Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

1 hour ago, Relicgamer said:

I dont know I actually like the feel of the dreamcast controller.  But agree on the 1 stick. My biggest complaint was the placement of the cord. If I had to choose between the DC controller vs n64 I would take the DC. Because I feel the N64 is the worst controller ever imho. 

Interesting... It seems that this controller inspires all kinds of reactions in different people, so I have opened a poll to see what Atari Age thinks.

5 minutes ago, IntelliMission said:

 

Interesting... It seems that this controller inspires all kinds of reactions in different people, so I have opened a poll to see what Atari Age thinks.

I never liked the N64 controller...worst controller design EVER 🤬

34 minutes ago, Loafer said:

https://venturebeat.com/2020/05/14/intellivision-taps-xbox-veteran-j-allard-as-global-managing-director/

 

This may be an excellent article from a reputable site but right in their first paragrah, it’s evident they too don’t quite get it.   Yes, It’s very frustrating to see Amico referenced once more as a “retro console”.  “Retro inspired” would be fair, but it’s not a retro console and the press needs to get this so that you guys can target your audience appropriately.  This shows there is still work for Tommy, J and everyone on Amico team to work towards:  changing the culture tag Amico presently has.

 

I think to fix this, you need to go old school, like they used to do it back in the day:  At the official press unveiling when VG reporters all get to try it out themselves in the (hopefully) near future after the lockdown is over, you gotta go all in Tommy, you gotta go 100% and go the distance, GO FOR THE HOMERUN!  The brass ring is there Tommy, you can grave it so Yes Tommy, it’s time, it’s THAT time Tommy, it’s time for B&B man.  B&B should help fix any pre-conceived notion of what Amico is all about by straightening any remaining preconceived Warped notions of what Amico is all about.

 

B&B?   Yes Tommy, it’s time for Bitches and Blow

 

It’s the only way!

In some ways though, I can understand where there would be confusion.  Intellivision is thought of as a retro brand, and a lot of the games we're seen so far are re-imaginings of retro games. The people who know about it right now, or who are writing about it, are traditional gamers. For them to lump this in with the retro consoles is understandable, even if it is incorrect.

The problem is that this is a video game console being designed for people who don't buy video game consoles. The story about J Allard's mom playing (and enjoying) Amico is a perfect demonstration of this.  So how do you sell a game console to non-gamers? You have to push it the places were non-gamers are.  Right now that isn't being done, but Tommy said from the beginning that the plan was to hit those outlets closer to launch.  That's when the Mom 2.0 conference was supposed to happen. 

I can't help but think that the only way to prevent the "retro" title is to push all the non-retro stuff.  Either way, it looks like they have their hands full just trying to get Amico ready for those already excited about it.

19 minutes ago, MarioMan88 said:

I never liked the N64 controller...worst controller design EVER 🤬

It was pretty much designed around Mario64. I found it fine but i can see how some might not like it. 

I hope these misconceptions don't affect casual and non gamers. I mean, I don't see those people seeing an Amico and thinking "hmmm, but that guy in that website said it was for retro gamers and I'm not a retro gamer, so...".

33 minutes ago, MarioMan88 said:

I never liked the N64 controller...worst controller design EVER 🤬

I'd say the Power Glove, Sega Activator, and Neo Geo AES controller are worse, and there are always things like that chainsaw controller for the PS2 and Gamecube, Wu-Tang controller, that one weird thing with half of the controller rotated 90 degrees from the other half, and maybe some more that I forgot.

That said, I'm still pretty certain that the Power Glove led to the design of the COMP in Shin Megami Tensei.

1 hour ago, Steven Pendleton said:

Worse than Sega Activator?

Ok ok that is pretty bad lol but in my defense a genesis didnt come packed with that. And the n64 did have the cool but uncomfortable controller.  I could never decide where to place my hand on it. And i preferred the outter handle but then the stick was in a awkward position.  Its probably the coolest looking controller though 

50 minutes ago, Cranker said:

It was pretty much designed around Mario64. I found it fine but i can see how some might not like it. 

I liked Mario 64 and at time was blown away but it..but the controller always felt uncomfortable and a jumbled mess, imho.

3 hours ago, Relicgamer said:

I dont know I actually like the feel of the dreamcast controller.  But agree on the 1 stick. My biggest complaint was the placement of the cord. If I had to choose between the DC controller vs n64 I would take the DC. Because I feel the N64 is the worst controller ever imho. 

I wasn't really a big fan of either, but the DC controller caused creases in my hands from the hard angled edges that N64 didn't have. And the cord stuck to the player sider of it was a bad idea. 

