Crazy Climber

This ones next on the agenda... Sorry to hijack the topic but it seems to be swirling the bowl anyways...

If memory serves I believe it is on the 4th floor of the Sony Building in japan and is open to the public. I just caught a little news blurb about it a few months back though so I may be wrong...

Recently I pondered making their logo with some left over car dealership metals... I ended up making a GI joe sign instead though...

Hmmm...this point you have brought up is now making me confused again. Somebody please post something contradictory so I will know how to think again

Forgive me for not keeping up to date on this...but I notice Jeff Minters name on the cover. Does he actually have something to do with this release or is it just a reference to him creating the original?

Now that makes sense

Yeah, this is getting a little silly man...

Well, you do have to remember...by the time pics were posted in magazines there were likely 10+ design builds that never made it out of the lab Sony "might" have been a saving grace in the case of this specific prototype because they currently have a museum, and something like this would fit well in it...but since this was a "flop" that left Sony butthurt I doubt they want to include anything to do with it since there museum is less "historical" and more of a shrine to themselves and their awesomeness, lol

Honestly, it will be hard to EVER prove this is not a hoax, I believe it to be legit but this was probably made by a very small team of engineers for nothing else than showing what they "could" be capable of doing for a presentation. It was likely made with no special tooling, just what was already available to them and as stated probably doesn't do anything outside of playing SNES games and maybe CD's, lol. Somebody with enough basic knowledge could do this now with a little trial and error, so yes, it will be near impossible to convince it's 100% authentic. The only possible way would be to get in touch with somebody on the original engineer team and hope that they even remember it or possibly there are some answers on the the alleged cartridge.... No, the cartridge with out a doubt will NOT have some unreleased mario/etc.. that is a pipe dream, two completely different departments. Now what it could have is a SNES menu driven presentation. Just showing some sort of informational test text to "wow" people at the meeting. (basically you could just select and highlight features that will be available when the green light is given to make a working build) Example... Project X test menu - Run SNES cartridge - Run CD Drive - Test output A - Test Output B - Run Demo Engineers at this point are expected to produce "something" but not "everything" Every system ever made has without a doubt had some initial Jalopy like this but since they are garbage after the presentation, thats where they end up...in the trash (or most likely stripped for parts since every design lab has one of those "thrifty" guys) Just my guess of course

man, I had an awesome post I was going to do but then I sneezed all over my smartphone amd lost my mojo...

@Groovybee - Awesome! @everyone else, it stands for My Dick

Ugh, I don't want to read 33 pages... can I buy a HIVE cart or what?

Funny you mention that as I struggled with grading this one the most. The game really should be a 10, and had I been asked at any point BEFORE I played it through I would have said 10 (or at least a high 9) It suffers from one major flaw though in my opinion... It's a bit of a one trick pony, meaning now that I have played through it I have no desire at all to play it again. The replay value is rather low. I can't really pop it in for a quick puzzle anymore because I have done them all. I suppose I could try to increase my speed/score but meh, not my style, that would require a LOT of dedication as it is a pretty long game. Now granted, I did get a LOT of game play out of it, honestly it is the most play I have ever given an Intellivision game (well, it's close between Tower of Doom at least) if you count thinking time then wow, probably 10+ hours (Go easy on me, I did not use any hints!) I know there are limitations but if some kind of randomness could have been incorporated to make the game a little different each time it would have been flawless and a timeless classic (one of the main reasons Tower of Doom is a TOP pick for me) getting a faster time just doesn't appeal to me and higher scores is just too much of a time investment as the "fun" disappears eventually when you already know all the answers, there is not enough "action" after you solve all the puzzles so it feels like work the second play through....and I already have a job Overall I almost gave it a 7, but I had SO much fun playing through it that I just couldn't, even if it is pretty much a shelf ornament now

The annoying part is he never updated it as "sold" in the title...so I end up thinking it's cool, deciding if I want to make an offer, attempt price checking on Ebay....then I scroll down and see it was sold 3 years ago, lol

