jaybird3rd Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Just so it's clear what was being discussed, this is what jaybird3rd took offense to. I don't see where the harm was, just discussion like this forum was meant for and perhaps pointing something out that they never thought about. I don't think it warranted those replies. Let me put it this way: first of all, I doubt that any of us couch potatoes have come up with any Flashback ideas that the guys at Legacy Engineering haven't already thought of and rejected a long time ago. Second, when Legacy announces a new product, and one of us responds and says (in effect) "that's great, but why didn't you do X instead?", it's not too hard to see this as nitpicking, whether that person intended it this way or not. Third, in a highly competitive industry that operates on razor-thin margins, a long litany of persnickety "whydidntya" questions like the ones on display here is like a cold bucket of water on the excitement and word-of-mouth enthusiasm among the fans that is needed to make these products a success. Given all of that, before writing in with these kinds of comments, we should all take a pause to ask ourselves: what is the purpose of this communication? Does it add something valuable to the discussion, or is it just idle speculation and daydreaming? Does it encourage more of these kinds of products, or does it only annoy the people responsible for creating them? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Guys... The FB2+ is what is it is... Way too many why's, what's, hows, etc... The console is coming out, you know the game line up, there one additional secret game, you'll find it out when the menu is unlocked and that's that. I don't understand the flurry of questions about every little tiny thing, its silly to be honest, just calm down, relax and just think of this as the door opening up a crack after being slammed shut. Atari has received the spec's and had a live demo of the FB3 platform, now let the powers that be hopefully make a smart decision and move forward with it and maybe by holiday 2010 there will be an even better legacy Atari product for everyone to enjoy with a lot more capabilities then before... However, this thread is really going nowhere with the questions on FB2+, like I said - it is what it is. Curt 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 (edited) Let me put it this way: first of all, I doubt that any of us couch potatoes have come up with any Flashback ideas that the guys at Legacy Engineering haven't already thought of and rejected a long time ago. Second, when Legacy announces a new product, and one of us responds and says (in effect) "that's great, but why didn't you do X instead?", it's not too hard to see this as nitpicking... Sounds like you'd rather just have someone post how great this news was followed by everyone posting +1 to signal their agreement. All that happened was someone speculated if the game was Indy 500 (They've stated the hidden game won't use the joystick), Legacy Engineering said it isn't due to the copyrighted name, and two of us pointed out how easy that was to work around. Sorry, but to echo a saying popularized during WWII to remind the public to avoid unessential traveling, I don't think this trip you took us on was necessary. And with that, I'll end it. We've taken this thread off topic far enough. I for one know I can't wait to get this great product and I've already preordered (Along with playing that game everyday hoping I win another). Edited January 27, 2010 by Atariboy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyd97 Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Instead of arguing with each other, we should all be hounding atari about putting out a FB3. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 (edited) Instead of arguing with each other, we should all be hounding atari about putting out a FB3. Can't argue with that. Does Atari have a email address to send comments to that are read and just don't recieve a form letter or get ignored? I've sent many a email to compliment smaller publishers and such over the years with various products like games and DVD's, but have never gotten anything but ignored or a form letter when contacting larger companies like CBS (For one example that I've contacted fairly recently). I wouldn't hesitate to send a note to them about the Flashback 2 and Atari Anthology, two products that I've been very pleased with, along with the desire for more classic gaming products like this FB2 reissue, if I thought it would do more than just activate a automated response and be deleted. Edited January 27, 2010 by Atariboy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathanallan Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Summary of this thread for those just now joining us: "FB2+ now up for pre-order!" "There's a sweepstakes game on a website where you have a chance to win a free FB2+." "FB2+ is lame! They should have made it portable with built-in holographic Jenna Jameson simulator!" "This is total BS that I haven't won the sweepstakes game!" "Paddles are exactly the same as driving controllers!" "It sucks that Left for Dead isn't compatible!" "Where do babies come from?" "Does it play Jaguar games if you mod in a CD drive?" "Come pick me up!" "Chapstick!" "Can you help me find my mommy?" "Derka derka derka Muhammad jihad!" Oh yeah, and there's a free Atari t-shirt if you pre-order. This made me laugh Now I feel silly. My little rant about the contest was brought on by a little tick-me-off incident at Radio Shack the other day, I was totally going off half cocked. Looking forward to the FB2+, regardless. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HARMIK Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Please don't anyone get mad at me but I actually like the game line up even Hangman and Human Cannonball I may not ever play it. But to me that's not the point I will at least show it to my little cozens as a bit of history. Although I think Human Cannonball would be a bit of fun. What I do find interesting is how every or at least a lot of consoles and systems seem to be a rush. I remember in an interview Curt said that with the 7800 Flashback he was not given a lot of time for. And I know that the Vic 20 was a rush, I had thought that with the 64 they were given a lot more time. But apparently not, once the go-ahead was given by Jack the engineers were given very little time. Once the powers that be at IBM had given the go-ahead for the PC the engineers were given very little time. and the list goes on maybe its just me but I just find that interesting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris-in-NJ Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Erm, can anyone say if the joysticks are