Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

2 hours ago, IntelliMission said:

Speaking about the Playdate, there's still no date to play with it. No release date, I mean. They were supposed to ship "somewhere in 2020", but a few days ago they said that they will give "an update with information later in the year" instead.

 

It almost looks like the virus has affected them, huh? But again, none of these people are going to attack Panic for it when the technology used is clearly much more simple than the one used in the Amico.

 

I still like it and wish Panic the best of lucks. A brand new console full of new, pixel art games will be refreshing.

I'm sure COVID hasn't been kind to them as well.  I wish them the best.  Really looking forward to checking out the Playdate and I hope it's the success for them.

1 hour ago, jerseystyle said:

Thanks for taking the time to write out those responses. I appreciate that and will watch the video you linked- I’m in a quarantine hotel right now so have lots of time, haha.

Yikes!  Sorry to hear that.  When I've been on tour in the past... I've felt like that sometimes as well because I'm up at 3am and have nowhere to go except the hotel room.  

1 hour ago, jerseystyle said:

 

I understand your perspective and I feel like it comes down to a difference of opinion and I am fine with being in the opposite side of most AAgers. I also did not mean any disrespect at all to the Amico as a product, I was just speaking about how the past few years have led to a veneer of skepticism-

Totally!  I never felt you were dismissing Amico in any way, shape or form.  You were giving your personal and honest thoughts about my style.  No worries.

1 hour ago, jerseystyle said:

I wasn’t comparing Amico to Chameleon but rereading my post I totally see how it came across and I apologize for that.

Cool.  Thanks for addressing that.  Yeah, that's how I was reading it.  Understand now that it wasn't your intention.  I appreciate your further thoughts.

1 hour ago, jerseystyle said:

 

I will say this, though- let’s call a spade a spade here. You are a very successful person, who built a legacy in our industry even before your work with Amico. I used to look forward to your show on GTV back in the day so am very aware of your career. Even though I like to think I’ve had a pretty good run in my field, you’re far more successful then me, and probably most of the people on this board and for sure almost all (If not all) of the YouTube folks. So it feels to me sometimes like engaging with these guys is like punching down. But I can see how, given your position and your goals with the Amico, why you believe these responses help build the brand.

I totally agree.  It is considered "punching down" for sure.  But if I completely ignore some of these ding-a-lings then normal folks may think I'm trying to hide something or don't want to talk about certain things.  As I hope everyone in here understands by now... that isn't the case.  And hopefully it makes me come across to some folks as "one of us".  Because I am.

1 hour ago, jerseystyle said:

 

Again I appreciate the response. I’m a fan of everything being successful- I’d love it if Amico, VCS, Playdate, PS5, Switch, etc all made tons of money. More eyes and money on the industry is better for everyone. More products meeting more needs is a positive. I remember as a kid walking into Toys R Us and seeing 2600, 5200, Intellivision, Coleco, PC,  stand alones, LED games... it would be great if the industry could support multiple types of product long term again. So I wish you and your team all the luck in the world.

Thank you so much for your support and hope that we are successful.  I won't let ya down!

Appreciate the discussion. 

1 hour ago, Jake67 said:

Tommy,

 

Where do things stand at this moment with the production of the Amico? The Covid delay pushed things out to April. Short of another worldwide shutdown, is there anything that might throw the schedule off or did pushing it out to April allow for all sorts of wiggle room if something unexpected happened?

 

I remember not that long ago the issues where finding spots to stress test, getting enough people at once in the CA office, overseas production constraints because of all the companies needing those resources, etc... all due to Covid. 

 

So I was just wondering if you’re having to watch for anything specific at this point (not counting another shutdown) that would make you nervous about staying on track.

I was talking about this on the NLG podcast a few days ago.

We have over 50 compliance companies we have to deal with.  25 in the U.S. alone!  The other 25 split up around Canada, Europe & UK.  If we don't get every one of them that needs to be completed for each region... then we can't sell in those regions and we certainly wouldn't go into manufacturing until the issue is fixed.  We have given ourselves a lot of wiggle room and we could go into manufacturing as late as early March and still get everything out to everyone by early April.  That would be going by air freight... which kills our profit margin... but is do-able if needed.  Right now, we're hoping to go into manufacturing in January!  Keeping in mind there is a 2 week complete shutdown of China manufacturing from mid February to the end of the month (Chinese New Year). 

