Coleco Chameleon .... hardware speculations?

[PlaysWithWolves]

 

Source attached:

snes inside.zip

[sh3-rg]

If the CC does ever make it into homes, looking forward to a rival for the Ouya animated gif.

 

[+Nathan Strum]

Let's assume Kickstarter does a modicum of due diligence and the campaign doesn't happen. What excuses can Mike use?

 

2. Blame the (possibly fictional) HW guy.

 

But didn't Eli from Piko talk to the hardware guy? Unless... maybe it was Mike hiding behind the booth, talking into his own cellphone with a handkerchief over it.

 

I doubt there is anyone left here who isn't banned from posting on their Facebook page.

 

I haven't been, but then I'm not on Facebook.

 

Personally, I was hoping for a C&D for my comic strip so I could get a little more publicity. But it hasn't happened.

 

 

I didn't have one myself, but common complaints seemed to be delayed delivery (very common Kickstarter issue, not specific to Ouya), stock controller was impractical, pairing with other controllers was flaky at best, online store was a poor experience, and generally the feeling that it really was failing to be more than yet another Android box. Then the hardware revision plan came to light, where they planned a minor update to the hardware every year, and a lot of users checked out at that point. The fact that a single killer app didn't materialize just made the situation worse.

 

Plus: no cartridges.

Edited February 24, 2016 by Nathan Strum

[sh3-rg]

 

But didn't Eli from Piko talk to the hardware guy? Unless... maybe it was Mike hiding behind the booth, talking into his own cellphone with a handkerchief over it.

 

Picturing that tickled me so hard.

 

Then I thought about it a bit more.

 

Then... no more laughter, just keanu.gif

[Keatah]

I don't know much about the OUYA, but the little bits and pieces I'm gathering tells me this was a microconsole jam-packed with DLC and online purchases. Something no classic gamer likes⁽¹⁾. Not saying it was marketed toward classic gamers.. But they'd be the most supportive audience - with their natural tendencies of constantly seeking new platforms for their old favorites. At least that's the demographic of today's neo-neuvo retrogamer - this constant searching and looking at other platforms. Jeesh, all you need is the original platform or 1 other option like a box of emulators.. Not 10 different ways of playing Asteroids. Whatever..

 

Anyhooo, too many tech companies invent mostly-useless gadgets and applications. That could be the case here with CC too. I wonder what consumers really want the CC to be? What market is it going to serve? How big is that market? And is it possible to achieve that?

 

If Mike is thinking of bringing back carts in a grand 1980's fashion, forget it! Carts were a necessity of the time. A delivery mechanism. Back then in the day we really didn't care or get overly excited "because cartridges". A cartridge and box = new game. And we had fun playing it. We weren't thinking about long-term collections. We just wanted the game.

 

Today in some circles it's fun to collect cartridges. And compared to some delivery mechanisms, they are better. And they are different compared to online accounts. But then there are better mechanisms than carts! It all translates into a small market. No one is all-of-a-sudden going to be chasing after cartridges just because CC is on the scene. It needs to be understood what made cartridges happen in the first place, and why they are collected. Is there a real desire AND need for a CC-like console?

 

(1) Classic gamers like either permanent cartridges or freely downloadable content like user-created levels or add-ons. NOT in-game purchases.

Edited February 24, 2016 by Keatah

[triverse]

Sometimes in life you have to do grown up things. While I have had a blast here on AtariAge, these threads particular to the RVGS stuff, I have a new client with my PR firm that requires I step out of discussion here till after the Kickstarter begins.

 

The devil is in the details...

 

Not my favorite thing to do. Doing right is tough. Again, see you on Friday, friends.

[StopDrop&Retro]

Watch out, AtariAge, Mike's watching you!

 

 

I'm editing a video right now and this gif came as a byproduct. Sweet dreams, everyone.

[jaybird3rd]

Sweet dreams, everyone.

 

Those cold, dead eyes are burning a hole in my sooooooooul!!!

[Keatah]

Ehh, in the end PR means little to me. The product is what sells itself.

[enoofu]

That gif of Mike, makes it look like he seen a Movie with Pee Wee

[phoenixdownita]

Sometimes in life you have to do grown up things. While I have had a blast here on AtariAge, these threads particular to the RVGS stuff, I have a new client with my PR firm that requires I step out of discussion here till after the Kickstarter begins.

