An Honest Inquiry About BD

[+SoulBuster]

I just have strong doubts about the "current market conditions" equating to low demand for the game.

 

You are entitled to your doubts.

[DZ-Jay]

Not to speak for him, but I think Eric's concern is that while Elektronite announced the expiration of a time-limited license, the message from First Star suggests that the license is volume-based and that Elektronite decided to sell their current inventory rather than re-negotiate a license to sell more units.

 

Elektronite's decision is fair and that's their business either way, but you can understand the confusion after all the days of "time is running out!!" announcements.

Edited August 17, 2016 by DZ-Jay

[Eric7100]

Not to speak for him, but I think Eric's concern is that while Elektronite announced the expiration of a time-limited license, the message from First Star suggests that the license is volume-based and that Elektronite decided to sell their current inventory rather than re-negotiate a license to sell more units.

 

This was definitely part of the confusion.

[m-crew]

Not to speak for him, but I think Eric's concern is that while Elektronite announced the expiration of a time-limited license, the message from First Star suggests that the license is volume-based and that Elektronite decided to sell their current inventory rather than re-negotiate a license to sell more units.

 

Elektronite's decision is fair and that's their business either way, but you can understand the confusion after all the days of "time is running out!!" announcements.

Well not to speak for Elekronite, But what I get out of all this is Time was limited because it was decided by one party of the agreement not to extend the current contract. It is what it is anyway you look at it. So all this is banter on this is just that banter!!!

[+SoulBuster]

Not to speak for him, but I think Eric's concern is that while Elektronite announced the expiration of a time-limited license, the message from First Star suggests that the license is volume-based and that Elektronite decided to sell their current inventory rather than re-negotiate a license to sell more units.

 

Elektronite's decision is fair and that's their business either way, but you can understand the confusion after all the days of "time is running out!!" announcements.

 

Continuing to analyze each bit of information and second guessing a decision, is really all that is adding to any confusion.

 

I am sorry that Eric is confused. No one else seems to be, not even you.

 

I was as specific as I will get.

 

1. There is no Vol 2

2. It was a financial decision was based on timing and market conditions.

 

Regardless of the FSS response to Eric, there was a time limit that could have been extended where upon new serial numbers could be sold. It was not renewed for reason #2 above.

 

The notifying everyone that the agreement was ending was to allow as many copies of the game to be purchased so everyone can have a chance at having one at the original price, before they only show up in the secondary market.

 

As far as explaining timing and market conditions, they are aspects of the business model being used and will not be discussed.

 

In this one short post Eric now has all the details he needs to be able to turn his attentions to more productive items.

 

It is the end of the story.

[DZ-Jay]

 

Continuing to analyze each bit of information and second guessing a decision, is really all that is adding to any confusion.

 

I am sorry that Eric is confused. No one else seems to be, not even you.

 

I was as specific as I will get.

 

1. There is no Vol 2

2. It was a financial decision was based on timing and market conditions.

 

Regardless of the FSS response to Eric, there was a time limit that could have been extended where upon new serial numbers could be sold. It was not renewed for reason #2 above.

 

The notifying everyone that the agreement was ending was to allow as many copies of the game to be purchased so everyone can have a chance at having one at the original price, before they only show up in the secondary market.

 

As far as explaining timing and market conditions, they are aspects of the business model being used and will not be discussed.

 

In this one short post Eric now has all the details he needs to be able to turn his attentions to more productive items.

 

It is the end of the story.

 

Look, I don't care either way. It's just that, although it's fun to pile on Eric once in a while, I understood why he asked the question given the answer by First Star. That's not to say that I agree with him asking at all.

 

People should just chill out. Nothing to see here.

 

-dZ.

[m-crew]

I hope this thread is Over and Out now !!!!!

[+SoulBuster]

 

Look, I don't care either way. It's just that, although it's fun to pile on Eric once in a while, I understood why he asked the question given the answer by First Star. That's not to say that I agree with him asking at all.

