Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

5 hours ago, speedy-a said:

Yes it is a german developer from south germany.   https://de-de.facebook.com/pg/Duranik/about/

 

Think Shmups in the funny way as Fantasy Zone, Parodius, Twin Bee would be great for the Amico

 

Another small developer from Holland/the Netherlands also makes great small indie games. I have the game Rush Rush Rally on my Wii (was avaible on the Wii Shop). Funny Racing title.

https://www.senileteam.com/

 

Yeah!  Hans & them have been talking all day!!

 

5 minutes ago, RetroAdvisoryBoard said:

A few would balk at THAT price.  The same people wouldn't bat an eyelash at buying a $900 billiards table or a $100 board for bean bags/corn hole.  A $400 Framemeister - let me get two, that's what I need - a premiere upscaler. 

Reminds me of a coworker I had in my last job. She was so judgy on me for spending $2500 on a 65" OLED TV.

I just reminded her that she drives a Lexus and spent an extra $20k for a Toyota with a couple extra coats of paint.

If I could show off my TV in the driveway so the neighbors would be impressed, then she'd probably see the point.

5 hours ago, Nolagamer said:

@Tommy Tallarico  imagine this nut te imagined visually to take advantage of the amicos power.  Why 16 levels why not 60.or 100.  Toss in a extra mode or so of play, achievements and online rankings.  Multiplayer 4 players . Maybe a special vs type mode that could be 4 or 8 players.   I played this on dreamcast it is really good.  The dreamcast has a great side scrolling and vertical  shooter scenes on its homebrew scene. Its ashame many of them only played by a limited audience that followed the homebrew scene. 

 

 

But for this game I never played the remastered in HD wide screen port . 

They. Could have great potential on amico 

 

Btw look at those visuals and certain people butch and moan saying  all games will look like "mobile games" when this was made on 20 plus year old hardware and still.lools fantastic....but imagine it looking even better.... "wouldn't that be something "

 

Update..

 

http://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2019/11/a-quick-look-at-sturmwind-dreamcast.html?fbclid=IwAR0EHHB9RRHeM1Pchpg9E9lxk2UwTUOwBPGXlr-tENQRpBwHhjvYhEmngFY&m=1

 

Here's a review comparing the dreamcast version to the  switch version of the game. 

Yep!  I was thinking along the same lines!

2 hours ago, GrudgeQ said:

WAY back in the day there used to be a software magazine called "SoftSide" that published games & programs for you to type into your computers. I always wondered if the postman wonder what sort of magazine was in that "SoftSide" sleeve

 

Great mag... loved those days of computing...

TJ

3 hours ago, BiffMan said:

Did you have a date when production was set to actually start in China, and what have they told you about the date?  No need to give an actual date, just curious if they are letting you know if you're still in track or not, or if it's still wait and see. 

It's not about the start date as much as it is more about how many units we can get out with the current timeframe (and whether or not the pricing can stay reasonable).

Our line can do 35,000 units per month and it takes about 1 month to ship.  So, even if we started final line manufacturing on August 1st.. we would still have 35,000 units by October 10th.  The issue is not only manufacturing though... but the required parts and time we've been receiving very late in order to start testing (which takes 2 - 3 months).  So we're on the boarder of starting to get tight.

Would prefer not to talk about exact timeframes in here because unfortunately there are certain banned obsessed lurker haters in here that would totally try to twist my words and use it against me.

3 hours ago, vongruetz said:

An not just the U.S.  My color changing mug took awhile to arrive, but it was shipped from IE offices in Latvia. The hat made it here almost immediately.  And then the Golden Ticket arrived about a week later.  What I really liked was that the envelope with the ticket in it was hand addressed. I got a kick out of the return address that read "INTELLIVISION!!!  "

 

Tommy, whoever is addressing those envelopes deserves a pat on the back.  Great job.

That would be [email protected]  Please feel free to send him a quick e-mail about it.  I'm certain he would love to hear from you about it!

p.s. He's a HUGE Intellivision fan!! Him and his brother grew up on it... his favorite game is the original Utopia!

