Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

10 minutes ago, vongruetz said:

I'm beginning to wonder if maybe some of the games that people have been suggesting lately are a bit more complicated than what should be on Amico. I'm not talking about graphics, but gameplay. While they look good, and I would like to play them, I don't see them as games I could play with my wife or "non-gamers."  

 

That Bobby Bombastic game does look good though. 

Depends on the person I guess.  My wife isnt a gamer. But just recently started playing with us, my son and I. And though shes sucks lol she has fun and she is getting better. And thats with fortnite. Bobby bombastic if thats one you are referring to should be decent for even beginner's. My wife even started playing steamworld dig 2. And that is definitely difficult for her but shes keeps going back to it.

8 minutes ago, vongruetz said:

I'm beginning to wonder if maybe some of the games that people have been suggesting lately are a bit more complicated than what should be on Amico. I'm not talking about graphics, but gameplay. While they look good, and I would like to play them, I don't see them as games I could play with my wife or "non-gamers."  

 

That Bobby Bombastic game does look good though. 

Now that you mention it, some of these do seem a little complicated control-wise.

My thought is this....Tommy has developers working on some games from scratch.  Why not have the games which are already done be worked on for 5 to 7 months more just to reduce the complexity?  I'm sure the developers could get creative with the controller and make some of these games easier to handle. 

If not, I think Tommy once said some small percentage of games might not be for everyone.  He may have used Nightstalker as an example but I think the point would be that some of these games would be out a year or more after the system has launched and would kind of be a nod to the hardcore gamers who own the system (much like Metroid sat next to Cooking Mama on the shelf when the Wii was popular)

And think of it this way...some of the kid edutainment won't be for everyone (except me and those with small children) 🤣 so having a few super easy games (press the picture of a circle) and some hard games (shmups and the like) won't be too much for the system's library. 

But it will be a tightrope act for sure (too many of either may offend the other group)

I have a question for the group...

Does Steam even show the esrb (the ratings) for games?

I know certain games have a warning before you can go to the page (because of extreme violence or adult themes) but I couldn't find the esrb for some games on their game page.

Am I looking on the right place?

Are these games even rated?

I went to the esrb website and that is no help.

36 minutes ago, Relicgamer said:

Depends on the person I guess.  My wife isnt a gamer. But just recently started playing with us, my son and I. And though shes sucks lol she has fun and she is getting better. And thats with fortnite. Bobby bombastic if thats one you are referring to should be decent for even beginner's. My wife even started playing steamworld dig 2. And that is definitely difficult for her but shes keeps going back to it.

I think the last (non-Intellivision) game that I remember my really enjoying was Broken Age. We played it together on the TV, trying to figure out all the puzzles. She really liked the art style and story, I really liked Tim Schafer's twisted humor.  Point and Click adventure games would work well on a console that has a controller which can basically act like a mouse.

6 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

I don't have any official ones... but the latest gameplay video is in 4K so you could grab them full screen from that!

ok... yeh I am on Satellite Internet... I can pickup a vegan burger faster driving in your Ferrari from Cali to Boston and back to Cali than it would be to download a 80MB picture of Amico pron.  haha.

And I kid you not!!!

I don't lie... ever!

haha

but yeh... yesterdays download and upload speeds with my Satellite internet from Hughes were all in K... Not Mbps but K.

247K Download

87K upload

with a 2000ms Ping time.

I kid you not!

TJ

7 minutes ago, AtariSociety said:

ok... yeh I am on Satellite Internet... I can pickup a vegan burger faster driving in your Ferrari from Cali to Boston and back to Cali than it would be to download a 80MB picture of Amico pron.  haha.

And I kid you not!!!

I don't lie... ever!

haha

but yeh... yesterdays download and upload speeds with my Satellite internet from Hughes were all in K... Not Mbps but K.

247K Download

87K upload

with a 2000ms Ping time.

I kid you not!

 

TJ

Thats painful to hear. Sorry. There is literally fiber internet the next street over from my house with up to a gigabit down. But would cost about 12k to get it ugh. So we use lte for now. 

