opcode Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 When something frustrates me when restoring an arcade cabinet, I walk away from it for awhile. Usually it gives me a brainstorm on how to fix the problem. I think I already walked away too much the last couple of years. Time to get something done. I am advancing with the SGM, the problem is that I just don't enjoy doing this hardware stuff as much as I enjoy doing games. But on the other hand I need the module, so I guess no pain no pain... I would rather pay someone to get this module done, while I do something else, but it is quite hard to find someone interested or committed enough. And the few that are just ask too much. So I don’t think I have a choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEFF31 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Think of how amazing you will feel when you are done! The more frustration the bigger the excitment when finished! I wish I could have gone to AdamCon to see your current beta release that Jim showed that would have been awesome. It was - even got to play the game for 10 minutes or so! (And darn it Jim wouldn't let me borrow the stuff for a few weeks to play it some more... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 It was - even got to play the game for 10 minutes or so! (And darn it Jim wouldn't let me borrow the stuff for a few weeks to play it some more... ) It was great to meet you and if DKA & SGM were mine to give, I'd gladly have let you borrow it as long as you had some collateral to put up... like maybe your car! Some day soon, hopefully, we will all be able to play the real deal. Good Luck Eduardo with completing everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 Spent some time discussing the new Super Game packaging with Dale yesterday. Bia also helped us. So we have a box template that is just out of this world, a true collector dream. We will be getting a tool to cut and fold the new box in the next few weeks. With the new box came some big changes, which we discussed to death yesterday. First is that we will be trying to differentiate the Super Games from regular games as much as possible. So the box isn't the standard Atari size, but is actually larger, and book style for easier access. Then the most controversial, I decided that I want the Super Games to look a little more modern, like late 80s stuff. So gone are the fixed templates, color schemes, grids, etc. Also gone is the planned use of silver paper, and it was especially hard to make that decision, as I always liked silver and we had actually done quite some work towards that, lots of price quotes, etc. But anyways, I didn't want the games to look like it was still 1982, so poor little silver had to go. So as I said no more rigid templates, which means each game's packaging will have its own personality, and also look more modern and, more important, more professional. So we decided on a set of elements that each label, manual and box should include, but without forcing anything. It is going to be more about the game and less about "oh, look, Opcode did that". Hope to show you guys soon.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youki Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I didn't want the games to look like it was still 1982 imho, it is really pity. a part of the nostalgia will be gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 I didn't want the games to look like it was still 1982 imho, it is really pity. a part of the nostalgia will be gone. It isn't a secret that I never liked the Coleco packaging template, be it the box, manual or label. They all looked cheap IMHO. But before I go further, a little story for you: in Brazil is very common practice that record companies release music compilations of several artists and band under a “compilation series”. All those compilation series follow the same rules; they use templates for the packaging, place a stock picture of the artist or band in the cover and never get input of the musicians about the selected tracks. If you are a music lover or simply a fan of some of the bands, the whole thing just looks atrocious. For some reason the video game industry decided from the beginning to use templates for the packaging. I suppose that had to do with making the products easier to identify. On the other hand it took some of the artistic focus away from the games themselves and put it on the brand or platform. The computer industry in the 80s was somewhat different though (and I think still is), in terms of how they saw packaging. As early as 1984 most large soft houses were getting away from those templates and releasing games in beautiful packages. Now let’s look at the music industry back in the vinyl days as an example. We had those large and nice covers with space for cool illustrations. They didn't follow a template, the full cover space was dedicated to promote that album, to grab the consumer’s attention and sometimes create something that complemented the music inside. But there was also some standardization, for example the size of the covers. So just by looking the cover you could tell that was a record, and if it was a LP or single. What I am trying to do is to give the game artwork some more room to breathe, to put more attention on the game and less on the brand or format. All the information will still be there, the box is totally unique, the size by itself will make it clear it is a Super Game Module game, and will give the game more of a collector’s item look and less of a cheap mass market product. And don't worry, it will look vintage, I am just not following any of the templates set by the video game industry in 1982. Hopefully you will agree once you see the final result, I have my fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoDan Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I didn't want the games to look like it was still 1982 imho, it is really pity. a part of the nostalgia will be gone. It isn't a secret that I never liked the Coleco packaging template, be it the box, manual or label. They all looked cheap IMHO. But before I go further, a little story for you: in Brazil is very common practice that record companies release music compilations of several artists and band under a "compilation series". All those compilation series follow the same