Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

22 hours ago, Atari_Master said:

Tommy,

Will the Amico require a username/password?  Also, will an account have to be created when using the Amico?  

It won't be required... but yes... you will have the ability to create an "account".  Highly recommended to enjoy the real fun... but not a requirement to play.

32 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Hi Steven!,

 

Yeah... as you mentioned it is going to be more difficult for us to enter the Japan market based on the two factors I've previously mentioned (and you confirmed).

Our strategy is to focus on North America and Europe first.  Make it a big success in those territories... learn from our mistakes, etc. and then look at the Japanese market to see if there is a way to successfully launch.  I think we have a chance and things that will appeal to the country... but just not something we are focused on at the moment. 

Would love to stay in contact throughout our launch so you can help me to understand the market from someone "on the ground" over there. 

 

Also... you're gonna be the COOLEST kid on the block with your Amico in Japan!! 

 

Maybe you'll be the one to help spark a revolution for us! 

 

 

Sure, thanks. I'll be around.

I don't think there are a whole lot of people here who know about Intellivision from the 80s. It did launch here, and I actually found one in BEEP in Akiba a few months ago. Didn't buy it, though.

The thing with Intellivision here is that Nintendo and arcades dominated the market until the PC Engine showed up and outsold the Famicom, the Mega Drive, Mark III, Master System, and briefly even the Super Famicom all at the same time in the short time that they were all on the market together. Even in Akiba, the people who actually work at the retro game stores only know Nintendo/PS1 stuff and maybe PC Engine if they are a bit older. They don't know anything about the Mega Drive at all. I bet I'd blow their minds if I showed them my Sega Nomad.

I'll ask some of the people at work if they know about the Intellivision/Amico. I did read a Japanese article on the Amico and the new EWJ game (one of like 2 Japanese articles on the Amico on the entire internet) the other day and one of the comments reads something like "I was traumatized when I saw Jim back in the day. Looking back now, it's too bad, since it looks comical and interesting."

21 hours ago, Tarzilla said:

All joking aside, I hope that the Amico main website does a good job of announcing/listing these limited editions so that collectors (whether gotta-get-them-all or fans of certain IP) are aware of them.

Yeah!  For sure!

Just now, Tommy Tallarico said:

 

It won't be required... but yes... you will have the ability to create an "account".  Highly recommended to enjoy the real fun... but not a requirement to play.

 

 

Okay, good to know.  Thanks!

21 hours ago, nysavant said:

Tommy

Are there any 'classic' arcade racing type games in the vein of Pole Position, Outrun, or the Lotus Trilogy planned for the Amico?   I think the disc controller could work excellent with that kind of game.

 

This is the first console since the XBox 360 I have wanted to buy so really looking forward to October.  It's like being a kid again!

And if anything like Galaga makes an apperance....

Hi!,

Thanks for joining us here!

Yeah... we have a few different "racing" style games in the works.  The first one will be more of a top down 2D experience... like the original Auto Racing on Intellivision (but a lot quicker, easier to control, more things to unlock, more players... and more fun).  

Tommy,

What are your thoughts on a spin off to Burger Time?  I would call it Taco Time.  Instead of throwing pepper at the enemies to stun them, you throw hot sauce.  LOL!

Also, the main character's name & enemies would be different as well.  I think this idea would be cool and could be an Amico exclusive.  Anyway I just wanted to get your

input on this.

Regarding Tron Deadly Discs, since after years of research and investigative journalism we now know for a fact that computers aren't really controlled by little people who viciously attack newcomers without provocation; that's more what happens here... Have you considered a survival game based on your experience in AtariAge forums?

4 minutes ago, Atari_Master said:

Tommy,

What are your thoughts on a spin off to Burger Time?  I would call it Taco Time.  Instead of throwing pepper at the enemies to stun them, you throw hot sauce.  LOL!

 

Also, the main character's name & enemies would be different as well.  I think this idea would be cool and could be an Amico exclusive.  Anyway I just wanted to get your

input on this.

Why not salad time? It's healthier, there are endless possibilities for nutritious additions (though some will cost extra), and tacos break too easily. Also, you could throw unhealthy foods like ding dongs and chicken wings at corporate execs trying to foil your healthy lunch... 

18 hours ago, vongruetz said:

But since this is a Q/A thread, my question is: What features that have been promised won't actually be available at launch? The initial price has already started to creep up, but it seems like the price of games is remaining at below $10.  Will that change before launch? The trophy system probably won't be ready at launch.  Will physical media be ready at launch? I'm sure a bunch of the promised games won't be ready at launch, but is there anything else major that won't be ready on 10-10-2020? 

