Ever have a dream?

[+Propane13]

Last night, I had a dream.

It's that dream that happens at least once a year, and drives me absolutely nuts.

 

Somehow, my company sent me on a contract mission to visit an "overstock" company.

I was there looking for our product, to see how it was doing in sales. Something to that effect.

 

While in the back room, I was stunned to see a metal cage. Inside of it were a bunch of shrinkwrapped 7800 games. A clerk passed me by, and I asked what they were. He said something like "bah, they're games for a system that didn't sell. We kept the overstock here. We're not sure what to do with it. I think we should dump it". After some prodding, I managed to convince the guy to open it up, so I could take a prelim look. He went away for a key, and came back a couple of minutes later. I saw at least 3 shelves worth of these things, and I can recall the silvery glistening labels were very intriguing-- this was one of Atari's last shipments.

 

The clerk came back, and let me in. Inside, I saw lots of commons, but eventually saw something interesting-- 6 "White Water Madness" copies sitting right there, box and everything. It was... a rush. I kept looking, and found a couple of other odd titles. One looked like a fighting game, and had "Snake" written on the side in scrawly letters. I kept looking, but decided to get my nerve up. I asked the man if I could take some of this merchandise. He looked at me confusedly, and said "I'll have to ask the boss. One moment". I started getting really excited. You don't know how much I've wanted to help get an unreleased game out to the community. Just getting something like that into the hands of enthusiasts would make my day. I heard footsteps, and I knew the boss was on his way.

 

It was then that things got fuzzy. I took a last look at the box, and it faded away. And then, it was gone.

 

I have dreams like this all the time, all because when I was younger, I scored a bunch of "unknown" 7800 titles at Big Lots. It was the best deal of my life. I had things I'd never even heard of, for 1, 2, or 3 dollars each, respectively. So, I guess it'll be another 6 months before that happens again.

 

So, do people have this same sort of dream? I usually have it when I'm at a Big-Lots type store, and dig through the shelves, finding a "Scraper Caper" or something to that effect behind the other 7800 commons.

 

Also, one footnote. I think it's time that the "more talented than I" people in the community make some box artwork for the famous unreleased titles. Just for fun. I think I'd buy them just so that my dreams could become reality. White Water Madness, Froggo's Pyromania, Lode Runner-- those would be my favorites to have. Lode Runner even has a screenshot: http://loderunner.home.insightbb.com/images/7800prot.gif As a secondary list, anything from here: http://www.atariprotos.com/rumormill/7800/7800rumor.htm Anyone up to the challenge? Granted, screenshots would have to be faked, but I think it would ne neat.

 

-John

[Brian R.]

Sounds like you need to visit O'Shea's cave storage of all the Atari stuff they have.

 

Can't say I've had a 7800 dream. I used to dream quite often about my 600 XL computer back in the day - specifically, I'd dream that it had more memory, or that I had the never-seen memory expansion module, or that it was in fact an 800 XL. I was frustrated back then by not having enough memory for certain things.

 

As for the protos, Lode Runner is the one thing that makes me drag out my XE Game System. I would LOVE to have it on the 7800. That screenshot looks even better than the XE cart!

[themrfreeze]

Sounds like you need to visit O'Shea's cave storage of all the Atari stuff they have.

 

Do they still sell 7800 stuff? I checked out their website recently (now that I once again have a 7800), and it's the worst website ever....NOTHING they sell is listed anywhere.

[Brian R.]

Sounds like you need to visit O'Shea's cave storage of all the Atari stuff they have.

 

Do they still sell 7800 stuff? I checked out their website recently (now that I once again have a 7800), and it's the worst website ever....NOTHING they sell is listed anywhere.

 

I believe they do. Atari games are listed under electronics. They just don't seem to have the titles/order form on their site any more. Would have to contact them, I guess. I know many titles had sold out.

 

They have pictures of their cave, including the Atari games, here: http://www.oshealtd.com/cave.htm (I had to use IE for their site, didn't work right in Firefox.)

 

I bought pretty much my entire 7800 collection from them back when they were ultra-cheap.

Edited August 29, 2007 by Brian R.

[+Psionic]

Do they still sell 7800 stuff? I checked out their website recently (now that I once again have a 7800), and it's the worst website ever....NOTHING they sell is listed anywhere.

https://www.oshealtd.com/atariorderform.htm

 

 

[Brian R.]

Do they still sell 7800 stuff? I checked out their website recently (now that I once again have a 7800), and it's the worst website ever....NOTHING they sell is listed anywhere.

https://www.oshealtd.com/atariorderform.htm

 

 

 

So it's there, but it's not there.

 

I can't remember what the prices on those used to be, when I stocked up. $1? 50 cents? A lot less than the $5 they're charging per title now.

[Rik]

Atari games stored in a cave,thats the most amazing thing,why in a cave?

[Brian R.]

Atari games stored in a cave,thats the most amazing thing,why in a cave?

 

Underground storage is good for many storing many things. Consistent temperature, humidity, etc.

[Atarifever]

My only recurring videogame dream is that I find a surprisingly large arcade tucked away somewhere near where ever I'm currently living. Even the city I just moved from had a really, really limited arcade, so finding a halfway decent one would be incredible. In the dream it's always somewhere I wouldn't expect, like in some secret wing of an airport, at a beach, or (the last time I had the dream a month or so ago) in a crappy looking old shack that turned out to belong to an arcade enthusiest who decided to start an arcade here (in a town of 1200; yeah dreams don't make sense). In the dreams I never, ever actually get to play the games because I'm always busy looking around the arcade to see what they have.

