Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

8 minutes ago, The Wren said:

Hey all seeing the trailer has me thinking of all kinds of ideas for the system and I thought i'd throw a question out there regarding the Amico's controller.

 

What ONE feature are you most excited for on the controller and why? Thinking of things like Touchscreen, Speaker, Microphone, Accelerometer/gyroscope, Rotational disc/pressure sensitive disc, LED Lighting effects (console and controller), Haptics...and if I've forgotten anything else chuck it in there!

 

Cheers,

 

The Wren

The whole thing. 

I love that they're not being formulaic.  We've seen so much innovation in controller design, but the manufacturing leaders just assume the form and function cannot be bested.  D-pads don't make for good driving games.  You don't enjoy skating on video game ice with a d-pad.  They're miserable in isometric games.  And a thumbstick is so overly sensitive to control, it isn't ideal.  We had trackballs and paddles, sliding wells because they perform really well in certain cases.  Arcades use a full joystick.  Why not see what mileage a disc can get you?

I'm excited about a screen on the controller.  Every.  Single.  Game.  .. can benefit from giving players extra information, extra help when they're the slower player in need of an assist.  Every game can incorporate withholding information in competitive play.  Strategizing and forming alliances in party games and board games, or even arcade games where you may hold back to help another player and secretly work together.  What if two players could discreetly send a truce in Shark Shark or in a racing game?  The other player(s) is blind to your scheming ways.

I think haptics can be very useful when using the screen as a firing button or set of buttons, help differentiate left from right or quadrant from quadrant.  That'll be pretty helpful in using a touchscreen as the face buttons of a controller if it'll work how I think it could. 

Super excited about the state of motion control with what essentially acts like a Joycon - Nintendo is moving away from the concept with the Switch Lite and non-removable joy-cons, I don't think any big games will truly try to think about motion control and the rumble effect.  Intellivision, the floor is yours.

Sorry, I know you asked for what one thing I was most excited for.  But I like the controller.  A lot.  It'll be a friendly little device in the hands of friends and families as I introduce the thing to them.

9 minutes ago, RetroAdvisoryBoard said:

 

Sorry, I know you asked for what one thing I was most excited for.  But I like the controller.  A lot.  It'll be a friendly little device in the hands of friends and families as I introduce the thing to them.

I am also super excited for the new controller and it will be interesting to see what game developers can come up with using this technology. The only thing I didn't like about the original controller were the small mushy side buttons. The keypad with the raised numeric buttons was a very innovative idea, it was kinda like having Braille with immediate feedback as to what button your finger was hovering over. When you got used to it you never had to look down at the controller to figure out what buttons to press. The Intellivision 2 got rid of the raised buttons (what were they thinking???).

I don't know much about the new touchscreen but it appears to have a tiny bit of raised glass in the very middle of the screen so you know where your finger is without having to look. Perhaps Tommy can elaborate on this?

Since many of us are locked in, social distanced, quarantined, or just can't get out... have a laugh, smile, and have as good of a weekend as you can.  Thinking of all my Amico friends.  Thinking of good days ahead and wonderful Amico surprised in October 2020.

Let us keep positive and good things WILL happen.

TJ

Haven't responded to questions in a few days... 4 pages piled up!  Yikes!  Now that it's the weekend I need to catch up.

WHOSE READY FOR SOME UNHINGED RANTINGS!!!!   YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lets begin...

On 3/19/2020 at 10:19 AM, ColdCoffee said:

I was wondering if there will be a reveal of anything in the next few days about ways to customize the Amico. I was just re-watching a interview from 2018 and Amico customization was brought up. The idea was that there would be certain themed bases the Amico could drop into. With the pre-orders just around the corner it would be nice to know with the different color options being offered this time around. Not sure if that is something you're saving or it just got scrapped. Thanks!

Most consoles have color customization at this point... even if it's 3rd party folks making stickers/overlays, etc. for the console/controllers.  I've done quite a few Spider-Man "mods" over the years. 

The 3 VIP Pre-Orders will have Vintage Woodgrain, Graphite Black and Glacier White. 

