Thomas Jentzsch Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 29 minutes ago, John Van Ryzin said: As for binary files, I can only conclude they will be stolen, nothing anyone can do about it. If you want to catch the thief, watermark each ROM individually. But most of us are here for the fun and feedback anyway. Enjoy if people play your games. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollOut Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 (edited) 48 minutes ago, John Van Ryzin said: As for binary files, I can only conclude they will be stolen, nothing anyone can do about it. Retro sure is frustrating, ha! I'm sorry this has been a frustrating experience for you. I can't speak to the Rom being pirated, but among the VCS fans on the forum, Alien Abduction seemed very well received. Personally, I think your game signalled the VCS finding its identity by becoming a home for talented programmers who want to develop Roms for the legacy consoles. Since Alien Abduction dropped, there have been a number of original 2600 and 7800 games that have gotten VCS ports. As a fan of the console, I think this was a big plus for the VCS fan base. I guess I'm saying thanks for supporting the VCS, even if it wasn't how you wanted it to go. Edited December 20, 2023 by RollOut 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Van Ryzin Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 It was very interesting reliving my 2600 past. Regardless of money, which I gave up on when I bailed on Audacity collector business model. Was so strange to go back to 2600 after working with modern things like Unity and Unreal. Amazing what can happen in one lifetime. Ha! Thanks for the watermark tip. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 50 minutes ago, John Van Ryzin said: I can only conclude that making cartridges is not profitable, unless it is sold for a ridiculous price. As for binary files, I can only conclude they will be stolen, nothing anyone can do about it. Retro sure is frustrating, ha! Being a VCS exclusive with no cart available makes it a particularly tempting target for hacking. Especially when it was promoted as being from the guy who made HERO! Every completionist who doesn't have a VCS is going to want to get their hands on a copy. I wonder if the average homebrew cart goes through this? Seems like most homebrew fans are willing to pay the money to support the author & hobby. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sramirez2008 Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 1 hour ago, zzip said: Seems like most homebrew fans are willing to pay the money to support the author & hobby. I can only speak for myself, but wanting to support the developers is why I have a homebrew collection today. Yes, it’s mostly physical carts, but my digital collection is growing too. Some devs put their games out for free and ask you to make a donation, if you’d like. For me, if it’s at all possible, I always make a donation. I realize my donation alone will never make up for the amount of time that’s gone into a game, but it’s my hope that the community will show its support and encourage the devs to continue to make games. My thanks and hats off to all of you that continue to make games for us to enjoy. 😊 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jeremiahjt Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that Atari has the go ahead to make an Alien Abduction physical cartridge? All this time I thought that John Van Ryzin would not let Atari make a physical cartridge. @TrogdarRobusto @Albert @davpa Guys, let the higher-ups at Atari know this would be a seller. I understand if it would cost more because I am sure John Van Ryzin commands a hefty price tag comparatively speaking, but get this done. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sramirez2008 Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 3 minutes ago, jeremiahjt said: Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that Atari has the go ahead to make an Alien Abduction physical cartridge? All this time I thought that John Van Ryzin would not let Atari make a physical cartridge. @TrogdarRobusto @Albert @davpa Guys, let the higher-ups at Atari know this would be a seller. I understand if it would cost more because I am sure John Van Ryzin commands a hefty price tag comparatively speaking, but get this done. Hear, hear! I would like a CIB copy to "pop" into my 2600, 2600+, 7800 and even my 5200 via the VCS Cart Adaptor.🙂 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 I've been talking to John about publishing this through AtariAge still. I have just been super busy getting all the PRGE releases into the store (done), and I have a huge pile of orders I need to finish building and shipping. Then have to ship the pre-orders for the new games people are placing now. Then I have to sit back and catch my breath. ..Al 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Van Ryzin Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 No rush Albert. I thought Atari would have supplied you with a helper after the takeover! I have to decide what to do next. Microsoft gave me permission to make an Xbox version. User can play 2600 emulator version or a new modern version. Ha! Not sure if I will do it though. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 11 minutes ago, John Van Ryzin said: No rush Albert. I thought Atari would have supplied you with a helper after the takeover! Absolutely that will happen longer term. We are going to be moving soon, and I will be setting up a new AtariAge facility after that. Then we'll be able to hire someone to help with physical game production and shipping. I am greatly looking forward to that!! 13 minutes ago, John Van Ryzin said: I have to decide what to do next. Microsoft gave me permission to make an Xbox version. User can play 2600 emulator version or a new modern version. Ha! Not sure if I will do it though. It's nice to have options! ..Al 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jeremiahjt Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 Well since it looks like a 2600 cartridge might not happen, I went ahead and bought it on the VCS, along with Montezuma's Revenge. I think I have stumbled upon a glitch though. After finishing the second level my score started going haywire. I am at over 300,000 and still climbing. Or maybe I am just that good. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Van Ryzin Posted December 21, 2023 Share Posted December 21, 2023 Wow will look into that, no one has reported any bugs since the release. However, I do not own a VCS 800 😀 Al says he want's to make a cartridge of it, so I am assuming he is, at some point. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted December 21, 2023 Share Posted December 21, 2023 13 hours ago, John Van Ryzin said: Wow will look into that, no one has reported any bugs since the release. However, I do not own a VCS 800 😀 Well it would be kind of like if you encounter a glitch in a slot machine where it keeps paying you money.. Some bugs you don't report 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mockduck Posted December 21, 2023 Share Posted December 21, 2023 Alien Abduction might end up being the most successful post-era release in my opinion, game is great, has pedigree, and feels very much like an original Atari game. Needs to happen! I hear Audacity has been disappointed with sales numbers, which is a bummer, but frankly while I totally like Circus Convoy I LOVE Alien Abduction. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Van Ryzin Posted December 21, 2023 Share Posted December 21, 2023 Thanks for the stellar compliments on my new game! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+eebuckeye Posted December 21, 2023 Share Posted December 21, 2023 This game is terrific and I'm shocked it wasn't first priority for Atari to make a cartridge. It is an instabuy from me when available! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smell Dawg Posted December 21, 2023 Share Posted December 21, 2023 Physical release will be an instant-purchase from me, as well. Having completely missed HERO back in the day, Alien Abduction was so fun that I went back and found an old HERO cart on feeBay. Likely would have never known about these had Alien Abduction not been released on the VCS! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jentzsch Posted December 21, 2023 Share Posted December 21, 2023 31 minutes ago, eebuckeye said: This game is terrific and I'm shocked it wasn't first priority for Atari to make a cartridge. It is an instabuy from me when available! Agreed. It is better by a mile than their first priority. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giles N Posted December 21, 2023 Share Posted December 21, 2023 1 hour ago, Thomas Jentzsch said: Agreed. It is better by a mile than their first priority. Would be very wierd not have it on physical carts, given the 2600+ and also in respect to the Polymega module. I can understand a fair amount of interest in having VCS-exclusives… but not at the expense of reaching/creating a larger market. Selling a game to the US-owners of the VCS, or selling it globally and simultaneously promoting/boosting interest in the 2600+ (and perhaps Polymega-project), shouldn’t be much to think about. It wouid be smarter in my opinion to get something that actually needs modern PC-hardware/software to run, to be exclusive(s) for the VCS. Actually, I find it hard to see any real point in exclusive software for the VCS in the long run. If the VCS must be continued as a separate thing, not to be merged with common PC-gaming, it should in my view be more in the direction of hardware-things. To me the VCS-thing seems more like a heritage from previous ‘Ataris’, they’ve bought themselves into having to continue. Being thus stuck with a sort of obligation to the VCS-owners to make it have something unique. Long comment there. All this was to the entire thread. In my view top-quality, new 2600 games, deserves broad publication/releases, not being limited to ROM-worlds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Van Ryzin Posted December 22, 2023 Share Posted December 22, 2023 (edited) It was a digital only exclusive, not cart, for 6 months. I thought they were going to make a cartridge of it. When 2600+ was announced I figured it was not viewed as better than Mr Jump and Run. Or I was Activision not Atari. Oh well. Edited December 22, 2023 by John Van Ryzin 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jentzsch Posted December 22, 2023 Share Posted December 22, 2023 3 hours ago, John Van Ryzin said: It was a digital only exclusive, not cart, for 6 months. I thought they were going to make a cartridge of it. When 2600+ was announced I figured it was not viewed as better than Mr Jump and Run. Or I was Activision not Atari. Oh well. Maybe they found it too good compared to the other games they put on cart? Or thought it would be too complex for the their target customer base? Seriously, I think they simply wanted a 2600 version of their "VCS" game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fierodoug5 Posted December 22, 2023 Share Posted December 22, 2023 Looking forward to a Cart Version of this game as well, really want to play it. Was really shocked it was not a priority for Atari to get a cart version out with 2600+ release. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdzuber1 Posted December 23, 2023 Share Posted December 23, 2023 Since H.E.R.O. is my favorite 2600 game, if a physical cart was released, I would instantly purchase it--and then pop it in to the 2600+ as soon as it arrived! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJD69 Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 It's sad that the much more simplistic Mr. Run and Jump got a cart release rather than this stellar title - hopefully this works itself out as I for one would consider purchasing a "standard edition" (aka reasonably priced) cart/manual/box. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markofwolves Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 It was only today that I learned about this title and how important it is. Bought with your eyes closed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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