Retro VGS Game Console

[Medic_wheat]

Are we talking about that UK mag that thinks the Spectrum is an significant as the SNES or some new thing? I assume it's something else, but I thought the UK one was "Retro" or something.

No the US Kickstarter magazine that. Well I have read an issue or two and never found it interesting enough to spend money on.

[esteban]

CONFESSION: I have never seen nor read this Retro magazine everyone is talking about, so now I am curious to read it.

[Mathius]

Are we talking about that UK mag that thinks the Spectrum is an significant as the SNES or some new thing? I assume it's something else, but I thought the UK one was "Retro" or something.

The Uk mag is called Retro Gamer and does indeed consider the ZX Spectrum to be as important as the NES. But you have to remember that the UK at that time was in the grip of micro-computer mania. The first console to break into the mainstream there was the Master System.

The US mag is just called Retro. It included some previous EGM staff including Martin Alessi and Jeremy Parish. Martin is a good friend of mine and I supported the mag to support him. He no longer works there however as he is setting up his own mag now devoted to youngsters.

[Gredler]

More interviews, it's not about the money, they just want to make games again and there are just not enough retro systems to support more development, they need a new retro system to develop for. Makes sense

[jtucci31]

Oh god, an hour long gamester81 video with these guys. Can anyone summarize this?

EDIT:
Mike Kennedy-I've been longtime collector douche. I've been trying to make money off your hobby with gamegavel, retro magazine, and now retro vgs
Both-We don't want to bash modern gaming, but our cartridges are cooler and better than modern gaming and modern gaming sucks.

gamester81-So why the change from $150 to $350 in price?
M.K.-Well (insert long tangent that doesn't answer the question at all).

M.K. ends with-Developers need this. Consumers need this. YOU need this.
M.K.-The Ouya wasn't for me, I don't like mobile games. But I bought one anyway. Oh and we're better than that thing.

Mike Kennedy doesn't really answer the kevtris FGPA issue. "Won't stoop to level of atariage folks"

M.K.-Come on guys, we spent $6k on the Jaguar shell. This may never happen again. You're showing us you don't want a cartridge based system. 


Listened to the whole thing. Total waste. I'm sure some of you could have guessed that, but I had nothing better to do.

[Mathius]

Oh god, an hour long gamester81 video with these guys. Can anyone summarize this?

This

[esteban]

Oh god, an hour long gamester81 video with these guys. Can anyone summarize this?

This

Dear
Lord.

I made it to 00:55. Not even a minute.

Sorry.

[ToyMachine78]

I can't watch gamester81. I hate to say it, but he annoys me more than metal Jesus.

[mickcris]

i used to watch gamester81 every once in a while.  some of his console review videos i found interesting, even though a lot of times he barely knew what he was talking about and he would be banging them around like a small child would.  i stopped watching at all after his channel seemed to turn into just commercials for collectorvision.  but this is why they hired him to be their PR person cause he had a built in audience already for their commercials.

[Mathius]

I have no idea what Collectorvision is. I think I'll keep it that way.

[esteban]

I can't watch gamester81. I hate to say it, but he annoys me more than metal Jesus.

Metal Jesus I can stomach.

This gamester81 guy, I want to like him, but it has yet to happen. 

I really do try to give folks a chance, even when I know I will never "love" them.

[mickcris]

I can't watch gamester81. I hate to say it, but he annoys me more than metal Jesus.

Metal Jesus I can stomach.

This gamester81 guy, I want to like him, but it has yet to happen. 

I really do try to give folks a chance, even when I know I will never "love" them.

but look at him manhandle a duo while not knowing much about how it works.

skip to 5:14 to hear that part

[ToyMachine78]

"There's a lock for the CD door, that's kind weird, not sure why they would include that"... This guy obviously does not have small children. If there's a button, they're gonna press it.
The lock is genius. Wish my 360 had one

[Psycho Punch]

Rare ET the Extraterrestrial 2600 game review - Gamester81
Rare Playstation 4 system review - Gamester81
Rare grain of sand review - Gamester81
Rare hydrogen molecule review - Gamester81

[elmer]

I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how this could possibly have got even weirder
than before.

