Kabuki Quantum Lover
Member
Fuck, this is the first time I've heard of this. If this thing doesn't have the contact cement grip of the Retron 5 (which I've shelved out of paranoia), I'll buy this as soon as it's released.
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PR: COLECO to release Chameleon, console that focuses on new cartridge games
- Thread starter Tripon
- Start date
Fuck, this is the first time I've heard of this. If this thing doesn't have the contact cement grip of the Retron 5 (which I've shelved out of paranoia), I'll buy this as soon as it's released.
Even RetroUSB is taking shots at them
When the people who are doing this for real call you out... that's the biggest wake up call and slap in the face the Retro guys can get.
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
I may show my age here, but I still have my original ColecoVision and it still works to this day. I can only play it on the 27" TV that I use for my C64 and Atari 2600 as I can't actually plug it into my 61" HDTV, but eh nostalgia is better with scanlines anyway.
That said though I have zero interest in something like this Coleco Chameleon. Those game prices sound way too high for what they will be, and it just seems to me like anyone would be better off just buying some used older consoles and getting games from flea markets or Craigslist and such. I mean let's be honest, is anyone going to spend that kind of money for decades old tech games today? These kind's of games sell for $10 or less at release on today's consoles via homebrews or indie devs, it just seems like a market that really doesn't exist due to them pricing themselves out of it from the get go.
Now, a retro console like this that shunned cartridges or physical media completely and instead distributed software via an online store, similar to Steam, which would also allow anyone to develop their own games and sell them online (like Steam) where the console company, in this case Coleco, would get a small cut of the sales (again, like Steam), well now THAT's something I could see getting some traction and developing a market of it's own.
Eh, I wish them good luck, I think they will need it.
That said though I have zero interest in something like this Coleco Chameleon. Those game prices sound way too high for what they will be, and it just seems to me like anyone would be better off just buying some used older consoles and getting games from flea markets or Craigslist and such. I mean let's be honest, is anyone going to spend that kind of money for decades old tech games today? These kind's of games sell for $10 or less at release on today's consoles via homebrews or indie devs, it just seems like a market that really doesn't exist due to them pricing themselves out of it from the get go.
Now, a retro console like this that shunned cartridges or physical media completely and instead distributed software via an online store, similar to Steam, which would also allow anyone to develop their own games and sell them online (like Steam) where the console company, in this case Coleco, would get a small cut of the sales (again, like Steam), well now THAT's something I could see getting some traction and developing a market of it's own.
Eh, I wish them good luck, I think they will need it.
CoolZombie360
Member
This is what I'm expecting too..
NeOak
Member
Since there's apparently nothing happening and it's midday already, I wanna ask questions about some stuff I was wondering.
Wouldn't it have made more sense to release a CD- or DVD-based console? Tons of storage space and games are dirt cheap to manufacture but can still have beautiful packaging.
If preserving cartridge-based retro gaming was such a big concern, why not put all the time and energy behind making a dedicated FPGA SNES (if a dwindling and malfunctioning supply of future SNESes is a concern) AND become a publisher of indie cart games for said console? I know Retro would say that then anyone could potentially buy the Retro-publishes SNES games and ignore buying their FPGA SNES, but that's preferable to the most likely outcome of the current situation: indie devs will publish their games on more lucrative platforms like Steam and customers will ignore both the Chameleon and the Chameleon carts.
Wouldn't it have made more sense to release a CD- or DVD-based console? Tons of storage space and games are dirt cheap to manufacture but can still have beautiful packaging.
If preserving cartridge-based retro gaming was such a big concern, why not put all the time and energy behind making a dedicated FPGA SNES (if a dwindling and malfunctioning supply of future SNESes is a concern) AND become a publisher of indie cart games for said console? I know Retro would say that then anyone could potentially buy the Retro-publishes SNES games and ignore buying their FPGA SNES, but that's preferable to the most likely outcome of the current situation: indie devs will publish their games on more lucrative platforms like Steam and customers will ignore both the Chameleon and the Chameleon carts.
