Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

33 minutes ago, SegaSnatcher said:

Hmmm, I honestly think that might be the biggest mistake not to have any kind of online infrastructure ready at launch.  Online Multiplayer is simply too important to ignore as this is relevant to both casual and core gamers. People want the convenience to play with their friends online, its the standard in modern gaming.

So they decided they weren’t going to split their focus at launch with online multiplayer because it would add a lot to the cost of the launch and game development, however I believe and Tommy can correct me if I am mistaken but there is the plan to have occasional online tournaments sponsored by Intellivision and although it may not have online play out of the box you will still be able to compete online with the time and space leader board since that’s where achievements will come from (think top 10 on arcade machine) 

He also mentioned if there is a big enough interest in online play from the people who buy it it very well could be a more flushed out option in the future I am hoping online eventually happens as I’m disabled and don’t travel well and my family is pretty spread out so being able to play with online with them eventually is something I’m looking forward to hopefully happening 

2 minutes ago, SegaSnatcher said:

Why not have both?  The big three might be focused on online multiplayer, but there are still tons of couch multiplayer experiences available, especially with the Switch.  Playing Mario Kart 8 or Smash Bros is fun as hell both online and on the couch with your buddies.  People should have more choices, not less.

Like stated it isn't out of the picture but the initial focus is couch co-op which I think is great. Wife and I like Battlefront 2 but oh, one of us has to just sit there and watch...

I would compare it to the Switches online store at the beginning of its life. 

3 hours ago, Alpha82 said:

I am really enjoying the measured transparency of Intellivision throughout this process they are giving out information as they can and holding close to things as behind the scenes things are handled like all the patents. This is THE console I will buy next generation I enjoyed my PS3 I never picked up a 4 but I’m ready for simple easy to play games 

 

I am sure I will enjoy all the reimagined classics the game I wonder about most from a graphic prospect is Intellivision Horse Racing I wonder if the horses will look like normal horses with colored blankets with numbers like real racing or if the horses will be rainbow colored like in the Wizard of Oz and the original game, personally I’m hoping for option2.  Other than that I’m most excited about the Original IPs though over time I plan on pretty much buying every game because I want to support Intellivision as best as I can 

glad to see i'm not the only person looking forward to a new Intellivision horse racing game lol 

5 hours ago, Loafer said:

 

my own concerns are on the games pricing model; I'm not sure you can get decent 3rd party teams to create a deep enough casual friendly game if are forced to sell the game at $7-$8 at most (understanding that the Amico team get's an obvious cut out of every sale).

Thanks for the great responses and comments.  For the concern described above... we've only officially announced that the digital download versions of the games will be $9.99 or less... but that doesn't mean we won't have very special physical copies as well.  So the margins are a little bigger yet still completely fair for everyone.  But from a developer side, remember that typically they are taking all of the risk (or are crowd-funded) to create a product with zero marketing support in hopes that they can at least make their money back from all their sweat equity.  What we're doing is saying...  Create your vision on Amico.  We'll pay for it 100% and will give you all the art, audio, testing and programming/optimizing help you need AND we'll market it for you AND you get royalties if the game does reasonably well.  So we are helping really great developers get their dream gig on a simple to use platform which takes minimal resources and time to get perfect (i.e. 6 - 8 person teams working 6 - 9 months)... as opposed to 15 - 20 person teams working 2 years on $2M+ budget/risk.

All of the developers are super excited and happy to be working with us and can't believe how great the relationship has been so far and all of the help and resources we've provided. 

We all know what it's like because most of us at the company have been on the "other side" (i.e. developers) for 30 - 40 years.

Thanks again for helping me fight the good fight and I look forward to hopefully playing Amico with you in the future!

4 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

I'm not sure no DLC would be a turn off. Instead of making DLC you could, you know, make a sequel?

