a wise investment, sure has been fun to play with!