Beer Monkey
Member
I just noticed this. It doesn't look like he has even made a single comment after the 22nd. No way this Kickstarter launches today.
They were supposed to reveal the PCB with the kickstarter. Maybe they thought since they couldn't get away with the SNES mini in a jaguar case that people would figure out what's wrong with the PCB too.
CoolZombie360
Member
Sounds like he's been rumbled lol
thebigmachine
Member
wrong thread.
I don't know how feasible it is but I really want a Retron5/Retrofreak style CD based console that plays Sega CD, TG16 CD, Dreamcast, Saturn and PS1.
ultrazilla
Gold Member
I had really looked forward to this and believed in Mike and company. I felt their intentions were good with some bad decisions made along the way. The silence regarding the Kickstarter campaign is deafening.
Either they're "buttoning up" some last minute details/deals(the silence *could be* positive) or this just isn't going to happen.
Call me crazy but I wanted to see a new cartridge based system succeed.
At this point, Mike really needs to come out with some kind of statement and just be upfront with everyone. Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy and a humble person is always ok in my eyes.
I was a rabid supporter for the system, even created the original megathread http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1043605&highlight=
Sigh.
Either they're "buttoning up" some last minute details/deals(the silence *could be* positive) or this just isn't going to happen.
Call me crazy but I wanted to see a new cartridge based system succeed.
At this point, Mike really needs to come out with some kind of statement and just be upfront with everyone. Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy and a humble person is always ok in my eyes.
I was a rabid supporter for the system, even created the original megathread http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1043605&highlight=
Sigh.
Dreamcast uses GDROM, so it is unfeasible for that particular console at least.
The rest are doable, think and if hardware becomes powerful enough maybe you can add PS2. I read there was a PS2 emulator in development for Android, so who knows.
Hero_of_the_Day
Member
Haven't been following this since it came back to life. So, they faked a prototype at some show using a hidden SNES and a flashcart? Now the kickstarter was supposed to go live today, and they've been silent for the last few days, and the KS has failed to materialize?
Some weird shit.
Some weird shit.
Beer Monkey
Member
Now all he can do is say he flat out lied, or keep lying. There are no other choices.
Either way, he's fucked. If he comes clean, he's definitely at strike three by now. If he keeps lying, the internet is going to destroy him.
This is over. All that is left is watching it play out.
Either way, he's fucked. If he comes clean, he's definitely at strike three by now. If he keeps lying, the internet is going to destroy him.
This is over. All that is left is watching it play out.
NoFaceNico
Member
Even RetroUSB is taking shots at them
I think I might know where Mike is... let me go check the BURN WARD!!
Dreamwriter
Member
They were supposed to be giving the final reward tiers all this week...nothing.
superNESjoe
Member
You can burn Dreamcast games on CD-Rs very easily. It was rampant with piracy. The GDROM format shouldn't make a difference.
I was going to say that, but I think Ryo's point is that you won't be able to run your original copies of Dreamcast games on a CD/DVD hybrid console because you need an actual GD-ROM drive in there. Of course new indie CD games made for Dreamcast wouldn't be a problem. Ng.Dev.Team's Dreamcast games are printed on CDs.
superNESjoe
Member
I was just meaning it like I doubt that format would prevent them from figuring it out. A DVD drive can read GDROM.
Interesting, had no idea!
I've heard of certain drives that can read GDROMs if you cut the top off of the drive and use a swap disc method to trick the drive into reading the data track of the GDROM. If there's something more reliable than that floating around I'd love to know about it.
Mega was correct about my point. Using CDs isn't ideal. As well as the fact that GDRoms have a higher storage capacity than CD Roms so you will almost always have to compromise when burning to CD.So you could use DVDs, sure.