identical to the ones in the older FB2, or have they been strengthened so they don't break after a few months' use? Like lots of people here, I loved the FB2 sticks before the shafts broke off and would buy an FB2+ just to get new sticks that would last me as long as my still-working 1979-vintage stick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+swlovinist Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 (edited) I look at the FB2+ as a way for more people to get excited about a brand we love. I will definitely be picking one up, and am excited about the possibilities of what the future may bring if this is successful. Like many here, I have a dozen 2600 systems, and hundreds of games. I love the flashback 2 for what it was. I am excited about this coming out. I will be ordering right now. Edited January 27, 2010 by swlovinist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathanallan Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Personally I'm stoked about the more black in the box design, as well as all the stuff *inside* the box. Love the design, it'll look great with the original. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Tooling changes were not made - takes 30 days to implement new steel dies and then there is the costs involved. No time to make any changes and again this project was to be done with no hardware incurred costs. I changed the design on my USB joysticks, if you look at the hubs that the sticks connect to, I changed them when a ribbed design to vastly increase the strength, increased the thickness of the contact tabs by an extra 1mm and changed the ABS plastic mixture to make it a little more flexible, less rigid and less breakable. Lastly so many complained about sticks unscrewing themselves, I created a "Lock Stick" design. Curt Erm, can anyone say if the joysticks are identical to the ones in the older FB2, or have they been strengthened so they don't break after a few months' use? Like lots of people here, I loved the FB2 sticks before the shafts broke off and would buy an FB2+ just to get new sticks that would last me as long as my still-working 1979-vintage stick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 I always hated all of the red Atari used in its older products, we offered Atari a black and then a blue design to give the product a more serious look and also to ensure that buyers knew that this product was different from the 2005 offering. Curt Personally I'm stoked about the more black in the box design, as well as all the stuff *inside* the box. Love the design, it'll look great with the original. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emehr Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Yeah, I love the black design on the box. Even though I have two FB2's I may pick up another just to have the new style box! (and that T-shirt!) It's really cool to see this back on the market. Thanks, Curt! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 (edited) Let me put it this way: first of all, I doubt that any of us couch potatoes have come up with any Flashback ideas that the guys at Legacy Engineering haven't already thought of and rejected a long time ago. Second, when Legacy announces a new product, and one of us responds and says (in effect) "that's great, but why didn't you do X instead?", it's not too hard to see this as nitpicking... Sounds like you'd rather just have someone post how great this news was followed by everyone posting +1 to signal their agreement. All that happened was someone speculated if the game was Indy 500 (They've stated the hidden game won't use the joystick), Legacy Engineering said it isn't due to the copyrighted name, and two of us pointed out how easy that was to work around. Sorry, but to echo a saying popularized during WWII to remind the public to avoid unessential traveling, I don't think this trip you took us on was necessary. And with that, I'll end it. We've taken this thread off topic far enough. I for one know I can't wait to get this great product and I've already preordered (Along with playing that game everyday hoping I win another). Thanks, that needed to be said! Rick Vendl II Edited January 27, 2010 by TrekkiELO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onmode-ky Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 2. Is there any further background info available on why General Mills chose to approach Atari to do this promotion (to Curt/Marty)? If so, what can you tell us? Honestly, this seems like an awfully strange thing for a cereal company to do.I'm not sure which you're saying is strange - that they're doing this Atari giveaway promotion, or that they contacted us to manufacture a run of them. Neither are strange at all. Cereal companies have given away consoles and such before, they did it with plenty of systems back during the heyday of the 2600 as well. Likewise, how do you think all the promotionals and such are done for the cereal companies, fast food restaurants, etc.? They pay for many of those. We recently did a software contract for a fast food company via Atari as well that should be coming out soon. Certainly, it is not strange for cereal companies to do video game-related promotions, but for kid-targeted cereals (and I would consider Honey Nut Cheerios to be one, given the general tone of its TV commercials over the years), they generally choose properties that are popular with children of the time, like current TV shows, movies, and game systems. Retro Atari is not only currently out of the gaming spotlight (the only thing that comes to mind is Atari's participation in the upcoming Game Room thing on XBox Live), it is not on the radar at all for children. Add to that the fact that the FB2 came out 4.5 years ago, and then it seems odd for General Mills to decide now on a custom FB2+ as a promo for Honey Nut Cheerios. I'm not complaining about their decision, of course, but in my view, retro Atari's current public mindshare does not lend itself to cross-promotion projects. Then again, if Legacy also just recently did a retro Atari promo thing for another company, maybe my view is just missing context. I have been out of the loop before. Final thought: this means that someone at General Mills who has decision-making influence is a retro Atari fan. Find and nurture this resource! 