N64 did it's job, but when they came out with the Gamecube controller, it had all the functions of the N64 with a much better form factor. I wish they made it compatible with the N64 games.

45 minutes ago, Steven Pendleton said:

I'd say the Power Glove, Sega Activator, and Neo Geo AES controller are worse, and there are always things like that chainsaw controller for the PS2 and Gamecube, Wu-Tang controller, that one weird thing with half of the controller rotated 90 degrees from the other half, and maybe some more that I forgot.

 

That said, I'm still pretty certain that the Power Glove led to the design of the COMP in Shin Megami Tensei.

Neo Geo AES controller? You mean the arcade sticks it came with? Those were the best pack in controllers ever made for a home system, in my opinion.

Or are you talking about the small game pad that came with the NG CD system?

3 hours ago, Relicgamer said:

I dont know I actually like the feel of the dreamcast controller.  But agree on the 1 stick. My biggest complaint was the placement of the cord. If I had to choose between the DC controller vs n64 I would take the DC. Because I feel the N64 is the worst controller ever imho. 

For you DC fans.. I've been seriously thinking about getting the Retrofighters "StrikeDC".

https://retrofighters.com/our-collection/strikerdc-dreamcast-controller/

They also make an N64 controller.  I got used to the weirdness of the N64 controller. Still fun to use. Just odd.

Some of the other posts mention controllers that you purchase separately, but little remember the Nuon pack in controller.. Look at it in all it's glory!

 Nope that is not streteched out or photoshopped in any way. Yes, it's as uncomfortable as it looks. I still play(ed) Tempest 3000 on it for HOURS. A fun game can overcome a bad controller. I had a logitech controller for the Nuon, but it died a horrible death. That was better. But still clunky compared to others out there. Even the N64 looking controller for the Nuon was a bit odd. Never got one.

1 hour ago, MarioMan88 said:

I never liked the N64 controller...worst controller design EVER 🤬

What could you possibly know about Nintendo MarioMan?

Sorry,that's a joke, I couldn't resist....

Hey Everyone,

Come join @Tommy Tallarico as he answers Subscriber questions this Monday at 4pm.  This is a special thank you stream to all my Channels viewers and Subscribers  

4 hours ago, MarioMan88 said:

I never liked the N64 controller...worst controller design EVER 🤬

You may be too young to remember the poor design of the Atari 5200 controller. 

The joystick would not center itself while playing,making it hard to play maze or jumping games because after each directional move the stick would not go back to the middle.

It's too bad about the poor design because the games for the system were quite good and graphically very close to the arcade versions.

Fortunately Wico made a nice joystick for the system but they were pretty pricey and not so easy to come by.

Those 5200 stock controllers were regarded as the worst for the precrash era of video game systems.

52 minutes ago, wolfy62 said:

You may be too young to remember the poor design of the Atari 5200 controller. 

The joystick would not center itself while playing,making it hard to play maze or jumping games because after each directional move the stick would not go back to the middle.

It's too bad about the poor design because the games for the system were quite good and graphically very close to the arcade versions.

Fortunately Wico made a nice joystick for the system but they were pretty pricey and not so easy to come by.

Those 5200 stock controllers were regarded as the worst for the precrash era of video game systems.

I realize now that the 5200 controllers  we’re far from the best, but I never thought about it at the time and did fine with them ! I just wanted to play Video games !!!

5 hours ago, vongruetz said:

In some ways though, I can understand where there would be confusion.  Intellivision is thought of as a retro brand, and a lot of the games we're seen so far are re-imaginings of retro games. The people who know about it right now, or who are writing about it, are traditional gamers. For them to lump this in with the retro consoles is understandable, even if it is incorrect.

 

The problem is that this is a video game console being designed for people who don't buy video game consoles. The story about J Allard's mom playing (and enjoying) Amico is a perfect demonstration of this.  So how do you sell a game console to non-gamers? You have to push it the places were non-gamers are.  Right now that isn't being done, but Tommy said from the beginning that the plan was to hit those outlets closer to launch.  That's when the Mom 2.0 conference was supposed to happen. 

 

I can't help but think that the only way to prevent the "retro" title is to push all the non-retro stuff.  Either way, it looks like they have their hands full just trying to get Amico ready for those already excited about it.

Amico needs to add an additional tag line: together again, SAFE, and retro brand, retro inspired, retro company values, all new game play. 

