Team Pixelboy News Bulletin - August 7th 2020

[Pixelboy]

Good day, ColecoVision fans.

 

It's been quite a while since my last news bulletin, and I do have lots of stuff to talk about, so let's get right to it, shall we?

NETHER DUNGEON

 

Today (August 7th 2020) is the "official" release date of a new low-budget movie called "Max Reload and the Nether Blasters". It's been available for view in select drive-in theaters for a while already, and the movie will become available on video-on-demand platforms and disc next week, on August 11th. You can see the cool-looking trailer here:

 

https://collider.com/kevin-smith-greg-grunberg-max-reload-and-the-nether-blasters-trailer/

 

If you look closely at the trailer, you will see a red ColecoVision cartridge of a fictional game called "Nether Dungeon". This game is actually a "reskin" of sorts of Deep Dungeon Adventure, which I published a few years ago as part of the Team Pixelboy Budget Series. The title screen and opening/ending cut-scenes have been changed, but it's still the same game at its core. The author of Deep Dungeon Adventure, artrag, agreed to alter his game to match the movie's premise.

 

After some discusions, it was decided that a small run of 50 Nether Dungeon cartridges will be produced, roughly in parallel to the movie's release. The game will be cartridge only (no manual, no box) with a 23$US price tag, and will come in regular black cart shells (red carts are not an option, sadly). This game cartridge will be mostly geared towards collectors, because if you already own Deep Dungeon Adventure, you'll be basically purchasing the same game again. Still, owning a ColecoVision game that actually appears in a real movie is cool merchandise, right?

 

I'm hoping to have all 50 carts ready to ship by late September, but I make no promises at this point. Keep an eye on this forum thread for news update concerning Nether Dungeon.

AND NOW FOR SOME BAD NEWS

 

Taking into account the 50 carts of Nether Dungeon mentioned above, I barely have enough cartridge shells to cover all the upcoming Team Pixelboy titles I want to release over the next year or so. Since I'm not planning to order any more shells, this unfortunately means that all past Team Pixelboy titles are now officially discontinued. If you have any pre-orders recorded for any previously-released games, don't worry, I still intend to honor all those pre-orders. And I will honor all recorded pre-orders for upcoming releases as well, obviously. But starting today, I will not accept any new pre-orders, either for old games or upcoming games. As I said, I barely have enough carts shells to cover my needs. But those "needs" include all recorded pre-orders, so no problem there.

 

I'm expecting to be able to release Jewel Panic, Arcomage, Bomber King and R-Type in early September 2020, and after all copies of those games will have been shipped, I will turn my full attention to the nine games of the Mystery Man Collection, which I want to release in December 2020 if possible.

STATUS OF ASTEROIDS

 

I don't think I will surprise anyone when I say that the coronavirus has been quite disruptive to my Team Pixelboy projects. One project that has been particularly affected is Asteroids. Mystery Man has done some initial work on the software recently, and he showed me a simple demo which is a good start, but he still has a lot of work ahead of him. The main reason why he hasn't worked much on Asteroids in recent months is because some people lost their jobs at the company where Mystery Man works (because of the ongoing pandemic) and Mystery Man's workload increased as a result. So he's had much less time and energy to work on ColecoVision games.

 

On my end, while I'm really not sure Asteroids will be released before the end of 2020 as I originally planned, it doesn't change my global project planning: I will not ask anyone to make any advanced payment on the Asteroids Controller until the software has reached release candidate status, no matter how long that takes. I'm sure many of you (doubledown in particular) would like things to move along faster, but under these unusual circumstances, there's no way to rush it. But rest assured that Asteroids on ColecoVision is NOT a dead project, that much is certain.

 

By the way, you may recall that I was planning to release hacks of Carnival, Space Fury and a few other legacy ColecoVision games so that they may be played with the Asteroids Controller. That part of the project is also still on, but those games will be released in ROM file format only, so you'll need an AtariMax cart to play them. Mystery Man will work on those hacks after he's done with Asteroids.

