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Zwackery

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Posts posted by Zwackery

  2. Posted

    Does anyone sell them? Seems like they'd be easy enough to fake with the embroidery machines out there. It would be neat to have a whole set ...unless there's a secret supply of them out there?

     

    I suppose I should check eBay. ;-)

     

    Around 2006, several stashes were uncovered and these trickled, and then ultimately flooded, onto eBay. I would say that about 90% of all the patches appeared on eBay, in varying quantities, but sufficient that the value declined on many of them (some of rebounded a bit, but basically there are enough in existence that the values and rarities haven't gone back up). Of course, given that not all were uncovered in the stashes, and that some were still in short supply, getting a complete set will be challenging, most specifically if going for the 55th half-moon Atari 2600 Beamrider patch.

     

    A 54 patch set was listed on Craiglist and eBay for $2,350, but no one went for it.

    • Like 1

  3. Posted

    Dynamite targets licensing existing IPs, and I've been buying their releases of Battlestar Galactica and Red Sonja - primarily the latter as an extension of my Conan collecting. They do have a penchant for going a little nuts with variant covers. I know a lot of us use the internet to aid our collecting, but I would encourage those interested in this comic to consider supporting their local comic shop (LCS) in getting a copy (or copies).

  11. Posted

    I open all games I buy because my collection is 100% playable. It makes it expensive to occasionally compete against the sealed collectors, particularly for rare titles, but I really don't want to own a game unless I can play it. Yes, even the crappy titles, too.

  12. Posted

    Many thanks for the loan of the cart, and many apologies for the protracted delay in the review.

     

    We have a bit over 80 members in our campus Video Game Club. About half are active, with the rest either inactive or still active via our Facebook page but graduated. Not all of the VGC members are students in the Game & Interactive Media Design sequence; in fact, it is probably only about a quarter to a third. Many of the members have been through at least one Game course with me (I’m also the club’s faculty advisor), either as part of the major or as an elective. They know old Doc Hall talks about Atari with some degree of regularity, and in more specific detail in a few courses like Game Industries & Organizations, Games & Society, and Players, Gamers, and Game Cultures. I’ve taken a fair amount of time explaining the importance of game design with this era of gaming, the impact of the hardware on the design, and generally Atari’s place in the overall history of the industry and medium. We have a couple of 2600s in the lab and a smattering of carts, from Combat to Space Invaders to ­Pac-Man to Yars’ Revenge and a few third-party. I’ve spent time with the Atari: Game Over documentary, debunking the myths about E.T. and how important it was to actually read the manual in order to play the game, something not typically associated with the “easy” games of the period. Plus, when you see E.T. next to something like Mythicon’s Fire Fly, you actually develop an appreciation for what E.T. actually does in terms of game play. (I also like to compare Pac-Man to Ms. Pac-Man for the console and talk about issues of home conversion.)

     

    So, some, but not all, of the students have played Atari games before, and a few students were familiar with Boulder Dash, either from the NES or GBA release (there are a lot of Nintendo kids in the club). They knew that games from the second generation of consoles range from simple to complicated, but I think the challenge for a lot of them is that death is a much tougher mechanic in these games than it is in current games (i.e., 3 lives and you’re done as opposed to infinite respawn and retry, generally speaking). Most were impressed by the complexity of the 2600 version of Boulder Dash and found playing to be more challenging than anticipated based on how the game initially appeared. In particular, learning the falling behavior of the boulders seemed to confound them a bit at first, but eventually they got the hang of it. I think they appreciated that the game presented the levels as puzzles, but there wasn’t just one way to get through – instead there were more and less optimal routes. The manual included with the game was very well received, not just in terms of explaining the game but actually documenting its development and the relationship between technical and creative decisions. (Personally, I really enjoyed the manual and think it is a valuable historical artifact). Some of the students were interested in why anyone would continue to develop games for an older system, and we had fun talking about “retro” games and the legacy of solid design no matter what the platform might be.

     

    • Like 3

  13. Posted

    These are mine. All end in about 24 hours. If you are an international bidder and in good standing on AA and you would like to bid, send me a message and I will add you to the exempt bidders list. Thanks for looking.

     

    Team Fortress 2 - Baseball Hat, 4 Pin Collector's Set, and bonus Print eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1422496344531?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=142249634453&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]
    Sonic the Hedgehog: gloves, collector's edition stickers, & double walled cup eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1422496320431?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=142249632043&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]
    Blizzard Gaming Collectibles / Toys eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1422496279641?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=142249627964&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]
    Megaman Pack: Helmet Speaker, Helmet Replica, Kidrobot figure, plush, & guide eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1422496271021?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=142249627102&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]
    Futurama Men's XL Shirt - NEW - Loot Crate Exclusive eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1422496204971?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=142249620497&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]
    Five Nights at Freddy's - Men's XL Shirt, 8-Bit Balloon Boy figure, & Bonnie eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1422496196841?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=142249619684&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]
    Legend of Zelda Goodies: Shirts, Socks, Journal, Glass Candle Holder, & more! eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1422496189291?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=142249618929&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]
    Deadpool Marvel Licensed Men's XL Shirts, set of 3 + Loot Crate Exclusive Q Fig eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1422496134411?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=142249613441&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]
    Blizzard Overwatch Tracer Loot Crate Variant Funko Pop figure + Reaper & Shirt eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1422496126861?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=142249612686&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]
    Bungie Destiny Loot Crate Gaming Exclusives: XL Shirt and Titan Mark Scarf eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1422496081181?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=142249608118&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]

  14. Posted

    Exactly.

     

    So I don't know why they put an insect mask in the box, but I don't think it belongs there.

     

    8)

     

    Is this the stuff from the guys doing the National Videogame Museum in Texas? I swear I saw that box in person at E3 2015 and thought, hmmm, that's not quite right. I went through my photos but didn't happen to snap one of the Halloween costumes.

  21. Posted

    I've been taking my time reading the deluxe edition. It's something that one should savor. It truly is beautifully designed.

     

    Whether or not you decide to get the deluxe or regular edition, I encourage everyone who has an interest in or passion for video games, not just from the Atari era but also beyond, to purchase a copy and support this endeavor. Showing consumer interest is a great way to get publishers interested in future projects. I think one of the hardest things about this medium is the way that games, platforms, and technologies age out, and so being able to preserve an element of game design (in this case, the art of Atari) is critical for the future of video games. As both a fan and academic, this sort of history should be documented as well as celebrated, and The Art of Atari succeeds admirably on both accounts.

    • Like 4
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