bfstats

Good info, Leonard. Thanks!

Rom Hunter, on Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:16 AM, said:

PM sent.

Agreed on all points, Nathan.

There are MANY homebrews that are SO much better than SO many commercial releases. The artist deserves the support, not the mercenary.

However Boulder Dash is defined by history, it is a most significant event, and I'm very happy to have been given the opportunity to support it's production by pre-ordering.

ntavio, on Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:14 PM, said:

ntavio, as much as I appreciate your interest - and very valid request - you have forced me to admit The Wall does not currently exist. Plans are being devised to remodel my basement to accomodate a new version that will fit over 700 boxes. And yes, I have that many, and am acquring more all the time. Details to follow... someday.

I'm feeling compelled to throw my opinion into the ring on this one, and I hope it is acceptable.

First Star owns the license to Boulder Dash, a game THEY have released for other systems. That makes the game a commercial property. Our benefactors (Andrew and company) have made the game available for the 2600, something First Star may or may not have intended to do back in the day (dependent, perhaps, on their programmer's ability to make the game work based on their knowledge - at the time - of hardware limitations). This, on one hand, makes it the equivalent of a commercial release despite the fact First Star is NOT the entity distributing the game.

On the other hand, Andrew and company had to pay First Star for the right to produce the game (a cost at least partially passed on to us, the consumers). This is OPPOSITE standard procedure for a company that outsources the programming of games IT MARKETS. Do you really think Quaker Oats had programmers on staff when they licensed the Vidtec/US Games titles? It's not like First Star HIRED Andrew and company to code the game FOR them, it was the other way around with First Star simply giving permission for the game to be coded, and the programmers had to pay First Star for that right, on behalf of the Classic Gaming Community.

That said, it is my opinion that Boulder Dash WOULD be defined as a homebrew IF Andrew and company (or anyone) would have done this on their own without any contact with (or influence from) First Star - kind of like Lady Bug, an "announced" title by Coleco that never saw the light of day but is available through the AA store AS A HOMEBREW because it has NOTHING to do with Coleco (and is very well done, I might add). But because the original license holder HAS released games for the 2600 (well, Boing! anyway) and IS involved in this release (by giving permission AND collecting "royalties"), I have to think of Boulder Dash as equal to a commercial release and, as such, it will go into my collection right beside Boing! as if I had acquired it in 1983.

This in no way is intended to diminish an outstanding contribution by Andrew and company, but we also need to give credit to First Star for allowing it to happen "the right way".

And Andrew, if any of my interpretations of the events are in error, please set me straight publicly. My only objective is to help clarify, and that can only be done with facts and not conjecture.

In any case, thanks again to all who have made this release possible. I am very much looking forward to getting my grubby paws on what I consider to be THE REAL THING!