The true visionary behind this project is Mike Kennedy. He's also a marketing person with a big heart, and he wants to reciprocate the enthusiasm our followers show us by being totally open and sharing everything. I get it, and I admire him for that. But he talks, and he talks about everything I show or tell him. Again, he's a marketing person, and that's what marketing people do.

Knowing this about Mike (and about marketing people in general), causes me (as an engineer) to be very cautious in choosing what I share with him. The reason for this is very simple: our inventions are valuable, and premature public disclosure of our inventions would cause us to lose the ability to protect them with patents.
For most of this year I've been working crazy long startup hours on this project. I've drained my own savings to pay for both my living expenses and building prototype circuits. I have invested a lot of time and money, I have a lot to show for it.

The problem is: I can't patent what I share publicly. As a result, I've been protecting my inventions as if they were my own children.

RETRO VGS first quick demo

Now their tech guy is claiming that there is a prototype, but he's not told his "boss" because he's afraid that it would spoil his ability to patent all the new inventions ... that he's already started to patent ... without telling his boss ... and so presumably by himself ... meanwhile leaving his partners flapping in the wind for a week with a failing crowdfunding campaign.

What a f**king great guy to go into business with!

Apart from which ... what the heck is patentable!!!! All that he's got to show is basically a Raspberry PI stuffed under a Jag-Wire shell, running X-Windows ... or maybe even less!!!!

I just don't know how to deal with this particular level of crazy sh*t!!!!     

[HailingTheThings]

I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how this could possibly have got even weirder
than before.

RETRO VGS first quick demo

Thank you for posting this, had quite a laugh. <3

[Bloufo]

Admittedly, I've hardly followed the (apparently very "entertaining" ) goings-on with this VGS thing, but from the little that I have caught, these folks seem a little out of the loop.
The ability to patch your software and update your hardware is a feature, not a bug.

[esteban]

I am sorry, but everything on that table looks like a prop.

He elaborated on irrelevant things (the power supply? The power supply?), but did not provide much beyond these gems:
(1) we are working with some of the best attorneys in Silicon Valley
(2) we must protect our patents
(3) no cooling fans necessary!
(4) did you see how I carefully arranged all the props on my table? Doesn't it look "organic" like an actual workbench, where actual work is conducted? Yeah, I cut a few cables. I really did.

[Arkhan Asylum]

I don't watch many gamer-dude video channels because they're all just some retard that talks funny rambling like it's a fuckin' National Geographic documentary.

AND HERE WE HAVE A CONTROLLER CABLE
AND
UH
WATCH AS IT SLOWLY INSERTS INTO THE PORT AND OH LOOK
*click*
I SWITCHED THE MACHINE ON

NOW IM PLAYING A GAME I SUCK AT

WATCH ME SUCK.

HERE'S THE ELUSIVE RETARD IN HIS NATURAL HABITAT.




also that VGS demo video made me lol.

HERE WE HAVE A STANDARD POWER SUPPLY

NOTE ALL THE SOLDER/WIRES/BULLSHIT I DONT ACTUALLY HAVE ANY NEED FOR BUT WANTED TO PUT OUT THE SEEM MORE LEGIT

CHECK OUT MY UBUNTU BOX

RUNNING SICK ANALOG VIDEO OUT

ITS MY INVENTION

[crazydean]

RETRO VGS first quick demo

Uhh...that video doesn't tell me anything about the product. Also, that is no workbench. I have very limited electronic repair experience but even my paltry setup is not that crowded. I couldn't begin to test or repair anything with shit everywhere, like that guy has. Surely, this guy knows what he is doing, right?

[Gentlegamer]

I have somehow mostly avoided reading about this. All I can say is el oh el.

[Bloufo]

RETRO VGS first quick demo

Uhh...that video doesn't tell me anything about the product. Also, that is no workbench. I have very limited electronic repair experience but even my paltry setup is not that crowded. I couldn't begin to test or repair anything with shit everywhere, like that guy has. Surely, this guy knows what he is doing, right?

