Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

I think it's obviously J. Allard, but Tommy was forced to say "it's not him" for legal reasons. 😅

On 12/10/2019 at 6:19 AM, LePionnier said:

10 months to go ! 😀

Now only 5 months to go ! 👍

Please show some love for Anthium!!  Just started his channel and it's all focused around Intellivision and his family.

Here's his latest video.
 

10 hours ago, Relicgamer said:

So this article pretty much summed up my feelings on next gen consoles.  The breakdown of how the generations like snes to n64 and how they made a hugh jump forward in gaming technology.  But as time moves on each new generation its been less of a jump. This next generation series x and ps5 will have improvements but will it be enough to unseat me from my xbox 1x ? No. 

So since this is a Q&A heres one for not just Tommy but to everyone here. Do you all feel that gaming is getting to a peak where its possible they could crash? Similar to 83? And if so do you see a system like the Amico doing alot better because of it?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2020/05/09/microsoft-just-showed-an-uncomfortable-truth-about-the-xbox-series-x-and-ps5/

What would constitute a crash in today's gaming industry? 1983 was localized to the U.S. console business. Video games were still being played around the world and in the U.S. through other venues. The death of arcades did not crash the video game industry. Nor did the death of dedicated handheld consoles. Consumer habits change and there probably will be a time when dedicated gaming consoles are no longer a thing. That doesn't mean video games are going away, though. The industry has evolved and grown in many ways.

If PS5 and Xbox Series X have low sales, there's a reason for it. If that's because people are sticking with their old hardware, Sony and Microsoft will try to make the new machines more attractive. If it's the price, they'll issue price drops. If people have migrated away from dedicated consoles, there's not much those two can do. That doesn't mean industry doom and gloom, though. A PS4 owner deciding to invest in a gaming PC over a PS5 only really impacts Sony's bottom line. A Xbox One player deciding to move to a streaming service over buying hardware ... not a realistic scenario right now. Maybe in 10 years. The point is that industry is so diversified now. Most games are multi-platform now. One branch falling off doesn't mean the tree's about to die. 

The "diminishing returns" argument is not new. The author of that article states that the last time there was a sizable improvement was when the PS1 and N64 were introduced 25 years ago. Yet the PS2 is the best selling console of all time. Video games and the machines that play them have been sold in mass quantities in the decades since. People upgrade smartphones all the time and most aren't doing things that would require the fastest processors and the highest resolution screens.

The only thing that should concern fans is if people stop playing video games.

11 hours ago, Relicgamer said:

So this article pretty much summed up my feelings on next gen consoles.  The breakdown of how the generations like snes to n64 and how they made a hugh jump forward in gaming technology.  But as time moves on each new generation its been less of a jump. This next generation series x and ps5 will have improvements but will it be enough to unseat me from my xbox 1x ? No. 

So since this is a Q&A heres one for not just Tommy but to everyone here. Do you all feel that gaming is getting to a peak where its possible they could crash? Similar to 83? And if so do you see a system like the Amico doing alot better because of it?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2020/05/09/microsoft-just-showed-an-uncomfortable-truth-about-the-xbox-series-x-and-ps5/

This is a fun question. I think that, technologically speaking, video games have come so far over their history. Future mechanical advancements will be smaller, both because the industry has caught up with technology as a whole, and because of the vast gap that it's already covered. Kind of like scoring in an arcade game. Going from 1,000 to 2,000 is doubling your effort, but going from 150,000 to 175,000? Drop in a bucket, comparatively.

That said, I don't think video gaming is due for a crash. Ups and downs are a part of any commodity, and an expected one in most consumable media. Video gaming has eluded a major 'down period' for 33 years, and I think it's set to keep succeeding for years to come. Video games offer something that is unique in gaming: the ability to be part of a community, yet wholly special within that community. For instance, when playing Astrosmash with my son. When I play, he avidly watches, trying to glean hints as to what I'm doing. He'll cheer on, which is certainly nice. He'll also say 'oh, you're gonna die!' when the screen starts looking precarious... not quite as nice, but I can appreciate that the game's got him invested. Knowing that he's watching so intently, I'm locked in to playing as well as I can. After all, who wants to put a dud score up in front of their kid? When he's playing, I'm paying attention almost just as closely. I love seeing the 'AHA!' moments, when he figures things out. He's so thrilled when he beats his own scores, and keeps telling me he's coming for mine next! (Confession: I'm not vary good - he'll be beating them sooner than he'd imagine.)

