Independent Amico Discussion Thread

[MrBeefy]

1 minute ago, Steven Pendleton said:

which can play Doom

 

 

I love how everything gets hacked anymore.

[mr_me]

1 hour ago, RetroAdvisoryBoard said:

True.  But since the Wii, most of the adult population in the US has:

• set up a Netflix account (or use a family member's...)
• downloaded an app on a phone
• set a digital/smart thermostat
• figured out how to adjust the date/radio/XM/bluetooth syncing on their car dashboard system.

In 2006-2010, it was just a different set of expectations.. the iPhone didn't show up until the end of 2011.  Smart devices weren't ubiquitous until just the last 5-6 years.  New cars only started to get standard touchscreen displays within the last 4-5 years.  I figure most Amico owners will be able to figure out the instructions to get it synced to their internet, something like 98% of the North American population has internet access, so it isn't going to be too novel.  

 

But, the UX will need to be extremely user-friendly, no doubt.  And there will be some owners who need more guidance - I'm sure Customer Support will be there or a quick installation guide like most anything requiring set-up/assembly.  The games won't play off servers, since you don't need to maintain internet access, so as long as they can get to them to download, players/owners have access.  If everything goes under?  Well, cross that bridge when we get to it.  Even the biggest industry players are moving more and more content to a digital-dependency system

I think the concern is for that point in the future when Amico is no longer supported and the servers are shut down.  In the event the console fails or has to be replaced, purchased games have to be installed and authorized.

 

They have to weigh this scenario versus managing piracy in the present.  Not sure if the return on investment is there to justify addressing it.   Ultimately the solution will be somebody hacking the thing.

 

Edit:

Another concern for collectors is the value of their physical games if they can't be transferred to others.

Edited April 2, 2020 by mr_me

[+Tommy Tallarico]

5 minutes ago, mr_me said:

I think the concern is for that point in the future when Amico is no longer supported and the servers are shut down.  In the event the console fails or has to be replaced, purchased games have to be installed and authorized.

 

They have to weigh this scenario versus managing piracy in the present.  Not sure if the return on investment is there to justify addressing it.   Ultimately the solution will be somebody hacking the thing.

 

The great thing is that once you purchase a game.... it's on your hard drive and you can format other SD & USB's to store as well.  The games are small (nothing really over 1GB, average around 500mb) so you can store a lot on a little bit of space.

So if servers were shut down... it wouldn't matter.  None of the games NEED access to the internet after downloading (unless you want to use/see the worldwide leaderboards, etc.).

Yay!  Everyone is happy.  

 

 

 

 

[+Razzie.P]

2 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

 

2 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Here's the other...

 

A few taco eating asshats that have been banned...

 

 

My tired eyes read that as "a few Tacos eating asshats..."   

 

I thought what the hell have I missed.?  Never seen tacos eat an asshat before.

[SoloZolo]

7 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

And ours will be even cheaper!

But thanks for bringing that up and proving my point.

 

Lets do the math...

 

Lets say you and your buddies wanted to play 4 player Bomberman. [...]

Thanks for the sales pitch, though it does start to remind me of something (content warning, not rated E for everyone) ... I responded to someone who mentioned wanting a revival of Dynablaster. Unless they played that recent mobile game (which it sounds like they didn't because they spoke of it in a nostalgic way), they were referring to the Bomberman games that were released under that name in Europe. I was simply pointing out that Bomberman is still around and is available on hardware that I don't believe is entirely unrealistic to think someone posting on a dedicated video game forum (albeit a retro one) might have.

7 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Sorry... art is subjective I know... but in my opinion ours looks a little better than the PS4, XBox & Switch versions.  And that's saying a LOT considering we're not even in the same league as they are power or graphic-wise.

One more comment about the above screen shots... I don't know... it kinda looks like a mobile game to me.  

I don't disagree that Super Bomberman R is lacking in visual flare. It's closer to the cheaper PS3/360 digital games than a physical title released years later should be. But it's modern Konami. They've stopped funding big budget games. It was also a Switch launch title using a licensed engine that wasn't commonplace in professional Japanese products at the time and likely wasn't entirely optimized for the hardware. Those excuses don't make the final product any better, though. A lot of critics felt it was undercooked and not a great value at its launch price. Doesn't negate the fact that it exists and isn't too expensive anymore. I might disagree about your game looking better, but it's not out yet so I won't make final judgments. 

 

The mobile dig isn't relevant to your conversation with me. I've never said any Amico game looks like something on a phone. That's reductive in an age where relatively recent AAA games get ported to those platforms and plenty of original titles boast high production values. I've compared them to XBLA games, which I don't think is off-base. The only time I've spoken about mobile is in response to things you've replied to me with and when I was talking about Dynablaster and that was only in the context of "this exists." The Amico project doesn't seem to share any assets with the 2016 mobile game.