So yes... we have wiggle room and yes... there are things out of our control that we can't plan for still.

As always... I'll keep everyone up-to-date as they happen.

Thanks!

56 minutes ago, vongruetz said:

I feel like I'm the last person left in this forum who have no idea who Pat and Ian are. I'm totally fine living in ignorance.

I am so envious of your position.

Please... do yourself a huge favor.

Keep it that way.

38 minutes ago, Starpaddler said:

Sorry, one last thing^tm, skeptics and people with critiques are not (at least by my standards) considered haters.  
Haters (by my definition) are those that make up facts, obsess on following and trashing something they are “not interested” in, yelling at every roof top and investing considerable time and effort in dispensing lies to anyone willing to listen in order to try and sway (influence) peoples’ opinions. If you wish to retire the Hater moniker, what term would YOU like used in stead; cause if the term fits, it fits. 

I'd normally vote for douche bags... but that one has been overused and retired as well I think.

I think obsessed stalker trolls has a nice ring to it.  That's what I've been using lately.  Really gets to the meat of their personality issues.

2 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

I am so envious of your position.

Please... do yourself a huge favor.

 

Keep it that way.

 

 

 

Tommy,

My unasked for advice.  Keep killing them with kindness.

35 minutes ago, Alpha82 said:

I’m not that far off from you I never really followed any video game news until Intellivision announced Tommy as CEO and they announced a new console was coming.  I had given up on modern gaming after PS3 because I didn’t enjoy the type of games you could get for the most part I missed Easy to understand hard to master games I could play with others.  I got so excited about Intellivision retuning that I watched every video released about the Intellivision Amico at first so I saw a couple Pat & Ian vises then but since their fake apology video haven’t clicked on a single video because I don’t like the way they act so I refuse to support them with clicks.  
 

I got burned out on all the hate after a while and stepped back from the whole Amico thing to recharge for a little while but I am glad to be back because being part of this experience with Amico has been amazing.  I’ve always been a huge Intellivision fan it’s the first gaming system my family had and it’s the one we played together the most in my mind.  What has been so great for little though is that thanks to Tommy’s passion and his openness it really makes me feel like I’m part of Intellivision and I wouldn’t trade the experience and people I have met through this experience for anything 

Thanks @Alpha82!  It's so great to have you as part of this community.  I love hearing the stories of you and your dad playing Horse Racing and only wish he was still around for you guys to play the new one and all the other reimagined games you enjoyed together growing up.

Thanks for your continued support.  It's really appreciated.

1 minute ago, Stoke said:

Tommy,

 

My unasked for advice.  Keep killing them with kindness.

Intelligent thoughts and words!

I hear ya!

Very cool!  Another person who was a little apprehensive at first but now that they are getting more info is excited and positive.

1 hour ago, vongruetz said:

living in ignorance.

So you do know them. 

46 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

I'd normally vote for douche bags... but that one has been overused and retired as well I think.

 

 

I think obsessed stalker trolls has a nice ring to it.  That's what I've been using lately.  Really gets to the meat of their personality issues.

 

i think douche canoes would work

1 minute ago, 1stplayertokens said:

i think douche canoes would work

Please, canoes is a little close to home; bags works just fine. 
 

if it aint broke...

1 hour ago, vongruetz said:

I feel like I'm the last person left in this forum who have no idea who Pat and Ian are. I'm totally fine living in ignorance.

Nope, I'm right there with you. All I know about them has come from here, and I'm not interested in learning more.

Ignorance is bliss in this case.

4 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

 

 

 

 

I watched a little of this video, the leds on the console in the background look sick!

 

 

Tommy last week you mentioned there was a video coming for the Amico interface demo. Are you posting it soon?

2 minutes ago, Zee said:

Tommy last week you mentioned there was a video coming for the Amico interface demo. Are you posting it soon?

I'm pretty sure he said sometime next week.

3 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

I was talking about this on the NLG podcast a few days ago.