10 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

Tommy, have you ever played NBA Jam? That's another EA series that I'd like to see come back on any platform. It is decent alone, but add even one more person and it becomes way better. When I was last in the USA 2 years ago, I made sure to bring NBA Jam Extreme on the PS1 back with me for a reason.

 

I know EA is not currently onboard, but I had to mention it because it's so fun.

BOOMSHAKALAKA! 🏀 Released in 1993 NBA Jam became exceptionally popular, and generated a significant amount of money for arcades after its release, creating revenue of $1 billion in quarters.

1 hour ago, Cranker said:

I realize now that the 5200 controllers  we’re far from the best, but I never thought about it at the time and did fine with them ! I just wanted to play Video games !!!

Brother had Atari 5200 but I didn’t really play it, so I don’t remember them being bad. All I wanted as a kid was to play his Intellivision! We started with APF, got an Atari then he mowed a crap ton of lawns to buy an Intellivision. 
 

Side note: I always enjoyed the original intv controllers...they overlays seem like magic 😃

I have to laugh at all these Intellivision, Coleco, Atari collectors griping about the N64 & Dreamcast controllers, when in the early 80s, we put up with the absolute WORST controllers of all time. Including one that was hardwired so we couldn't even buy a better one.🤣

Give me a Dreamcast or N64 controller over a Colecovision, OG Intellivision or Atari5200 one any day! No contest!😁

2 hours ago, wolfy62 said:

You may be too young to remember the poor design of the Atari 5200 controller. 

The joystick would not center itself while playing,making it hard to play maze or jumping games because after each directional move the stick would not go back to the middle.

It's too bad about the poor design because the games for the system were quite good and graphically very close to the arcade versions.

Fortunately Wico made a nice joystick for the system but they were pretty pricey and not so easy to come by.

Those 5200 stock controllers were regarded as the worst for the precrash era of video game systems.

I never understood why,

1. if they made that insanely innovative 5200 trackball and were willing to build the controllers into it, rather than pluging in the regular controllers, and

2. make trackballs with analog and digital switches for the 2600, even though there were no analog trackball games,

why they couldn't make the 5200 controllers be able to switch between analog and digital since most of the 5200 games were digital anyways AND the tech to do it was really simple.

9 minutes ago, Swami said:

I never understood why,

1. if they made that insanely innovative 5200 trackball and were willing to build the controllers into it, rather than pluging in the regular controllers, and

2. make trackballs with analog and digital switches for the 2600, even though there were no analog trackball games,

why they couldn't make the 5200 controllers be able to switch between analog and digital since most of the 5200 games were digital anyways AND the tech to do it was really simple.

I always thought they (or Coleco for that matter) should've made a ball top joystick controller in their trackball form factor, rather than those handheld jobs they offered. 

The framing of "retro" has certain meanings to it that can't be escaped in the mindset. 

Try re-framing Amico with something else. Every game on it is new, even the "classics reimagined" are new games. They may play like the older games, but they aren't the old games, which is retro. 

I'd call it a "Renaissance" system. Conjuring good feelings of the classic INTV, Atari & Wii games we enjoyed in a modern game system.

1 hour ago, Blarneo said:

The framing of "retro" has certain meanings to it that can't be escaped in the mindset. 

Try re-framing Amico with something else. Every game on it is new, even the "classics reimagined" are new games. They may play like the older games, but they aren't the old games, which is retro. 

 

I'd call it a "Renaissance" system. Conjuring good feelings of the classic INTV, Atari & Wii games we enjoyed in a modern game system.

That's why I've said that Amico needs to frame their games as a completely new category. Not console, not PC, not mobile... just Amico gaming.  It is a renaissance system though, and it offers something not seen in games in a really long time. The Wii caught the lightning in the bottle for awhile, but other than that, it was pre-NES before these kind of games existed.  

9 hours ago, Loafer said:

I think to fix this, you need to go old school, like they used to do it back in the day:  At the official press unveiling when VG reporters all get to try it out themselves in the (hopefully) near future after the lockdown is over, you gotta go all in Tommy, you gotta go 100% and go the distance, GO FOR THE HOMERUN!  The brass ring is there Tommy, you can grave it so Yes Tommy, it’s time, it’s THAT time Tommy, it’s time for B&B man.  B&B should help fix any pre-conceived notion of what Amico is all about by straightening any remaining preconceived Warped notions of what Amico is all about.

And for only $129.95, you can get Loafer's entire motivational program on 12 compact discs, to help you become the master of success like the millions of millionaires that were created by Tony Robbins and Zig Ziggler... and Herbalife! 😅