Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

Stocks and Bonds looks like a bit more complicated version of a board game that our family used to play called 'Stock Ticker'.

It was quite simple to play. Essentially, you rolled three dice; one was to select a stock, one would be if it moved up or down, and one for how much it changes. The winner was decided after X amount of time or turns by who had the most money.

Not terribly exciting, but it was easy enough my sister and I picked up how to play easily as kids and could play with the adults.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2680/stock-ticker

18 hours ago, Tonytgd said:

I am so glad you answered as you did because it allows me to go ahead and push back a little bit and ask some tough questions.

 

1) Both in the quoted reply and in several interviews you mention rape games, as well as games involving children being raped/molested/ect., on the Switch, do you feel it necessary to lie about the contents of Switch titles in order to promote the Amico? If you feel your claim is valid then I'd love for you to provide examples of your claims.

You state "Both in the quoted reply and in several interviews you mention rape games, as well as games involving children being raped/molested/ect., on the Switch"

When you accuse someone "feel it necessary to lie", you should choose your words carefully.  Your statement is purposefully misleading, provocative and skirting the truth or embellishing to make a stronger point.  Great content for a tabloid editor looking to boost clicks and sales.  Not so much for someone brandishing themselves as a legitimate reporter.  It's corrosive and shatters your credibility.  You do not go to war, so to speak, with false accusations and fluff.  Stick to the facts, they will make you a better reporter.

Reread your post.  #6650.  I've taken the screenshot, so no need to go back and edit.  You've accused Tommy of saying multiple times in other interviews AND in this quoted post that the Switch games "involve children being raped/molested/ect." [sp].  Now, perhaps you have interviews where Tommy has gone on to make that accusation.  But he did not in that post, as you said he did.  He said, in the only line I could find involving rape (Ctrl+F yielded no hits for sexual assault, molestation, and three rereads of his quote didn't pick up any more on disturbing or violent sexual acts/assault), "Their answer to "only having kids games" are the super confusing parental controls that not a lot of parents set because of the complexity.. or they are under the misconception that it's a Nintendo... so it must be kid friendly (when in reality... it's the EXACT opposite and the Switch has the Most adult, violent, mature and even rape content... that the others do not)."

You do understand there is a difference between saying Switch has games involving children being raped, and saying "the Switch has the MOST adult, violent, mature and even rape content"?  Tommy did not say what you summarize to have quoted him as having said.  As to kids, he said a lot of parents don't set parental controls due to complexity, and they draw a conclusion about the Switch that since it's Nintendo, it's a platform that must be kid friendly.  He then elaborates that actually the Switch has the most adult content.  The most violent content.  The most mature content.  and even [the most] rape content.  Now I don't have access to the data, so in your defense, this may be hyperbole or exaggeration.  But it certainly does stack up with Google articles searches involving banned content, sexual assault, violence and censorship involving the Switch, or its allowance for content in comparison to fellow console systems presently being marketed.  Australia banned a Switch collection recently from its eShop where game controls imply the protagonist raping a woman as some prize finale after butchering his way through enemies en route.  The scene is revealed afterward to be a film shoot, making the whole thing simulated violence and simulated rape, I suppose its 'artistic edge'.  But still implied rape remains a theme in a Nintendo Switch game, a child playing that downloaded game would be exposed to rape and may not make further connection - and even if they did, it is visual and audio implied representation of the act.  The woman is your reward to finish as you please.  Or there's Metropolis: Lux Obscura, a manga adventure with a puzzle mechanic for its fight scenes, available on multiple platforms with small censor bars on the XBox One - none that I'm aware of on playthroughs of the Switch version.  It includes attempted rapes or violation of women by antagonists, and any concept of consensual sex, even for the protagonist, seems lost on its writers.  Multiple playthroughs online take you through the scenes if you need reference.

I could keep going, but I think I've stated enough to differentiate Tommy's quote from what you said his quote states.  They stand different.  You've inserted child molestation where it wasn't explicitly stated or even inferred.

