RETRO Video Game System

5rtytry56 · 12-08-2015 06:10PM #1

Anyone heard about this? Would you go out and order one when it was available?

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/05/retro-vgs-console-aims-to-revive-the-humble-video-game-cartridge/

Would it make a good indie development platform?

o1s1n · 12-08-2015 06:19PM

There's something I really like about this idea...however DAT NAME. Argh. Older consoles in general had really great, imaginative names. 'Retro VGS'? Seriously, how generic can you get.

eddhorse · 12-08-2015 08:31PM

o1s1n wrote: »

There's something I really like about this idea...however DAT NAME. Argh. Older consoles in general had really great, imaginative names. 'Retro VGS'? Seriously, how generic can you get.

What would you call it?

CiDeRmAn · 12-08-2015 11:04PM

So, is this going to be an indie console, all those 8/16 bit titles released on the various digital marketplaces to turn up on it?
I suppose there'd be a certain attraction to have a physical cart of Shovel Knight.

o1s1n · 12-08-2015 11:05PM

eddhorse wrote: »

What would you call it?

Super Mega Dream Engine.

CiDeRmAn · 12-08-2015 11:07PM

Maga Drive?

Super Ninetendo!

Andrew76 · 12-08-2015 11:24PM

Had a read of their FAQ, it's an interesting concept. But they're going to need a bunch of very good titles for it and some decent developrs onboard. Will be interesting to see how they price it when the kickstarter begins.

Mr.Saturn · 15-08-2015 03:24PM

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Maga Drive?

Super Ninetendo!

The Pretendo Entertainment System.

the groutch · 15-08-2015 09:43PM

Mr.Saturn wrote: »

The Pretendo Entertainment System.

make sure you've got a quality tv to play it on

readyletsgo · 26-09-2015 11:47AM

So what's everyone's opinion on this now?

http://www.retrovgs.com/home.html

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/retro-vgs#/

They don't even have a prototype yet. Hmm.......

EDIT: I like the idea of course, but, with indigogo, you are charged as soon as you pledge your money, unlike kickstarter. And most of these games will be on psn Xbox pc and eshop won't they?

The Last Bandit · 26-09-2015 05:15PM

Its all gone too poo. The guy developing the FPGA cores has left the project so they've just got the ARM processor left now, basically an offline Ouya. Can't see it going much further.

Corholio · 26-09-2015 05:18PM

Ya between the price point, the Indiegogo change and the change of staff it's all gone downhill. Pity really, it had potential.

CosmicSmash · 26-09-2015 05:37PM

Corholio wrote: »

Ya between the price point, the Indiegogo change and the change of staff it's all gone downhill. Pity really, it had potential.

It was never going uphill to start with, there was never going to be a market for it in the first place.

CiDeRmAn · 26-09-2015 05:52PM

Wouldn't most of these kinda games run on one of those little cloud based laptops loaded with Chrome or Windows?
Just plug a decent controller into the USB and off you go, and you can plumb it into any display you like.
Was it ever going to get people to buy a cart loaded with a game rom you could "buy" legit for $10, but pay a premium?

Corholio · 28-09-2015 02:51AM

CosmicSmash wrote: »

It was never going uphill to start with, there was never going to be a market for it in the first place.

In fairness I think they started to gain traction with the idea and an early 'promise' of a very reasonable price along with games from experienced developers, and the guy who started it has a very good reputation in the retro game scene. Done right I think it would have had a chance.

TotallyEpic · 28-09-2015 03:03PM

Kevtris (one of the engineers originally involved with the project, he has a bad relationship with them now as far as I know) is working on his own system, which sounds magnitudes more interesting, and appears to be a lot more realistic in scope.

He's taking a leaf out of the MIST's book and developing a barebones board specifically for the hardware emulation of older consoles. I think he's aiming for around $150-200.

I'd definitely be on board if he can get it off the ground. He's the guy responsible for the NES HDMI mod that's also being used in the Analogue NT by the way.

CosmicSmash · 30-09-2015 10:41AM

I just leave this here, rip vgs.

http://www.retrocollect.com/News/retro-vgs-console-cancelled-after-it-fails-to-prove-its-worth-on-indiegogo.html

Andrew76 · 30-09-2015 11:08AM

CosmicSmash wrote: »

I just leave this here, rip vgs.

http://www.retrocollect.com/News/retro-vgs-console-cancelled-after-it-fails-to-prove-its-worth-on-indiegogo.html

Wtf they had a target of 2 million! Asking folks to stump 300 quid for that yoke was ridiculous anyway.

Corholio · 30-09-2015 03:02PM

It's a pity they made so many missteps along the way and completely misread the situation financially because the people involved had the best intentions definitely. Not having a working prototype was probably their biggest mistake, people nowadays are sceptic naturally and not seeing it was never going to garner anywhere near enough interest. Getting the Jaguar moulding was a big plus for them in money terms, but it was never going to work with such a high price point. Hopefully they have learned lessons from it and return in better shape, I think it'll stand to them that they nipped it in the bud at an early stage and were pretty transparent.

o1s1n · 30-09-2015 08:43PM

I wonder what they're going to do with the Jaguar moulding now?

My money is on a colonic irrigation machine. Keep the medical theme going.

The Last Bandit · 30-09-2015 08:47PM

Apparently they made quite a bit of money already from those molds selling various coloured Jag cases.

CosmicSmash · 30-09-2015 08:58PM

o1s1n wrote: »

My money is on a colonic irrigation machine. Keep the medical theme going.

I couldn't see much of a market for preowned machines though.

Steve X2 · 30-09-2015 09:02PM

I thought some of the money from the kickstarter/indiegogo was to buy the molds?
So no money no molds, no?

TotallyEpic · 02-10-2015 10:55PM

Steve X2 wrote: »

I thought some of the money from the kickstarter/indiegogo was to buy the molds?
So no money no molds, no?

They already had the molds, they were already producing and selling replacement Jaguar casings.

CiDeRmAn · 03-10-2015 10:07AM

o1s1n wrote: »

I wonder what they're going to do with the Jaguar moulding now?

My money is on a colonic irrigation machine. Keep the medical theme going.

I vote for an ECT machine, running at the full 220v!

Steve X2 · 03-10-2015 09:21PM

TotallyEpic wrote: »

They already had the molds, they were already producing and selling replacement Jaguar casings.

I see, I must have missed all that. All I ever seen them share was computer renders of the casings.

TotallyEpic · 03-10-2015 11:40PM

Steve X2 wrote: »

I see, I must have missed all that. All I ever seen them share was computer renders of the casings.

The system that Kevtris is working on now sounds way more promising. He was designing the original RETRO VGS PCB, but fell out with the team at some point, I believe when they decided to add the ARM CPU to the design.

He's pretty much going to be making a straight up FPGA-based emulation board, similar to the MIST. I personally can't wait to see that technology gain some traction, a future FPGA-based Retron could be amazing.

RETRO Video Game System

Welcome!

Comments

Welcome!