3 hours ago, NTV said:

Just noticed the TM after Wouldn't That Be Something. Did you go and trademark that?

Nah.  Just jokes.

2 hours ago, Starpaddler said:

Tommy, with the reported commitments for the retail orders, when do you feel you are likely to pull the trigger on duplicate tooling for a second line (or 3rd)?  Guessing it probably all depends on factory capacity/component availability and other factors I may not being considering, but any current idea on timing for that decision?  
 

Hope all are staying safe. 

We won't know and be able to make that decision until we get the first line finalized.  At $250K for tooling... if we're only doing 50,000 machines on that line for this year then it would be adding $5 more cost per console.  Lot of things would need to be weighed before making that decision.  Eventually we want to have 10 lines going!  But year one and pre-revenue we need to spend our money carefully.

3 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

That would be [email protected]  Please feel free to send him a quick e-mail about it.  I'm certain he would love to hear from you about it!

 

p.s. He's a HUGE Intellivision fan!! Him and his brother grew up on it... his favorite game is the original Utopia!

Thank you.  I will drop him a line and let him know I really appreciate the personal touch.

18 minutes ago, RetroAdvisoryBoard said:

Why get an Xbox Series X when you can buy a really great dedicated gaming PC with so much more capabilities and access to an 8,000 game library on Steam?

 

Why get a Nintendo Switch when you can get a decent tablet and sync it to a wireless controller via Bluetooth? 

 

...

 

I won't be putting much stock into complaints that the cost is too high.  It's a little higher than the no-brainer cost they were aiming for - and since October 2018 that price has been caveated that it may shift a bit.  But a difference of $40 or $80 isn't going to sink or swim this system for the typical shopper.  We're all familiar with the cost of family entertainment and more centerpiece consumer electronics.  Some would have this priced competitively with a pocket calculator.  A few would balk at THAT price.  The same people wouldn't bat an eyelash at buying a $900 billiards table or a $100 board for bean bags/corn hole.  A $400 Framemeister - let me get two, that's what I need - a premiere upscaler.  New games and different gameplay or an 8% increase in resolution and fidelity?  They're more excited for the latter.  But an entirely new system with different conceptual games pushing toward a less-focused market in the low $200s?  Noooooooo, it'll never sell, you guys are crazy.

 

While these guys have a better take and appear interested, I really think the price complaints don't match well with the buying patterns of the general public, and what the "gamer" audience within that general public are willing to spend on trivial expenditures, yet complain about the $200 range of a new system. 

I think one thing that keeps getting lost in the debate about Amico's place in the gamine world is that it isn't meant to be someone's only game console. It's been said a number of times, but people keeping putting it as an "either/or" argument.  Amico is an "and" console.  It's much like the original Wii was for a lot of gamers.  You had a PlayStation AND a Wii.  Amico isn't competing with Xbox, Nintendo, or Sony.  I think they're a compliment to them. It fills in the holes that are absent in the consoles from the big players.

32 minutes ago, RetroAdvisoryBoard said:

 

 

While these guys have a better take appear interested, I really think the price complaints don't match well with the buying patterns of the general public, and what the "gamer" audience within that general public are willing to spend on trivial expenditures, yet complain about the $200 range of a new system. 

You hit the nail on the head. I had a guy arguing that you could buy a used system for less. Duh and that reasoning could be said about all current systems.  Smh why buy a xbox 1 x when you can buy a use xbox 1. Also when I explained 8 player coop its DEAD silence.  Oh well. Ill tell you this. I own every current systems  xbox 1 my wife uses ans my xbox 1 x ps4 switch.  All and I mean all going back to the original xbox game cube even the ps1 I NEVER preordered in fact I always waited about a year to see what games would be out and played my older systems till then. 

The Amico is my 1st preordered system in my 30 years of gaming.  Whats that tell you?  Lol I deeply feel this is a grest approach to gaming and I'm really excited for it. And as for price geez those haters are morons. Its not expensive.  

8 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

 

Did you tag Intellivision and Amico (separately) in your video?  For some reason it still isn't coming up on my YouTube search?? 

One of the factors I always find super interesting is the DISLIKE ratio compared to the total number of VIEWS.