Hi!,

Thanks for your post and questions.

One of the things that we decided to put on hold was the "online gaming" aspect.  It's just too much for us to deal with right now.  It drives the budgets of the games up like crazy as well as doubling and sometime tripling the amount of time needed.  It also really doesn't lend itself to our Couch Co-Op message.  It would depress me if all anyone did with the system was sit in their room and play online all the time.  Eventually we may look at this again (after the machine is established) and it would be treated as a "friend to friend" type of experience as opposed to a bunch of strangers online.

The price thing is still a moving target... not only from us upgrading a lot of the components and parts... but also because of the Coronavirus issues that are affecting everyone in manufacturing (especially electronics).  We are already hearing back that some of our parts are now going to be more expensive than originally planned.  I think what you're going to see across the industry this Christmas are higher prices for launches... and then within 6 months (as components become more accessible again) you'll see those prices drop.  Early adapters will pay a little more to be there first.  This has always been the case.  But I think you're going to see a LOT more of it this year than any previous year.  All of the folks who purchased a Founders Edition are looking like the smartest folks in the room right now!!!  They got an AMAZING deal and quite frankly... we'll probably be losing a little money on those... but I don't care... these folks who believe in is so much definitely deserve something super special... which is why we did the entire thing in the first place. 

So far the Leaderboards and Trophy's are on track... but they would be one of the first things to be delayed if it would impact our 10/10 release date.  Doing a firmware upgrade a month or so later wouldn't be the end of the world in regards to that.  But again... everything is currently on track.  Hitting 10/10 is our biggest and most important goal.  I wouldn't delay the release just to get in Leaderboards.  Would rather still come out on 10/10 and have the leaderboards come a little later.

We will be announcing a lot of our physical media at E3.  There will be a variety of physical media on launch.  We are shooting for around 20 - 30 games on launch and then 1 new game to follow every 10 - 14 days.  I am hoping to release a list of our launch titles at E3... but really.... we won't know exactly until a month or so before release of the console... because as I've said in the past... if they game isn't 100% ready... then we won't release it, or we'll delay it until its good.

Thanks for the questions.

14 hours ago, 1001lives said:

Tommy is usually so quick to answer everything and there hasn't been a lot of real big news lately. I assume it's getting busy the later half of this month as they nail down the console and get it ready for production in March/April. 

Yes.  I could be starting to get scarce around these parts over the next month or two as everything is coming together.  Working 20 hours a day, 7 days a week at this point.

4 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

here's another question for Tommy. Does the Founders Edition golden ticket thing or the money on it expire? Maybe I want to save some of that money for later, depending on the launch titles.

No.  Doesn't expire.

2 hours ago, IntelliMission said:

Also, other articles say that Sony "will not be affected" by the crisis.

I've heard differently, but nothing confirmed as of yet.

Will be very interesting to see how the pricing of the next gen machines play out.  Who is going to show their cards first?  Sony or Microsoft?

I'll be honest... I'm kinda hoping they are both $500+ so that no matter what... we can say we are at least half the price. 

Half the price, twice the fun, quadruple the players.

1 hour ago, Steven Pendleton said:

Tommy, another question for you. Since you guys have the rights to Earthworm Jim and the original dev team, is there any chance of seeing Earthworm Jim Special Edition for Sega CD on the Amico? I know, no straight ports, but it would be great to not have to spend $200+ on Ebay and still risk getting a fake copy. That and whatever version of EWJ 2 you guys think is the best. I'm not sure how to rank the different versions of EWJ 2, though, so maybe you should share the team's ranking of the best versions of both games!

Never say never I guess. 

EWJ Sega-CD's go for $200?!?!   Wow!!

I have about 10 of them shrink-wrapped in my attic right now!

40 minutes ago, Atari_Master said:

Tommy,

Will the physical games for Amico be able to save to themselves like a cartridge on 3DS?  

Yep.

1 minute ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Never say never I guess. 

EWJ Sega-CD's go for $200?!?!   Wow!!

I have about 10 of them shrink-wrapped in my attic right now!

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=earthworm+jim+special+edition&_sacat=0&rt=nc&LH_Sold=1&LH_Complete=1

Yep. Slow PAL version goes for less, but ew, 50Hz...

1 minute ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Yep.

 

Awesome.

30 minutes ago, Steven Pendleton said:

Sure, thanks. I'll be around.

