3D Sector-X
FURY
Now open to pre-orders!
hcmffm
(I hope the next game is not a card game and not a 3D imager game. ;-) )
FURY
> Two new games released in one year - good stuff! Preordered...!
>
> (I hope the next game is not a card game and not a 3D imager game. ;-) )
Thank you.
You're correct. I do have another game
scheduled for 2010 that is not a card game, and
not currently a 3D game.
hcmffm
> scheduled for 2010 that is not a card game, and
> not currently a 3D game.
FURY
> Now open to pre-orders!
>
> http://www.furyunlimited.com/_sgg/m2_1.htm
I've set the LE of 3D Sector-X to 100 cartridges.
If you haven't pre-ordered yet, please get your
order in as soon as possible as I will not be
ordering more engraved lids. I have 100 of them.
After the first 100 games sell, I will either close
out the release or do a second run with a
standard art box - like most of my other games.
These engraved lids are better looking than the
previous ones. They're done on a black-finished
metal plate and the engraved Sector-X logo shines
in gold, sharply contrasting with the black. Very
cool, and of course credit goes to Richard
Hutchinson who engraved these for me a while
back.
FURY
Just over 20 games remaining for pre-order.
This is the special edition release of 100.
After these sell out, I am closing out the release
for the year.
I will possibly release another set, but with a
labeled box instead of the engraved box that this
special edition comes with. And this would
be next year sometime, if ever - it's possible
that I will not do another release at all, so if
you really want to get one of these, please
pre-order soon. Thanks!
George
FURY
Just over 10 games remaining! Please order soon,
as have decided NOT to do a subsequent release of this
game in the future. First come, first served on the
last 10 games - no holds please! Thank you!
hcmffm
make your games' binaries make available publicably?
FURY
No, because the customers pay money
for the cartridges and I feel that giving the
game away at that point would be unfair
to them, and would also spoil the collectible
value of the cartridges.
George
hcmffm
I've been searching the web for Protector Limited Edition for a while now
and there's nothing. And if there was a copy of Protector LE available, you
will have to pay some hundreds of dollars or Euros - (even though Alex
Herbert, the author of Protector has explicitely written on the box of the
game that the game must not be sold for a higher price than the selling
price). Luckily, Protector/Yasi modules are still available and sold by John
Dondzila, but there's no overlay available.
== Lucky Collectors, unlucky collectors, fans & players
Limited and rare items are interesting for collectors and people who just
want to make money out of rare items, but frustrating for many newbie
collectors and Vectrex fans/players.
== Long game availability
I find this situation pretty annoying and think that any homebrew game
should be available for a long period (years). Sure enough authors cannot
not keep a stock of hundreds of very high polished carts, boxes, and
overlays. But modules (or just software binaries) and overlays should remain
available if possible.
Many of your "customers" are here in this forum and I doubt that any
collector would mind much if a less sophisticated version was sold for a
cheaper price or even provided for free. John Dondzila sells games of other
authors (inlcuding Protector/Yasi) which is very good. Perhaps you could
contact him and find an agreement?
I'd be interested to hear what other collectors think, perhaps more voices
will be heard...
Regards,
Helmut
Roberto Nerici
> will be heard...
I don't consider myself a collector, although I have bought a copy of
Sector-X along with quite a few homebrew games.
Ultimately it is for George to decide what he wants to do. I think only
making the game available as a limited edition is not wrong, nor stupid,
nor immoral or anything. If he doesn't want to make any other versions
of his games available, then fair enough. It is his game after all.
But having said that... IMHO I do think it would be better if the binary
of homebrew games were made available by the authors, for personal use,
so that at least they can be played in some way using a VecFlash or
emulator. I don't see that significantly affecting the value of a cart
for collectors, nor is it work for the author, yet on the plus side it
allows other people to play a game who perhaps miss out and it seems in
fitting with the spirit of a hobby/homebrew scene such as the vectrex. I
think most the modern era games are available in this way, as well of
course as all the original 1980s games.
I don't know how many other people here will agree. And it isn't a
democratic decision anyway :-)
Regards
Roberto/.
FURY
Great points from both of you, and certainly no
disagreements from me.
WOTR was released in several versions as free
binary downloads, still available at several sites
like www.vectrex.nl (Jeroen's site).
I, Cyborg was available for 4 years.
Vector 21 was available for over 2 years.
3D LOTR and 3D Sector-X are both
100 cartridge special editions. There really
are a limited number of people with 3D
Imagers (or homebrew 3D Imagers/Adapters)
out there.
Royal 21 will most likely be available for
anywhere from several months to a year
or two, as there are almost 70 cartridges
still available.
I keep my prices relatively low. Vector 21
was $21, Royal 21 is $25, WOTR was $25.
No overlays, but I use the real cartridge
bodies, and I think I came up with a snazzier
alternative for the box than a clamshell (nothing
wrong with clamshells) without having to charge
an arm and a leg for printing out a box.
One other point to consider is that companies
that create games for modern systems don't
leave them on the market forever. The systems
themselves are usually gone within a couple of
years, right? No Wii, PS3, or XBOX fan here!
Collectors, players, or players who are also
collectors - I can tell you right now that roughly
80% of my customers have been my customers
since 2003, many from this forum, many more
who are not. Whether or not they are collectors
is really their business. I feel that most people
hold onto the games. Then there are people
who are not collectors and maybe sell/trade
the games when they get tired of them (I'm
in that group). Rarely, I believe, in the Vectrex
world are there people who buy the games with
the intent to resell them later for big profits.