PROGRESS WITH THE TRADING CARD PROJECT

 

I have to come clean and admit that I haven't really worked on Space Shuttle like I was supposed to. But I did make some very good progress with my ColecoVision Trading Card project recently, to the point where I can now discuss two aspects of the project, and perhaps get some feedback from you guys.

 

First of all, over the last few weeks, I completed the front templates for over 70 cards, and I must say they're looking very good! The back templates aren't done yet, but they shouldn't pose too much trouble. My goal is to release a series of 165 cards, which will encompass the majority of North-American commercial releases. This series will include all American games, a few Canadian games where the American version of the box does not exist (like Illusions and Evolution), a few hardware cards (Expansion Modules, Roller Controller, Super Action Controllers, etc.) and will also include a few "homebrew box" cards for commercial games that did not come in boxes (like Slither and Turbo, to name a couple).

 

While I was working on these templates, I assembled a list of the box scans which I need in order to complete this series of 165 cards. Here is the list below:

 

- Pitstop (Coleco/ADAM box version)
- Frogger II - Threedeep (US version)
- Popeye (US version without contest bubble)
- Oil's Well (blue box version)
- Tomarc The Barbarian / Motocross Racer (double-ender)
- Aquattack
- Alphabet Zoo (clamshell)
- Facemaker (clamshell)
- Fraction Fever (clamshell)
- Jukebox (clamshell)

 

For the last four games in the above list, I do have scans of the boxes, but they're not very good and I'd like to get better scans if I can. Same goes for Aquattack. Any help with clean scans of the above will be greatly appreciated.

 

While we're at it, I do intend to release the "European" series of trading cards some time next year, and I'm looking for scans of the following European commercial releases:

 

- Gyruss (European version)
- Mouse Trap (CBS1/UK) (does it actually exist?)
- Mr Do! (CBS1/UK)
- Activision Decathlon (Australian HES version)
- Cosmic Avenger (Australian CBS4)
- Frenzy (Australian CBS4)
- Lady Bug (Australian CBS4)
- River Raid (Australian HES version)
- Time Pilot (Australian CBS4)
+
- CBS ColecoVision console box
- CBS Expansion Module #1
- CBS Expansion Module #2
- CBS Roller Controller
- CBS Super Action Controllers

 

Another aspect I can explain and discuss is the numbering system of the cards. At first, I just wanted to use simple numbers (for example: 1 of 165, 2 of 165, etc. for the North-American series) but it occurred to me that the numbering system should be designed in a way where new cards could be inserted into a series without breaking the numbering sequence. For example, let's say that a new box version of a legacy European game is discovered, and I decide to make a card for it, it would be nice to be able to insert this new card in the European series seamlessly.

 

So I came up with a card ID system that is formatted as follows:

 

<region code> - <game number> - <publisher/maker> - <box type> - <box version>

 

Region codes:
    - NA = North-American release
    - EU = European/Australian release
    - CA = Canadian release
    - TW = Taiwan release (Bit Corp or bootleg)
    - HB = Homebrew release
    - HL = Homebrew re-release of legacy game (includes hacks)
    - BL = Homebrew box for legacy game (includes unreleased games and prototypes)
    - BW = Alternate homebrew box for legacy hardware
    - BH = Alternate homebrew box for homebrew game
    - BX = Alternate homebrew box for homebrew hardware

 

Publisher/Maker:
    - CO = Coleco
    - AC = Activision
    - IM = Imagic
    - TL = Telegames
    - XX = Xonox
    - etc.
    - TP = Team Pixelboy
    - CV = CollectorVision
    - OP = Opcode Games
    - etc.
    - && = Self-Published (applies to homebrews only)

 

Box type:
    - AR = Arcade cabinet box (released by Coleco, or by homebrew publisher)
    - YE = Yellow box (applies to Sunrise games only)
    - SV = Silver box (applies to Sunrise games only)
    - C0 = CBS0 box
    - C1 = CBS1 box
    - C2 = CBS2 box
    - C3 = CBS3 box
    - C4 = CBS4 box (Australian)
    - CL = Color Line (applies to Opcode Games only)
    - TP = Team Pixelboy box style (applies to Team Pixelboy only)
    - CU = Custom (used when none of the above apply) 