 

So... a good question would be.  Out of those 1.6 million views... how many folks DISLIKED all the positive views?   For the negative videos... you could add in the LIKES of those (i.e. people who agree it sucks).

Would be interesting to see what the percentage is.  Especially considering that a lot of the people who are paying attention (all hardcores.... positive or negative) are not even our target audience!  So if our dislike ratio is super low for the hardcores... imagine how incredible it's going to be with normal type family folks!  Mom & kid influencers typically have a MUCH different type of super positive audience.  Hardcore Elitist gamers are known (and made fun of) as being negative and complaining types.  That's how a lot of them are viewed by the "outside" world.  Remember to add ELITIST and not just "hardcores".  I consider almost anyone who reads this to be hardcore in some way.  Even if you're not a hardcore gamer (i.e. play video games everyday)... but a hardcore in the sense that you are interested enough to visit here and discuss video games.  Probably not something the typical "average" person on the street would be willing to do on a daily basis.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Looked into this a few days ago.. I wasn't seeing it on my feed either.

If you're a new channel, it can take several days for your video to show up in the search.  Also, any edits affect how soon items show up in the search.  I'm probably in a rookie tier where my content gets a little extra scrutiny/delay until showing up.  Plus I edited audio on Monday and tags yesterday, soooo, maybe next week. 

Can tell you generally speaking the like ratio has been really high for most Amico content - rarely see anybody's video get much more than 10-12% dislikes.  Exceptions are Smash JT's videos - his frequency in calling out other YouTube creators could explain the really high, if not upside-down dislike-to-like ratios on these, and Pat's videos, who gets closer to 18-25% dislikes on his Amico videos.  But just on his Amico stuff, his audience is usually more thumbs-uppish.  But since likes far outweigh dislikes, and any dislike or like is going to be something like 5-10% of the comparative views for a said video, I would say the likely count of total dislikes among positive view videos should be in the low ten thousands range.  And you probably get 3,000-4,000 dislikes among the negative takes (wouldn't presume all of these translate to Amico likes, but 2/3rds would seem reasonably conservative?). 

Will run the numbers over the next few days when it's a bit slower.

1 hour ago, Intellivision Master said:

 

I watched most of it and left a response I think Retro Advisory would be proud of lol 

35 minutes ago, theswede said:

At first i also thought it was the typical ”hater” video, but its not, both of the guys talking in the video says they really like many of the games and even the graphic style of the games, and would have bought it if the price was lower, but here is what i think is the real problem, they are looking at the Amico from a pure single player experience, and from that perspective, I would probably agree with most of their arguments. I can’t understand how these Youtubers making videos about Amico without having seen a single other video on the subject, don’t they watch other Youtubers videos at all??

It's one thing to be on a forum discussion speculating, it's another to be deriving income from uniformed speculation that absolutely can and does influence the behavior of the buying public.  For me the whole format is loaded with personality-based biases and influences, (as you said) and a dearth of professionalism.  Some (many?) of these people have serious personality issues that are deeply wrapped up in their gaming behavior, and what the Amico represents appears to confuse and frequently irritate them.  It's not even the system itself, it's the whole idea.  As I've said before, clowns on youtube get to do 'on the level' interviews with an industry veteran like Tommy, and that's just wrong.  Stunted adults shouldn't have an audience, but that's pretty much what the modern online world has created.

1 hour ago, RetroAdvisoryBoard said:

Why get an Xbox Series X when you can buy a really great dedicated gaming PC with so much more capabilities and access to an 8,000 game library on Steam?

 

Why get a Nintendo Switch when you can get a decent tablet and sync it to a wireless controller via Bluetooth? 

 

Or Pat and Ian on their latest podcast, on the sudden high demand of the Wii.. "you mean there's a system bringing family and friends together again??"  "so you can play couch co-op?  There's a system that exists???"  "These things are everywhere, you trip over them"...