7 hours ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

And in regards to presentation.... I personally HATE the type of over the top anime style presentation and "story" mode they offer.

 

Anyone else look at this trailer and want to barf?  It's like nails on a chalkboard for me.

You're absolutely entitled to your opinion on Bomberman, just as I am with your company's products. I've never been employed by Konami or Hudson Soft, so I have no vested interest in changing your mind. I am a fan of the games, though.

 

However, you don't have to be a fan of something to acknowledge that it works. The chibi Bomberman aesthetic has been used for 30 years now. It wasn't the original look for the character, it's the one that stuck. It's been part of countless games, inspired a handful of animated television series and was the impetus for a spinoff multimedia franchise. Super Bomberman R, the game you're criticizing, sold over a million copies. It clearly has fans. Compare this to the very well known European original Dynablaster franchise, which has had no consistent visual style throughout its storied release history and whose free-to-play mobile game hasn't even hit 10,000 downloads on Android years after launch.😉 Maybe this Bomberman game's aesthetic is more your thing. It was poorly received (both critically and commercially) though I don't remember if you and Victor played it for ROTR back in the day.

6 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

Not in a gundam or evangelion way but definitely a Chibi style like this.

Not that they're very similar, but I would've gone with Astrobot over those. No one bought that game, so I understand why it wasn't brought up.

1 hour ago, jaybird3rd said:

Enough.

Thank you. I know I'm pouring more gasoline with this, but I do feel I should comment on this. This thread is supposed to be for independent thought, yet if you say anything remotely dissenting you will get into a war of words. Some might even accuse you of being a part of a coordinated hater squad. I wonder if the Sonic the Hedgehog movie would've been as successful as it's been if Paramount dismissed everyone saying this was horrifying as a YouTube troll. 🤔

 

I don't think my comments warranted such a response. I felt most of the games looked low end, which is an honest opinion I came to by watching the various gameplay videos. I said that given the circumstances, maybe I was expecting too much but acknowledged that there's still time to improve. The Bomberman nonsense is where I have been getting a little testy because clones don't impress me. I'm even less impressed that Tommy claimed it's some well known European competitor when it's not. It used to be what literal Bomberman games were called in Europe. 

 

For the record, I am not Ian, Pat or anyone associated with them. The mods can check the IP address on my posts (including the one that predates Amico's announcement) and see we're not even in the same country. They did not send me and I've never conversed with them, nor do I even follow their YouTube channel. This is a planet with billions of people on it. Not everyone is going to agree with you. My low activity on AA is really simple to explain: I'm a lurker. Most of the time I just read posts and don't even login. This is one of the few websites where Amico is regularly being discussed. Once there was a handful of games showcased, I felt like sharing my opinion. This isn't some crazy conspiracy and I'm not some troll. 

Edited April 2, 2020 by SoloZolo

[+Tommy Tallarico]

Just now, malrak said:

My tired eyes read that as "a few Tacos eating asshats..."   

 

I thought what the hell have I missed.?  Never seen tacos eat an asshat before.

More like an Atari Speaker Hat!
 

 

[bojay1997]

20 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

 

You're incorrect on that assumption. 

And not only me... but folks on the team who worked directly on the hardware for PlayStation 1, 3, 4... original Xbox, the Wii, Wii fit, N64 & SNES. 

You can also include the Mars Rover, Blackhawk Helicopter and Nuclear Subs...  I'd say we know a thing or two about hardware and consumer products. 

 

 

Because it's 2020 and not 2006. 

Ask Netflix, Disney+, Amazon & HULU how it's working out for them.

 

Also... our physical media only need an internet connection once for about 10 seconds.  It doesn't need to be constantly on and connected.  This isn't an XBox.  

 

 

 

 

I'm legitimately curious, what physical consumer product have you personally been responsible for launching?  I know you've composed music and hosted a video game television show and organized concerts, but I've never heard anything about you launching physical consumer products.  Military and scientific programs that involve literally thousands of personnel across multiple contractors and agencies are not consumer products and I'm not sure how applicable that experience would be in this situation.  Similarly, being one of hundreds or thousands of people who work on a console launch is not the same as launching a consumer product of your own. 

 

I agree that it is 2020 and kids now take coding classes in public schools and many are very tech savvy, as are many adults.  Tech savvy people can and probably already have bought the existing consoles and are likely able to find games that appeal to them, so they wouldn't need a curated new platform to do that.  It seems to me that soccer moms and older people would love a simple product that doesn't require much set up or additional technical knowledge to use.  Similarly, physical gamers aren't going to be very happy about having to authenticate a game and essentially having a dead piece of media when the servers go down.  Offering the solution that you can just backup your hard drive or other media doesn't seem like a good solution when a much simpler solution that other consoles have adopted (i.e. real physical media) exists.  

