Gamegearguy's projects

Dude, that news totally caught me off guard.  I don't frequent AA often but I'm on there.  Can't say I wouldn't make the same decision as Al.  While it's certainly concerning, I feel like there's still passion there.  I don't expect it will be the same shit show as NA.

At least until the ad banners arrive...

10 minutes ago, JamesRobot said:

Dude, that news totally caught me off guard.  I don't frequent AA often but I'm on there.  Can't say I wouldn't make the same decision as Al.  While it's certainly concerning, I feel like there's still passion there.  I don't expect it will be the same shit show as NA.

At least until the ad banners arrive...

C’mon. You knew they were coming. 

Edited September 8, 2023 by Murray

31 minutes ago, JamesRobot said:

Dude, that news totally caught me off guard.  I don't frequent AA often but I'm on there.  Can't say I wouldn't make the same decision as Al.  While it's certainly concerning, I feel like there's still passion there.  I don't expect it will be the same shit show as NA.

At least until the ad banners arrive...

I miss the ad banners. 

I still use my rendition of the banner...

I honestly believe that Al was motivated mostly by a desire to make AtariAge his full-time job.  He seems to love what he does, but he's a one-man-show, and it took up a lot of his time.  This way, he gets a salary and resources to devote to the site.  He said that, and I believe him.  I can't begrudge someone for wanting a better quality of life.

That being said, I am considering ending my subscription or even asking for a pro-rated amount back.  I think I actually paid for 24 months not too long ago.

Not one reply to the question "What if the iteration of Atari folds or goes bankrupt?" 

I disagree. The question was answered in timely fashion directly by Trogdor from Atari (or whatever his name is), they are trying to do it right, and plan to be around for the very long term (the next 50 years and long after we are personally gone, I think he said) and build on the existing fanbase, especially the community that exists on that forum.

Now, I admittedly haven't been on it much. I didn't like the format of the site, found it hard to follow and I have only a passing interest in 2600 - find the games rather inscrutable, which is my own fault - and much less familiarity and knowledge of any other Atari consoles, never mind the financial barrier to collecting them with their relative rarity. 

So I don't know much about the scene there. But it seems like Al and Atari are both far more interested in maintaining and fostering stuff than what happened with Dain and NintendoAge. Is it a guarantee, no, but it looks different. GoCollect already had their existing, profit and investment-driven stuff going on that they wanted to enhance. Atari on the other hand needs to build community and are not in such a position to turn away interested people.

Have your scruples as you will. I believe Al when he says he will continue to be involved, and hasn't had other pursuits, and this development will make it easier for him to remain and make things better. I would definitely take the money and stay, as he says he is doing. I don't think he is being selfish or greedy. Ideally he will be able to more comfortably continue the mission and focus. 

Money makes life easier for people who don't have it. I've been living in an on-again off-again construction project for 14 years. With 5 years looking for a property before that, seeking a life and mode in various cities, and dreaming of it for several more before I could get serious on it. Striving and paying out of pocket to make a space for creative endeavors and communing with others. If I could get a cash infusion of a million dollars to improve and stay where I'm at? Goddamn right I'd take it. 

So. Give them a chance before you write it off, is all I'm saying. They may expand and promote the homebrew scene as a result of this. There's a lot of potential. It would be idiotic of them to discount the existing community from the position they are in. Do you think Al would do that or that he is lying after all these years and he has remained involved. 

Also. I have no sympathy for the destructive monster that is Walmart, and forums were largely abandoned for social media like Myspace and Facebook long before Discord was a thing.

I guess I just liked the homespun feel of the thing. It was being run by a guy who loves Atari. But now that it's being run by a company instead of a person, it lost that uniqueness, which was, in my opinion, a main reason of its existance. It rebelled Atari, and for Al to just do a 180 and embrace the company? That just seems kind of odd to me,

1 hour ago, Gamegearguy said:

I guess I just liked the homespun feel of the thing. It was being run by a guy who loves Atari. But now that it's being run by a company instead of a person, it lost that uniqueness, which was, in my opinion, a main reason of its existance. It rebelled Atari, and for Al to just do a 180 and embrace the company? That just seems kind of odd to me,

 

Well, it's still being run by a guy who loves Atari.  But now he's beholden to the man.  I expect AtariAge will ultimately become an advertising vehicle in the long run.  How long til they're shilling Atari brand products?  Wait...

Quote

On 9/7/2023 Albert Said:

It is very exciting to see Atari release the 2600+, a new 2600 you can feed actual cartridges, and without giving anything specific away, this is just the beginning of what we're going to see from Atari going forward.

 

  I do want one of them 2600+, though. 

16 minutes ago, JamesRobot said:

 

Well, it's still being run by a guy who loves Atari.  But now he's beholden to the man.  I expect AtariAge will ultimately become an advertising vehicle in the long run.  How long til they're shilling Atari brand products?  Wait...

 

  I do want one of them 2600+, though. 

GOTTA get me some of dem branded productz and servizez!!! 

Big brands are awesome, lest we forget, I hope a brand buys ME someday! 

7 hours ago, OptOut said:

I hope a brand buys ME someday! 

It's the American dream!  Or the British Taiwanese dream rather.

If you look at the initial thread, Al gives many reasons for what he did, even suggesting that something had to change or he'd have to walk away from it all / shut the place down. I get that feeling entirely, I've been in that situation before and my only regret was that I wasn't able to take a paycheck to go along with things.

 

On the not answering a question:  Would have meant a lot to have Al answer "No we don't have an arrangement."   Or "Yes, we have an agreement that we can exit this agreement" or even "I don't know."   To have at least five people ask that question with no comment at all speaks volumes to me.  But also says that no exit agreement was made.

 Happy Al gets his dream job in trade for a community.

In the meantime, I like a hobbyist, not corporate, scene myself, so started to look for other forums to discuss gaming.  Hi all !   

2 minutes ago, DoctorClu said:

In the meantime, I like a hobbyist, not corporate, scene myself, so started to look for other forums to discuss gaming.  Hi all !   

Welcome. Stick around. This is a great place.

32 minutes ago, DoctorClu said:

On the not answering a question:  Would have meant a lot to have Al answer "No we don't have an arrangement."   Or "Yes, we have an agreement that we can exit this agreement" or even "I don't know."   To have at least five people ask that question with no comment at all speaks volumes to me.  But also says that no exit agreement was made.

 Happy Al gets his dream job in trade for a community.

In the meantime, I like a hobbyist, not corporate, scene myself, so started to look for other forums to discuss gaming.  Hi all !   

Hey - you move fast.  Welcome to VGS!