3. Who are "the Chinese guys," and how did they get involved with the Flashback 2 project?The group of triads we made a deal with to get the FB2 and 2+ manufactured. . . . Li Yuenbiao never told me about this! Looks like I'm going to have to beat my cut out of him. Also, who knew gang members were Atari homebrewers? But, seriously, are you able to name the Chinese firm? Or NDA (No Dice, Amigo)? Maybe this is pie-in-the-sky thinking, but I wonder if it would be possible for users of the FB2/FB2+ to buy batches of games/licenses directly from Konami or Activision or whomever. I think the only way this would be doable would be if there were a service along the lines of the XBox Live Marketplace, PlayStation Store, and Wii Shop channel. That is, a secure online store infrastructure built by the platform holder. The publishers would not likely do this by themselves, and I think it might be likely that they would prefer to sell titles individually, or at least in small packs, rather than "everything we have at once." Then again, Sega did release 40 Genesis games for $30 on disc, so who knows? Does Atari have a email address to send comments to that are read and just don't recieve a form letter or get ignored? Yes, there is a way to contact Atari support. It's either an e-mail address on the website or a form to fill out that sends them the e-mail; I forgot which. I used it once to ask about the results of that free T-shirt giveaway, and the only response I ever received was an automated message saying that a support ticket had been opened for my issue. Either my ticket is still out there, waiting to be picked up, or they just closed it without talking to me. What I do find interesting is how every or at least a lot of consoles and systems seem to be a rush. One thing to keep in mind is that time is money. The budget for a project includes the amount of money paid to employees. The longer a project takes, the more money is paid to employees for that project. The longer a project takes, the less money is used to have those employees work on another project. If they forecast, "We will probably make X revenue from this project," then they also forecast, "We can therefore afford to spend Y money on this project in order to earn Z profit from the X revenue." The Y money then translates to the project deadline (along with time-of-year considerations). Mind you, sometimes this means they decide to take an amount of time that can't possibly be enough to execute the project. onmode-ky 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFS Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 On eBay: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 250569308512 Someone is still bidding $40 (plus $14 shipping) for a FB2. New in box, but still - that's about $9 more than a preorder of the FB2+ from Atari. I guess the bidder really likes Pitfall . . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 On eBay: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 250569308512 Someone is still bidding $40 (plus $14 shipping) for a FB2. New in box, but still - that's about $9 more than a preorder of the FB2+ from Atari. I guess the bidder really likes Pitfall . . . Along with River Raid, Atari Climber, Caverns of Mars and Wizard! Signed, Rick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Video Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I preordered two of them. Yay, I'm NOT missing out this time. I missed the first two because I wanted to support "whatever" store around here got them. Well, feck it, the local stores don't want the money, but I still want the goods I do now have a FB1 system, still looking for an unmoded 2, and this will finely make my day when the big ass box arrives in the mail 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dooglehead Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 On eBay: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 250569308512 Someone is still bidding $40 (plus $14 shipping) for a FB2. New in box, but still - that's about $9 more than a preorder of the FB2+ from Atari. I guess the bidder really likes Pitfall . . . On amazon, some new ones cost $200 and some used ones cost $70 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KGARZM?ie=UTF8&tag=atariage&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000KGARZM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I do now have a FB1 system, still looking for an unmoded 2, and this will finely make my day when the big ass box arrives in the mail I've got several unmodified FB2 consoles, like-new and complete in the box (and a lot cheaper than Amazon's $70!). PM me if you're interested in one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwackery Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 The secret game better be Math Gran Prix. Note that the Honey Nut Cheerios promotional period runs through January 1st, 2011. Probably the prizes will be dispersed at less than one per day. Yes, I wish the t-shirt could be ordered separately from the FB 2+. Seems like lots of Atari merch is being released now, but how long will the retro love last? In summation, I'm still feeling burned by the FB 2 (and yes, I bought multiple ones and even mailed one to Austria, so hopefully that legitimizes my ability to naysay to all the FB proponents without getting my head bit off, thank you very much...sad when money = the right to speak freely) and am on the fence about this. It does my ol' heart good to see Atari putting out stuff I guess even if it doesn't necessarily thrill me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro Rogue Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 For anyone that's interested, Legacy worked with RetroThing.com to come up with these puppies - http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/157235-glowing-blue-usb-retro-2600-style-joysticks/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S1500 Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 On eBay: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 250569308512 Someone is still bidding $40 (plus $14 shipping) for a FB2. New in box, but still - that's about $9 more than a preorder of the FB2+ from Atari. I guess the bidder really likes Pitfall . . . I saw a used FB2 at a mom & pop game store for $50. This was a few months before Target was selling new ones for $20. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edweird13 Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Ordered mine today 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleman jack Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 A few comments upon the many before. I too liked Wizard on the first FB2. I guess there are just a few of us. And I too am excited about the Flashback 2+, and ordered one for myself and one for someone in the UK. But I do wonder about an earlier unanswered question from an earlier post--Why no Solaris? Does Atari not own that one? Radar Lock is a goodie, but I think Solaris is even better, by the same programmer. Perhaps Atari doesn't own it. So we'll play that one on an old 2600 with a cartridge. There's still a lot of good games on the new one. Thanks Curt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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