And I don't want to dig up a hundred games with gore and excessive animated or realistic violence, or sex scenes and implied or interrupted rape scenes, to further make the point that the Switch has "the most" in comparison to the other platforms.  I'll let Intellivision's paid market researchers gather that data and I'll review when publicly available.  I think Tommy's made a fair point, supporting it with enough clips to establish credibility on said point.  The length of the claim that he's lying or exaggerating (my suggestion, not your claim) to further a point or market Amico, I leave you to further dig up.

As to points 2 & 3, I'll leave you with this anecdote.  I'm a father of a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old.  From 6:30 to about 11 each day, I'm caring for one or both, minus a few hours of 3k schooling/daycare a few days per week.  I would say I'm vigilant in their well being, do my best to research and download and restrict content inappropriate for them, including hosting my own private YouTube playlists with hundreds of hours of content I've deemed safe.  And still supervise when they watch.  I'd say I do more than the average parent, but certainly don't go as far as the upper tier of protective parents.  Parental blocks and restricting access IS cumbersome.  Add to that the multitude of devices, streaming services (each with their own accounts and access controls), phones, tablets, Kindles, iPads, Slates... it's more than a little burden.  Remembering each password (and choosing different passwords as even credit score companies and major credit cards inadvertently share password banks) and how to adjust the settings and memorize different passwords across devices.  Let me tell you, it's friggin' Disney World to spend your time setting up, adjusting and calling support to figure out how to reset and try again when your password isn't going through.  I'd rather donate bone marrow. 

And despite those locks, despite these security measures, it's still imperfect.  I have content I do not wish for my children to view still appearing.  Just yesterday, my daughter played Q*Bert on the iPad.  She's zoned off from mature content, playing on a secure iPad with limited access.  She cannot make purchases without my validation process.  Controls are in place.  Q*Bert, aside from cute animated garbled explicatives and a spring-form snake and balls that bonk him on the head leading to his demise as the extent of animated violence, is fairly kid-friendly.  While I presume she was happily playing Q*Bert yesterday, she was yelling out to me, frustrated by a pop-up ad she got for Sniper 3D.  The ad was forced, made her sit through 30 seconds of a gunfight with fairly realistic men shooting from cover, before your character took aim with his scope, and in Matrix-style slow-mo shot one firey bullet that she got to watch travel to its destination, all the way to the suddenly surprised recipient's forehead where the screen cut upon impact.  That's not my idea of parental controls. 

I played through later and got ANOTHER ad, this time for a risque partially nude scratch [swipe?]-and-reveal game which looked like a nude maid and a nude firefighter holding "his hose".  He actually was holding a hose, but its placement and his shirtless buff physique and seemingly exposed legs looked like a burly firefighter had a surprise in store as a woman's swiping hand swiped away at all but that final small square hiding his crotch.  When she's 7, we'll have that talk about swiping away mysterious censor boxes to reveal surprise genitalia.  At 3, I'd appreciate not having that particular talk just yet.  Or having some awkward discussion with the firemen a few buildings from us, whom we pass en route to pre-school each day, should she suddenly start shouting, "Oh yeah, show me that hose ya stud!"... too soon, too soon.

Now Apple made sure she cannot purchase items from the App Store whatsoever.  And it screens content to some extent, probably by ratings that are submitted by the publisher in a self-reporting system.  And even if she could, she shouldn't see apps intended for a teen+, adult or mature audience.  But that's where it stops. Advertisements still play on apps.  Sony Interactive, might Sony itself, the publisher for mobile Q*Bert, surely doesn't filter what ads can or cannot be shown on its app.  The app itself should be safe by their submission.  But it isn't structured nor do they care not to allow adult-themed advertisements from popping up.  They're paid for those ads, and money makes the world go around.  Not Sony's problem, says Sony.

So yeah, parental controls and locks.  They don't quite work as intuitively as we like, and should you decide to conduct an informal survey of parents, I think they'll universally concur: these companies and their ideas about parental controls are pretty mediocre at their jobs.