I've also played Magic: the Gathering since '94. I love that game, and it's held a pretty unique distinction in gaming all on its own. I don't think I've ever seen a game people were so ready to see fail as MtG. It was dying in the early days due to scarcity of print runs. Then cards were too plentiful. The Reserved List (when they set aside a number of classic cards that had retained a high secondary value, and promised to never reprint them) was going to kill the game, as were numerous rules changes, artistic changes, the advent (and success) of online gaming, and other competing card games. Magic: the Gathering, while it has had several ups and downs, has managed to carve out an entire new facet of gaming, and not only exist, but lead that facet, for a quarter century! And all the while, doing so while everyone seems to be predicting their demise.

Sorry if I went on a bit long about MtG, but I did so to set up my overall point ( I swear, I'm getting there). Over time, I'd seen quite a bit of the game. There were sets I liked, sets I loved, and some sets that felt like they shouldn't even be considered part of the game. One day, my thoughts on these were altered by something said by the Professor, of the Tolarian Community College channel. I forget the exact quote, or the specific thing he was referring to when he said it, but the intent of the line was this: No matter what your opinion of a set is, that set will be someone's first. That will be the set that starts their fandom, that brings them into the fandom you've enjoyed.

To be honest, the next generation of systems doesn't offer a whole ton of interest for me. Heck, the current gen consoles aren't really captivating for me, either (I'll occasionally hop on the Switch for Wonder Boy, or a few games of Tetris99. My PS4 has essentially been a DVD/Blu Ray player). But these systems will be big for the teens and early 20s aged kids. These will be the systems that they're saving up part of their paychecks for. The games that they'll talk about with their friends.

Amico will be there too. Its appeal will be fully seen in time (though, I'd say it has shown more than capable of drawing an audience thus far). These consoles, for all we care about them one way or another, will inspire new gamers to join the fandom. They may even bring back older gamers who'd been disinterested with what's been put out there. Through all of that, I hadn't even mentioned mobile gaming, which has completely changed the way remote gaming is looked at (and, by large, done). I maybe see to portable game systems in an average week, but people are constantly gaming on their phones. In this way, I feel that video gaming is set for a very stable future. It may very well slow down, but I don't think it'll crash.

1 hour ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Considering the awesome group we have in here... I thought you might all enjoy THIS video that was recently uploaded!  Loving the Intellivision Football thumbnail!  And did anyone notice the FCK initials??  Hahahha!  I preferred ASS, but y'know... everyone's a little different. 

 

Actually...  my 3 High Score letters were really TAT (my initials).  What did everyone else use back in the day?  Did you stick with your own initials?  

https://texasarchive.org/2017_00628?b=0
 

Initials for me as well, CDR. With my skill level at some games, just getting a high score on the board was a shock!

Here's an interesting and peculiar post that was left on one of our Intellivision YouTube videos that I wanted to share with this group...

Kinda odd right?  (I also don't even know what he was referring to in regards to other failed family video game ideas?  What video game systems focused on family and failed?)

I feel that maybe it's just a "generational" thing.  I'm assuming this person is much younger than us considering the vernacular used.

The initial expectation is to mock and hate something before it is seen.  I guess I just don't subscribe or try to understand that type of mentality.

Of course... to this persons credit... they kept an open mind and bewilderingly wants to now get one.  I wonder how many others will eventually feel this way? 

My next statement is a vast generalization and not meant to group everyone of a certain age together.  It also doesn't necessarily refer to this particular poster, but just the internet culture as a whole (for younger generations).

I find it interesting that other generations prefer to approach something with negativity and disdain out of the gate.  Not all of them of course... not even the majority.  But it definitely seems to be the majority on Twitter, YouTube and certain message boards.  I see this a lot in the "internet" generation.

"I'm here to mock you and give you my entitled opinion about how crappy you are!  Even if I've never tried your product.  And because my opinion is my opinion, it is the correct opinion and if you dare disagree with it... YOU are the bad guy and YOU can't take criticism!"

