Newsdee Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I guess you could rank project safety a bit: - Established illustrator doing a comic book: seems doable - Established company seeking to fund a new product: a bit of a sneaky presell but seems doable - Guy looking at funding for one particular piece of his project (e.g. molding) but has the rest figured out: pretty reasonable - Funding to make a company and hire somebody/ies to actually implement the idea: probably no good.. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cernex Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 (edited) I've kickstarted two games (Yooka-Laylee and Bloodstained) and one film (Samurai Cop 2). My experience so far: 1) Yooka-Laylee's updates are a bit unorthodox and not as constant as I wish they were. But these are ex-rareware guys and there has been updates, so I'm cool with that. 2) Bloodstained: Slow progress, BUT they do have a great forums and the communication with the backers is top-notch. No complains. 3) Samurai Cop 2: Ran into production problems so the end result wasn't what I expected... BUT the movie got done, I got my two blu-Rays when they said I was going to receive them, so hey, thumbs up. I also kickstarted the MST3K revival thing... but only the first level pledge because I was busy paying for something else, so if it works or not, I don't care. Much. So, yeah, kickstarter's rule of thumb seems to be "stick with the things you know from the people you also know." Except there's always Mighty No. 9... Think its more of a gamble, really. Edited May 13, 2016 by Cernex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Manhattan Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 Today I was scheduling appointments with companies that will attend E3 Expo 2016. That's when I noticed this suspicious entry in the company database. Retro VGS, INC Registered on May 3rd, 2016. They were addded to the company registry just a few days ago. Thoughts? Is Retro VGS, INC coming back from the dead? I have included a screen shot from the Connect @ E3 App used by exhibitors and attendees. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 (edited) Is it possible the paperwork was filed months ago, and it was only entered into the E3 database (automated) two weeks ago? Mike, if you want an easy- to -bullshit crowd, E3 isn't the spot I'd choose... Edited May 16, 2016 by godslabrat 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Manhattan Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 Is it possible the paperwork was filed months ago, and it was only entered into the E3 database (automated) two weeks ago? Mike, if you want an easy- to -bullshit crowd, E3 isn't the spot I'd choose... That's an interesting theory. I wonder if we have any AA members on the company registry who could answer this question? And you're right, if the Retro VGS shows up again at E3 it will be utter pandemonium. E3 2016 is already going to be a very controversial show. The expo lost four major exhibitors this year. Activision, EA, War Gaming and Disney. EA is actually holding their own show, which is open to the public and will compete directly with E3. However, Take 2 / Rockstar, has said they're going to attend E3 in a "big way." There's also going to be the possible launch of the PS4K and the Xbox 1.1. Both of these consoles have the potential to be the 32X of this hardware generation. Throw another Retro VGS prototype in the mix and things will get really crazy. https://www.e3expo.com/home/ Just checked the official exhibitor list and they don't have a booth. Doesn't mean much though as many companies will take meetings at the show in the conference rooms, without actually having booth space on the floor. This will be my 17th trip to the Expo. Can't wait!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StopDrop&Retro Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Holy shit... that's interesting! You know your obsession with Mike's console is unhealthy when you're more pumped up for E3 with this info than you ever were with NX info. I'm dying to know what happens, if anything. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Holy shit... that's interesting! You know your obsession with Mike's console is unhealthy when you're more pumped up for E3 with this info than you ever were with NX info. I'm dying to know what happens, if anything. What would be even better is if someone else has registered it now and plans to sell an SNES clone in Jaguar shells with the Retro VGS name. At this point I would buy one just cause. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newsdee Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Just when you thought the thread was dead... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Okay, I really need to ask because I like to think I have a good grip on what consumers are generally attracted to, but can someone please explain what the appeal of the ZX Spectrum is?? That thing is fucking hideous!!! Look at its graphics and tell me with a straight face that you'd rather be playing games ported to that rather than any other platform out there. I don't get the appeal, why do people want to bring it back?? I'm serious, I've tried to work out the possible explanations in my head so please tell me if I'm any closer to figuring this out: It's just a purely British thing, like Marmite or Dr. Who, so I shouldn't worry about not getting it It's an early PC that was super easy to code on it (but if that's true, then why do all the games still look like ass??) It was cheap at the time, so people back then forgave the graphics and that's why I can't understand it now The software just became public domain (or something?) and that's why we're seeing so many clone projects all of the sudden It's all an inside joke that they're perpetrating on Americans like me I'm truly baffled by the influx of 'Speccy' interest all of the sudden. It used to just be "that British early PC thing" I'd see scattered around Retro Gamer mag and I wouldn't pay any attention to it. But now these projects are popping up, isn't one good enough? I'm truly baffled by it, I can't understand the market forces or demand that's going to float these ventures. Okay - I'm a little late in catching up with this thread but ... here goes ... Uh - you've pretty much covered it. Personally I've always loved the Spectrum, quirks and all. I have a 16K machine in the attic that needs repair. It was our first one that was bought from the next door neighbour in 1983. For years I thought it was an ultra-valuable Issue One but just a few months ago discovered that Issue Ones were only available via mail order and came in a brown box. What I have isn Issue One-lite ... it has an Issue One motherboard that had been returned to Sinclair as faulty and repaired. These were then shipped out as part of the retail boxed units in the glossy black boxes (which I still have, although the end flap with the 16K sticker has gone). For