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RxScram

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Posts posted by RxScram

  3. Posted

    9 minutes ago, GrudgeQ said:

    As far as I know (not a touch screen expert) pressure sensitive (really resistive) requires some deflection because it is actually brings two elements together to complete a circuit (kind of like a mini membrane keyboard) while capacitive relies on the electrical difference of the human body and detects that difference as your finger is near. In my experience, probably mostly with old and crappy pressure sensitive screens, you can feel the deflection and the touch resolution is poor. Maybe they are using really good pressure sensitive but I am guessing capacitive. Tracks lightly, smoothly and finely.

     

    However maybe @RxScram can weigh in on this one.

    It is not a pressure sensitive screen. Capacitive is a much much better technology, plus it allows for the possibility of multitouch and other fancy features. Not that I'm saying anything we are doing uses multitouch, or that we support it, of course. That's not what I'm saying at all.

     

    It might be fun to imagine what you could do with it if we did support something like that, don't you think?

    • Like 7
    • Thanks 1

  5. Posted

    23 hours ago, Saldo said:

    I am really troubled by this post.  If this is in fact what is going on in Illinois then if you live in that state you need contact those house representatives and let them know how they are infringing on your first amendment rights and that they need to be voted out of office.  There are ESRB ratings on games for a reason.  There doesn’t need to be a ban forced on by the government.  There are plenty of violent movies, but you don’t see them trying to ban them.  There is music that has violence in the lyrics, but you don’t see them trying to ban them (well they tried with Ozzy’s “Satanic” and suicide lyrics, but that failed).  
     

    I’m glad that the article went on to convey the fact that there is no scientific evidence that video games lead to violence.  
     

    If this passes it sets an extremely bad precedence. I don’t need the government censoring what I can or cannot buy.

    Other than the nuisance factor, I wouldn't actually worry too much about this. In 2011 a case in California (Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association) went all the way up to the Supreme Court, which ruled that video games are protected free speech under the First Amendment. 

    • Like 6

  10. Posted

    1 hour ago, GrudgeQ said:

    Looks to me like a minor retailer paying little attention to a product and just bumping the price 30 pounds over other retailers. They might be part of the official Koch Media distribution chain (probably is looking at their website) but I highly doubt they are getting anything early and instead are just going by old info & price gouging on top of that.

     

    image.thumb.png.37b663dfe309c9cc4f0aa2a815895b80.png

     

    I'm guessing they are adding VAT, and not actually price gouging. 

    • Like 4

  11. Posted

    5 minutes ago, woobman said:

    Hi all,

     

    I thought the Atari VCS launch would be better. After watching Twinblasters initial review. I won't lie. I am a bit disappointed. But it looks like with a little love, it may turn into a nice little console. I think I'm more interested in the classic controller. Glad to know that the VCS volume 2 hiccup issue has been taken care of.

     

    His double charge got me thinking about the actual transactions and the Amico experience.   I can see myself purchasing most of the physical media, but for the digital ones, will I be able to purchase  Amico "gift cards" down at my local Gamestop/Walmart?  If so, do you plan on making them stand out? Not just a rectangle.  A cool shape or feature. RFID may be cost prohibitive for them. If you haven't seen the new Apple gift cards, they are not your average gift card.  Instead of your standard plastic card, you get the unique ID (I think on a piece of paper inside the new packaging) and an Apple sticker. Multiple designs have been made, so multiple Apple stickers.  For the collector.. Another hunt! Especially if you different designs for different stores.  

     

    If not right away, by Christmas. So my family knows what to get me :)

     

    Anyone else think Amico Gift Cards would be cool?

     

     

     

     

    They are happening, they are super cool, and they have RFID.

    • Like 11

  13. Posted

    6 minutes ago, vongruetz said:

    @Tommy Tallarico

     

    Quick question. My OG Intellivision is acting up and now only displays "EEEE D DD" when I put a game in. Can I still call the toll-free number on the bottom of the console for help? Or I could call collect at the California number. Or maybe you guys have updated the number?

    Thanks a TON!

    I think it's probably past the warranty date. Just a feeling though.