 

Seemingly unaware that half of their critique is defeated in acknowledging *there is great appeal in a similar concept*, or that by championing the Wii, they're casting their entire retail pitch on.. a system that hasn't seen a retail shelf in 7-8 years.  Yes folks, you really have a demand for something, our advice, go to Gerald's stoop sale and buy that used Wii!  Some crusty gunk on the silicon gel Wiimote covers?  Don't mind that, just wash your hands an extra two minutes and don't ever, ever put your hands or those Wiimotes near your face, yeesh. 

 

I won't be putting much stock into complaints that the cost is too high.  It's a little higher than the no-brainer cost they were aiming for - and since October 2018 that price has been caveated that it may shift a bit.  But a difference of $40 or $80 isn't going to sink or swim this system for the typical shopper.  We're all familiar with the cost of family entertainment and more centerpiece consumer electronics.  Some would have this priced competitively with a pocket calculator.  A few would balk at THAT price.  The same people wouldn't bat an eyelash at buying a $900 billiards table or a $100 board for bean bags/corn hole.  A $400 Framemeister - let me get two, that's what I need - a premiere upscaler.  New games and different gameplay or an 8% increase in resolution and fidelity?  They're more excited for the latter.  But an entirely new system with different conceptual games pushing toward a less-focused market in the low $200s?  Noooooooo, it'll never sell, you guys are crazy.

 

While these guys have a better take and appear interested, I really think the price complaints don't match well with the buying patterns of the general public, and what the "gamer" audience within that general public are willing to spend on trivial expenditures, yet complain about the $200 range of a new system. 

I think a few other factors folks may forget is that all systems (and almost EVERYTHING that is sold on the planet... especially electronics) comes out initially at a higher price.  Early adapters and folks who are not price sensitive typically drive when the ideal time to lower a product pricing may be.  In our case (and everyone elses' this year) Corona is unfortunately driving components higher and scarcity will drive prices even higher on the open market.

To assume that the price will always be set at $249 forever would be a mistake. This has never been the norm for anything electronic related... especially around Christmas or Black Friday/Cyber Monday.  Maybe folks will be running them at $199 by holidays of 2021.  I do believe that is our "magic" number that really gets them to fly off the shelves and goes from "millions" of units sold to "tens of millions" of units sold.  Of course we are doing EVERYTHING in our power to achieve that.  We're not dumb.  

But the other thing that our family marketing will be doing is ensuring that major VALUE will be front and center!

Folks can easily look at it like this.

Lets say it was a typical machine and it was the AMAZINGLY LOW PRICE of $150.  It would come with one controller and 1 game at that price.  Then you added 1 more controller ($50 lets say) and then 5 more games ($40 lets say) and then on top of that you included a $25 RFID gift card to purchase more games.  (not even going to throw in the value of the 3 soundtracks or 3D signed card or 25% merch discount... lets just keep to the very basics).

 

$150 - console w/one controller, one game

$50 - 2nd contoller

$40 - 5 more games

$25 - extra credit for more games

TOTAL = $265!

So at $249 that is still an amazing deal as you're talking about a $150 machine at that point.

PLUS... factor in that EVERY game is between $2.99 - $9.99 with NO loot boxes, microtransactions, in app purchasing, in app advertising, etc.

Even at $249 it's the deal of the century when compared to the typical video game console.

ALSO... lets not forget that 14 years ago about 30 million people purchased a Nintendo Wii for $249 just to play a small bowling demo.  Most people didn't buy a 2nd game for their Wii (my mom was one of them).  $249 14 years ago is the equivalent of about $317 today.  Again... a savings of nearly $70 when compared to just playing one demo on a Wii from 14 years ago.

It will be on US to ensure the big value proposition is there.  VERY easy to do... especially when the new machines will be $450 - $600.  We will always be about HALF of all the next gen consoles.  That right there is a big deal.

We have a very specific plan.

As a final note... in all of the focus group testing we've done... when non-gaming or casual gaming parents who have a total household income of at least $40,000 are asked how much they would be willing to pay for Amico (without telling them the price) the majority typically say around $300.  So again... those folks who are our target audience think our pricing is fantastic.  These are the families that will spend $80+ just to take their family of 4 to a movie which is a 2 hour entertainment experience.  Those folks have no problem spending 3 times that amount for a device that EVERYONE can play and have fun and that will provide hundreds of hours of SAFE family entertainment.