rules; they use templates for the packaging, place a stock picture of the artist or band in the cover and never get input of the musicians about the selected tracks. If you are a music lover or simply a fan of some of the bands, the whole thing just looks atrocious. For some reason the video game industry decided from the beginning to use templates for the packaging. I suppose that had to do with making the products easier to identify. On the other hand it took some of the artistic focus away from the games themselves and put it on the brand or platform. The computer industry in the 80s was somewhat different though (and I think still is), in terms of how they saw packaging. As early as 1984 most large soft houses were getting away from those templates and releasing games in beautiful packages. Now let's look at the music industry back in the vinyl days as an example. We had those large and nice covers with space for cool illustrations. They didn't follow a template, the full cover space was dedicated to promote that album, to grab the consumer's attention and sometimes create something that complemented the music inside. But there was also some standardization, for example the size of the covers. So just by looking the cover you could tell that was a record, and if it was a LP or single. What I am trying to do is to give the game artwork some more room to breathe, to put more attention on the game and less on the brand or format. All the information will still be there, the box is totally unique, the size by itself will make it clear it is a Super Game Module game, and will give the game more of a collector's item look and less of a cheap mass market product. And don't worry, it will look vintage, I am just not following any of the templates set by the video game industry in 1982. Hopefully you will agree once you see the final result, I have my fingers crossed. I am sure the template was run totally by all the accountants that said they could save a fortune by standardizing the box with printers and limiting the amount of creative resources they would need to develope each box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+cmart604 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Personally I can't wait to see what you've created packaging wise! This gives us one more thing to look forward to besides the game itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubular Gearhead Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 The new creative packaging sounds great- with one exception - the box size. If it gets bigger that means that it wont fit in the real nice Atari/Coleco/Astrocade/etc. plastic box protectors I like to use, and it won't fit on the same shelving system. This is already an issue with the Atari 8-bit boxes as well as some of the other computer boxes, which end up not getting displayed because they don't fit in with the rest of my collection. It is a minor issue, but just something I wanted to point out... I can't wait to see what you have come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Darrin9999 Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Can`t wait to see it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Yep, yep. It's gonna be awesome to have this baby hooked up to my CV. Can't wait for Donkey Kong Arcade! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cOLeCoHiTMan Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 And don't worry, it will look vintage, I am just not following any of the templates set by the video game industry in 1982. Hopefully you will agree once you see the final result, I have my fingers crossed. In my opinion the best boxes were always the Mattel Intellivision and that may be why I find more of them complete with box, manual and coverslips then any other games. The book format, plastic container for the cartridge with pocket for coverslips and manual... still have all mine complete in very nice condition to this day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Darrin9999 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Yep, yep. It's gonna be awesome to have this baby hooked up to my CV. Can't wait for Donkey Kong Arcade! When is the Super expansion module coming out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Yep, yep. It's gonna be awesome to have this baby hooked up to my CV. Can't wait for Donkey Kong Arcade! When is the Super expansion module coming out? Dunno. But as soon as it comes out, I'm going to get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Ok.... After a long while... I was just messing up with that ADAM Autodialer that Jim NIAD gave me last year. Well, for some reason I had this memory of someone telling me that the thing didn't have screws. So I kept trying to open the thing until I broke a small piece of it. And when I finally got a look inside I realised that it does have screws, under the logo plate... But it was already too late. So now that I have learned the hard way how to open the thing, if someone here has another one in good shape that could sell me, please let me know.. Anyways, I got in love with the case. It almost perfectly matches my exiting prototype in terms of size, so it should be simply a matter of doing some adjustments to the next prototype. Well, actually I believe I would need to extend the case just a little bit to make room for the module with all the components it has today, or I would remove the expansion connector and use the case as it is. I am going to check with a friend of mine that deals with plastic molds this week to see if changing the case dimensions would increase costs. If so I can end removing the connector. The other thing I am going to check with him is the best production option. I have heard of a toolless process that should be a bit less expensive than creating a mold. But anyways, the Autodialer case looks perfect to me, I am definitively going with it... Eduardo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) Ok.... After a long while... I was just messing up with that ADAM Autodialer that Jim NIAD gave me last year. Well, for some reason I had this memory of someone telling me that the thing didn't have screws. So I kept trying to open the thing until I broke a small piece of it. And when I finally got a look inside I realised that it does have screws, under the logo plate... But it was