Cartridge Only Format Stinks

[daldude]

I hate it when they only release games on Cartridge and not LTO Flash format as well. I'll NEVER be able to buy the Home Brew of Donkey Kong JR because 60 plus bucks is too much for one game wit blocky graphics, nostalgic or not 60 bucks is too much for one game. Why do they only make some games available in cartridge only format and then just discontinue it forever? If it's a issue of making back the production costs of the cartridge, no longer selling it won't remedy that. The cost to produce a ROM file is far less if none at all than a physical cartridge. With a ROM file you simply E-mail it to the person who purchased it, no shipping costs, no need to pay someone to box it and pay a shipping company to ship it out.
Also what happened to  Jr Pac Man being made available for free ROM download after they make up the production costs of producing the cartridge?
Why is Sea Adventure and Chopper Command available for free and it's from the same company Intellivision Revolution. Also you can get TNT Cowboy, Hover Bover,Steamroller,Ninja Odyssey, Miner 2049er and Anthropomrphic Force in LTO Flash Format for 20 bucks each because they do it the right way, sell games in ROM Format to build up the funds to produce the games on Cartridge. Same thing is true with Carl Mueller Jr, you can buy his DK Arcade games in LTO Flash Format for a donation of $20 or more and Ms Pac Man for $10. I also got Jaw Crusher for 15 bucks in ROM Format.
I buy video games to play them, not to collect them and put them on a shelf un opened just to look at them and brag about how many games I've collected but don't play because I but them just to collect them like people who buy Star Wars Figures just for the act of collecting them and maybe later selling them for big profit when they become rare and valuable.

 

 

 

[Rev]

Are you asking for Dkjr and Jr Pac Man roms I take it?

[daldude]

3 minutes ago, Rev said:

Are you asking for Dkjr and Jr Pac Man roms I take it?

Yes, I'm requesting that these games be available in LOT Flash Format and would be willing to pay no more than $35 each but $20 would be a very reasonable cost.

In LTO Flash Format they can copy protect the file to help prevent pirating of the games since the ROMs are locked to your LTO Flashes Unique Device ID or DRUID so it won't play on another LTO Flash or other Flash Cartridge like Cuttle Cart 3 and won't play on emulators.

[+JasonlikesINTV]

30 minutes ago, daldude said:

I buy video games to play them, not to collect them and put them on a shelf unopened just to look at them and brag about how many games I've collected but don't play because I but them just to collect them like people who buy Star Wars Figures just for the act of collecting them and maybe later selling them for big profit when they become rare and valuable.

 

Relevant:

 

[daldude]

?

[TPR]

So let me get this straight... you want all homebrewers to conform to YOUR personal preferences? And if they don’t they are doing it wrong?

 

Do I have that correct? ?

[Rev]

5 minutes ago, TPR said:

So let me get this straight... you want all homebrewers to conform to YOUR personal preferences? And if they don’t they are doing it wrong?

 

Do I have that correct? ?

Yes, correct. 

[Rev]

TPR you reminded me of this by saying conform.  ?

 

 

[+save2600]

But he's willing to pay $35 for ROM's - so there's that.  

 

 

[daldude]

40 minutes ago, save2600 said:

But he's willing to pay $35 for ROM's - so there's that.  

 

 

No, the Maximum of $35

These games should be available to the most amount of people, not everyone can afford to pay 60 plus a pop for one game. What harm is there in making games affordable?

[mr_me]

I think in most cases it's up to the programmer not the publisher.  They might be somewhat reluctant to make copies when infringed properties are involved.

[IMBerzerk]

31 minutes ago, daldude said:

No, the Maximum of $35

These games should be available to the most amount of people, not everyone can afford to pay 60 plus a pop for one game. What harm is there in making games affordable?

I get your point and I do agree...however you kinda went the wrong way with this.  Most if not all of these hombrew games on all systems go the same route.  They cost so much because it takes a lot do work to make them and of course, create/print the packaging and manuals.  I've been on this forum a long time and believe me, you're not the first to complain about this.  I've done it myself.

 

  Like you, I don't have the funds or desire to pay for a homebrew title.  My main hobby is owning an old car and think nothing of buying parts or nostalgia for it that are very $$$ as I make the car look factory.  This mindset is the same for a game collector, no difference.  Many times of these guys enjoy the fun of collecting, and thankfully in doing so, support the development of new games for a now 40 year old system.  