I just now watched that vid.
Didn't they make mention that they switched from KS to Indiegogo because of some (lack of?) prototype issue?
So going by what the vid claims to show, they had a proto of this thing all along. So the reasons why they didn't go the Kickstarter route were apparently.. lies?

[PCEngineHell]

Lol all I see in the video is a kitchen table with some gear hastily thrown onto it to make it look like a test station. Better still is the Jaguar shell, only the top of a shell rather, laid on top of some kinda ITX looking computer board. I mean nothing is actually really being shown to prove its a real prototype.

[esteban]

Lol all I see in the video is a kitchen table with some gear hastily thrown onto it to make it look like a test station. Better still is the Jaguar shell, only the top of a shell rather, laid on top of some kinda ITX looking computer board. I mean nothing is actually really being shown to prove its a real prototype.

Exactly. This all looks staged, with props, to give the illusion that some progress has been made.

No progress has been made.

Well, the lulz have gotten better.

[PukeSter]

What the hell was even on the tv?

It looked like a white grid or something.

[BlueBMW]

Every day brings new lulz with this thing.  Just when I thought it had started to stagnate those guys come up with that "prototype" video....  who the hell works at a work bench like that?  I mean I'm sorry, I don't have space for a proper work bench etc so I use my computer desk for repair work and such.  Its not nearly the clusterfack that kitchen table was.  Random extra equipment and parts scattered about?

[DildoKKKobold]

Kirkland James Hrabik No PR campaign could fix the underming of this project (from the beginning) from the haters in the world in this hobby. We've all seen it countless times before and this is just another one one of those times. These same haters are there dissing anyone that wants to go out there and make the gaming hobby a more fun place and I can't for the life of me see where their motives lie. One thing PR people would do is ban people and keep these public attacks at bay, and that is one mistake we've made in the beginning to show transparency. Big mistake and one we are learning from.

A PR person would actually tell you to treat your trolls with grace and respect. A decent PR person would tell you not to act like a passive-aggressive little bitch. Seriously, they've posted other kickstarters that got funded, and whined about how kickstarter wouldn't accept their two million dollar crap show. They keep talking about the "haters" bringing the project down, rather than seeing people with legitimate concerns.

This train wreck has been massively entertaining. Over the last 2-3 days, the funding has dropped, rather than gained. I don't think they'll even make it to $100k at this point. I don't know why they are even trying.

[SignOfZeta]

That video...holy shit. That can't possibly impress anyone, right? What is that scope there for? Why is the "prototype"* in one of their dumb Jag shells? WTF could possibly be patentable on a project like this even if the guy did know what he's doing, which he doesn't. 

These guys are legit crazy. I almost feel bad a of shitting on them because there are diagnosable issues in those dudes' heads for sure.


* not actually a prototype of anything, but rather other people's finished work.

[Psycho Punch]

Comments are disabled for this video.

ahahayylmao

[elmer]

That video...holy shit. That can't possibly impress anyone, right?

Sadly, there are actually some FaceBook people out there that don't have the faintest clue about electronics ...

I have been one of the more critical voices over the last week and agree COMPLETELY. This is the kind of info that should have been out there a month or so ago. If your marketing guy can't communicate information that needs communicated and then keep his mouth shut when he needs to keep his mouth shut then you need a new PR guy. Sorry.

Anyway, THIS has helped immensely. I am back in, I will be supporting the IGG. PLEASE have John keep us up to date though no more Mike.

There are even idiots that think that it's so nearly done that they're worried about how it'll look inside a transparent case ...

Yea someone pointed out the shape of the mainboard. He was wanting to buy a clear one and was concerned it would look ugly. I agree.

But ... their funding keeps on going down, so it doesn't look like the new "information" is going down that well.

However, with the revelation of John Carlsen's hopes of getting the RETRO VGS's IndieGoGo backers to fund his dreams of becoming a patent troll, this has now moved from being a sad joke into being a potential drain on the future homebrew (and even, potentially, the professional) video game hardware scene.

That's probably way over-inflating his chances of getting something patented, but I really have very little confidence in the current US patent process, so there's definitely a worry.

WTF could possibly be patentable on a project like this even if the guy did know what he's doing, which he doesn't.

