FURY

Actually, I don't allow it. I have it posted on my site: http://geovector.tripod.com/_sgt/m2m3_1.htm The reason is that once a compilation like that goes out, a small percentage of the recipients will assume "public domain". I don't know why this happens, but it happens. I've read numerous times, for example, on the Digital Press forum that the GCE Vectrex ROMs are all public domain, which of course is not true. The Vectrex multi-cart completely infringes on all of the copyrights of the original games. At $75, I dare say that profits are made on the multi-cart. If it were distributed "at-cost" there would be no problem. The VecFlash, on the other hand, is legit. Anyway, once "public domain" is assumed, it opens the door to all types of problems with pirated cartridges and the like. Of all the GCE and homebrew ROMs, only V-Frogger is in the public domain (put there by the author of the game). I would say that you need to ask for the authors' permission on all of the other ROMs. If the CD is listed as being "free", you're still not off the hook because you normally need permission for free redistribution (this is what Jay Smith has granted, but each homebrew author must decide for their own work). Plus, it can be argued that the CD, even if free, enticed the consumer into purchasing the magazine, thus becoming a part of the sale. I'm still looking forward to the article, though it's a shame that it's been chopped down in size. I know that your original version was complete, and that the sizing limitations were inevitable. George

What homebrew ROMs (if any) are they planning to include on the CD? George

Thanks very much! I've responded via private email regarding your order. Thanks Chad. There have been probably 4 or 5 of us awaiting new cases (in bulk). Sean has reportedly emphatically said NO to the idea of relinquishing the mold. They cost about $10,000 to make (though I've found a company that would do it for $8000), and so he most likely hasn't made his money back on it yet. Last night, I received an email from a known Vectrex collector who has been in contact with Sean, and says that the situation will be rectified soon. But, the email had a mysterious nature to it, leaving some things very unclear. Just to make it public, this is how it has worked (and very well) for the last 2 to 3 years... Sean Kelly sells Mark Shaker 1000 cases. Mark then resells the cases to all of us. They sell for $4 each normally from Mark, but when purchasing in bulk, he passes the wholesale savings on to the game developers. I was in contact via email with Mark less than 24 hours ago, and he's absolutely ready to purchase 1000 cases. All he's waiting for is Sean to respond, or ship the cases. It's really very simple this way. It minimizes the amount of orders that Sean has to fill, and since Mark is super efficient and fast, everybody who orders through him is always very happy. Why the email suggests that a new format is coming makes no sense to me. But, like everybody else, I'll be placing an order even if they'll be delivered by a fleet of pelicans. George

I'd never even heard of that game. But for the record, there are many, many more games like this. It's a genre. George

Thanks for the kind words about my 2 Vectrex games! I've also noticed that you've written very cool things about WOTR in various forums. Greatly appreciated! Well, for one thing it's definitely NOT about raising some quick cash. $500 (and much less in profits) won't get me too far in Southern CA Actually, making it a larger run (say 25 carts) would probably start to make me look greedy, and that's not what this is about. Besides, there will always be someone that doesn't get one who then becomes ambivalent. I can't help that. The Standard Edition of the game is also a limited run of 250 cartridges. There will be someone that comes along after I sell those out who is mad because I don't have more (it's happened numerous times since I sold out the 100 cartridges of WOTR). It's the nature of collecting. Limited runs make for more collectible products, but they ARE limited runs. The idea of releasing these low # Special Editions is something akin to the Willy Wonka golden wrapper. I think it's fun, like a contest. I guess some will disagree. My Standard Editions are limited #'d editions because people like knowing they're getting a #'d item even if the run is fairly large. You can # them and not set a limit, but I don't like the idea of that for these games. Secondly, I personally like to end each game release, and move on to other projects. Manufacturing the games, instruction manuals, and packaging is very time consuming, considering the fact that I'm programming for the Vectrex at least a couple hours a day on average. Thirdly, there aren't THAT many Vectrex players out there. I know that you can argue one way or the other about these things, but the decisions have to be made by the developer, and I try to balance things out as best as possible. Coincidentally, Sean Kelly (the distributor of the Vectrex cartridge shells) has once again disappeared from the scene. People have been trying to order cartridge shells for months now from him with zero success. I have a very limited amount of cartridge shells at the moment and simply couldn't (even if I wanted to) have released a larger # of these carts. I announced Edition X and The Omega Edition in the I, Cyborg FAQ when I released the original version back in September. So they were planned, and they weren't a secret. The problem is that you never really know how these things will go. They sold out very quickly, but I couldn't predict that. Also, they probably sold out that quickly BECAUSE it was limited to just 10 carts. All these things affect the sales. The flipside could have been a 25 cartridge release that stagnated...a nightmare for any game developer. The Omega Edition is to be auctioned off on eBay, early August (one cartridge). This will be the final special edition I, Cyborg cartridge. The Standard Edition of I, Cyborg continues to be available for $30, though if Sean Kelly doesn't produce some cartridge shells soon, I may have to put a temporary stop on production. George

