triverse Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I have been asked to hold it. Repercussions would be bad for the dev if I release it. Not ready to burn a bridge 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Gemintronic Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I had some questions for Mike Kennedy and he actually took the time to reply. Although he did ask me to put the breaks on divulging anything before they're ready. Nevertheless, it did satisfy my curiosity whether this was just slapping the Coleco brand on a Jaguar case. I guess I'll just have to see what their next move is in 2016. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I think 100mb is retro enough 1mbit (128KB) is fine, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 They have just announced that apparently Toys R Us's buying agent has scheduled an interview with them at Toyfair and Double Fine has also contacted them wanting a dev kit as soon as it is available. File under "well, that escalated quickly:" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I had some questions for Mike Kennedy and he actually took the time to reply. Although he did ask me to put the breaks on devuling anything before they're ready. Nevertheless, it did satisfy my curiosity whether this was just slapping the Coleco brand on a Jaguar case. I guess I'll just have to see what their next move is in 2016. Putting the breaks on talking about hardware WHILE bragging that they've gotten calls from a big name retailer and developer = what the actual F. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Gemintronic Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Yeah, I usually filter out news about big name software development houses. As a homebrew developer I wish there was more news about Game Maker and Unity support. In my mind it's easier to get new developers to write for your platform on sheer enthusiasm then established players that are already multi platform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I have been asked to hold it. Repercussions would be bad for the dev if I release it. Not ready to burn a bridge That bad, eh? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 The way I see it, quality homebrew for 16-bit and beyond consoles is already hard enough to pull off (as evidenced by the relative dearth of new creations in relation to their 8-bit counterparts), so I don't see how this would be appealing to more than a handful of developers. It actually made SOME sense when the previous goal was to make it relatively easy to adapt existing indie hits to the hardware, since the majority of work would have already been done. Now it doesn't seem like it will be practical to port existing indie titles to this hardware given the restrictions. None of this makes sense, but of course we knew that long ago. It will still be interesting to see how this develops and how some of the various problem areas/potential failure points will be addressed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triverse Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 That bad, eh? I was simply told it was over, they can't go public anymore concerning the CC. I take that as bad, personally. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 The only way it makes sense to me is if we dismiss the stated goal of "quality old style games" and look at it as "quirky curio get rich quick scheme," like selling marked-up record players and film cameras at Urban Outfitters. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Gemintronic Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 The way I see it, quality homebrew for 16-bit and beyond consoles is already hard enough to pull off (as evidenced by the relative dearth of new creations in relation to their 8-bit counterparts), so I don't see how this would be appealing to more than a handful of developers. It actually made SOME sense when the previous goal was to make it relatively easy to adapt existing indie hits to the hardware, since the majority of work would have already been done. Now it doesn't seem like it will be practical to port existing indie titles to this hardware given the restrictions. None of this makes sense, but of course we knew that long ago. It will still be interesting to see how this develops and how some of the various problem areas/potential failure points will be addressed. There are targets that do make sense that have never been tapped properly. The Net Yaroze had its enthusiast developers. Heck, even solder together consoles like the UzeBox has a development crowd. Don't tap big name companies and indies. Tap the enthusiasts making games with tools such as Game Maker. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlantis Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) They said YES there will be a prototype running at the fair, that means someone has INVESTED already.The kickstarter is for sure after February, so the only reason to say YES would be that they got money from somewhere............ Alsom ore people involved now.Maybe some starchild engeineer showed up from the shadows, who knows what opportunities and opportunists that has jumped on the train. Edited December 23, 2015 by Atlantis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