me, it's a nostalgia thing. I broke it a few months after we had it so spent much of my time at a friend's house playing on his 48K machine. I love the look of the original Spectrum far more than the later models. It's horrible to type on for sure but I'm hoping to finally get this thing repaired soon, even though I have a 48K machine in the attic as well. Despite what you think, the Spectrum is one of the most impressively designed computers of that era. In a way, it's the Atari ST of 1982 - apart from the ULA (which were common in electronics of that time), there are no custom parts unlike the Atari and C64. Sinclair's aim was to develop computers that the average home user could use without breaking the bank. At the time, computers were pretty expensive in the UK. I think at the time, the Atari 400 was around £400. The BBC Micro was about the same. A week after we got our 16K machine, the price dropped to £99, making it the first sub-£100 colour computer. But for that price it gave you everything you could need. Not want, perhaps, but need. I don't know how easy it was to program. I would think that the Atari was easier to program because of its custom chips doing everything. What I do hate is the ports. Like you said, why on earth would someone want to play something like Chase HQ on that thing in monochrome? That's when the Spectrum lost its appeal for me. When I get back to collecting for it I'll be concentrating on the sub-1984 games. The best Spectrum games are those that were designed for it and initially released for it, like the Ultimate and Imagine games. Of all the clones and rehashes I've seen so far, including the Atari Flashbacks, the SpecNext is the only one that I'm actually interested in. Whether or not the wife would agree to me having one is another thing. On the other hand, I have no interest in the Vega or the proposed handheld or the Bluetooth keyboard. None of them are Spectrums. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldLeader Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 I, for one, wish Retro VGS, INC would come back from the dead! Not because it's a great product or anything....But because it sure is fun to talk about! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Today I was scheduling appointments with companies that will attend E3 Expo 2016. That's when I noticed this suspicious entry in the company database. Retro VGS, INC Registered on May 3rd, 2016. They were addded to the company registry just a few days ago. Thoughts? Is Retro VGS, INC coming back from the dead? I have included a screen shot from the Connect @ E3 App used by exhibitors and attendees. Going to an old-fashioned trade show to see the hot new games, in person, live from the expo floor, to get scoops to put into your printed magazine, to be published two months later? That sounds like a very SoCalMike/RetroVGS/GameGavel thing to do. Even more so than wishing a new cartridge-based collectible-color game console into existence. Cornering the market on retro game trade shows since 2016! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 WP_20160513_17_52_47_Pro.jpg Please tell me this is a joke. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Just remembered something. Here, I do have some Sinclair Spectrum tapes that I have been selling. I have a couple of copies of a game called Codename Mat. It was a highly popular game in its time and I remember it spending weeks, if not months, at the top of the Spectrum charts. Never played it but I did look it up on YouTube recently. It was ... uh ... a surprise. What does it remind you of? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHLrPYvPrdo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Just remembered something. Here, I do have some Sinclair Spectrum tapes that I have been selling. I have a couple of copies of a game called Codename Mat. It was a highly popular game in its time and I remember it spending weeks, if not months, at the top of the Spectrum charts. Never played it but I did look it up on YouTube recently. It was ... uh ... a surprise. What does it remind you of? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHLrPYvPrdo RAIDERS OF THE STAR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 If RetroVGS shows up on E3, will it be in form of a booth or a bus? 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanta Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 I see someone sniped the old facebook group name to post satire, lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 Heh https://m.facebook.com/RETROVGS/ Not quite funny enough to justify subscribing with real name IMHO But a good clean effort. REMEMBER WHEN DRUNK AGAIN 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 Didn't I unsubscribe from RETRO last time they spammed me? RETRO Replay: Vol. 1 DIGITAL EDITION NOW AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD Hi Sucker, The 200-Page RETRO Replay: Vol 1. Digital Edition is now available to purchase and download immediately for $8.99. And, we have issued a special 24-hour Discount Code to save $2 making it just $6.99. The code is "retroreplay" and is case sensitive. Type this code in when you check out after adding RETRO Replay Digital Edition to your shopping cart HERE. If you purchased the print edition, it will be shipping soon. And we will be emailing you a code to download the digital version free of charge. Look for this code in your email box very soon. Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you continue to enjoy RETRO Videogame Magazine! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+rdemming Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 Didn't I unsubscribe from RETRO last time they spammed me? Hi Sucker, Did he really address the reader as sucker? Is he still under the impression that his audience is easily tricked or deceived? Robert 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StopDrop&Retro Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 I can confirm the email is addressed by name, not sucker. I'm so curious to know just how many RETRO Replay Vol. 1 orders have been sent out. If they don't sell them all then *gasp* there might not be a Vol. 2!! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKMike Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 I wonder if the writers whose work is being reprinted gave permission for it to be used again.. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnphase Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 If you purchased the print edition, it will be shipping soon. <----this is mike's 'check's in the mail' at this point, eh 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 Did he really address the reader as sucker? Is he still under the impression that his audience is easily tricked or deceived? Ha ha, no. I edited it for my privacy and to try to be funny. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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