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[Mega]

What a bunch of crap. It's probably some random piece of computer hardware slapped under there and a picture blurry enough to make it hard to figure out. The AtariAge guys will solve the mystery of what junk lying around his house Mike put in there within a day.

 

[WordAssassin]

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.

But he is being clear today just like he promised!! The shell is see-through!!

 

[NoFaceNico]

But he is being clear today just like he promised!! The shell is see-through!!

Exactly. So much for this:

I feel sorry for people who were hoping Mike would be direct and give some real answers today.

 

[Ceallach]

Atariage are ripping this thing apart.

A couple observations:

1. That looks like a very complicated and expensive board for what they're trying to achieve. A cost-effective board would have a CPU and a FPGA and little else. Think of things like Raspberry-Pi and OUYA. The Chinese clone consoles have little more than an epoxy blob. That looks more like something out of a high-end console or some other equipment.

2. I'm pretty sure that's a 5mm through-hole LED with a wire and electrical tape in the attached photo (I've highlighted it). It's not part of the board. It may be the only powered thing in the pictures.

3. It should be possible to do a Google Images match on the board with some clever editing.

 

[stuminus3]

I sorely wish scumbags would stop wearing the corpses of gaming's pioneers (see also: scab Atari) to sell shitty products.

 

[onken]

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.

Only certain drives work. In my experience the plane-jane CD-ROM drives worked the best, DVD-ROM was a bit more spotty. I had much fun back in the day ripping my own collection

Why does it have an IDE connector in the middle of the left USB port? *ahem*

That's an ATX power socket, I think.

 

[dickroach]

Atariage are ripping this thing apart.

I like how they noted there's totally something leaning against the front of the table or whatever, and you can totally see a big black box (pc?) through the grates.
Gonna be following that thread all night. Definitely gonna be a person or two who hops in there and knows exactly what's going on there

 

[ElectricThunder]

LOL, I can't fathom a bigger asterisk needed for these alleged "Major" retailers and game companies so damn keen on their mystery machine---combined with the hand tipping at aiming for some sort of pre-christmas rush(No way some shady marketing aims could be reckoned there, nope, not a chance, zero percent for sure~) and this whole thing just continued to get more ridiculous even on top of this new picture that will only serve to rightfully stir up more condemnation than anything else because it is yet again intentionally nothing but red meat of questionable provenance strewn about for the at this point nigh rabid faithful as that's about all that can be rationally reckoned given Works definitely isn't part of the package.

 

[dity]

I'll bet "make it even better" for the Kickstarter means "finding a good deceptive angle to take of the fake prototype". I mean, what else could it be?

 

[Bar81]

Exactly. So much for this:

I feel sorry for people who were hoping Mike would be direct and give some real answers today.

Why are we feeling sorry for people that still haven't picked up that this is a scam despite all the evidence?

 

[Tripon]

The Giant Beastcast going hard in against the Chameleon

 

[Conezays]

So how long do we think this "delay" is going to be for the re-reveal? Yikes.

 

[NoFaceNico]

Why are we feeling sorry for people that still haven't picked up that this is a scam despite all the evidence?

You're right. They're in the wrong if they're willing to extend that sort of credibility to him at this point.

I hope they will do what's best for themselves and realize how Mike's scheme works. But until then, they made their choice to support and follow Mike though this endeavor and I just feel like they're being jerked around and taken for granted by him. I just can't help feeling sorry for them because they believe in him, they wait patiently and then he breaks his word or finds ways to bend it. If you're going to ask for people to believe in you, you owe them what's promised.

 

[ultrazilla]

So how long do we think this "delay" is going to be for the re-reveal? Yikes.

A long time. They said "leading up to the Christmas season". This is dead in the water to me. Just gonna go buy a Retron or something.

At this point, I don't believe their spin and am siding with the critics. Incredible how this
has been mishandled and can't say I'd be able to trust backing anything they do going forward. So sad.

And can we confirm they're deleting comments on their Facebook page in basically real time? I can't see comments.

 

[NoFaceNico]

A long time. They said "leading up to the Christmas season". This is dead in the water to me. Just gonna go buy a Retron or something.

You're not going to be alone. There was a strategic importance to Mike launching the Kickstarter now because there's another console from a big brand that's very near and dear to retro gamers that's is going to be releasing this holiday season as well and when it does no one is going to give two shits about the Chameleon.