 

Here are some examples:

 

NA-033-CO-AR-1:
    NA = North-American release
    033 = Donkey Kong
    CO = Coleco
    AR = Arcade cabinet box
    1 = Box revision #1

 

NA-020-SR-YE-1:
    NA = North-American release
    020 = Campaign '84
    SR = Sunrise
    YE = Yellow box
    1 = Box revision #1

 

NA-020-SR-SV-1:
    NA = North-American release
    020 = Campaign '84
    SR = Sunrise
    SV = Silver box
    1 = Box revision #1

 

EU-051-CB-C3-1:
    EU = European release
    051 = Gorf
    CB = CBS Electronics
    C3 = CBS3 box
    1 = Box revision #1

 

HB-167-CV-AR-1:
    HB = Homebrew game
    167 = Lock'n Chase
    CV = CollectorVision
    AR = Arcade cabinet box
    1 = Box revision #1

 

HB-149-OP-CU-1:
    HB = Homebrew game
    149 = Magical Tree
    OP = Opcode Games
    CU = Custom box style
    1 = Box revision #1

 

The game number will be the same across all regions, so for example, "051" will correspond to Gorf in both North-American and European card series.

 

The box revision is usually "1", but there are some game boxes that come in two versions, such as Mr Do! that has two versions of the arcade cabinet box (one with the cabinet facing left and the other facing right) and that's where the box revision number is useful. Some homebrews come in similar yet distinct boxes too, such as CollectorVision's Mario Bros.

 

For the hardware cards, the numbering structure will be slightly different:

 

<region code> - <hardware type> - <hardware number> - <box revision number>

 

Region code:
    - HN = Hardware released in North-America
    - HE = Hardware released in Europe/Australia
    - HI = Hardware released internationally (i.e. not region-specific)
    - HT = Hardware released in Taiwan (or nearby Asian markets)

 

Hardware type:
    - CS = Console (or clone console)
    - CT = Controller
    - MO = Expansion Module
    - MC = Multi-Cart (read-writable)

 

The "hardware number" will combine the hardware product with its manufacturer. 

 

Some examples:

 

HN-CT-04-1:
    HN = Hardware released in North-America
    CT = Controller
    04 = Coleco's Super Action Controllers
    1 = Box revision #1

 

HE-MO-01-1:
    HE = Hardware released in Europe
    MO = Expansion Module
    01 = Coleco's Expansion Module #1
    1 = Box revision #1

 

HN-CS-06-1:
    HN = Hardware released in North-America
    CS = Console
    06 = Telegames Personal Arcade
    1 = Box revision #1

 

HI-MO-08-1:
    HI = Hardware released internationally
    MO = Expansion Module
    08 = Opcode Games' Super Game Module
    1 = Box revision #1

 

Nothing is set in stone yet, so questions and comments about this trading card numbering system are welcome.

 

This concludes this Team Pixelboy News Bulletin. We now return you to your regular forum activities.  
 

[mingus]

Sad that the virus has had so much impact, but I'm sure most of us understand. I hope you are doing well otherwise! Not sure if you were waiting until September or not to gauge release interest in nether dungeon, but I'll email now stating my interest.

For current preorders, including mystery man games, are they still included in what you can do?

James

[Pixelboy]

21 minutes ago, mingus said:

For current preorders, including mystery man games, are they still included in what you can do?

Yep, I have enough cartridge shells to honor the pre-orders of all the games of the Mystery Man Collection.

 

[artrag]

Let me add something about NETHER DUNGEON. The gameplay is the same the same of Deep Dungeon with minimal changes to the graphics of enemies. 

Anyway cut scenes, intro, ending and texts have been replaced or heavily modified (thanks to KAI MAGAZINE!) to match with the movie, where the evil comes from a lost colecovision cartridge. The gameplay appears in the movie

[Jaymiester]

I PM'd you all the US games with the exception of Tomarc The Barbarian / Motocross Racer. Hopefully they are better than the scans you already have.