So a company whose approach is to censor any content deemed inappropriate for a pre-teen and under crowd from even appearing on its platform, proposing itself as a relatively safe space for families to not jump through extra hoops to evaluate and restrict content themselves?  It's a safe digital corner of respite that we don't have to be guarded about.  It's welcome. 

17 hours ago, Blarneo said:

You're going to need a bigger box of popcorn..

1 hour ago, IntelliMission said:

Hey Tommy, any plans to do an ice hockey game similar to the arcade classic Slap Shot or the more modest but still fun Air Hockey (Playstation)?

Yep!  For sure!

OEB Pete is back with another update (I am loving the days countdown, gets more more excited as that number gets smaller):

16 hours ago, CPUWIZ said:

Tony could not help himself from bringing up politics again, so he won't be participating anymore.

After I had a lengthy reply? (all right, so ALL of my replies are lengthy, but I had to type it twice due to some strikethrough error!)

You'll rule this day moderator, you'll rue it I say!

::thumbs through political articles looking to really stick it to the man::

::glances over and sees Tony; in the cold, in the rain, still too proud to admit he wants back in.  All very sad::

*deep breath*

::let's it go::

Aaaand, catharsis.   

Very detailed and well thought out post RetroAdvisoryBoard. It's too bad 90% of that would be lost on him and he will just come back with some aggression towards Tommy again. That guy still demonstrates he cannot google or even use a search function. 

1 hour ago, RetroAdvisoryBoard said:

 

You state "Both in the quoted reply and in several interviews you mention rape games, as well as games involving children being raped/molested/ect., on the Switch"

 

When you accuse someone "feel it necessary to lie", you should choose your words carefully.  Your statement is purposefully misleading, provocative and skirting the truth or embellishing to make a stronger point.  Great content for a tabloid editor looking to boost clicks and sales.  Not so much for someone brandishing themselves as a legitimate reporter.  It's corrosive and shatters your credibility.  You do not go to war, so to speak, with false accusations and fluff.  Stick to the facts, they will make you a better reporter.

 

Reread your post.  #6650.  I've taken the screenshot, so no need to go back and edit.  You've accused Tommy of saying multiple times in other interviews AND in this quoted post that the Switch games "involve children being raped/molested/ect." [sp].  Now, perhaps you have interviews where Tommy has gone on to make that accusation.  But he did not in that post, as you said he did.  He said, in the only line I could find involving rape (Ctrl+F yielded no hits for sexual assault, molestation, and three rereads of his quote didn't pick up any more on disturbing or violent sexual acts/assault), "Their answer to "only having kids games" are the super confusing parental controls that not a lot of parents set because of the complexity.. or they are under the misconception that it's a Nintendo... so it must be kid friendly (when in reality... it's the EXACT opposite and the Switch has the Most adult, violent, mature and even rape content... that the others do not)."

 

You do understand there is a difference between saying Switch has games involving children being raped, and saying "the Switch has the MOST adult, violent, mature and even rape content"?  Tommy did not say what you summarize to have quoted him as having said.  As to kids, he said a lot of parents don't set parental controls due to complexity, and they draw a conclusion about the Switch that since it's Nintendo, it's a platform that must be kid friendly.  He then elaborates that actually the Switch has the most adult content.  The most violent content.  The most mature content.  and even [the most] rape content.  Now I don't have access to the data, so in your defense, this may be hyperbole or exaggeration.  But it certainly does stack up with Google articles searches involving banned content, sexual assault, violence and censorship involving the Switch, or its allowance for content in comparison to fellow console systems presently being marketed.  Australia banned a Switch collection recently from its eShop where game controls imply the protagonist raping a woman as some prize finale after butchering his way through enemies en route.  The scene is revealed afterward to be a film shoot, making the whole thing simulated violence and simulated rape, I suppose its 'artistic edge'.  But still implied rape remains a theme in a Nintendo Switch game, a child playing that downloaded game would be exposed to rape and may not make further connection - and even if they did, it is visual and audio implied representation of the act.  The woman is your reward to finish as you please.  Or there's Metropolis: Lux Obscura, a manga adventure with a puzzle mechanic for its fight scenes, available on multiple platforms with small censor bars on the XBox One - none that I'm aware of on playthroughs of the Switch version.  It includes attempted rapes or violation of women by antagonists, and any concept of consensual sex, even for the protagonist, seems lost on its writers.  Multiple playthroughs online take you through the scenes if you need reference.