[+Tommy Tallarico]

3 minutes ago, SoloZolo said:

I'm even less impressed that Tommy claimed it's some well known European competitor when it's not.

Yes it is.

 

 

[+Tommy Tallarico]

2 minutes ago, bojay1997 said:

I'm legitimately curious, what physical consumer product have you personally been responsible for launching?  I know you've composed music and hosted a video game television show and organized concerts, but I've never heard anything about you launching physical consumer products.  Military and scientific programs that involve literally thousands of personnel across multiple contractors and agencies are not consumer products and I'm not sure how applicable that experience would be in this situation.  Similarly, being one of hundreds or thousands of people who work on a console launch is not the same as launching a consumer product of your own. 

 

You tell me I've never launched a consumer product and been part of a video game console launch... when I have (multiple times, multiple platforms, multiple electronic toys, multiple game peripherals... you may have heard of this little game called Guitar Hero).  Then I list all of the incredible big products our team has been directly involved in CREATING and your counter is that it isn't good enough because they didn't launch the product on their own.  So, whatever I say you'll have a negative response and say that I was either part of a bigger team (so it negates it) or it was only a small independent product and that doesn't count because it's not a big console or company release.

The reason I mentioned the Mars Rover & Military is to further show that the hardware and systems our folks have worked on are a LOT more complex, important and advanced than simple video games and toys.

 

Zero sense for me to continue engaging with this discussion.  Whatever I say it will be used against me.  Oddly... I've actually done both small projects, independent projects, huge projects, etc.

 

btw... in regards to some other "physical consumer products"...  let's throw these 20 in the basket as well considering they are "physical consumer products" that I created and funded from scratch, distributed, had manufactured, did all the legal work, PR, marketing and fulfillment.

 

https://www.tallarico.com/albums

 

 

 

 

[SoloZolo]

14 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

Yes it is.

You must know something no one on the internet has documented. The only things I've found with that name pre-2014 were official regional releases of Bomberman games. Even the Amiga, Atari ST, and PC releases were licensed ports of Hudson's TG-16 entry. That is not a competitor. That is literally Bomberman under a different name.

Edited April 2, 2020 by SoloZolo

[+cmart604]

Sigh. 

[MrBeefy]

19 minutes ago, SoloZolo said:

 

Thank you. I know I'm pouring more gasoline with this, but I do feel I should comment on this. This thread is supposed to be for independent thought, yet if you say anything remotely dissenting you will get into a war of words.

That's not an April Fools joke.

[+Tommy Tallarico]

15 minutes ago, SoloZolo said:

You must know something no one on the internet has documented. The only things I've found with that name pre-2014 were official regional releases of Bomberman games. Even the Amiga, Atari ST, and PC releases were licensed ports of Hudson's TG-16 entry. That is not a competitor. That is literally Bomberman under a different name.

Never said it was a competitor.  Just said that it's a well known franchise over in Europe.  Go ask any gamer friend that lives in Europe if they've ever heard of it.

I'll wait.

 

 

[Michael Garvey]

I get a little curious when people bring up examples 

 

 

Bomberman R sold over a million copies being on P4 (install base of over 108 million), Switch (install base of over 52 million) and Xbox One (install base of just under 47 million).

 

"Clearly it has fans" I believe was the quote. 

 

Here's another quote:

 

"Not that they're very similar, but I would've gone with Astrobot over those. No one bought that game, so I understand why it wasn't brought up."

 

Astrobotic sold 700k as of Sept of last year on a product (ps vr) with an install base of only 5 million.

 

Now I know you or others are going to argue back and forth with me because you like to argue. 

 

if you read my posts I don't get into these things.

 

I just point out when someone makes a comparison and doesn't really do the comparison justice.

 

This post I'm making has nothing to do with Amico or some Amico game.

 

it merely wants to point out to you that you are biased toward one game over another.  You admitted yourself that you like bomberman then gave a false impression that bomberman had people who clear ly has fans but astrobotic no one played.

 

can I also point out that bomberman being a franchise for that long and having 1 million sales is anemic 

 

 

many ps4 games break 1 million without blinking. 

 

while who knows...if we had current data astrobotic might have broken that number already (an untried franchise with an install base of 5 million)

Edited April 2, 2020 by Michael Garvey
Spelling

[+Tommy Tallarico]

38 minutes ago, SoloZolo said:

This thread is supposed to be for independent thought, yet if you say anything remotely dissenting you will get into a war of words.

 

 

Not everyone is going to agree with you.

 

So what you're saying is that people can have dissenting thoughts and opinions about me and Amico... but no one should be able to "dissent" from that. 

