Polo - Stella CD questions.

[Pioneer4x4]

I have the original Stella Gets a New Brain CD, and it included previously unreleased "Polo". Since that CD was a specific number of copies, and licensed/permission given to release it. So is it still considered "Prototype"?

I am interested in as much as I can find out about the original run of the CD. I have long lost the emails I had from the late 1990s. And back then I got most of my info from the R.G.V.C newsgroup.

 

Also My CD is numbered "010" with a paint pen. And has "Do what thou wilt..." on it also. I was wondering why it was numbered like that, and if being #010, if that meant anything value wise. I was extremely proud and excited to have obtained back then.

[slapdash]

I have the original Stella Gets a New Brain CD, and it included previously unreleased "Polo". Since that CD was a specific number of copies, and licensed/permission given to release it. So is it still considered "Prototype"?

 

I (Russ Perry Jr, the "P" in CyberPuNKS) have never thought about it in that sense, but I would say that yes, Polo is still a prototype. I don't believe any copy of it has shown up yet, other than Carol Shaw's copy which we were allowed to dump for the CD. She has the only known prototype, so far as I know. The CD, despite the fact we got permission to release it, and any carts made up since, are simply reproductions.

 

Now, the rumor was, the game was being made so cartridges could be sent to stores to be on display to advertise Ralph Lauren's "Polo" cologne; I don't think anyone has found any proof of this however -- i.e. it's unclear whether this actually happened. So there's still a small chance that the game WAS released, in the same sense that Coke Wins/Pepsi Invaders was released, but to this day there is no proof that I have seen, so I kind of doubt it got that far.

 

Also My CD is numbered "010" with a paint pen. And has "Do what thou wilt..." on it also. I was wondering why it was numbered like that, and if being #010, if that meant anything value wise. I was extremely proud and excited to have obtained back then.

 

There were a few eBay auctions that saw SGaNB hit prices as high as $350 (!?!), but with the second release, prices settled down. I don't know if the first release still has any particular value or not. But they were numbered, randomly (i.e. #10 wasn't necessarily the tenth one of the CD stamper, but just the tenth one that Glenn picked up and numbered), and some bore that quote (possibly another quote too, can't recall), again essentially at random if I remember correctly. I have no idea whatsoever if ones with the quotes are worth more; they simply aren't sold often enough, or their particular number/quote/whatever noted when they ARE sold. I kept track of some auctions, for a while, but it wasn't automated at all, so I'm sure I missed a few along the way, and I imagine there were other sales that have taken place outside of eBay of which I have no idea about.

 

But as part of the release team, I sure hope you've enjoyed the disc. I'm sure proud to have been a part of the project, and still get a thrill to see my name on the booklet. It's something I'd wanted to do a couple years before the team actually came together, but it probably would never have happened if it was just up to me, as I didn't have the technology and/or cash to put it together, and luckily other team members were able to do a lot of things I couldn't to get it done (most notable is the late Jim Nitchals). Long live Stella! :-)

[MrStinger]

>>I am interested in as much as I can find out about the original run of the CD.<<

 

And this would be Dan Skelton, the "S" in CyberPuNKS, the last to join during the original Stella project, responsible for the rule booklet, new artwork, and the person whose hand appears on the cover.

 

>>My CD is numbered "010" with a paint pen. And has "Do what thou wilt..." on it also.<<

 

Russ answered the question of how the numbering occurred. My recollection of the "Do what thou wilt..." quote is that Glenn put those on every fifth CD. The line was an inscription on the first vinyl pressing of Led Zeppelin III, side two. Side one contains the remainder of the quote "So mete it be," which, when put together essentially means, "Do what you want shall be the whole of the law." It's a quote from Alastair Crowley, though the connotation with the Stella Project has no satanic overtones. Basically, it meant, "I know you're going to make copies of this CD and I can't prevent you, but it's now out of my hands."

 

>>if being #010, if that meant anything value wise.<<

 

I don't know if the lower numbers have sold for more. The prices did stabalize after Version 2.0 came out, but there is a valid reason to hold on to the numbered edition: since it was a not-for-profit project, we were able to include the complete Vectrex archives on the CD-ROM, including source code, rule books, and scans of the colored overlays. I took a LOT of time scanning and hand-cleaning those overlays, which were loaned to me by Barry Cantin. If you print the overlays on an inkjet printer on transparent sheets, they work quite well.

 

The unlimited edition added some homebrew games to the CD but lost the Vectrex materials. If you really like this stuff, you'll want to own both...