 

Think about having to have Mario 1 and 2 to be able to play Mario 3? Think of a 'DLC' attachment (like sonic and knuckles) and using that instead of a new cartridge? And think about how much DLC costs for it NOT being a new game. I can buy an Amico for the same price as like one game plus all the DLC on my Xbox. Lol

 

I don't eat my bread/dough half baked. Stop handing me a half baked game (demo?) and telling me I have to pay double to have a full game. Yay DLC!!!

EXACTLY!!!

I'd rather have someone buy a really excellent high quality Intellivision Skiing game with 5 - 7 different mountains... and then a year later come out with Intellivision Skiing II with 10 more mountains/tracks/environments, different clothing/characters, and another new "mode".  But let the customer decide if they want it or not.  And if we've done our job right on the first game... then you'll have an absolute built-in audience for the next one. 

3 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

EXACTLY!!!

I'd rather have someone buy a really excellent high quality Intellivision Skiing game with 5 - 7 different mountains... and then a year later come out with Intellivision Skiing II with 10 more mountains/tracks/environments, different clothing/characters, and another new "mode".  But let the customer decide if they want it or not.  And if we've done our job right on the first game... then you'll have an absolute built-in audience for the next one.  

With the type of budgets you are aiming for how can you promise any games with great depth?  Seems like the type of games that could happen on such a low budget/dev time is shallow arcade style games where you play for a few minutes and move on.  Games with actual depth take time and at least a somewhat decent budget behind them.  

4 hours ago, SegaSnatcher said:

Well they are hyping this project up on a daily basis without showing much. Its true we don't know the list of launch games, but if games like B-17 Bomber remake and Microsurgeon is what gets Tommy excited for about his Amico project then I personally don't have much hope for the system to have any real mass appeal.

Um... I've never said that.  If you watch or read any of my interviews from this year I always talk about our 4 prong approach to software.  Reimagined (new graphics/audio) Retro games complete with local multiplayer couch co-op & versus modes only represent 25% of our library.  Tell me... what was the killer app for the Wii?  A mere simple bowling demo.  Well... we'll have that times 10. 

But again... I need to add that your vision of what people will want and play is totally skewed to your own world and bubble.  If you don't think an updated version of a game like Microsurgeon would sell... then your only viewing the world through your own eyes.  I'm guessing you absolutely HATED the idea of the Nintendo Wii when you first heard about it.  I'm assuming you've NEVER played Roblox or Minecraft and you've probably NEVER spent money on Angry Birds or Candy Crush. 

Bottom line... just because you may not like something and have your own opinions about certain things (such as Amico looking like a baby monitor) doesn't mean the rest of the world does.  

 

4 hours ago, insertclevernamehere said:

I went from not at all interested to intrigued but convinced it will fail to very interested and confident it has a chance of success as I've read articles and watched vids all about it.  Especially after watching a 30 minute interview with Tommy Tallarico.  That guy's enthusiasm sure is infectious.  As a modern and retro gamer, it's not something I want for my mancave but something I'd want in the family room.  My teen kids and my wife mostly game on their phones and it would be great to have something we can play as a family.  And when my kids are at uni, which won't be that long after the Amico's launched, it can be something my wife and I can play together.  After all, her taste in tv sucks, she thinks my Atari and Colecovision games are too old with crappy graphics and she refuses to try and figure out how to play a modern, 3D videogame.  This console is the perfect compromise for us.  I wish it every success and look forward to finding out more in the coming months.

Thanks for your story and thank-you for keeping an open mind along the way!!

You are very similar to all of the focus testing we have done... and a lot of folks don't even play the retro stuff... they are just looking for something they do together as a family in the living room.

Thanks again!  Can't wait to hear stories of you and your family playing together next year!!

4 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Um... I've never said that.  If you watch or read any of my interviews from this year I always talk about our 4 prong approach to software.  Reimagined (new graphics/audio) Retro games complete with local multiplayer couch co-op & versus modes only represent 25% of our library.  Tell me... what was the killer app for the Wii?  A mere simple bowling demo.  Well... we'll have that times 10. 

