Songbird website overhaul

[Songbird]

After many years of wishful thinking, the Songbird website has finally completed a major overhaul. You can now browse items and add them to your shopping cart or wish list, create a user account, and use modern secure payment processing tools. I also have a blog which I will update periodically. Some particular items of interest:

1. Inventory is now managed online, meaning items will go out of stock automatically when the last one is ordered. It isn't complete yet but it's better than the old manual system. I have set up all item quantities to be conservative to ensure I have them in stock at the moment.
2. International customers can now select a couple of shipping options, depending on the weight of the order. International shipping ranges from $20-40, where $40 is insured and guaranteed but the cheaper options are not. USA customers remain at a flat $8 shipping for any order.
3. Songbird Lynx games which support comlynx are now available in a discounted "duo" option, where you get two curved lip carts, one box, and one manual. This allows you to pick up a second copy for comlynx at a much better price.

 

To celebrate, I've added some new items to the store including:

• Limited quantities of imported Telegames Jaguar and Lynx releases
• Limited quantities of SIMIS, T-tris, and Othello for the Lynx

 

Take the new site for a spin, and let me know if you run into any glitches!

[+orpheuswaking]

Not in a position to buy right now, but the update looks great!

[Machine]

Looks really nice Carl! Great job with the new look!  I have my eye on a few games, I will be ordering in a next month.  I really liked Loopz for Jaguar so I will grab it on the Lynx when I order a few more games.

[+grips03]

Looks much nicer

[TrekMD]

Looks really nice! 

[tripled79]

Hmm... Are you out of Total Carnage?

[Songbird]

No, that was a glitch. Total Carnage is up and in stock now.  Thanks for pointing it out!

[+grips03]

Total Carnage is a fantastic game.

[Rick Dangerous]

Wow nice update Carl, looks fantastic!  

[GrizzLee]

Looks good Carl.

 

 

[tripled79]

On 3/23/2020 at 6:06 PM, Songbird said:

No, that was a glitch. Total Carnage is up and in stock now.  Thanks for pointing it out!

Order placed! Looking forward to this version of the game. I already have it on Midway Arcade for PS3 and I loved playing this on Arcade at my local convienece store as a kid. "I'll buy YOU for a dollar!"

[Songbird]

Total Carnage is a great port on the Jag, with smooth animation, big explosions, and lots of objects on-screen. The best way to play IMO is with a ProController -- that way you can use the shoulder buttons and red fire buttons to get most of the firing directions you need. Maybe someday I'll hack the ROM to enable better control schemes... would be fun to invert the Pro XYZ buttons to fire opposite directions, or even support four controllers for two players!  

[tripled79]

3 hours ago, Songbird said:

Total Carnage is a great port on the Jag, with smooth animation, big explosions, and lots of objects on-screen. The best way to play IMO is with a ProController -- that way you can use the shoulder buttons and red fire buttons to get most of the firing directions you need. Maybe someday I'll hack the ROM to enable better control schemes... would be fun to invert the Pro XYZ buttons to fire opposite directions, or even support four controllers for two players!  

Assuming from the overlay I have from the Protector Resurgence game, you can control your fire with the overlay buttons while moving with the d-pad?

Edited March 25, 2020 by tripled79

[Songbird]

That's correct for the regular controller: you can move and fire independently, but have to use the keypad for firing. 

[+grips03]

You can use a single controller to build (pad hack) a Twin Stick as the keypad buttons can just be additionally wired to the second joystick.  This allows for shooting in all 8 directions.  I use an octal gate on the second stick (the one on the right).

 

Also this allows for both players to use Twin Sticks on a stock Jag at the same and play the game they way it was meant to be played.  It also reduces the wire clutter.

 

If you could leave the current controls and just add a selection for Pro Controller that might be useful. 

 

BTW.  I have parts to make 5 Twin Sticks you see below.  But first working on rapid fire. 

[Machine]

^I want one of those!!!!!

 

[+grips03]

Cool.  I will be in touch when I get closer.  Plan is for buttons to have rapid fire too.  So kind of one joystick for Total Carnage and Raiden.  I might try to add an option for a second cord for Jeff Minter's Robotron like game.  Too bad Jeff Minter game didn't use Total Carnage type controls.

[Songbird]

Now that we're derailing my own thread -- that is a very cool custom joystick! Nice job.

 

Yes, my thought if I ever modify the ROM again would be what I said a couple years ago: add a controller selection screen at boot-up, then the player could pick regular or ProController schemes for each controller. If I ever got that far, I could add a third scheme for double-controller support, where you'd need the Team Tap to play two players with two controllers each. Now that would be crazy! 

 

[TrekMD]

I have to have one of those!  Looks fantastic!

[+grips03]

Sorry to derail.  I just wanted people to know Total Carnage controls great as is and anyone can pad hack a controller to make a Twin Stick.

[+orpheuswaking]

9 hours ago, grips03 said:

You can use a single controller to build (pad hack) a Twin Stick as the keypad buttons can just be additionally wired to the second joystick.  This allows for shooting in all 8 directions.  I use an octal gate on the second stick (the one on the right).

 

Also this allows for both players to use Twin Sticks on a stock Jag at the same and play the game they way it was meant to be played.  It also reduces the wire clutter.

 

If you could leave the current controls and just add a selection for Pro Controller that might be useful. 

 

BTW.  I have parts to make 5 Twin Sticks you see below.  But first working on rapid fire. 

Yes please 

 

[82-T/A]

Carl! I really like the new website, definitely more organized and well-laid out than the original.

 

That said, I've noticed a huge problem with the website... I've already purchased everything you're selling on the Jaguar side, so the obvious solution is to start making new Jaguar products. Let me know when you rectify this very clear issue with the site!

 

 

Thanks!!!

[Songbird]

Thanks for the feedback! But I have to ask: do you have this, that, or the other?

 

Also note I have Jaguar ProController reproductions in stock as well as the last few Songbird T-shirts.

[Machine]

Hey Carl-

I am trying to order a few Jaguar lapel pins, but shipping says international for $20. Is that correct?

Thanks

Tom

 Never mind, once I fill out USA it changes it.....sorry about that

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Machine

[82-T/A]

6 hours ago, Songbird said:

Thanks for the feedback! But I have to ask: do you have this, that, or the other?

 

Also note I have Jaguar ProController reproductions in stock as well as the last few Songbird T-shirts.

 

Hahah, thank you. I do... I also have a huge Jaguar banner, a fanny pack, and some other stuff. Love the Songbird-sponsored Jaguar games though! Keep em coming!