Chadivision Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 I just had an idea while I was looking through the submissions for the Backfire label contest. Have any of you artists considered putting together an Atari style catalog that shows all of the homebrew games that are currently available? That might be another cool contest to have. Assuming you got everyone's permission you could use the existing label artwork for the individual games and all you would have to do is come up with a layout and create some additional artwork as needed. Or if anyone was feeling really adventurous they could team up with a homebrew programmer to make a comic for a new homebrew game (kind of like Swordquest). I don't know if anyone has done this yet, but it would be pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiggerthehun Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 I think that's a great idea... It would, absolutely, involve lots of work and co-operation, but I'd certainly buy one, or donate to the cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sku_u Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 I'd love to see a new "classic" Atari catalog. I'd certainly pay a few dollars to have one. I loved looking through those catalogs when I was a kid and making wish lists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwh Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 Very cool idea!Just like back in the day,in the back/end of the catalog,we can have the "coming soon" homebrews that have been listed here on this site for the last two years Don't get me wrong,I would not know how to program myself out of the many pits in ET,and would like to encourage all the programmers to continue their efforts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sku_u Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 Very cool idea!Just like back in the day,in the back/end of the catalog,we can have the "coming soon" homebrews that have been listed here on this site for the last two years Don't get me wrong,I would not know how to program myself out of the many pits in ET,and would like to encourage all the programmers to continue their efforts. Maybe it could even include a teaser section that lists games like Turbo and Duke Nukem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaManFan Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 This sounds like a fun project, and would be a cool addition to the AA store. I know they used to give these away free back in the day but I'd happily pay for one today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnewman Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 Hmmm... this sounds like a very cool idea. But it would take around 6-7 months to put all the pieces together and get it produced... ...and there's nothing happening around that timeframe where a project like this could get a big splashy introduction... ... or lots of sales to interested hardcore Atari gamers... ...so, nahhh... fuggedaboudit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovaXpress Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 But it would take around 6-7 months to put all the pieces together and get it produced... What? As one who has produced many fliers and pamphlets and magazines for mass distribution, I would guess 6-7 DAYS. Any Photoshop wiz could knock off the catalog design in no time. Many printing plants have 48 hour turnaround. It can be done easily. But who's gonna pay for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 But who's gonna pay for it? Pay to produce it or pay to buy it? I’d buy one for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sku_u Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 But it would take around 6-7 months to put all the pieces together and get it produced... What? As one who has produced many fliers and pamphlets and magazines for mass distribution, I would guess 6-7 DAYS. Any Photoshop wiz could knock off the catalog design in no time. Many printing plants have 48 hour turnaround. It can be done easily. But who's gonna pay for it? It would prabably take a lot longer than 6 or 7 days. the person putting this together would have to obtain permission first which takes time, then has to put together the graphics for the cover, then run the pages by each homebrew author for the final okay. It wouldn't take 6-7 months (unless the person tackling this project was a SERIOUS procrastinator), but it would certainly take several months. The actual printing is not the problem. Some places will even do same day turnover if the volume is significant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Room 34 Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 I am all over this project! With my current schedule, or lack thereof, I probably would have time to pull it off too! If no one's started working on it already, I'd like to take a stab. How much would you all be willing to pay for something like this? I could provide the final output files to the AA store if they can handle the printing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadivision Posted September 6, 2003 Author Share Posted September 6, 2003 Getting everyone's permission would take a while, but it wouldn't be that bad. All you would need is the permission to use the labels that have already been created and either a screenshot or (to be more like the original catalogs) an artist's drawing of a screenshot. You really wouldn't need to run the page by each individual programmer and artist as long as they agreed to let you use the label, screenshot, and a text description of the game. The original catalogs just had the games grouped by type and on the side of the page had a drawing that represented that type of game. I guess that would be a little harder to do with homebrews because they are probably harder to group by genre. It might make sense to dedicate a larger amount of space to each game since there wouldn't be as many games as the orignal catalogs had (about 50 games). I don't know anything about printing. Does anyone have an estimate about the cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 We've actually spoken internally several times about doing a catalog showcasing the various homebrew games, including both 2600 and 5200 titles. We were hoping to have one ready for PhillyClassic 4, but those plans never materialized. When Dale Crum created the Jammed manual, the last page actually highlights six other XYPE titles. Let me grab an image.. Okay, I have attached the image so people can see what I'm talking about. I still would like to put together a catalog for the AA Store that showcases all the homebrews, showing the label, one or two screenshots, a description of the game and some other basic information such as "Number of Players: 2" and "Controller: Joystick". Printing is not a problem, we can do that easily inhouse. Originally the intent was to distribute these catalogs at various shows, and perhaps also with orders periodically. Obviously the more pages the catalog is, the more expensive it is to print, so that is something that has to be taken into consideration. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xot Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Many moons ago I attempted this project for Randy over at Hozer. The project got REALLY complex, REALLY quickly. There's what, close to 50 homebrews avaiable now? Even if you get five games to a page, which would SEVERELY limit what you could write abot them, that's still 5 double sided pages before the cover. I, too, would be willing to put together a layout if someone was to provide the content - IE, mini reviews or something. Once a template is made it's very easy to swap in the artwork and text. I image that AA has the original artwork used to make each game's label. That should suffice in that area. But hey, I've got the software, I've got the experience... if this projects gets off the ground I'll find the time, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Room 34 Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 I am envisioning doing this in the style of the red Atari catalogs... the ones they produced in late 1981 through mid-1982. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Even if you get five games to a page, which would SEVERELY limit what you could write abot them, that's still 5 double sided pages before the cover. How about poster style? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Room 34 Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Nah... poster style is whack! It's gotta be vintage. I feel like I am copping out even by suggesting the red catalog style. It really should be like the early Atari cartoon-style catalogs, but I don't have the talent or time for that kind of project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 I am envisioning doing this in the style of the red Atari catalogs... the ones they produced in late 1981 through mid-1982. I personally would rather see an original design, instead of mimicking another company's catalogs. I do like Atari's catalog styles, but I think any catalog that we print and distribute should be done with a unique AtariAge theme that we could maintain in future catalogs (since they will need to be updated periodically). ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Room 34 Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Yeah, I suppose you have a point. I am just wanting to recreate a classic style. But I suppose I could come up with something in between the old Atari style and the old Activision style, with a unique AtariAge look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad2600 Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 I really like this idea! I'd definitely buy something like this if it was made! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadivision Posted September 6, 2003 Author Share Posted September 6, 2003 We could really go for the "retro" look and carve them into stone tablets, but the shipping would get a little expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sku_u Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 I personally would rather see an original design, instead of mimicking another company's catalogs. I do like Atari's catalog styles, but I think any catalog that we print and distribute should be done with a unique AtariAge theme that we could maintain in future catalogs (since they will need to be updated periodically). ..Al Using the AA logo and doing an original design would be a big hit. It would definitely bring the world of Atari full circle so to speak. I'm sure that if you created catalogs and charged a small fee ($5-$10), you'd get some interest. My only request is that they be the same page dimensions as the original Atari catalogs. I'd buy one for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Using the AA logo and doing an original design would be a big hit. It would definitely bring the world of Atari full circle so to speak. I'm sure that if you created catalogs and charged a small fee ($5-$10), you'd get some interest. My only request is that they be the same page dimensions as the original Atari catalogs. I'd buy one for sure. Yes, they'll definitely be the same size as the original catalogs, 5" x 7", which is also the size of most homebrew manuals. Makes it easier to include them with orders, and also store them with your collection. I would charge as little as possible for the catalogs, since the point would be to get them out into as many hands as possible. And I'm sure quite a few would be simply given away (again, at shows and included with store orders).. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xot Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Using the AA logo and doing an original design would be a big hit. It would definitely bring the world of Atari full circle so to speak. I'm sure that if you created catalogs and charged a small fee ($5-$10), you'd get some interest. My only request is that they be the same page dimensions as the original Atari catalogs. I'd buy one for sure. Yes, they'll definitely be the same size as the original catalogs, 5" x 7", which is also the size of most homebrew manuals. Makes it easier to include them with orders, and also store them with your collection. I would charge as little as possible for the catalogs, since the point would be to get them out into as many hands as possible. And I'm sure quite a few would be simply given away (again, at shows and included with store orders).. ..Al This idea is sounding better and better. Maybe I'll whack out a quick prototype over the weekend or something... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xot Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Yes, they'll definitely be the same size as the original catalogs, 5" x 7", which is also the size of most homebrew manuals. Makes it easier to include them with orders, and also store them with your collection. I would charge as little as possible for the catalogs, since the point would be to get them out into as many hands as possible. And I'm sure quite a few would be simply given away (again, at shows and included with store orders).. ..Al This idea is sounding better and better. Maybe I'll whack out a quick prototype over the weekend or something... By my count there are 46 2600 games in the AA store including homebrews, hacks, and reproductions. This catalog will be BIG. Should 5200 and Jag stuff be included? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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