Are you saying only negative opinions should count?  Anyone giving a different thought than yours is not an independent one?

Everyone here is only having a conversation about video games.  Some agree, some disagree.

 

Yes... we clearly know that not everyone is going to agree.

 

But do you?

 

Goes both ways my friend.

You say stuff, I counter with other stuff, you say more stuff, I say more stuff, someone else says some stuff about my stuff, and then someone else says something about your stuff again.

 

And then it typically ends with sourpuss Joe posting a meme everyone has seen a million times. 

 

It's how this works.

People have jumped on me today in here... more than they have jumped on you. 

 

So do I fall into your category of independent thought and dissention with those folks who are dissenting with me?

 

 

[+Tommy Tallarico]

13 minutes ago, Michael Garvey said:

Now I know you or others are going to argue back and forth with me because you like to argue.

Quote of the day.

 

You win!

 

[Michael Garvey]

Just now, Tommy Tallarico said:

Quote of the day.

 

You win!

 

It must have been a slow day for quotes if I won

 

😄🤣😅

[+Tommy Tallarico]

29 minutes ago, cmart604 said:

Sigh. 

 

 

 

[MrBeefy]

If we are sharing...

 

 

 

 

[Michael Garvey]

We are sharing music now...

 

Cool.

 

Tommy. Do you know of a band called Modest Mouse?

 

What are your thoughts on their use of clashing sounds to bring a harmony (of dissonance)?

[MrBeefy]

While I wait to hear back from my friend who lives in Europe; here is the next things on my music playlist and some information on Dynablaster.

 

Dynablaster is available for Android, Apple, and Apple TV. Online Multiplayer both online or locally. Says it has a price tag of $1.99, but say's in app purchases on the Play Store and free to download.

 

https://www.bbg-entertainment.com/press/dynablaster

https://dynablaster.com/

 

Looks pretty cool but ratings are eh, with two (out of 4 total ratings) of them in the Apple store being fake 5 star ratings (Overall 3.5) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dynablaster/id994158406?ls=1. 😬 Google play's rating is 3.1 with 29 reviews https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.bbg.Dynablaster.

 

I have no problem with their 2D graphics, but I think the Amico version will look much better. I like the Chibibots better.

 

I wish it wasn't so late I want to pop in my Pixies albums now...

 

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by MrBeefy

[Michael Garvey]

35 minutes ago, MrBeefy said:

While I wait to hear back from my friend who lives in Europe; here is the next things on my music playlist and some information on Dynablaster.

 

Dynablaster is available for Android, Apple, and Apple TV. Online Multiplayer both online or locally. Says it has a price tag of $1.99, but say's in app purchases on the Play Store and free to download.

 

https://www.bbg-entertainment.com/press/dynablaster

https://dynablaster.com/

 

Looks pretty cool but ratings are eh, with two (out of 4 total ratings) of them in the Apple store being fake 5 star ratings (Overall 3.5) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dynablaster/id994158406?ls=1. 😬 Google play's rating is 3.1 with 29 reviews https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.bbg.Dynablaster.

 

I have no problem with their 2D graphics, but I think the Amico version will look much better. I like the Chibibots better.

 

I wish it wasn't so late I want to pop in my Pixies albums now...

 

 

Though I agree with you that they are chibi in appearance and nature, we cant rule out the possibility (however extraordinary or horrific) that they are in fact the "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!"

[+Razzie.P]

2 hours ago, Michael Garvey said:

that they are in fact the "Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!"

 

I'm not sure what that means, but it sure sounds badass. 

 

... I think.

 

... yeah, its badass!

[roots.genoa]

13 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

There have been a lot of new accounts some have liked the Amico some not.

Exactly. There's a recent example; when CurlyQ 'arrived' in the Q&A thread, their first posts were somehow facetious so someone suspected them to be Flojomojo's second account or something. But a few posts later (16 posts as I am writing this), it became apparent that CurlyQ loves Amico so if they're a spy, they're a very good one.

[mr_me]

8 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

Dynablaster is available for Android, Apple, and Apple TV. Online Multiplayer both online or locally. Says it has a price tag of $1.99, but say's in app purchases on the Play Store and free to download.

 

https://www.bbg-entertainment.com/press/dynablaster

https://dynablaster.com/

 

Looks pretty cool but ratings are eh, with two (out of 4 total ratings) of them in the Apple store being fake 5 star ratings (Overall 3.5). 

Google play's rating is 3.1 with 29 reviews.

There's lots of bomberman type games on android/ios that are more popular.  Unless you have a proper controller hooked up they'll never be as good as they could.  If you wanted to play bomberman today you might try Dynablaster Revenge for Windows/Linux.