 

The devil is in the details...

 

Not my favorite thing to do. Doing right is tough. Again, see you on Friday, friends.

Well, would your articles about RVGS/CC keep coming OR would the new engagement force you to step away from that too?

[that can only mean conflict of interest and we can kind of draw our own conclusions]

Edited February 24, 2016 by phoenixdownita

[dj_convoy]

I don't know much about the OUYA, but the little bits and pieces I'm gathering tells me this was a microconsole jam-packed with DLC and online purchases. Something no classic gamer likes⁽¹⁾. Not saying it was marketed toward classic gamers.. But they'd be the most supportive audience - with their natural tendencies of constantly seeking new platforms for their old favorites. At least that's the demographic of today's neo-neuvo retrogamer - this constant searching and looking at other platforms. Jeesh, all you need is the original platform or 1 other option like a box of emulators.. Not 10 different ways of playing Asteroids. Whatever..

 

Anyhooo, too many tech companies invent mostly-useless gadgets and applications. That could be the case here with CC too. I wonder what consumers really want the CC to be? What market is it going to serve? How big is that market? And is it possible to achieve that?

 

If Mike is thinking of bringing back carts in a grand 1980's fashion, forget it! Carts were a necessity of the time. A delivery mechanism. Back then in the day we really didn't care or get overly excited "because cartridges". A cartridge and box = new game. And we had fun playing it. We weren't thinking about long-term collections. We just wanted the game.

 

Today in some circles it's fun to collect cartridges. And compared to some delivery mechanisms, they are better. And they are different compared to online accounts. But then there are better mechanisms than carts! It all translates into a small market. No one is all-of-a-sudden going to be chasing after cartridges just because CC is on the scene. It needs to be understood what made cartridges happen in the first place, and why they are collected. Is there a real desire AND need for a CC-like console?

 

(1) Classic gamers like either permanent cartridges or freely downloadable content like user-created levels or add-ons. NOT in-game purchases.

A lot of people bought into the OUYA specifically because they could set it up as an emulator box. In fact, with your stated love of all things emulation, I'm surprised it wasn't on your radar.

[Flojomojo]

I think most of you understand the difference between a failed Kickstarter campaign and a failed product. I wish people would stop conflating the two. OUYA did everything right: it promised mobile games on the big screen with a controller, a private store in which everything had a free demo, the option for everyone to become a developer, well-understood Android OS on a Tegra 3 platform, and a wireless controller, all for $99 with no extra charges or nonsense. They got a lot of pledges, and they fulfilled them. The console got several firmware updates, all of which added features. The platform allows you to use other controllers if you don't like the OUYA controllers.

 

It bombed. Immediately. The second the Kickstarter ended, Ouya's problems began, and didn't end until the thing was gathering dust in clearance bins. Ouya *IS* the absolute best-case scenario for anyone pitching a console on Kickstarter, and it didn't work out. With that in mind, the Jaguar-of-Lies is better off not even trying.

 

The product "bombed" in that not many developers signed up, and those that did, didn't make any money. I don't think anyone realistically thought it would unseat Playstation or Xbox. The most common grief I read about was "who wants baby mobile games, anyway?"

 

I didn't have one myself ....

 

I think you can stop right there. :-) People always go negative on the internet. Were you expecting to hear stories about how awesome it was?

 

All kinds of shit. (as I recall, I didn't back, I might be wrong) They were selling units to the public before all the backers had theirs. Once they did get them the hardware had issues like crap controllers, shitty wifi connection and input lag.

 

Mine works OK. Is it my favorite console ever? No, but it's hooked up to my 60in plasma TV and my SNES and Genesis are not, because my OUYA can play all those games well enough for me. It's about as shitty as the point-to-point wifi that my Wii U tablet uses. Not great, but I'm not complaining about a self-contained, $100 toy.

 

I liked OUYA well enough to "upgrade" it to the Razer Forge, which has a better CPU/GPU, controller, supports the Google Play store, but doesn't allow external storage (yet) like the OUYA did.