Hi Chad, After they sold out, I removed the Edition X info from my site. The above link now will only take you to the page with the original Standard Edition of I, Cyborg (orders kept coming in and had to be refunded). Edition X features: Area Selector (cheat) New cyborg with Mohawk Collector's Guide Plus, new packaging, cart label, manual, menu screen, Roman numeraled I to X. George

SOLD OUT!!! Thanks again to all who purchased! All 10 will ship out today, Monday. If you missed this special edition, please watch for one final I, CYBORG special edition cartridge...The Omega Edition. To be auctioned off on eBay, early August. George

This link should work... I, CYBORG EDITION X

I, CYBORG: EDITION X This is a special limited edition of just 10 cartridges. First come, first served! Available now! Any purchase made between now and Sunday (11:59 PM-Pacific Standard Time) will ship out Monday, June 20th. Any purchase made after that point will ship out within 2 business days. More info: http://geovector.tripod.com/_s­gt/m1_1.htm Thanks, George

I'm the author of WAR OF THE ROBOTS, and can sum it up like this... PACKAGING I originally released WOTR in plastic bags. I've since offered a replacement box for those interested. PROTECTOR originally came with foil-imprinted box packages. OVERLAY A very professional quality overlay is packed with the original PROTECTOR release. No overlay came with WOTR. HI-SCORE SAVE The only Vectrex game with this feature is PROTECTOR. In fairness, WOTR does not utilize a point-scoring system. FREEWARE I released a Freeware Edition of WOTR just about 6 months after the original release of the game (a couple months after selling out all of the WOTR carts including the Special Editions). This download is still available from my site. There is no freeware PROTECTOR download available, which means you get yourself a cartridge, or you don't play! GAME PLAY I've been told many times that WOTR is too difficult (which is what led to the freeware release that includes a cheat mode). I also think that a clone of DEFENDER is something that a lot of people are interested in. That said, they are very different types of games, and it really depends on what you like. Keep in mind that WOTR sold for a very fair $25. PROTECTOR went for a very fair $40, considering the included overlay and box. My second Vectrex game ranks much higher for most people. I've seen the top 3 Vectrex homebrews appear listed like this- PROTECTOR GRAVITREX I, CYBORG or, like this- GRAVITEX PROTECTOR I, CYBORG I very much appreciate I, CYBORG's unofficial "3rd place status" where I've seen this. I'm not saying that everyone ranks these 3 games as the top 3, but I have seen this type of ranking more than once. At this point, I would rate my 2 Vectrex games like this (out of 10)- I, CYBORG-10 WOTR-8 Here's my top-5 list of Vectrex homebrews from other authors- GRAVITREX (10) PROTECTOR (10) PATRIOTS REMIX (10) REPULSE (9) MOON LANDER (9) By the way... I, CYBORG will never be released as freeware. New Vectrex game from FURY scheduled for a year-end release!!! No further details available at this time. George

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Try ble instead of bls, and bge instead of bhs. George

This is hilarious! But I can top it with a similar email that I received when I auctioned off a Vectrex Light Pen set in the summer. The guy asked me to reveal the reserve price to him because he needed to better judge whether or not he would be able to afford the item for his "handicapped son". After I responded by telling him "No...it wouldn't be fair to everybody else", he told me that it would be worth it for me to sell it to him at a low price (outside of ebay) because he would send me photographs of his son using the Light Pen, and that those photographs would "warm my heart"!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahahaha! Never have I been so blatantly lied to over an ebay transaction! Have to admit, the laughs DID warm my heart. George