Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

1 hour ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

 

Physical media games will be determined by what we think people will want the most.

Also want to add to that... it's what the RETAILERS want the most as well!

We are doing tons of exclusives with different retailers and no 2 retailers will be selling the same physical media (as of right now). 

Ciao Tommy, Regarding the costs,  So for us Canadians thats always has been a factor.. For example if a console costs $550 usd  for us its 1.3 x or more (dollars)depending on the exchange market and other costs the manufactures/retailers  adds for shipping ,tariffs ext... So that number always increases for us.. Is there anything being considered to help out foreign markets when the currency/shipping/tariffs  can be a huge price factor for which you have aimed for .. 

Really looking forward to 10/10/20 ... BTW my Daughter(19) and all her friends are so stoked  about this. The keep asking for updates and links to any info on the intellivision Amico !!!

Cheers 

14 hours ago, jaybird3rd said:

I liked Microsurgeon better on the 99/4A, but that may simply be because it's the version I played first.

 

If there is an updated version of Microsurgeon, I hope they also borrow some ideas from a late-80s Activision game called "Laser Surgeon: The Microscopic Mission."  It takes the basic premise of Microsurgeon and adds a first-person perspective; it's like an interactive version of Fantastic Voyage.

Didn't know about this 1987 DOS game from activision.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4rFlJiSHhsg

While it may have been the original concept for Intellivision Microsurgeon, there won't be any first person shooters on Amico.  By the way, Microsurgeon is the only twin stick/disc shooter on Intellivision.

1 hour ago, mr_me said:

Didn't know about this 1987 DOS game from activision.

 

While it may have been the original concept for Intellivision Microsurgeon, there won't be any first person shooters on Amico.  By the way, Microsurgeon is the only twin stick/disc shooter on Intellivision.

Well, Laser Surgeon couldn't have been "the original concept for Intellivision Microsurgeon," because Microsurgeon came years earlier.  Also, would a Laser Surgeon style game really fall into the category of a "first-person shooter"?  Sure, it's in a first-person perspective, and you're zapping blood clots and the like, but when most people hear the term "first-person shooter," they think of Doom or Call of Duty, not a relatively slow-paced educational game like Laser Surgeon.

1 hour ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Also want to add to that... it's what the RETAILERS want the most as well!

We are doing tons of exclusives with different retailers and no 2 retailers will be selling the same physical media (as of right now). 

 

 

I hope intellivisionamico.com will notify us which physical media is available at which retailers.  I don't know for sure but that might be hard to keep track of.  Also, I hope the retailers with physical exclusives will have a Canadian presence.

51 minutes ago, jaybird3rd said:

Well, Laser Surgeon couldn't have been "the original concept for Intellivision Microsurgeon," because Microsurgeon came years earlier.  Also, would a Laser Surgeon style game really fall into the category of a "first-person shooter"?  Sure, it's in a first-person perspective, and you're zapping blood clots and the like, but when most people hear the term "first-person shooter," they think of Doom or Call of Duty, not a relatively slow-paced educational game like Laser Surgeon.

Nevertheless, a first person perspective microsurgeon was started at imagic in 1982 but abandoned because it didn't look good enough.  You can hear about it in the programmer interview on the intellivisionairies podcast.

22 minutes ago, mr_me said:

Nevertheless, a first person perspective microsurgeon was started at imagic in 1982 but abandoned because it didn't look good enough.  You can hear about it in the programmer interview on the intellivisionairies podcast.

Ah, so when you said "it was the original concept", you were referring to the first-person perspective and not specifically to Laser Surgeon.  Thanks for the clarification.  (I think I need some more coffee.)  I'll have to check out the podcast!

I personally would like ONE, just ONE game system that 1st person games do not exist, and resent any suggestions to shove them in. 

I know I have no real say or power in Amico, or any other platform, but isn't 99.98% of the gaming market enough for the pushy FPS fans?

6 minutes ago, Blarneo said:

I personally would like ONE, just ONE game system that 1st person games do not exist, and resent any suggestions to shove them in. 

I know I have no real say or power in Amico, or any other platform, but isn't 99.98% of the gaming market enough for the pushy FPS fans?

What an odd complaint.  

23 minutes ago, Blarneo said:

I personally would like ONE, just ONE game system that 1st person games do not exist, and resent any suggestions to shove them in. 

I know I have no real say or power in Amico, or any other platform, but isn't 99.98% of the gaming market enough for the pushy FPS fans?

I know this is all theoretical, and that ultimately it's all up to Intellivison Entertainment.  But again, I have to wonder whether lumping the likes of Laser Surgeon in with Doom and Call of Duty isn't stretching the category of "first-person shooter" beyond all recognition.

I understand why the people behind the Amico would want to avoid FPS games, but think about the definition of FPS: "a video game genre centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective" (according to Wikipedia).  Laser Surgeon has no guns, and there's no combat ... in other words, it has nothing in common whatsoever with FPS games except for its first-person perspective, and it would be highly unlikely to appeal to "pushy FPS fans."