1 hour ago, vongruetz said:

I'm beginning to wonder if maybe some of the games that people have been suggesting lately are a bit more complicated than what should be on Amico. I'm not talking about graphics, but gameplay. While they look good, and I would like to play them, I don't see them as games I could play with my wife or "non-gamers."  

 

That Bobby Bombastic game does look good though. 

Right.  It's one of the reasons I'd love to see Amico succeed - because it caters to an audience, but there is content that really isn't the right fit, that doesn't have a great fit on other consoles either.  The games suggested would be great on Switch or Steam.  But getting discovered on the Nintendo eShop or Steam or PlayStation Store or Microsoft Store is such a needle in a haystack.  And you don't really need a $500 system to play these games.  It could fall under a whole other platform.  Or if Steam were better suited to discoverability (am working on a video.. you wouldn't suspect who or how I think this can be resolved). 

I do hope the Intellivision team strikes the right balance between some standout games that may be exceptions to what they want to do on their system - a couple exceptions doesn't really break the rule, just bends it.  While still sticking to that core mission of multiplayer, games with cross-generational appeal for the broadest demographic, game play concepts that are pick-up-and-play, and steers clear of being pigeon-holed as too much of one aesthetic or game-type over any other.  I don't envy the team that says no/best of luck to some amazing concepts that don't fit Amico's pillars.

On 4/9/2020 at 12:18 AM, Tommy Tallarico said:

Is that a baseball overlay in the controller? Rookie

7 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

I don't have any official ones... but the latest gameplay video is in 4K so you could grab them full screen from that!

And just to show I never lie...

See attached.

TJ

Oh crap... I did lie.  297 down, not 247. TJ is a lier. Haha

3 minutes ago, AtariSociety said:

And just to show I never lie...

See attached.

TJ

Oh crap... I did lie.  297 down, not 247. TJ is a lier. Haha

 

Yikes  I bet you have a whole case of crystal Pepsi.... living in the 90s with those speeds 

4 minutes ago, Nolagamer said:

Yikes  I bet you have a whole case of crystal Pepsi.... living in the 90s with those speeds 

I have been in the Customer Service industry since 1980s so I am a man of great great patience... lots of stuff gets thrown at you.... but I am patient... well patience other than having to wait for my Intellivision Amico to arrive.  hahaha

TJ

2 hours ago, Michael Garvey said:

I have a question for the group...

 

Does Steam even show the esrb (the ratings) for games?

 

I know certain games have a warning before you can go to the page (because of extreme violence or adult themes) but I couldn't find the esrb for some games on their game page.

 

Am I looking on the right place?

 

Are these games even rated?

 

I went to the esrb website and that is no help.

I'm looking through the Steam app and if you scroll down on the games page it's there.

3 hours ago, 1001lives said:

I just wanted to let everyone know that the Amico Subreddit has increased by almost 100 subscribers in a little over one month.

 

From January 2020 to April 2020 we've seen the Subreddit go from 190 subscribers to 361 which is honestly really good without any real word of mouth outside hardcore gamer areas yet. 

 

 

 

For reference, the Atari VCS subreddit has 871 subscribers, and the "official" Atari VCS subreddit - the one started by Atari itself so they could moderate comments - is sitting at 333. 

Impressive! 

I have some numbers on YouTube if anyone's interested..

1,620,000 videos viewed across ~370 videos where Intellivision Amico is the topic/a main topic in the title.

... that's an average 4,378 views.

... that's a mean of 576 views per Amico video.

The most viewed video - the 2018 reveal trailer, has 263,000 views.

I know, I know, "you people at AtariAge are fanatics and watch these a billion times".  I haven't noticed an uptick in the view count by rewatching a video.  Tried on my own videos, tried on other older test videos to see if I could move the meter.  Looked an hour later, a day later to let the database refresh; no change.  So I don't think Tommy can watch each video 30 times.  I mean maybe, but YouTube counts each view from a registered viewer once all the same.