already too late. So now that I have learned the hard way how to open the thing, if someone here has another one in good shape that could sell me, please let me know.. LOL! You did the same mistake I did when I tried opening up my own Autodialer! I didn't break it, but I did twist the plastic out of shape in several spots, when I tried to squeeze in a butter knife. I was thinking that I could pop it open that way. When that didn't work, I decided to remove the label, to see if it was screwed in like CV carts, and it was. I wish I could have given you a heads up about that, Eduardo. Anyways, I got in love with the case. It almost perfectly matches my exiting prototype in terms of size, so it should be simply a matter of doing some adjustments to the next prototype.Well, actually I believe I would need to extend the case just a little bit to make room for the module with all the components it has today, or I would remove the expansion connector and use the case as it is. Well, you still need to "fill in" the holes for the two phone connectors, don't you? So that's a modification right there. Also, the screw pillars inside the casing probably don't line up with any holes on your latest prototype. I am going to check with a friend of mine that deals with plastic molds this week to see if changing the case dimensions would increase costs. If so I can end removing the connector. The other thing I am going to check with him is the best production option. I have heard of a toolless process that should be a bit less expensive than creating a mold. Yeah, I read about that when I did some research of my own a while ago. It's supposedly good for small runs. But anyways, the Autodialer case looks perfect to me, I am definitively going with it... Excellent, I'm glad you've decided to use it. What I like about that case is the support leg. It helps to keep the female connector plugged in, in a straight horizontal way. I believe this helps to keep the connector from warping under the strain of gravity, over a long period of time. Edited January 11, 2012 by Pixelboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Glad to hear that the AuoDialer that I sent you has worked out so well, but sorry to hear that it was broken in your attempts to open it... I've actually never opened one myself so I wasn't sure if there were screws under the label as well. If I come across another extra one, I will immediately send it to you. Also, you could PM AtariAge member "ADAMCON" (Bob S.) as I'm sure he should have some boxed up in his basement along with a lot of other goodies. BTW, the ADAM Chat is tonight at 9:00 EST and Bob, as well as other ADAMites that have saved a bunch of hardware, is usually always on: http://www.adamcon.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the tip, Jim. I will surely try to contact Bob. In fact thanks again for point me out the Autodialer case (and for sending me one). About the SGM status, I believe the Autodialer case might be the final push this project needed. As many of you know, casing was always an issue, because selling the module as a bare PCB with exposed components was never an option, as the user could easily damage something. Anyways, here is my plan. I have started doing some work on the new PCB for the SGM. I have the board already designed following the same dimensions as the autodialer PCB. However I still need to place the components and route everything. Right now I am kind of busy with some 3rd party stuff, but my plan is to have a beta SGM done by the end of February. That will include some of the small improvements I added to my previous unprototyped version, like ADAM compatibility and full 32KB of RAM available. However gone is the 25 pins expansion connector. The only game I had in mind to use that was Arkanoid, but I think I figured out a way to do the same thing using the regular CV controller port. With that we also save a few components, board area, etc, which ultimately means a less expensive module. After all we don't care about the module, we care about the games, so the module must stay under $50. So after I have the module by late February, I hope to have the new Megacart by the end of March. Most of the work on that is already done anyways, I only need to route everything. After the hardware is done I should have the rest of the year to finish games, especially Donkey Kong. Hopefully we can have some 4 games in short succession. Edited January 12, 2012 by opcode 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Darrin9999 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Thanks for the update! I cant wait to get one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Just one question about the SGM: Are you still planning to include a custom sound chip, or will you go with a standard MSX PSG chip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+cmart604 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Exciting news Eduardo! Can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 The SGM is going to be amazing. I can't wait to see it and the games for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Working on the (hopefully) final version of the SGM controller (PLD). I want to have the equations done by the end of next week. After that I can start placement and routing for the final PCB. I am sticking to my plan of having the first beta by the end of the next month. Then some 6 months of beta and hopefully the SGM can finally see a release by late 2012. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ten-four Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Hi Eduardo. I'm curious. Is André Lamothe at Nurve Networks out of the picture. ? The data for the new SGM will still be...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) Hi Eduardo. I'm curious. Is André Lamothe at Nurve Networks out of the picture. ? The data for the new SGM will still be...? Hi Ole, Andre helped me with technical advise, and he got paid for that. As for manufacturing, I will be doing that myself, as the savings (by manufacturing in China) would be minimum and his fees would probably offset those. Not sure what you mean by data for the new SGM? Is that the specs you want to know? Edited January 23, 2012 by opcode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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