On 3/19/2020 at 12:08 PM, Cranker said:

How many Colors for the controllers are planned for launch ? One for each color of system ? I want at least one of each color, maybe 2. I will also buy every game in digital format as well as physical copies of whatever games are available for collection purposes ! Never had a feeling of attachment for a game console and it’s because of the personal touch Tommy is giving us.  I’m all in ! This time it’s personal 😂 

Definitely 3 (woodgrain, black, white).  Purple, Red, Pink & something special we haven't said yet are still being affected by coronavirus... so decisions not final.  The Special Editions are a lot more expensive to make... and in order to keep the price in check we need to order a bunch (i.e. at least 35,000 units).  We're just not sure we can manufacture the 3 we already have... PLUS additional ones (in time for Christmas/Holidays)... but we're trying our best.

On 3/19/2020 at 12:21 PM, vongruetz said:

I'll throw in my two cents because although I'm not a psychologist, I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

 

I think it comes down to "tribalism."  We as people tend to break ourselves down into small groups and then defend that group ferociously.  If the group can somehow be divided even more, it will be and you'll have fanatics on each side.  You see it with sports fans, politics (especially with politics), hobbies, games, religion, and other areas of life.  As a Navy veteran, it was funny to see how often the tribe would get broken down at each level. On the grand scheme, it would be veterans vs everyone else. But then within that group, each branch of the military would become a tribe (Go Navy! Beat Army!!).  Then within the Navy, you'd have each ship or command against the other.  Then even on the ship, you'd have departments sort of battling each other and within those departments, the divisions defending themselves.  It's crazy.  And don't even start thinking about religion, and how groups that share the same basic beliefs still go to war and kill each other over slight differences in interpretation.

 

It's the same with video games.  You have those who see themselves as "gamers" versus those who don't. But then within that group, people divide up between PC vs console, or Xbox vs PlayStation.  It's hardcore vs casual. People so entrenched in one group will fight (and the deeper they have divided themselves into as niche a group as possible, the harder they fight) to prove that they are right and anything that conflicts with their view is wrong.  Amico is a video game console designed for and targeting people who want a simple, fun way to play games with friends of all ages and all skill levels.  That doesn't compute with the class of people who think of themselves as "true gamers."

To be a true gamer to them means that you have to have the most high tech device to play your game on. More pixels and higher framerates mean that the game is better.  You also see certain commonalities that I never understood.  Games have to be as difficult as possible and the more "Dark Souls" it is, the better. They have to be big, long games so you "get your money's worth."  You have to view Castlevania Symphony of the Night as the best game ever, and Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is a close second. You need to demand everything from a game, but even if it gives you everything you asked for, you still crap all over it for some obscure reason.  At least, that's the trend the I see over and over from those who are completely obsessed with video games in a way that seems unhealthy.

 

Something else I've noticed, and maybe an actual psychologist knows the answer to this as well, but it also seems that a lot of these people do suffer from certain mental illnesses.  I don't think a day goes by when I'm on Twitter and I don't see some hard core gaming personality talk about how they suffer from depression. If it was just here and there, I doubt I would notice it, but it seems quite common.  I don't know if these people are using games to escape the problems in their lives, or if they've dived so deep into being obsessed with games that there isn't anything else in their life.  I have always viewed video games as a hobby and something to have fun with when I need some entertainment.  I wonder if these people view it differently. Does this fall into realm of they've dedicated so much of their lives to having a view point that they will fight tooth and nail to vindicate themselves.

 

Short answer is "tribalism."  But I agree with the one who said, don't get into fights with stupid people.  

Wow!  That was a really great and thought out post.

Totally makes sense.

Thank-you for sharing your view and opinion.

On 3/19/2020 at 12:28 PM, Nolagamer said:

 

Just ran into this looking.on you youtube.  Smh these guys  what part of early development  did they not pay attention to ..nor did they or even any of us play a single one of these yet  to rip anything apart.  They just trying at this point  it seems to find something to hate.

WAIT!!  LET ME GUESS.... THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT?!?

On 3/19/2020 at 12:48 PM, Cranker said:

They just piss me of at this point. I haven’t even watched this yet. They are always ready to be negative. And saying you can play these on mobile devices is so ridiculous. It’s about the coop and multiplayer, couch coop , high scores , family and friends competing , playing together and having fun. It’s not about a graphic comparisons. They are in their own box. Stay there !!!! While we have fun !

