Flojomojo Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 I don't think Stuart Varney would have let you get that all out without one of his inane interjections, though. Isn't "easy to pick up, hard to put down" a bit obvious in these modern times? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 I don't think Stuart Varney would have let you get that all out without one of his inane interjections, though. That's fine. I'd roll with it and bring in whatever he says and make it a part of the pitch, like any effective salesman would do. (I just went back and added a few of Varney's "interjections" as an example.) Fred came across as primarily a business guy and not a games guy, which isn't good for someone who heads up a company that is (supposedly) focused on games. Isn't "easy to pick up, hard to put down" a bit obvious in these modern times? Is it? Would you call most modern games "easy to pick up"? I'm not sure I would, certainly not compared to the classics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybercylon Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 (edited) I haven't watched the Fox Business interview and could care or less. Someone would have to go Clockwork Orange on me, strap me to a chair, and force my eyes open. As for PDubs... I remember that thread he started when he realized he "backed the wrong horse" since he is banned from posting to this thread. I did give him some kudos (others did too) for recognizing that this project is a steaming pile. Then there have been crazy posts since then elsewhere, so I generally ignore anything he posts (I am making an assumption about "he"). Now time to turn to important life decisions. I wanted tacos today, but I have been running around soccer fields, so maybe that might wait until tomorrow. Edited June 8, 2019 by cybercylon 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaqenHghar Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 Hi. I had to create a new account to ask one question that's been tormenting me about the Ataribox: Why? Even best case scenario where it's everything they've said it would be, it sounds like it's basically a Steambox without the Steam part. Didn't that already prove a no go years ago? How many noteworthy non Steam Linux games are there? What's left to play on this thing? What exclusives would it have to make it worth it, or are we supposed to spend $300 to play a select few Atari brand games you can already get on other platforms for $20? And sandbox mode must just be basically raw Linux, right? So their unconsole is a Mac, as in Linux plus proprietary layer, except no library? And most games are just going to use the generic Xbox style controller, right? What games are even going to be built for the classic controller except maybe Vault? Is a twisty stick even a good substitute for a paddle? I gotta believe that for this to be something, it'd have to grab people's attention even if it didn't have the Atari logo on it. It's hard to believe it could. While I'm venting, the Intellivision guys seem like the more competent group, but it feels like their content would be better served on existing family friendly options like Switch than creating a new set of hardware, doesn't it? I know they're talking about revolutionary patents, but Switch is touch plus controller, and adaptive difficulty is a patent Atari had in the 80s I believe. Will the games be must have enough for enough people to buy it instead of a Switch? No shame in going 100% software. Ask Sega. Anyway these consoles feel more like they're trying recapturing a vague feeling or ideal, but one you had to be there for to understand. "Make Gaming Great Again" I love my 2600. It takes me back to a simpler time. But nostalgia is personal, not manufactured. And whatever made these games great for us personally the first time, it wasn't hardware that was purposefully less than leading edge at the time they captured our imagination. In some cases it wasn't the hardware at all. And if Atari hasn't captured that spirit in their original software in the 21st century except maybe in Tempest 4000, what's going to change just because they start putting that software in a weak Linux box? Because what's the box without software? So what is this thing supposed to be? P.S. I was born in the 60s if anyone is curious where I'm coming from. P.P.S. The thing that triggered me and made me have to write this was that post a couple pages back quoting that guy on Facebook saying "I'm looking in the right place for info and you're not... can't help ya there." No, that literally is exactly what you could help us with. If you know exactly where to look to find the Ataribox's Meaning of Life and existence, please be so kind as to share...? This vaguebooking has long outlasted its welcome. P.P.P.S. Nostalgia isn't just "old" either. This push to check the back cupboard to put 10 more obscure games into the latest update of a compilation doesn't add value for most people. If that 150 game Flashback for Switch had only 40-50 of the best games in it and sold at the exact same price it'd probably have better review scores. 150 games, so many of them obscure, looks like shovelware to the average person. The gems became a needle in a haystack and that diluted the good vibe nostalgia. And I'm getting the same vibe off AtGames 350 in 1 cabinet. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerx Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 <snip> Holy shit. This is like discovering I've got a long lost twin. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBerel Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 (edited) Let me tell you a little secret about the forthcoming "sandbox" feature of the soon to be released, maybe VCS......it's a special proprietary technology used by NASA, the CIA and thousands of Fortune 500 companies. It's called a disk partition. Edited June 8, 2019 by JBerel 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlecRob Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 I think they wont bother to make another prototype with the new shell. next time itll just be the final unit IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KaeruYojimbo Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 Okay, so here's how I might have handled that: FRED: "Let's talk about Pong. Why do so many people remember Pong so fondly? It was the simplest video game you can possibly imagine, and yet it was challenging, and fun, and it was a game that people—including couples—could play together in person. Nolan Bushnell, who co-founded Atari, once said that hundreds of people have told him over the years that they met their husband or wife playing Pong. That's a magical formula that modern video games have gotten away from: they're complicated, they're expensive, they require significant investments of time and effort, and you (mostly) have to play with other people online, so you lose that personal interaction. The classic video games that we all remember, like Pong ..." STUART: "... and Space Invaders and Pac-Man ..." FRED: "Space Invaders and Pac-Man, exactly! These games were all 'easy to learn and challenging to master'—they had to be because of the technology of the time, and that was really the key to their success. So, what we want to do at Atari is to create games which recapture those classic qualities, and present them to today's players in a way that makes it easy for them to jump in and have an enjoyable experience playing together." STUART: "So can I really bond with my kids playing Pong?" FRED: "Well, Pong is a great example. Playing the original black-and-white Pong is one thing, but I don't think kids would find that too exciting today—and if they do, they'll have it, because it comes with this system. But just imagine also having an upgraded version of Pong, with totally new graphics and sounds, that four to eight people can play together at the same time? Parents and kids and grandkids throwing the ball around, playing cooperatively or competitively ... it would be insanely fun!" Maybe that's not a perfect pitch, but I think it would have been a lot better than going on and on about Linux, and about "sandbox mode" and "computer mode", and other things that people don't really care about. It would be a lot closer to Tommy Tallarico's pitch for the Intellivision Amico, which I still find to be much better (both the pitch and the product concept). Come up with all that right off the top of your head, did you? Sure, Fred should have expected he'd have to do more than recite his usual prefab BS, but there was no reason for him to expect Varney to be completely unprofessional. There were two people at that desk and they both $#&%ed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 Come up with all that right off the top of your head, did you? Yup. I went back and added the Varney "interjections" later, but I came up with it in a lot less time than it took me to type it out. And I'm not even a CEO! Sure, Fred should have expected he'd have to do more than recite his usual prefab BS, but there was no reason for him to expect Varney to be completely unprofessional. There were two people at that desk and they both $#&%ed up. I didn't see Varney as "completely unprofessional." He's not a video game expert, true enough, but he's there to ask the kinds of questions that the audience would ask, and to keep the interview focused and on time. Do you really think Fred would have come off any better if he was given the floor with no interruptions and no time constraints? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KaeruYojimbo Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 I didn't see Varney as "completely unprofessional." He's not a video game expert, true enough, but he's there to ask the kinds of questions that the audience would ask, and to keep the interview focused and on time. Do you really think Fred would have come off any better if he was given the floor with no interruptions and no time constraints?If there was one thing Varney didn't do, it was keep the interview focused. Actually, that's not true. He kept it focused on his obsession with Pong. He was more interested in being "funny" than actually conducting a meaningful interview. But in his mind this probably was a fluff piece. Which probably actually kind of saved Fred's ass. Can you imagine how bad he would have looked if Varney had actually asked real questions? He either would have had to go "can neither confirm nor deny" or admit what a farce the VCS is. So no, Fred wouldn't have come off better with no interruptions. That was never what I said, only that he wasn't the only reason the Fox interview was terrible. We now return you to your regularly scheduled tacos... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBerel Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 (edited) I'm sure the anchor had a pre-read on the segment, and I'm sure it was full of the same bullshit Fred has been rambling about to date. I'm sure that's why the interview went like it did. That and Fred's incompetence. What Varney read before the segment said Pong!, and classic!, and reimagined!, and said nothing of substance about why it was being made, so how else would you expect the anchor to handle the interview? Fred's lucky the guy had a sense of humor about it rather than decimating him on the lack of merits and specifics. Their frickin stock name is Pong for criminy sake. Varney was talking at Fred's level based on what Fred brought to the table. He brought a limp noodle to a dick fight. Edited June 8, 2019 by JBerel 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 Stuart Varney is not Shark Tank -- it's not his job to suss out facts, it's just a place to shoot the breeze and provide some light entertainment. Nobody in the Fox Biz audience cares about VCS per se. if anything, they watch for the surrounding market trends, such as EA, Tencent, and the other real stocks behind Fred's head. I still think Fred's real game is to try to cash out of Atari. Why send the CEO on the road when you supposedly have a sharp hardware engineer, aesthetic designers, and a missing-in-action product manager? Has anyone kept track of how many backers VCS has gained lately? I don't think it's increased significantly, nor has the stock done anything worth talking about, despite Fred's increasingly desperate flailing. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KaeruYojimbo Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 I supppse it silly of me to use journalistic standards to judge a Fox anchor. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerx Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 (edited) Nope. Not hanging this one on Fox. As an ex-journalist, I would've relished crucifying Fred on air, but that isn't how these things work. This was a puff piece through and through, and Varney obviously had as much fun with it as he could given the circumstances. He knew the emperor had no clothes, but I'm sure the network wouldn't allow a proper flaying. He poked what fun he could at the nothingburger Chesnais served up. Edited June 9, 2019 by racerx 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 I found something equally as mad, as a speaker hat. https://boingboing.net/2019/06/07/company-claims-flashlight-earb.html 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 I think they wont bother to make another prototype with the new shell. next time itll just be the final unit IMO There is no "first prototype". 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 I don't feel well. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 (edited) 20190608_100340.jpg Dude Casey's is the shit! That Taco pizza is to die for! One of the things miss most about living in rural Minnesota, they barely have any locations in bigger cities since they're more focused on being a rural/small town gas station chain and are based out of Iowa. While I have my fair share of pretentious, overpriced & trendy mom and pop pizza joints in Minneapolis and St Paul, theres a void left by Caseys that can't be filled by any other place. All the people living in Chicago or New York or in California will make fun of us for liking gas station pizza, but they're seriously missing out. Mila Kunis loves Casey's pizza too! Meanwhile, Nutari claims they have a working prototype, oh and they're "officially" going to E3 Edited June 9, 2019 by Pink 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBeefy Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Dude Casey's is the shit! That Taco pizza is to die for! One of the things miss most about living in rural Minnesota, they barely have any locations in bigger cities since they're more focused on being a rural/small town gas station chain and are based out of Iowa. While I have my fair share of pretentious, overpriced & trendy mom and pop pizza joints in Minneapolis and St Paul, theres a void left by Caseys that can't be filled by any other place. All the people living in Chicago or New York or in California will make fun of us for liking gas station pizza, but they're seriously missing out. Mila Kunis loves Casey's pizza too! Casey's does have great pizza. Their breakfast pizza is great too. I do think they have the best taco pizza I have ever had. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Spriggy Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 I found something equally as mad, as a speaker hat. https://boingboing.net/2019/06/07/company-claims-flashlight-earb.html I think Team Chipboard needs to be issued these post-haste. Although, based on their current efforts, they'll need the 6XL versions to make any noticeable cognitive improvements. Oh... and it's Taco Sunday for me . [As a reminder for all .. and new members alike .. below zone map courtesy of Flojomojo] 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+frankodragon Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Those earbuds are probably best for one only type of creature: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 (edited) In other tacos.... Brandon from Team JP is back at it. Anyone here speak pigeon? I have no idea what he's saying. Edited June 9, 2019 by Pink 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Meanwhile, Nutari claims they have a working prototype, oh and they're "officially" going to E3 prototype.png If they are calling linux with a half assed front end running on an AMD Dev board (on loan) with your option of a 3d printed CX40 (double high™) or a PowerA xbox controller with an orange button "a working proto" then I guess they do. Anything more than that I call 100 percent bullshit until I see different. ATARI DERP continue to lie WAY to much about everything to put any stock in anything they say. If anything, the lies are the most consistent part of the whole project. So what hotel room across the street from E3 will they be presenting at again? Or did they opt for the parking lot this year to save some extra coin? 3 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