10 Atari Games that caused the Crash of 1984.

[Iron Lizard]

I would like to hear from someone who was actually older than eight or so when the crash happened. In fact that is the only people I would like to hear from on topics like this, as in the people that actually saw it happen.

[gamevet]

I would like to hear form someone who was actually older than eight or so when the crash happened. In fact that is the only people I would like to hear from on topics like this, as in the people that actually saw it happen.

I've said it a millions times. Everyone that was gaming in my age group (@16) was buying 8-bit home computers (quit calling them PCs!) and sharing software. The 4K computers with the green screens (Pet computer was one) were okay, but it wasn't until I played computers like the TRS-80, Vic-20 and C-64 that I started seeing them as a better alternative for gaming over the consoles.

I still played games on my VCS, but I wasn't running out to buy the next big title either. I remember walking into the mall and seeing bins full of $5 Atari 2600 games. Most of them were 3rd party garbage with very little replay value. For every Mountain King there was crappy games like Spectravideo's Nexar. Who the F was Spectravideo?

The console crash wasn't something that just happened with the flip of a switch. It was a decline that happened over the course of a year and a half. It would start in the larger cities and trickle down to smaller towns that were already clueless about the state of the industry. Trends also didn't happen within a month's time, like they do now. Something that was cool in California, might not reach your region for another 6 months.

[sheath]

My family went from the 2600 to a Kaypro computer, then to a Macintosh. All before the NES was even mentioned in our neighborhood.

[Drakon]

I know exactly what the problem with my SNES AC adapter is: It's not the AC itself, it's not the brick, it's the thin, spaghetti dick of a cable that it was attached to that makes it so flimsy. Just think of a headphone cable that has been used over and over until it snaps at the connection. I don't think they were manufactured cheaply or anything, just bad engineering.

I had a model 1 megadrive brick do the same thing. I love my pc engine cd power brick nice thick wires.

[gamevet]

My family went from the 2600 to a Kaypro computer, then to a Macintosh. All before the NES was even mentioned in our neighborhood.

Kaypro? I barely remember that computer.

[sheath]

If we had kept that computer for another couple of years I would have seriously gotten into programming. By the time we switched to the Mac I was programming animations in ASCII characters all the time. Then the Mac gave me nothing to play with...

[The Jackal]

If we had kept that computer for another couple of years I would have seriously gotten into programming. By the time we switched to the Mac I was programming animations in ASCII characters all the time. Then the Mac gave me nothing to play with...

So no Itunes?

[sheath]

Oh no, I was greeted with the wondrous seven floppy discs of how to use the GUI, and that was about it. No Internet or anything, just a word processor that would make modern web based interfaces look advanced and a moving cursor.

[The Jackal]

Sheath, I was joking.

[sheath]

Awe, no way!

[KnightWarrior]

Here's an idea for you MrSega. Just stop posting.

Reped you..

Just ban him

[j_factor]

Computer gaming and other media aren't comparable to video game consoles. PCs don't require royalties because they fulfill other interests or needs for the consumer than video gaming; that is, they aren't supported by video gaming. Even in the case of special video game components such as graphics cards, controllers, etc those things pay for themselves at purchase, the manufacturer isn't involved in further risk the way a video game console manufacturer is.
In Nintendo's or Sega's case they could've skipped the licensing fees because they had their own software to profit from, the idea being that stronger 3rd party software would lead to more console sales which would lead to more 1st party software sales, but then again the more 3rd party software available the lesser percentage of 1st party sales due to finite consumer funds (though Nintendo's more recent consoles--and I don't mean the handhelds--sell such a high percentage of 1st party games this concern could be waived).
Without up front licensing fees how do you propose console manufacturers to have made a profit on 3rd party software? They could try to collect royalties on copies sold but they would entail waiting for records, verifying records, and all sorts of ramifications that would lead to constant mistrust and warring between publishers and console manufacturers, along with messy questions like what happens with discounted software. To circumvent all those problems is why the up front, batch payment sell-or-not licensing fees were created to begin with.
Essentially it seems you're arguing in favour of a single console standard. That's what PCs are (effectively, as the games run on Windows) and that's what the rest of the entertainment industries do apart from a few audio compression schemes that might be copyrighted--stereos, home cinema, etc, are all playing the same software, only with different housing and component quality.

Home computers (not PCs) were pretty comparable to consoles. Just look at the Atari XE, the difference between the "console" and the "computer" is window dressing. I think gaming would have been fine with consoles never coming back, if home computers had stayed. And maybe with people not buying game consoles, home computers would have in fact stuck around.

[Drakon]

Reped you..

Just ban him

I wouldn't say ban him, just ignore him.

[madmax2069]

I thought the time around the crash was a great time to be alive, going to stores only to see a mess of Atari games selling from $0.01 up to $1.50 a pop. Just do to stores trying to get rid of their inventory of games.

I can't remember what store it was (in California). You walked in and went to the left only to see a mess of a isle of Atari games. I did part with my Atari and games to get my foot into the nes/sms generation.

[KnightWarrior]

I wouldn't say ban him, just ignore him.

Sounds better..Just don't post in his threads also