- Set up wasn't too bad, I had 2 giant chunks (like the one in the pic) so it was much easier than using little scraps/etc like I normally have to - Actual CNC run time per copter is probably around 30-60 seconds, so roughly 200 minutes with any minor problems that arise (broken bits/etc..) I only run them at maybe 50 IPM but I am capable of running them MUCH faster (500 IPM) but since we are set up for larger stuff it will leave a very rough/sharp edge, so I run them slower to counteract that. - The most time consuming part is cleaning them since as I mentioned, we are not set up for smaller stuff so they will have a lot of metal flakes/etc stuck to the edges that need to be cleaned off with a razor or file, that adds a few minutes per copter, so all and all probably 3 minutes per Copter or 600 minutes for 200

Note to self....check dates on cool marketplace topics since people keep bumping SUPER OLD ones!!

COPTERS!! added one to the "work in progress" garage door too Or sometimes I just play with them while I'm working...

Many people are not willing to "go there" if they do not like a Homebrew...but not me I tried to keep the list as mainly homebrews but a few of these might be original Mattel games, I don't really know. I also just can't slam games without also praising the good games so I did a grading system for them all. If you want an explanation as to why I didn't like any of the specific games just ask but I didn't want to type a mini review of each one, lol Excellent games (score 9/10 to 10/10) These are games that will probably be buried with me in my coffin someday and quite possibly the main reason my Intellivision is hooked up - DK Arcade - 10 - D2K arcade - 9 - Christmas Carol - 10 - Ms Pac Man - 9 - Superchef BT - 9 REALLY Good games (score 7/10 to 8/10) I really like these ones and play them regularly (well, as regularly as a guy with zero free time can) I just have a few minor gripes here and there but overall really like them - Princess Quest - 8 (I actually hated this game initially but gave it a proper chance as I do with all homebrews, now I love it) - Caves of Kroz - 8 Passable games (score 5/10 to 6/10) These are games that I find myself getting bored and wanting more if I spend more than 15 minutes with them. I want to like them more but have trouble really getting into any of them. I can't go as far as saying I don't like them but I also can't say I like them either - Boulder Dash - 6 - Flappee Bird - 5 (In very short bursts this game IS very fun, but I do mean VERY short bursts, lol) - Space Raid - 5 Games I don't like (under 5/10) These are games I flat out just don't want to play, I either find them boring or frustrating. In some of these games defense I knew I wouldn't like them (due to personal taste/genre) and only bought them to pokemon style collect Some of them though I expected to be better... - Minehunter - Match 5 - Paddle Party - Old School - Blix - Super Pro Tennis - Sydney Hunter - Ms Nightstalker Now, how much of this score is influenced by personal taste, the amount I paid for them, comparing to much better games, not spending enough time with them/etc is all up for debate. I just know this is my current stance on these games. If it's not listed I either have not played it, was so unmemorable I completely forgot it, or I know it to be an original Mattel prototype reproduction.

That would be AWESOME!! I'll check tonight after work. There were a few cables/etc that I didn't really recognize. Thanks man!

Ω Ω OMG! Awesome, I feel so tech savvy now Thanks man! Ah, so you need the entire expansion port to hook up a disk drive at all it seems, yeah, probably will NOT get that into it Now.. I DO have a tape player that was included in the lot! I don't suppose someone can sell tapes with Tunnel of Doom and Adventure on them? I know you said you can download/etc but I do not even own a computer (have to use my phone for internettin' most of the time) I remember Ω mentioned the nanoPEB to me, what I very briefly read about it looked like a little modding/etc was required and well, like I said, I barely get time to actually play this stuff so modding is usually out of the question for me. Not that I can't do it but my "to do" list is just too long these days to take on more projects...I'll read the full description on it though and see if it's something I could realistically do Thanks!

Prototypes come in MANY phases, up to and including models that do not actually do anything. This could be anything from a complete working unit to a design model used for an initial presentation. The different aging patterns on the plastics is nothing unusual, just two different types of plastic, most likely made from two different manufactures. This is common as not all parts are always made in the same facility. At least not in the prototype phase, you are still experimenting and shopping around in these stages. Is it real? In my opinion Yes...but does it actually do anything is the question. I would be surprised if it did anything at all on the CD end of things... I would guess a design/presentation model but basically just a functional SNES system.