Their issue is quite obvious actually.  You can tell they are personally insulted because I keep touting the whole Family & Friends playing together... simple, affordable, etc.  Being hardcore Nintendo fanboys this completely eats at their core and they HATE me saying that.  Every statement shows that they don't have families and they have zero understanding of what people think or feel about video games outside of their own elitist hardcore bubble.  Look at the vitriol in that Ian guys voice by the end.  He was so pissed off at the thought that we are doing this.  And while it shows how passionate they are for their own bubbles... it also shows off how unaware they are of folks not inside their own circle.  Imagine getting so worked up because you think one video game system is trying to do something you think your favorite video game system is already doing. 

Bottom line... they hate me and the system because in their minds the Nintendo Switch already does everything we say we are going to do.  Let me again state... 55 million Switch's in the world.  3 BILLION people who play casual & mobile.  That means approximately only 1.8% of people who play video games are playing on a Switch.  Hmm... anyone else see a disconnect there?  Those guys are too naive to understand because they are too blinded by their own "tribalism". 

I was done responding or trying to engage with them last year.  I could rant and rave publicly and call them out and give the statistics above... but for what?  Is it going to change their minds?  Of course not.  And they'd LOVE the attention.  Even when the system comes out... do you think they'll like it at this point?  Hell no.  Because of the reason I gave above.  How DARE I say that the Nintendo Switch isn't the end all be all family couch co-op machine.  HOW DARE I!

Ask yourself this question...

Think about all of the non-gaming folks who bought a Wii (and why).  I like to use the example of my own mother (or any of the countless nursing homes).  She bought it because it was easy to understand, easy to play and in a price range she was comfortable with.  Now ask yourselves... did those same non-gaming folks purchase a Switch?  The data shows they did not (my mom included).  It's just a different audience.  Sure there will be some crossover... but not even close to the overwhelming majority of first time Wii gamers.  Not even close.  Now ask yourself... why?   And there's your answer to why the Switch is not the same as Amico.

On 3/19/2020 at 12:59 PM, bigdaddygamestudio said:

There is a whole demographic of people these days that are just angry and haters. What you need to understand is, for the normal person our lives basically revolve around the things we LOVE. Our families, our pets, our hobbies, our passions etc etc.  what we love and enjoy basically drive ours lives and in many ways can define who we are.  Now for this other subset of people whos lives revolve the things they hate. The things they Hate is what defines them. 

What an awful way to live. 

Imagine... waking up each day looking for the worst things about the world.

I honestly gotta feel sorry for those kinds of folks. 

On 3/19/2020 at 1:38 PM, kijay13 said:

Who is this clown? What has this guy ever done with his life? Oh, sit around a bare room and cuss and use homophobic slurs....yah, buddy they are going to build statues to your greatness....total clown...so easy to talk crap and put down people that have actually done things and achieved great things in their lives....needs to get out of his mama's basement

So I shouldn't have just hired him as our PR Director?  Damn!

I think Intellivision are doing a fantastic job (I'm hyper excited!)

I will be buying new games that I would not normally consider trying.

I am interested in every release - especially the retro games, I am interested in the multiplayer aspect of the system and would look into the board game genre as well (as well as other genres the system makes).

I have a few questions:-

1)What will be the maximum storage capacity of the SD card and also the USB (if its used for storage) in gigabyte size that the Amico will take?

2)How will I be able to find out about the games on the Amico?

 eg on the Amico on-line shop:-

    - will there be a synopsis of the games

    - will there be user ratings for each game or a place for mini reviews

    - will there be game demos you can download

On 3/19/2020 at 1:39 PM, haplo13 said:

I would add to this that these tribal groups also want to maintain exclusivity of their tribes.  I think they are tearing down the Amico because it is trying to open up and expand console gaming to the more casual user.  I've been getting into board games in the last year and I see similar things there.  The hard-core board gamers build up the big heavy games and tear down the lighter starter games.  You wouldn't believe the hate displayed towards games like Monopoly or even Catan.  It gets to the point where people are hesitant to admit they like those games - and there are a ton of people who do.  And those casual games tend to be a gateway to the heavier stuff.  So if anything, the hard-core gamers should be welcoming the Amico as a gateway to those other systems...  but again, that would mean more people and less exclusivity.

Nice!  Yeah... another great observation.  Thanks for contributing to the conversation. 

