IntelliXpander module

[1980gamer]

As for a standalone. I think you could loose a little love if it was not backward compatible. Like the Intellivision III would have been.

 

With that said, if it uses the original intellivision controllers and actually has games that take advantage of the controllers, I'd be in.

[opcode]

As for a standalone. I think you could loose a little love if it was not backward compatible. Like the Intellivision III would have been.

 

With that said, if it uses the original intellivision controllers and actually has games that take advantage of the controllers, I'd be in.

 

Glad to hear that. We are both in MA btw. Cool!

[Rev]

The BASIC option is a nice idea indeed. The hardware we make is firmly grounded in the 80s tech. Personally I don't like FPGAs, Pis and the such.

 

 

 

What do you mean by that? What I am gauging is that people love the idea of an expansion module, just don't love if it improves too much. Back in the SGM days I would trust my instincts and go for it, but my finances aren't what they used to be, so I need to be careful now.

Revise by adding some intellivision stuff!

[1980gamer]

 

Glad to hear that. We are both in MA btw. Cool!

 

Yes, I am on the Connecticut border just about mid-state.

Why don't we have a retro convention around here? Hartford kind of had one, and the Bay side expo center has the penny arcade convention.

But no real retro stuff. People think NES and Sega are 1st gen. LOL

[killersquirel]

If you're looking for a shooter to make for launch, you could always go the early 80s arcade route. Here are some of my suggestions:

 

Satan's Hollow

Cosmic Avenger

Front Line

Gorf
Gyruss

Donkey Kong 3

 

and another suggestion for the arcade version of Journey Escape!

[CatPix]

The problem with a standalone system is that not so much people would be interested than with an expansion Unless it's backward compatible with INTV..

 

I mentionned it several time, but if you make the Xpander compatible with old games AND compatible with the Intellivoice AND the ECS, you'll win on all sides :

- people that want Intellivoice and/or ECS compatible games will be pleased

- People that want to make games that are more improved than ECS will be pleased

- People interested in making the Intelli III a thing will be pleased.

 

Now the issue is with carts, but as you seems to mention, it's into cart shells?

Then why not making it vertical?

We are no long young kids, we won't kickc the system around.

If you are worried about cart stability, you could imagine a vertical or even horizontal slot that can hold both carts. the external shell would hold your carts, and by putting a shell aroudn the cart connector, it would fit in the Intelliviosn cart and hold them well enough.

This, or making an adapter.

But given how many people play Famicom games on bare board into NES, I wound't worry too much about that, really.

Edited July 9, 2017 by CatPix

[opcode]

The problem with a standalone system is that not so much people would be interested than with an expansion Unless it's backward compatible with INTV..

 

I mentionned it several time, but if you make the Xpander compatible with old games AND compatible with the Intellivoice AND the ECS, you'll win on all sides :

- people that want Intellivoice and/or ECS compatible games will be pleased

- People that want to make games that are more improved than ECS will be pleased

- People interested in making the Intelli III a thing will be pleased.

 

Now the issue is with carts, but as you seems to mention, it's into cart shells?

Then why not making it vertical?

We are no long young kids, we won't kickc the system around.

If you are worried about cart stability, you could imagine a vertical or even horizontal slot that can hold both carts. the external shell would hold your carts, and by putting a shell aroudn the cart connector, it would fit in the Intelliviosn cart and hold them well enough.

This, or making an adapter.

But given how many people play Famicom games on bare board into NES, I wound't worry too much about that, really.

 

Problem is cost. You see, with the SGM, we went with $90 per module for something that is way simpler than what we are trying to accomplish here. And I lost money in the first run, I paid $4,000 out of my pocket to have the 200 modules produced.

Each component we add increases cost, not just the component itself, but assembling, PCB space, case space, packaging size, it is a domino effect and all amount for additional costs. So we must find a balance. It would be cool to have a single module that replaces everything, but that isn't realistic. If we do that, new features must go. And I don't think we can sell it for more than $150, and if we cross that threshold, something must go.

