Ask Nolan

[mgabrys]

In another thread Nolan Bushnell said:

 

I am going to bed. I am not as much of a night owl as you guys. Post questions an I will try to answer them tomorrow. This has been fun. Dont worry about offending me. Ask hard questions. I am proud of my wins and sad about my failures but will not sugar coat either because both wins and losses are part of your game history and learning from both is important.

 

And since others expressed concerns that these might not be best addressed on a 700-post (and rising) thread, here's a new one.

 

Welcome to AtariAge, Mr. Nolan Bushnell.

[accousticguitar]

Did you program a game in college called Fox and Geese? Could you tell us about the game and the experiance of programming the game?

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

Uhm........tell us something about the porn flick.........I like vintage porn!

[Bakasama]

Uhm........tell us something about the porn flick.........I like vintage porn!

 

I had a feeling that somebody was going to ask that question. Still an answer should be interesting.

[Cebus Capucinis]

Mr. Bushnell:

 

I think it is safe to say that the idea for Chuck E. Cheese/Pizza Time Theater was a very innovative idea! The idea was very different from what a traditional, mainstream restaurant would be considered. Because the ideas were so different from the accepted norm of what a restaurant was believed to be, what were some of the difficulties you faced in seeing your ideas come to life? What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome to continually innovate the restaurant business? How did you tackle those hurdles and did you enjoy the process?

 

Thank you!

[kool kitty89]

I'm not sure if this has already been discussed before but:

 

When looking for business partners for Atari Inc. (prior to selling to Warner in '76), was Mattel ever approached or considered?

Or, more generally, what other companies had been approached prior to Warner?

 

 

I'm not sure if I'm actually going to get a direct response, but if not, perhaps some of the historians could help out. (who I'd been planning on asking in the first place)

[atari181]

Mr. Bushnell:

 

I think it is safe to say that the idea for Chuck E. Cheese/Pizza Time Theater was a very innovative idea! The idea was very different from what a traditional, mainstream restaurant would be considered. Because the ideas were so different from the accepted norm of what a restaurant was believed to be, what were some of the difficulties you faced in seeing your ideas come to life? What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome to continually innovate the restaurant business? How did you tackle those hurdles and did you enjoy the process?

 

Thank you!

What is your favorite Muppit Dammit?

[VectorGamer]

I want to know this Mr. Bushnell:

 

Would you have believed in 1977 that people would still be writing new games for the VCS over 30 years later in year 2010? On that note, have you played any of these new releases and what are your thoughts not only on the 2600 but also the new releases for the 5200 and 7800?

[Mirage]

Hi Mr. Bushnell. Thank you so much for everything you have done for the video game business/hobby. You are a real hero.

 

I'm just wondering in general about anything you could tell us about the early Atari artwork on the boxes and/or catalogs. Anything regarding how it was selected, who made the decisions, if there was any particular aesthetic goals... or anything else?

 

Thanks again!

- Chris (loving Atari since about 7 years old)

[IntellivisionDude]

Mr. Bushnell:

 

I think it is safe to say that the idea for Chuck E. Cheese/Pizza Time Theater was a very innovative idea! The idea was very different from what a traditional, mainstream restaurant would be considered. Because the ideas were so different from the accepted norm of what a restaurant was believed to be, what were some of the difficulties you faced in seeing your ideas come to life? What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome to continually innovate the restaurant business? How did you tackle those hurdles and did you enjoy the process?

 

Thank you!

 

 

I know this isn't a question, but i'd say at least 90% of my arcade experience as a kid was at Chuck E. Cheese. Memories that i'll never forget.

[Jess Ragan]

Whose idea was localizing Rabbit Punch, aka Rabio Lupus? This was arguably the best game to come from the Bally/Sente joint merger and I wish we had seen more like it. How difficult was it to obtain the license from Video System? What steps did you take to get it? Did Bally's past dealings with Namco make this difficult? Why weren't more Japanese games distributed in the United States by Sente?

[orangest]

I very respectfully ask the "Cumma chameleon" if he has any units left over.

[+Charlie Cat]

Hello Mr. Busnell,

 

Welcome to Atariage.com and I hope you enjoy your stay here. I have a strange request (even since your already getting large numbers of personal messages).

 

Would it be possible to receive a autograph from you? If so, I'll gladly pay for the expenses necessary for your time needed to do so. If your interested, you my PM me anytime for your convenience. Thank you.

 

 

Anthony....

[akator]

Welcome to Atari Age, Mr. Bushnell.

 

Headline reads "Geeks Fooled by Real Bushnell."

 

Exerpt:

 

The real Nolan Bushnell showed up at a classic gaming forum. Because of the general cynicism and disillusionment common with cranky middle-aged men, no one believed that Bushnell was who he said he was.

 

"I was nice to them," Bushnell started, "but then things became strange." He continued, "At first they joked with me, with things like my identity, but then they got mean. You know, like a pack of chihuahuas fighting over leftover organic lettuce at the bottom of a purse."

 

Initially, "NolanB" was thought to be Ralph Snotzki, a 60-year-old living in his 93-year-old mother's basement in Fresno, CA. An in-depth investigation proved that Mr. Snotzki was in the midst of a 13-hour DVD pr0n marathon, and therefore offline. It was subsequently revealed that Ralph Snotzki was not in fact "NolanB", although Mr. Snotzki later commented that he would have preferred being a fake Bushnell when compared to his real identity.

 

Mr. Bushnell has recently joined the board of Atari. He enjoys millions in endorsements from Ax Cologne due to his cult status and 70s hot-tub photos.

[Prodos8]

Hello Mr. Bushnell.

 

I'm just curious, but what brand of cigars do you smoke?

 

Also, thanks for bringing to fruition the greatest gaming machine (namely the Atari VCS/2600) that will, most likely, ever be. My early childhood sorta revolved around the thing, at least until I became interested in full-blown computers. I thank you for the wonderful memories.

 

Anyway, thanks for all you've done to promote video games.

 

Regards,

John

[ThelonelyAlien]

Hello Mr. Bushnell,

 

I doubt your reading this but there is just so much I could ask you. You are a legend in video game history. People 100's of year in the future will remember you as a giant part of video game and home electronics history. I don't know if this is well known but what were you plans for the company before you were forced out. Also if you could sign an Atari game for me that would be great. I would pay for shipping and any costs that would come up. If that would be okay, just PM me. Thanks

[CPUWIZ]

WHERE IS THE SWORD???

[Cebus Capucinis]

WHERE IS THE SWORD???

 

Seconded!

[VectorGamer]

WHERE IS THE SWORD???

 

Seconded!

 

Wasn't that the Tramiel era?

[ThelonelyAlien]

WHERE IS THE SWORD???

 

Lets not forget the philosphers stone.

 

Wait are we talking about the same thing?

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

WHERE IS THE SWORD???

 

Seconded!

 

Wasn't that the Tramiel era?

 

Yep, it was in the Tramiel era!

[CPUWIZ]

I knew it wouldn't take long for one of you smart asses to say that. Doesn't change the fact that I want to know what happened to the sword. He might know, he might not.

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

I knew it wouldn't take long for one of you smart asses to say that.

 

NEVER!!!!!!

[accousticguitar]

Excalibur?

[CPUWIZ]