Intellivision Amico’s trademark changed to ‘abandoned’

[MrBeefy]

3 hours ago, MattPilz said:

I feel for the developers because they still intended for this to release on Amico, even as of last year they were optimistic about it. They even have the Intellivision logo buried in the assets of their PC demo, yet. Being realistic I think they will struggle to even get enough sales of it to meet the $100 minimum withdrawal interval on Steam. It's just very difficult to gain prominence and sales on Steam as a very small developer with no social traction. This is also why I am sure many developers found it inviting for Intellivision to fund a chunk of the development and then offer the perks of an exclusive platform where they'd be showcased exclusively for weeks in the shop. I did play the demo and there are still only like 3-6 people listed in the global high score list; very few have tried it. I didn't mind the game and think it will be fun for local coop, though they should make improvements to the UI as the mouse is non-functional to select options even though it is visible. It also is one of the rare titles that sets fullscreen exclusive mode, to a lower resolution than my desktop, which messed with my window arrangement and icons.

 

The Xbox-style controller image they now use looks a lot less complicated to me than many of the instruction screens we saw for Amico exclusives. 

 

Like Tank Battle that supported three different control schemes but without any that feel particularly simple or ergonomic compared to a classic controller.

 

 

And all of these different gestures to do a full turn setup in Cornhole...

 

It does suck for the devs. I wouldn't be surprised if that's how BBG worked their way into buying those two IPs. Their games were probably done and met their milestones, and instead of paying them, IE cut them a deal to buy Astrosmash, and Shark Shark.

 

Think of how miserable Moon Patrol would be multiplayer? All the different parts controlled by someone? That would suck.

 

Speaking of games being done and devs and such, it ever bother anyone in Farkle that the dice were one color on the controller and a different color once rolled?

 

Red one moment...

White the next...

 

600 years of experience in lack to detail 

[famicommander]

20 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

I don't see what you are seeing, 

Here ya go

[Matt_B]

Steam might be where indie games go to die in obscurity, but it's not the only option. The Epic Store, Game Pass and even occasionally Nintendo and Sony are known to pay good money for exclusivity deals; you'd just need a game of exceptional quality to get in the door with them.

 

As for Intellivision, I'd imagine the conversations went something like this:

 

Intellivision: We'll fund your games for exclusivity and a 50% cut on royalties.

Developer: That's great. Where do I sign?

Intellivision: Actually, it's a government funding scheme where they pay half and we match it.

Developer: Er... OK. I still get the money though?

Intellivision: You'll get the grant money, less a cut for us. Our half was only ever smoke and mirrors though.

[MrBeefy]

19 hours ago, famicommander said:

Here ya go

Looks like a Switch game to me.

18 hours ago, Matt_B said:

Steam might be where indie games go to die in obscurity, but it's not the only option. The Epic Store, Game Pass and even occasionally Nintendo and Sony are known to pay good money for exclusivity deals; you'd just need a game of exceptional quality to get in the door with them.

 

As for Intellivision, I'd imagine the conversations went something like this:

 

Intellivision: We'll fund your games for exclusivity and a 50% cut on royalties.

Developer: That's great. Where do I sign?

Intellivision: Actually, it's a government funding scheme where they pay half and we match it.

Developer: Er... OK. I still get the money though?

Intellivision: You'll get the grant money, less a cut for us. Our half was only ever smoke and mirrors though.

I'm not saying the devs aren't talented, but it did seem like IE's MO was dumpster diving for any cheap games and act like they were revolutionary. They even used Cat Fighter which wasn't a game in development in a sizzle reel.

 

I'd love to know how much money they wasted on licenses they had no games in development for. I do think Tommy also counted buying the license to be able to create a game as "we are working on that" with there being zero actual development. That's how they went from we are working on 50 games to, well we have like 15 at launch.

 

Speaking of licenses it looks like they no longer have the Hot Wheels license. DJC showed off his phone playing Side Swippers. No Hot Wheels tag on it from what I could see. There was at least one point that game was shown with the Hot Wheels Collossal Crash name attached. Money put to great use!

 

[MrBeefy]

I've been playing a little of this recently on mobioe. It's called Stone Story RPG. It has a cute retro look, and been neat so far.

It could have been a good fit for Amico.