1 hour ago, Relicgamer said:

Tommy any way the games can be played just on the controller itself.  Like if you wanted to play astrosmash in bed but the wife wants to watch tv. So no tv

We may have an Easter Egg or two at some point. 

53 minutes ago, vongruetz said:

I think one thing that keeps getting lost in the debate about Amico's place in the gamine world is that it isn't meant to be someone's only game console. It's been said a number of times, but people keeping putting it as an "either/or" argument.  Amico is an "and" console.  It's much like the original Wii was for a lot of gamers.  You had a PlayStation AND a Wii.  Amico isn't competing with Xbox, Nintendo, or Sony.  I think they're a compliment to them. It fills in the holes that are absent in the consoles from the big players.

For hardcore gamers I agree.  But for a lot households this will be their only console purchase... probably since the Wii! 

45 minutes ago, Relicgamer said:

You hit the nail on the head. I had a guy arguing that you could buy a used system for less. Duh and that reasoning could be said about all current systems.  Smh why buy a xbox 1 x when you can buy a use xbox 1. Also when I explained 8 player coop its DEAD silence.  Oh well. Ill tell you this. I own every current systems  xbox 1 my wife uses ans my xbox 1 x ps4 switch.  All and I mean all going back to the original xbox game cube even the ps1 I NEVER preordered in fact I always waited about a year to see what games would be out and played my older systems till then. 

The Amico is my 1st preordered system in my 30 years of gaming.  Whats that tell you?  Lol I deeply feel this is a grest approach to gaming and I'm really excited for it. And as for price geez those haters are morons. Its not expensive.  

Awesome!  Thanks for sharing that.  Kinda puts to rest a lot of hardcore elitist complaints I've been reading in certain YouTube comment sections. 

6 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

 

 

I think a few other factors folks may forget is that all systems (and almost EVERYTHING that is sold on the planet... especially electronics) comes out initially at a higher price.  Early adapters and folks who are not price sensitive typically drive when the ideal time to lower a product pricing may be.  In our case (and everyone elses' this year) Corona is unfortunately driving components higher and scarcity will drive prices even higher on the open market.

To assume that the price will always be set at $249 forever would be a mistake. This have never been the norm for anything electronic related... especially around Christmas or Black Friday/Cyber Monday.  Maybe folks will be running them at $199 by holidays of 2021.  I do believe that is our "magic" number that really gets them to fly off the shelves and goes from "millions" of units sold to "tens of millions" of units sold.  Of course we are doing EVERYTHING in our power to achieve that.  We're not dumb.  

 

But the other thing that our family marketing will be doing is ensuring that major VALUE will be front and center!

 

Folks can easily look at it like this.

 

Lets say it was a typical machine and it was the AMAZINGLY LOW PRICE of $150.  It would come with one controller and 1 game at that price.  Then you added 1 more controller ($50 lets say) and then 5 more games ($40 lets say) and then on top of that you included a $25 RFID gift card to purchase more games.  (not even going to throw in the value of the 3 soundtracks or 3D signed card or 25% merch discount... lets just keep to the very basics).

 

$150 - console w/one controller, one game

$50 - 2nd contoller

$40 - 5 more games

$25 - extra credit for more games

TOTAL = $265!

 

So at $249 that is still an amazing deal as you're talking about a $150 machine at that point.

PLUS... factor in that EVERY game is between $2.99 - $9.99 with NO loot boxes, microtransactions, in app purchasing, in app advertising, etc.

 

Even at $249 it's the deal of the century when compared to the typical video game console.

 

ALSO... lets not forget that 14 years ago about 30 million people purchased a Nintendo Wii for $249 just to play a small bowling demo.  Most people didn't buy a 2nd game for their Wii (my mom was one of them).  $249 14 years ago is the equivalent of about $317 today.  Again... a savings of nearly $70 when compared to just playing one demo on a Wii from 14 years ago.

It will be on US to ensure the big value proposition is there.  VERY easy to do... especially when the new machines will be $450 - $600.  We will always be about HALF of all the next gen consoles.  That right there is a big deal.