 

However, you, like me... Would rather just pay a fee and play the game.  Let's face it, it's not a main hobby to me, so I can't justify the cost.  However, I think it's great that they keep making new games.  I have no place to display boxes, no system hooked up (other than my Retropies). And in the end, I loose out on good games that I might enjoy.  But at some point, you have to draw a line.   I can't just buy a new game just to say I own it...when as we speak I'm boxing up my 55 year old original Carter AFB carb to be sent out for overhaul...at $164 not including shipping to and from. 

 

I would like to see all games available as ROMs, whether locked into the LTO, or available for purchase to use on emulation.  But that is solely up to the developer, and I support the idea of them making money on what they design and produce.  If the ROMs were available as you and I would like, it would generate more sales, like you stated ... But there is always the risk of the ROM being passed around illegally.  Lock it into the LTO...and I still can't play it because again, I don't have an original system hooked up anymore.  Space issues.

 

So..yes...I agree with you, but I also believe it is up to the developer to decide how they want to present thier product to the public. And I fully support those decisions. 

Edited May 18, 2020 by IMBerzerk

[+Black_Tiger]

2 hours ago, daldude said:

I hate it when they only release games on Cartridge and not LTO Flash format as well. I'll NEVER be able to buy the Home Brew of Donkey Kong JR because 60 plus bucks is too much for one game wit blocky graphics, nostalgic or not 60 bucks is too much for one game. Why do they only make some games available in cartridge only format and then just discontinue it forever? If it's a issue of making back the production costs of the cartridge, no longer selling it won't remedy that. The cost to produce a ROM file is far less if none at all than a physical cartridge. With a ROM file you simply E-mail it to the person who purchased it, no shipping costs, no need to pay someone to box it and pay a shipping company to ship it out.
Also what happened to  Jr Pac Man being made available for free ROM download after they make up the production costs of producing the cartridge?
Why is Sea Adventure and Chopper Command available for free and it's from the same company Intellivision Revolution. Also you can get TNT Cowboy, Hover Bover,Steamroller,Ninja Odyssey, Miner 2049er and Anthropomrphic Force in LTO Flash Format for 20 bucks each because they do it the right way, sell games in ROM Format to build up the funds to produce the games on Cartridge. Same thing is true with Carl Mueller Jr, you can buy his DK Arcade games in LTO Flash Format for a donation of $20 or more and Ms Pac Man for $10. I also got Jaw Crusher for 15 bucks in ROM Format.
I buy video games to play them, not to collect them and put them on a shelf un opened just to look at them and brag about how many games I've collected but don't play because I but them just to collect them like people who buy Star Wars Figures just for the act of collecting them and maybe later selling them for big profit when they become rare and valuable.

 

 

 

There isn't enough of a market for roms or cart sales. No one is living off of any of these sales and everything is passion projects. Physical materials aren't mass produced or assembled in factories.

 

The cost of producing a game is most definitely not zero. Even when a programmer makes a tiny fraction of what they should earn for the work done, it's still a real cost. They should make at least $100 for every rom sold, cart or not, given how many copies actually do sell within such a tiny market. The people involved in designing, ordering, handling, assembling materials etc, would also be paid so much doing these things at actual jobs that they should be receiving a similar high payout per until sold. But then no one would buy any. If you can get another 1000 people onboard for Intellivision games, we'll all win.

 

It sounds like you don't really appreciate the Intellivision experience anyway. Thankfully there are plenty of other methods for you to play games like DKJR and Baby Pac Man.

[mthompson]

The Intellivision versions of Jr. Pac-Man and Donkey Kong Junior certainly are excellent. I can understand why people who prefer multi-carts or emulation would want to be able to play them. But I admit I don't know the issues in releasing ROM versions.

[Rev]

5 hours ago, mr_me said:

I think in most cases it's up to the programmer not the publisher.  They might be somewhat reluctant to make copies when infringed properties are involved.

Im in full control of the two game Roms mentioned. 

[+BBWW]

I have no issues with ROM releases before, durning or after any CIB treatment.  Cart Only releases will always be followed by someone selling a box, a manual and the overlays. The person that makes those could make more than just selling the game cart alone. So for me, while I did a cart only release, I won't do it again. There is not real economy of scale for a run of 200 Carts. As it is you almost need to produce 2 or 3 games at the same time to keep costs where they are. 

[+the1hatman]

I came here to post what BBWW just said. 