And can we confirm they're deleting comments on their Facebook page in basically real time? I can't see comments.

This morning they were deleting comments like I've never seen before. I'm not able to pull up comments right now either. I think they closed them off.

 

[xDUMPWEEDx]

At this point, I don't believe their spin and am siding with the critics. Incredible how this
has been mishandled and can't say I'd be able to trust backing anything they do going forward. So sad.

And can we confirm they're deleting comments on their Facebook page in basically real time? I can't see comments.

This is basically the RVGS 2.0. They have learned nothing and are repeating the exact same mistakes that resulted in the RVGS Indiegogo becoming a complete joke the second it launched.

Mike botched the entirety of the RVGS and pissed everyone off in the process. This looks to be the exact same thing once again.

 

[ultrazilla]

You're not going to be alone. There was a strategic importance to Mike launching the Kickstarter now because there's another console from a big brand that's very near and dear to retro gamers that's is going to be releasing this holiday season as well and when it does no one is going to give two shits about the Chameleon.



This morning they were deleting comments like I've never seen before. I'm not able to pull up comments right now either. I think they closed them off.

Do tell on the other console coming?! Is that the FPGA based console the Atari Age guy Kevtris is doing? I'm intriqued! Will it be cartridge based?

DUH EDIT: It's the Nintendo NX, right? I'll go sit in the corner now....

 

[NoFaceNico]

Do tell on the other console coming?! Is that the FPGA based console the Atari Age guy Kevtris is doing? I'm intriqued! Will it be cartridge based?

DUH EDIT: It's the Nintendo NX, right? I'll go sit in the corner now....

lol sorry, yes, I did mean NX! (But I'd buy Kevtris' console is heartbeat if he makes it!)

Come April and May, hype and speculation for NX is going to be through the roof. Then in June, E3 is going to hit and people will be in a frenzy for it no matter what it is.

Mike really blew it with this delay, he's killed a lot of potential sales. Plus, during the holiday season?? With new Nintendo hardware releasing?! Give me a break! Someone needs to drag his ass to a professional marketing firm, not these hacks he has who are trying to beef up their Linkedin profile, so he can get some real sense talked into him.

Mike botched the entirety of the RVGS and pissed everyone off in the process. This looks to be the exact same thing once again.

It's even worse. People were nice to him before because he was an idea man. Now he's showed himself to be just a straight up con man.

 

[Quadraphonic]

That's not a FGPA. That looks like some kind of SNES on a chip.

 

[Dreamwriter]

A long time. They said "leading up to the Christmas season". This is dead in the water to me. Just gonna go buy a Retron or something.

They said the "release" was Christmas season, not the Kickstarter, and that the Kickstarter delay wouldn't affect the release date. They really haven't given any hints at the length of the delay, which seems strange.

 

[1337]

They would be better off by finding funding elsewhere at this point. Even if they get funded on KS they will be under a microscope from everyone who wants to see them fail.

 

[Bar81]

They would be better off by finding funding elsewhere at this point. Even if they get funded on KS they will be under a microscope from everyone who wants to see them fail.

Yes, the problem is all the people that want them to fail. Nothing shady going on here. </sarcasm>

 

[1337]

Yes, the problem is all the people that want them to fail. Nothing shady going on here. </sarcasm>

Not saying there isn't. Just saying that either way, if they want a product on the shelves this holiday they should find a different way than Kickstarter. That well is just poisoned for now.

 

[dity]

Not saying there isn't. Just saying that either way, if they want a product on the shelves this holiday they should find a different way than Kickstarter. That well is just poisoned for now.

There's nothing shadier than being an already suss company that opts for a Kickstarter clone. It's like firing fireworks into the sky that spell "wasting your money!"

 

[CoolZombie360]

This is so farcical it's unreal...

 

[1337]

There's nothing shadier than being an already suss company that opts for a Kickstarter clone. It's like firing fireworks into the sky that spell "wasting your money!"

A Kickstarter clone? So because Coke makes cola and is the biggest, Pepsi is just a clone? That is such nonsense. There were others before Kickstarter and there will be others after Kickstarter.

 

[dity]

A Kickstarter clone? So because Coke makes cola and is the biggest, Pepsi is just a clone? That is such nonsense. There were others before Kickstarter and there will be others after Kickstarter.

