All things Atari VCS Thread

[RIP-Felix]

I don't think it was intended as a scam, but there is that saying about path to hell being paved with good intentions. I agree that Atari has botched this release by not securing exclusive games and hyping the shiz out of them.

You: "What it is?"

Atari: It's a 4k streaming device!

 "You mean like the roku?:

"Err...No! It's also a gaming platform that we can confirm will have an Atari classic compilation bundled onboard!"

"You mean it can do what just about every other platform currently available can already do?

..."Yes?"

"why do you keep delaying the launch"

"we gave it more power!"

"why?"

"um...to make it more capable... since AAA developers still refuse to come onboard"

"What did you do with the $3,000,000 we gave you on indiegogo?"

...psst...don't tell them about the blow and hookers...better yet, say nothing and hope they go away!!! 

...

"how will the legal battle and internal strugles among investor affect the company going forward? Do you think you can resolve the backbiting and focus on creating content?"

...

"is this a scam?"

...

"Hello...Atari..."

..."we are committed to providing our backers the best possible product. We are getting close and still committed to meeting our promise of releasing a product soon."

"that's what you said last year. How is this delay any different? Why should we believe your any closer than you were before?

...

[tthurman]

I've never seen a situation where a dev cycle drags on that has resulted in a great end product or any product at all at times.  From what we've already seen, there's no logical reason to think this project will break that cycle, at least not yet.

I'm seemingly a magnet to them and if it weren't for my "meh" opinion of the Atari consoles in general, I would have problem found myself wrapped up in this one.   I don't believe the original intent of the Atari Box was a scam, but I do believe there is a great deal going on behind that scenes that stands a very good chance of tanking the entire program.   People playing games in videos that claim to be the Atari Box, but actually are not, combined with long drawn out periods of silence only to announce a switch to more powerful processing, which was more powerful than what exactly?  Then to showcase controllers that don't look radically different than what had already been prototyped a short time after another delay is announced. 

These all look to be delay tactics to me more than outright deception.   There's little doubt in my mind that these guys were just opportunists, looking to capitalize on nostalgia.  Given how disappointing some of the last gen of "mini's" went over, it stands to reason that perhaps that ship has sailed.  How much pain and suffering will they endure before they throw in the towel?  Should the community turn on them in combination with a passing fad, I can see them washing their hands of it and giving what's his name 1.5% of nothing. 

Somebody else will acquire the Atari name down the road after the flames have died down.

The sad thing is if this does fail, it will tarnish the great name Atari made for itself during the arcade boom of the 70's and '80s, something these clowns had nothing to do with.

 

The flip side is maybe Atari re-enters the console market with a total badass machine and leaves the Atari Box a distant memory and plants the VCS firmly into gaming history.

Should make for some amusing conversation as it all unfolds!

 

[Draco1962]

I am just looking forward to playing!

[RIP-Felix]

14 hours ago, tthurman said:

...  There's little doubt in my mind that these guys were just opportunists, looking to capitalize on nostalgia.  Given how disappointing some of the last gen of "mini's" went over, it stands to reason that perhaps that ship has sailed...

The flip side is maybe Atari re-enters the console market with a total badass machine and leaves the Atari Box a distant memory and plants the VCS firmly into gaming history.

Should make for some amusing conversation as it all unfolds!

Agreed, except for the part about there being a possibility for a bad ass console. A more powerful dual core is like saying they upgraded a donkey to a horse, then entered the Indy 500. At this point I'm sure it'll underwhelm if it doesn't outright suck. I don't see the hook that distinguishes their product from something like a small form factor PC, like intel NUC. Just a dual core pc in an pretty Atari case (AKA Atari Box).

In my opinion Atari is just as divided and dysfunctional as they were during the fall from grace in the 80's. Bad strategy saturating the market with loads of shit games just for increased profit, refusing to give game designers credit for their work, law suits from people who were contracted for work but did not receive compensation...They've obviously not gotten their shit together, regardless of how willing to forgive and forget the fans are. Their investors are too busy fighting over the scraps to focus on the future of the company. We have to wait for them to finally resolve the infighting. Atari is a case study of how greed corrupts a good thing. It's a shame too. I wanted the VCS to be the one that puts Atari back in the game. They bit off more than they could chew and have locked themselves in on this path after raising $3,000,000. They have to put something out or really put the company in danger of loosing what little consumer confidence they've built. Or worse, risk more legal trouble. That's a recipe for a crap product.

But I'd love to be wrong.

[Draco1962]

11 hours ago, Draco1962 said:

I am just looking forward to playing!

Atari has long since been passed around like a cheap whore and many nights have passed since the "sloppy seconds" of the Jack Tramiel days of the 80's.

It is now run by hipsters and others that haven't studied the history and are content with throwing a nickel in her tin cup pencil holder while bending her over the desk and giving her "one more for the road" while I wait patiently for my VCS to be delivered.

[RIP-Felix]

You'd be well withing your right to "wait impatiently" at this point.

As for me, hindsight being 20/20, I'm glad I didn't put any money down on this.

[Draco1962]

Atari VCS opens pre-orders at $249 for retro console featuring 4K gaming

[hansolo77]

Does anybody have the link to the video with the CEO interview?  I'd like to watch it.

[tthurman]

You'd basically have to be crazy to order one of these now.

They're clearly trying to raise capital in a desperate last ditch attempt to bring this to market now.

[Draco1962]

32 minutes ago, tthurman said:

You'd basically have to be crazy to order one of these now.

As opposed to ordering one before?

 

[tthurman]

Yes, because now there are so many question marks.