"E...T.....Extra...Testicle....E...T....Extra...Testicle"

Ooohhhh, can I order one for each testicle? If so put me down for three

Hello So, it's been on my "list" for awhile to get one of these machines and about a month ago I finally scored a nice lot of stuff from a fellow AA member. We have been SO busy at work that I had not even had a chance to open the package, it just sat packed in my front hall waiting patiently for me to give it some time...the package contained a lot of stuff so I knew it would be a little overwhelming, had to wait for just the right moment. Well, last night we had a power outage at the house so my wife and kids abandoned ship and went to Grandma's house. While waiting around to see if I will have to prepare for long term life without power (transfer food, get generator, etc) I decided to open the giant TI box and start to sort through what was what but just then the power flipped back on....TIME TO GAME!!! TI Invaders - This one seems to be pretty popular so I will not waste to much time talking about it. All I can say is yes, far better than I thought it would be. Flawless gameplay and really just a damn good Space Invaders clone with just enough differences to make it interesting From someone who has played more than enough Space Invaders to last a lifetime I still spent a good 30 minutes with this game and would have kept playing if not for the giant pile of carts I was itching to try out. This ones a keeper! Burgertime - This would have possibly been my favorite but the music really annoys me. It's not the Burgertime theme, I love that, it's the fact that it resets everytime you climb a stair case which really seems to ruin the flow of the game. Is this a system limitation thing or a problem with my unit? Or is this just how it is? It's a shame since if the music were to play continuously (like it does on other versions) this could have been my top pick! It plays nice and fast, has just the right amount of difficulty and sports excellent graphics....that music resetting is unforgivable though, I noticed it with other games too...is this a common occurrence? The Atari ports - These are not bad at all but since I own just about all of them on other platforms I was a pretty tough critic. Not bad by any means but nothing special to me and without sounding harsh I just wasn't very impressed. Back in the 80's they would have been fantastic but now I probably will not be spending much time with them and if they are at all desirable will likely sell/trade them off. Being a video game fan, collector, enthusiast for 30 years now I have really just been there and done that with these ones and unless something really grabs me I'm just not too interested in playing Centipede or Pac man AGAIN, lol. The game "protector" I was not familiar with though and that opening title screen music really jumped out at me! I sat and listened to it play all the way through then reset and listing again I don't really understand how to play the game yet though so will have to do a little research on it, this one "could" be a keeper if I like the game play...Lets just say I'm intrigued so far Return to Pirates Isle - Woah...now were talking! This game was a BLAST! I do not have much (if any really) experience with text adventure games. I played Kings quest a little back in the early 80's but that was more of a point and click style. Man, with Pirates Isle I had a great time rapping out commands and exploring the ship, items, etc.. I did notice when I got a little further along it felt like there was some information I should have already known to continue. Possibly a book was included with some back story or maybe this is a sequel in a series? I did notice it said "Adventure 14" in the beginning so I really have my fingers crossed there are 14 prior text adventures I can play through and maybe even some after 14? I don't know, I'll need to do a little research but I really liked this one! I did have another game in my pile just labeled "Adventure" so I popped it in hoping to find another goldmine...unfortunately it just asked me to load data from a disk (which I do not own) which brings me to my next question.. - Are there more text adventure games like this on cartridge or disk format? - How hard is it to locate a disk drive and are they expensive? - Is the disk drive pretty easy to operate/etc.. (keep in mind I have NO experience with these things, lol) Anyways, due to it's uniqueness and just plain out fun this was a great game and I really felt like it challenged my mind as well, this one is a definite keeper! Kids games - I have a few kids cartridges, facemaker and some maze game come to mind. I gave them a quick play and this is something I have been dying to find honestly. Games that I can play with my six year old that are not too challenging but engaging enough for her to actually "want" to play. Most of my classic systems (atari, nes, sega, etc..) do not have games like this, I never even thought to think that vintage computers were often sold as learning tools and