Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

Billboards!:

10/10/2020...

1, 2 Amico’s coming for you

3, 4 Better open your door

5, 6 Pat and Ian are pricks

7, 8 - woah! - I’ll be able to play Amico games with up to 8 people, OUT OF THE BOX!! - “WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING™“

45 minutes ago, Relicgamer said:

As for the budget end of things thats not my wheelhouse. A commercial is expensive but through a large podcast or multiple pod casts it could reach alot of people. Or a ad on YouTube again I dont know about these things. 

2nd idea I thought of is about 1 guy working in his basement on a time machine a machinemade from old intellivision parts. Sole purpose to travel back in time to stop a impending disaster on humanity.  The disaster is the lack social interaction. He wants to travel back to warn everyone in the early 1980s of what will happen to people through videogames. When he gets back his friends open the door and ask when he will be up. The game is about to start when he comes up the stairs a flash of colors shoots down the stairs colors from the hint hint Amico as he reaches the top hes greeted by his friends and family all ready to play on the intellivision. And the last scene is a tear coming from the man. 

Great.

Another one in the same way could be with Jeff Bridges from Tron in the 80's.

When he is coming back in 2020, he said 

"Mission accomplished". And we are looking at the first footage of the new Tron game. 

2 minutes ago, LePionnier said:

Great.

Another one in the same way could be with Jeff Bridges from Tron in the 80's.

When he is coming back in 2020, he said 

"Mission accomplished". And we are looking at the first footage of the new Tron game. 

Yes to Tron anything Tron. That would be fun. I think having any ad with these iconic 80s memories would sell. Kids today with the different movies recently has made a resurgence in 80s popularity.  My sons 21 and he loves everything 80s. Loves the show stranger things. Loves arcades. And kid you not his favorite system is the nes. And hes a purist wont use a game genie. Beaten more nes games than me. 

Interesting video today. I liked it.

I got Sega Ages Virtua Racing the other day. It has 8 player split screen, so I decided to try it just to see what it looks like. It also requires each player to use a single Joy-con in the horizontal mode for any type of split screen. It doesn't seem to care that I have the pro controller. It actually tells me to go to hell and disconnects the pro controller and won't let me connect it again without exiting the setup screen or closing the game. Naturally, I gave up at this point and decided that I didn't want to test the split screen anymore and did something else instead.

I have no idea why I am sharing this, but it seems kind of relevant.

1 hour ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

We don't want them to be that easy to get as it would cheapen them all as a whole we believe.

 

If you get the highest score for a week in your state... that's still pretty darn cool and something to feel proud of.

 

🏆🥇❤️

Or highest score for a week on Your Province ? 😀

1 hour ago, CurlyQ said:

*shiver* I can still see it when I shut my eyes.... this is going to haunt my dreams for quite a while

1 hour ago, CurlyQ said:

Oh, so they each do have a significant other.  Who would have guessed.

edit: oh, and they are perfect for each other.  There truly is someone out there for everyone.

8 hours ago, Starpaddler said:

For my $0.02, I believe IE really needs to touch more on their video industry retro-purchasing concepts going forward, meaning you spend real money up front to really own a game outright - Simple.

 

The app that really, for all intents and purposes, ended my gaming on mobile was Real Racing 3.  Sometime after I “purchased” it (you know, paid real money to “own’ the game), EA introduced delay-to-play-unless-you-pay™ (i.e., a timer that needed to run before you could go onto the next race).  I was TOTALLY into that game, but even before they “upgraded” it with the timer, I came to find that the time required to get to the next unlock became exponential (which in turn was only made even worse by the timer).  Here was a game I paid for where the developer inserted road blocks to prevent me playing it!; unless of course I “wanted” to opt to pay additional money to mitigate the timer.  In all honesty, if EA would have just put the game up in the App store for $40 bucks with a week free trial, I would have been happier, EA would have gotten more of my money, and I’d probably be still playing RR3 today; but instead, I dropped the game out of frustration (and principal) and pretty much mobile gaming along with it.