 

I don't know much about the OUYA, but the little bits and pieces I'm gathering tells me this was a microconsole jam-packed with DLC and online purchases. Something no classic gamer likes⁽¹⁾. Not saying it was marketed toward classic gamers.. But they'd be the most supportive audience - with their natural tendencies of constantly seeking new platforms for their old favorites. At least that's the demographic of today's neo-neuvo retrogamer - this constant searching and looking at other platforms. Jeesh, all you need is the original platform or 1 other option like a box of emulators.. Not 10 different ways of playing Asteroids. Whatever..

 

 

For me, the best thing about the OUYA was the retro games. Not retro-style games, but the retro games themselves. If you look at the top-rated games on the platform, you'll see that retro game emulators are well supported. https://www.ouya.tv/games/

 

2. Playstation

4. Nostalgia (an emulator frontend)

5. Super Nintendo

8. Pinball Arcade

10. FilePwn (file manager, useful to get ROMs into the right place)

13. Super Nintendo (again)

16. Nintendo Entertainment System

23. Nintendo 64

24. Sega Genesis/Megadrive

31. GameBoy Advance

34. Raiden Legacy (4 games)

38. RetroArch multi-platform emulator (this is my Sega 32X)

39. Another World (a.k.a. Out of the World)

44. PC Engine/Turbo Grafx 16

45. GameBoy Color

53. Atari 2600

56. Nintendo Entertainment System (again), home-brew NES

77. Donkey Me (Donkey Kong with different sprites, cute. See: http://www.bruneras.com/games_donkeyme.php

89. Final Fantasy III

92. MAME arcade emulation

114. Sonic CD

116. Oddworld Stranger's Wrath

123. Neo Geo

131. DOOM

134. Dreamcast

140. Oddworld Munch's Oddysee

143. R-Type

145. Giana Sisters

146. Double Dragon Trilogy

160. Nintendo DS

173. Commodore 64

192. MSX and ColecoVision

207. Tutankham with Odyssey 2 graphics

233. Neo Geo Pocket

306. Choplifter

414. R-Type II

438. Ur-Quan Masters HD (Star Control 2)

445. Heretic

 

Most of these are free, and most of them have been available since launch or soon thereafter. Even if gaming for you stopped in 1994, and you never tried a single amateur indie game on the platform, there's a craptop of wonderful stuff to be had on OUYA.

 

TL;DR: STFU about OUYA because even in "failure" it's better than RVGS COLECO Chameleon in the best case scenario.

[coleridge]

The Ouya did have one killer App, Towerfall. Of course now it's on steam and playstation as well, but still Ouya was cool for a little while... I've been meaning to try to set it up for emulation as Flojomojo points out.

[Flojomojo]

The Ouya did have one killer App, Towerfall. Of course now it's on steam and playstation as well, but still Ouya was cool for a little while... I've been meaning to try to set it up for emulation as Flojomojo points out.

 

 

The easiest way to do it is to load up a USB stick with folders full of your favorite ROMs. It's just a little Unix computer, after all.

[godslabrat]

I think you can stop right there. :-) People always go negative on the internet. Were you expecting to hear stories about how awesome it was?

 

 

Actually, I was, but I had my reasons. I had a friend who fills his FB post with indie video game projects, and was psyched about the Ouya. If it was even half as good as it was supposed to be, I knew he'd be singing it's praises all day. When even he stopped talking about it after two months, I knew it was a goner.

 

 

TL;DR: STFU about OUYA because even in "failure" it's better than RVGS COLECO Chameleon in the best case scenario.

 

Oh, no kidding! Actually, that was the exact point I was trying to make.

[Flojomojo]

Oh, no kidding! Actually, that was the exact point I was trying to make.

 

 

I know, I know ... I'm a little sensitive about the OUYA because I still think it was cool. I'm probably like the Jaguar acolytes of this forum. I feel similarly outraged when people dump on mobile games, which I think are the mutt's nuts. And don't get me started on Keatah's "classic gamers like x but don't like Y" little footnote which I will not address because this thread is too long already.

[Bill Loguidice]

My main issue with the Ouya (and the reason why - even as someone who tries to own EVERYTHING - I passed) was the poor controller and poor controller performance. That's critical to enjoying a platform and is something that's rarely gotten right. That's among a list of many reasons that the Coleco Chameleon has the potential to be disappointing even if it does get released; that third party Wii U controller they're intending to use is simply not very good.

