The End of Rhindle The Red's Poll of the Week.

[Rhindle The Red]

It is with a somewhat heavy heart that I announce that I will no longer be running the Poll of the Week here on AtariAge. I have been at this for about five years (three or four of the them with pretty good regularity), but as must have been clear to anyone who visited regularly, it's not been much of a priority in recent months. I've enjoyed it and I hope you've all enjoyed the various topics I've raised, as well as the Annual "Shodown".

 

I did try to start back up at a decent pace again at the beginning of the year, but I soon fell behind again and eventually it went stagnant. I won't deny that the recent very nasty Nolan Bushnell discussion somewhat disenheartened me and contributed to my decision to move on, not only from the Poll of the Week (which I had been contemplating officially withdrawing from for some time), but from AtariAge as a whole. I may peek in from time to time, but I'm fading more fully into the distance. (Look...there I am...on the horizon...)

 

I got in while the Site was still the Atari 2600 Nexus and I've seen it grow into a wonderful resource. My posting of my 'Return of Mario Bros." hack prompted the creation of the hacks section and it's become a wonderful place for new takes on old classics, not to mention landed me the gig working on "Activision Anthology". I like to think I helped make AtariAge a nice place for fans of Atari to hang out. I leave with few regrets and many great memories.

 

Hopefully, someone will pick up the mantle and get the Poll of the Week back to what it was when I started. I think it's a great way to get different topics going and you never know which one will spark a fascinating discussion.

 

Thanks to everyone for their participation. It's been a good time.

 

-

Philip R. Frey

aka "Rhindle The Red"

AtariAge Poll of the Week Moderator (2005 - 2010)

[Chickybaby]

You've always been a familiar face and I've enjoyed them/the polls all the years. Hope not gone for good as you're a great person and the site has definitely benefitted from your presence.

[shadow460]

Fair winds and following seas. Oh, and keep an eye out for the square, especially when he has the scepter in hand!

[ericwierson]

It is with a somewhat heavy heart that I announce that I will no longer be running the Poll of the Week here on AtariAge. I have been at this for about five years (three or four of the them with pretty good regularity), but as must have been clear to anyone who visited regularly, it's not been much of a priority in recent months. I've enjoyed it and I hope you've all enjoyed the various topics I've raised, as well as the Annual "Shodown".

 

I did try to start back up at a decent pace again at the beginning of the year, but I soon fell behind again and eventually it went stagnant. I won't deny that the recent very nasty Nolan Bushnell discussion somewhat disenheartened me and contributed to my decision to move on, not only from the Poll of the Week (which I had been contemplating officially withdrawing from for some time), but from AtariAge as a whole. I may peek in from time to time, but I'm fading more fully into the distance. (Look...there I am...on the horizon...)

 

I got in while the Site was still the Atari 2600 Nexus and I've seen it grow into a wonderful resource. My posting of my 'Return of Mario Bros." hack prompted the creation of the hacks section and it's become a wonderful place for new takes on old classics, not to mention landed me the gig working on "Activision Anthology". I like to think I helped make AtariAge a nice place for fans of Atari to hang out. I leave with few regrets and many great memories.

 

Hopefully, someone will pick up the mantle and get the Poll of the Week back to what it was when I started. I think it's a great way to get different topics going and you never know which one will spark a fascinating discussion.

 

Thanks to everyone for their participation. It's been a good time.

 

-

Philip R. Frey

aka "Rhindle The Red"

AtariAge Poll of the Week Moderator (2005 - 2010)

Don't let a few ignorant posters on the Nolan Bushnell topic turn you away. They say ignorant one liners on almost every topic they post in (and they post on everything). I have enjoyed your polls and am not happy to see you go.

[hhwolfman]

Don't go Rhindle

[phaxda]

I have always enjoyed the poll of the week and may start posting more myself. I had lots of fun with my recent one re: Dreamcast VMUs. Still, I will miss you! Definitely keep checking in on all of us...

[+Psionic]

Best of luck.

[+Random Terrain]

I won't deny that the recent very nasty Nolan Bushnell discussion somewhat disenheartened me and contributed to my decision to move on, not only from the Poll of the Week (which I had been contemplating officially withdrawing from for some time), but from AtariAge as a whole. I may peek in from time to time, but I'm fading more fully into the distance. (Look...there I am...on the horizon...)

