An Intellivision Fan's Message to Current Developers

[mdoerty]

*chuckle*

 

The TMS9928A / TMS9128 VDPs really want a clean power supply and a stable clock. My TI-99/4As also got very glitchy over the years, and I hear a capacitor swap usually cleans them right up. For the Colecovisions, I hear that the power switch itself is a source of much of the joy.

 

Not that I would know... I don't own The System Of The Enemy.

I thought it was just me. I tested old systems about a year and half ago and had issues wi the CVs and TIs. And I way too much in software to get abandon those systems.

[fsuinnc]

what I gathered from the post that started this thread was that the person posting didn't like paying for things that did not exist. I am too damn old and lazy to read every post since then so I just scanned most of it (while watching Futurama) so I may have missed a lot of it. Regardless, I will throw in my own opinion. I try and support the homebrew community as much as I can and I buy a lot of the games that get released for the 2600, intellivision, O2 and the occasional Atari 5200 and 7800.

I think, or at least assume, that most all of the developers/programmers/artists and what not do it because they want to. I can't imagine anyone is thinking they will make money or at least not much money.

I would very much prefer it if game development was completed before money was expected. I understand paying so that carts and boxes and everything else can be made and assembled etc. I would just be happier if the game was finished.

In the end, whether it is early on in development or after the programming is finished, when its time to pay I will almost always pay if I have the money available.

And yes, I paid in advance for Rocketman and Mars mini and I am still very excited about these games and if GroovyBee started pre-orders on his next games tomorrow I would pay. If that's how he wants to operate its ok with me. And that goes for all the other developers too, do what feel right for you. While I would prefer games to be finished before paying, its not going to stop my support for all or any of you.

[DZ-Jay]

Good points, fsuinnc. I'm not bothered too much by pre-orders, to each his own I say. What bothers me is the constant flooding of threads with a pre-announcement of an announcement, followed by an actual announcement for a game, followed by a separate pre-order thread, and later by still another thread to complain about the pre-orders. Oh, and for good measure, another thread a few months down the line to re-announce the imminent coming of the already pre-announced, announced, and pre-ordered game. Bleh.

 

-dZ.

[JasonlikesINTV]

I like Futurama

[gunoz]

Good points, fsuinnc. I'm not bothered too much by pre-orders, to each his own I say. What bothers me is the constant flooding of threads with a pre-announcement of an announcement, followed by an actual announcement for a game, followed by a separate pre-order thread, and later by still another thread to complain about the pre-orders. Oh, and for good measure, another thread a few months down the line to re-announce the imminent coming of the already pre-announced, announced, and pre-ordered game. Bleh.

 

-dZ.

 

I think we all know how these threads go by now...

 

1 - Pre-announcing a top secret game project / guessing / wild speculation / lesbian tron / funbags

2 - Announcing the actual game / cool! / is it boxed? overlays? shrinkwrapped? serial numbered? / put me down for one / not taking orders yet / rev adds page to website

3 - Pre-ordering / cmart takes 10 for the bunker / initial run sells out / payment sent / not asking for payment yet / initial run expanded to cover back orders / bacon

4 - Game status / screenshots / what's taking so long / release date projections / more progress shots / why do we do pre-order discussion / heated debate / more fun bags and bacon

 

Sprinkle in the rev innuendo and I think that just about covers it.

[JasonlikesINTV]

Overlays?

[+cmart604]

 

I think we all know how these threads go by now...

 

1 - Pre-announcing a top secret game project / guessing / wild speculation / lesbian tron / funbags

2 - Announcing the actual game / cool! / is it boxed? overlays? shrinkwrapped? serial numbered? / put me down for one / not taking orders yet / rev adds page to website

3 - Pre-ordering / cmart takes 10 for the bunker / initial run sells out / payment sent / not asking for payment yet / initial run expanded to cover back orders / bacon

4 - Game status / screenshots / what's taking so long / release date projections / more progress shots / why do we do pre-order discussion / heated debate / more fun bags and bacon

 

Sprinkle in the rev innuendo and I think that just about covers it.

Lol! So accurate it's crazy. Well done gunoz.

[fsuinnc]

You know, with a few tweaks to the graphics "Mars-Mini" could be "Futurama Fun Pak". (Just say'in)

[JasonlikesINTV]

OMG! Someone please make a Futurama game!

 

GOTY 2015

[KnechtRuprecht]

This topic would be moot if some developers and publishers were responsible with announcing releases and release dates but above all in the taking of money in advance before a game is even near completion.

 

I only bring this up, not too offend, but to point out a flaw in the 'payment in advance' model, especially with such a small market as this one.

 

If the games are not released within a responsible amount of time, people will get disillusioned -- as the appearance of this topic has shown. Reputations (bad ones) will be created and it will be difficult to attract new people to our market.

Edited July 24, 2014 by KnechtRuprecht

[+doctorclu]

 

I think we all know how these threads go by now...

 

4 - Game status / screenshots / what's taking so long / release date projections / more progress shots / why do we do pre-order discussion / heated debate / more fun bags and bacon

 

I liked your break down of how things go, with the exception of the part in red. I do my best to try to contribute something new to the internet forums and would have sooner resurrected an old message than start a new one. If there had been a message solely about pre-ordering, I have not seen one in at least recent history.

 

If you are referring to traffic that went on with Smurf Rescue, that was an unfortunate circumstance, but the topic in that case was under the Smurf Rescue title.

 

This topic would be moot if some developers and publishers were responsible with announcing releases and release dates but above all in the taking of money in advance before a game is even near completion.

 

You hit the nail on the head. This was brought about in a case where a game pre-pay request was made a month an a half before shipment on "X" month.

 

At the end of "X" month, now nearly two and half months since I paid, there had not been any updates on shipment from the developer. I asked when in the last three remaining days of "X" month we could expect shipment. The developer then made the announcement "We should have the shipment out in "Y" month in a few weeks, thanks for your patience."

 

After a few weeks went by we were well into "Y" month with no shipping updates from the developer. At that point I had been waiting three and half months since payment and two months beyond the original ship date. Rather than wait to enter the "Z" month, I asked for a refund. And the refund was prompt.

 

That is why am giving feedback to developers. If you ask for money up front, keep your paying customers informed on shipping times, or at least give them a rom image to play with while they wait.

Edited July 24, 2014 by doctorclu

[slab0meat]

This topic would be moot if some developers and publishers were responsible with announcing releases and release dates but above all in the taking of money in advance before a game is even near completion.

 

 

When in doubt, just say it's a "fun-time hobby"