 

I don't think there are a whole lot of people here who know about Intellivision from the 80s. It did launch here, and I actually found one in BEEP in Akiba a few months ago. Didn't buy it, though.

 

The thing with Intellivision here is that Nintendo and arcades dominated the market until the PC Engine showed up and outsold the Famicom, the Mega Drive, Mark III, Master System, and briefly even the Super Famicom all at the same time in the short time that they were all on the market together. Even in Akiba, the people who actually work at the retro game stores only know Nintendo/PS1 stuff and maybe PC Engine if they are a bit older. They don't know anything about the Mega Drive at all. I bet I'd blow their minds if I showed them my Sega Nomad.

 

I'll ask some of the people at work if they know about the Intellivision/Amico. I did read a Japanese article on the Amico and the new EWJ game (one of like 2 Japanese articles on the Amico on the entire internet) the other day and one of the comments reads something like "I was traumatized when I saw Jim back in the day. Looking back now, it's too bad, since it looks comical and interesting."

Earthworm Jim sold horribly in Japan.  So I'm not surprised.

Totally different kind of humor.  You wouldn't think so (because Japanese humor is typically kinda whacky)... but very different.

14 minutes ago, doug0909 said:

Why not salad time? It's healthier, there are endless possibilities for nutritious additions (though some will cost extra), and tacos break too easily. Also, you could throw unhealthy foods like ding dongs and chicken wings at corporate execs trying to foil your healthy lunch... 

I know there are endless possibilities.  Hard shell tacos do break easily but not soft shells.

20 minutes ago, Atari_Master said:

Tommy,

What are your thoughts on a spin off to Burger Time?  I would call it Taco Time.  Instead of throwing pepper at the enemies to stun them, you throw hot sauce.  LOL!

 

Also, the main character's name & enemies would be different as well.  I think this idea would be cool and could be an Amico exclusive.  Anyway I just wanted to get your

input on this.

Would be a hard sell I think.  People want Burgertime first.  Maybe we can do a follow up afterwards... but gotta do Burgertime re-imagined first. 

4 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Earthworm Jim sold horribly in Japan.  So I'm not surprised.

Totally different kind of humor.  You wouldn't think so (because Japanese humor is typically kinda whacky)... but very different.

 

 

Yeah, the Mega Drive/Genesis/CD versions don't even exist here. Just the squished SFC version, which is now super expensive and rare.

And I don't think EWJ 2 even got its 4th gen release at all. Just Saturn and maybe PS1.

19 minutes ago, doug0909 said:

Regarding Tron Deadly Discs, since after years of research and investigative journalism we now know for a fact that computers aren't really controlled by little people who viciously attack newcomers without provocation; that's more what happens here... Have you considered a survival game based on your experience in AtariAge forums?

Yes!  It's called HATER BAN.

You play as an AA mod trying to delete and ban as many negative douche-bag drama whores as possible.  You gotta hurry before the thread gets derailed and the haters take over leaving all the sensible people to flee in horror.

What do ya think @jaybird3rd & @CPUWIZ... wanna help me design it?

🤩

20 minutes ago, doug0909 said:

Why not salad time? It's healthier, there are endless possibilities for nutritious additions (though some will cost extra), and tacos break too easily. Also, you could throw unhealthy foods like ding dongs and chicken wings at corporate execs trying to foil your healthy lunch... 

I always said that being vegan... I would call it... Beyond Burgertime or Impossible Burgertime.  (Beyond Burger & Impossible Burger are the vegan hamburger alternatives).  Both of those names would actually work.  Hahahha!

4 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Would be a hard sell I think.  People want Burgertime first.  Maybe we can do a follow up afterwards... but gotta do Burgertime re-imagined first. 

 

Oh I know.  There's no rush.  I was just curious on what you thought about it.  It probably would be a hard sell.  But it would be good as a follow up maybe.

I don't know about anyone else, but everytime I see "IE",  I read Internet Explorer.  🤣😇

22 minutes ago, doug0909 said:

Why not salad time? It's healthier, there are endless possibilities for nutritious additions (though some will cost extra), and tacos break too easily. Also, you could throw unhealthy foods like ding dongs and chicken wings at corporate execs trying to foil your healthy lunch... 

Another piece of useless trivia...

There was a popular game called "Super Meat Boy" about 10 years ago.  As a joke and parody... PETA did a similar game called "Super Tofu Boy".  Guess who donated the music?

❤️ 🐄🐑🐷🐓🐣❤️   

🥰

https://www.mobygames.com/game/super-tofu-boy