Mean Hamster 5200 Games New Cart Run

[ziggystar]

I'm seeing my 5200 games on Ebay for $80+ per each, I think it might be time for another run. For those of you that don't remember, we made a number of exclusive 5200 games in the past:

 

MHS

Klax

Combat 2 Advanced

Haunted House 3d

AtariTris

 

MHS/First Star

Bristles

Boulder Dash

Boulder Dash 2

Flip Flop

Rent Wars

 

I am looking for public interest. Prices would be somewhere between $30-$50, most likely loose carts, no box. Depends on the number of orders.

 

thanks

John

Edited May 14, 2010 by ziggystar

[NoahsMyBro]

I might be interested in Klax or HH3d.

 

To be honest though, I'm on the fence about them.

 

I'd be more likely to buy one or both if they were closer to $30, rather than $50. And I'd very strongly prefer they include a decent box & instructions. I have Rent War and Bristles (& Boulder Dash & Combat II, for that matter), and while those boxes seemed lower-quality than those used for other 5200 homebrews like Adventure 2 or Castle Crisis, they were certainly good enough.

 

I realize I'm asking for the cheapest price, AND a nice box with instructions. AND I'm still not guaranteeing I'd buy anything.

 

If you can't meet those parameters I completely understand and that's life, but if it helps you to decide how to proceed, that's where I'm coming from in my little corner of the world.

 

Good luck,

Steve

Edited May 14, 2010 by NoahsMyBro

[ApolloBoy]

I'd love to see Boulder Dash and Klax and I wouldn't mind if they were loose.

[phaxda]

As a collector of these games, I hope that any re-release would clearly be labeled as such. I am more a player than speculator, but it still hurts a little when you're an early adopter and then the value of your past purchases is diluted by a reissued product.

 

I seem to remember that these being limited editions was at least implied all cases and made explicit in others.

 

That said, I already have all these (and in some cases paid a bit to acquire them) so am not interested in any re-releases.

[dr. kwack]

Oooh! Haunted house and Klax- absolutely!! Loose carts are fine.

[ziggystar]

They would absolutley be labeled as re-issues and probably re-limited as such. 2nd run, something like that. And no boxes or manuals most likley.

[GaryH917]

Hey John, I'd be interested in Haunted House, Ataritris and Bristles... Loose with manual would be nice!

[jetset]

I'd certainly be interested! Specificially in;

 

Klax

Haunted House 3d

AtariTris

Flip Flop

 

and possibly;

Boulder Dash

Boulder Dash 2 (I never cared for those games so it'd be a toss up)

 

I'm with Noah though, $30 is most I'd pay for a cart and instructions. I don't care for boxes, and imo $30 is just right for a 5200 cart.

 

However, if they are to be labeled "reissue" or "reproduction" count me out. That just screams "crappy knock-off bootleg" and as much as I could care less for the (resale) value as I want them to play, having that on the cart just turns me off. Now, if they said "2010 edition", or something like that would be ok.

[Mayhem]

I don't have Combat 2 or AtariTris so I'd be interested in those...

[ziggystar]

I might even add a feature or 2 for these "2010" editions.

[GroovyBee]

Any chance of 7800 versions? Long shot I know.

[Crazy Climber]

I'm seeing my 5200 games on Ebay for $80+ per each, I think it might be time for another run. For those of you that don't remember, we made a number of exclusive 5200 games in the past:

 

MHS

Klax

Combat 2 Advanced

Haunted House 3d

AtariTris

 

MHS/First Star

Bristles

Boulder Dash

Boulder Dash 2

Flip Flop

Rent Wars

 

I am looking for public interest. Prices would be somewhere between $30-$50, most likely loose carts, no box. Depends on the number of orders.

 

thanks

John

I am not a huge 5200 guy myself but some of these are still available new (with a box) for $40

Flip and Flop

https://www.atari2600.com/item--Flip-and-Flop--PROD7819.html

Rent Wars

https://www.atari2600.com/item--Rent-Wars--ATA52GAM0230.html

Boulder Dash - Pink

https://www.atari2600.com/item--Boulder-Dash®--ATA52GAM0204.html

Boulder Dash - Yellow

https://www.atari2600.com/item--Boulder-Dash®--ATA52GAM0207.html

Boulder Dash 2 - box set (not the game, but figured I would post it for the hell of it)

https://www.atari2600.com/item--Atari-5200-BoulderDash-II-Box-Proof-Set--ATA52MEM0001.html

[ledzep]

I'd be interested in Boulder Dash II but if we're talking $30-$50 then I'd expect some sort of box and manual.

 

I've never created a homebrew game before so, as an outsider, I'd like to ask a question about boxes. Specifically, why not make boxes for the games? Is it a profit/expense thing or more of a time/pain in the ass thing? I'm one of those collectors who only really goes after cartridges that are complete with boxes and manuals (and overlays) so maybe I'm not the normal game buyer. But I've spent sometimes big eBay money for 5200 games (including ones like Adventure II and Combat 2 Advanced) because they included the boxes. And I've also passed on buying some Atari 5200 and Vectrex games simply because I know they have boxes but the ones for sale is loose.

 

Would it be possible to take payment first and do a run with boxes and one without? Meaning that if interest seems to be sort of split between boxes and loose carts then the loose carts buyers pay less and the boxes people pay for the premium of the extra work? Maybe that could be part of the new feature or 2 release. I don't know how unrealistic that idea is.