What I find most interesting and entertaining is that THOSE type of responses and the folks using them are actually the ones who can't take the "criticism".

Kinda ironic. 

Anyway... that's my Sunday morning rant.  Let me know your thoughts.

A few interesting articles:

https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/gen-z-is-anxious-distrustful-and-often-downright-miserable-new-poll-reveals.html
"Their opinions of business are even worse: a pathetic six percent of Gen Z trust corporations to do the right thing. The number for adults in general is 60 percent. "When asked what comes to mind when they think of global corporations, they typically volunteer words such as exploitative, selfish, arrogant, greedy, cheating and untrustworthy," reports the Guardian."

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/i-hear-you/201907/why-are-millennials-so-anxious-and-unhappy

https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/338497/report-gen-z-millennials-unhappy-with-social-med.html

1 hour ago, LePionnier said:

Now only 5 months to go ! 👍

 

 

October can't come soon enough.  

20 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Here's an interesting and peculiar post that was left on one of our Intellivision YouTube videos that I wanted to share with this group...

 

 

 

Kinda odd right?  (I also don't even know what he was referring to in regards to other failed family video game ideas?  What video game systems focused on family and failed?)

 

I feel that maybe it's just a "generational" thing.  I'm assuming this person is much younger than us considering the vernacular used.

The initial expectation is to mock and hate something before it is seen.  I guess I just don't subscribe or try to understand that type of mentality.

 

Of course... to this persons credit... they kept an open mind and bewilderingly wants to now get one.  I wonder how many others will eventually feel this way? 

 

My next statement is a vast generalization and not meant to group everyone of a certain age together.  It also doesn't necessarily refer to this particular poster, but just the internet culture as a whole (for younger generations).

 

I find it interesting that other generations prefer to approach something with negativity and disdain out of the gate.  Not all of them of course... not even the majority.  But it definitely seems to be the majority on Twitter, YouTube and certain message boards.  I see this a lot in the "internet" generation.

"I'm here to mock you and give you my entitled opinion about how crappy you are!  Even if I've never tried your product.  And because my opinion is my opinion, it is the correct opinion and if you dare disagree with it... YOU are the bad guy and YOU can't take criticism!"

 

What I find most interesting and entertaining is that THOSE type of responses and the folks using them are actually the ones who can't take the "criticism".

 

Kinda ironic. 

 

Anyway... that's my Sunday morning rant.  Let me know your thoughts.

 

 

A few interesting articles:

 

https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/gen-z-is-anxious-distrustful-and-often-downright-miserable-new-poll-reveals.html
"Their opinions of business are even worse: a pathetic six percent of Gen Z trust corporations to do the right thing. The number for adults in general is 60 percent. "When asked what comes to mind when they think of global corporations, they typically volunteer words such as exploitative, selfish, arrogant, greedy, cheating and untrustworthy," reports the Guardian."

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/i-hear-you/201907/why-are-millennials-so-anxious-and-unhappy

https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/338497/report-gen-z-millennials-unhappy-with-social-med.html

 

 

Lots of factors at play...unfamiliarity, reticence to embrace something different and generally speaking, an aversion to criticism. The millennial generation gets their feelings hurt so easily and also want a trophy for just being alive lol. I know they can’t help it for the most part as they are a product of the times. 
 

Gone is the era of dialogue, disagreement, then having a beer. 
 

So when a new and unfamiliar(to their generation) product like Amico comes to their attention...they are stumped. It’s one is the reasons I’m stoked for people to just PLAY it and see if they have fun! 
 

Once people play it and have some fun, hopefully it will be a lightbulb moment for those folks and they “get it” How fun and social games can be...and were for my generation.

1 hour ago, SoloZolo said:

The author of that article states that the last time there was a sizable improvement was when the PS1 and N64 were introduced 25 years ago. Yet the PS2 is the best selling console of all time.

I don't think the comparison here is quite fair.

PS2 was the first truly accessible and supported multimedia machine (3DO was only a small step tech demo by comparison), adopting DVD. That format, by Y2K, had already killed Laserdisc and was numbering VHS's days on the shelves. Also at a launch price of $299, PS2 was also the cheapest DVD player on the market at the time.