 

Don't worry about cart only releases. "Completing" cart only homebrews with a box, manual and overlays is a cottage industry around here 

[daldude]

Thankfully they Finally released it in ROM Format for only 10 bucks period, no extra Paypal fees or anything or the cost includes the Paypal Fee.

Turns out it was not as great as I thought it would be due to the kind of sluggish un responsive control and how if you have to push up to climb the vine that leads to the key to unlock the cage Donkey Kong is in on the first board and how if a Snapjaw runs under you as you climb the that vise you die, un like the Arcade version and this is on actual Intellivision Hardware, Intellivision 2 to  exact so it's not a emulator compatibility problem. Still a improvement over the Coleco version and way better than the Coleco VCS version.

[Rev]

15 hours ago, daldude said:

Thankfully they Finally released it in ROM Format for only 10 bucks period, no extra Paypal fees or anything or the cost includes the Paypal Fee.

Turns out it was not as great as I thought it would be due to the kind of sluggish un responsive control and how if you have to push up to climb the vine that leads to the key to unlock the cage Donkey Kong is in on the first board and how if a Snapjaw runs under you as you climb the that vise you die, un like the Arcade version and this is on actual Intellivision Hardware, Intellivision 2 to  exact so it's not a emulator compatibility problem. Still a improvement over the Coleco version and way better than the Coleco VCS version.

I cant play on the Intv 2, the control disc is not good at all, I would be curious if you had better success using the original Intellivision. To me it played and responded very well. Yes, anything is an improvement over the Coleco version of course!  Hope you still find some level of enjoyment in it. Thanks. 

[Kamikazi26]

Daldude,

 

plenty of ROMs are selling on IntellivisionCollector.com. All about the same reasonable price too. 
 

https://www.intellivisioncollector.com/roms.html

[bikeguychicago]

Most of the ROMs you are looking for (Ms. Pac, Jr. Pac, DKjr)  are available to purchase here: 

http://www.intellivision.us/roms.php

 

Edited March 3, 2022 by bikeguychicago
Added additional details

[+Psycho Stormtrooper- Rog]

On 5/18/2020 at 12:03 PM, daldude said:

I hate it when they only release games on Cartridge and not LTO Flash format as well. I'll NEVER be able to buy the Home Brew of Donkey Kong JR because 60 plus bucks is too much for one game wit blocky graphics, nostalgic or not 60 bucks is too much for one game. Why do they only make some games available in cartridge only format and then just discontinue it forever? If it's a issue of making back the production costs of the cartridge, no longer selling it won't remedy that. The cost to produce a ROM file is far less if none at all than a physical cartridge. With a ROM file you simply E-mail it to the person who purchased it, no shipping costs, no need to pay someone to box it and pay a shipping company to ship it out.
Also what happened to  Jr Pac Man being made available for free ROM download after they make up the production costs of producing the cartridge?
Why is Sea Adventure and Chopper Command available for free and it's from the same company Intellivision Revolution. Also you can get TNT Cowboy, Hover Bover,Steamroller,Ninja Odyssey, Miner 2049er and Anthropomrphic Force in LTO Flash Format for 20 bucks each because they do it the right way, sell games in ROM Format to build up the funds to produce the games on Cartridge. Same thing is true with Carl Mueller Jr, you can buy his DK Arcade games in LTO Flash Format for a donation of $20 or more and Ms Pac Man for $10. I also got Jaw Crusher for 15 bucks in ROM Format.
I buy video games to play them, not to collect them and put them on a shelf un opened just to look at them and brag about how many games I've collected but don't play because I but them just to collect them like people who buy Star Wars Figures just for the act of collecting them and maybe later selling them for big profit when they become rare and valuable.

 

 

 

Everybody has their own thing. Gamers want the ROMs, and Collectors want the physical game carts. Can't make everyone happy. Its up to the individual programmer to decide.

 

Keep this in mind... there's way more games only on ROM and not available to collectors then there are games on physical cart & not in ROM format.

And like others have said, most of what your looking for is availabe. You just need to do a search.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Psycho Stormtrooper- Rog

[jeremysart]

Personally I don't mind either format, if I can get in on a physical copy I prefer it for sure.. the only problem is when there are no LTO Flash carts available for sale and the homebrew game is long out of print ? All I can do is watch other people play it on YouTube.. seriously can't wait till the next run of LTO Flash is available haha.. I have a lot of catching up to do ?