First, I'll say that I'm not a fan of the microtransaction mechanics in a lot of mobile games and the first one I ever really played was the one that turned me off: Real Racing 3.  So I agree with you there.

However, I don't think you ever paid money to buy the game.  It was free-to-play from the day it released.  From Wikipedia: "It was released on iOS and Android on 28 February 2013 under the freemium business model; it was free to download, with enhancements available through in-app purchases."

47 minutes ago, BigDumer said:

First, I'll say that I'm not a fan of the microtransaction mechanics in a lot of mobile games and the first one I ever really played was the one that turned me off: Real Racing 3.  So I agree with you there.

 

However, I don't think you ever paid money to buy the game.  It was free-to-play from the day it released.  From Wikipedia: "It was released on iOS and Android on 28 February 2013 under the freemium business model; it was free to download, with enhancements available through in-app purchases."

You may be correct as I looked and cannot find what I paid, if anything, and its been years since I've played it, so looks like I was wrong on that, so thanks for correcting that.  Assumed/thought it was something I actually initially paid for.  (see what I did there Pat and Ian, it really is that simple). 
 

l am not one who generally thinks I should be entitled to get something for free, they obviously put much effort into the game and they should be appropriately compensated, but for me (and apparently many others) the approach to buy ‘gold’ to temporarily buy down the timer is just plain frustrating.  Again I would much rather have a free trial period and then be required to pay a one time cost to purchase (rather then rent/subscribe) the game, should I feel it warrant the price. It was a great game but for me didnt warrant the frustration of the transaction system.  Maybe in the end its 6 of one and a half dozen of the other and i just need to learn to accept change; or not and just buy an Amico - yea thats a much better option for me. 
 

Pigment is another example, you can only subscribe (last my wife looked) and from my memory, the yearly subscription rate was more than we thought the outright purchase should be, so we’re out on that one as well.

Cant wait until 10/10, solitaire is getting old. 

I was browsing Intellivision shop but didn't find any "Amico shill" shirts, what's up with that?

8 hours ago, Relicgamer said:

Last one I swear lol same idea about the time machine but this one would be epic but expensive.  Get the cast of Back to the future. But have Marty  mcfly go back to the 80s and when he gets back runs up to his parents house to find the whole gang including biff all playing the Amico.  And have Biff bragging about his high score 

Man... if you could get Christopher Lloyd...

Just the thought of an older Jim Ignatowski. Poor guy can't figure out how to turn his 'other console' on. Then he sees an Amico...

Meanwhile, at Sony headquarters...

(This is an actual patent they just registered, some kind of robot to keep solitary players company. It kind of reminds me of this other recent patent by the company that shall not be named.)

34 minutes ago, IntelliMission said:

Meanwhile, at Sony headquarters...

 

 

(This is an actual patent they just registered, some kind of robot to keep solitary players company. It kind of reminds me of this other recent patent by the company that shall not be named.)

I hope it ends up looking EXACTLY like that because why not. I might have to upgrade my chair from a guitar amp to something that can fit more than one person JUST for this. Maybe it would even work like ROB or something. That would be interesting and mildly useless at the same time.

Can somebody photoshop the puffer fish over that poor robot's face?

Regarding getting someone famous for promotional purposes, lots of mentions of 80's movie stars or movie references, but isn't the target market people in their 30's?  I'm 48, I was only 7 or 8 when the Intellivision was introduced.  I'd go for 80s references, but do people in their 30's with single-digit aged kids?  Maybe a Seth Rogen age (38) person who appeals to a wide range of demographics would be more in line with the overall marketing strategy.

8 hours ago, Relicgamer said:

Depends on the state covid19 would get out on a early release 

He still won't get laid. Social distancing or not.

11 hours ago, CurlyQ said:

Damn John Oates from Hall & Oates keeps bombarding the AA forums!  