For my own video, only 20% of the views come from any linked post in AtariAge - so that's 160 views - and if that's just ~one-third of all interested eyes from this thread, and we're watching every video on Intellivision Amico anyone makes - maaaaybe we're 480 members strong??  watching 370 videos... ~177,600 views?  That couldn't be the case though - 80 videos have fewer than 250 views, and a number of those are older.  I suspect we have less impact than that - maybe 75,000 views are from us.  The other 1,550,000 views is word getting around from elsewhere.

And of those top 105 videos with ~1000 or more views, all but 13 are either positive or, in the dozen or so cases where they're less optimistic, what I'd call "what and see, this is interesting but I don't know if it can find its market".  The Hot Takes, the early Smash JT and ReviewTech first take... where the initial reaction was "but who is this for".. and, perspectives shifted a bit or understood the premise a little better in follow-up.  9 videos are Pat's frequently dipped well, he's got over 370,000 views off Amico, so, he kinda maybe ought to be taking Tommy for a ride in the Power Wheels Speedster Jr, and getting ice cream as a thanks for the views and content and supplemental income.   But while Pat's content is ~23% of all Amico views, that's down from about 30% in February.  More eyes getting a better informed opinion, or a less jaded, can-hardly-hide-my-contempt point of view. 

Keep the interviews and videos coming!

4 hours ago, 1001lives said:

I just wanted to let everyone know that the Amico Subreddit has increased by almost 100 subscribers in a little over one month.

 

From January 2020 to April 2020 we've seen the Subreddit go from 190 subscribers to 361 which is honestly really good without any real word of mouth outside hardcore gamer areas yet. 

 

 

 

For reference, the Atari VCS subreddit has 871 subscribers, and the "official" Atari VCS subreddit - the one started by Atari itself so they could moderate comments - is sitting at 333. 

r/Amico also recently hit almost 10,000 page views during a major announcement, so there are a lot of people who pop in from time to time too when the Amico is trending.

9 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Wow!  Very nice!  Yeah... we could pull that off with some tricks for sure.

 

You know the developers?  Do you know how I would contact them?

 

The Original Sturmwind Shmup was made by Durnik: http://duranik.com/

Will there be Shoot em Ups like R-Type (there is a new one in Japan in development for Switch, Steam & PS4/5) https://youtu.be/zB5jLux2Zuw

or Gradius / Parodius (Still love the SNES Game / Salamander / Twin Bee (Still love the great SNES Game) from Konami cause seems they are not interested into this ones or? If we see what happend to Contra maybe its better when they don`t make such games....

or Thunderforce from Sega (also seems no interest from Sega any longer). Last good one was the Saturn Game from Technosoft. Devil Engine from Proculture Games (Indie) was a great Thunderforce like Experience but they have trouble with Dangen their publisher?

Think there is a good Shump Scene Worldwide manly on PC, Switch and PS4. I also love the Sega Ages Ports on the Switch. Awesome work from M2. Play Thunderforce IV still very very often and Fantasy Zone also on my Switch.

5 minutes ago, speedy-a said:

Think there is a good Shump Scene Worldwide manly on PC, Switch and PS4. I also love the Sega Ages Ports on the Switch. Awesome work from M2. Play Thunderforce IV still very very often and Fantasy Zone also on my Switch.

I think an original Shump for Amico could also find traction. Or something like Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime that's more a genre blend of bullet hell and base building is something I can see non gamers getting interested in. 

1 hour ago, BiffMan said:

I think an original Shump for Amico could also find traction. Or something like Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime that's more a genre blend of bullet hell and base building is something I can see non gamers getting interested in. 

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime has been a hit on our family game nights.  It's all about cooperation and communication.  Really hoping to see some games like this on Amico.

1 hour ago, Intellivision Master said:

 

Great Video! I seem to remember, one of HSW's prerequisites for doing the game was to meet and have Steven Spielberg sign off on it.  Not to mention a Dev station at home. AND some serious $$$$$.

 I just wish that Alamogordo would go back and dig some more up so we can buy a copy that doesn't have the eBay 700% tax.