 

People should just chill out. Nothing to see here.

 

-dZ.

 

My intent was not to call you out. I knew that you were not invested in your post and were only pointing out your understanding of Eric's post.

 

In other words I was not trying to pile on anyone, including Eric.

[Rev]

I hope this thread is Over and Out now !!!!!

Its never over

[m-crew]

Its never over

it just keeps repeating , like Groundhog day

[JasonlikesINTV]

[mr_me]

So what happens to the unsold games that were produced before the deadline. Do they have to be destroyed.

[+grips03]

My guess is build to order. This is how I do it for controller stuff I sell.

[Games For Your Intellivision]

After 4.5 years of producing Intellivision games, I've learned a bit about the 'homebrew' market.

 

Limited releases are always going to sell fairly quickly because there are generally a few types of buyers who jump on these kinds of releases. Of course the true fans who want the game never wait and buy immediately. Then there are the types who buy depending on how rare they think the game will be in the future.....the speculators. They want to know how many were made before they decide to put down their money. There are also those who want to have something unique. As the game approaches selling out, the last few copies are snapped up due to scarcity. Nobody wants to 'miss out'. Remember the Cuttle Cart 3? It took a long time for them to finally sell out, but at the end, there was a big run on them. Now people are kicking themselves that they procrastinated on buying one. Of course, the value of these limited items usually go up.

 

Elektronite didn't want to play the artificial scarcity game and decided to do 'unlimited' releases. We felt that we could move more copies than most limited releases. We wanted to dump the artificial limit that a lot of homebrews have and just keep selling them. However, there is a price to pay for that approach. Of course, there is an initial surge from the 'true fans' as in all new releases......however, the speculators take a pass, an unlimited game is not unique and the buyers due to scarcity never show up.

 

That only leads to a trickle of new customers who eventually find us and buy our games after the initial surge. If they like them, they usually buy our whole lineup. We can afford to be patient because we are slowly growing our base of customers. That's a positive for the whole scene. Of course this approach also leads to a lot of fence sitters who would rather put their resources elsewhere because they 'know' that they can buy them 'anytime'.

 

Match 5, unfortunately, did not do well numbers wise. It is an addictive game and I think that a LOT more people would really enjoy it if they gave it a chance. I own the IP on this game. I can be patient and continue to sell it until the cows come home, selling one or two copies a month if I'm lucky.

 

I started out as a fan of Intellivision homebrew. It was a hobby for me. However, when I decided to start a business selling Intellivision games, it was exactly that,.... a business. It goes WAY beyond hobby when you start putting really big money into these releases.

 

I know that some people refuse to think of Classic Game Publishers as anything more than a hobbyist outfit, but surely you don't think that First Star Software is also a hobbyist outfit do you? We wanted to finally bring a big name game to the Intellivision, boost our profile and earn a return on investment while we were at it.

 

We did a 'co-publishing' agreement with FSS which is different than a license. It wasn't just a fancy term to seem more 'legit'. We do not own the IP on Boulder Dash®. That means that we could not do whatever we felt like with the game. We could not sell it indefinitely. There was a limited time contract. What is in the contract is confidential and nobody's business. However, since there has been a lot of public speculation on this forum as to exactly WHY the contract was not extended I will say this....

 

As mentioned, this was not a hobbyist company giving another hobbyist company permission to make and sell the game. There are costs to extending agreements. And, when costs of extending an agreement surpass the 'trickle of sales', you obviously let the contract end. We started to let people know that they would have a 'rare and unique item'. The scarcity reality also knocked the fence sitters off of the fence.

 

When we decided to let the contract expire, we started to announce it on many forums (not just this one).

 

Many people thinking that this was 'homebrew' and another 'unlimited Elektronite release' needed to get the message that the contract was ending and that the fence sitters and yes, the speculators better get off of their duffs and buy a copy soon.

