AtariAge + Atari Q&A

[zzip]

14 minutes ago, MegaManFan said:

4.) You can love or hate the current Atari's products, but even as someone who collects all things Atari, my rose colored glasses aren't so tinted that I think "everything Atari did in the 70's, 80's, or 90's was good." Man they made some colossal blunders, some very questionable decisions, and some incredibly poor choices. Even when they made better products than the competition they didn't go about marketing or supporting them the right way, dooming them to failure from launch. Whatever the current Atari is, let's judge them for what they do now, because they deserve to succeed or fail on their own merits. Call them Atari 2.0 if you like, I think it fits. They're not the old Atari, but they acknowledge their predecessors, and even if their respect for history is out of financial interest it's better than having no respect for history at all.

Yeah plenty of products back then that were questionable.   But it was also easy to say "that's not for me" and simply not buy it.  Like I thought the XEGS was dumb and wrong headed,  the 8-bit community wanted their computers to be taken seriously and not be seen as toys from a videogame company,  But then along comes the XEGS to reinforce that image.   But it brought in new fans and probably extended the life of the 8-bit line for a few years.    So it may not have been a product for me, but it was for somebody.

 

So today I don't have a use for a 2600+ since I don't collect physical carts anymore.    But I also see no reason to get angry about its existence because it's going to be useful for some people.    

[BIGHMW]

2 hours ago, Albert said:

No offense at all, I agree with your post, but just wanted to point out that one element with regards to the forum.  The forum does have good mobile support, although the AtariAge theme isn't perfect in that regard.  Much better than with previous iterations of the forum.  The store with mobile is pretty terrible, though, another good reason to get the store moved to a new platform!

 

 ..Al

A couple of cool things would be both Atari and AtariAge apps, those logos would be cool on my arsenal of apps on my iPhone 8+

[TrogdarRobusto]

1 hour ago, x=usr(1536) said:

@TrogdarRobusto: when I wrote about culture clash, the reproduction PCBs @M-S is referring to above are an example of the sort of thing that I mean.

 

This is where the culture clash aspect comes in: it's clear that people who could have corrected these errors were never consulted; had they been, the product wouldn't have been released in this state.  But from the external perspective, it looks as though Atari just doesn't care about the product (or the people who may be interested in buying it) as long as there's a revenue stream to be had.

I will pass on that feedback. I actually do a lot of the writing here at Atari, and I tend to first research, then consult someone like Marty or Al, and then write. There is a lot of 'false history' out there, and copywriting and editing does seem to be a lost art (now I sound old). The PCB board copy was written by the licensee that makes the PCB boards. I will provide feedback. They are a good partner, they want to make things that the community will value, so they will want to hear the feedback about the copy.

Edited September 8, 2023 by TrogdarRobusto

[zzip]

9 minutes ago, TrogdarRobusto said:

The Hotels are a licensing deal. I am still really curious to see how that plays out. It was signed by the previous admin, but it has potential. The concept is cool, but the pandemic blew a huge whole in their plans. I know a lot of people thought it was odd/silly/strange ... but remember it is a licensing deal, we didn't decide to suddenly become a hotel operator. It isn't going to distract in any way from our core business. But if those hotels are successful, wow what brand building.

Wasn't Steve Wozniak somehow involved in making that hotel deal happen?

[AtariPlayer74]

Giving my two cents here, I’d like to see Atari taking hardware development more ‘seriously’. Putting together a modern PC hardware of some sort and going the emulation route may make sense from a business perspective since it’s easy and cheap but it doesn’t mean supporting the platform nor even the homebrew community, which kept the platform alive for years. 
 

Releasing a new Atari-branded console these days lacking support for the wealthy of the homebrew game library available, which uses specialized hardware add-ons, makes no sense to me. At all. 
 

Can’t we have both physical DPC+ games and the digital revamped ones in the same console? 

[TrogdarRobusto]

2 minutes ago, zzip said:

Wasn't Steve Wozniak somehow involved in making that hotel deal happen?

I can't speak to who is involved in Atari Hotels, or at what level, that information would need to come from Atari Hotels and/or GSD Group.

I can say that Woz is a renowned aficionado of good hotels and that the Managing Partner of Atari Hotels is also the Chair of the Woz Innovation Foundation. 
That is all in the public record.
 

[82-T/A]

9 minutes ago, TrogdarRobusto said:

Tim is actually helping us source artists now for new key art. We usually do two illustrations per game, so we have an alternate for special physical versions. Atari created key art, we need to return to that standard from the golden era. That is a big focus, and important to me personally. We may not always nail it, but we are trying. 

 

Man, I am so excited. All my life I've been around multi-millionaires, going to Vanderbilt and Rockefeller parties as a kid in prep school. Half my friends were either the kids of movie stars, or politicians. I worked for the NFL for years where I'd parked my dumpy Explorer next to the players in the player lot, and ate in the player lounge when the food in the coaches lounge just didn't cut it for me. I even worked with senior government officials, briefing 4-stars and select committees when they weren't sending me off to shitty places around the world.

 

But I am far more star struck being in the presence of Atari people hahaha... and I'm super-excited for this AtariAge / Atari merger. I can't wait what comes out of this. The whole dynamic of video games is completely different today than it was 20-30 years ago... and I think you guys are capitalizing on both the streaming generation, while still supporting and embracing the Atari roots which gets old people like me (I'm in my early 40s) totally pumped. Man, I'm so psyched for whatever comes out of this.

[famicommander]

2 hours ago, TrogdarRobusto said:

-- Our licensing team is very, very focused on quality. You referenced some strong partners like Retrocade. The new Atari 50 Arcade1Up is solid, we had it at PAX, and it is selling really well. Lego. Cariuma. Quality is the north star here, so keep an eye on this space because things have changed.
 

Then what in god's name are you doing with those MyArcade devices which have visibly slow emulation and horrible flicker in 2023? Those are EXACTLY the kind of devices (alongside the AtGames atrocities) that make everyone terrified to buy other hardware with your logo on it. You can try to blame it on the low cost if you want to but the Blaze people are releasing 60 dollar Super Pockets with vastly superior hardware, vastly superior emulation, and access to hundreds more games. 

To put it bluntly, there's no excuse for selling devices that can't handle Missile Command 2600 in 2023. Period.

[CapitanClassic]

1 hour ago, romeoteknik said:

You could release an update for Atari 50 to plug in the holes in the timeline, maybe offer the Activision pack DLC for $9.99 or something feasible. Atari 50 now starts to become the all-in-one. Later down the line, Atari 8bit/PC side of things comes along, other IPs/licenses secured, update/DLC, etc, etc. Over time, you have a digital museum of all things Atari checking off the preservation box and one modern place to play.

 

If Atari can't do this with Atari 50, maybe a new app then similar to Sega Genesis Classics or XBOX 360's Game Room. The hub being a retro game room that you can customize. New games being offered over time and can be added to your library. Imagine some of the homebrew games on AA being offered in this new application. I don't have to worry about modding, digging out old consoles, just launch the app on my XBOX/PS/PC, see the new games available, buy/download/play in glorious 4K.

Isn’t this partly handled by the AntStream product that Atari invested $500,000 in? It doesn’t have the museum piece, but that would like require stand-alone product focusing on a series. 

 

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/antstream-arcade-lifetime-pass-edition/9PKVNQRL9NQ1/0010/9Z3GGH8M5PN9

[M-S]

13 minutes ago, TrogdarRobusto said:

 The Atari content in The Sandbox metaverse is really cool, by the way. I would think any Atari fan who got to romp around in the environment would think it was pretty fantastic. I should share some of that creative work in here ... it is really well done, great celebration of Atari games.

Web3 technology holds long term promise ... and we are keeping a finger in that to see where it leads, but we think it is a good thing that all the crypto froth has dissipated and the get rich quick moment is over. 
 

It's not that we think that the crypto stuff just wasn't well executed, we think that the entire concept of Atari getting into that stuff is bad. Even if there's a great virtual museum inside this "Metaverse" it would just be better at a place that doesn't require registering into a speculative value scheme from a company that could go bankrupt tomorrow.

[TrogdarRobusto]

3 hours ago, 82-T/A said:

Only question I have is... (which I think has already been answered)... will we still be able to discuss other topics (other systems) on Atari Age? I'm pretty sure the answer is still yes, but I find AtariAge to be a better resource on almost everything related to video games.

Wholeheartedly yes, we will still discuss other topics (other systems) on Atari Age. Retro aeternum!

[Mercenary]

Revive Machines currently has an Atari 800XL revived system in the works.

https://revive-machines.com/index-en.html

Will Atari now push systems other than the 2600? Such as the Atari 8-bit systems (the XL and XE in particular, perhaps with something like what Revive Machines is doing), the Atari ST, and the Atari Lynx? There hasn't been much acknowledgement of those from Atari (they were mentioned on Atari 50, but not much), despite being a huge part of its legacy. 

The Atari 8-bit line was the most impressive of the 8-bit systems overall, the ST was a very well received and supported 16 bit machine, and the Atari Lynx was truly impressive, innovative, and ahead of its time. 

I'd really like to see these legacy systems get more love from Atari. They certainly have their fanbases. 

Edited September 8, 2023 by Mercenary

[TrogdarRobusto]

1 minute ago, M-S said:

It's not that we think that the crypto stuff just wasn't well executed, we think that the entire concept of Atari getting into that stuff is bad. Even if there's a great virtual museum inside this "Metaverse" it would just be better at a place that doesn't require registering into a speculative value scheme from a company that could go bankrupt tomorrow.

I get it, some of the partnerships Atari got into Wade and team unwound really, really quick because we didn't like them either. 

But remove the speculative aspect of the equation and view it through that lens. You could argue that the crypto bros hijacked the technology ... I mean, that is just so how people are. If we get a whiff of a get rich quick scheme ... off to the races. But there is also a cohort of people who see beyond the hype and look at the underlying value of innovation. If an NFT had no monetary value beyond unlocking an asset or experience, or both ... then to me it becomes a really flexible, easy to create key.
 

[TrogdarRobusto]

3 minutes ago, Mercenary said:

The Atari 8-bit line was the most impressive of the 8-bit systems overall, the ST was a very well received and supported 16 bit machine, and the Atari Lynx was a truly impressive, innovative, and ahead of its time system. 

I'd really like to see these legacy systems get more love from Atari. They certainly have their fanbases. 
 

100% you will see Atari ST projects down the road. What they are specifically, I cannot say. But there is so much good content from that era it would be a crime not to share it more broadly. This is an area where I think we are all aligned. 

[BIGHMW]

@TrogdarRobusto IMPORTANT question regarding support for the 5200:

 

Will there, sometime in the short future some in house development of original 5200 titles that will be available on both cartridge and on ROM (.bin) format for purchase and as for accessories and/or replacement parts and service for existing vintage 5200 consoles and accessories like the CX53 trak-ball and the CX55 VCS (2600) adapter, will that also be ramped up again for the first time on nearly 30 years??? What about the possibility of a 5200+ in the short future as well as perhaps a smaller version of the 5200 much like the famed but unreleased "5100" (a.k.a. "5200 Jr." - model no. CX5100) prototype that came out in 1983 but was never released?

[TrogdarRobusto]

22 minutes ago, famicommander said:

Then what in god's name are you doing with those MyArcade devices ....

I mean, those aren't even out yet. 

[TrogdarRobusto]

40 minutes ago, zzip said:

Yeah plenty of products back then that were questionable.    

One could argue majestic failure is in our DNA ... Nolan talks about that all the time ... https://www.gamedeveloper.com/console/how-failure-copycats-and-flops-helped-atari-find-success

[famicommander]

2 minutes ago, TrogdarRobusto said:

I mean, those aren't even out yet. 

Reviewers have them in their hands. We've seen the Pocket and the little tabletop Micro Player Pro arcade machine in action and the emulation on them is visibly awful. Screens aren't good either. 

Edited September 8, 2023 by famicommander

[TrogdarRobusto]

4 minutes ago, famicommander said:

Reviewers have them in their hands. We've seen the Pocket and the and the little tabletop Micro Player Pro arcade machine in action and the emulation on them is visibly awful. Screens aren't good either. 

I don't like hearing that. But, I will pass on the feedback.

Just watched the GenXGrownUp review ... he calls if out for some flaws but recommends it. I will look for more. If you have links send them my way, but lets do that in another thread ... way off topic.

Edited September 8, 2023 by TrogdarRobusto

[BIGHMW]

For @TrogdarRobusto

 

 

 

 

 

 

The unreleased Atari "5200 Jr." (a.k.a. the 5100 model no. CX5100) I mentioned in my previous post.

 

Please also note that if and when you do decide to put one out or do development on one, that please make sure that you incorporate a 4-port BIOS in her for full compatibility with all existing and future 5200 titles and also that she will fully support all future and current homebrews and both generations of the Atarimax Ultimate SD multicart and the 128-in-1 cart and USB cart too.

 

 

Edited September 8, 2023 by BIGHMW
spelling error

[famicommander]

1 minute ago, TrogdarRobusto said:

I don't like hearing that. But, I will pass on the feedback and look for reviews. 

Didn't you guys try these devices yourselves? If you're really an Atari diehard it should be immediately obvious when you fire up a game that it's running at a lower speed, the music is off, and the flicker is more extreme than it should be. 

 

And, given the quality of other MyArcade devices, this should have been the expected result when you partnered with them in the first place. They are notoriously low quality devices despite relatively comparable prices to much higher quality Blaze/Evercade devices.

[zzip]

6 minutes ago, TrogdarRobusto said:

100% you will see Atari ST projects down the road. What they are specifically, I cannot say. But there is so much good content from that era it would be a crime not to share it more broadly. This is an area where I think we are all aligned. 

Yeah ST has an amazing library, but it was almost entirely due to third-parties. Last we checked, Atari seemed to have the rights to very little of it, which we supposed is why Atari 50 skipped the ST.

 

The recent Accolade/Microprose deal should help somewhat, but might this mean more license/acquisition deals are incoming?

[TrogdarRobusto]

1 minute ago, famicommander said:

Didn't you guys try these devices yourselves? If you're really an Atari diehard it should be immediately obvious when you fire up a game that it's running at a lower speed, the music is off, and the flicker is more extreme than it should be. 

 

And, given the quality of other MyArcade devices, this should have been the expected result when you partnered with them in the first place. They are notoriously low quality devices despite relatively comparable prices to much higher quality Blaze/Evercade devices.

You are comparing a $40 device to a $130 device.  I cannot speak to the performance, I haven't played it and I don't work directly on that part of the business. As I said I will check out the reviews. 

[TrogdarRobusto]

2 minutes ago, zzip said:

Yeah ST has an amazing library, but it was almost entirely due to third-parties. Last we checked, Atari seemed to have the rights to very little of it, which we supposed is why Atari 50 skipped the ST.

 

The recent Accolade/Microprose deal should help somewhat, but might this mean more license/acquisition deals are incoming?

True, we can't publish what we don't own. But we have acquired a lot more ST titles recently, as you note. We've had three catalog acquisition announcements in the last year I think. I can't speak to what may or may be not on the horizon (illegal).

Edited September 8, 2023 by TrogdarRobusto

[Mercenary]

24 minutes ago, TrogdarRobusto said:

100% you will see Atari ST projects down the road. What they are specifically, I cannot say. But there is so much good content from that era it would be a crime not to share it more broadly. This is an area where I think we are all aligned. 

What about a mini Lynx? Some guy recently put something together like that...

https://retrododo.com/atari-lynx-mini/

A bunch of built in games. And that's a winner right there.