It seems to me that the Amico wants to avoid the FPS genre specifically, not the entire idea of putting a game in first-person perspective.  Would updated versions of "Treasure of Tarmin" or "League of Light" be considered FPS games just because they're in first-person?

Is Worm Whomper not a shooter?  Treasure of Tarmin without role playing elements would be a first person shooter.  [Or maybe a first person action-adventure.  So Microsurgeon could be a first person action-adventure game.]

The problem with first person perspective games for Amico is the local multiplayer aspect.

1 hour ago, jaybird3rd said:

I know this is all theoretical, and that ultimately it's all up to Intellivison Entertainment.  But again, I have to wonder whether lumping the likes of Laser Surgeon in with Doom and Call of Duty isn't stretching the category of "first-person shooter" beyond all recognition.

 

I understand why the people behind the Amico would want to avoid FPS games, but think about the definition of FPS: "a video game genre centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective" (according to Wikipedia).  Laser Surgeon has no guns, and there's no combat ... in other words, it has nothing in common whatsoever with FPS games except for its first-person perspective, and it would be highly unlikely to appeal to "pushy FPS fans."

 

It seems to me that the Amico wants to avoid the FPS genre specifically, not the entire idea of putting a game in first-person perspective.  Would updated versions of "Treasure of Tarmin" or "League of Light" be considered FPS games just because they're in first-person?

I don't care. I don't even want Escape from the Mindmaster.

17 minutes ago, Blarneo said:

I don't care. I don't even want Escape from the Mindmaster.

Star Raiders?

2 hours ago, mr_me said:

Star Raiders?

Nope, it's first-person.  That apparently makes it an evil FPS.

First person shooter, apparently:

7 hours ago, m-crew said:

Ciao Tommy, Regarding the costs,  So for us Canadians thats always has been a factor.. For example if a console costs $550 usd  for us its 1.3 x or more (dollars)depending on the exchange market and other costs the manufactures/retailers  adds for shipping ,tariffs ext... So that number always increases for us.. Is there anything being considered to help out foreign markets when the currency/shipping/tariffs  can be a huge price factor for which you have aimed for .. 

 

Really looking forward to 10/10/20 ... BTW my Daughter(19) and all her friends are so stoked  about this. The keep asking for updates and links to any info on the intellivision Amico !!!

 

Cheers 

 

 

Yes.  Absolutely a big consideration!  We've been looking at price considerations for the Canadian market, Mexico, Europe, UK, Australia, ALL of South America, India and the Middle East.  Every territory has its challenges and manufacturing hubs.  So many different shipping, taxes, warehousing, etc.  It's a logistical nightmare that luckily we have the strongest partners who have done it a million times.  It's just a matter of figuring out margins vs. marketing spend, etc. (after everyone gets their cuts). 

 

7 hours ago, mr_me said:

Didn't know about this 1987 DOS game from activision.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4rFlJiSHhsg

 

While it may have been the original concept for Intellivision Microsurgeon, there won't be any first person shooters on Amico.  By the way, Microsurgeon is the only twin stick/disc shooter on Intellivision.

My vision for Microsurgeon is to make it like a 2D shooter... but one that you need to think about exactly what you want to shoot.  A thinking person's 2D shooter.  But not an insanely hard 2D shooter.  Something casuals can handle as well.

6 hours ago, insertclevernamehere said:

I hope intellivisionamico.com will notify us which physical media is available at which retailers.  I don't know for sure but that might be hard to keep track of.  Also, I hope the retailers with physical exclusives will have a Canadian presence.

Yep!  Absolutely!

Very important.

5 hours ago, Blarneo said:

I personally would like ONE, just ONE game system that 1st person games do not exist, and resent any suggestions to shove them in. 

I know I have no real say or power in Amico, or any other platform, but isn't 99.98% of the gaming market enough for the pushy FPS fans?

I agree.  I can't see a situation where we would have a typical/traditional FPS.  Never want to say "never"... but at this point it seems highly unlikely.

That being said... would a game like B-17 Bomber be considered a FPS?  You're in first person and dropping bombs.  I would say "no" it isn't.  When I say no FPS's I'm talking Halo, COD, etc.

 

Not first person... But isn't Astrosmash a "shooter" or Night Stalker where your very first task is to grab a gun?  (I put a lot of hours into both of these!)

I guess violence against US robots is still okay     LOL.

I remember crazy people talking about Star Strike as too violent for children.  Now the children of these parents make us label Sesame Street DVD's with a warning, "not suitable for children".⚠️

I guess the warning is... Look out, if your kids watch this, they MAY learn... Letters, Numbers and worst of all... To THINK!

I don't personally play modern graphically violent games at all, but I still play Rush 'n Attack!  I shoot, stab and use a flame thrower at "I guess Russians?" and think the game is fun.