We have over 50 compliance companies we have to deal with.  25 in the U.S. alone!  The other 25 split up around Canada, Europe & UK.  If we don't get every one of them that needs to be completed for each region... then we can't sell in those regions and we certainly wouldn't go into manufacturing until the issue is fixed.  We have given ourselves a lot of wiggle room and we could go into manufacturing as late as early March and still get everything out to everyone by early April.  That would be going by air freight... which kills our profit margin... but is do-able if needed.  Right now, we're hoping to go into manufacturing in January!  Keeping in mind there is a 2 week complete shutdown of China manufacturing from mid February to the end of the month (Chinese New Year). 

So yes... we have wiggle room and yes... there are things out of our control that we can't plan for still.

As always... I'll keep everyone up-to-date as they happen.

 

Thanks!

 

Thank you for letting us in into your adventure every step of the way!

Game idea for the Amico...

I ALWAYS thought this would be a great Intellivision game.  But now, we can modernize it!

Parsec!  Was for the TI99/4A back in the day.  A new expanded version could be amazing!

Has anyone found any easter eggs in the Moon Patrol demo?  I would have thought there might be a running man hidden in the background somewhere (or the fore ground if they wanted to really hide it), but havent found anything yet. 
 

Also, a Moon Patrol Sequel suggestion - Moon Patrol - Battlestar Galactica, 12 Colonies Chronicles

Wasted Studios wouldn't even need to update the buggy graphics given the similar BSG flying shuttle and Landram set styles 🤓

18 hours ago, vongruetz said:

I feel like I'm the last person left in this forum who have no idea who Pat and Ian are. I'm totally fine living in ignorance.

I only watched them the first and only time before the Amico episodes when ColecoVision homebrewers were having trouble with Cardillo and they made an episode about it. They got a few things wrong and people on Atari Age pointed it out and how that was common and there was no no massive backlash about it. So, when they got a few things wrong in their first video about Amico, I wasn't surprised and pointed it out, along with others, but, wow, did the already present trolls make a stink about it and I guess Pat and Ian saw an opportunity in that.

Many of those trolls were the same ones trolling the ColecoVision boards when the CollectorVision console was being made, griping about all kinds of petty things that had to do with Sega and Nintendo elitists and not the ColecoVision community it was being made for. Others I've seen belittling forum members around the forum for fun on many other occasions.

5 hours ago, Starpaddler said:

Please, canoes is a little close to home; bags works just fine. 
 

I prefer the descriptive word below, my wife says she hates it, but i've seen her giggle when ive used it... 

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=douchefuck

4 hours ago, Zee said:

Tommy last week you mentioned there was a video coming for the Amico interface demo. Are you posting it soon?

I really want to do it live so I can show people everything and answer any questions.  So we're working on getting my streaming set-up as good as can be (new camera, new set-up, dedicated computer, switch box, etc.) and will try it again.  Hopefully this coming week, but I can't make any promises as we have lots of other super important things going on.  But trying for this coming week.

Thanks!

3 hours ago, 1980gamer said:

Game idea for the Amico...

 

I ALWAYS thought this would be a great Intellivision game.  But now, we can modernize it!

 

Parsec!  Was for the TI99/4A back in the day.  A new expanded version could be amazing!

 

 

I'm not familiar with Parsec.  Can you give me some links to check it out?

21 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

I really want to do it live so I can show people everything and answer any questions.  So we're working on getting my streaming set-up as good as can be (new camera, new set-up, dedicated computer, switch box, etc.) and will try it again.  Hopefully this coming week, but I can't make any promises as we have lots of other super important things going on.  But trying for this coming week.

 

Thanks!

 

Make sure all the updates for Windows and PC brand and everything are up-to-date and have it in game mode. I have no idea where the bottleneck could have been. Possibly at some sharing hub or YouTube itself.

Here is 1 video.  The capture is not smooth...  Frame rate is too low.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCSQd0eJKQQ

Better video with commentary - player not very good at the game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giOgvJ0n9cs

But this would have been a good Intellivoice game.  Also the controller would handle the "LIFT" setting 1,2,3 easily.

As a kid, I didn't know about the "lift" setting and let me tell you... It was hard to get through the 3rd refueling tunnel on the default lift=3.  LOL

Finally read the manual one day...  Much easier changing the lift to 1.   I used LIFT=2 for the asteroid belt section.