they will likely have an abundance of games like this. Any recommendations for games of this style would be great. As much as I would love to sit around and play Space Invaders with my kids it just doesn't hold there interest as well as "borderline" educational games do. I guess it's a good thing, don't get me wrong, it's just been quite a challenge to actually find games like this up to this point. I could see the TI-99 getting a LOT of play if I can get my kids to like it Munchman - Another popular one so I will not waste too much time. I had fun with this, I wasn't blown away but it was different enough to keep me interested. I only played 5 or 6 levels and if I had a gripe it would be that the maze lay out does not seem to change at all. Unfortunately this could make some pretty stale gameplay as time goes on. Do they ever change it up or is it just the same maze? If so it's a shame as this game was pretty fun. I like the insane speed you get after you eat a "TI pill" lol Miner 2049er - This was a strange one. I tried to fit it in my cartridge port and it obviously did NOT fit, lol. I assumed it was for a different system but had TI-99 stamped right in view so it had to be right. The natural detective in me eventually figured out it fits in the expansion port...strange... Well, I fired it up and just got a garbled screen and loud beep tone. Tried a few times with the same results. Is there some trick to this game or do I need something else to make it work? Or do I just have a dirty (or dead) cartridge? I'm not really dying to play Miner or anything but just curious Please tell me it IS supposed to go in the expansion port and I didn't just fry my cartridge, lol. There were more games, I have a pile of 30 or so and I did try each and every one but many of them were just "ok" and nothing I will probably spend too much time with. Car Wars comes to mind, reminds me of the arcade game Head on and atari 2600 game Dodge em. Not bad but nothing too interesting. I do have a game called "Tunnel of Doom" which I have a feeling will be spectacular...but it seems to require a disk format as well...something I need to look into again. Actually I had a few games that asked me to load data from another source Congo Bongo...sigh...why this mediocre game was released on so many platforms is a mystery to me, lol. I also have a Super Demon Attack game, while not really my favorite I did notice it was made by Imagic! Did not know it was a "sequel" to Demon attack at first which caught me by surprise but most importantly did not know IMAGIC made TI-99 games...oohhhh...did Fathom make the cut to be put on cartridge? I hope so, I like the majority of Imagics stuff so I'll have to see just what was released on this system. There were some other games I found "interesting" like Parsec, blasto, some picnic atari game and a few others I can't think of off hand but outside of a few plays I probably will not re visit them anytime soon. Overall I'm very impressed with how much fun I had with my two hour TI session. Like I mentioned, I've been doing the video game thing for awhile and usually when I lack nostalgia with a system it is tough for me to really get into it. I do remember the era of time, I remember seeing TI-99's for sale and thinking they were cool, seeing magazine ads, etc.. but I just never played one. I can say that the TI-99 has earned a spot in my game room, an honor that is not given to every system...many have tried and failed! I don't think it will ever be my main system of interest or anything but I do see myself actually using it and having fun with it. I'm excited to play with it again A few random questions... I like my stuff to be organized, I noticed the TI carts do not stack very well. I spotted this little thing on Ebay... http://www.ebay.com/itm/252016398220?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT I think something like this would fit perfect, is $30 shipped a decent price or are these pretty common? I asked if he would sell it cheaper without the games but he mentioned he didn't even consider the games in the price, lol I also spotted this cool little device http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-NEW-TEXAS-INSTRUMENTS-TI-99-4A-CARTRIDGE-EXPANDER-NAVARONE-INDUSTRIES-/221524981205?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3393eaf5d5 Little pricey but would look oh so cool in the cave. Are these any good? High failure rates/etc? I also breifly spoke with Omega (sorry, I don't know how to make the cool little symbol on a keyboard, lol) about Homebrews. He showed me a cool little 3 in 1 cart but it requires the expansion module. Is this the only homebrew sold on cart or was there others made that could be played on a "stock" system I don't think I will be dropping the coin for the expansion and it seems you can "mod" the TI-99 but I can just be honest with myself that I will never get around to it, lol Well, thats enough rambling for now. Thanks guys! See you around

Did you ever list a price? That helps a sale considerably around here