But again... I need to add that your vision of what people will want and play is totally skewed to your own world and bubble.  If you don't think an updated version of a game like Microsurgeon would sell... then your only viewing the world through your own eyes.  I'm guessing you absolutely HATED the idea of the Nintendo Wii when you first heard about it.  I'm assuming you've NEVER played Roblox or Minecraft and you've probably NEVER spent money on Angry Birds or Candy Crush. 

Bottom line... just because you may not like something and have your own opinions about certain things (such as Amico looking like a baby monitor) doesn't mean the rest of the world does.  

 

No, I bought a Wii at launch because of Zelda and to try out Wii Sports. The Wii was the right product at the right time.  It offered casuals something that no other platform holder was offering.  

In 2019 that same casual market has moved on to mobile devices and seem quite happy with them.  

Of course I played those casual games you speak of.  Thats the point, the casual market has their fix already.

4 hours ago, SegaSnatcher said:

I can understand removing M rated game, but T rated games by far have some of the most popular titles
 

The fact that these words came out of your mouth goes to show how little you know about the video game industry as a whole.  No sense in trying to have an intelligent discussion with someone who is convinced and thinks they know so much... yet knows so little.

3 hours ago, boxpressed said:

It would be kind of cool if the new AA software had some kind of icon telling everyone whether the user has raised children so that we could ignore opinions about children from those who have never raised children.

HAHAHAHHAA!!  Exactly.

Folks who are mad at us for not wanting Foul & Abusive Language and Mild Blood (i.e. TEEN) clearly do not have have kids and/or have never raised them.

Something so obvious that they just don't understand.  Which is fine... but telling us we're doing it all wrong and we're going to fail... is where opinion crosses over to naivety.

4 hours ago, imstarryeyed said:

Ok sorry I am going into opinion / academic mode here...

 

The thing I have to remind myself is that people opinions on whether the Amico or anything will succeed or fail is just an opinion, often pulled from imagination.  I always have to think about my check list:

 

1) How does this person or group know what they are talking about?  Are they just saying "facts" in hopes I believe them? 

 

2) Most importantly do their "facts" actual have any data to back it up? Like actual articles, studies, or relevant links to prove they are not just blowing smoke?

 

Anytime I hear phrases like...

 

"..no one is going to buy product X..." (really did you somehow poll everyone!? I don't remember you asking me)

 

"..why would Group X use or buy this when Product Y exists?" (But people eat more than 1 candy bar brand or drink soda when water is cheap or free... people can cook at home and not spend money to eat but still eat at expensive restaurants as well etc...)

 

"..your product is only going to appeal to group X ..." (How do you know this, did you do a marketing study and realize only group X is willing to buy?)

 

"... if you only added feature X or remove feature Y then this product is going to sell millions..." (Millions? I mean is your network of millions of people telling you about specific features of a product not out yet; telling you to axe or add things? Are they time travellers?)

 

"... just look at how X sold.. that proves this new Y will succeed / fail..." (... don't go to movies anymore, movie X was a theatrical bomb...this movie fad thing has run its course...")

 

and many others... 

 

In engineering we used to say, "When it comes to "facts", trust no one without good data!"

 

After spending 11 years at my store doing sales and marketing, I had learned that what you THINK customers will want is almost always the opposite  of what will will actually buy, without real marketing research and footwork.

 

Opinions are great and welcomed, but make sure people know its just your opinion.

 

Ok sorry about my marketing / debate opinion rant..

 

 

 

Absolute GENIUS post!  I agree with 100% of everything stated.

And the funny thing to me is that we've actual spent the money and done a ton of research (and continue to do so) which I state in most of the interviews I've done.

Yet someone with no kids and an "opinion" is going to tell me how I'm doing it all wrong and the project is going to fail (without ever even seeing a single game or playing the system).

The human mind is really boggling to me sometimes.

