cybercylon Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 I think showing the 2600 version of Ms. Pac Man adds even more doubt. What would Namco stand to gain by giving these clowns a license? Not much. It does make me think this is Stella running on something else. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Shouldn't that be Smoak & Mirror? Damn, why didn't I see that one!? Well done! (Coincidentally, the book on the Coleco Chameleon debacle is apparently going to be called "Smoke and Mirrors.") 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+frankodragon Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 With a fan spreading heat all around the case, so it is equally hot everywhere? Perfect for a taco shell warmer! Anyone remembering the episode of The Simpsons of Homer impersonating Poppin' Fresh will understand this one. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikebloke Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Cnet has a new video up https://www.cnet.com/videos/the-new-atari-vcs-console-is-more-than-a-retro-game-box/ The console actually looks kinda cool. Definitely overpriced and not mainstream, but I can see them selling a fair amount and with the price I would guess they are making money on each unit "I've played it" but not showing any footage of you actually playing it, instead cycle a minute worth of pre recorded footage multiple times but in different sequences. Also, no guarantee or proof the Borderlands footage is direct from VCS, looks like a poor recording of a underpowered PC trying to play it instead. Still no real evidence that this is any better than any "classic" device, I have a Retron 77 coming in the post I paid £65 for, which can play off both SD card and original carts, why would I spend £300 on a crippled version Atari sells when I already own Atari Vault on Steam (which I'm pretty sure I got for less than £8 if not free) and android games I can play on my existing phone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCAT Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 (Coincidentally, the book on the Coleco Chameleon debacle is apparently going to be called "Smoke and Mirrors.") ^^ I was expecting "Cardboard and electrical tape" The Coleco Chameleon story *Ghost written by Mr. "Mysterious" Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaysWithWolves Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Vomiting Endomorph.png With NuTari, one must always read the fine print. Or in this case, the lack of fine print. I'll add the caveat of a possible oversight, but nothing on their webpage or Walmart or Gamestop says that Atari Vault--or any games--is included. The closest it comes is their webpage which shows Atari Vault after they list what's included in the "all-in": It's not there next to the purchase button down the page: Also, Gamestop's page currently shows a 12/31/19 release date. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Perhaps Atari Vault is built into the firmware. Or will be, if it's not yet finished, which appears to be the case. I hope Code Mystics (developer of Atari Vault, Atari Flashback Collection, and Atari's Greatest Hits) is getting a little something extra in any event. I kinda doubt they are, though. I'm curious about the state of Tempest 4000 updates (they've yet to add Linux to their Steam build) but will check on http://www.yakyak.org/soon. I don't much feel like bugging them about it though, as I doubt they'd see any extra money for the extra work they or someone else would have to do to make this work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seastalker Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 They are really going with 400 and 800 as their model numbers? This heavily implies A8 computer games in the lineup. If not, their marketing is very odd. If they want to claim that it is named for the 4 and 8 gigs of ram models respectively and NOT for the history of the A8 computers, they sure like to muddy the already dark water. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 One issue with adding 8-bit computer content is that supposedly very little was made by Atari themselves, or at least software that current day Atari would maintain copyrights on. Most of the memorable games were 3rd party, which brings them into the same situation that both AtGames have been and Retro Games Limited who make THEC64 - negotiate and include whichever games you can obtain the rights to. I'm not so sure that Atari are willing to make those sacrifices. Sure, if they would work with homebrew developers both on the 2600 and 8-bit they could get some good titles but again this is not expected to be just a retro gaming console. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBerel Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 What's the countdown clock say before DuPont serves them cease and desist papers? What these litigious hacks really need to do is go into business with Target on....wait for it....... "Foot Pong: Kevlar Edition" Also, I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume they've probably got copyright violations in the high tens to low hundred already with the use of artwork, property names etc. You know they haven't cleared that stuff properly seeing how they scoured and snipped the web for most of their marketing materials to date. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaysWithWolves Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 For illustration purposes only (from @1:30 camera flyover): Proof the CNET camera man actually can take a clear picture: Edited, from the Ars Technica interview: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBerel Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 So it looks like a completely blank dummy board with nothing but breadboard plastic, a laptop fan, random wires and plastic widgets simulating components. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgeld Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 (edited) never seen a 3d printed nvme drive before So it looks like a completely blank dummy board with nothing but breadboard plastic, a laptop fan, random wires and plastic widgets simulating components. That's exactly what it is Edited June 13, 2019 by Osgeld 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmadgames Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 I'm pretty sure whatever is in that case was not running the demo (and I think Atati would admit that). In fact, many of the games shown at E3 are running on some kind of more powerful hardware instead of the actual console. I know folks are just trying to dig, but this thing is easily going to ship. It's just an AMD board in a case. The question should be around how developed the Atari OS is. With the RVGS, he was trying to create a custom board, etc. What Atari is doing is very simple on the hardware side. Where my concerns are is on how good the OS and content will be, which remains largely unanswered. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerx Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 It IS simple on the hardware side, which begs the question of why they can't get that board in the pretty case, with six months to go before backers are supposed to have units in their hands. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgeld Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 After working on this since 2017 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaysWithWolves Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 It's funny how people continue to defend Atari for doing the same things that Mike Kennedy was roundly (and appropriately) derided for. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godslabrat Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 I'm pretty sure whatever is in that case was not running the demo (and I think Atati would admit that). In fact, many of the games shown at E3 are running on some kind of more powerful hardware instead of the actual console. I know folks are just trying to dig, but this thing is easily going to ship. It's just an AMD board in a case. The question should be around how developed the Atari OS is. With the RVGS, he was trying to create a custom board, etc. What Atari is doing is very simple on the hardware side. Where my concerns are is on how good the OS and content will be, which remains largely unanswered. It IS simple on the hardware side, which begs the question of why they can't get that board in the pretty case, with six months to go before backers are supposed to have units in their hands. IMO, what happened was Atari did the IGG, got their $3 million, and then sat around waiting for some big company to wander in and buy them up. And waited. And waited. And after a year and a half, no one bought them and they hadn't made any effort to build the Taco. Now they're starting to get heat from various parties, and are throwing together whatever they can just to say they shipped something. The Ataribox was always going to be a low-dollar board with a low-effort OS in a fancy case. Nothing has ever changed. The only variable was if they did this right away or waited two years. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaysWithWolves Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 It seems CNET quietly removed the UI segments found at the timestamps in Flojos screencaps. Round up the usual suspects! <stifles yawn> 8 the usual suspects.png Quick motion cut of the user interface in action. Lots of 2600 games. I don't think this is the current Atari Vault interface. Will the components of Atari Vault going to be launchable from Atari OS, is this a work in progress, or just another fake/mockup "for illustration purposes only?" 15 ye olde intellectual properties.png 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Spriggy Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Oh .. out he comes again. My god! Meanwhile .... Looks like they found a use for those springs, they had laying around, after all. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 IMO, what happened was Atari did the IGG, got their $3 million, and then sat around waiting for some big company to wander in and buy them up. And waited. And waited. And after a year and a half, no one bought them and they hadn't made any effort to build the Taco. Now they're starting to get heat from various parties, and are throwing together whatever they can just to say they shipped something. The Ataribox was always going to be a low-dollar board with a low-effort OS in a fancy case. Nothing has ever changed. The only variable was if they did this right away or waited two years. It would be interesting to get a straight answer from someone on the inside about some of the decisions they've made. I doubt anyone will talk (Atari's lawyers are effective) but it's fun to speculate. Why IGG in the first place? It has a terrible reputation, but it's cheap and easy to get started. Zero accountability, but free publicity. No refunds. Why leave IGG now? Maybe this is the only way they can freeze everything and not get any more chargebacks? Or maybe IGG has a new set of rules which make things complicated for "Atari?" Or maybe it's just because their "in demand" store hadn't received any orders in months? What sales threshold do they need for GameStop and Walmart to take them seriously? This seems like a sales loser, especially at the asking price, and when they plan to launch it. Remind me of the blowout sales price ... is it anything ending in 88 cents? And will this be in GameStop stores before the chain goes out of business? The new AMD hardware? No brainer. It has better specs for presumably less money, while providing cover for the schedule. But why couldn't they show it at the e3 hotel? Are there any games deals in the works, at all? How binding are those commitments? If I were an indie developer, I'd steer clear. But even those who have reached out to them have been ignored or had their messages bounce. You can't manage an email address and we're supposed to develop software for your platform? Will they really ship to backers by December? I wonder if they already have something in the can at a Chinese manufacturer. Seems risky no matter what. How much did Feargal get in the settlement? He was asking for [Dr. Evil voice] one million dollars and I would argue that his leaving did hurt the project, shady as it was. At least he was fearless about getting on camera and answering questions. Does anyone really thing that Atari IP is worth as much as they think it does? Seems to me the market has already decided. Can they get out of this in a way that saves face for anyone? I think they really need to ship something after all this time, but it's never too late to cancel the project with a shred of reputation rather than being a huge joke all over again. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82-T/A Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Looks like a graphics card laying on it's side, in that clear case. I actually thought it was the internals to a laptop or a thin client, that had been placed in there. That looks like the processor board to a run of the mill laptop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82-T/A Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 (edited) Now I don't know if Atari are making those controllers for old-timers or for Generation X who have little or no previous experience of joysticks. Or for anyone, for that matter. I'm not sure i understand what you mean. Generation Xers were the ones who grew up with the Atari VCS / 2600. The youngest Gen-Xer was born in 1981. The oldest Millennial was born in 1982. Edit... never mind, just saw you meant Gen-Z. According to the press release linked in the Atari VCS update newsletter from yesterday Indiegogo backers will be receiving their consoles in December 2019 which will be 3 months before the full retail rollout scheduled for March 2020. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EYUjfAfqzBo0d5G1I7qV_T-YpsojRBNiFGLcRIU4Lt8/mobilebasic So... I should assume that was a type-O then? Edited June 13, 2019 by 82-T/A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 It seems CNET quietly removed the UI segments found at the timestamps in Flojos screencaps. Confirmed. But it's not like they inserted anything more interesting, they just took it out and looped some of their other hardware shots. They also removed the Android game. The games they showed: Centipede (arcade), Ms. Pac-Man (2600), Missile Command (2600), Borderlands (PC). There was a blurry snippet of a UI that seemed to be selecting Centipede but it's not worth highlighting. Nobody could have ever guessed that appearing to sell your 40yo game alongside the included bundle, highlighted by an obese, green, vomiting zombie would be a turnoff. What good is a joystick if there are no games to play? Even if it lights up. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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