DVD is still the king as far as home tech product adoption rates go. Even exceeding Color TV's introduction in the 1960s. I credit the PS2 sales to the runaway success of DVD much more than as a mere game machine. Even with Blu Ray and UHD BR on the shelves, DVDs still sit along side of them 23 years later.

2 minutes ago, Blarneo said:

I don't think the comparison here is quite fair.

PS2 was the first multimedia machine, adopting DVD,  that by Y2K had already killed Laserdisc and was numbering VHS's days on the shelves. Also at a launch price of $299, it was also the cheapest DVD player on the market at the time.

DVD is still the king as far as home tech product adoption rates go. Even exceeding Color TV's introduction in the 1960s. I credit the PS2 sales to the runaway success of DVD much more than as a mere game machine. Even with Blu Ray and UHD BR on the shelves, DVDs still sit along side of them 23 years later.

Excellent point...I remember vividly the first time I walked into an electronics store and saw DVD and DIVX. I bought a DVD player and some movies and immediately went home and tossed out my VCR(which I never liked). PS2 had big time advantage due to built in DVD...but having all the games Sony had, it was a great combo for huge sales.

11 minutes ago, MarioMan88 said:

Excellent point...I remember vividly the first time I walked into an electronics store and saw DVD and DIVX. I bought a DVD player and some movies and immediately went home and tossed out my VCR(which I never liked). PS2 had big time advantage due to built in DVD...but having all the games Sony had, it was a great combo for huge sales.

I was an early adopter in 1997. My first was a Panasonic for $499. It was VERY BASIC! It didn't even have progressive scan, but I loved it.

I also hated VHS and never collected movies for it. I couldn't afford Laserdisc.

My first 2 movies? Fargo and Birdcage!😁🤣

7 minutes ago, Blarneo said:

I was an early adopter in 1997. My first was a Panasonic for $499. It was VERY BASIC! It didn't even have progressive scan, but I loved it.

I also hated VHS and never collected movies for it. I couldn't afford Laserdisc.

 

My first 2 movies? Fargo and Birdcage!😁🤣

Yea my family always loved VHS and I even worked in Video store in ‘92 and despised VHS tapes lol. I’m trying to remember what I bought that day. I remember it was a CompUSA store in Oklahoma back in ‘97..gosh just can’t remember the 2 movies. 
 

edit: I remember being a lot lighter in the pocket as it was pricey but I was soo happy for another medium besides tapes.

3 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Actually...  my 3 High Score letters were really TAT (my initials).  What did everyone else use back in the day?  Did you stick with your own initials?  

https://texasarchive.org/2017_00628?b=0
 

JON here... Couldn't properly spell it with the 'H' in only 3 letters, but preferred it over my initials. Made me very happy to enter and felt 'cooler' and more eye-catching than straight initials. 

3 hours ago, IntelliMission said:

I think it's obviously J. Allard, but Tommy was forced to say "it's not him" for legal reasons. 😅

Agreed. He also didn't say he hasn't talked to him in years like he did with everyone else. 

J's efforts to make XBLA a thing and his focus on multi-player gaming seem to make him a really good fit. 

As I said before, if it's not him then Tommy should really get him engaged as well. Can't think of anyone better to sort out online multi-player for Amico in 2022...:-)

47 minutes ago, MarioMan88 said:

Lots of factors at play...unfamiliarity, reticence to embrace something different and generally speaking, an aversion to criticism. The millennial generation gets their feelings hurt so easily and also want a trophy for just being alive lol. I know they can’t help it for the most part as they are a product of the times. 
 

Gone is the era of dialogue, disagreement, then having a beer. 
 

So when a new and unfamiliar(to their generation) product like Amico comes to their attention...they are stumped. It’s one is the reasons I’m stoked for people to just PLAY it and see if they have fun! 
 

Once people play it and have some fun, hopefully it will be a lightbulb moment for those folks and they “get it” How fun and social games can be...and were for my generation.