    • Like 5
    • Haha 4

  15. Posted

    9 hours ago, GD Mof said:

    Thanks for the advice. Sounds like you're in the know! So a PC demo aimed at less powerful hardware would suffice then?

    I'm only tangentially "in the know" from what I overhear in the office (or overheard, when that was still allowed). But, based on that, I would pay much more attention to having fun and unique ideas, rather than worrying about what platform it runs on. Technology/hardware is just the tool to enhance the experience.

    • Like 10

  16. Posted

    1 minute ago, GD Mof said:

    Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I've been working on multiple demos suitable for the Amico, see which one works out the best. How important is it that the demo is running on Android, out of curiosity? I've got New 3DS dev hardware so I'm used to making stuff that runs well on less powerful hardware (and where everything gets rendered twice to boot). I'm currently aiming the demos at New 3DS level hardware, then I can crank up the settings as needed, if and when I get a better handle on what the Amico is capable of.

    I'd suggest getting in contact with the developers email that Tommy mentioned earlier. They can answer your questions better, and help you through the development process. I wouldn't worry about targeting your demo specifically for the Amico until you have it up and running on other hardware.

     

    The Amico team is very much about helping developers and small studios, but they do like to see a proven track record on any type of hardware first. Finish a game demo or two (even better if you release a game!), come up with a killer concept, and then start talking to the team. 

    • Like 8

  17. Posted · Edited by RxScram

    7 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:
    During the final phase of hardware production one of the important things we do is stress test every aspect and element of the hardware. Here is just a small example.
     
    Let me know if you'd like to see more behind the scenes videos like this.
     
    This is on my personal YouTube channel so please make sure to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE.
     
    Thanks!

     

     

    Hey, @Tommy Tallarico,

     

    We should make a black and white console! That hybrid unit looked pretty sweeet!

    • Like 7

  18. Posted

    2 minutes ago, Intellivision Master said:

    Tommy,

     

    Did you move into the new office location yesterday?

    The engineering team has slowly been moving in for a month, particularly the mechanical engineers so that they can have a centralized place for their testing equipment. Electrical and software engineers are making their way in as well. We're still very limited about what we can do due to Covid restrictions, so most people are still remote. 

    • Like 10
    • Thanks 1

  19. Posted

    4 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:
    During the final phase of hardware production one of the important things we do is stress test every aspect and element of the hardware. Here is just a small example.
     
    Let me know if you'd like to see more behind the scenes videos like this.
     
    This is on my personal YouTube channel so please make sure to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE.
     
    Thanks!

     

     

    Yes, we definitely want more behind the scenes videos!

     

    (Speaking for the masses, I can make these videos whenever I want. ;-)  )

    • Like 12
    • Haha 1

  20. Posted

    30 minutes ago, tripletopper said:

    Hey Tommy, since you were unaware of my invention I was working on with Keith, it might be the exact key you're looking for getting Amico online without programming special net code. A network game that feels like a local couch multiplayer game.  The secret is beating 8 milliseconds of ping for 60 controller frames per second game.  That gives you the furthest distance between two people in a group must be 2400 km or less.  There are plenty of people you can play within 2400 km of yourself.

     

    The last thing he said to me was that it sounds like a great and possible idea it should work in theory.  but the one thing that's risky was not knowing whether Sprint Direct Connect with its straight line network connection had the speeds of whatever the Sprint network offered or were automatically 56k if they were using Sprint Direct Connect as data.  So I called Sprint, got a hold of Tex Tiexera, the executive of the engineering department, and he said two things one the network is already built and you do not have to do anything special to make data work in a low ping way.  And two whatever speeds of Internet are between you and your opponent you'll get the fastest speeds between opponents.  There is no technical reason other than deprioritizing (limiting speed based on traffic) why you shouldn't get the full network speed.  Keith said that Steve Toney said working at dial-up speeds is working without a net but if we were guaranteed 3G speeds plus throughout the nation it might make sense.  a few years later now that 4G is considered the minimum combining that with low paying Direct Connect makes it even more possible.