108 Stars Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 ONE HUNDRED MEGA POWAR!!! Also, here's a video with my thoughts on this Coleco queer eye for the retro guy makeover. I would hope they really mean Megabyte, and not the megabit that the whole MEGA POWER crap back in the day used to make games seem so huge. But with the RVGS, I could even imagine 100 Mbit... that would be truly retro after all. And put a nail in the coffin for even the most humble ports of modern indie games. XD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolenta Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Edit: damn it, public is not allowed. Still, the offer stands for anyone who can get in. I'm going to try and get a press pass and attend. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) Hello Everyone. It is the end of a very tumultuous year for me and in the spirit of Christmas and the holidays I wanted to come in here and ask those of you who will listen to let the past be the past as it relates to this (ad)venture. RETRO VGS is the past and COLECO Chameleon is the future. The Chameleon is not just a rebranded Retro VGS. Despite sharing some of the same internal components the hardware has been completely redesigned to lower the cost while maintaining much of its ability to play a wide variety of games in a variety of ways. To boil this all down to its essence we just want to produce a product that is different, affordable and will bring joy to people’s lives. The market will ultimately decide if we are crazy enough to believe a cartridge console can stand its ground in this age of digital delivery. There are clearly lots of people on both sides of this fence and ultimately it will all come down to the games that can be played and if they are compelling enough to vie for peoples hard earned money. The COLECO branding was a business decision I made to bring instant brand recognition to the Chameleon. But I did not enter into this licensing agreement lightly, knowing that if done so, we have a lot to live up to. COLECO made some very influential, high quality and fun video gaming and electronic products during their time and we will try endlessly to carry on that tradition with the Chameleon. The recognition of having the COLECO logo on the system and the (game and console) boxes will make the Chameleon immediately identifiable by millions of people right from the beginning. In the end this is a good thing for all involved including us, our customers, our suppliers and distributors, our contract manufactures, potential retailers and probably most importantly to game developers. Mark and Chris at River West/Coleco Holdings are also very behind this product and will be helping out in a variety of ways, beginning by inviting us into their booth at Toy Fair which is where they want to officially begin rebuilding this brand in more concrete ways. We know we have a mountain to climb and are prepared to do what it takes to plant a flag at the top. I will once again apologize to all of you for at times dissing some individuals and this community but it was hard being criticized by a group of my Atari and classic game lovin’ peers. I let it get to me on occasion and I do regret all of it. I am aware that we gave you all plenty to poke fun at and criticize but in the end, I believe the product will be much better for going through all of this. In my mind, the best way for me to apologize once and for all is to ultimately create a game system that will make most of you turn a 180 and win over your support and positive influence. And given the chance that is what I will do. All I ask is moving forward into the New Year is you try and give the Chameleon a fair chance to stand on its own, and again forget about the past. Let it speak for itself when we reveal it to you all early this New Year. And finally, let’s respect one another and our opinions (some advice I am directing towards myself) and that goes for both believers and non-believers of what we are trying to do. In the end, we all love and are passionate about video games and sometimes this passion causes us to do uncharacteristic things. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and I hope you all have a very Happy New Year! - Mike Edited December 23, 2015 by Parrothead 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj_convoy Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) Quit pretending that the COLECO of old is behind it. Please be more upfront that it's not the COLECO that was behind the ColecoVision. The ArsTechnica piece was the first time I've seen that truly acknowledged in an outside media piece. You need to correct that perception and not benefit from it. It's very, very difficult to believe that you aren't fostering that belief on purpose. Edited December 23, 2015 by dj_convoy 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Charlie Cat Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Hi guys, I was in contact with two of Mike Kennedy's game developers that were going to port their Neo-Geo titles over to the Retro VGS. I ask them if they will be continuing doing business with Mr. Kennedy with the Coleco Chameleon. NG Dev Team said the following on Facebook regarding Gunlord and Last Hope Pink Bullets. Jeff Kurtz from Neobitz with Knight's Chance though e-mail. "I haven't been in contact with them since their Indegogo campaign. I'm not sure what their new plan is... I'm still open to the idea of making the game available on the new system." -Jeff- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NG Dev Team December 23 at 3:25am We have no plans at this moment. Anthony... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) Quit pretending that COLECO is behind it and please be more upfront that it's not the COLECO that was behind the ColecoVision. The ArsTechnica piece was the first time I've seen that truly acknowledged in an outside media piece. The media is the media. Our press release did mention "revolutionize and revitalize the COLECO brand". And Yes, Kyle at ArsT was the first one to reach out to me and ask for a short interview and it was my quote he eventually referenced saying this was a licensing deal. I do want to be very upfront about that. I believe most realize that Coleco, the original company, isn't behind this but are still enjoying the fact that the COLECO brand could be brought back on a new system. Now we have to live up to having that name on our product. Edited December 23, 2015 by Parrothead 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