 

Eric immediately started to derail this message in a now moderator deleted post saying that it was not 'Rocket science' to simply 'extend the contract', as if I was just not smart enough to have thought of it. When his post was deleted, he then went on to PM me to further argue with me that 'it doesn't have to be that way'. I told him that it was none of his business, but I gave him a very good reason. Money. It costs money to extend contracts.

 

He accused me of running some marketing scam selling the game.

 

I quote:

 

"I just don't understand the drama of constantly reminding everyone that the sale of this game is coming to an end. I didn't like it either when Disney did it ("buy your copy of Bambi now, before it goes back into the Disney vault"). It's just a marketing ploy."

 

There is a big difference. I'm not Disney and this game is never coming out of the 'Elektronite vault' again. I told Eric to stop talking to me, and I made it very clear that he was 'rubbing me the wrong way'.

 

But he couldn't just let it go.

 

He then goes and emails my business partner and embarrasses me. (This is the second time that someone from this forum has emailed FSS regarding Boulder Dash, by the way.)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Eric XXXXX

To: First Star Software

Sent: Monday, August 15, 2016 5:28 PM

Subject: Boulder Dash for the Intellivision

 

Hello,

 

I was just wondering why the licensing rights for Boulder Dash for the Intellivision are expiring. Why can't you extend your agreement? I just don't understand what the problem is.

 

Eric XXXXX

Intellivision Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Really Eric?!

 

I made it CLEAR TO YOU in PM that I was the person who did not want to extend the contract. And, you go emailing FSS making it sound like I'm giving the impression that they were unwilling to extend. I made it very clear why. And you responded:

 

"You could've just posted this in the thread, in answer to my question, and that would've likely been the end of it. I might have answered with: "Yes, if the demand is still there, then I do think that you should extend the contract by paying thousands of dollars. Eventually, you will recoup the money. At least, that is what I would do, if I were in your shoes."

 

I didn't post that to your now deleted comment because it wasn't your business or anyone else's business why the contract was allowed to expire. It was only important that people be given fair warning that their last opportunity to buy the game at retail before it hits the speculator market. But of course, you whine and complain that we were telling people sales were coming to an end, convinced it was just some 'marketing ploy'.

 

Not only did you email my co-publisher, but you posted their reply to this thread and start speculating as to the motives for the contract ending when you were told clearly and privately why. You're implying that there is something 'fishy' going on, leading to others to speculate that it was ended to introduce a 'Volume 2'.

 

Speculation like that almost guarantees that there will NEVER be a 'Volume 2' if a sequel was ever being considered. There were speculations on 'fire sales' and 'excess copies'. There are no excess copies. Any 'excess' Boulder Dash circuit boards can be reprogrammed at the factory with a different game.

 

You don't have to suffer any more adverts for Intellivision Boulder Dash Eric. It is now history. All copies that are sold are the only copies that are out there. It is now a limited game.

 

We gave everyone fair warning and everyone had a chance to buy the game at retail. Now if you want it, you'll have to buy it from someone who is reselling it.

 

I've had enough of you sticking your nose into my business (literally) Eric, so just cut it out, ok?

[fdr4prez]

...Of course the true fans who want the game never wait and buy immediately...

 

Not to undercut your discussion with/about Eric, but I am a true fan that can't buy immediately because I am poor. Well, not poor, per se, but just no spare cash for my hobby right now.

 

I bought BD on the last day in a method that would hide the expense from prying eyes.

 

I am hoping things would change for the better by the end of the year.

 

I do thank all the producers for all their hard work and I buy when I can.

[Games For Your Intellivision]

 

Not to undercut your discussion with/about Eric, but I am a true fan that can't buy immediately because I am poor. Well, not poor, per se, but just no spare cash for my hobby right now.

 

I bought BD on the last day in a method that would hide the expense from prying eyes.

 

I am hoping things would change for the better by the end of the year.

 

I do thank all the producers for all their hard work and I buy when I can.

 

Thank you for your support! We do appreciate it.....

 

Whenever possible, we do not limit numbers and hope that people will buy when they can.