[Flojomojo]

But Amico wasn’t a retro console! It just had missile command, pong, moon patrol, Evel Knievel, and Astrosmash!

 

I like that game too, it’s very imaginative. Review: https://toucharcade.com/2023/08/15/stone-story-rpg-review-free-to-play-mobile-download-iphone-android-ipad/

[MrBeefy]

3 minutes ago, Flojomojo said:

But Amico wasn’t a retro console! It just had missile command, pong, moon patrol, Evel Knievel, and Astrosmash!

 

I like that game too, it’s very imaginative. Review: https://toucharcade.com/2023/08/15/stone-story-rpg-review-free-to-play-mobile-download-iphone-android-ipad/

You missed the best one ever, Shark Shark. 

[Flojomojo]

I like Feeding Frenzy well enough, and those Hungry Shark games on mobile have a fun sense of progression. 

 

The Mattel Shark game was unique in 1982, but for gods sake let’s move past the Space Invaders era of game design. 

[MrBeefy]

5 hours ago, Flojomojo said:

I like Feeding Frenzy well enough, and those Hungry Shark games on mobile have a fun sense of progression. 

 

The Mattel Shark game was unique in 1982, but for gods sake let’s move past the Space Invaders era of game design. 

Never!

 

We like Hungry Shark World in our household too.

 

I think you can have old design, but it requires some creativity. I've heard great things about Donut Dodo.

[+Neon Wraith]

Donut Dodo is F..king hard!  The toilet always gets me!

[mr_me]

19 hours ago, Flojomojo said:

But Amico wasn’t a retro console! It just had missile command, pong, moon patrol, Evel Knievel, and Astrosmash!

 

I like that game too, it’s very imaginative. Review: https://toucharcade.com/2023/08/15/stone-story-rpg-review-free-to-play-mobile-download-iphone-android-ipad/

Careful how you say it had Missile Command.  That gives the impression that it's 1980 Missile Command emulated, especially to retro gamers.

 

18 hours ago, Flojomojo said:

I like Feeding Frenzy well enough, and those Hungry Shark games on mobile have a fun sense of progression. 

 

The Mattel Shark game was unique in 1982, but for gods sake let’s move past the Space Invaders era of game design. 

I thought Space Invaders was old fashioned in 1981.  But it's still a fun game today.

[MrBeefy]

Looks like IE is trying to distance themselves from @Tommy Tallarico even more.

 

First lost the CEO spot, now lost the Chief Creative and President designations.

 

Before we know it he will just have the label of coffee boy. ☕️

 

They really needed to get him out of the CEO spot in late 2019/early 2020. By the tike he was removed it was too late.

 

[jerseystyle]

35 minutes ago, MrBeefy said:

Looks like IE is trying to distance themselves from @Tommy Tallarico even more.

 

First lost the CEO spot, now lost the Chief Creative and President designations.

 

Before we know it he will just have the label of coffee boy. ☕️

 

They really needed to get him out of the CEO spot in late 2019/early 2020. By the tike he was removed it was too late.

 

Soon Phil’s gonna do a full Trump: “Tallaruco? Tallarico? Don’t know him. He worked for us I think, I didn’t hire him. I think he got me a coffee once or twice. Don’t know him. Didn’t work for me.”

 

And Mullins will forget he ever wrote and performed a song for him.

[roots.genoa]

4 hours ago, jerseystyle said:

Soon Phil’s gonna do a full

Please try to avoid using the T-word if you don't want the topic to be locked. Thank you.

[jerseystyle]

1 hour ago, roots.genoa said:

Please try to avoid using the T-word if you don't want the topic to be locked. Thank you.

Noted- sorry I saw the post was flagged. They can delete if they’d like.  
 

But man the LinkedIn demotion is hilarious, in a “Newspeak” type of way.

[MrBeefy]

3 minutes ago, jerseystyle said:

Noted- sorry I saw the post was flagged. They can delete if they’d like.  
 

But man the LinkedIn demotion is hilarious, in a “Newspeak” type of way.

Well Tommy was probably the one dead set on the hardware part. There really is no way forward to make that successful considering the Sudesh deal cut them off at the legs. There's no rational reason to put money into something that you know is at best going to break even.