 

I could keep going, but I think I've stated enough to differentiate Tommy's quote from what you said his quote states.  They stand different.  You've inserted child molestation where it wasn't explicitly stated or even inferred.

 

And I don't want to dig up a hundred games with gore and excessive animated or realistic violence, or sex scenes and implied or interrupted rape scenes, to further make the point that the Switch has "the most" in comparison to the other platforms.  I'll let Intellivision's paid market researchers gather that data and I'll review when publicly available.  I think Tommy's made a fair point, supporting it with enough clips to establish credibility on said point.  The length of the claim that he's lying or exaggerating (my suggestion, not your claim) to further a point or market Amico, I leave you to further dig up.

 

As to points 2 & 3, I'll leave you with this anecdote.  I'm a father of a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old.  From 6:30 to about 11 each day, I'm caring for one or both, minus a few hours of 3k schooling/daycare a few days per week.  I would say I'm vigilant in their well being, do my best to research and download and restrict content inappropriate for them, including hosting my own private YouTube playlists with hundreds of hours of content I've deemed safe.  And still supervise when they watch.  I'd say I do more than the average parent, but certainly don't go as far as the upper tier of protective parents.  Parental blocks and restricting access IS cumbersome.  Add to that the multitude of devices, streaming services (each with their own accounts and access controls), phones, tablets, Kindles, iPads, Slates... it's more than a little burden.  Remembering each password (and choosing different passwords as even credit score companies and major credit cards inadvertently share password banks) and how to adjust the settings and memorize different passwords across devices.  Let me tell you, it's friggin' Disney World to spend your time setting up, adjusting and calling support to figure out how to reset and try again when your password isn't going through.  I'd rather donate bone marrow. 

 

And despite those locks, despite these security measures, it's still imperfect.  I have content I do not wish for my children to view still appearing.  Just yesterday, my daughter played Q*Bert on the iPad.  She's zoned off from mature content, playing on a secure iPad with limited access.  She cannot make purchases without my validation process.  Controls are in place.  Q*Bert, aside from cute animated garbled explicatives and a spring-form snake and balls that bonk him on the head leading to his demise as the extent of animated violence, is fairly kid-friendly.  While I presume she was happily playing Q*Bert yesterday, she was yelling out to me, frustrated by a pop-up ad she got for Sniper 3D.  The ad was forced, made her sit through 30 seconds of a gunfight with fairly realistic men shooting from cover, before your character took aim with his scope, and in Matrix-style slow-mo shot one firey bullet that she got to watch travel to its destination, all the way to the suddenly surprised recipient's forehead where the screen cut upon impact.  That's not my idea of parental controls. 

 

I played through later and got ANOTHER ad, this time for a risque partially nude scratch [swipe?]-and-reveal game which looked like a nude maid and a nude firefighter holding "his hose".  He actually was holding a hose, but its placement and his shirtless buff physique and seemingly exposed legs looked like a burly firefighter had a surprise in store as a woman's swiping hand swiped away at all but that final small square hiding his crotch.  When she's 7, we'll have that talk about swiping away mysterious censor boxes to reveal surprise genitalia.  At 3, I'd appreciate not having that particular talk just yet.  Or having some awkward discussion with the firemen a few buildings from us, whom we pass en route to pre-school each day, should she suddenly start shouting, "Oh yeah, show me that hose ya stud!"... too soon, too soon.