Someone went through and had a good examination of the game. "Fixed" the errors. Try playing it in your favorite emulator. Or the Retron77.  Here is the link: http://www.neocomputer.org/projects/et/

6 hours ago, Nolagamer said:

@Tommy Tallarico here's a really cool 2d game . Mark.of the ninja. It was originally.on xbox live arcade then a remaster on switch ps4 xbox  windows linux. 

 

It's a 2d ninja stealth game.  This or something like this would be cool on amico.  No obviously blood may need to be removed and some if the animated scenes.   But the concept is great.

 

If you guys get the teenage mutant ninja turtles licence  ( if so please dont use animation styles from the current cartoon yuck..... go with the 2003 fox kids anime  style series or comic book versions...even 80s cartoon )

 

But imagine a tmnt game where they have to use stealth and actually be ninjas in game form once 

 

but even this game modified for amico guidelines and make it 2 or 4 players 

 

the game in video is a single player only game. 

 

 

Amen! Dat's what i'm talkin bout! ninja platforming games have always been my favorite, and if they can manage to produce a tmnt stealth platformer in the style of the original 1980's mirage comics (especially if they all wore red headbands) then i believe it would be an instant success that would cause the amico to fly off the shelves. practically *EVERYONE* would rush to get an amico at that point. my only worry is that the t-man was talking about watering down such games to make them more palatable with the amico's marketing message, which i don't necessarily have a problem with. i totally get it. blood and gratuitous violence SHOULD be omitted; but a game like the original shinobi arcade, for example, is as benign as it gets. no blood or gratuitous violence whatsoever. yet he said there were things they could do to make such games better conform to their standards. But what changes could they implement on an already innocuous game like that without totally eviscerating it, and turning it into a mockery of its former self?

40 minutes ago, sanguinesonata said:

 

Amen! Dat's what i'm talkin bout! ninja platforming games have always been my favorite, and if they can manage to produce a tmnt stealth platformer in the style of the original 1980's mirage comics (especially if they all wore red headbands) then i believe it would be an instant success that would cause the amico to fly off the shelves. practically *EVERYONE* would rush to get an amico at that point. my only worry is that the t-man was talking about watering down such games to make them more palatable with the amico's marketing message, which i don't necessarily have a problem with. i totally get it. blood and gratuitous violence SHOULD be omitted; but a game like the original shinobi arcade, for example, is as benign as it gets. no blood or gratuitous violence whatsoever. yet he said there were things they could do to make such games better conform to their standards. But what changes could they implement on an already innocuous game like that without totally eviscerating it, and turning it into a mockery of its former self?

Remember Shadow Dancer where you can sick your dog on them? 

TOMMY dude just ordered global gladiators and earthworm jim 2 cib. To add to my collection.  Man its been a while so I had to look them up to see them in action.  Your a master of audio. Those games are amazing 

7 hours ago, AtariSociety said:

And just to show I never lie...

See attached.

TJ

Oh crap... I did lie.  297 down, not 247. TJ is a lier. Haha

 

Sorry to see this TJ,  it must be slow also to load the ataria [buffering...]

I've seen/heard card games being of a fairly significant priority, specifically Texas Hold'em. Takes me back to school days, to be certain.

Honestly, I'm planning on starting up a card night every so often here, once it's prudent to do so again. Using Cornhole as an example, could we expect variant styles from a Poker title? For instance, a wooden table backdrop and some weathered looking cards for a western saloon feel, a casino look with machines happily ringing away in the background, maybe even a Poker event style, where you can hear faint crowd noise from the controller on a raise?

Asking because I thought it might be fun to be able to 'theme' the card nights to the background, and (to a slightly lesser extent) I personally dread the thought of climbing up to my attic to see if I can figure out where I'd put the poker chips when we cleared the room I'd previously had them in to make way for my son.

Also, I've been mulling it over... this great 'Cornhole' or 'Bean Bag Toss' debate. Both sound a little strange for a game, I suppose. Why not try them together?

"Tossing your bean bag at the ol' cornhole"

...I think I made it worse...