 

On a more positive note, here is how TRON would look like on the new Xpander.

 

[CatPix]

Well ECS is mostly more RAM and a new sound chip, which is into the Intellivion III specs (unless I'm wrong) and the Intellivoice is also part of the Intellivision III.

So the problem would more be to let INTV games access those ressources.

 

If you can't do it, then it might as well be it's own system, but that would require a different case, a more complex casing for connectors, circuitry for video out... All matters you are probably more aware than I am

At best, INTV compatibility would be that you just make the slot larger. INTV cart will be a bit floaty, but as I said, we're grown up people and unlikely to kick the console when using it, and there are several people out there using bare PCB to read Famicom games on top loader NES and it doesn't seems to be a huge issue, so I don't think that making the cart slot larger is an issue.

Now, if you want/need a different connector for the carts, then yeah, we have a problem.

You could still sell an adaptor, aside. People willing to have their all-in-one Intellivoice/ECS will have to pay more, but there isn't so much of those games, so they will simply remove the Xpander in the meantime. In the even that you use a different connector for your carts.

 

I guess that if you need to ditch one feature, I would vote for the Intellivoice. There seems to be quite a lot of them in the wild, and those things are rarely used today in homebrews. But of course they are rarely built-in to start with. I'm not sure.

Maybe asking programmers if they really care so much about the Intellivoice function?

Edited July 9, 2017 by CatPix

[mr_me]

 

So I guess we should go back to the drawing board...

 

Question is, who would be interested in a new standalone system?

I was under the impression that this thing was a variation of your "prometheus" project. One variation being backwards compatible with coleco vision, and the other variation an Intellivision add-on. An Intellivision add-on that plays coleco vision cartridges would be interesting.

 

Another question is, who will program all these Intellivision type games?

 

 

...

 

On a more positive note, here is how TRON would look like on the new Xpander.

 

TRON.png

The Tron graphic looks good but it would be different on an Intellivision III. Intellivision pixels are not square, so sprites get narrower by 20%. Should work out in this case, as Tron might look better thinner. In some cases to make more efficient use of sprites and colours, you could go with a wide pixel mode similar to Atari pixels.

[+Lathe26]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Pac-Man

 

Embryo Pac-Man

[wolfy62]

 

Embryo Pac-Man

Embryo Pac-Man.png

Its too small to see,get out the ultrasound machine!

[m-crew]

Its too small to see,get out the ultrasound machine!

lol or microscope!!

[+grips03]

$90 is a great price point. I like idea of Commodore 64 ports, such as GI Joe, Archon 2, Commando, Bard's Tale, Airborne Ranger, Pool of Radiance, Bruce Lee, etc. I can't see buying more copies of Donkey Kong, Pac Man, etc. I'm glad your looking to add Intellivision to the platforms you make games for. It really is a great system.

[+JasonlikesINTV]

So I'm kinda late to the conversation, but I'll weigh in. A new standalone console could be cool, but I thought the point was to somehow tie it to the Intellivision (if for no other reason that to provide a customer market and to give hungry Intellivision fans something new). I like the idea of upgrade module, but it has to retain some Intellivision character. Upgrade too much and it's something else and upgrade too little and why bother...which is why I like the idea of using the Intellivision III specs. Intellivision game sequels would fit perfectly, though I would love new games in the style of classic NES games like Castlevania, Metroid, Ninja Gaidan, Kung Fu, Dragon Warrior, Faxanadu, Mega Man, etc. One last consideration...a game console isn't defined by what it can do, but rather what's possible within it's limitations. It needs an upper limit and I like the idea of using the Intellivision III specs as that upper limit.

[+sramirez2008]

If you're looking for a shooter to make for launch, you could always go the early 80s arcade route. Here are some of my suggestions:

 

Satan's Hollow

Cosmic Avenger

Front Line

Gorf

Gyruss

Donkey Kong 3

 

and another suggestion for the arcade version of Journey Escape!