[Pixelboy]

1 hour ago, Jaymiester said:

I PM'd you all the US games with the exception of Tomarc The Barbarian / Motocross Racer. Hopefully they are better than the scans you already have.

Either I already have the images you supplied, or they have some issues. But thanks for the effort anyway. 

 

A word of caution for everyone else who wants to help me with the missing scans: I'm looking for people to do actual scans of boxed games they own, not just look for existing images via Google.

 

Again, thanks.

 

[+nanochess]

I've sent scans of my games, you're lucky I made a scan of every game for my Colecovision Games Guide book and still have the files.

 

I don't have Pitstop with Adam mention (maybe NYAD), nor Oil's Well blue box (I think colecomaster has this one), and I don't have seen ever the Tomarc double-ender.

[Pixelboy]

Thank you very much, Oscar! 

 

Alright, so with Jaymiester's and nanochess' contributions, I can narrow down the scans I'm still looking for to:

 

- Oil's Well (blue box version)
- Tomarc The Barbarian / Motocross Racer (double-ender)
- Aquattack
 

I know someone here who has (or at least had) the blue-boxed version of Oil's Well, as well as a couple of others on my want lists, and I'm also aware that he saw this thread, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he still has them and that he will scan them for me.   

 

Also, there's an Australian Laby Bug on eBay right now, but no way am I paying anywhere near that asking price. The shipping fees alone are a deal-breaker.

 

Finally, I spotted the Australian version of River Raid in the thread linked below, which dates back to 2014 so it's probably been sold already, but anyway, that's what I'm looking for.

 

 

 

 

[Ikrananka]

I've just scanned Aquattack for you - PM incoming very soon.

[Pixelboy]

3 hours ago, Ikrananka said:

I've just scanned Aquattack for you - PM incoming very soon.

Doesn't quite fit the bill, because of the price sticker which covers part of the artwork. But thanks for the effort anyway. 

 

I'm currently in contact via e-mail with a guy who owns a CIB Aquattack without a price sticker on the box, and he agreed to scan his box for me within the next week or so. So we can mark this one as "taken care of".

 

Y'know, there are three Tomarc/Motocross double-ender carts up on eBay right now. Someone, somewhere has to have this one CIB... 

 

[+nanochess]

4 minutes ago, Pixelboy said:

Doesn't quite fit the bill, because of the price sticker which covers part of the artwork. But thanks for the effort anyway. 

 

I'm currently in contact via e-mail with a guy who owns a CIB Aquattack without a price sticker on the box, and he agreed to scan his box for me within the next week or so. So we can mark this one as "taken care of".

 

I also have an Aquattack with price sticker but I don't want to remove it ???

[Ikrananka]

9 minutes ago, nanochess said:

I also have an Aquattack with price sticker but I don't want to remove it ???

Yep, I don't really want to remove mine either.  Shame our stickers aren't in different locations then at least scans could be stitched together to make one whole.

[insertclevernamehere]

I didn't see any mention of "Arabian" in your latest bulletin.  I have already preordered and hope the game is still going ahead.  If so, when might it be released?

[Pixelboy]

20 minutes ago, insertclevernamehere said:

I didn't see any mention of "Arabian" in your latest bulletin.  I have already preordered and hope the game is still going ahead.  If so, when might it be released?

Good question. At this point in time, Arabian is a long-term project. It won't be released this year, that much is certain. I don't even know if Asteroids (also programmed by Mystery Man) will be done by the end of this year. All I can say is that all pre-orders for Arabian are still recorded and active, and I have a batch of cart shells reserved for that game, so no problem there.

 

The above answer also applies to Utopia, in case anyone is wondering.

