ColecoNation

This movie is a perfect example of why I enjoy documentaries so much. It doesn't matter how obscure of a topic the film documents, it really isn't about that. It's about the people, the everyday cast, and how they are connected (through the topic) that makes the movie really interesting and approachable to a larger audience. King of Kong does this magnificently. I personally think that the average female would enjoy this movie just as much as anyone else; my wife did and she couldn't care any less about Donkey Kong. In fact, if the movie was just about guys playing video games, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't even have bothered to watch it... + Nathan On a side note (I apologize, but I just can't help myself): The amount of deaths due to traffic accidents in this country is much, much higher that of deaths due to homicide. And where might the majority of traffic accidents happen?...

I've finally posted ColecoNation #11 and there's a great interview with Dan'l Thompson - a Coleco programmer who spent many hours developing the ADAM Family Computer. There's some great early Coleco stories, many focused on the ADAM. Be sure to check it out at ColecoNation.com and let me know what you think... Later. + Nathan

RetroZone used to make USB adaptors that allowed you to use original ColecoVision controllers to play emulated CV games on your computer. They still make the do-it-yourself conversion kit, but not the pre-fabricated USB adaptor. If anyone is looking to unload their USB adaptor, send me a PM because I'm looking to buy. Thanks. + Nathan

Currently all my time has been focused on playing with my newborn daughter (actually not so much playing and more like changing her diaper every two hours), so I unfortunately haven't been able to warm up the old CV in a while. However, if I WAS playing the ColecoVision right now I would definitely be playing: 1) Lady Bug (my favorite CV game ever) 2) Sky Jaguar (this game rocks with a Atari 7800 joypad 3) Spectar (my latest addiction) 4) Pac-Man Collection (well at least in a few more months...). My apologies for making ColecoNation MIA lately. I promise that a short-but-sweet issue will be out soon. + Nathan

Me too.

Only two copies left. + Nathan

I have some extra copies of the latest Video Game Collector (issue #6) and would like to make a trade with anyone who would like a copy. I'll trade one issue for one of your extra ColecoVision cartridges. You can give me any game you want with these expections: + It can't be Donkey Kong (already have enough of those). + It has to work. + It needs to be in good condition (not the one with the ripped label that smells of cat pee, please). If you have a number of extras that you're willing to give up, let me know what they are and I'll pick one myself. Since overseas shipping might defeat the purpose of the trade, we should probably stick within the USA or Canada. PM me or email me (ColecoNation@yahoo.com) if you're interested. + Nathan

Thanks to those you sent me some interview questions regarding the ADAM. I'm sure there's still some of you out there that haven't spoken up yet, please don't hesitate any longer. I mean, we don't already have all the answers, do we? + Nathan

This is a break from the current topic, but is definitely related to the ADAM. I'm currently interviewing an ex-Coleco employee for my website, ColecoNation. He worked as a programmer and spent the majority of his time at Coleco (from 1982 to 1984) developing the ADAM computer (it's operating system and software). I know next to nothing about the ColecoVision's little brother, so I'm asking if all of you could think of some ADAM-specific questions that I could ask him. Send your burning questions to my email (ColecoNation@yahoo.com) or post them here and there's a good chance we'll be able to solve some of the mysteries that are associated with the ADAM. Thank. + Nathan

The article in ColecoNation wasn't questioning the lifespan of "classic gaming" in general. It was wondering if interest in the pre-NES systems (Atari, Intellivsion, ColecoVision) will continue once those of us who grew up with them eventually get older, become disinterested, and/or unfortunately die. The question posed was will our kids continue to be interested in this era of gaming or does it die with us? + Nathan

I'm not saying that the seller is winning any friends with what he's doing. I just think that he's covered his bases enough to stay out of trouble with the all-mighty eBay. + Nathan

I had the same feelings intially, but there's not much of a case when you think about it. He doesn't falsely describe the items and every question that is asked of him is answered truthfully (with most being posted on the auction page). He says that they are: "custom labels" "common cartridges" "recently created labels not original colecovision products" You can't feel too sorry for someone who's willing to drop $100 on them even when the seller makes these statements (and is very willing to truthfully answer any additional questions potential buyers might have). + Nathan

Caution, these cartridges are very much fakes. I asked him this question: "What specific games are on the cartridges." He replied: "I think they are just donkey kongs thanks" Funny how he didn't post my question and answer on the eBay auction...

Nope. It's under their "Rumor Mill" section. You might have got it mixed up with the Vic-20 its Tac-Scan prototype. + Nathan

I too wish more CV protos were out there. It definitely adds to the excitement of collecting games for a specific system. Based on what Paul and Dave said, it seems like protos of the early, never-released games is probably rare. They seemed to quickly shut down the development of games that the retailers weren't excited about. However, there's got to be protos of games that were being developed right before Coleco closed down. Paul mentioned Tac-Scan being fairly far along and I'm sure many of Coleco's early releases were being improved for their ADAM/Super Game versions (both mentioned working on a Super Gorf). Plus, third-party companies had to have been working on CV games. I'm sure there's ex-Coleco employees out there that still have some EPROMs lying around. It's just hard to track them down since many are not really associated with the industry any more. Unfortunately, so far the only ones that I've talked with have thrown out their Coleco stuff a long time ago. + Nathan

