lazzeri Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Hi, Just got turned on to this site by one of your members and I apologize that I dont know his name or even his user name. I came across a very rare TV Bingo cartridge for Studio II and thought I would share some photos as he thought other members would enjoy seeing it. Welcome! And thanks for those pictures. This is indeed an amazing find and you are helping us to rewrite an interesting page of vídeo game history! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLD1985 Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 In general what are peoples opinions on it now? Possibly an early test batch (of maybe 50?) that got made before the system got scrapped and then given away to employees who wanted them? Seems to finished for a prototype. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stupus Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Hi, Just got turned on to this site by one of your members and I apologize that I dont know his name or even his user name. I came across a very rare TV Bingo cartridge for Studio II and thought I would share some photos as he thought other members would enjoy seeing it. Thanks for adding pics on ebay.1 more request for you, could you take a pic of all the bingo cards where the full fronts of each is visible? If you don't want to add it on ebay, here is fine. Thanks again! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassGuitari Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 (edited) In general what are peoples opinions on it now? Possibly an early test batch (of maybe 50?) that got made before the system got scrapped and then given away to employees who wanted them? Seems to finished for a prototype. Probably more like "sold to employees at a discount," but yeah, that seems to make the most sense. I'd guess it was a lot less than 50 that were made, though, unless fewer employees acquired copies than there were copies available, and the remainder were simply discarded. Edited September 1, 2016 by BassGuitari 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stupus Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 In general what are peoples opinions on it now? Possibly an early test batch (of maybe 50?) that got made before the system got scrapped and then given away to employees who wanted them? Seems to finished for a prototype. I would guess a small preprodiction run. For staff and maybe dealer samples.Or possibly an initial run that was never released due to the system being quickly discontinued right when these were made. In which case they probably destroyed them but a few employees maybe took some samples home from it? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awcleanout Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Here's the pics I have. If I can get it connected to a TV I will send screen shots. Glad you all are enjoying the photos.... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLD1985 Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Here's the pics I have. If I can get it connected to a TV I will send screen shots. Glad you all are enjoying the photos.... There are some very reliable people on this site who can help with any technical issues. What I am interested in knowing is if this version plays the "Bingo was his name-o" (which should be achieved by pressing button 4 on keypad A (from memory). However as the Studio II only plays a sound that consists of one frequency it will sound awful.. but still play. If it doesn't play then the rom on that cartridge is slightly different to the World version. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 In general what are peoples opinions on it now? Possibly an early test batch (of maybe 50?) that got made before the system got scrapped and then given away to employees who wanted them? Seems to finished for a prototype. I'm going with small batch run that was probably barely sold in stores. I'm guessing that most of them went to employees at a liquidation sale (along with the units themselves) or something like that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassGuitari Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Interesting that there's a graphic on the side of the box. I don't think any other Studio II game had any artwork on the sides of the boxes, did they? (I'm only missing Gunfighter/Moonship and Speedway/Tag CIB...well, and Bingo. )It's also interesting that it's very generic artwork--just a kid sitting on the floor--and that it's really small and kind of just there in the middle. Placeholder, or just weird design? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLD1985 Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 (edited) Interesting that there's a graphic on the side of the box. I don't think any other Studio II game had any artwork on the sides of the boxes, did they? (I'm only missing Gunfighter/Moonship and Speedway/Tag CIB...well, and Bingo. ) It's also interesting that it's very generic artwork--just a kid sitting on the floor--and that it's really small and kind of just there in the middle. Placeholder, or just weird design? Well he is sitting on the floor with a bingo card on the floor with him.. staring into nothing (assume an invisible TV) Edited September 2, 2016 by TLD1985 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stupus Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Here's the pics I have. If I can get it connected to a TV I will send screen shots. Glad you all are enjoying the photos....Awesome pics! Thanks so much! Any chance you could do 1 last pic with the full fronts of all the bingo game cards in 1 shot? Would be wonderful if you could! Thanks so much and thanks for coming over here and connecting with the community! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Interesting that there's a graphic on the side of the box. I don't think any other Studio II game had any artwork on the sides of the boxes, did they? (I'm only missing Gunfighter/Moonship and Speedway/Tag CIB...well, and Bingo. ) It's also interesting that it's very generic artwork--just a kid sitting on the floor--and that it's really small and kind of just there in the middle. Placeholder, or just weird design? I don't think so, but as this was the last game made, maybe they were going to add pictures in the future? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Perhaps the kid is disillusioned, staring into the empty void after being let down by a boring Bingo game that doesn't even allow players to keep track of their bingo cards on screen? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Perhaps the kid is disillusioned, staring into the empty void after being let down by a boring Bingo game that doesn't even allow players to keep track of their bingo cards on screen? The game is extremely primitive, I'll give you that. Not only that, but they manage to make a text only game look extremely blocky. Kind of reminds me of the very first 2600 games, but even more primitive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassGuitari Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Perhaps the kid is disillusioned, staring into the empty void after being let down by a boring Bingo game that doesn't even allow players to keep track of their bingo cards on screen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazing Lazers Posted September 3, 2016 Author Share Posted September 3, 2016 I mentioned the listing to Andy Modla, the programmer of Bingo, as we all know. He gave permission share the following: "Thanks for the update information, I think I saw the packaging once for the Bingo game, and I know from the marketing guy that it included boards and chips. The packaging looks very authentic from the photos. I asked the seller if he/she would tell me the name of the family he got the game, so I can determine it was someone I knew who worked on the project. I don't believe I have a copy of the Bingo game." I also mentioned Joseph Santone, the name of the guy the seller said had this, to which he replied: "I don't know Joseph Santone. Based on a search it looks like he worked at RCA Deptford where Studio II engineering work was done (RF FCC tests). He was in finance not engineering I read." Now, by itself, the mention of Joseph Santone having been in Finance at RCA and having had early access to the system and games doesn't mean too much, but when coupled with the mention of CFO (Chief Financial Officer) Ray Easter also having had early access, it really makes one wonder if there were other Finance guys who had early access, and that by tracking them down we might not also turn up more copies of Bingo!!! I'm already on this... Also mentioned the listing to fauxscot, he indicated back as follows "wow!and they want $3500 for it!? WTF?i’ll shoot (his old boss and friend, the former head of the Swannanoa plant) an email and see if he knows anything about this. not ringing any specific bells for me… the games were made in mystery places up north and when we saw them, it was just another pile of parts on the line to be assembled. i DO recall someone trying to make an ELF-like device out of the S2 via a cartridge. Might have been local to Swannanoa, though." I've reached out to a few others from back in the day about this game, so there'll be more to follow here... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazing Lazers Posted September 3, 2016 Author Share Posted September 3, 2016 (edited) In general what are peoples opinions on it now? Possibly an early test batch (of maybe 50?) that got made before the system got scrapped and then given away to employees who wanted them? Seems to finished for a prototype. Not a retail release, and thus not truly part of the "full" complete US set. Instead, just one of a few pre-production samples that employees happened to keep. A retail release would've turned up more times over the years than this has, and also would have had the "Studio II" branding that is conspicuously absent. RCA did not do things via mail-order, and this game makes the rarest retail releases on other systems (think Red Clash/Spiders/Grand Slam Tennis on the Arcadia 2001, Checkers on the Channel F, Iron Soldier 3 on the Nuon, etc) look startlingly common in comparison. Even "Dan" indicated in the old posting that his copy was found at the Circle 40 fleamarket, which has lots of different "vendors" there, and could easily have been from a former RCA employee or relative. The theoretical Tom Keiser copy was also found among the trashed belongings of a former RCA employee. All of these happened in the same very specific geographic area of South Jersey. I regard it as more along the lines of the Demonstration and Tester Cartridges, something never sold to the public but which still is contemporary to the system itself. A bonus/miscellaneous item. Still highly desirable though, given the history of it and it's videogame urban legend status. An entirely random theory of mine is that if there was some sort of company store at the Deptford facilities, perhaps this might have been found there? I have nothing to actually back this up, though, or even any actual knowledge of such a store. Edited September 3, 2016 by Blazing Lazers 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazing Lazers Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Well, well, it has indeed sold for $3,500, plus $6 for shipping. Let's see what follows, and who the lucky new owner turns out to be... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flip Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 (edited) Well, well, it has indeed sold for $3,500, plus $6 for shipping. Let's see what follows, and who the lucky new owner turns out to be... Didn't think anyone would be that crazy If it helps, I've build an Arduino ROM dumper that I would be happy to donate to the new owner (possibly with a $6 shipping fee ), so we can finally cross this off the list. TBH, I completely expect it to be the same as the known dump for the Victory. I've seen the theories here, but another possibility is that it was made in anticipation of the Studio III - hence the absence of the Studio II branding on the box. It could be made to be 'backwards' compatible. Meantime, pretty excited to announce this! Edited September 10, 2016 by flip 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Given how the Studio II started as an entertainment machine meant to be placed on coffee/dinner tables, the Bingo might just have been an attempt to keep on this fashion. There have been one standalone machine in the UK dedicaced to teach how to play Bridge and other games : Tho this was 1985. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranger_lennier Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Very interesting that this turned up. I do think it's highly likely that the ROM is the same as the European version. There haven't been any differences in any games checked thus far. I agree that it's probably a pre-production sample. But we can't say for sure a few weren't sold just because it hasn't come up for sale before. It would have been at the end of the life cycle for a console that was never popular. Some of the European releases, including Bingo, I only saw on eBay once in years of searching. Hell, I've never seen the APL/S cart for the VideoBrain for sale, and that does seem to have been commercially released based upon the posts of one owner of the cart. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4cade Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 I just got approved for the group so I posted a message there about the renewed interest in the S2 here and provided a link back this thread. Maybe someone from there will join us in here with some info. you get the Euro Star Wars game? I've been dying to see some footage of how that plays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLD1985 Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 you get the Euro Star Wars game? I've been dying to see some footage of how that plays I postage footage of this a couple months ago. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4cade Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Wow, holy crap. I had NO idea - I assumed it was just one of the USA games re-named to rip off the SW brand. But that is not only an entirely different game from any of the domestic games (am I right on this? Been a year or two since I was deep in Studio research), and actually kind of a pretty innovative type of game considering what I've seen from the other Studio games in USA. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLD1985 Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 Wow, holy crap. I had NO idea - I assumed it was just one of the USA games re-named to rip off the SW brand. But that is not only an entirely different game from any of the domestic games (am I right on this? Been a year or two since I was deep in Studio research), and actually kind of a pretty innovative type of game considering what I've seen from the other Studio games in USA. It was just one of the games that was made/designed for the Studio III / II but just scrapped/sold off when the whole project/system was scrapped. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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