I'm sure it happens, but I don't think it's that
common. More money can be made just by
going to work.
Again, good points, hopefully you understand
my perspective.
George
Mayhem
fact George's games are ones in the minority of ROMs which aren't
readily available for download. Though you never know, someone might
have dumped them just not made them publicly available. Not that I
blame George for not distributing his works, that's his rights of
course. I'll admit it would be nice to just plug in the VecFlash to
play them without having to worry about either damaging my originals
or worrying about them suddenly not working due to whatever reason ;)
In fact I think the only programs that can't be run off VecFlash are
Animaction and Spike's Circus as they both use onboard RAM.
FURY
> Though you never know, someone might
> have dumped them just not made them publicly available. Not that I
> blame George for not distributing his works, that's his rights of
> course. I'll admit it would be nice to just plug in the VecFlash to
> play them without having to worry about either damaging my originals
> or worrying about them suddenly not working due to whatever reason ;)
Well, I hope nobody has done that, as I'm totally against it.
I keep records of every sale along with the cartridge #.
One thing is certain, it would make me less interested in
creating new games for Vectrex in the future.
scallen
:)
FURY
> alt.binaries.vectrex.notonmulticart ?
>
> :)
I'll be sure to get your Sector-X order out last...KIDDING : )
hcmffm
emphasize that I do appreciate the work of any Vectrex homebrew author and
thank them/you for the effort made! And sure enough I respect the authors'
decisions (I have no choice, anyway ;-) ).
Below please find a description of various game editions which might help
authors, collectors, and players.
== Current situation
- Vectrex original and homebrew games are often offered and sold for much
more than the original price.
- There's collectors waiting ages till they can get a specific game.
- There's people struggling creating repro overlays of both original and
homebrew games.
- Often it is: First come, first serve.
== Game Editions
Looking at the current situation I've tried to figure out a good "way" for
authors, collectors and players. From my point of view, a released Vectrex
game should be provided in a various editions:
a.) Supporters edition
The Supporter edition is provided in a small number. Compared to the
collectors edition, the supporter edition has some little extra, e.g. a
written certificate, or a low numbering #1-10, and is sold by the author for
a higher price. The little extra should be symbolic and never be a big extra
like an special game on the cart.
I'm sure there's collectors that really want to support the homebrew authors
and are willing to pay extra money for getting some (symbolic) extra. The
supporters edition is limited, if there's more people wanting a supporter
edition, it should be decided by drawing lots. Alternatively to the limited
number a time frame for availabilty could be set and cart numbers could be
assigned by drawing lots. Martijn Wenting has released such an edition of
Debris - not sure whether this worked well.
b.) Collectors edition / Limited edition
The small "extra" described above and the price distinguish the supporters
edition and the collectors edition. Both supporters edition and collectors
edition are typically limited and are costly to manufacture. This edition
should be available for about 1-2 years so that most collectors have the
possibility to get a copy.
c.) Standard edition
The standard edition provides full playing fun and consists of just module
and overlay (if an overlay has been created for that game). This edition is
for players, and collectors who have "missed" the collectors' edition. If
possible, the standard edition should be available for several years/always.
If the game comes with an overlay, the standard edition should never run out
because the game would be incomplete without an overlay.
The standard edition could be provided and sold by the author, a known
Vectrex veteran (e.g. John Dondzila, Kristof Tuts, Richard Hutchinson, ...),
or a dedicated collector/person.
d.) Binary download
Some authors might provide their game online and for free. The binary
download might be made available in parallel to the standard edition, or
after the standard edition has run out.
I hope my above thoughts are comprehensible and perhaps even useful.
Regards,
Helmut
FURY
> Regards,
>
> Helmut
Good comments again, Helmut.
I used to do multiple editions, but I got a lot of
people complaining about it so I've stopped for the
most part (but I still do a few).
I think this is correct -
War of the Robots:
100 LE Cartridges
1 CGE2K3 Cartridge
1 Omega Cartridge
I, Cyborg:
250 LE Cartridges
10 Edition X Cartridges
1 Omega Cartridge
Vector 21:
121 LE Cartridges
21 Wildcard Cartridges
1 Omega Cartridge
3D Lord of the Robots:
100 LE Cartridges
1 Author's Cartridge
Royal 21:
150 LE Cartridges (over 60 Cartridges still available for purchase)
3D Sector-X:
100 LE Cartridges (9 Cartridges still available for pre-order)
3 Hell's Fury Cartridges (next year)
VectrexMad!
>
> 3D Lord of the Robots:
> 100 LE Cartridges
> 1 Author's Cartridge
I only got a 3D imager and a Kevin Horton adpator about a year ago so
prior to that wasn't buying 3D carts.
But money is waiting for you now if you ever make a 3D Lord of the
Robots cartridge. I don't care about LE I just want to play it.
thanks
VectrexMad!
www.vectex,co.uk
hcmffm
Ah, o.k., you've tried out various things, already. Seems very hard to
please everybody. No more comments. ;-)
FURY
Sold Out!
Roberto Nerici
Congratulations!
FURY
Sorry for the delay guys, but I was very sick for
most of September and it set me back a few weeks.
I will start shipping these sometime in November.
Again, my apologies!!!
hcmffm
healthy, again, Fury!