[Flojomojo]

My main issue with the Ouya (and the reason why - even as someone who tries to own EVERYTHING - I passed) was the poor controller and poor controller performance. That's critical to enjoying a platform and is something that's rarely gotten right. That's among a list of many reasons that the Coleco Chameleon has the potential to be disappointing even if it does get released; that third party Wii U controller they're intending to use is simply not very good.

 

 

In my opinion, they're not as bad as you might have heard. I need to try my OUYA controllers with my Razer Forge (they're compatible) to see if it was the controllers themselves, or the OUYA console to blame.

 

Back on topic, yes, even if everything Chameleon related is delivered and works to spec, that doesn't mean everyone will be happy. See also: ColecoVision Flashback.

[phoenixdownita]

 

 

In my opinion, they're not as bad as you might have heard. I need to try my OUYA controllers with my Razer Forge (they're compatible) to see if it was the controllers themselves, or the OUYA console to blame.

 

Back on topic, yes, even if everything Chameleon related is delivered and works to spec, that doesn't mean everyone will be happy. See also: ColecoVision Flashback.

I wish we knew the spec by now

[godslabrat]

I wish we knew the spec by now

 

Do you think the games will be on cartridges?

[RupanIII]

This system will feature:

Printed Circuit Board Design

Logical Block Elements with Kennedy Technologies FlexFXChip feature which allows the machine to run code from targeted 8, 16, and 32 bit gaming past.

Memory Chips

Non SNES power connector

Non SNES HDMI connector

Non SNES Controller solder points

Wii U inspired controller for all of the Mode 7 and other 3D mode inspired games which will naturally run on age old hardware.

 

Pack In Game revealed: MD-G Zero Racing Game from gasega68K enhanced with CC Analog Controls.

http://www.seganerds.com/2015/03/10/take-a-look-at-f-zero-on-the-sega-genesis/

 

 

Do you think the games will be on cartridges?

 

 

I wish we knew the spec by now

[Raticon]

I doubt there is anyone left here who isn't banned from posting on their Facebook page.

Im not banned from their page, but i havent posted there yet either. Im holding on to my ticket to their banhammer until this weekend

[Bill Loguidice]

 

 

In my opinion, they're not as bad as you might have heard. I need to try my OUYA controllers with my Razer Forge (they're compatible) to see if it was the controllers themselves, or the OUYA console to blame.

 

Back on topic, yes, even if everything Chameleon related is delivered and works to spec, that doesn't mean everyone will be happy. See also: ColecoVision Flashback.

 

Not to beat a dead horse here, but the Ouya controller issues also depended on which production run of the console you got and a number of other factors (and yes, this is from people who I trust to not exaggerate the quality or lack thereof of something). It's not surprising that a smaller company would have quality control issues and is yet another lesson for the Coleco Chameleon team to take to heart.

 

The ColecoVision Flashback had issues that it shouldn't have had. It should have been more like the Intellivision Flashback, with the only legitimate (relatively speaking of course) complaint with that being the lack of backwards compatibility for the controllers.

[Keatah]

A lot of people bought into the OUYA specifically because they could set it up as an emulator box. In fact, with your stated love of all things emulation, I'm surprised it wasn't on your radar.

 

I was/am aware the OUYA has decent emulation support. But every time I was commissioned to guide the construction of an all-inclusive emulation box people always wanted something expandable, established, current, upgradeable. The upgradability was a huge "selling" point, from individual emulators and their settings all the way through a new case/housing. This always narrowed down to PC hardware for better or worse.

 

I'm not opposed to mounting several hardware platforms into one housing to gain full/specialty coverage and have done this a couple of times. Like an R-Pi + PC, or PS4 + PC.

 

The most expensive box I ever oversaw was close to $33,000. With a huge chunk of that going into the case and its materials. The internals were rather stock and under $2,000. My favorite most amusing part of this build is a no-bearing fan. The rotating part is completely suspended in mid-air, touches nothing, and operates as a brushless motor would. Magnets in the tips, micro-maglev-like track in the housing. You could reach in and pull it right out.