Paul Humbug
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Posts posted by Paul Humbug
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well, im not an insider of the retro scene but I wonder when there is an apperently vivid market for all kinds of NES and SNES clones (with the FCtwin the latest) there should be no doubt that a FB3 will be sold as well. Okay, givent NES and SNES are far more popular but many clones share only 1 market there. FB3 has it´s own market alone..
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ebay is ebay and the world of sales is full of both types of vendors: 1) true customer and service orientated salespeople who do everything to make it possible that people can benefit from their products
2) the "I just wanna make money" type
And regarding my own ebay experiences: I bought a nice Apple Macintosh SE and another vintage Mac. of course, they are 100% working, great cosmetical condition. It just took me to see how the crap was packaged when I picked it up at the post office to figure out that those vendors are number 2 type not caring how the items would look upon arrival. needless to say I had to pay for (crappy) handling.
I also have some great experiences on ebay of type 1 vendors.
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Curt is correct, the Flashback 2 was actually one of our best selling online products when featured. If you were not lucky enough to get one then we have just launched a flashback competition on Atari Community, we are giving away 12 over the 12 days of Christmas so feel free to check that out over on the Atari forums and enter.
Okay, I read from this the time should come soon for a follow-up product 
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Well, I couldn´t find the version on the net I saw at TRUS and yesterday when I went there to buy some presents they had only Ms. Pac-Man without gamekey available but including my beloved Mappy. $22 was okay and it is indeed as I remember it and a hell of fun. I come to the point to say I like these Jakks sticks more and more and thinking of getting the other classics.
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Gotta agree with Cybergoth on that one. Though from what I remember, it wasn't just the Commodores it was legendary for over in Europe. It (as well as the Zip Stick) was a very popular joystick for any 8-bit or 16-bit computer at the time.Almost agree. Just not with "at the time", as they're still produced:
great link, didn´t know they are produced again. And for the quality: the old ones were great, mine are still working!!!!
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the only thing I could think off is ebay with worldwide shipping plus you need a tv for ntsc.
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I hate to say it, folks, but dude's right. A relaunched 2600 probably wouldn't do too well in the marketplace for very long. There's been enough out there to wet people's appetite, but once you start marketing crapola like Squeeze Box and Dice Puzzle, it's gonna go downhill fast.
It might survive in specialty shops, but not very well.
I could imagine a FB4 including ALL ATARI titles ever released on a chip is maybe an idea for the future. Of course running on the FB2 chipset and with a little slot to plug a memory card for bins or USB cable but thats what the FB2 portable is about, right (maybe not the included games)
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Well,
I guess they can easily figure out that the FB2 is a sucess. I just hope they learn one thing from it: a good product with a good marketing is worth it.
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Recently I saw one of those Jakks Pac-woman sticks including also Mappy and a Gamkey with Dig Dug.
How is the conversion of Mappy and Dig Dug? If it is at least 80% like the arcade it should be worth buying it.
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I played the Xavix Bowling.Its pretty neat.Didnt get to try the Tennis or BaseBall game.Love thoses Atari plug n play paddles.I have the single one which i had gotten for free.As far as the Flashback2 goes....I love it!Its what got me back to collecting and playing Atari and other classic gaming systems and games.Merry X-Mas and enjoy your games!
Thanks!
Today the bowling set arrived via USPS and I have to say I had a great time exploring the game. I was surprised that I could exceed my average 2 strikes on a real alley per game but of course that adds to the fun that everybody can play with quite sucess. Therefor it is, I would say, a lot easier but nevertheless challenging. I forsee this as a real party cracker. On Saturday I introduced my wife to the tennis and baseball and she had a great time, too.
So, the $$$ spent on this: 39.99 (xavix port)
+29.90 (tennis)
+10.50 (baseball)
+35.00 (bowling)
Of course now I want to complete the series next year (boxing, golf, fishing)
So, if you don´t mind cheesy grafix
and you see a good deal on it, go for it! -
^^ Don't you mean Namco and not Taito?
Sorry, of course Namco.
You see, even now I don´t get it straight.
