Retro VGS Game Console

[elmer]

I don't really understand why they are bringing Gunlord to the RetroVGS, unless they are somehow packaging the Neo-Geo ROM with Neo-Geo emulator and sticking a front-end on it so that it's not obvious. 

That will be exactly what they're planning. The RETRO VGS has a semi-powerful ARM chip with 1GB RAM and 3D chip just so that people can do that kind of software-emulation.

With only 7,000 potential customers, why would NG:DEV do anything else?

Mike Kennedy may throw a few thousand dollars of the KickStarter money at them to add some RETRO VGS-specficic feature ... but they'll prototype it on their existing Neo Geo kit, and not on some mythical RETRO VGS developer kit that doesn't exist.

[ctophil]

Please support the RETRO VGS if you can.  I think it will make a statement to the mainstream console manufacturers. 

You're hilarious. Have you heard of the Ouya?

It tried to make a statement exactly like the one you said. And it failed miserably.

How many units did the damn thing sell anyway? About 50,000? The Ouya company was so embarrassed, they couldn't even reveal their sales numbers.

This thing is targeting an even smaller audience, with far less power and 3-4 times the price.

I mean, at least Ouya got a mobile port of Sonic CD. This thing could barely get Shovel Knight.

I am optimistic with every console release, either it be indie or mainstream.  The RETRO VGS has an entirely different design model than the Ouya (mobile-style games vs retro games) and has different people behind the project.  Mike Kennedy launched RETRO Magazine successfully and is still going strong the past couple of years.  I've followed him and his team for quite some time.  They are passionate gamers who just want a console that caters toward the RETRO community (cart based, classic gaming, so forth), as well as those who desire physical media vs digital as the current mainstream consoles are going. 

Mike's ideas behind the project are admirable, and if I launched a retro console, I would probably do similar things.  RETRO Magazine is a good medium to advertise the upcoming console (similar how Nintendo Power covered its own consoles back in the day, this is Mike's idea too), since the majority of the readership love RETRO games.  The circulation is estimated to be 40,000 or so throughout the world.  If 30,000 of those people help fund the RETRO VGS, it will surely take off. 

The console is not coming out until next year sometime.  So, it is way too soon to put judgement on something that hasn't even reached funding yet.  Let the public vote with their money, love, and passion.  This week is when the Kickstarter will launch. 

[Jibbajaba]

NG:Dev better hope that people don't figure out how to extract the game ROM out of the RetroVGS app, then.

[Necromancer]

That just doesn't make any sense.  The Neo Geo X was from Tommo, and I think NG:Dev has proven that they're more than willing to make games at prol pricing. What else do you call porting all your stuff to Dreamcast and selling the games for hundreds less than the Geo versions?

Because I don't know what it means, I sure wouldn't call it "prol" pricing.  I only speak English and a little German.

Not that it matters, though, as it was just a joke in response to what I assumed was a joke from you.  I guess you were serious, but in what world does it make even a lick of sense for NG:Dev to take over the system?

[SignOfZeta]

NG:Dev better hope that people don't figure out how to extract the game ROM out of the RetroVGS app, then.

Well, if you encrypt it, pad the f*ck out of it, make it require a custom emulator, and then encase the entire PCB in epoxy, possibly casting the case around the PCB, then chances are that none of The 7000 will allow someone smarter than themselves to destroy the cart and attempt to extract the data before the game is sold out. My guess is that physical security will be innovative and thorough.

A prole [previously sic] is a normal person like us. People who pay less than $100 for games most of the time. Proles can't afford NG:Dev releases on MVS or AES but could buy the DC versions.

I don't think it's realistic for NG:Dev to take over the project, but I think it's bound to be a better situation that the clown who's doing it now. Any f*ckhead can write a retro* magazine. Reviewing 30 year old games in the current vernacular and printing it out is about one thousandth of one percent as complicated as making a game machine.

