mr_me Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 https://soundcloud.com/retrogamingreddit/rretrogaming-podcast-episode-11-al-nilsen-part-i-atari-intellivision-and-the-crash https://player.fm/series/rretrogaming/rretrogaming-podcast-episode-11-al-nilsen-part-i-atari-intellivision-and-the-crash Al Nilsen worked at Mattel Electronics Marketing between 1982 and 1983 as a product manager. In this interview there's lots of Atari and Sega talk as well. He mentions that they had the idea at Mattel of manufacturing double-sided cartridges but also mentions that he was not happy with the quality of titles available. There's some good insight about the crash. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Awesome! This looks to be much more useful and interesting than the made-up Nilsen character in Console Wars. I've subscribed to the feed even thought their first episode is about Retro VGS and proven crapsnacker Mike Kennedy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Spear Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 That is history gold! We need some kind of podcast about the Intellivision where they interview people like that and stuff. https://soundcloud.com/retrogamingreddit/rretrogaming-podcast-episode-11-al-nilsen-part-i-atari-intellivision-and-the-crash https://palayer.fm/series/rretrogaming/rretrogaming-podcast-episode-11-al-nilsen-part-i-atari-intellivision-and-the-crash Al Nilsen worked at Mattel Electronics Marketing between 1982 and 1983 as a product manager. In this interview there's lots of Atari and Sega talk as well. He mentions that they had the idea at Mattel of manufacturing double-sided cartridges but also mentions that he was not happy with the quality of titles available. There's some good insight about the crash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 That is history gold! We need some kind of podcast about the Intellivision where they interview people like that and stuff. I can't tell if you're kidding or not, but in case you're serious, you should check out http://intellivisionaries.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 It would be nice to hear from someone at Mattel marketing in the early years. Someone who came up with the early game concepts and graphics. The Intellivisionairies have a great piece on the Mazeatron concept. I assume it came from Marketing but the name is blacked out. The programmer interviews are great. Hardware wise, it would be nice to get the story on the controller. http://intellivisionaries.com/episode-19-tron-maze-a-tron/ http://intellivisionaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Maze-A-Tron_Idea_Disclosure_redacted.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.E.R.O. Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 (edited) Wow. I'd thought he went from JCPenney to Sega. Had no idea he was at Mattel. Should be a great listen. Thanks for sharing. EDIT: After I wrote this post, the memories came flooding back that JCPenney was where I could play one of those huge Atari multigame demo units. Where I lived in Long Island, NY, it was the only place that had it. The toy stores (Play World, TRU) had no demos, Sears usually had one game out (unless it was Christmas & they'd have a huge display of multiple systems & tv's...the year of 2600, 5200, Colecovision & Vectrex demos out was a fantastic Christmas). Edited June 28, 2016 by H.E.R.O. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 He personally played all the games while at JC Penney, and would only stock a total of 100 different Atari games, so if something new came out, something would need to go. I wonder what could have happened to the industry if every large buyer showed this level of care and attention to what they were selling. Maybe the crash could have been prevented! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
townparkradio Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 He personally played all the games while at JC Penney, and would only stock a total of 100 different Atari games, so if something new came out, something would need to go. I wonder what could have happened to the industry if every large buyer showed this level of care and attention to what they were selling. Maybe the crash could have been prevented! Probably true. Too many just wanted a "piece of the pie" though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+nurmix Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 It would be nice to hear from someone at Mattel marketing in the early years. Someone who came up with the early game concepts and graphics. The Intellivisionairies have a great piece on the Mazeatron concept. I assume it came from Marketing but the name is blacked out. The programmer interviews are great. Hardware wise, it would be nice to get the story on the controller. I'm always trying to locate former Mattel Electronics employees that weren't programmers, but haven't had much success (and some that I actually have gotten in touch with haven't wanted to come on the show). Keith Robinson is still close with most of the programmers, but not so much with those outside that department. As for the controller... pretty sure we'd have to ask Dave 'Papa Intellivision' Chandler. Unfortunately he's no longer with us. Sent from my Intellivision ECS using Intelli-Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted June 30, 2016 Author Share Posted June 30, 2016 Oh yeah, I know its a hard job tracking down these people and then hoping they want to talk to you. Its a long time ago and these guys are likely older than the programmers who were just kids out of school at the time. Dave Chandler has a great website with lots of info where you can even find out the people he worked with (eg Richard Chang, Rick Timmins). There's rumors that Mattel copied the controller from Bandai, I think its the other way around; we might never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric7100 Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 As for the controller... pretty sure we'd have to ask Dave 'Papa Intellivision' Chandler. Unfortunately he's no longer with us. When did he die??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted June 30, 2016 Author Share Posted June 30, 2016 When did he die??? http://papaintellivision.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+nurmix Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 http://papaintellivision.com/ His patent document for the controller circuit matrix design is on the site: http://papaintellivision.com/pdfs/4246452_Switch_apparatus.pdf Sent from my Intellivision ECS using Intelli-Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intymike Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 I'm always trying to locate former Mattel Electronics employees that weren't programmers, but haven't had much success (and some that I actually have gotten in touch with haven't wanted to come on the show). Keith Robinson is still close with most of the programmers, but not so much with those outside that department. As for the controller... pretty sure we'd have to ask Dave 'Papa Intellivision' Chandler. Unfortunately he's no longer with us. About 15 years back I tried to contact a manager of Mattel Electronics Germany. His name was mentioned in on of the papers I own. I found the exact name in Hamburg where Mattel Electronics had it's HQ and wrote a letter. But sadly I never got an answer. I had contact with a former Mattel employee over an Ebay auction. I answered me a few questions. But it was not so much. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adriano Arcade Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 http://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/podcast-february-2-2018/ I recently spoke to Al Nilsen in Arcade Attack's 50th podcast! Pretty much all SEGA related, with a little Atari. But see above link if you are interested! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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