Kickstarter is the Grand Poobah of crowd funding. Yes yes Indiegogo and whatnot are legitimate means of crowdfunding, but if they opt for it because they obviously don't qualify for Kickstarter then well you go have fun "funding" that endeavour then.

 

[Vamphuntr]

If they truly have a working unit then they should post real pictures of the board and the back of the hardware. When you've been accused multiple times of not having a working unit to dispel doubts you need to show clear pictures. This time it's blurry picture from afar.

 

[_Ryo_]

So, he only says that they will provide photographs. Which are easy to fake. What is so hard about providing video of how everything is running? Video of back, front, hookups, etc.

 

[iniche]

So, he only says that they will provide photographs. Which are easy to fake. What is so hard about providing video of how everything is running? Video of back, front, hookups, etc.

Doing something like a video that definitely exposes one's lies is not exactly an easy decision to come to after all this time. Plus his video editing skills are probably on par with his honesty.

 

[NoFaceNico]

Check out what Mike Kennedy wrote in the first thread back in September of last year:

Look, we aren't going to fool our backers into thinking we have a working proto when we don't. We can edit and cut a video together showing exactly what they are showing--which is nothing conslusive...

He was talking about the OUYA pitch video being a complete fabrication and that he's trying to do the same thing but correctly and honestly.

That was back when he still had a shred of credibility and would show up in discussion forums to talk about his console with his target audience one-on-one. Now he stays on Facebook and made all the comments private.

 

[mickcris]

someone over at atariage commented on how the close up picture of Piko's SNES board in the "prototype" was deleted from their facebook page. I went looking and noticed that they also deleted the other damning evidence of their 1st toy fair video.

 

[Takao]

There's nothing shadier than being an already suss company that opts for a Kickstarter clone. It's like firing fireworks into the sky that spell "wasting your money!"

Not that this really matters, but Indiegogo is actually older than Kickstarter.

 

[Rich!]

I see this entire debacle being a good way for retrousb to get some promotion here.

If it wasn't for the shitstorm that the rvgs/coleco chameleon has been, I likely wouldn't be aware of the Retrousb AVS. And now I am 100% convinced in putting my hard earned cash towards buying one as soon as possible.

Thanks, mike!

 

[1337]

That was back when he still had a shred of credibility and would show up in discussion forums to talk about his console with his target audience one-on-one. Now he stays on Facebook and made all the comments private.

With the switch from RVGS to CC the target audience shifted completely. Hardcore retro gamers are no longer their main audience, it is parents with nostalgia which do not want their kids to play to realistic games. At least that was what someone from his team said on the latest Talk Retro podcast.

Besides that, who likes to be dragged through the mud and subject himself to something like what is written in this thread (even if those posts stated the truth). Naturally he is not coming to here anymore. He would have to be a masochist.

 

[Rich!]

With the switch from RVGS to CC the target audience shifted completely. Hardcore retro gamers are no longer their main audience, it is parents with nostalgia which do not want their kids to play to realistic games. At least that was what someone from his team said on the latest Talk Retro podcast.

but


what the fuck are they smoking? hellooooooo, these exist:

 

[NoFaceNico]

Besides that, who likes to be dragged through the mud and subject himself to something like what is written in this thread (even if those posts stated the truth). Naturally he is not coming to here anymore. He would have to be a masochist.

He may not be a masochist but he makes a great candidate for being a narcissist.

DSM IV - TR

(1) has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

(2) is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

(3) believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)

(4) requires excessive admiration

(5) has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations

(6) is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends

(7) lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others

(8) is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her

(9) shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

 

[dity]

Not that this really matters, but Indiegogo is actually older than Kickstarter.

No, it doesn't really since that's still why projects will shift from Kickstarter to Indiegogo.

 

[old manatee]

This thread is a whirlwind of interest, speculation and curiosity regarding the insides of the Chameleon.

 

[Khaz]

but


what the fuck are they smoking? hellooooooo, these exist:

http://stateoftech.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/gameloft-15-iphone-games.jpg

I was more thinking along the lines of these:

Their target market is already flooded with cheap consoles that somewhat reproduce the original experience. People who are into these kind of things are impulse buyers who don't care about the super accuracy of an FPGA and will certainly not spend hundreds for their nostalgia shot.

Targeting nostalgic parents and unsuspecting kids with an FPGA console, pff.