But it is not bloody or gory.  It's pixelated magic!

Burger Time or is it Burgertime? Anyway,  Killer Pickles, Eggs and Hot Dogs oh my.  

All I am trying to say is...  I think Tommy has a plan, Provide suggestion and feedback etc.  But let's not try to limit beyond the scope of Tommy's vision.

Otherwise we will find a segment of people that think pacman is too violent because ghost's are chasing a "Pac Man", not a MAN Man...

Or it encourages over eating or some other BS!

1 hour ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

I can't see a situation where we would have a typical/traditional FPS.  Never want to say "never"... but at this point it seems highly unlikely.
 

Four-player splitscreen was tons of fun in days of yore.  Maybe a paintball or laser game?  NERF(tm)? 

Of course, one problem is everyone's so used to giant screens. It doesn't matter that 1/4 of a TV today might be nearly same size we used to split-screen on decades ago.  🤣

I also agree that 4 player split screen games based on paintball, water guns or tanks/robots would work fine in the Amico, at least as an available option. Several of us suggested this a few weeks ago in this other thread. But I'm afraid we won't see it, as Tommy believes split screen games are too complicated and can scare potential casual gamers (I remember he said that they make players feel disconnected from each other a few pages earlier in this thread).

For me, this is a bit contradictory, because a Wolfenstein 3D non-violent clone (without the ability to look up and down) would be more simple to play that some of the classic Intellivision games, such as AD&D: Cloudy Mountain.

In any case (and sorry for the double post), I'm sure hundreds of homebrew Amico games will be released at some point, and some of these will probably be FPS or 3D games. Take a look at this awesome C64 game that is about to be released (and I'm not even a C64 fan). I hope the Amico will someday have a powerful homebrew scene too.

People are twisting my words into something ridiculous. 

I have played enough Mysts, Dragon Ages, Turing Effects, Watchdogs, Metal GearSolids, The Stations, etc. and I'm pretty much jaded on them. I was never a fan of the old Tarmin/Mindmaster type of down the corridor, turn the corner and-Oops! A monster! 🙄 First person 3D games are more than just the COD type shooters, and I'm tired of them too. I do like Out Run/Sonic All Star Kart/Forza type racing games & have no big thing against space flight games, except Star Raiders and Mattel's Galactica '79 rip off (Space Battle) were boring. 

Worm Whomper, Astrosmash, Space Invaders, MUSHA, R-Type & Galaga are 2D shooters. Those are great! I love them. Not the same. I'm fine with parallax, 3/4 perspective and to a point, isometric layouts (thought Zaxxon was irritating).

It's just that I see Tommy saying what he's gonna do (2½ D) and at least 4 times in these hundred pages I see "How about a 3D game!" trying to move that Overton window to where the XStations already cater to that crowd.

17 hours ago, 1980gamer said:

Not first person... But isn't Astrosmash a "shooter" or Night Stalker where your very first task is to grab a gun?  (I put a lot of hours into both of these!)

 

I guess violence against US robots is still okay     LOL.

 

I remember crazy people talking about Star Strike as too violent for children.  Now the children of these parents make us label Sesame Street DVD's with a warning, "not suitable for children".⚠️

I guess the warning is... Look out, if your kids watch this, they MAY learn... Letters, Numbers and worst of all... To THINK!

 

I don't personally play modern graphically violent games at all, but I still play Rush 'n Attack!  I shoot, stab and use a flame thrower at "I guess Russians?" and think the game is fun.

But it is not bloody or gory.  It's pixelated magic!

 

Burger Time or is it Burgertime? Anyway,  Killer Pickles, Eggs and Hot Dogs oh my.  

All I am trying to say is...  I think Tommy has a plan, Provide suggestion and feedback etc.  But let's not try to limit beyond the scope of Tommy's vision.

 

Otherwise we will find a segment of people that think pacman is too violent because ghost's are chasing a "Pac Man", not a MAN Man...

Or it encourages over eating or some other BS!

 

 

For an E10+ rating a video game can have violence as long as it's easily distinguishable from real life.

3 hours ago, IntelliMission said:

In any case (and sorry for the double post), I'm sure hundreds of homebrew Amico games will be released at some point, and some of these will probably be FPS or 3D games. Take a look at this awesome C64 game that is about to be released (and I'm not even a C64 fan). I hope the Amico will someday have a powerful homebrew scene too.

Amico is a closed system.  You'd have to hack it to get those games on there.

3 minutes ago, Blarneo said:

...

 

It's just that I see Tommy saying what he's gonna do (2½ D) and at least 4 times in these hundred pages I see "How about a 3D game!" trying to move that Overton window to where the XStations already cater to that crowd.

This is a good point.  First person perspective games will draw comparisons to the more expensive games on other systems which is what Intellivision Entertainment wants to avoid.