     

    My Invention I'd called Netrogames.  This is probably the easiest way to add Network to in television games because the theory of a product is if a game could be two plus  players split screen and/or  same screen it should work without writing any extra game-specific  code unless you're outside of 2400 km.   In other words if this works for one game then it should work in theory for every game, except if you need a second screen or a VMU like privacy screen.

    The lack of technology isn't the reason that Amico doesn't support network games right now. The whole point of couch co-op is to bring people together, especially for our first target demographic... young families. Having your family (and eventually friends, once Covid is finally reduced as a worry) laughing, yelling, hitting each other (hopefully in a friendly manner, but sometimes brothers can be hard on each other, LOL), etcetera, while in the same room. You can't have this interaction over the internet. My best friend and I skype a couple times a week, playing various games cooperatively with each other. While we are happy that we have that chance to "hang out", we both want nothing more than to get together and play in the same room, which is just, sadly, not possible right now.  (He's in an extremely high risk group.) 

     

    Once Amico has a wide install base, and if our customers are clamoring for it, we might add network support. But it's not a year one, or probably even a year two or three, priority. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 11

  21. Posted

    33 minutes ago, IntelliMission said:

    It looks like the PS5 is absolutely destroying the opposition from what I'm reading. The console came out today in Europe and people are going crazy to get one, with forum threads getting dozens of pages in a couple of hours from Sony fans sharing URLs to preorder the machine.

     

    The graphics of both new consoles appear to be mostly on par, with a slight advantage for the PS5 for some reason. The XSX is technically superior, but perhaps the need to release the games for the XSS is dragging the graphical evolution. PS5 will probably get more games, which means developers will become more expert on it, while XSX will slowly release better looking games that will take advantage of the extra teraflops.

     

    With the graphics of both having the same detail and resolution only differing in framerates, the differentiating factor is the controller. Sony has done a good job here at offering all the benefits from the well-known design while adding some cool features that are managing to impress people and add to the immersion.

     

    In only 5 months, the Amico fans will be able to live these emotions, replacing the graphical realism with the multiplayer experiences, but with a similar focus on the unique controller that, in this case, is different to every other controller while sharing a few things with some.

     

    In what I see as a clear win-win situation, people will simply buy and enjoy their Amicos if there is enough stock, and will be able to feel happy for Intellivision Entertainment if the machine sells out like the PS5/XSX. Most of the hardcore gamers who post in forums and want an Amico have probably pre-ordered one at this point, so we'll see how the console is received by casuals across the world (and perhaps some hardcore gamers who will order the machine when it's officially released). Will there be enough units? Will there be too many? Only 2021 has the answer.

    I remember back in the PS3 / XBOX 360 / Wii days, there was a website that tracked the console wars. I'm hoping for something similar this time around. 🙂  (Not that we're competing against those consoles, but just as interesting information.)

    • Like 7

  23. Posted

    On 11/15/2020 at 6:32 AM, GrudgeQ said:

     

     

    The Atomic Edition was born from a slight mix-up by @RxScram, who used an old NASA interplanetary space probe parts supplier list by accident. The Atomic Edition features extended controller run time of the half-life of Plutonium 238 (approximately 87.7 years). Because of its unique power system the Atomic Edition doesn't have LEDs but instead has it has its own subtle continuous green glow. The Atomic Edition also comes with its owned wheeled, lead lined carrying case, which we recommend you keep the Atomic Edition in at all times when not playing.

    2028997890_Amicowithgreenglowlogo2.thumb.png.ee51e7870f949fb539717a228bc308d3.png


     

     

    LOL... I step away for a day, and look what happens. This is priceless!

    • Like 5
    • Thanks 1
    • Haha 3

  25. Posted

    3 hours ago, haplo13 said:

    Tommy, question about Breakout. We've been playing the demo and really enjoying it (I'll admit more than I expected). My 6yo son really wants to play too but the game is just too difficult with the current paddle size. Will the Amico version have a difficulty setting to allow for larger /smaller sizes? 

    I'm not involved in the development of Breakout, but all of our games utilize our Karma engine, which has adaptive difficulty... so that people who don't play as well or react as fast will get advantages... such as bigger paddles. There will also be smaller paddles for the player who is doing great (in multiplayer) to try to keep things equal. 

    • Like 9
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