=======================================================================
In this issue:
	Re: Meteor Blaster DX Comments
	Meteor Blaster
	 
	Re: Meteor Blaster DX Comments
	Re: Meteor Blaster DX Comments

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From: bt@joyce.eng.yale.edu
Date: Fri Aug  6 04:44:52 EDT 2004
Subject: Re: Meteor Blaster DX Comments


@> Meteor Blaster DX sounds very cool.  Now, I just wish that someone would
@> try and do a new role playing game for the Turbo...or would that just take
@> an unrealistic amount of work?  I would definetely want to be involved in
@> the creation of the storyline on a project like that...
thanks -- I think I speak for everyone who worked on MB that
we are all quite pleased wiuth the results.  It is unfortunate
that so few will actually get to see and play MB (sales have been 
pretty low at this point, about 25% of what Implode was).  Which 
is probably why a real 30-40 hour RPG won't happen.  The amount of
effort would take years (including having a dedicated team of more 
than 1 coder and 1 graphics person).  I do not have a good guess, 
but I would estimate that the amount of work (man hours) that went into
just the coding of MB well exceeds 750 hours (for those of you who are
too "PC" for your own good and offended tha I used "man hours" rather
that "person hours" this is the same as "over 5250 dog hours").

The amount of code needed for an RPG would easily double that.  The amount
of Graphics work would also easily double, or even triple the effort
of MB, and then there is also an additional factor of "tile mapping"
to create the worlds -- only 1% of MB needed this (for all the scrolling 
cinemas).  In an RPG this is a major factor in the world maps, the
cities and the dungeons.

Bottom line, is that the amount of effort would probably take 3+ years
to produce (the time line from start to finish on MB was 10 months,
including 3 waiting for the bloody CDs).  And if you look at the 
decline of interest for Duo titles, maybe 100 persons would ultimately
get to enjoy it.

I must stress again, that MB was not created for MindRec to "make it
big" -- I have no dillusions about that, but the cost of making the
CDs is high (and got higher this time due to the method used), and 
at this point I have not yet broken even.  Hopefully that will 
change in the next few weeks.  But it does not look good (at this 
point) for future "grand scale" commercial releases.  I am not 
predicting the end of PCE development, but chances are, unless things 
change, that all future releases will be via a downloadable ROM or ISO,
and not a professional looking package.

-bt



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From: John.Luedtke@bestbuy.com
Date: Fri Aug  6 10:07:05 EDT 2004
Subject: Meteor Blaster


Hello!

I just received my copy of Meteor Blaster (and Implode) and just wanted
to congratulate all those who were involved on a job well done.  It was
great to be able to pop a brand new game into my Duo.  I'm really
impressed with the production quality, and in light of the last message
sent out on the list, hope that MindRec can continue to produce such
well made products.  I know I would be willing to help out in any way I
can to keep the Turbo alive (monetarily, moral support ;) )

Incidentally, I know some folks who are interested in programming titles
for the Duo, but have very little experience with languages like C and
whatnot.  Does anyone know how difficult it would be to build a game in
a program like Game Maker and convert it to a PCE title?

Thanks for your help.

John Luedtke



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From: John.Luedtke@bestbuy.com
Date: Fri Aug  6 10:07:25 EDT 2004
Subject:  


DIR

John Luedtke

Best Buy Purchasing, LLC
AP Post Audit
Phone: 612-291-2263
Fax: 952-430-5553


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available from the Turbo List Fileserver.
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From: eyankee@students.depaul.edu
Date: Fri Aug  6 12:34:30 EDT 2004
Subject: Re: Meteor Blaster DX Comments


Thanks Bt.  I know that many smaller developed role playing games get
announced constantly for the PC and never come out.  Now I know why.  If
you search the net you can find all sorts of RPG development tools that
simplify the process greatly but most games created with these tools neve=
r
get finished either.  I also have no idea if such a thing could be ported
to the Turbo Duo easily.

I think you are a victim of the poor economy right now, perhaps?  I know
that's why I'm waiting to purchase my copy.  I really love Asteroid style
games and so I definetely want to get MBDX in the near future.  Also, my
Duo is broke :(.  I think it just needs an AC Adapter but the cost of an
adapter for it at Radioshack is nearly $40.  I don't think TZD has any
regular adapters left for Duos, do they? ::sigh::

Someone is working on a translation of YS IV The Dawn of Ys.  I really
want to get my Duo back up and running before he releases the patch.  I
beat the game without understanding a single word of it a few years ago
and can't wait to play through it again in English!  The guy whose doing
the translation completed a translation of YS Eternal for the PC and it
was very well done.  Check out his website at:

http://rigg.servegame.com/translations/yseternal/indez.html

 >  @> Meteor Blaster DX sounds very cool.  Now, I just wish that someone
 >  would
 >  @> try and do a new role playing game for the Turbo...or would that jus=
t
 >  take
 >  @> an unrealistic amount of work?  I would definetely want to be involv=
ed
 >  in
 >  @> the creation of the storyline on a project like that...
 >  thanks -- I think I speak for everyone who worked on MB that
 >  we are all quite pleased wiuth the results.  It is unfortunate
 >  that so few will actually get to see and play MB (sales have been
 >  pretty low at this point, about 25% of what Implode was).  Which
 >  is probably why a real 30-40 hour RPG won't happen.  The amount of
 >  effort would take years (including having a dedicated team of more
 >  than 1 coder and 1 graphics person).  I do not have a good guess,
 >  but I would estimate that the amount of work (man hours) that went into
 >  just the coding of MB well exceeds 750 hours (for those of you who are
 >  too "PC" for your own good and offended tha I used "man hours" rather
 >  that "person hours" this is the same as "over 5250 dog hours").
 > 
 >  The amount of code needed for an RPG would easily double that.  The amo=
unt
 >  of Graphics work would also easily double, or even triple the effort
 >  of MB, and then there is also an additional factor of "tile mapping"
 >  to create the worlds -- only 1% of MB needed this (for all the scrollin=
g
 >  cinemas).  In an RPG this is a major factor in the world maps, the
 >  cities and the dungeons.
 > 
 >  Bottom line, is that the amount of effort would probably take 3+ years
 >  to produce (the time line from start to finish on MB was 10 months,
 >  including 3 waiting for the bloody CDs).  And if you look at the
 >  decline of interest for Duo titles, maybe 100 persons would ultimately
 >  get to enjoy it.
 > 
 >  I must stress again, that MB was not created for MindRec to "make it
 >  big" -- I have no dillusions about that, but the cost of making the
 >  CDs is high (and got higher this time due to the method used), and
 >  at this point I have not yet broken even.  Hopefully that will
 >  change in the next few weeks.  But it does not look good (at this
 >  point) for future "grand scale" commercial releases.  I am not
 >  predicting the end of PCE development, but chances are, unless things
 >  change, that all future releases will be via a downloadable ROM or ISO,
 >  and not a professional looking package.
 > 
 >  -bt
 > 
 > 
 > 



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From: alexlowe@alltel.net
Date: Fri Aug  6 12:39:25 EDT 2004
Subject: Re: Meteor Blaster DX Comments


I just got paid, and went to order Meteor Blaster from
the mindrec page, but found the payment option was thru
some company I've never heard of, yowcow. I assume this some
new company in the vein of paypal? Why was it chosen over
Paypal? Lower fees, and/or other reasons?

I'm just not crazy about giving out my financial information
to yet another company.

hal


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