Welcome to the Internet. There are no child-proof caps and all the edges are sharp.

[homerwannabee]

This sucks on so many levels. Extremely sorry to see you go.

[The_Laird]

A great shame indeed, good luck with your future endevours

[littleman jack]

Rhindle, we will miss you.

 

Thanks for the polls and the involvement here. You have helped make this a great place for Atari enthusiasts.

 

And thanks for your involvement in the Activision Anthology. I have played the snot out of the Windows version, the PS2 version, and the GBA version. Not sure which one you worked on, but they're all great.

[Rhindle The Red]

Thanks for the kind words (almost) everyone. I'll pop in now and again and if I think of a poll (and still have the power to do so) I may just post it. Who knows?

 

And thanks for your involvement in the Activision Anthology. I have played the snot out of the Windows version, the PS2 version, and the GBA version. Not sure which one you worked on, but they're all great.

I believe it was only the original PS2 and GBA versions.

 

I had been doing my hacks (RoMB, Spice Invaders, Donkey Claus), when Ken Love from Activison posted that he needed someone to change copyright notices in old 2600 games so they could be included in what became "Activision Anthology". Since it was purely graphical work (I never got into 2600 programming), I volunteered. Ken would send me a .bin, I'd make the alterations he wanted and then send it back. If it was good, we'd move on to the next one, if not, I'd make further adjustements. I actually worked on a number of games (including "Rampage") that got left off anyway, despite the changes. It wasn't a lot of work, but it was enough to get in the credits. Thomas Jentzsch (who did the programming changes to make PAL games work correctly in NTSC, I believe) and I were credited with "Additional 2600 Programming". For my work, I got exactly one copy of the PS2 game and Ken signed the shrinkwrap with a "thank you" for all my work, which meant I couldn't really open it and had to buy another copy to actually play. (Which I never did, anyway. I still do not have a PS2. I played the GBA version, though.) I still have the book of graph paper that I used to work out the lettering. On "Rampage", I had even managed to create the then-modern "Midway" logo. I thought it looked great and it's a pity no one got to play it.

 

I have never taken the time to see if the later ones (which I am pretty sure do not credit me) actually contained any of the ROMs on which I worked.

[Omegamatrix]

Rhindle, I'm sorry to see you go. Actually, I'm hoping you'll come back!

 

 

These games you worked on for the Activsion Anthology. Which games were they? Were you the one that replaced the Imagic logos for Activision logos in Demon Attack, Moonsweeper, and Atlantis? There also seem to be 2 verisions of Atlantis with the Activision logo on it. One of the verisions has a new font. Do you know anything about these?

 

 

Jeff

[TwinChargers]

I know that one of the first thing I did when joining Atari Age was voting in all the polls I could to see the results of what others thought on whatever topic was in play. I really enjoyed participating, and am sad to see Rhindle step away from the polling process. It was a good run, and thanks for all you have done.

[+thegoldenband]

I'm supremely embarrassed by this, but I've only now realized that you're the same person that runs the Ed Wood website/Yahoogroup!

 

My girlfriend and I have been watching a bunch of Wood stuff lately, including the familiar classics (Bride of the Monster, Glen or Glenda) and obscurities like Crossroads Avenger. We've often used your work as a guide, though we haven't made it to the 1960s films yet as I want to track down a few more oddities from the 1950s first, like Trick Shooting with Kenne Duncan et al.

 

Anyway, I hope that your absence from Atariage will lead to more activity on that front. Thanks for all you've done both here and there.

Edited April 30, 2010 by thegoldenband

[128bytes]

Rhindle, I still play your "Return of Mario Bros" cart all the time (yes, I have the actual cart). It's one of the things that got me re-energized into Atari, and inspired a lot of hackers/homebrewers as well.

[Buck]

Best o' luck. User names stay good for a long time. Got mine around the same time as you. :-) Use it whenever you get the urge! Be it a year Be it a month Be it a week. Take care

 

Buck

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

I did try to start back up at a decent pace again at the beginning of the year, but I soon fell behind again and eventually it went stagnant. I won't deny that the recent very nasty Nolan Bushnell discussion somewhat disenheartened me and contributed to my decision to move on......

 

I feel the same but taking this for the reason to leave is just wrong! I think you could make a good poll out of that Nolan thread!!

[Wickeycolumbus]

You will be missed Poll of the week was always fun.

[+FujiSkunk]

I have never taken the time to see if the later ones (which I am pretty sure do not credit me) actually contained any of the ROMs on which I worked.

 

The PC version of Activision Anthology has Rampage on disc, though it still doesn't come up for selection in the game. I'm willing to bet the PC version uses the same ROM images that the PS2 and GBA versions did.

[Rhindle The Red]

Rhindle, I'm sorry to see you go. Actually, I'm hoping you'll come back!

As you can see, I *will* come back from time to time, but I don't know if I'll post another poll.

 

These games you worked on for the Activsion Anthology. Which games were they? Were you the one that replaced the Imagic logos for Activision logos in Demon Attack, Moonsweeper, and Atlantis? There also seem to be 2 verisions of Atlantis with the Activision logo on it. One of the verisions has a new font. Do you know anything about theese?

Oh, it was all so long ago...

 

I remember changing logos and copyright dates. Specifically, I seem to recall changing "Absolute" to "Skyworks"... I also did add "Activision" to some. Pretty much, if on-screen information has changed from the original ROM, I most likely did it.

 

I'm supremely embarrassed by this, but I've only now realized that you're the same person that runs the Ed Wood website/Yahoogroup!

No need for embarrassment, I don't push that stuff too hard.

 

My girlfriend and I have been watching a bunch of Wood stuff lately, including the familiar classics (Bride of the Monster, Glen or Glenda) and obscurities like Crossroads Avenger. We've often used your work as a guide, though we haven't made it to the 1960s films yet as I want to track down a few more oddities from the 1950s first, like Trick Shooting with Kenne Duncan et al.

"Trick Shooting" is just that, footage of Kenne Duncan. It's not really worth a lot of effort tracking down. In the 60s, Ed started moving into the more lacivious material that would define his later carreer. I'd suggest focusing on getting ahold of "The Venus Flytrap" aka "The Revenge of Dr. X". It's a pure Ed script shot in Japan that feels more "Ed-like" than his adult material.

 

Anyway, I hope that your absence from Atariage will lead to more activity on that front. Thanks for all you've done both here and there.

It was easier doing all that stuff when I was out of work. Nowadays, with my job, theater work and my various other projects, the Ed Site doesn't get the updates it deserves. I have a bunch of recent DVD releases to add, as well as many recently-surfaced magazine articles.

 

Rhindle, I still play your "Return of Mario Bros" cart all the time (yes, I have the actual cart). It's one of the things that got me re-energized into Atari, and inspired a lot of hackers/homebrewers as well.

And it's still available at the AtariAge store! Get yours today! (End of commercial.)

 

I'm glad people like it. I always enjoyed "Mario Bros." on the 2600, but just couldn't stand that lousy artwork. I knew the old girl could do better.

 

I won't deny that the recent very nasty Nolan Bushnell discussion somewhat disenheartened me and contributed to my decision to move on......

 

I feel the same but taking this for the reason to leave is just wrong! I think you could make a good poll out of that Nolan thread!!

"Contributed", not "caused". It was one of those "straw-that-broke-the-camel's-back" situations.

 

I have never taken the time to see if the later ones (which I am pretty sure do not credit me) actually contained any of the ROMs on which I worked.

 

The PC version of Activision Anthology has Rampage on disc, though it still doesn't come up for selection in the game. I'm willing to bet the PC version uses the same ROM images that the PS2 and GBA versions did.

Have you played that "Rampage" ROM? If it just says 'Midway', instead of 'Bally Midway', that's the one I worked on. But it still won't have the nifty 'Midway' logo. That was nixed out of hand.

[SpaceInvader]

What?? I just get back and your going?? Sad to see the polls go.. but hope you are staying around.. always enjoy reading your comments and ideas.

SI

[Nesbroslash]

Who's going to post polls? Can I?

[4Ks]

Can I?

 

 

If you really think you can, you could ask one of the admins for moderator rights and start posting.

[ericwierson]

Can I?

 

 

If you really think you can, you could ask one of the admins for moderator rights and start posting.

Nesbroslash is not part of the "in" crowd as far as I can tell, so just like high school (or whatever), no chance at being a poll moderator. Even if you are qualified. Pretty much like any board that I have participated in, either you are in or you are out.