From Kevtris's post about his experience with talking to Carlsen, I'd suspect that it'll have something to do with post-processing the output of an FPGA-generated video buffer with an ARM SoC's pixel-shaders, or maybe the reverse.

[SephirothTNH]

I lost any shred of respect I had for any of the RVGS guys when I watched that video. 

"Power goes into our system, and out from our system we get high resolution digital and analog video"

I mean who the fuck does this guy think he's talking to.  This must be their three point system development play:

            .  No patches and scratches
            .  Power goes in; High resolution video goes out.
            .

[NightWolve]

RETRO VGS first quick demo

Now their tech guy is claiming that there is a prototype, but he's not told his "boss" because he's afraid that it would spoil his ability to patent all the new inventions ... that he's already started to patent ... without telling his boss ... and so presumably by himself ... meanwhile leaving his partners flapping in the wind for a week with a failing crowdfunding campaign.

What a f**king great guy to go into business with!

Ah, that's where it came from, just saw this video on Andrew's Facebook. I honestly thought at first it was a follow-up parody, but then somebody here had posted a photo of the 3 knuckleheads that compose this team and the guy looked like one of them as far as my recollection, and sure enough, it was indeed him and this video actually was something they decided to go live with... :/

So that's the answer to "where are the specs" - C'mon guys, give us a break, we gotta first patent a lot of this stuff beforehand, don't ya know... No worries, we found great lawyers, but it's expensive... Somebody could make off with the great ideas that we're coming up with here! Hahahaha! I'm sorry, I don't see the danger there...

I am sorry, but everything on that table looks like a prop.

He elaborated on irrelevant things (the power supply? The power supply?), but did not provide much beyond these gems:
(1) we are working with some of the best attorneys in Silicon Valley
(2) we must protect our patents
(3) no cooling fans necessary!
(4) did you see how I carefully arranged all the props on my table? Doesn't it look "organic" like an actual workbench, where actual work is conducted? Yeah, I cut a few cables. I really did.

Yeah, exactly, it's beyond amateur hour, that's why I thought it had to be another parody at first! That focus on the power supply...like there'd be something "special" about that even... How did that video even get loose, did they not review it beyond 1 or 2 other guys ? I guess so...

[PCEngineHell]

The bigger issue with the video is the guy himself. There is a point where you can see someone believes in their product. They are passionate, serious, and convincing. This guy, I mean, this could have just as easily been some comedy skit on Tim and Eric Great Job. This guy looks and sounds like every fake tech asshole I have ever seen on any given parody tech video or similar strange infomercial parody shit.

[NightWolve]

Yeah, you have to know your strengths and weaknesses, and he was simply not meant for unguided, unscripted live presentations, at least, not by himself - he needed an experienced, lively interviewer at the very least to guide him, keep him on track... There's a level of charisma that you need, and being able to "wing it" on-the-fly without a script, etc. Few people possess such abilities... It also seems he did this on the 1st or 2nd take, when he needed MUCH MORE practice...

Poor example, but recent is the Kevtris and GameTechUSA project and that recent video where clearly GameTechUSA is much more comfortable, less nervous in front of the camera... It would be very hard to watch without GameTech's enthusiasm and focus.

Anyhow, yeah, it's all amateur hour here and coming from guys asking for $2 million dollars makes it an even bigger joke... :/

[esteban]

The bigger issue with the video is the guy himself. There is a point where you can see someone believes in their product. They are passionate, serious, and convincing. This guy, I mean, this could have just as easily been some comedy skit on Tim and Eric Great Job. This guy looks and sounds like every fake tech asshole I have ever seen on any given parody tech video or similar strange infomercial parody shit.

Agreed. Sincerity, genuine sincerity, is a foundation. Something to build on.

[SignOfZeta]

The bigger issue with the video is the guy himself. There is a point where you can see someone believes in their product. They are passionate, serious, and convincing. This guy, I mean, this could have just as easily been some comedy skit on Tim and Eric Great Job. This guy looks and sounds like every fake tech asshole I have ever seen on any given parody tech video or similar strange infomercial parody shit.

I was thinking SCTV.