Again, thanks, Atari
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Due to the fact us kids back then never had seen the coin-up before Ataris Pac-Man hit the 2600, I just can say what I believed to be the truth until recently:
Atari is Pac-Man and Pac-Man is Atari. I did not even know until recently that the coin-up was made by Taito.
Thanks Atari for fooling us kids :-)
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Okay, thats the beginning of serious collecting/swapping I guess :-)
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Well, I hope the FB2 has prooved to them that there is a market for authentic hard/software and furthermore I honestly think they understood why to go this way.
It is really now depending on the mentality the decisionmakers (maybe new ones should Atari being sold once more in the near future) at Atari are driven by: fast cash squeezing out the last drop of Atari´s name or taking things a little slow paced building up a product line which satisfies the retro gaming scene.
Of course after all, everything has to lead to earn profit and I think in our fast paced (retro) gaming scene one can do this following one or the other path.
But Atari has to understand nevertheless time (cheap technology) and circumstances (the great desire of retro gaming) has given them the unique opportunity to build up another generation of Atari players. I firmly believe that many of the old Atari Games are the perfect introduction into gaming for kids from 4-10.
Build another FB also with the option of low budget cartridges a la "game key" like Jakks is doing. Sell it at ToyRus and Co. for 30 bucks and a variety of game keys seperately. All the Atari parents plus an unknown number are going to buy for sure. And supporting the gake keys for another 3 years is extra money.
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I leaned a new term today - Frying. If I understand correctly, that's when you start messing around with the Power switch until you get some strange variation of the real game you're trying to play. Most of us have played a weird variation of Space Invaders. I kept getting the one where the UFO in the far left hand corner that reappears about 5 times and then disappears, and then you're left with a blank screen to fire into. If you're quick and fire right away you can get 100 or 200 points if you hit the UFO.
Anyway, I had seen that one before.... but after I played that one, I got a pretty cool looking version of the game with white shields. Ever get this one before?
The invaders are invisible, it's a two player game, shields are white, when you fire, it sometimes fires out of the INVISIBLE second player's ship. The invaders bullets first come out really fast and jagged but then slow down. I played it two times, then turned it off, but I couldn't get it back again. Here was the pic I took of the screen.
The old Atari commercial "More Games, more fun" does truly apply
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Best on XL:
Mercenary
Dropzone (even ZZAP! 64 had to admit to this fact)
many SSI war games
M.U.L.E.
Flight Simulator II
Karateka (XL/C64 flippy, easy to compare)
Chessmaster 2000 (XL/C64 flippy, easy to compare)
The Halley's Project (XL/C64 flippy, easy to compare)
many cartridge titles
I had Flight Simulator II on 800 Xl back then and recently I tried the C64 version. I couldn´t see any difference from what I remember, I would say both are par.
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Hello Folks,
since I got my FB2/Jaaks 13-1-paddles this week the Atari fever goes around in my house (I even can see symptoms with my wife
).So, we are having great time and fun enjoying FB2 and the Jakks Paddle remake mostly together, but of course, without Frogger & Co. (the games she knows and loved to play back then) I think I have hard times to feed the beginning of an addiction with her (and for me, I wanna get those nice homebrew stuff offered on this site).
Since I am absolutely not an ebay person, I am willing to spend more money, if it is well invested. Who has experience on the internet with the different stores and can recommend the one or the other when I am up to get a cleaned and tested woody with some kind of guarantee. Also, I prefer a nicely looking system (given the age of course I am expecting the one or other scratch but I don´t want to spend $80 to get a working but trashy looking unit).
Thanks for your help and consider me as an old/new member of the Atari family....
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I would prefer real atari hardware...
I was wondering, do the Jakks plug and plays use NOAC? I want to say yes, but I am not sure. I'm asking this because their games may not be perfect, but outside of using PC emulation they are the closest to the real thing I have seen in a home unit at that price. Now I am not a purist, so I may not notice some of the inconsistencies, but if atari could get the games as close as Jakks did on some of their units then atari may be able to pull off the NOAC chip set. Of course now I am talking of spending mass amount of time programming the games to get them right, and that would defeat the money savings that atari is looking for.