 

Now Apple made sure she cannot purchase items from the App Store whatsoever.  And it screens content to some extent, probably by ratings that are submitted by the publisher in a self-reporting system.  And even if she could, she shouldn't see apps intended for a teen+, adult or mature audience.  But that's where it stops. Advertisements still play on apps.  Sony Interactive, might Sony itself, the publisher for mobile Q*Bert, surely doesn't filter what ads can or cannot be shown on its app.  The app itself should be safe by their submission.  But it isn't structured nor do they care not to allow adult-themed advertisements from popping up.  They're paid for those ads, and money makes the world go around.  Not Sony's problem, says Sony.

 

So yeah, parental controls and locks.  They don't quite work as intuitively as we like, and should you decide to conduct an informal survey of parents, I think they'll universally concur: these companies and their ideas about parental controls are pretty mediocre at their jobs.

 

So a company whose approach is to censor any content deemed inappropriate for a pre-teen and under crowd from even appearing on its platform, proposing itself as a relatively safe space for families to not jump through extra hoops to evaluate and restrict content themselves?  It's a safe digital corner of respite that we don't have to be guarded about.  It's welcome. 

 

 

Hi!,

Absolute EPIC post... but I don't think he'll see it considering he wasn't capable enough to stick to the simple rules of the forums even though he was warned a few times by the mods.

So now that he got nuked from this thread, he's peddling his negative wares over at the Independent Amico thread.  You may want to post this over there as he is no longer able to respond in here.

Oh... and make sure you ask him if he's going to now apologize since he was so wrong about there being no nudity and rape on the Switch.

I'm just surprised someone like that even has the balls to still show his face as if nothing happened here and he wasn't proven so wrong. 

Zero self-awareness and huge ego is the answer I think.

Then again... we're talking about an individual who calls me a liar... and then says he didn't call me a liar.  A person who demanded proof... received it... then completely ignored it.

Clearly some emotional issues going on there.

Have fun with that.

😋

17 minutes ago, GrudgeQ said:

OEB Pete is back with another update (I am loving the days countdown, gets more more excited as that number gets smaller):

 

 

You guys might be "loving" the day countdowns... but it FREAKS THE HELL OUT OF ME!!!


Hahahhaha!

Another great one by Pete!

Hey Tommy, so far we've seen many types of video game fans and reactions: hardcore Intellivision fans who love the Amico, some Atari fans who love it, other Atari fans who don't, some folks like me who didn't know about the company until a few months ago, Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft fans who hate/love the Amico, several reactions from non gamers...

...but I wasn't expecting this: hardcore retro Intellivision collectors who are not interested at all in the Amico because "it's not Intellivision".

And I must say I respect them, I wish everyone was so respectful when expressing the lack of interest or dislike for a game console. In any case, what do you think about those unexpected positions?

19 minutes ago, IntelliMission said:

Hey Tommy, so far we've seen many types of video game fans and reactions: hardcore Intellivision fans who love the Amico, some Atari fans who love it, other Atari fans who don't, some folks like me who didn't know about the company until a few months ago, Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft fans who hate/love the Amico, several reactions from non gamers...

 

...but I wasn't expecting this: hardcore retro Intellivision collectors who are not interested at all in the Amico because "it's not Intellivision".

 

And I must say I respect them, I wish everyone was so respectful when expressing the lack of interest or dislike for a game console. In any case, what do you think about those unexpected positions?

I’ve wondered if the release of the Amico would spark interest. People like my brother who loved INTV prob will get excited.

Hi Tommy,  I wanted to know if the Amico will have save states for saving game progress?  Also will the Amico require firmware updates & will the games require updates as well.

2 hours ago, GrudgeQ said:

OEB Pete is back with another update (I am loving the days countdown, gets more more excited as that number gets smaller):

 

 

I am so glad you are enjoying it! I get more giddy with every video.  I may explode into Pitfall pixels if I get to excited

2 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

You guys might be "loving" the day countdowns... but it FREAKS THE HELL OUT OF ME!!!


Hahahhaha!

 

Another great one by Pete!