[Brian R.]

My only recurring videogame dream is that I find a surprisingly large arcade tucked away somewhere near where ever I'm currently living. Even the city I just moved from had a really, really limited arcade, so finding a halfway decent one would be incredible. In the dream it's always somewhere I wouldn't expect, like in some secret wing of an airport, at a beach, or (the last time I had the dream a month or so ago) in a crappy looking old shack that turned out to belong to an arcade enthusiest who decided to start an arcade here (in a town of 1200; yeah dreams don't make sense). In the dreams I never, ever actually get to play the games because I'm always busy looking around the arcade to see what they have.

 

I miss arcades.

 

In college, there was a big arcade in town, right down the hill from my dorm. I spent a lot of time there. I liked playing Attaxx, Galaga 88, Trog, Cabal and the pinball games, mostly.

 

It's now a clothing store.

[Atarifever]

I miss arcades.

 

In college, there was a big arcade in town, right down the hill from my dorm. I spent a lot of time there. I liked playing Attaxx, Galaga 88, Trog, Cabal and the pinball games, mostly.

 

It's now a clothing store.

My University student centre had a Virtua Fighter, House of the Dead, Crazy Taxi, Tekken Tag, Police Trainer (I think that was the name) Crusin something or other), a golf game, some motorcycle game, a few pinball games, a juke box, pool tables, and one of those tabletop hockey games. In my first year in residence (a three minute walk away) I spent way too much of my student loan there. Now even that tiny arcade would be welcome. The local Pizza place has a hunting game, a Space Invaders clone, and a pinball, but that's it for probably 300 kilometres or more.

 

I wish arcades would make a comeback. I mean, with videogames at their current high popularity, kids being given more money than ever apparently, and kids still flooding malls, I don't understand why arcades haven't increased in popularity.

[themrfreeze]

My college had its own arcade....and billiard hall....and bowling alley. Lord knows I spent plenty of money there playing Funhouse pinball. It was also where I was introduced to Klax and Toobin'.

 

There's at least one other person on this board who went to the same school at the same time I did...let's see if he has anything to say about it.

[themrfreeze]

Atari games stored in a cave,thats the most amazing thing,why in a cave?

 

May have been a government storage facility at one point that they could have picked up super cheap at a government auction. Lots of room, don't have to heat/cool it, and maybe not much in taxes since it's not really a building.

[Brian R.]

Atari games stored in a cave,thats the most amazing thing,why in a cave?

 

May have been a government storage facility at one point that they could have picked up super cheap at a government auction. Lots of room, don't have to heat/cool it, and maybe not much in taxes since it's not really a building.

 

Actually, it was one of Dr. Evil's underground lairs...

[+FujiSkunk]

My college had its own arcade....and billiard hall....and bowling alley. Lord knows I spent plenty of money there playing Funhouse pinball. It was also where I was introduced to Klax and Toobin'.

 

Actually, I worked at my college's rec area, which was also an arcade, pool hall and bowling alley all in one. Sometimes I really miss that job, especially those Friday and Saturday nights when we did Cosmic Bowling and I got to play DJ. Good times.

[Rik]

Yeah,weird how this video game collecting impacts us.I recently had a dream that this repair man stole all my good 7800 games.Man was i glad when i woke up and realized i was dreaming,i was such in a rage,all i could do was weep!,cus it took alot of money,time,patience,and effort to aquire my 7800 collection!.Now when ever the repairmen or delivery guys go into my basement,i stay there and guard my video games,dreams can come true,and are somtimes a warning of whats yet to come,and this can very well happen,cus some people dont value their jobs,and my basement is just piled to the hilt everywhere with Tons OF HARD TO GET OLD DOS PC GAMES AS WELL,so i probably wouldnt notice it if a couple were taken.

Edited August 30, 2007 by Rik

[Rik]

Atari games stored in a cave,thats the most amazing thing,why in a cave?

 

May have been a government storage facility at one point that they could have picked up super cheap at a government auction. Lots of room, don't have to heat/cool it, and maybe not much in taxes since it's not really a building.

Yes,that was my first impression,looks like a military storage site,or something of that sorts.

[Atariboy2600]

I order 15 games from them before and they are still alive a kicking. All the games box are NEW with there originl shinkwraps:D

 

https://www.oshealtd.com/atari.htm

 

[Brian R.]

Yeah,weird how this video game collecting impacts us.I recently had a dream that this repair man stole all my good 7800 games.

 

You mean he took BOTH of them?!!??!!???

 

[themrfreeze]

You mean he took BOTH of them?!!??!!???

 

Now BE NICE! As it happens, I picked up a 7800 and a bunch of carts off of eBay, and have been playing it for the past few days. Gotta say, it's a lot more fun than I remember it being (I had one back in the late 80s). The arcade translations are really quite good.

 

And if anybody has some loose 7800 carts they want to get rid of, let me know.

[Brian R.]

You mean he took BOTH of them?!!??!!???

 

Now BE NICE! As it happens, I picked up a 7800 and a bunch of carts off of eBay, and have been playing it for the past few days. Gotta say, it's a lot more fun than I remember it being (I had one back in the late 80s). The arcade translations are really quite good.

 

And if anybody has some loose 7800 carts they want to get rid of, let me know.

 

I know someone who has a couple games available...

 

http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?ma...products_id=830

http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?ma...products_id=849