Retrocade Future

[Arkhan]

If the concern is people not wanting to pay for Retrocade after all the games have been released as free ROMs, well, I'm not sure you'd have to worry about that. Plus, you could always offer some sort of bonus in the official Retrocade release that hadn't been released as freeware-- a 2nd disc of arranged tracks from the soundtracks of the games, for example.

Yeah, having that little something extra as arranged tracks was one idea, especially considering the Insanity X soundtrack has been pretty well received so far. 

Alternate art and such in-game was another.  And another little trinket/doodad to pack with the release...  .  the biggest "ROM vs. Real Release" would be the enhancements to the Protocard games.  It would also be the actual public release of them, since right now only the Protocard buyers get them.  Either way, those 3 games will be getting tweaked significantly.

So, whats the new project that has you all excited to hurry through this one? 

There isn't one, really.  I just think it kinda blows that Pyramid Plunder could basically be out and in peoples Turbos right now, being played.  I feel as if we're kinda sitting with our thumbs up our asses on that one, lol.

Pyramid Plunder is designed for the CD hardware.  There's all kinds of CD-based loading stuff that prevents it from being a card game.  Atlantean however, is basically a card game.  The ideas I am tossing around for it would make it very similar in enhancements to something like Galaga 88.  It's coming along so far.   I am just working on getting the sprites under control.  The game uses every sprite possible on the PCE.  Bitches.

I myself don't see why a game like Atlantean, or any of these games, for that matter, can't stand on it's own.   In fact, all of these games were released as stand-alone games on consoles.  Saying they don't have long-term appeal seems pretty false to me.  If that were the case, people wouldn't fap every time they saw a galaga machine at a pizza shop...

That being said, the reason I thought about pressing PP (whoaaa that sounds wrong, lol) is that everyone seemed to go for Insanity, and it's less elaborate than Pyramid Plunder.  Pyramid Plunder would also be cheaper, which would in turn lower Insanity's price...

and then the AbCard release of Atlantean would be somewhere between 30 and 50$, depending on just how much these cards end up costing for non-handmade ones.  It's a necessary evil for us wanting real HuCards so bad.   These would be the only two games released for $$.  The other 3 would be free.

Considering PP would cost around 25$ probably, and Atlantean around 30-50$, would you guys really object to then paying around 40$ for a disc with PP, Atlantean, Joustaroo, Jungle Hunt Clone we haven't named yet, Skate Or Die Ramp Clone 9000, AND the 3 protocard games, all with minor tweaks to set them apart from the freebie released ROMs?  It seems like really, that kind of disc should cost anywhere from 60-80$, all things considered...

and special thanks to whoever voted to scrap everything. Nice.  What's the reason for those votes?!

Nothing's set in stone though.  I am just gauging everyones interest/thoughts on this stuff.  My main goal is mostly to just get this shit out there for you retards to play! =3

[Gogan]

Finish and release all at once. Just pressing one small game to a CD seems like a waste of money, both on production and for the buyer. But I wouldn't object to either game being sold on an AbCard, for novelty's sake.

Some free ROM demos might be able to satisfy us until everything's ready .

^ this.

[Mishran]

Give me Ultima on an Abby (huey?) and I'll buy anything you throw at us.

[Arkhan]

lol.  If I sell Ultima, it's gotta be called Amitlu!

[Mishran]

lol.  If I sell Ultima, it's gotta be called Amitlu!

If the Stranger was called the Avatar in U2, you can name him Ratava. Or perhaps Ratatta!



Seriously though, Ultima 2 is as retroey as a retro game can get.

Ultima on Retrocade! Nah...

[Arkhan]

LOL

it's funny you posted Ratatta.  He's the stand in sprite for the skate or die ramp right now, lol.

[Mishran]

LOL

it's funny you posted Ratatta.  He's the stand in sprite for the skate or die ramp right now, lol.

I see potential for an in game easter egg!

Getting back on topic, what nat mentioned earlier about a soundtrack CD, why not included one with the PP stand alone game and call it a special edition version. Include a couple of short demos for the upcoming Retrocade games. Gotta make the game stand out to draw attention.

[Arkhan]

The games already stand out! there's chiptunes, scrolling maps, radar, multiple tilesets and sprites, AND blerpy sfx, on top of a little more polish that would probably go into the game (including an ending sequence)!  I guess I myself don't see why the game can't stand on its own.  I'm curious why its been said to release PP as a free game, and then release Atlantean on a card, presumably to sell.   Why only sell Atlantean??

I dunno what kinda soundtrack I would provide with PP though.  Not to sound like a dick, but I dont feel like making arranged versions of Egyptian music.  It was enough of a pain to manage them as chiptunes.  Egypt is hard.  I could try it out, but it would probably be a mess, lol.

[Mishran]

Well, I'm not referring to the actual game itself. From what I seen from the images and vids of PP, the game looks great. I'm referring to the idea of trying to sell the game twice. Once by itself, again with Retrocade. You have to make people want to buy it twice. Add some bells and whistles to the stand alone release that the Retrocade included release doesn't have. If it is the exact same game in both releases, I can't see the point in purchasing it twice. I'm sure many others would agree. I'm not trying to cause rebellion or raise tempers, I'm just trying to get a different perspective of thing across. Again, it is your project. If you, as well as others, feel two releases of the game is a must, go for it.

[Arkhan]

It's not so much a must, as it is an option.

Wouldn't it make more sense to have the retrocade re-release have the extra little doodads in it?  Though like I said, there'd be so many games on the retrocade that were free before, that you could consider PP a free game on the Retrocade release.

[Necromancer]

I vote for waiting; maybe it'll prod ya along to finish everything up more quickly.  Yes, I'm a greedy f*cker.

[Mishran]

If you think PP can hold its own, why not let it. Give the game its own release and just leave the rest of the games for Retrocade. That would leave Retrocade with 7 games. I think I remember you mentioning Insanity Deathmatch as well. Wouldn't that make 8? This seems like a reasonable option as well.

[Arkhan]

Atlantean is another game that can hold its own too.  I just don't want to leave people waiting with no releases, lol.

[Mishran]

We waited over a decade for ANY new releases, doubt people are gonna mind a few more months... Besides, we have MSR to tide us over till then. If you wanna release some of the games as ROM images, that is a plus.

The poll still says ASAP releases, so you may get your wish anyway.

[Arkhan]

I thought about doing them as Cards and selling them on a per-order basis, lol.

and in this event, the games would be released as free ROMs, and the cards would offer some extras, so you'd have the incentive to buy AbCards for your glorious collections.

and THEN, when they are all done, we release the Retrocade compilation.

so it'd be like

PP: Released as a free ISO, press it to disc if enough people would want it
Atlantean: Release the free ROM and sell on cards w/ some extras to make it beat teh freebie
Rest of games: same concept

then: they all go to the retrocade, with some bonuses and such to make the compilation truly worth it.

What do we think?