TJ

21 hours ago, atarifan88 said:

Personally I would love to watch videos of "TJ" singing re-written ZZ Top songs with a hint of an Amico theme thrown in there for good measure.  Just imagine hearing him belt out these awesome one-liners!...

 

"Give me all your Amico.  All your games and controllers too!"

"Cause every girl crazy 'bout an Amico man!"

"She's got Amico.  She knows how to use it!"

"I said Lord take me downtown, I'm just lookin' for some Amico!"

 

😀😀😀

Damn It... could not sleep last night and kept plugging Amico into many many songs.

One that stood out was Beth by Kiss.  

Just insert Amico for Beth and it just... well just works out... for us longing to be with our Amico!!

TJ

Just an FYI for people for people ordering from the Intellivision store. I placed an order on the 12th (Sunday) and got a tracking number today on the 18th (6 days, although I placed the order Sunday so nothing probably happened on it until Monday). So it looks like the fulfillment house are running a step behind with the Covid restrictions, but not too bad.

BTW, I have been adding up the pre-ordered consoles and multiple merch orders (this is #3) - damn this shilling is expensive business

14 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

Interesting video today. I liked it.

 

I got Sega Ages Virtua Racing the other day. It has 8 player split screen, so I decided to try it just to see what it looks like. It also requires each player to use a single Joy-con in the horizontal mode for any type of split screen. It doesn't seem to care that I have the pro controller. It actually tells me to go to hell and disconnects the pro controller and won't let me connect it again without exiting the setup screen or closing the game. Naturally, I gave up at this point and decided that I didn't want to test the split screen anymore and did something else instead.

 

I have no idea why I am sharing this, but it seems kind of relevant.

I think its definitely relevant as over and over and over we hear that couch co-op with friends already exists on the Switch.  It's easy for folks to say that statement... but the reality is that it's always a lot tougher than it seems for the following reasons...

1.  Discoverability - How does one find a couch co-op game on the e-shop? 

2.  How many hyper casual couch co-op games are there really for the Switch?  Would an average grandparent REALLY play Mario Kart or Mario Party?  Really???????

3.  Cost - How much are those 2 AAA couch co-op games you ask?  $50 & $60!  Almost half the price of our entire machine.

4.  You WILL need to purchase extra controllers for a 3 or 4 person game experience.

5.  And can we all be honest for just a second here.  Certain folks will complain about the Amico controller.. YET are completely okay with separating a single controller to pass around a drifting 4 inch half-slice of a baby controller?? 

6.  Once you've figured out all the stuff above... you realize that you can't use one of those extra controllers you may have bought, or you find out that even a 2 PLAYER hyper casual game like Wheel of Fortune needs 2 separate Joy-Cons (Joy-Cons being $80).  So, if you wanted to set up your own moms or dads (70+ year old) with a Wheel of Fortune game they could play with at least one other person.  You would need to spend over $400!  I guess it would just be easier to get them that real Cornhole board and bag for $100 that they can set up in their living rooms during the winter months.

Bottom line...

Folks can tout couch co-op on the Nintendo Switch all day long but the reality is that it's NOT as easy and inexpensive as one would think.  Especially for the average casual and non-gamer or family of 4.

13 hours ago, CurlyQ said:

MY EYES!?!?!?!!

I can't unsee this!

Quick... Mr. Beefy... report this to the mods IMMEDIATELY!  THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!

🌮

🌮 

🌮 

3 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

MY EYES!?!?!?!!

 

I can't unsee this!

Quick... Mr. Beefy... report this to the mods IMMEDIATELY!  THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!

🌮

 🌮 

 🌮 

4 hours ago, IntelliMission said:

 

Marketing guys furiously brainstorming:

• Sony Playstation: The Console for People with No Actual Friends(tm)
• Sony PS5: Now With An Imaginary Friend(tm)
• Sony PS5: Solo Gaming, Dog Now Optional(tm)
• Sony PS5: TRUE Couch Co-op - Because You Actually Play With Your Couch(tm)

(this is literally the saddest thing I have ever seen in the gaming arena)