That 1st article was really good. Im a gen xer and it was nice to get incite on how challenging it is for these younger generations. Ive been in the same profession for 20+ years and  I'm ready for a change. When I was young I did some code and I enjoyed it.  But ended up a house painter lol. And its been a really good profession and allowed me to support my family afford a home and most importantly be home every night and weekend. And I also owned and operated my own business. And have even accomplished having my work featured in Forbes magazine and other magazines. But now I'm getting tired and well bored. As a old guy I'm more than ever ready for something new. So I'm hitting the reset button.  Im currently learning Unity. As that article has stated the door is never shut. 

3 hours ago, IntelliMission said:

I think it's obviously J. Allard, but Tommy was forced to say "it's not him" for legal reasons. 😅

I agree with you. He checks off everything on Tommy's List except "fiance". That being said the only reference I can find about him being married is from 2010.

And the blurb below about Allard is spot on with Tommy's description of him - "This is a guy who doesn't do things for money... but out of sheer passion."

"A curious thing about Allard is that he may have earned boatloads of cash at Microsoft, but he isn’t remotely motivated by it. He sold that chalet in Whistler, partially to underwrite Project 529, but mostly because he felt like he wasn’t using it enough. He only buys used cars. He takes public transit, wears his shoes and socks until they have holes in them and claims concert tickets as his biggest monthly expense. (He has seen Kiss 28 times)."

Did Tommy lie to us? What are Pat and Ian going to think? 🤣

 https://business.financialpost.com/feature/stop-bicycle-thief-inside-an-ex-microsoft-wunderkinds-canadian-crusade-to-save-your-bike

3 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Considering the awesome group we have in here... I thought you might all enjoy THIS video that was recently uploaded!  Loving the Intellivision Football thumbnail!  And did anyone notice the FCK initials??  Hahahha!  I preferred ASS, but y'know... everyone's a little different. 

 

Actually...  my 3 High Score letters were really TAT (my initials).  What did everyone else use back in the day?  Did you stick with your own initials?  

https://texasarchive.org/2017_00628?b=0
 

I used P.M for my initials. I did not used my middle name and found my initials stood out this way since most people used three letters. I remember the thrill of seeing my initials up there 😊 coming day after day and pumping all of those quarters into those machines. I got lost and was in another world when I was playing my favourite games. It didn’t matter if I was at a huge arcade or a bowling alley or the local pizza place.  Those were magical times 😀

On 5/8/2020 at 10:12 AM, Intellivision Master said:

 

Asteroids was my game back in the arcade. Spent all the money I earned from my paper route on it. Trying to get the high score. Looking forward to this one Pete!

4 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Actually...  my 3 High Score letters were really TAT (my initials).  What did everyone else use back in the day?  Did you stick with your own initials? 

Like I already said, I was not playing a lot in Arcades ! ( No money for this ...  😪 )

I watched others play !

But when I had to use 3 letters, I wrote "M.M" (initials) or "MAJ" (first 3 letters of my last name).

Now, I will probably use "PIO".

I don't remember for Amico High scores if we will have to write 3 letters or if it will be a complete name ?

Could someone remind me?

Thank you.

On 5/8/2020 at 5:09 PM, Relicgamer said:

To Tommy and those interested.  Some of us on Facebook have been discussing a mass unboxing at launch. Obviously its hard to pull that off when people will likely get theirs at different times.  But maybe we could come up with a collection of people that can send in their unboxing and then could be used for a future ad. Open for input. 

I'm very late to the party. I still don't see a color combo I really like. That woodgrain vip one was super sweet, too bad I missed out on it. But those are long gone I'm sure. 

I'd love to see one themed after some of the old Atari,Imagic,Intellivision,Activision games. I'm totally sold on the Amico, I'm just waiting for that special one for me.😉

So many great questions and topics are being discussed here.  I'm going to sum up all my comments in one post (hopefully)

What initials did I use for high scores?  As boring as it is, I've always used my actual initials and never felt the need to be a smartass.  Funny, as it's probably the only time I don't feel like being a smartass.

Is the generational leap for consoles now so little it can cause a crash?  I started noticing this decline with the introduction of the current gaming systems.  I really couldn't see a big leap between the PS3/PS4  It seemed like nothing new was introduced that made it groundbreaking.