I say go with Atari Hardware.
I want to add that the Jakks/Digital Eclipse Paddles (and of course they are licensed by Atari) are a nice unit also regarding the look & feel of the games BUT after FB2 I couldn´t imagine a new console not able to play original games. It really depends what Atari wants to do. If they just want to release some other built-in-games-paddles/joystick, okay, do your best on the NOAC if it has to be. But if we are speaking of a FB3: it has to run original software without reprogramming. If we are speaking of a real new console system for the low-price market which is designed for the release of new software (who knows, maybe they are planning sth. like that) thats a complete different story.
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Good conclusion. How did it end up with the FB1? Did they had to bury them in the dessert or could they sell the garbage?
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Of course there is the question why the didn´t include Space Invaders and some more titles and at least 1 Pac-man derivate (for my taste Atari Pac-man is the only true Pac-man since it was the only version I knew and played back then. I haven´t had a clue about the arcade coin-up or a company called Namco. So Pac-Man is Atari and Atari is Pac-Man!)
Because neither one are Atari games, and both would have had to of been licensed. In turn this would have raised the cost of the FB2 significantly and taken it out of its $30 price range.
Forgot about that damn licensing thing.
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Hi Thomas,
Absolutely.
Atari Climber is a great, fun game.
The final version, Climber 5 is even better because it offers additional gameplay options.
I don't know...I prefer Atari Climber over Climber 5
This Atari feeling is a curse when you work form home
nevertheless I find that Atari Climber on "Advanced" or "Standard" is a tick easier in the beginning than as a Novice. I got immed. to level 5 on "Advanced" whereas in Level 3 as Novice was "Game over" for me.
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So,
of course my Atari FB2 package couldn´t rest under the tree until X-Mas and I gave it a try for some half an hour yesterday and this early morning.
I really love it
and for my taste the collection of games is almost perfect if you want to cover Atari videogame history and also the weaker titles are part of that history. Of course there is the question why the didn´t include Space Invaders and some more titles and at least 1 Pac-man derivate (for my taste Atari Pac-man is the only true Pac-man since it was the only version I knew and played back then. I haven´t had a clue about the arcade coin-up or a company called Namco. So Pac-Man is Atari and Atari is Pac-Man!)But so far Atari Climber is the one that caught my attention. This game has everything, a true VCS game has to have for me to be a hit: neat graphics and an absolute amazing gameplay. A little too hard for smaller kids but it keeps me interested and motivated.
I know this is a homebrew title and I am sure if it was released back then it could have been one of the great games.
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@Curt Vendel: what actually is the reason for this poll? Is Atari again "bitching" about not using the VCS-on-a-chip anymore for a portable version of the FB2 or is it regarding the FB3 project?
Prob. you are not allowed to bring light into the dark but maybe lightening a small match (hint) would be very interesting.....
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Interesting so the Flashback 2 is a superhot item 2 Holiday seasons in a row. With this type of news it looks like the Flashback 3 is a go
I hope you are right, man. You never know. In my opinion Atari screwed it up once again for NOT having a new item in the shelves for this holiday season. What is better than X-Mas if you really wanna earn $$$ within a short period.
If it is not the money issue (not having money) then the Atari bosses have to be &)/§)/)/)/"(§&.....
Let alone that it is already a sin not to have produced a PAL version for Europe/Australia of the FB2. In my opinion lost sales in the millions.....
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Is this BMX auction unethical?
in Auction Central
Posted
well, not much more to say but that the unethical vendors did/do and will do much harm to the reputation of the general majority of prof. sales people. As for ebay: I know where I only bought once in my life and where I likely will buy again and again and again. So, who is the big winner? The good salesman/woman because he/she earns a lot more on me during my lifetime than the rip off seller.
A good vendor offers his product for a fair price or demonstrates why one should spend more money to buy his product or from him. If he assures me that he and his realtionship with me after the sale is worth the extra money I am willing to consider even a higher cost!