[DeshDildo]

Hahahaha!  After watching that last video I am seriously waiting for these guys to reveal that this was all a big joke all along and that they really fooled us.

[SignOfZeta]

The idea had occurred to me, several times, that the Retro VGS might be a modern day real life version of Springtime for Hitler. However, since the project can't raise any money, that means it would still be a flop even if that's what was designed to be. The Producers only works if you raise investment capital.

[KnightWarrior]

I really hope this will flop

[NightWolve]

Hahahaha!  After watching that last video I am seriously waiting for these guys to reveal that this was all a big joke all along and that they really fooled us.

I watched his video again after reading this and it did make me wonder... :/ But naw, for the trouble that they'd get into after taking it this far as a stunt, it's inconceivable... That video does really play like a parody/satire though, it mostly makes sense as one, but the fact that this is all amateur hour and they're simply just that terrible at having thought that video up and executed it also explains it...

[CrackTiger]

I haven't watched that video, but perhaps that guy really doesn't know anything about making hardware, there is no prototype or even a design and their plan since the beginning is to secure a couple million dollars and then hire someone to "just make one", based on their simple idea.

Kinda like the idiot who bought the rights to publish Doom for 3DO.

[VenomMacbeth]

I haven't watched that video, but perhaps that guy really doesn't know anything about making hardware, there is no prototype or even a design and their plan since the beginning is to secure a couple million dollars and then hire someone to "just make one", based on their simple idea.

Kinda like the idiot who bought the rights to publish Doom for 3DO.

You really should watch the video.  Painful as it is, the delivery just makes it.

[esteban]

Doom on 3DO.

[ToyMachine78]

That video...holy shit. That can't possibly impress anyone, right? What is that scope there for? Why is the "prototype"* in one of their dumb Jag shells? WTF could possibly be patentable on a project like this even if the guy did know what he's doing, which he doesn't. 

These guys are legit crazy. I almost feel bad a of shitting on them because there are diagnosable issues in those dudes' heads for sure.


* not actually a prototype of anything, but rather other people's finished work.

The jag shell is there to obscure the Raspberry PI.

[elmer]

The jag shell is there to obscure the Raspberry PI.

Actually, John Carlsen finally stated on FaceBook that it's an eval board for a RockChip RK3188, not much different to this $85 one on eBay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Radxa-Rock-Pro-RK3188-Quad-core-1-6-GHz-2G-RAM-8G-Flash-Single-board-Computer-/251970625930?hash=item3aaa9ea18a

You have a good eye for the market. Keep in mind this is just the "minimum" configuration that we will use in a final product: The processor is indeed a Rockchip RK3188. I'm using it on a module supplied with 1 GiB mounted to an eval board. (Our finished product may have more RAM, but we don't need a lot of RAM to load into because the cartridge interface is pretty fast.) This allows me to quickly build up a circuit around it with the least amount of cost, effort, and risk. (Why re-invent the wheel, right?) It's a great part, but the best part of RETRO VGS really is what goes around it.

The 3 RETRO VGS team members were interviewed by Carl Williams on Wednesday, and the transcript is now up ...

http://retrogamingmagazine.com/2015/09/27/rgm-interview-with-retro-vgs-team-unofficial-copy-from-audio-interview/

It's a scary read. The 3 can't seem to agree on much, and all have very different visions of what they're producing.

Steve Woita is the scariest ... he doesn't seem to have a clue what's going on. He doesn't follow social media or forums, because they're too difficult to "process". He didn't even know that they weren't going to get their FPGA cores from Kevtris any more.

There is obviously very little communication going on between these 3 "founders". 

[elmer]

The parody continues ...

[esteban]

The Ian? guy makes a good point: the RVGS is more concerned about collectors than players:

[RGMag]

I am glad to see that my interview got posted here too (I was not sure about self serving links).  That loose copy took me nearly 21 hours or so to copy over.  I have been working on it since Thursday, with most of the work occurring yesterday between 7 am, or so, to about 3 am this (Sunday) morning.

It was worth it though as people are really enjoying getting to check it out in their preferred medium, text or audio.

[Gentlegamer]

[Psycho Punch]

LOL I knew what it was before pressing play.