108 Stars Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) Quit pretending that the COLECO of old is behind it. Please be more upfront that it's not the COLECO that was behind the ColecoVision. The ArsTechnica piece was the first time I've seen that truly acknowledged in an outside media piece. You need to correct that perception and not benefit from it. It's very, very difficult to believe that you aren't fostering that belief on purpose. They ARE fostering that belief on purpose. That is pretty much what Mike Kennedy just wrote; the instant brand recognition was the reason for the Coleco name. It may have been a mistake to go that route in the first place (that has to be seen though, as the media coverage speaking of Coleco's return may be positive for the Chameleon), but outright promoting that it was just a brand acquisition with no real connection would defeat the whole purpose. So I wouldn't ask them to do that. It is not exactly a nice and honest way to get your product into people's minds, but it works as intended. The media and the people are led to draw their own conclusions. What remains to be seen is if the Coleco name will not hurt the Kickstarter, if backers believe the big corporation Coleco should not require crowdfunding. Edited December 23, 2015 by 108 Stars 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 (edited) Quit pretending that the COLECO of old is behind it. Please be more upfront that it's not the COLECO that was behind the ColecoVision. The ArsTechnica piece was the first time I've seen that truly acknowledged in an outside media piece. You need to correct that perception and not benefit from it. It's very, very difficult to believe that you aren't fostering that belief on purpose. That's right. One simply cannot purchase instant recognition and then make a confusing product that has nothing to do with the original brand. And to expect success from that? WTF? But we shall see.. Edited December 23, 2015 by Keatah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 IDK. I still like the old school way of doing things. Come home from school, flip open an Electronic Games magazine and say ohh wow I want this! And next week see it in the stores. Simple, yes? http://www.digitpress.com/library/magazines/electronic_games/electronic_games.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClassyGamer Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I don't have a problem giving the new product a fair shake. If it turns out to be something that I can get behind then I'll happily do so. However, I don't think just blindly forgetting the previous attempt is a good idea either and I for one have no plans for buying into anything until it is actually been released after the previous IGG campaign. I don't have any plans of backing a crowd funding project for this, but if it it gets a release outside of Kickstarter and has some solid Non invested party reviews, that would be cool. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Iacovelli Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 there is nothing wrong with licensing with name, its been mentioned many times on shark tanks that the investors would like to set up a licensing deal with another company. as mike mentioned they just have to live up to the coleco name. I wish you luck mike, will support any classic item, back you on kickstarter maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj_convoy Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 They ARE fostering that belief on purpose. That is pretty much what Mike Kennedy just wrote; the instant brand recognition was the reason for the Coleco name. It may have been a mistake to go that route in the first place (that has to be seen though, as the media coverage speaking of Coleco's return may be positive for the Chameleon), but outright promoting that it was just a brand acquisition with no real connection would defeat the whole purpose. So I wouldn't ask them to do that. It is not exactly a nice and honest way to get your product into people's minds, but it works as intended. The media and the people are led to draw their own conclusions. What remains to be seen is if the Coleco name will not hurt the Kickstarter, if backers believe the big corporation Coleco should not require crowdfunding. It's beyond disingenuous to say that "Video-game industry pioneer COLECO re-enters the market," and "it will succeed COLECO’s successful Telstar and Colecovision product lines." Of course I (we) know it's set up this way; they've purchased brand recognition. But the story is now "COLECO is back!" It isn't. It's up to Mike, if he is going to earn back people's trust, as he is asking for, if this isn't a cash grab and a way to trick 30 and 40 year olds who aren't as plugged in as we are to correct that perception. He needs to make sure, when press is released that it's clear in a way that it's not in his initial press release that this is a wholly new venture with a wholly new company. This is not COLECO. The COLECO Chameleon, if it comes to pass, has nothing to do with the real company's lineage, anymore than Majesco or ATGames are a part of the lineage of SEGA. It's more than mere branding; it's trading on a lineage and history neither he nor the people that own the COLECO name have anything to do with, and it's gross. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Do you think it would help if they use a Z-80 in the console? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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