Many people seem to share your opinion. Paul seems to think that it should have been more like Atari's Night Driver. Are the two that different? Is Night Driver a really good racing game? I've never played the arcade version of Turbo, but in my opinion, the CV version really only feels like a racing game because of the steering wheel. It's a fun game regardless, but your car moves more like a pong paddle across the screen then a race car. + Nathan

When you think about it, it's really unfair to compare Coleco's CV games with what was being created for the Atari 2600 at the same time. While the CV console was supposed to be more advanced, you have to factor in the "learning curve" effect when evaluating the two system's games. The 2600 had been already been around for four years when the CV debuted. The 2600 game designers/ programmers had plenty of time to hone their skills with that system and a good number of games produced should be better in gameplay than the CV's games. Think of it this way: If kid #1 has had four more years to learn how to ride a bike, then he'll naturally be more adept at it than kid #2 who had just received his bike a few months ago. Try comparing the 2600's first year of games to the CV's inital releases. Better yet, compare the two system's homebrew games. I haven't played that many 2600 homebrews, but I find it hard to believe that many can outshine what today's programmers are doing on the CV. Also, how does the two system's homebrews compare with the best titles from the 1980's? It seems like there's been a greater leap in improvement and development with the CV, but that's just my opinion. Also, you're theory on the 2600 Expansion Module is interesting, but I think they made it more for marketing purposes then a lack of confidence in their own products. If you're the new kid on the block, you need to convince everyone to come play at your house and a good way of doing this is by allowing others to bring their own toys. If they really thought the CV was the pits, then they would have stopped making it all together and put all their resources in making cheap Gemini clones. To put the post back on topic though, Coleco games that I rarely wanted to play were: Zaxxon and Omega Race. I don't know if it's because they were bad as much as I just didn't enjoy playing them. Technically, most games done by Coleco could be criticized, since they were based on existing (more advanced) games. The CV could only do so much to mimic the arcade machines at the time. Many have dissed Donkey Kong, but I think it's pretty good for the being a launch title (how many still get excited over Combat?). + Nathan

It was labeled "Destroyer," but many assume that it was probably an early name for Destructor. It was mentioned on the forums here: http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?s...p;hl=destructor The ebay link is still active here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...4315&fkxs=1 + Nathan

Everyone: Thanks for the great compliments. It's everyone's enthusiasm that keeps me motivated. Eduardo: You bring up two good points. I tried getting Paul to verify both statements before I published the interview, but he was hard to reach (he was busy getting married). Paul was probably mistaken about there being a 8K version of Donkey Kong. As he mentioned at the end of the interview, he remembers more about the people than the games. But it does seem that they originally released a 24K version first, in order to get the console out into the stores on time. They then refined the program (presumably removing the easter egg/bugs that some copies of DK have) to make it fit on a smaller rom. I also think that the Destructor info is misleading. A question for the technical gurus; can an ColecoVision EPROM hold more than 32K? Can it hold 54K? Paul mentioned that this version was the protoype and that Coleco released it without refining the program. Maybe he was mistaken and Coleco really did develop it further to make it 32K in size? Maybe the 54K verison is the prototype that was recently on eBay? The seller mentioned that the prototype had extra levels that the final version didn't have and that it was larger in size. + Nathan

In regards to your questions/comments: Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes.

Yeah, that's very true. Paul wrote: "We were always interested in technology of all sorts. But realistically speaking Coleco was a toy company that found clever or novel ways to make toys and games from really cheap electronic parts, and not a high tech engineering firm." And they seemed to do this very well for a while. Unfortunately for many, not long enough. And yes, Paul was very accomodating. That guy can sure write! It was one of the reasons why it took so long for me to finish the issue. + Nathan

I love the ColecoVision's standard controllers. I've tried many different joysticks over the years, but I can't find anything that works better for me. I never use the Atari 2600 joystick with my games. I think it's because of how I like to hold the controller. I don't use my finger tips to operate the joystick, I use the palm of my hand. That's why the standard CV controllers work so well for me. Plus, those are what I grew up on so I'm probably just used to it. I know many of mentioned that they hate using them on maze games (specifically Lady Bug), but I think they work perfectly on them. The only other controller I use is the Atari 7800 joypad, which I use for intensive 8-way movement games (like Sky Jaguar and Yie Ar Kung-Fu). It's near impossible to do well in those games with the standard CV controller. I've tried the Super Action Controller numerous times, but it hasn't grown on me yet. It's too bulky and my arm gets tired of holding it. I usually end up resting it on my leg. + Nathan

If it interests you, I just posted the newest issue of ColecoNation with a lengthy interview of Paul Jaquays. He worked on game design at Coleco from 1980 to 1985 and had a lot to say about his former company and the ColecoVision. I specifically had him address to prevalent CV topics: + the whole conspiracy to make Coleco games for the 2600 and INTV bad so that the CV versions will look better + what happened with Tunnels and Trolls and how far was it developed Also, did anyone know that they were originally going to call the console the Coleco SuperVision? That was news to me. Anyways, I hope it proves enjoyable. + Nathan

Eduardo wrote a great article about his adventures programming Pac-Man Collection. It's been published in the lastest issue of ColecoNation. You can check it out now at www.ColecoNation.com. + Nathan

And it was released over a year after the first Smurf game, possibly by someone with a little more experience on the CV...