And you're absolutely correct and bring up a great point.  I've also heard hardcore board game folks roll their eyes at Monopoly as well. 

Speaking of Catan... wouldn't that be a cool game to see/play on Amico.

I heard a rumor that a German developer has the rights.

On 3/19/2020 at 1:39 PM, 1001lives said:

I think Pat and Ian must be having difficulty dealing with fading into obscurity and irrelevancy for them to put these kinds of videos out.

Well that isn't good news for me considering that Pat declares that he is more famous than me.

4 hours ago, RetroAdvisoryBoard said:

The whole thing. 

 

I love that they're not being formulaic.  We've seen so much innovation in controller design, but the manufacturing leaders just assume the form and function cannot be bested.  D-pads don't make for good driving games.  You don't enjoy skating on video game ice with a d-pad.  They're miserable in isometric games.  And a thumbstick is so overly sensitive to control, it isn't ideal.  We had trackballs and paddles, sliding wells because they perform really well in certain cases.  Arcades use a full joystick.  Why not see what mileage a disc can get you?

 

I'm excited about a screen on the controller.  Every.  Single.  Game.  .. can benefit from giving players extra information, extra help when they're the slower player in need of an assist.  Every game can incorporate withholding information in competitive play.  Strategizing and forming alliances in party games and board games, or even arcade games where you may hold back to help another player and secretly work together.  What if two players could discreetly send a truce in Shark Shark or in a racing game?  The other player(s) is blind to your scheming ways.

 

I think haptics can be very useful when using the screen as a firing button or set of buttons, help differentiate left from right or quadrant from quadrant.  That'll be pretty helpful in using a touchscreen as the face buttons of a controller if it'll work how I think it could. 

 

Super excited about the state of motion control with what essentially acts like a Joycon - Nintendo is moving away from the concept with the Switch Lite and non-removable joy-cons, I don't think any big games will truly try to think about motion control and the rumble effect.  Intellivision, the floor is yours.

 

Sorry, I know you asked for what one thing I was most excited for.  But I like the controller.  A lot.  It'll be a friendly little device in the hands of friends and families as I introduce the thing to them.

I hear you @RetroAdvisoryBoard . Love what you said about the blinding feature of the screen...that alone can really bring the game off the TV and back into the living room.

Myself i was torn between the screen itself and the microphone option. I'm uncertain of the technology that is in it whether or not the microphone, the underlying UI, or the game your playing has the ability to hear specific words or if its just meant to record sound in general as we saw a "recording" in that one game that Tommy says is testing through the roof. Both of these are top shelf for me . The speaker has me intrigued...Wii controllers had it and as a result they had the best version of Guitar Hero! I'd want to get more tech info on the mic and the controller speaker to say for certain but i echo the sentiment...the whole thing is going to be a blast!

On 3/19/2020 at 1:46 PM, Cranker said:

I never comment on YouTube videos but enough is enough. This was my comment. They were just rude and the comment about that awesome music . Why ? Here is my comment and I removed and edited the rude words. 
 

You guys are entitled to your own opinions but you sound very uneducated and rude ....seriously. No need to be nasty and insult people’s work. Not impressed. Would you be so rude if it was your brother , sister , wife etc bringing out the system ? I don’t think so. People feel so entitled to say anything they want online . Sheesh

And then you were probably called a Tommy fanboy.

Some of the YouTube comments from "other" AA forum members are pretty telling.  Read the nonsense that the likes of folks like djconvoy spout about how you're all just blind fans of mine who don't have a mind of their own and only want to try and get close to a pseudo 3rd rate celebrity in hopes that I pay attention to you. 

The reality is I don't know any of you before this thread started... and I've never met 95+% of you in person.  They use the same sad excuses over and over again.

1.  Anyone who likes the system is nothing more than a Tommy fanboy looking for attention.

2.  Everyone really hates it and we must block all the overwhelming negative comments on our YouTube channel. 

If that was the case... how come we have over 51,000 views in 3 days on the new trailer and just over 100 Dislikes on the video?  Simple question that they have no answer to when confronted.  As I've stated many times... yeah... we take down filthy language and clear on purpose hatred.  But it's literally the same 7 or 8 people over and over and over again.  Every time.  Same handful of folks.  It's pathetic.  btw... you want to know who the folks are who get nuked from the comments?  CLEARLY THE ONES WHO ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT!!     And it's the same handful of folks every time.  btw... almost ALL of which have been banned from this thread in the past.  They of course go on to say that I have all the mods in my back pocket to do my bidding.  No matter what proof is given or the reality is... they don't care.  Same lies over and over and over again.  Nice lives eh?