1 minute ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

The fact that these words came out of your mouth goes to show how little you know about the video game industry as a whole.  No sense in trying to have an intelligent discussion with someone who is convinced and thinks they know so much... yet knows so little.

What I said is true.  A lot of huge franchises are T rated.  I didn't say T rated games have more huge franchises than E rated games, but you are limiting a large amount of potentially great content with your E rating limitation.  This is not debatable.  To say this isn't true tells me you don't really pay much attention to what people are playing these days.  You clearly have a specific vision, but I just feel your vision is going to hold back the Amico greatly.  Your restrictions will do more harm than good in my honest opinion. I'm a huge gamer in terms of both retro and modern, so I'm not coming with any bias.  I'm just looking at the Amico at face value with the information that has been released so far. I realize more announcements will come in the future, but first impressions are important and currently I don't see the appeal other than for those people pushing 50 yrs of age who you have great nostalgia for INTV.  

I do wish you luck though. I'd love to be proven wrong and see this be a huge hit for you and your team. I don't at all want you to fail, just throwing out my concerns that is all.

3 hours ago, SegaSnatcher said:

2. Wait, you are telling me they have no intention of having any kind of online multiplayer?  Ummm, sorry but that is unacceptable for a console releasing in 2020. That is a must!!!  To deny online multiplayer is simply denying the standard feature gamers expect these days.  To believe people will accept the fact it doesn't have any online multiplayer because you might have a couple fun games shows to me that the people behind the Amico project are out of touch.  You can't reinvent the wheel by taking away popular features, you need to improve on them and or bring new things to the table that nobody else is doing that is actually interesting.  

4. Of course it is a retro inspired console.  They specifically talk about dedicated 2D hardware and the only games he's talked about so far are remakes of old classics and a new Earthworm Jim game which is a franchise that peaked in the 90s in terms of popularity. The controllers obviously draw inspiration from the original INTV controllers, but with a touch screen now and it won't even have online multiplayer if what you say is true.

2.  So... the modern Board Game industry that has gone up over 40% each year for the past 5 years is a huge failure?  Did the recent Nintendo Switch have online multiplayer when it launched?  Do the 3 BILLION people that play mobile games every day ONLY play against other people?

Sorry guy... but the only one who is out of touch is you.  There is no getting through to someone as opinionated and narrow minded as yourself. 

4.  Again... you being lazy and not paying attention.  You've convinced yourself of that because of your biases.  The rest of the people following along know the answer.  The sad thing is... you're not even interested in hearing the truth or the alternative to what you've conjured up.

The hilarious thing to me is... considering your posting on this board... I know damn well you're going to end up buying one anyway. 

 

3 hours ago, SegaSnatcher said:

I do have to compliment Tommy and the Amico project about something, at least he's not asking for funding.  It might not be my cup of tea, but at least he's funding it with his own money.  

Not just my own.  It's not a weekend project.  Major VC's and investors as well.  People who know the true picture of everything going on.  People a lot smarter than me & you and aren't easy to get money from considering the risk.  You should listen to those people.

i'm fine with E for everyone games..i mean it's not like i'm looking forward to Tiny Mable flashing her boobs while waiting for Bashful Buford to save her on the Old Mutton building in an updated Beauty & The Beast lol

btw Tommy speaking of that game..can you still call the game Beauty & The Beast now without getting in trouble from Disney?

3 hours ago, mr_me said:

I believe it's been said that they haven't ruled out online multiplayer, only that it won't have it at launch.

Yeah... we haven't ruled it out completely.  But the reality is that the entire idea behind the console is to get family & friends back in a room together playing games and communicating with one another (opposite of most video game consoles and mobile).  But if millions of people are requesting it, we may do something where only FRIENDS who you accept can play together.  But that would be years away. 

Besides... how many people played online multiplayer on the Wii?   

1 minute ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

2.  So... the modern Board Game industry that has gone up over 40% each year for the past 5 years is a huge failure?  Did the recent Nintendo Switch have online multiplayer when it launched?  Do the 3 BILLION people that play mobile games every day ONLY play against other people?