[edit] Oh, and all these products are officially licensed. Good luck to RETRO for trying to licence the Nintendo brand or writing anywhere on the box that it can play SNES cartridges. I forgot about the retroduo, retron etc. My bad.

 

[Tempy]

[edit] Oh, and all these products are officially licensed. Good luck to RETRO for trying to licence the Nintendo brand or writing anywhere on the box that it can play SNES cartridges.

While they can't put Nintendo's logo on the box, I'm pretty sure there are no problems with saying it plays SNES carts, just like any SNES clone.

 

[CoolZombie360]

An amusing video here :-

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qWJV2YgNXIo

 

[SerTapTap]

So I take it this didn't happen? Did they really think they would get away with whatever they did at the toy fair, but on Kickstarter for thousands to see and scrutinize?

Always felt like a blatant attempt to leech money from collectors (as a collector I wasn't buyin' it either), not surprised they'd delve into plain 'ol scam artistry.

 

[emb]

So I take it this didn't happen? Did they really think they would get away with whatever they did at the toy fair, but on Kickstarter for thousands to see and scrutinize?

Always felt like a blatant attempt to leech money from collectors (as a collector I wasn't buyin' it either), not surprised they'd delve into plain 'ol scam artistry.

They posted this on their Facebook:

We’re delaying the Kickstarter for the Coleco Chameleon to make it even better!

Last week during Toy Fair in New York, we had the opportunity to demonstrate the Coleco Chameleon to the industry, gamers and retailers for the first time. Their response was beyond anything we’d imagined. Major retailers provided feedback on the product and expressed real interest in carrying the product for the 2016 holiday season. And, very importantly, major game companies expressed interest in providing games for our system, which meant we’d need more time to solidify those partnerships and maximize the content.

Our team’s overriding goal has always been to deliver the best possible system and experience for gamers. If there’s ever anything we can do to enhance the product, we believe the extra time is worth it. Therefore, we have decided to delay the pre-sell, i.e. Kickstarter, campaign in order to finalize our prototype and work with developers on having the best possible content. This delay will not affect our overall launch date for the Coleco Chameleon.

There has also been a whirlwind of interest, speculation and curiosity regarding the insides of the Chameleon. We are delighted by this and happy to confirm that we will be releasing photographs of the system soon on our Facebook page, and we’ll focus on turning our prototype into a production-ready product.

We’ll keep you posted on any major news on our Facebook page and will let you know when we launch a pre-sell program leading up to the Christmas season. Stay tuned, and thanks for your continued support.

They also posted some pictures of their 'prototype' while it was 'running'. In a clear case so we could get a glimpse of 'their' board. Some of the pics were shared here on the last page or so.

 

[Dreamwriter]

I wonder what they are really doing with the delay. I mean, I dunno how many more pledges they would get by announceing a retail release, which is why they said they were delaying it. Unless it was a huge retail release, but then I can't see them getting a huge one before the Kickstarter

 

[CoolZombie360]

I wonder what they are really doing with the delay. I mean, I dunno how many more pledges they would get by announceing a retail release, which is why they said they were delaying it. Unless it was a huge retail release, but then I can't see them getting a huge one before the Kickstarter

I would imagine Mike Kennedy has "delayed" the Kickstarter because he has been caught blatantly trying to deceive people and knows he has been rumbled. He probably doesn't know what to do next to be honest.

 

[RomanticHeroX]

According to Frank Cifaldi, apparently the mystery board inside the shell is an old capture card.

 

[Tripon]

According to Frank Cifaldi, apparently the mystery board inside the shell is an old capture card.

Well, there she goes.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

According to Frank Cifaldi, apparently the mystery board inside the shell is an old capture card.

LMAO these fucking guys. Please, please, nobody given them a single dollar. I feel like a PSA thread needs to be made when the kickstarter launches.

 

[Rich!]

I wonder what they are really doing with the delay. I mean, I dunno how many more pledges they would get by announceing a retail release, which is why they said they were delaying it. Unless it was a huge retail release, but then I can't see them getting a huge one before the Kickstarter

Oh I wonder? I wonder what problems this bunch of hard working folk might be having...

According to Frank Cifaldi, apparently the mystery board inside the shell is an old capture card.

Oh. Yeah that's it, they delayed the kickstarter to try and find another way to scam people.