 

And I'll add my sentiments to Russ'. The Stella project was a great time, an enjoyable undertaking, and I thought the final results held up with most commercial CD-ROM releases of the day. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[MrStinger]

One more observation: though the Stella CD would not be considered "production" for Polo, since it was not released by Atari nor was it on cartridge, some of the items on the disc could be considered production releases.

 

We had the written permission of the copyright holders for the limited and unlimited runs of the Stella CD for all Arcadia/Starpath materials. So "Sweat" could be considered the first production release of that incomplete game, and both Survival Island and Sword of Saros could be considered second production releases. That's why I thought it valid to create artwork for those three games; this would be the last chance to do so in an authorized release, and for the latter two, I really thought they deserved full production treatment since their original releases were so inadequate but the games so good.

 

For some of the other stuff, like Polo, I put together "box art" as just a joke. I never considered that to be any kind of production release, though we did have Atari's permission to include the game.

[lapetino]

Hi, Dan and Russ.

 

Thanks for joining in on the discussion, and thank you so much for putting out this CD collection all those years ago. This thread brings back those great, exciting memories of re-discovering the 2600 and playing it with my college dormmates. In fact, the first edition of Stella Got A New Brain was one of the main things that got me back into the 2600 (and non-stop ever since) in my first year of college in 1996(discovering eBay and high-speed Internet connections at a Big Ten school!).

 

I feel very fortunate to have one of these CDs, and have all the games loaded on my iPod, for use with my Supercharger. I have a feeling (and correct me if I'm wrong) that these games would be much harder to license in this way now, with the time that has passed and the renewed interest Atari and many of these companies have in exploiting their intellectual properties.

 

So, again, CyberPuNKS--thanks for giving back to the hobby in such a big way. I hope to pitch in, and contribute to keep it alive as well, in other ways.

[slapdash]

Thanks for joining in on the discussion, and thank you so much for putting out this CD collection all those years ago.

 

Thanks for supporting the project!

 

I feel very fortunate to have one of these CDs, and have all the games loaded on my iPod, for use with my Supercharger.

 

Funny how that sort of thing had never occurred to me, but then when I was editor of the 2600 Connection, someone wrote an article about doing just that. I thought it was an interesting mix of old & new technology.

 

I have a feeling (and correct me if I'm wrong) that these games would be much harder to license in this way now, with the time that has passed and the renewed interest Atari and many of these companies have in exploiting their intellectual properties.

 

Quite possibly, but our biggest problem was scope... Most companies are HAPPY to license their stuff if it'll make them money, but for SGaNB, they obviously weren't going to make a lot, so much appreciation to Bridgestone Multimedia (who owned the Epyx/Starpath copyrights at the time) and Atari (the JTS-era Atari I believe) for allowing the project to continue. However, even then, there were certain things that they wouldn't allow. Like, we were trying to get permission to put Tempest on the disc too, and the Epyx "Games" releases, but couldn't get them to go that far. Still, it was great getting what we were able to get on there.

 

Thanks Dan for clarifying the quote on the first release, and for reminding me of the Vectrex goodies we put on there. And I guess I have to agree; Sweat is now officially released, even if in low quantities.

[Pioneer4x4]

Thank you all for adding your comments. I got my Stella CD from someone in Europe, I traded a Gremlins Cart, and something else... I don't remember, that was a LONG time ago.

When I first got the CD I REALLY liked what it all included and loved the ability to use a CD instead of tapes. I already had 2 superchargers back then and all of the original 10 games that I bought new in the 1980s. Now that I just got a Harmony cart, it makes the supercharger less useful.

 

Thank you very much for info on the numbering and phrase. I have never been able to confirm that it was official, even though I knew it was on it since I got it in the late 1990s, maybe 6 months after they were all sold.

 

A side note, I remember emailing Bob Colbert a bit back then about his supercharger hacks, and makewav and Stell-a-Sketch. I was the one that asked him to use the Indy 500 Controllers since that seemed to be fitting they way they work, and there was no other game to use them.

 

I also asked for the feature of makewav with the -b option for a project I wanted to do with making a Gameboy cart that would generate and play the sounds for a supercharger to read. I never followed through enough, but still believe it would have been cool using a Gameboy as a "File Server" for an Atari, but now with MP3 players, the idea is obsolete.

 

I really appreciate the work that went into the Stella CD's and it must have been an interesting experience to have been involved with all of the contacts, and manufacturing issues.

 

As for Polo is it still not %100 certain that it was Ralph Lauren related?

 

Thanks again for the comments and explanations!!!