They raised what, 3 + million?  That doesn't seem enough to bring a console to market to me, and as a whole Atari doesn't have that type of cash (according to what I've read).

[RIP-Felix]

I think this thing will be dead on arrival, if it ever arrives at all.

[tthurman]

I am not alone:

Quote

What is sad to me is that they have a good idea but they are blowing away all credibility with empty pre-announcements that are followed by more delays. No one in their right mind would pre-order this no matter which retailer they have signed up.

https://www.engadget.com/2019/06/11/atari-vcs-pre-orders/#comments.

 

Quote

If you give money to this, you’re just giving Atari the means to pay to fund what is essentially an Ouya. I want to see actual game footage and have not seen anything. Their web page is just one page and has not one screenshot or video. The only game footage I’ve seen is Centipede for the 2600…. that’s not compelling 30 years later.

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Sad to see the Atari name stoop this low. It’s almost as bad (but not quite) as what’s happened to "Amiga" and the turd-stain bottoms feeders bickering over it.

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Not gonna lie, nothing about this seems sketchy, and you should all definitely give your pre-order money for…whatever this is. It definitely seems like a very, very good investment.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/30/17408184/ataris-vcs-console-preorder-specifications-release-date-pricing#comments

[tthurman]

I knew the interweb would blow up with stuff like this after yesterday's announcement.

Have to admit, I like the Kevlar Gold design!

[tthurman]

Somebody has figured it out!

 

 

[hansolo77]

Just a bunch of haters is what you guys are   I'm excited, even if it turns out a flop.  I can still install Windows 10 on it (confirmed right on their homepage) and from that I'll install GameEx and my emulators and make it better.  If it comes with capabilities of AAA games (also confirmed right on their homepage), it'd be that much better.  Plus the promise of a completely accessible sandbox mode and a huge open source dev community, it'll really be worth it.  I mean, the NES mini was hacked in what, 24 hours?  The PSX in like 48?  This thing will rock out of the gate because you don't NEED to hack it.  It's already there.  Even if it turns out to just be nothing more than an Ouya, nVidia Shield, or a glorified Raspberry Pi... it still has the Atari name with it, and by looking at the progress they made with the joystick alone, they care.  They listened to concerned backers about Paddle games and developed a solution while we watched.  They've responded to my inquiries about the hardware where they can, and even the software.  They didn't ignore me like some other companies.  They want to bring a system that is fully polished and ready to go.  I'd be fine if it delayed till next Spring if they had too.  I know a console will be delivered to me eventually, and my family of Atari fanboys will love it.  We owned every console and 2 computer models (800 and ST).  We're in this thing for the long haul.  I just wish there was more positive talk about it and not so much negativity.

[RIP-Felix]

On 6/14/2019 at 4:22 AM, tthurman said:

Somebody has figured it out!

Yes, I think that's a real possibility. DAMAGE CONTROL! Appease the backers and GET THE HELL OUT OF DODGE! ...with all the money...

21 hours ago, hansolo77 said:

I'm excited, even if it turns out a flop.  I can still install Windows 10 on it (confirmed right on their homepage) and from that I'll install GameEx and my emulators and make it better.

Hopefully the settlement SONY has to pay for removing OtherOS from the PS3 will deter ATARI from doing the same thing. Regardless, we should be weary of promises made by pathological lairs.

ATARI can't be trusted.

[RIP-Felix]

22 hours ago, hansolo77 said:

They've responded to my inquiries about the hardware where they can, and even the software.  They didn't ignore me like some other companies.  They want to bring a system that is fully polished and ready to go.  I'd be fine if it delayed till next Spring if they had too.  I know a console will be delivered to me eventually, and my family of Atari fanboys will love it.  We owned every console and 2 computer models (800 and ST).  We're in this thing for the long haul.  I just wish there was more positive talk about it and not so much negativity.

Here's your positivity.

I'm willing to forgive them for breaking my trust when they have earned it back. But they have to earn it. So let's just wait and see what happens. So far, what I've seen is pretty shady. Maybe they are holding it back to get it right. If that's the case, I get it. But if it flops, isn't supported for the long haul, and can't generate game development then I will not be surprised in the least.

..Oh yeah, I was trying to be positive...UM...ok! The controller does look cool!

[tthurman]

For all you optimists out there.....

 

[hansolo77]

About time we got some positivity!

[tthurman]

Time to check in again on the Atari retro console…

and onto Ron for the breakdown:

 

 

[Tom Speirs]

You know what. If I wanted something like this:

Intel Fanless Mini-ITX box.
Shelled windows.
GameEx
(Or just buy a frontend hard disk off google.)
2 x xbox 360 controller knock offs.

 

For non gaming and everything else - NVIDIA shield. (You can even get these with front end and roms pre installed)

[Draco1962]

I invested in the startup for the Atari VCS. This isn't the first time I have invested time or money into a venture only to walk away disappointed. 

I hope that, even late, they deliver a kick ass product, but my faith waivers as more time passes and more disappointing news is released.  Any shortcomings are going to be magnified the longer it takes for it to be released.

Oh well, back to my Preparation H and my hemorrhoid pillow.

[tthurman]

Is there any hope of getting a refund?  if so, I'd be going for it because these guys seem like clowns.

I hadn't given this system a thought in a while, but have been following Ron for his reviews of the PSC and saw this yesterday.  Apparently things have been brewing within the community.

 

[Draco1962]

I have heard rumblings but have not substantiated for myself that they have refused to refund.

If that is so and enough are disgruntled (as in, no delivery by December 2019 as last promised) then I suspect that they will be wide open for all sorts of adverse legal actions if they refuse.

I am on the fence at the moment, but I am almost to the point of saying return my quid.