Bill Loguidice Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 I'd like to think this was a joke, but there it is, in black and white. "It's new, and it's from Atari." Wow. Clearly that's plenty for some people. That's literally all that matters to them. So that answer is actually a legit one. The reality is, of course, that Atari will have to reach beyond those "ignorant" (willful or otherwise) die-hards to make this a success. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 Reading that FAQ.... um... This is exactly what you would expect from a hobbyist trying to get his masturbatory dream project off the ground. I mean, this is "the mighty ATARI" peddling more vague concepts and nostalgic promises after all this time. If you have nothing to show then the best course of action is to not drop your pants at GDC and show nothing. I understand the current company doesn't really have the resources to make this happen in an efficient and reasonable fashion, but if you're going to bullshit, don't be so mamma's-basement-amateur about it. It just shows how much they really want it to happen™. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 From what I can see, Atari's problem is almost purely a software one. Hardware that can do this is cheap and is already available in various reference designs. It might take a little time to make a PCB to exactly fit that case, but good-enough and cheap platforms are easy to get. The problem is that nothing is ever that easy on the software side. Unless you're going to load it up with 100% OSS, you're going to need money, good developers and time. Atari seems to be promising an entirely custom UI experience and proprietary SDKs. This represents a lot of work and we aren't even talking about games for it yet which is the only thing that matters. A tiny Linux capable board could have been shoved in that case to demo a few of things they're working on but it sure looks like they don't have any software to show at all. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VladR Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 A tiny Linux capable board could have been shoved in that case to demo a few of things they're working on but it sure looks like they don't have any software to show at all. Exactly my thinking ! Even if they showed only a pac-man prototype, mashed together in a weekend in Unity, and just exported to a Linux executable, it would still be something! Nobody would bitch and moan about not seeing some UI (we all understand tweaking those things takes, indeed, time, as they are custom), because even that pacman would have been the first interactive thing they showed. But somehow, somebody, after testing new batch of colombian drugs, came to a conclusion - that showing an empty box proves "we really want it to happen". 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nathan Strum Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 From what I can see, Atari's problem is almost purely a software one. Hardware that can do this is cheap and is already available in various reference designs. It might take a little time to make a PCB to exactly fit that case, but good-enough and cheap platforms are easy to get. The problem is that nothing is that ever easy on the software side. Unless you're going to load it up with 100% OSS, you're going to need money, good developers and time. Atari seems to be promising an entirely custom UI experience and proprietary SDKs. This represents a lot of work and we aren't even talking about games for it yet which is the only thing that matters. A tiny Linux capable board could have been shoved in that case to demo a few of things they're working on but it sure looks like they don't have any software to show at all. There's another problem with this whole thing that hasn't been brought up: support. Atari is a tiny company. They can't even get this thing running in the first place, so how on Earth do they expect to support it if it ever ships? Who's going to answer the phone when mom calls and her Netflix doesn't work? Who's going to update their UI and fix bugs? Who's going to setup, run, manage, troubleshoot and support their online store? Where will people send these for repair? Meanwhile, back on Fred's planet: GamesBeat: Do you have a revised schedule now? Chesnais: We’re going to make the announcement soon. We’ve been able to review everything, go through the checklist, watch for red flags. We’re talking with the content guys, with the engineers, everything. They're "talking with the content guys, with the engineers". This is important to remember: Atari doesn't actually have content guys or engineers in-house. This is all being farmed out. This is nothing like Atari, which was founded by engineers and "content guys". GamesBeat: After pre-sales start, do you just set a date for shipping? Chesnais: There’s nothing that isn’t feasible. It’s really just a question of manpower. We have a plan after that. He "really wants it to happen". Fortunately, just by throwing more people at it, it will all just work out. Because plans. Chesnais: There’s a lot of work to do on software and firmware. A lot of moving parts still have to come together. I wouldn't have expected the Ataribox to have that many moving parts in it. Maybe a fan. Maybe that's part of their problem - they need fewer moving parts. But there's still "a lot of work to do on software and firmware", which is basically the part of it that does anything. And the way Fred tries to spin stuff, if he says "a lot of work to do", that means they probably haven't figured out how to turn on their off-the-shelf Linux box yet. Hint: it's the button marked "power". 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 They're "talking with the content guys, with the engineers". This is important to remember: Atari doesn't actually have content guys or engineers in-house. This is all being farmed out. This is nothing like Atari, which was founded by engineers and "content guys". Yeah, but to be fair, the 7800, Portfolio, Lynx, Panther, Jaguar, and probably several other products I haven't thought of were not Atari designs. Of course, the VCS was so maybe this box should be called the Atari Portlypanjag78. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBerel Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 I wasn't going to say anything about this, but the size of it is not helpful to their cause either. For a so called TV computer, the thing is huge. All that fanfare for a retro-ish plastic box that is supposed to sit next to your TV for no particular reason. There's no controls, cartridge port, CD slot, knobs, dials, switches, finger print readers, breath analyzer, blood sampler, vibrating massage attachment, etc. Any user interaction is on the rear, so why the overpriced plastic tchotchke? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacman000 Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 This whole debacle has had me thinking of this scene for awhile now... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiffsGamingVideos Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 I wasn't going to say anything about this, but the size of it is not helpful to their cause either. For a so called TV computer, the thing is huge. All that fanfare for a retro-ish plastic box that is supposed to sit next to your TV for no particular reason. There's no controls, cartridge port, CD slot, knobs, dials, switches, finger print readers, breath analyzer, blood sampler, vibrating massage attachment, etc. Any user interaction is on the rear, so why the overpriced plastic tchotchke? It's obvious. Atari wants to get money selling the hardware for a profit and letting anyone bring Steam/Linuz games over. What they NEED to do it sell the hardware at cost and have the Atari UI store be the only software that gets installed. Getting 30% of that is still 30%. If it came from somewhere else they get 0% of 30% DO THE MATH! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+frankodragon Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 A Michael Arzt is now in charge of the project. I wonder if his middle initial is "F" for some reason. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 This is way cooler than a speakerhat. http://www.1sale.com/products/travel-neck-pillow-with-fleece-hood-built-in-earbuds-4/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Monkey Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Probably a year late, but this seems like a lot of hard work. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thiccwheels Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 This is way cooler than a speakerhat. http://www.1sale.com/products/travel-neck-pillow-with-fleece-hood-built-in-earbuds-4/ Oh wow, this brings me back to the HoodieBuddie. Good ol' 2010. https://techcrunch.com/2010/06/23/hoodiebuddie-is-a-hoodie-with-earbuds-instead-of-strings/ Maybe Atari should start making some of these bad boys, make them cool again 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybercylon Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Many laptops are super thin these days. And it would add little or no thickness to put fake woodgrain paneling on one. Either as a real piece of wood or that stick on shit. or something like this: https://www.toastmade.com/products/macbook.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Call me when they do the Wagon Queen Family Truckster edition. Until then, it's just formica to me. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P1r Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Well, if it has a proper Llamasoft T4k then I'm getting one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlecRob Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Ill get it for tempest 4000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Well, if it has a proper Llamasoft T4k then I'm getting one. Ill get it for tempest 4000 You'll buy a brand new box for a $20 - $30 game that's already going to be on PS4, Xbox One, and PC for likely at least a year before Atari VCS is even out? 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Even if you don't own one of the consoles, the question is if not you will be able to get a basic configuration PS4 or Xbox One for $250 before the Atari VCS is out. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojay1997 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Even if you don't own one of the consoles, the question is if not you will be able to get a basic configuration PS4 or Xbox One for $250 before the Atari VCS is out. In the United States at least, the PS4 and Xbox One S (with a game) already hit $200 and stayed at that price for most of the Black Friday through Christmas 2017 period. You can still find both consoles for $250 or less during various sales at retailers every few weeks. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P1r Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 You'll buy a brand new box for a $20 - $30 game that's already going to be on PS4, Xbox One, and PC for likely at least a year before Atari VCS is even out? Fair point ... I wouldn't mind a PS4 I guess. But if I was to start thinking about getting one, I'd probably start thinking I "needed" to get the pro version and the PSVR headset. And then we'd be a bit beyond those $200. But then again, running T4k in VR would probably justify it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Perhaps Atari will announce a VCSVR headset too? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacman000 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 To go with the VCS CD-ROM! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerx Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 You'll buy a brand new box for a $20 - $30 game that's already going to be on PS4, Xbox One, and PC for likely at least a year before Atari VCS is even out? This is "Atari's" target market in a nutshell. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMaddog Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Here's the most idiotic part (from the above PDF): What truly sets the Atari VCS aside from other retro gaming consoles? It’s new and it’s from Atari Yeah...that sounds like something Sam Tramiel would have said about the Jaguar. And for all the gooblygook about "PC technology" and "interactive TV", why not just call it a Home Theater PC and be done with it? Most people would know that it's a PC that can plug in the TV and stream video & play games. But instead they used buzzwords to show off an empty box... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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