We have a very specific plan.

 

As a final note... in all of the focus group testing we've done... when non-gaming or casual gaming parents who have a total household income of at least $40,000 are asked how much they would be willing to pay for Amico (without telling them the price) the majority typically say around $300.  So again... those folks who are our target audience think our pricing is fantastic.  These are the families that will spend $80+ just to take their family of 4 to a movie which is a 2 hour entertainment experience.  Those folks have no problem spending 3 times that amount for a device that EVERYONE can play and have fun and that will provide hundreds of hours of SAFE family entertainment.

 

 

This is the moment I feel like you have repeat yourself over and over again.  Its got to be very tiring for you Tommy.  You are definitely an amazing guy to be able to do this day in day out. But it will pay off in the end. Its definitely all in the numbers they this little mined people wont get. Hope you get some time off from all of this. I know its difficult during this time we are all dealing with.  

2 minutes ago, Relicgamer said:

This is the moment I feel like you have repeat yourself over and over again.  Its got to be very tiring for you Tommy.  You are definitely an amazing guy to be able to do this day in day out. But it will pay off in the end. Its definitely all in the numbers they this little mined people wont get. Hope you get some time off from all of this. I know its difficult during this time we are all dealing with.  

Thank you all for your support!  If any of you would like to help me out... please help me to repeat this kind of stuff online.  Whether YouTube comments, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc.  The more folks who chime in with knowledge the more the info will start to get out there.

Thank you all!!
 

2 hours ago, Intellivision Master said:

 

Why does that second guy sound like he's yelling out commentary from the john?

47 minutes ago, Swami said:

Why does that second guy sound like he's yelling out commentary from the john?

Did someone mention John???

😲

Oh oh sorry false alarm people false alarm... go back to your houses ...nothing ro see here... nothing to see...

🤭

1 hour ago, Relicgamer said:

You hit the nail on the head. I had a guy arguing that you could buy a used system for less. Duh and that reasoning could be said about all current systems.  Smh why buy a xbox 1 x when you can buy a use xbox 1. Also when I explained 8 player coop its DEAD silence.  Oh well. Ill tell you this. I own every current systems  xbox 1 my wife uses ans my xbox 1 x ps4 switch.  All and I mean all going back to the original xbox game cube even the ps1 I NEVER preordered in fact I always waited about a year to see what games would be out and played my older systems till then. 

The Amico is my 1st preordered system in my 30 years of gaming.  Whats that tell you?  Lol I deeply feel this is a grest approach to gaming and I'm really excited for it. And as for price geez those haters are morons. Its not expensive.  

Here’s another way to look at it (admittedly a sideways one) -  1 vocal gaming elitist’s average time hating on the system to date ➗ by the cost of 1 Amico = ~$0.50 an hour  ($0.25/hr in Pat and Ian’s case) for time spent. Minimum wage where I live is currently $12/hr which leaves $11.50 ($23.50 combined for Pat and Ian) of equatable deficit from their time vs. the cost of the system; which means with all things factored and considered - I’ve just waste 2 minutes of my time determining a quantifiable conclusion of the qualitative assessment that most “logical”  people already know in that these elitist are idiots.  

5 hours ago, vongruetz said:

An not just the U.S.  My color changing mug took awhile to arrive, but it was shipped from IE offices in Latvia. The hat made it here almost immediately.  And then the Golden Ticket arrived about a week later.  What I really liked was that the envelope with the ticket in it was hand addressed. I got a kick out of the return address that read "INTELLIVISION!!!  "

 

Tommy, whoever is addressing those envelopes deserves a pat on the back.  Great job.

I must be under a rock and keep seeing posts about Golden Ticket.  

What is this exactly?

TJ

55 minutes ago, Swami said:

Why does that second guy sound like he's yelling out commentary from the john?

They are practicing Social Distancing and have only one microphone?

1 hour ago, Alpha82 said:

I watched most of it and left a response I think Retro Advisory would be proud of lol 

Those guys shouldn't even have a channel about games they clearly dont know anything