Sorry guy... but the only one who is out of touch is you.  There is no getting through to someone as opinionated and narrow minded as yourself. 

4.  Again... you being lazy and not paying attention.  You've convinced yourself of that because of your biases.  The rest of the people following along know the answer.  The sad thing is... you're not even interested in hearing the truth or the alternative to what you've conjured up.

The hilarious thing to me is... considering your posting on this board... I know damn well you're going to end up buying one anyway. 

 

Nintendo Switch did have online multiplayer when it launched.  It was their basic free service before they launched their paid service.  

3 hours ago, SegaSnatcher said:

Hmmm, I honestly think that might be the biggest mistake not to have any kind of online infrastructure ready at launch.  Online Multiplayer is simply too important to ignore as this is relevant to both casual and core gamers. People want the convenience to play with their friends online, its the standard in modern gaming.

So I guess you're saying that Nintendo don't know what they're doing either??  Have they always had online multiplayer from day one?  Did Sony?  Hmmm.... 

I would like to share this on How wrong Segasnatcher is , My kids for instance

My 14 year son still play's his Wii far more then his PS4 even when his friends come over and not on line play. Not to mention my 20 year daughter on occasion takes the Wii from him to play some games at her friends homes. Also with my daughters friends when they come over they play Mario cart on switch which one of her friends brings over and play Mario Cart against each other .. not on line.. Its great to see that...

3 hours ago, imstarryeyed said:

I love the idea of the focus on couch multiplayer personally.  I do not feel there are enough couch games on consoles where the couch portion was not an add on after the online version.

 

If they do decide to go online I just hope that couch doesn't become an afterthought.

 

NEVER!! 

Couch is ALWAYS our #1 focus and one of our 10 Commandments of game design. 

2 hours ago, Alpha82 said:

So they decided they weren’t going to split their focus at launch with online multiplayer because it would add a lot to the cost of the launch and game development, however I believe and Tommy can correct me if I am mistaken but there is the plan to have occasional online tournaments sponsored by Intellivision and although it may not have online play out of the box you will still be able to compete online with the time and space leader board since that’s where achievements will come from (think top 10 on arcade machine) 

 

He also mentioned if there is a big enough interest in online play from the people who buy it it very well could be a more flushed out option in the future I am hoping online eventually happens as I’m disabled and don’t travel well and my family is pretty spread out so being able to play with online with them eventually is something I’m looking forward to hopefully happening 

Correct!

1 hour ago, ASalvaro said:

glad to see i'm not the only person looking forward to a new Intellivision horse racing game lol 

Me too!  It was one of my favorites growing up so you'll know it will get the extra love and attention it deserves. 
 

6 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

4.  Again... you being lazy and not paying attention.  You've convinced yourself of that because of your biases.  The rest of the people following along know the answer.  The sad thing is... you're not even interested in hearing the truth or the alternative to what you've conjured up.

The hilarious thing to me is... considering your posting on this board... I know damn well you're going to end up buying one anyway. 

 

Sorry, but the majority of people right now who are praising this device are biased INTV fans. You know that super niche market?  They are simply happy a company is aknowledging their love for INTV and making a new console with the INTV name.  They'll take anything they can get at this point.  Of course these people don't care about online play or T rated games because they just want a modern take on their beloved INTV system. I'm not saying that is a bad thing for INTV fans to want a new INTV console, but there aren't enough INTV fans to make this device a huge hit. 

33 minutes ago, SegaSnatcher said:

With the type of budgets you are aiming for how can you promise any games with great depth?  Seems like the type of games that could happen on such a low budget/dev time is shallow arcade style games where you play for a few minutes and move on.  Games with actual depth take time and at least a somewhat decent budget behind them.  

Well lucky for me... you're not my head of creative, production or game design.  Instead we got some of the best in the world who have worked on the greatest selling game franchises and launched the biggest games in the world.  So we're okay in that department... don't you worry.