 

[crisalan44]

Team pixelboy Is selling rom versions of some of the games from your website an option or not something you are interested in and I am very sorry if this is taboo or not allowed to ask. I would have no problem paying you for rom versions of some of the unreleased games not available on cart anymore. Just a thought for people with a phoenix or a mister box. Cheers

 

Edited August 8, 2020 by crisalan44

[Pixelboy]

2 hours ago, crisalan44 said:

Team pixelboy Is selling rom versions of some of the games from your website an option or not something you are interested in and I am very sorry if this is taboo or not allowed to ask. I would have no problem paying you for rom versions of some of the unreleased games not available on cart anymore. Just a thought for people with a phoenix or a mister box. Cheers

 

Many of my games can be downloaded for free. Just do a search on these forums with the keywords "Team Pixelboy News Bulletin" and look for the bulletins dated December 25th, between 2013 and 2019.

 

[KevinMos3]

Do I understand correctly that the Nether Dungeons game is not currently up for pre-order, but will be announced at some point in this thread?

[TPR]

18 minutes ago, Pixelboy said:

Many of my games can be downloaded for free. Just do a search on these forums with the keywords "Team Pixelboy News Bulletin" and look for the bulletins dated December 25th, between 2013 and 2019.

 

Also, CVAddict still has a very up to date list of all the homebrews and the ROMs for them that have been released: https://cvaddict.com/list.php?filter=3

[Pixelboy]

1 hour ago, KevinMos3 said:

Do I understand correctly that the Nether Dungeons game is not currently up for pre-order, but will be announced at some point in this thread?

Well, I hadn't actually considered taking pre-orders for Nether Dungeon yet, but when people started sending me PMs and e-mails to reserve a copy, I decided to record those pre-orders.

 

So if anyone wants a Nether Dungeon cartridge, just send me an e-mail at pixelboy at teampixelboy dot com.

 

Sorry for not being clearer about the whole pre-ordering thing for Nether Dungeon, but at the time I originally posted this news bulletin, I wasn't thinking that far ahead. Anyway, as I write this, there are still plenty of available cartridges. Not sure how fast they're going to go.

 

[Swami]

2 hours ago, Pixelboy said:

Many of my games can be downloaded for free. Just do a search on these forums with the keywords "Team Pixelboy News Bulletin" and look for the bulletins dated December 25th, between 2013 and 2019.

 

I have to say it has been wonderful how generous you have been with making your ROMs available to the public for free a year or two after release. Especially, since some of these carts, not yours, are a bummer to try to dump for a backup/multicart copy.

[Pixelboy]

Good news! Someone supplied me with a very nice scan for Oil's Well (blue box)! Many thanks to CanadianTenor for this!   

 

Also many thanks to TPR for sending me a great scan of the Aquattack box.

 

So I'm pretty much down to Tomarc The Barbarian / Motocross Racer. I have everything else that I need to produce the North-American series of 165 cards.

 

I'm also in the process of tracking down a couple of the ones I listed for the European series. Wish me luck on that, and a big 'thank you' to everyone who has helped so far!   

 

[Tony Cruise]

On 8/8/2020 at 9:56 PM, Pixelboy said:

Thank you very much, Oscar! 

 

Alright, so with Jaymiester's and nanochess' contributions, I can narrow down the scans I'm still looking for to:

 

- Oil's Well (blue box version)
- Tomarc The Barbarian / Motocross Racer (double-ender)
- Aquattack
 

I know someone here who has (or at least had) the blue-boxed version of Oil's Well, as well as a couple of others on my want lists, and I'm also aware that he saw this thread, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he still has them and that he will scan them for me.   

 

Also, there's an Australian Laby Bug on eBay right now, but no way am I paying anywhere near that asking price. The shipping fees alone are a deal-breaker.

 

Finally, I spotted the Australian version of River Raid in the thread linked below, which dates back to 2014 so it's probably been sold already, but anyway, that's what I'm looking for.

 

 

 

 

I think I have the Australian version of Lady Bug, I'll check when I get home from work.

[Pixelboy]

9 minutes ago, Tony Cruise said:

I think I have the Australian version of Lady Bug, I'll check when I get home from work.

Very good. If you have other Australian boxes, let me know. Thanks!  

 

[Tony Cruise]

Just now, Pixelboy said:

Very good. If you have other Australian boxes, let me know. Thanks!  

 

I have a bit of a mixture, but it might tick off a few for you.

[artrag]

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