As I said earlier in the thread, the system may actually come out, but if it does then it will be despite its "creator's"** best effort, not because of it, since the guy doesn't know thing one about hardware design. If it's going to happen then ALL of the real work will be done by other people, just as ALL of the investment is coming from other people which makes you wonder...is this the Tony Wilson of video games or he just a Flav A Flav with no PE? What purpose does the guy serve? I suppose the answer is hype, but his hype sucks pretty bad too.




*note that "retro" is not spelled in caps without a special reason.

**note: has not actually created much except for possibly a drawing in crayon.

[GohanX]

When it comes to NG:Dev, the Dreamcast is a non-issue, as they've said flat out that they're done with Dreamcast due to poor sales vs. downloaded torrents.  I'm not at all surprised that they're going after a more secure delivery system, though targeting the xbone or ps4 makes more sense.

They say this, yet most of their DC releases sell out pretty quickly. The only one that took a while was the original Last Hope on neo cd and let's face it, it wasn't that good.

[esteban]

I am following this discussion.

I am still waiting for it to be cancelled, but I fear ego and hubris will prevent this silly thing from dying gracefully.

Proles on parade

[Black Tiger]

I can't find any more confirmed RVGS games other than those on the main site and the recently announced NGDev game. But I know for sure now that all but the pack-in title Tiny Knight are available on other platforms and I'm not 100% sure that Tiny Knight isn't. When most are also available on existing consoles and this thing is using emulation, as I've said, I don't see the point, but also I don't see how you get any kind of "console-feeling" from it. Should the Ouya have used the CDi console shell? At least the Retron5 and other cart-based clones let you pretend that you're actually playing your real carts.

How many console launch lineup games in history have been ports of other console games?

The DS got Mario 64, but not only was it a portable console, it was basically a portable N64, so it made sense and added to the appeal.

Some have been ports of arcade games which may have already received ports for other consoles. But that made sense 20 - 30 years ago and they would be all-round upgrades and developed from the ground up for the new hardware. R-Type TG-16 wasn't a port of R-Type SMS.

[lukester]

Black Tiger, Tiny Knight is also an SNES game. So no it's not actually exclusive.

Considering Collectorvision's other game Sydney Hunter is coming out on the Wii U, I wouldn't be surprised if Tiny Knight goes onto PC or something.

[Mathius]

Proles on parade

Beautiful

[Jibbajaba]

I am still waiting for it to be cancelled, but I fear ego and hubris will prevent this silly thing from dying gracefully.

It's death will come in the form of a failed KickStarter campaign.

Edit: In case you weren't aware, they want MILLIONS of dollars in KickStarter funds.

[jtucci31]

I am still waiting for it to be cancelled, but I fear ego and hubris will prevent this silly thing from dying gracefully.

It's death will come in the form of a failed KickStarter campaign.

Edit: In case you weren't aware, they want MILLIONS of dollars in KickStarter funds.

Millions? Plural? 

[crazydean]

While on facebook, looking for some info about the kickstarter, this is the first comment I read:

"I'm hope I'm in the first 500. I'm going for the exclusive but will there be a bigger bundle that'll include launch titles ir other things? I'm going with whatever the best package ends up being whatever the price. I'm selling old gaming stuff to raise the money so the sooner I know how much I need the sooner I can start raising the money."

Somebody please tell me this is a shill account started by the makers of the RVGS to make their product look appealing.

[elmer]

Millions? Plural? 

2.25M last I heard.

It's going to take a lot of money to get cardboard circuit boards to work properly! 

Looks like they've just announced some pricing ...

Will YOU be one of the first 500 backers to score an Early Bird Black Retro VGS for $299? Or go for one of the exclusive colors for $349? Decisions that will need to be made in the coming days! The countdown has officially begun.

[Jibbajaba]

I'm curious to see if KS will end up pulling the campaign, since the RetroVGS folks are violating the rules by not having a working prototype.

And yeah, that Facebook post sounds fake as shit.  IM SELLING ALL MY OLD GAMES TO PAY FOR THIS.  Nigga, PLS.