On 3/19/2020 at 2:13 PM, The Wren said:

Oh Intellivision hockey would rock my world right now....eh @Tommy Tallarico !!!

It's going to be AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!

Tommy Tallarico, 

I believe I spelled your last name right this time. (I just have to remember how "tall" you are and I get that extra L in there)

Hope you and everyone in the company are doing well.

You mentioned you may have to limit on or you will cut short the time for the VIP preorders if they reach a certain amount.

Above you mention just mentioned that the woodgrain are more expensive and you need to order a lot to bring the cost down.

Are you hoping for a lot of woodgrain units to be in this new wave of preorders?

Do you have a range of how many you can reasonably create and if so is that in the thousands or in the tens of thousands?

You don't have to answer but just something I was wondering. 

On 3/19/2020 at 2:59 PM, IMBerzerk said:

Sounds to me like the guy just wacked a line of blow and had nothing better to talk about.  

 

I wouldn't waste my time commenting on his vid...or if Tommy didn't post it I'd never knew it even existed.... which is better 

 

Sludge always collects at the bottom of the tank.  If you can't remove it, replace the tank....meaning...move on 

I didn't even bother commenting or engaging on that one.  It would have just given him a big boner and the thought of that made me wanna vomit.

😩 🤢🤮

😋

Typo above... should have said "tiny" boner.

On 3/19/2020 at 3:03 PM, ColdCoffee said:

 

Good to see EPN including the Amico more in it's more mainstream news announcements. 

REAL game journalism on display!

On 3/19/2020 at 3:47 PM, Kiwi said:

Yeah, I felt they were WAAAAAAAAY too critical of the games.  These games look like there a lot of work put into it and look fun to play.  Gameplay is more important than graphics.  I posted on the other thread:

"Wow, very VERY overly harsh criticisms.  I thought all the games looks really awesome and very impressive.  I hate when they call them mobile quality, really these games as simple as they look take a lot of time of effort to make.  Those free mobile apps often wants money from users as they sell micro transactions, power ups or beg other people to give you tickets to unlock the next set of levels to progress through the game.  I preferred games that ask for money once to buy it to earn the content through out the games.  Some of my games I buy on switch are those "mobile quality" graphic and gameplay, without the micro transactions. Plus, the games they are show are a work in progress and they looks great and look fun to play.  Shark Shark is fun to play on the Intellivision since there's more stuff that shows up as your score increase and I love biting the shark in the tail in that game.

They aren't the target audience for this system.  Tommy, keep doing what you're doing and I suggest not to engage them.  "

I feel the need to put a leach on Tommy, but he'll break the chain or yank my hands out off my wrist .  Don't engage them, that's exactly what they want.  I feel that you're doing a great job so far, demonstrating games, which is the most important thing that a console needs. 

Nah... don't worry... I have zero desire to engage with them.

I proved in my response video that they lied about me.  I then invited them to do an interview and ask as many tough questions as they want... they refused (and then made fun of the fact that I tried to talk to them to give them more info or to have a friendly debate).

I was done after making my video and seeing their reaction.  Clearly immature hardcore elitist who have no desire to engage with someone who would potentially make them look foolish (again).

23 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Well that isn't good news for me considering that Pat declares that he is more famous than me.

 

Part of me thinks that you should send them a free unit to review when it comes out....🤔 and tshirts. 😂

I don't understand this notion of us being fanboys for Tommy.  It is very insulting to us as human beings.  It's like saying we have no life, we've never met or interacted with anyone famous and we gush over any attention given to us.

I really dont see anyone on here fit that description.

I believe people who write on here are excited for a product. 

I don't think anyone has asked Tommy to show them attention or personal time.

We all just have a real sense that this machine is something special. 

We'd talk about it even if Tommy didn't join in.

Now if we are talking about John Alvarado that's a whole other story.  I think most if not all of us gush over him.  At least I do.