 

Boulder Dash® had a limited time...not limited numbers. The game was available from March 18, 2015 to August 15, 2016. Not a bad run really.

 

Like anything, there are no guarantees in life. We don't like that some people 'wait around' to buy the games. However, we certainly understand that $70 US is a lot of money for some. I don't think you'll see it cheaper anytime soon, however.

[Eric7100]

There are costs to extending agreements. And, when costs of extending an agreement surpass the 'trickle of sales', you obviously let the contract end.

 

This is all that you had to say. Thanks for your explanation.

[Games For Your Intellivision]

 

This is all that you had to say. Thanks for your explanation.

 

Don't BS me. You KNOW that is not 'all I had to say'.

 

You really should stop obsessing about this hobby.

[Eric7100]

Don't BS me. You KNOW that is not 'all I had to say'.

 

You really should stop obsessing about this hobby.

 

Whatever you think. Have a nice day.

[Rev]

 

Not to undercut your discussion with/about Eric, but I am a true fan that can't buy immediately because I am poor. Well, not poor, per se, but just no spare cash for my hobby right now.

 

I bought BD on the last day in a method that would hide the expense from prying eyes.

 

I am hoping things would change for the better by the end of the year.

 

I do thank all the producers for all their hard work and I buy when I can.

Subject change. "Prying eyes"

 

 

Oh no! Not the age old "my wife will find out"! Lmfao

 

Hey dear, our account is 75.00 short via a secret cash withdrawal....did you spend it on a hooker?

 

No dear, I bought a retro video game!

 

*wife makes a call to divorce lawyer*

 

The end.

[fdr4prez]

Subject change. "Prying eyes"

 

 

Oh no! Not the age old "my wife will find out"! Lmfao

 

Hey dear, our account is 75.00 short via a secret cash withdrawal....did you spend it on a hooker?

 

No dear, I bought a retro video game!

 

*wife makes a call to divorce lawyer*

 

The end.

 

LOL, no, it isn't that bad for me

 

My car died (it almost reached its 400,000 mile milestone), and I needed to get another car. My wife's car had some issues that we needed to get fixed. The car for our oldest son is leaking like a sieve, so we still need to get that resolved and now his check engine light just came on. Our second son is starting college soon and needed a car, but that car turned out to have some issues, too.

 

I am just glad that our daughter isn't interested in driving at this point. I am tired of car trouble

 

This is the "year of the car woes" for me

 

I just bought the Channel F multi-cart and I've a few other projects going on, so my hobby slush fund is depleted for the time being. But her hobby fund is equally depleted, so I'm not the only one suffering

[+cmart604]

Hmmmm....I hate to point out the obvious solution, but clearly selling one of your children would clear up all the car bills and build the hobby slush fund up for both of you quite nicely.

Some days I lament the fact that I only have one child. Lol!

[+SoulBuster]

Subject change. "Prying eyes"

 

 

Oh no! Not the age old "my wife will find out"! Lmfao

 

Hey dear, our account is 75.00 short via a secret cash withdrawal....did you spend it on a hooker?

 

No dear, I bought a retro video game!

 

*wife makes a call to divorce lawyer*

 

The end.

I actually think the hooker story would go over better in that situation.

[DZ-Jay]

Hmmmm....I hate to point out the obvious solution, but clearly selling one of your children would clear up all the car bills and build the hobby slush fund up for both of you quite nicely.

Some days I lament the fact that I only have one child. Lol!

Actually, you'd be surprised to know that children don't command the same price they once did. The market is drying up.

 

You're better off renting them out instead of selling. You could try auctioning (with a high reserve) too, if it's exceptionally cute.

[+Lathe26]

Actually, you'd be surprised to know that children don't command the same price they once did. The market is drying up.

 

You're better off renting them out instead of selling. You could try auctioning (with a high reserve) too, if it's exceptionally cute.

If they are unemployed, sell them as "broke, for parts".