Gorf with speech and all 5 screens please...pretty please.

[opcode]

$90 is a great price point. I like idea of Commodore 64 ports, such as GI Joe, Archon 2, Commando, Bard's Tale, Airborne Ranger, Pool of Radiance, Bruce Lee, etc. I can't see buying more copies of Donkey Kong, Pac Man, etc. I'm glad your looking to add Intellivision to the platforms you make games for. It really is a great system.

 

It is a great system, and I have fond memories of it. And feeling a little burned out from all the recent Coleco drama, it is a breath of fresh air...

 

 

So I'm kinda late to the conversation, but I'll weigh in. A new standalone console could be cool, but I thought the point was to somehow tie it to the Intellivision (if for no other reason that to provide a customer market and to give hungry Intellivision fans something new). I like the idea of upgrade module, but it has to retain some Intellivision character. Upgrade too much and it's something else and upgrade too little and why bother...which is why I like the idea of using the Intellivision III specs. Intellivision game sequels would fit perfectly, though I would love new games in the style of classic NES games like Castlevania, Metroid, Ninja Gaidan, Kung Fu, Dragon Warrior, Faxanadu, Mega Man, etc. One last consideration...a game console isn't defined by what it can do, but rather what's possible within it's limitations. It needs an upper limit and I like the idea of using the Intellivision III specs as that upper limit.

 

Thanks Jason. I totally agree with your comments. Each classic system has its ethos, something that defines it. I don't think it is all about primitive graphics necessarily, it is more about play style. All 3 main classic systems, the 2600, Intellivision and ColecoVision had their characteristic play style. Atari was simple fun, ColecoVision had arcade ports, and the Intellivision had this more cerebral thing going, with its overlays and depth of play.

So for example, a straight port of NES Castlevania may have little value, because you can play that on the NES, which can be easily found for cheap. An Intv version would need some extra sauce to make it more like an Intv game. More exploration, a slower pace (in a good sense), more thinking and less button smashing, and of course, overlays!

[+JasonlikesINTV]

OMG, I'm getting excited just thinking about Castlevania overlays

[pimpmaul69]

 

Problem is cost. You see, with the SGM, we went with $90 per module for something that is way simpler than what we are trying to accomplish here. And I lost money in the first run, I paid $4,000 out of my pocket to have the 200 modules produced.

Each component we add increases cost, not just the component itself, but assembling, PCB space, case space, packaging size, it is a domino effect and all amount for additional costs. So we must find a balance. It would be cool to have a single module that replaces everything, but that isn't realistic. If we do that, new features must go. And I don't think we can sell it for more than $150, and if we cross that threshold, something must go.

 

On a more positive note, here is how TRON would look like on the new Xpander.

 

TRON.png

i think an add-on would be cooler than a new console. Releasing a super outdated new console has been done a bazillion times. Add-on just makes our cool system a little cooler. Now the new add-on doesnt need to be waterproof, but hopefully it will at least be "Juice-Proof"

[pimpmaul69]

OMG, I'm getting excited just thinking about Castlevania overlays

that would be so freaking awesome!

[+cmart604]

i think an add-on would be cooler than a new console. Releasing a super outdated new console has been done a bazillion times. Add-on just makes our cool system a little cooler. Now the new add-on doesnt need to be waterproof, but hopefully it will at least be "Juice-Proof"

This. I vote add on over new standalone.

[+Lathe26]

Add-on sounds better than new console.

[+KylJoy]

Add-on sounds better than new console.

 

Me 3. Or is it 4?

[Utopia]

New/old console for me. Oh the nostalgia!

[m-crew]

Add on for me as well!!!

[+intellivotion]

imo, the Intellixpander should be connected to an Intellivision Master Component

 

one more vote for the add-on option

 

(standalone? nah, I'm a family man)