[Albert]

Specifically, why not make boxes for the games? Is it a profit/expense thing or more of a time/pain in the ass thing?

To print boxes in a manner similar to how they were printed "back in the day" is expensive when done in "small" quantities. And by small quantities, I mean a minimum of around 300 or so. I'm talking about offset printed boxes, on chipboard stock, stamped with a custom, metal die that must be created (and is an additional one-time expense) before you even print any boxes. The more boxes you print, the less expensive the boxes become with this method, but it's hard to justify printing more than 300 boxes for most homebrew games, and you may not even sell that many copies.

 

If you want to do smaller runs of boxes, you need to be more creative. Typically small runs of boxes are printed on an inkjet printer, or perhaps a thinner paper stock is printed with a color laser and then glued to thicker stock. And the boxes are then often cut by hand. You can create great looking boxes this way, but they don't quite match up to "original" boxes in terms of material, quality of the cuts, or printing. And it's considerably more expensive per box in terms of materials and especially the time it takes to hand craft each box.

 

So, these are the reasons you don't see boxes done for most homebrew games. Mainly it comes down to expense.

 

..Al

[DensB68]

I would definitely purchase Boulder Dash II, Bristles and Combat 2. With or without box

[ledzep]

To print boxes in a manner similar to how they were printed "back in the day" is expensive when done in "small" quantities. And by small quantities, I mean a minimum of around 300 or so. I'm talking about offset printed boxes, on chipboard stock, stamped with a custom, metal die that must be created (and is an additional one-time expense) before you even print any boxes. The more boxes you print, the less expensive the boxes become with this method, but it's hard to justify printing more than 300 boxes for most homebrew games, and you may not even sell that many copies.

 

If you want to do smaller runs of boxes, you need to be more creative. Typically small runs of boxes are printed on an inkjet printer, or perhaps a thinner paper stock is printed with a color laser and then glued to thicker stock. And the boxes are then often cut by hand. You can create great looking boxes this way, but they don't quite match up to "original" boxes in terms of material, quality of the cuts, or printing. And it's considerably more expensive per box in terms of materials and especially the time it takes to hand craft each box.

 

So, these are the reasons you don't see boxes done for most homebrew games. Mainly it comes down to expense.

 

..Al

 

Ah. Sounds like expense and pain in the ass, especially if you get down to around 50 or so copies (large enough number to sort of justify making boxes but not enough to make it worthwhile). Seems to be similar to the pain of making overlays for Vectrex games. I have bought boxed games for the Vectrex (like Logo which does have an overlay, too) and the box feels like it's made out of paper, very thin. Still, even with the weak material, it is a cool product worth paying more for. I'm sure it's hell to push an inkjet or laser printer to the breaking point for some game boxes (and having to glue them all together yourself) but I don't think anyone who buys a homebrew game with that type of small run box really cares that the box isn't on chipboard stock. At least I don't. I guess it's just a question of how much to charge for that extra feature and how many people would care to pay more for that in the first place.

[HammR25]

I'd buy Combat 2. I'd prefer it came without a box. I can't play a box.

Edited May 15, 2010 by HammR25

[chopcycles]

I'm seeing my 5200 games on Ebay for $80+ per each, I think it might be time for another run. For those of you that don't remember, we made a number of exclusive 5200 games in the past:

 

MHS

Klax

Combat 2 Advanced

Haunted House 3d

AtariTris

 

MHS/First Star

Bristles

Boulder Dash

Boulder Dash 2

Flip Flop

Rent Wars

 

I am looking for public interest. Prices would be somewhere between $30-$50, most likely loose carts, no box. Depends on the number of orders.

 

thanks

John

[Greg2600]

I might be interested in one or two of them. I'd have to get a chance to try them with 8-bit emulator/roms before though.

[+Mitch]

I might be interested in one or two of them. I'd have to get a chance to try them with 8-bit emulator/roms before though.

 

I believe limited trial version of a few of them have been released. Search the forums and you should be able to find them.

 

Mitch

[82atari5200]

Combat II and Klax

[Greg2600]

I think demo's were made of Combat II and Haunted House II 3D, but there's no trace of either on the forums, checked well as I can. Somehow I have a demo of Combat II on my PC from several years ago, don't know where I got it.

[ckirkman]

I would buy AtariTris (have the rest when you first sold them). But what I really would buy would be a completed version of IRATA'S QUEST. $35 with a manual would be nice, if your were to do a box with the carts, maybe $40 each.

[Charlie_]

I might even add a feature or 2 for these "2010" editions.

 

Not being negative, because I like HHII-3D a lot, I play it from time to time.

 

The controls need to be fixed a bit. I have to play with my masterplay interface because with the stock controllers I cant move Down and Right. (I think its been a while since I played last.) I have many controllers, and a few 5200 units. Its not my setups..... I seem to remember this being a problem for others as well. If your 5200 has the pokey adjusted in a way that HH2-3D controls well for you just means your pokey is not calbrated proplery, I believe. Even if it seems to work 100% with a test cart and loop plug and or a masterplay interface you would see the values are a bit high. (Its been years since I played with this subject, so my facts my be off, but in the end its the game that doesnt allow enough tolerance with the controlls.)

 

Also a few of the rooms have graphics that suggest you can exit in a direction that you can not.

 

More on topic: I'd be interested in a couple of these games for $30 boxed or loose.

[streps]

Count me in for an AtariTris

 

Scott