But as far as I am aware there are only a very limited number of DVD drives that can correctly read GDRoms? And they may even require physical modifications to even work?
There is also the fact that the users that'd want such a console would most definitely prefer to use it without much hassle and just play their Dreamcast collection natively. And for people new to Dreamcast games itd be almost impossible to rip games on without owning a Dreamcast because I stated most DVD drive s can not properly read them. I may be wrong but weren't most Dreamcast games ripped via the broadband adaptor? Which are quite rare and expensive these days.
s_mirage
Member
They'd need custom firmware. AFAIK no normal drives can read GD-ROMs without using the false TOC/disc swap method. Then there are a couple of questions: would the drive manufacturers allow the commercial distribution of their drives with custom firmware installed, and would there be rights/patent problems with Sega + Yamaha?
superNESjoe
Member
Right, it requires tricks to be done, but it can be done. I'm sure if someone was wanting to make a Dreamcast clone console they could figure something out since they have a jumping off point.
IrishNinja
Member
Even RetroUSB is taking shots at them
ahahaha goddamn
bruh we're still tryin to make the OG hardware look good, emulation scene's still a mess isn't it?
dancrane212
Member
New update. Looking to "finalize" the prototype.
NeOak
Member
I give it a few days before someone finds out which development board is that.
Also, no connections shown. Plus it doesn't look like there is an actual cart slot there.
I'm just referring to the N64 patents expiring in 2015 and half expecting hardware clones from China to pop up. Nothing yet :/
Emperor Bohe
Member
Yes please.
NeOak
Member
Beer Monkey
Member
Um, their FB post has comments that are being deleted before you can see them. Jeez.
Looking forward to the Nico post.
First thing that jumps to mind seeing these images is that nothing is really shown. As mentioned, it's really weird that we can't see any cords connecting to the back of the one beside a tv. With the angle, it's possible they're obscured. But I wouldn't put much stock in that.
Dreamwriter
Member
Maybe easier to figure out what the board or at least the big chip is with this pic
The ouya?
NoFaceNico
Member
Exactly. Because it's so hard to take a photo of the back and use a camera more powerful than a Razr.
These are the games Mike likes to play with people to keep them interested and their wallets open. He's scrambling for more time.
My advice is the same as always- don't fall for his shit unless he's being clear like he promised he would be today.
I've been trying to stay out of this since I've been working on something... not really similar, but this campaign's killing me. If they have a prototype board, why wouldn't they just show a clear picture of it?
Why does it have an IDE connector in the middle of the left USB port? *ahem*
Eh, the Ouya tried it, and failed miserably. Granted, the idea got a lot of supporters and it mainly failed because it was a terribly unreliable product pushed by terrible marketing, but still. I don't think it can be done again, not until a lot of time has passed.
But you can buy or make yourself a Steam Machine, which does everything you want and we know Valve won't go bankrupt next year.
Beer Monkey
Member
I was just about to post that I could swear that is some kind of PCI card.
Of course, there are thousands of PCI cards, but this is the Internet. so somebody is going to find which one, fuzzy photo or no.
Back when they were considering addons, it would have made sense to have CD-based consoles support. But it will never happen, simply for the reason that they don't have the molds for the original Atari Jaguar CD addon. And seeing how this project is handled, they certainly won't make new ones.
Pellegri Testament
Member
This isn't exactly helping their case when the LED is still on in that picture, yet there are no cords to be found. Not really sure what the benefit of shopping out the power cord would be. This is also supposed to be a "professional" grade product they're trying to sell, yet they can't afford anything above a mediocre camera to take pictures of it with?
Dreamwriter
Member
Technically the LED could be "lit up" by the camera flash in that pic.
xDUMPWEEDx
Banned
It looks fake as hell. Mike has given everyone plenty of reasons why everything he says or shows is so scrutinized.
As a fan of the RVGS/CC/this idea as a whole, I can't be anything more than skeptical at this point.