phoenixdownita Posted September 3, 2016 Author Share Posted September 3, 2016 .... lots of disposable income floating around. I only hope the people there are more careful. ....mmmmhhh..... don't think so almost by definition of "disposable". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoofu Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 I believe that the patents for retro systems have expired by now, so there's nothing to prevent someone from cloning them. There are plenty of NOACs on the market, being used in legitimate products. It's interesting that this has veered into dot matrix printers of all things, but since we're already here ... I actually appreciate matrix printers and am thinking of picking up another one. When I'm proofreading and correcting a bit of writing, or when I'm trying to debug a particularly nasty bit of code, I often find it easier to print it out and make my corrections on paper. Dot matrix is ideal for this: fanfold paper is cheaper if you buy it in bulk, ink ribbons are certainly cheaper than toner, and depending on your printer and on what you're printing, it can actually be faster than a laser. Sure, the print quality isn't as good, but that doesn't matter if it's only a rough draft. But can someone Copyright their FPGA or sell their Code since it based on Prior Patents and the original manufacture may also have the design in some form of Logic Programming??? Just saying their is probably some reason the Japanese SNES FPGA isn't being shared PS Yeah the Coleco Name has been DEAD and 99% of the people that remember it think Cabbage Patch,I'm was a ColecoVision gamer when its launched, was a Very Sad moment the Video Game Crash even though I was playing Zaxxon and Donkey Kong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 The Delorean Dodo, or the Yugo Yak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClassyGamer Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 I can kind of understand how that mistake got made, though I don't know if I'm right in that line of thought. The thing that really gets me is that the Coleco Chameleon got a shit load of press at the time. I'm sure over time most people who aren't really into the video game scene will have forgotten about it so, hopefully in that way the Chameleon won't remain too damaging to Coleco for very long. Even though, I'm sure the guys behind the new Coleco are good folks, the brand isn't relevant these days as far as I can tell so I don't feel like it actually carries that much clout to begin with. The amount of name recognition someone would get just for using the brand doesn't seem to be very useful to me. So you've got a lot of people in their 40's who remember the brand, while that may be a good thing, if you're a gaming and toy company it doesn't feel all that useful to me. Who would the target market be for anything with the Coleco name on it? I can understand why it was kind of a fit for the Chameleon, but aside from that I can't think of too many new products, aside from bringing back old properties that would really benefit from the branding. Also, with the amount of attention someone can get just through the standard channels of crowd funding sites like kickstarter or Indiegogo and through some clever social media usage, who would come out with a new product and really want to tie themselves at a cost to the brand? I'm not saying it is a bad property, but just that it is completely irrelevant at this point. Also, if I were a guy coming out with some kind of video game related product, the last thing I would want would be any kind of tie to the Coleco Chameleon. I guess to me the brand just kind of seems dead in the water, at least as far as I can see, for the foreseeable future. I don't pretend to know what they have in the works so hopefully I'm wrong about that. Really though this whole thing should be a great lesson for doing one's home work on who they get into bed with. I wonder if the Coleco Chameleon could actually kill Coleco name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Just one dork's opinion: the Coleco Chameleon story would make a great Coen Brothers movie, so long as they change just enough details so Mike couldn't make any money from it. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoofu Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 "I wonder if the Coleco Chameleon could actually kill Coleco name." Pretty sure the collapse of the original Coleco did that, as their was probably a good reason Hasbro didn't renew the Trademark Plus currently mostly all the old asset that were cool are owned or Trademarked by other companies As they mainly sold toys such as Cabbage Patch Kids and board games such as Scrabble 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Cartridges, ranked! http://motherboard.vice.com/read/best-video-game-cartridges 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Just one dork's opinion: the Coleco Chameleon story would make a great Coen Brothers movie, so long as they change just enough details so Mike couldn't make any money from it.I agree. In the right hands, this whole story would make an amazing movie, for the same reasons I've always thought it would make a great documentary: I still hope that the RVGS/Chameleon becomes the subject of a documentary film. The story may be set in a relatively obscure niche (classic gaming), but the themes involved are so intriguing and so compelling that it's like a modern spin on Greek tragedy. All the elements are there: the drama, the bizarre twists and turns, the backstabbings and shady business dealings, the strained allegiances and broken friendships, the almost magical allure of a new technology (FPGA)—and the story of a larger-than-life personality laid low by his own hubris, and by the hardheaded detective work that was done right here in this thread (among other places) by the very people he tried to exploit, who succeeded in countering his every move! The hunter becomes the hunted! With the right presentation, and with the right collaborators and writers, I think the story could be fascinating to general audiences—perhaps even more so than a film like "The King of Kong", which told a smaller story but still managed (as far as I know) to be a critical and commercial success. Hey, it couldn't be any worse than that terrible Ben-Hur remake! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 "I wonder if the Coleco Chameleon could actually kill Coleco name." Pretty sure the collapse of the original Coleco did that, as their was probably a good reason Hasbro didn't renew the Trademark Even still, I'd say there might have been some minor kitczh value in the name prior to this year. Some people collect vintage Coke ads, because Coke is a recognizable brand with a lot of history. Other people, but a much smaller number of people, collect Moxie ads. Moxie is obscure and offbeat, known by a few and loved by fewer, but not worthless. Just eclectic. Coleco would be the Moxie of video games. It could be worth a buck, just not a fortune. However, following the Chameleon scandal, the name is more like Flav-R-Aid... Mostly memorable because a lunatic tried to use it to start an empire, and pulled everyone down with him when he crashed and burned. That's its legacy, for better or worse. (FYI: Flav-R-Aid was the beverage that was used to kill the victims of the Jonestown massacre.) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipercub Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 (edited) It's especially damaging for the current owners of the Coleco name, because the prestige of the name is about all they really have to offer. If I understand their business model, they want to take finished products, developed and manufactured by someone else, and slap a Coleco name badge onto them for marketing purposes, in return for a percentage. There's no benefit to the original creator unless the Coleco name really carries a lot of weight, but now, the only context in which most people have heard the name in the last twenty years has been in association with Mike Kennedy. I would think that would make it a net negative: "Coleco??? You mean those 'Chameleon' guys? The ones who let that joker run amok with their branding, and who let him try to pawn off an old SNEZZZZZZ in a Jaguar shell as a new game system, right in their booth at Toy Fair ... literally under their very noses??? No thanks!" Doesn't leave "Coleco" with much of a reason to exist. Mike Kennedy is like a cloud of corrosive gas, attracted by money: he seems harmless enough from a distance, but he is evasive and elusive and burns everyone who comes close to him. As "an entrepreneur through and through," the winds of fate will inevitably carry him to another harebrained business venture in another niche hobbyist market with lots of disposable income floating around. I only hope the people there are more careful. That is a very important point, and one I hope is not lost in the noise. The most disgusting thing MK did post CC was his claim that he was the only one who suffered any consequence as a result of the debacle that he created and later blamed on that mysterious mastermind. River west Brands Coleco property suffered an enormous impact, and Chris was darn lucky to keep his job, and even then being at the helm of such a fiasco is not a career enhancer. Antipreneur is a more accurate term than entrepreneur. I don't find any fault in RWB's business model, brands fail and *can* later return to popularity like Pabst Blue Ribbon for example. If you buy the right brand that later has a resurgence you could make a fortune, I wouldn't mind guessing right on that one. I had quite a few talks with Chris as the train wreck was developing, he was honest and eager to do the right thing from understanding what he had put his name on right through taking transparent and meaningful action. He didn't flinch from reaching out to the people exposing the lies, he listened, learned and verified, and then took action. Funny thing, I was on the phone with Chris the morning after the DVR card was identified continuing a group discussion that included former insider Willie as well, when Mk tried to call me shopping around his "I'm so shocked story". I was struck by the honesty and character that Chris was demonstrating at that moment. There has been some discussion about Coleco's motives and intentions during the NY Toy Fair-DVR-end era and at least from my involvement I can say that Mark was quite concerned about his brand and Chris acted with the utmost integrity. Edited September 4, 2016 by Pipercub 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 That is a very important point, and one I hope is not lost in the noise. The most disgusting thing MK did post CC was his claim that he was the only one who suffered any consequence as a result of the debacle that he created and later blamed on that mysterious mastermind. River west Brands Coleco property suffered an enormous impact, and Chris was darn lucky to keep his job, and even then being at the helm of such a fiasco is not a career enhancer. Antipreneur is a more accurate term than entrepreneur. I like that term! I think I've also called him "reverse King Midas": everything he touches turns into lead and sinks. I don't find any fault in RWB's business model, brands fail and *can* later return to popularity like Pabst Blue Ribbon for example. If you buy the right brand that later has a resurgence you could make a fortune, I wouldn't mind guessing right on that one. I had quite a few talks with Chris as the train wreck was developing, he was honest and eager to do the right thing from understanding what he had put his name on right through taking transparent and meaningful action. He didn't flinch from reaching out to the people exposing the lies, he listened, learned and verified, and then took action. Funny thing, I was on the phone with Chris the morning after the DVR card was identified continuing a group discussion that included former insider Willie as well, when Mk tried to call me shopping around his "I'm so shocked story". I was struck by the honesty and character that Chris was demonstrating at that moment. There has been some discussion about Coleco's motives and intentions during the NY Toy Fair-DVR-end era and at least from my involvement I can say that Mark was quite concerned about his brand and Chris acted with the utmost integrity. Very interesting. Just to clarify: I don't fault River West's business model, either. My description of them as primarily a licensor of the Coleco brand name was simply to emphasize that the damage done to the brand by Mike really hit them where it hurt them the most. I think most of us who were following this story sensed by that time that they were victims, too, which is one reason it was such a relief when they finally demanded concrete proof from Mike and then pulled the license when it became clear that he couldn't deliver it. It's especially galling in light of Mike's "apologetic" message last Christmas about how grateful he was for his arrangement with River West, how prestigious the Coleco name was, how much of a responsibility he felt to live up to the Coleco legacy, and so on. If he had instead set out to deliberately sabotage the Coleco name, I don't think he could have done a more effective job. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoofu Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 (edited) Word Mark COLECOVISION Goods and Services : Video game software; video game machines for use with televisions. COLECO Goods and Services Video game software; video game machines for use with televisions. Hand-held unit for playing electronic games. Entertainment services, namely, providing information about electronic games and video games via the internet. Pretty sure this wasn't Chris's mess as he had to find the above products or they lose the marks for their services especially when the Atgames version of Coleco is usually heavily discounted They should of focused on Coleco as a Toy Company and not as a Game Company Edited September 4, 2016 by enoofu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btbfilms76 Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Im not even sure how to comment on this post... https://www.facebook.com/groups/76449880029/?fref=nf 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 textbook narcissism. sigh. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StopDrop&Retro Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 BREAKING NEWS!!! POT MEETS KETTLE!! Also, Winona Ryder catches a shoplifter red handed! More at 11:00 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schizophretard Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 After your posts, I went to check out good ole PartyGameNetwork's videos. How did I miss the one from April? He bashes AA, calls out LeoDS as the "poster boy basher of all bashers" and "drama queen idiot". Also says YouTube user Mariano may be a LeoDS sock puppet. So many jump-cuts: I made it to the end. I hope I won something. Anyway, he really lost me near the end about his claim that us drama queen idiot bashers believe that Mike's plan was to sell us the SNES and capture card. I don't see how he came to that conclusion. I don't recall anyone claiming that Kickstarter backers were going to receive in the mail either the SNES or capture card in Jag shells. The claim has consistently been that Mike was using them to pass Kickstarter's requirement for a working prototype. Therefore, I find it ironic that he was calling us idiots that don't pay attention and don't have the attention spans to finish a video and yet he didn't pay attention enough to know what was actually being claimed about the purpose of the fake prototypes. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoofu Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Also if you read past interviews and post from the below they Stated their was NO WAY currently that the CC could earn any money around 150 dollar price point and wasn't currently financially viable to have it hit the market currently Clay Cowgill Kevtris John Carlsen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Remember 'Lee' "It wasn't me!" 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Im not even sure how to comment on this post... https://www.facebook.com/groups/76449880029/?fref=nf Matt summed it up nicely. My only regret is that he was too kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenixdownita Posted September 4, 2016 Author Share Posted September 4, 2016 Matt summed it up nicely. My only regret is that he was too kind. He stopped short of calling him a POS as well, which given all we know is well deserved, the RVGS fiasco is not on Mr Lee's head but Mike conveniently avoids addressing that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thevnaguy Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Im not even sure how to comment on this post... https://www.facebook.com/groups/76449880029/?fref=nf Well at least you can see his posts, that @^$%@# of crap dumped me like a hot potato even though I did nothing to him or spread any info he shared with me on the RVGS / Chameleon workings (he used to call me quite often to talk about what was going on) At one time Mattel was being talked to for a brand, thank goodness that did not happen! Bad enough the Coleco brand has been tarnished by this narcissistic fool. I only wish I opened my eyes sooner and not been so gullible. I hope I never see him at a show I attend, there will be a colorful exchange of words........ 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenixdownita Posted September 4, 2016 Author Share Posted September 4, 2016 ... there will be a colorful exchange of words........ MK: Long time no see!!! How are you? TheNavGuy: F U MK: .... ok gotta go, Konami called, nice talking to you. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Remember Gus... Under the bus! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipercub Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Well at least you can see his posts, that @^$%@# of crap dumped me like a hot potato even though I did nothing to him or spread any info he shared with me on the RVGS / Chameleon workings (he used to call me quite often to talk about what was going on) At one time Mattel was being talked to for a brand, thank goodness that did not happen! Bad enough the Coleco brand has been tarnished by this narcissistic fool. I only wish I opened my eyes sooner and not been so gullible. I hope I never see him at a show I attend, there will be a colorful exchange of words........ What I found priceless about that post is the way he spun the *He's a scammer. Right lads!* as if he isn't held in worse regard than SR! If I recall correctly; "And to think he was at a recent SC3!", heck damn near the whole post is almost word for word what was being exchanged about MK just a few weeks ago! I wonder if he copied that post the way he copied Chris's apology and thanks to the community for helping spot the way RVGS was scamming them? PS; You can tell Willie is spun up when he @^$%@#'s piece and spells out crap, "piece of @^$%@# would have made allot more sense, just sayin. **ducks** 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thevnaguy Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 What I found priceless about that post is the way he spun the *He's a scammer. Right lads!* as if he isn't held in worse regard than SR! If I recall correctly; "And to think he was at a recent SC3!", heck damn near the whole post is almost word for word what was being exchanged about MK just a few weeks ago! I wonder if he copied that post the way he copied Chris's apology and thanks to the community for helping spot the way RVGS was scamming them? PS; You can tell Willie is spun up when he @^$%@#'s piece and spells out crap, "piece of @^$%@# would have made allot more sense, just sayin. **ducks** I'm a watchin' you Pipercub! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts