Fort Apocalypse Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 BTW I think it would be wise of Atari to remove cartridge roms from websites. I know that Atari fans wouldn't be happy about this, but it least it would stop the Gameport people from cashing in on Atari's software. Although I appreciate that people need to get paid for their good work, I also think it is better for the old game authors, and even more so the retrogaming industry, that you encourage rather than discourage playing of those >20 year old games whether it be via emulation or actual hardware. Then when you get everyone you can into those games, they are much more likely to buy console and portable units that can in turn pay some licensing fees for the games packaged with them (or in carts for the FB3 it would seem). So I'd vote for not really jumping on anyone else's site with lawyers. You don't want to make the retrogaming community mad or they won't buy any more (or as many) products IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercat Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 * The target market was too small. There were a lot of people that wanted to play Atari games with real old style atari joysticks in the general market when the FB2 came out, but assuming that the same or even more people would pay $10 more to get a portable version was probably wishful thinking. I don't know about that. Many of the Atari games are good for wasting little bits of time here and there--just the sort of thing portables are good for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 * The target market was too small. There were a lot of people that wanted to play Atari games with real old style atari joysticks in the general market when the FB2 came out, but assuming that the same or even more people would pay $10 more to get a portable version was probably wishful thinking. I don't know about that. Many of the Atari games are good for wasting little bits of time here and there--just the sort of thing portables are good for. Yes, they're fun -- I don't think anyone would argue that. The question is whether or not they'd sell enough to make the risky manufacturing venture worthwhile. I know I'd buy one, but there's a lot of competition out there for the portable game dollar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Yes, they're fun -- I don't think anyone would argue that. The question is whether or not they'd sell enough to make the risky manufacturing venture worthwhile. I know I'd buy one, but there's a lot of competition out there for the portable game dollar. Price is key. Why did the games on a stick sell? Because they were inexpensive impulse buys. This is especially true now as some of the older ones like the Intellivision ones are getting blown out for $10 or less. They wouldn't have sold if they were true portables with LCDs on them at a Gameboy Micro ~$100 pricepoint. Curt was trying to carve out a new niche smack dab between the fixed games on a stick that need to be tethered to a TV and a true reprogrammable portable system. There are still some opportunities to be had in this space without being seen as going head-to-head with Nintendo and Sony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercat Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Price is key. Why did the games on a stick sell? Because they were inexpensive impulse buys. This is especially true now as some of the older ones like the Intellivision ones are getting blown out for $10 or less. They wouldn't have sold if they were true portables with LCDs on them at a Gameboy Micro ~$100 pricepoint. Would a dual-scan non-TFT display be practical ([160x3]x[96x2])? A display buffer would probably be necessary, but I don't think an extra 32K of RAM should cost too much. Even non-grayscale drivers might suffice if one could overclock the display scan rate to 420Hz or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathanallan Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 no fb2 portable = looks like Atari lost me permanently then they can go fudge them selfs I'm glad I'm not the only one miffed about this development, though I'm not giving up hope. Curt, are the bigwigs at Atari aware of all this talk?? nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfranklin Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Anyone want a sack of atari tax documents from 1982? You actually own these documents? ok, after reading the other posts I realize you're kidding also. Sounds like Curt owns some of these rare papers, though! I'm still pleased to hear that Atari hasn't given up on the FBP and the FB3 yet. I can wait until next year for them to get these products to the store shelf! no i'm sorry it was meant to be a joke, but i misjudged the ravenous appetites of the atari fanbase that's me, a"ravenous" Atari fan (much to my wife's dismay)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimo Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 maybe Curt could get a couple of hundred "Prototypes" made up for the AA forum users Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 maybe Curt could get a couple of hundred "Prototypes" made up for the AA forum users That would be most excellent, actually .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gambler172 Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Hi Guys i hope,we will see a portable Flashback 2,one day????? greetings gambler172 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekkiELO Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Atari Flashback 3 is now coming sooner than we thought* Please, please, please include Fort Apocalypse in one of the carts that are sold. And you gotta have M.U.L.E. on there, it's what the Atari 800 was all about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werejag Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 im thru with smoke and mirrors. show me the goods and stop pulling my chain. wishful thinking was over 6 months ago. now its time for some action and no bs no fb2 portable = looks like Atari lost me permanently then they can go fudge them selfs I was really disappointed also when I first saw Curt's post about that. But I got over it, because: There would have been problems with sales and support * The target market was too small. There were a lot of people that wanted to play Atari games with real old style atari joysticks in the general market when the FB2 came out, but assuming that the same or even more people would pay $10 more to get a portable version was probably wishful thinking. * The support costs could have been much higher than the FB2 because of things like people crying that their game they loaded didn't work, or they had chosen a 2 player game since the majority of games support 2 players. The cheap way to handle this was to put 2 DB-9s on it and then if people had usability issues around 2 player games, Atari could say that they could use the FB2 controllers, but then people would get upset about that. Also sharing the screen with two controllers attached would have been a little clunky since the device was light. They could have also responded that the customer could use the A/V connector to a T.V., but the customer would argue the whole point of a portable is not to require a T.V. Another much more expensive way to handle it would have been to have the bottom part of the device slide out to reveal a detachable part of the device (connected by wire) with a second TFT, controller button, and fire button. However, THAT would have definitely driven the price out of the target market. There is still hope for the obsessed * Atari could sell the rights to the FB2 portable to someone else who could handle a more limited target market and increase the price to sell on a geek toys site, AtariAge, etc. * Curt said he may be selling one or more prototypes on eBay * If Atari tanks at Infogrames and there is enough interest in Atari, someone else with more money may buy up Atari and take on the FB2 portable despite the risks mentioned above, or maybe to create a beefed up legacy console: http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?s...t=#entry1327594 * I think I saw a thread where someone was using an http://www.vgwiz.com/a26maxicart.html with the FB2 to dump roms... Naybe loading games on the FB2 may work with the cartridge port hack and an A26 maxicart for those willing to try. Don't blame me if it doesn't work though- I haven't tried it. * http://www.atariage.com/2600/emulation/index.php * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GP2X Atari Flashback 3 is now coming sooner than we thought * Please, please, please include Fort Apocalypse in one of the carts that are sold. I smell a free car wash or maybe a gift certificate to Chili's for Curt if this happens! (you have the "power of influence"!) * Plan is to have SD support (memory stick) via carts that contain them * If you buy one, Atari makes money and is more likely to continue producing legacy gaming consoles and possible portables Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercat Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 And you gotta have M.U.L.E. on there, it's what the Atari 800 was all about! Star Raiders is the key to the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigO Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Looks like I'm back to searching out a FB2 compatible composite video LCD or perusing the FB2 specs to figure out if it really does support RGB as it appears that it might. If I can figure out the RGB thing (the more likely of the two prospects), I've got a Nomad that might become an Atari portable. Oh well, maybe one of these days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werejag Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Looks like I'm back to searching out a FB2 compatible composite video LCD or perusing the FB2 specs to figure out if it really does support RGB as it appears that it might. If I can figure out the RGB thing (the more likely of the two prospects), I've got a Nomad that might become an Atari portable. Oh well, maybe one of these days... keep us informed please. seems we are left in the dark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 im thru with smoke and mirrors. show me the goods and stop pulling my chain. wishful thinking was over 6 months ago. now its time for some action and no bs Yep. This Apple-rumor-style speculation is kind of pointless. Curt is more than willing to let us know the details when the time is right. Everybody just sit tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathanallan Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 see my signature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 see my signature Stayyy on target. Aaalmost there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalemFrost7800 Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 see my signature Stayyy on target. Aaalmost there. Although I will still buy a Portable Atari when it's released I just couldn't wait any long so I went ahead and bought a GP2X, it's due to arrive at my house today.....man this is going to be a long day at work!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werejag Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 im thru with smoke and mirrors. show me the goods and stop pulling my chain. wishful thinking was over 6 months ago. now its time for some action and no bs Yep. This Apple-rumor-style speculation is kind of pointless. Curt is more than willing to let us know the details when the time is right. Everybody just sit tight. i thank curt for all he has done and i have no ill will but i will not wait around being a sycophant for Atari anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raskar42 Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 im thru with smoke and mirrors. show me the goods and stop pulling my chain. wishful thinking was over 6 months ago. now its time for some action and no bs Yep. This Apple-rumor-style speculation is kind of pointless. Curt is more than willing to let us know the details when the time is right. Everybody just sit tight. i thank curt for all he has done and i have no ill will but i will not wait around being a sycophant for Atari anymore. i wish i could be so genererous but i have to confess my will is indeed ill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalemFrost7800 Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 I started a new GP2X thread so we don't junk up this thread... Click here to discuss the GP2X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atwwong Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 I started a new GP2X thread so we don't junk up this thread... Click here to discuss the GP2X Thank you, Tim! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2KFREEKER Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Damn, seems like Curt really was shooting for this thing to happen. I don't see Atari's reasoning for not selling them. Even if they realease a few thousand at $40.00 a pop, people will buy them and Atari would reap the benefits of the system sales as long as there is support of said machine. Well, here's hopeing for The Flashback 3 sometime this decade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari.fr Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 hi And thanks curt for the pictures. i was very busy the last 2 years, and i discovered the Flashback 2 only for the US + canada ? who is the constructor / designer for FB1 , FB2 and FB2 portable ? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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