 

[Flojomojo]

12 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

Looks like IE is trying to distance themselves from @Tommy Tallarico even more.

 

First lost the CEO spot, now lost the Chief Creative and President designations.

 

Before we know it he will just have the label of coffee boy. ☕️

 

They really needed to get him out of the CEO spot in late 2019/early 2020. By the tike he was removed it was too late.

 

That's quite a demotion, how the mighty have fallen. Here's what it looked like when he was at the peak of his powers and spending all day bragging here on AtariAge:

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20221204004557/https://intellivision.com/our-team

 

How are we supposed to know about his famous rockstar cousin now? 

 

Video: 

 

[Flojomojo]

15 hours ago, mr_me said:

Careful how you say it had Missile Command.  That gives the impression that it's 1980 Missile Command emulated, especially to retro gamers.

 

I thought Space Invaders was old fashioned in 1981.  But it's still a fun game today.

You're talking as if Amico Missile Command were a product that people could buy and play (it isn't). Space Invaders is fun, but let's not pretend game design hasn't moved forward since then. 

 

@joeatari1 "Stinky" in Donut Dodo is predictable, he just follows you everywhere. Don't get caught in the corner and you'll be OK. It's a great game!!

[digdugnate]

8 hours ago, Flojomojo said:

You're talking as if Amico Missile Command were a product that people could buy and play (it isn't). Space Invaders is fun, but let's not pretend game design hasn't moved forward since then. 

 

@joeatari1 "Stinky" in Donut Dodo is predictable, he just follows you everywhere. Don't get caught in the corner and you'll be OK. It's a great game!!

 

Murtop, Galacticon and Annalynn (even though the name is kinda unfortunate) are fantastic new-retro (newtro?) games as well.

 

 

 

 

[MrBeefy]

13 hours ago, Flojomojo said:

That's quite a demotion, how the mighty have fallen. Here's what it looked like when he was at the peak of his powers and spending all day bragging here on AtariAge:

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20221204004557/https://intellivision.com/our-team

 

How are we supposed to know about his famous rockstar cousin now? 

 

Video: 

 

So they cut out the fluff in two ways! 🤣

 

Next update will just probably be the headshot.

 

13 hours ago, Flojomojo said:

You're talking as if Amico Missile Command were a product that people could buy and play (it isn't). Space Invaders is fun, but let's not pretend game design hasn't moved forward since then. 

 

@joeatari1 "Stinky" in Donut Dodo is predictable, he just follows you everywhere. Don't get caught in the corner and you'll be OK. It's a great game!!

Amico Missile Command looked a mess and will be an even worse experience on the phone. It was hard to tell what was going on even before you shrunk the screen down.

 

Also Space Invaders has even been updated. Si Extreme with dial on DS was good fun.

 

The only people who don't think game design has evolved are those scared to step outide their bubble. SNES era is my favorite but I'm not deluding myself into not recognizing there have been improvements in gaming.

4 hours ago, digdugnate said:

 

Murtop, Galacticon and Annalynn (even though the name is kinda unfortunate) are fantastic new-retro (newtro?) games as well.

 

 

 

 

ONLY Amico provides fun arcade experiences! Those games are just smut as they are on that dirty Switch platform that will never outsell the Wii!

[digdugnate]

2 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

Also Space Invaders has even been updated. Si Extreme with dial on DS was good fun.

 

ONLY Amico provides fun arcade experiences! Those games are just smut as they are on that dirty Switch platform that will never outsell the Wii!

 

That may be true, but.... lol

[roots.genoa]

8 hours ago, digdugnate said:

new-retro

I use "neoretro" (I may trademark it one day since it's not apparently).

[MrTrust]

On 8/20/2023 at 7:26 AM, mr_me said:

Careful how you say it had Missile Command.  That gives the impression that it's 1980 Missile Command emulated, especially to retro gamers.

[Rev]

Who cares who the Ceo or President of I.E. is, all that matters is that the FCC has passed and we are on the launch pad you gaming haters!!!!    
 

 

Oof

[+GoldLeader]

43 minutes ago, Rev said:

Who cares who the Ceo or President of I.E. is, all that matters is that the FCC has passed and we are on the launch pad you gaming haters!!!!    
 

 

Oof

 

(heh)   Ya gotta still play the classics!