Scott Stilphen

http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/interviews/michael_becker/interview_michael_becker.html This interview was a long time in the making, but I think it was worth the wait.

You realize you'd only start seeing savings from this after running your system constantly for a full year, right? The cost of the part (plus shipping) is approximately the same you'd save from running your system 24/7/365.

Ask Rik at http://handheldmuseum.com/ If anybody would recognize it, it would be him.

Just to reiterate Ross' comments regarding the naysayers, the only "currency" that has any value from here on out is hard evidence (sources, paperwork, etc) - evidence that everyone can research, investigate, and otherwise use to <ahem> vet information. Or to state it more succinctly: "Put up or shut up."

Just posted these on my site: http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/interviews/interviews.html Ross interviews: B.J. West Carrie Tahquechi Dan Hunter Lee Actor Richard Costello and Ted Tahquechi.

Starship 1 designer Ron Milner let slip the secret, and Ron, Ed Fries, and Michael Albaugh (another former Atari alumni) helped to figure out the sequence to trigger it: https://edfries.wordpress.com/2017/03/22/chasing-the-first-arcade-easter-egg/

Here's some from a local newspaper, proving that the game was indeed available a few weeks earlier. Btw, I'm not sure why this thread is in the Arcade Life section since the whole Pac-Man Day event was about the VCS version

Here's a few more.

I have a photo of the box for the Kingsway on my site: http://www.ataricompendium.com/faq/faq_vcs_system_kingsway.jpg That PAL version of Commando Raid looks pretty funky - http://www.atarimania.com/game-landung-in-der-normandie_s10819.html

Was Funvision definitely from Spain? I've heard Japan, Finland, and Australia as possible locations. The FHC was created by VTech, who are based in Hong Kong. The box for this 2600 clone is definitely from Japan, and the logo is the same found on the Funvision VCS games: http://www.ataricompendium.com/faq/faq_vcs_system_funvision_gemini.jpg Btw, the controllers were with this Funvision 2600JR clone called the Hi-Score MK3: http://www.ataricompendium.com/faq/faq_vcs_system_hi-score_3.jpg

Would't it have been a grand idea to wire up those Walmart kiosks to use some of the TVs just to the right?? Nah....

Is it possible to like a post more than once? Well put, LD. Too many history books have been filled with opinions, when all they should have included were facts, and history books w/o a list of sources to back up their information are worthless and should be placed in the fiction sections of every library. Sources of information should be available to all, and not just a select few. Both Ross and myself are doing just that, so that people can truly verify information for themselves should they choose to.

Nice job with that, Justin. I particularly like the side "wings"

http://www.ataricompendium.com/game_library/atari_tube/atari_tube.html

There's a thread on KLOV about it, and a Kickstarter page: https://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=399785 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461917284/play-atari-pong-in-your-coffee-table

Hope the owner puts up a video of it running. FYI: Leftover Hi-Way sit-down cabs were used for the sit-down version of Night Driver.

List updated

*** This is sold ***

Here's a link to the interview on my website: http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/interviews/ed_fries/interview_ed_fries.html

I see a screenshot of Donkey Kong...

Fixed link. There's a link to an excerpt from Brian Bagnall's excellent book "On The Edge: The Spectacular Rise And Fall Of Commodore": http://www.ataricompendium.com/faq/bagnall_vcs_keyboard.pdf Soon after PVI was formed, Jack Tramiel heard PVI approached Atari and filed a ("exploratory") lawsuit against them, claiming they stole trade secrets. PVI were forced to disclose details of their VCS project. Tramiel insisted that was his product, and pursued the case. The Graduate was ultimately cancelled by James Morgan when he took over as the new Atari CEO in 1983. An ongoing lawsuit against PVI by Commodore was likely the main motivating reason for its cancellation. PVI eventually won, but it cost them several years and approximately $300,000. There were 3 other companies that worked on VCS keyboard peripherals, only one of which was released: Entex: http://www.ataricompendium.com/game_library/unreleased/unreleased.html#piggyback Unitronics: http://www.ataricompendium.com/game_library/unreleased/unreleased.html#expander Spectravideo: http://www.ataricompendium.com/game_library/unreleased/unreleased.html#compumate

I see a few comments about how Nolan was wasting money on creating Sente. Sente was a company originally called Videa which Nolan simply bought. See my interviews with former Videa/Sente designers Howard Delman, Lee Actor, and Roger Hector for more info: http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/interviews/interviews.html What Nolan was really hemorrhaging money on was Axlon, and it was something that ultimately cost him everything, including his home.

Would love to know if you have anything VCS-related in your cache of material, Lance (btw, best wishes for a speedy recovery). The story of the 3 remaining dealers buying everything (?) in Atari's final days is one I've heard before, and Atari still lives on through you 3. I agree, the $100k Atari was originally asking for each game was absurd, knowing that Atari likely didn't pay anywhere that much for them. I suppose you could have waited until nightfall, trespassed onto Atari's property, and stole the items... but that would be illegal

Thanks for asking him. I suspected it was something done only overseas (by Atari UK?), since no U.S. flyers used the same art. Also not sure if it was only used in Germany, as Arcade Flyers database isn't complete (they rely on contributions).

VCS wasn't the only game to have been developed in such a short time, although most of the other games were 2K or 4K. For example, Ed Salvo cranked out a bunch of his games in short time: http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/interviews/ed_salvo/interview_ed_salvo.html Skeet Shoot - 4 weeks Spacechase - 6 weeks Racquetball - about 4 weeks Lost Luggage - about 4 weeks The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - about 6 weeks Mountain King - 6 weeks (very impressive, if true) He also did Colecovision Gust Buster in 6 weeks.