- Genesis/SNES is the era when video games matured. Graphics were finally on par with what was seen in the arcades. SNES introduced the four face buttons and shoulder buttons that would become standard in the years going forward.

- N64/PS1 introduced 3D graphics, and games moved on from arcade style (high scores) to a more cinematic approach.

- PS2/XBOX standardized the controller setup we now think of today. Dual analog sticks, D-pad, 4 shoulder buttons, 4 face buttons. It allowed for 3D worlds to be easily navigated and really popularized open worlds and First Person Shooters. It also made the console a multi-media box in that it wasn't just a console, it was also a DVD player.  That was huge.

- PS3/XBOX 360 was probably the biggest leap in my opinion.  It made online connectivity standard. PS3 had wireless internet built in. Hard drives became standard. Graphics leaped to high definition, and it really made for a big change in the way games look.  Thanks to the Wii, motion control gaming also became popular, which Sony quickly tried to copy.  Perhaps the biggest change though was the introduction of digital distribution of games. This opened the door to entirely new games and new genres that made no sense with the old model. Smaller games could be created and this led to the "indie" scene. 

- PS4/XB1.... games got prettier, I guess?  Performance improved and graphics got better.  They tried to promote sharing but it wasn't anything revolutionary.  Online gaming became the standard more and more.  

- PS5/XSX will make games even prettier and perform even better. I actually think that biggest winner in this battle is going to be the PS4. I think it will drop in price and people will continue to buy it for years, much as the PS2 kept selling long after the PS3 was introduced.

Why are Millenials/GenY so depressed?  I'm going to sound like a grumpy old man on this, but it's the truth. It's because they've had it too easy.  I know not everyone falls into that category, but as a society we've made the basic function of surviving really easy. They don't have to fight for it. They aren't kicked out of the nest and told to swim or sink. Being independent and taking care of yourself is psychologically very important to being mentally healthy. People in their mid-20's still living at home are essentially refusing to grow up because they have been accustomed to being taken care of and moving out is a scary proposition. But we as people need that. We need to face this world in order to grow. To give ourselves a sense of accomplishment. To prove to ourselves that we can do it. When you don't take that leap, you feel like you have no self worth. That's when people turn inward and have their lives consumed with gaming. The need to find that satisfaction still drives within them, and if they can't do it in the real world, they'll attempt to find it in a virtual one. The problem is that it's not the same and the brain doesn't interpret as the same. 

Tommy talks about moving out of his parents house and sleeping under a bridge... now that is scary as all can be. But he did it. He made the effort. He went for it. I moved out after I graduated college and haven't looked back since. It's important.

Rant over.  (and Tommy is either misleading us with his clues, or something doesn't add up. Guess I'll have to wait until the end of the week to find out)

32 minutes ago, LePionnier said:

Actually...  my 3 High Score letters were really TAT (my initials).  What did everyone else use back in the day?  Did you stick with your own initials? 

Most of the time I was AAA. Too lazy to put in my initials when AAA is fastest. Only later did I start using my real initials.

As a xennial (born in 1980, just in the middle of the millennials and the X generation), I have also noticed that too many people born between 1083-1990, the older millennials, are kind of childish.

Girls are clearly a victim of the excessive use of cameras and I have hopes that younger generations will learn to avoid this behavior one of these decades, so there's not much to do there.

But boys, especially gamers, seem to be addicted to getting in trouble in Internet discussions and watching disgusting manga series.

My theory is that the 90s are to blame: the 80s were some kind of paradise for children. Teenagers and adults also got their good entertainment, but children definitely had their space. In the 90s, cartoons and superhero comic books started to suck terribly, with Dragon Ball, not exactly suited for small children, taking their place.

Also, video games started to turn into movies about the year 2000, when these guys were 10-15 years old, so they started to expect video games to be easy. And their first systems were 16-bit machines, so they didn't get to appreciate games with giant pixels, text only or 4 colors: many of them are graphic whores.

Of course, the culture of faking an image in Facebook and constantly communicating over chatrooms, when it's super easy to hide your emotions, since their early teens, must have something to to with their personality too.

I honestly like the crazy kids born in the year 2000 more, at least they seem more positive in their own distopian ways.