 

Maybe I will tone down the fire for the next one

1 hour ago, Atari_Master said:

Hi Tommy,  I wanted to know if the Amico will have save states for saving game progress?  Also will the Amico require firmware updates & will the games require updates as well.

 

 

Yes.  Save states for sure.

Yeah... all modern consoles pretty much require firmware updates at this point.. especially if you want to add cool stuff down the road.  Just as an example... lets say Disney+ wanted to offer a year free to all Amico owners... then something like that would need a firmware update... or... another example would be offering online play to friends around the world, etc.

Bottom line... it would need to be something pretty major and very cool for the customers.

We do NOT intend on doing software updates... unless... there is some major bug that needs to be fixed, etc.

2 hours ago, IntelliMission said:

Hey Tommy, so far we've seen many types of video game fans and reactions: hardcore Intellivision fans who love the Amico, some Atari fans who love it, other Atari fans who don't, some folks like me who didn't know about the company until a few months ago, Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft fans who hate/love the Amico, several reactions from non gamers...

 

...but I wasn't expecting this: hardcore retro Intellivision collectors who are not interested at all in the Amico because "it's not Intellivision".

 

And I must say I respect them, I wish everyone was so respectful when expressing the lack of interest or dislike for a game console. In any case, what do you think about those unexpected positions?

Doesn't bother me.  They are not our target audience and they are certainly entitled to their own opinions.  I personally find it a little strange that folks have already made a decision without ever playing it... but again... that's okay.  I believe once they have a chance to play it or see it in action... it may interest them.  And if not... that's okay as well.  We'll all just be playing epic updated multiplayer versions of their favorite games without them. 

 

13 minutes ago, OEB_Pete said:

Maybe I will tone down the fire for the next one

Don't... Keep it up!.  haha  tj

1 hour ago, Atari_Master said:

Hi Tommy,  I wanted to know if the Amico will have save states for saving game progress?  Also will the Amico require firmware updates & will the games require updates as well.

 

 

Love this question, I am a techie so this is something I have been wondering.

lol

In terms of save states, I really want them too, but it would be nice if high scores didn't lose all meaning in retro style games. I always thought a simple solution to that problem would be to leave a marker in the corner of the screen to indicate that save states (and other cheats) are off, and perhaps to indicate the game is being played at the normal and not easy skill level. 

Yes, I realize a skilled person could fiddle with a screenshot of their high score and still cheat, but this would at least make it harder.... I guess the other option is for all high scores to be categorized online with some type of online monitoring of how the game is being played.. 

4 minutes ago, LePionnier said:

lol

Hahaha! My stomach hurts!

3 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

So now that he got nuked from this thread, he's peddling his negative wares over at the Independent Amico thread.  You may want to post this over there as he is no longer able to respond in here.

Oh... and make sure you ask him if he's going to now apologize since he was so wrong about there being no nudity and rape on the Switch.

 

Was thinking a hard pass, but he reached out via messages so I summarized a bit.  I figured after seeing his response so quickly to GrudgeQ's post pointing out all the Adult-Only content on Switch that those opinions are pretty well calcified.

The only opinions that matter in a debate is the audience.  The other side never comes over, so conserve your efforts 🙂

19 minutes ago, RetroAdvisoryBoard said:

 

Was thinking a hard pass, but he reached out via messages so I summarized a bit.  I figured after seeing his response so quickly to GrudgeQ's post pointing out all the Adult-Only content on Switch that those opinions are pretty well calcified.

 

The only opinions that matter in a debate is the audience.  The other side never comes over, so conserve your efforts 🙂

As a younger lad only way I was swayed to bug parents to buy as new video game system was playing it at a buddies house! 

As an adult a reviewer never swayed me one way or the other to buy a product.

35 minutes ago, LePionnier said:

lol

OMG that is too funny

7 minutes ago, OEB_Pete said:

OMG that is too funny

This is what I do to trick myself until the real deal arrives.  haha.

It kinda worked.

TJ