It's going to be awesome!

[Kugyince]

I didn't want to say anything until I got a confirmation.

Today I sat down and chatted with two senior engineers that worked for Coleco for about 1-2 hours. One is an electrical engineer while the other a programming engineer. Along with the ColecoVision we talked about the Telstar, Head2Head, Module Adapter #1, the ADAM, talking Cabbage Patch dolls, Mr. X, and Leonard Greenberg among other things.

It was an absolutely amazing experience for me being the huge Coleco fan that I am. I threw them a bit off guard with my initial knowledge and questions and they're both quite surprised that I applied them with the label of legends in our hobby. They are both extremely knowledgeable individuals and were big players in Coleco R&D.

I'm extremely excited that these two gentlemen have agreed to do a recorded interview with me at a later date. If you have any questions you would like me to ask please post them here.

[DrunkN]

Was there any real talk or thought among programmers about the controller for the Coleco Vision?

I'm sorry if that's a little trivial or something, but I don't really have much to ask. The age of Coleco was twice of my own to these days. Still, I remember finding one in a relative's attic one day along with an Atari 7600 and thinking "How do I hold this thing?".

[samejamesbond]

Ask him why did they add an Atari 2600 port to the console, and how is it legal?

[Dudebro]

I'll have to think of good questions, I wasn't that into Coleco but we did have one.

Did you mention RU to them at all? I'm just curious what they would think of it.

[RU Joe]

You touched a piece of modern hobbyists' history, and spoke to gamers' forefathers.
You're lucky, Tenser.

It's nice to see gaming get as big as it is, and I bet those guys had no idea how huge it would become.
At least gamers aren't ridiculed the way they used to be:

'You play videogames? Oh, I thought those were just for kids.'
and stuff like that.

[samejamesbond]

I got another one, what can he tell us about this game:
Chuck Norris Superkicks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Dudebro]

They probably won't comment negatively about that game due to fears of roundhouse related injuries.

[samejamesbond]

Most likely, but that's a game I'd like to know the history about.

[Seahawk]

Ask them about designing and building the system--components and stuff like that:

-Why they chose the Z80 processor over the MOS 6502 series used in Atari 2600 and NES
-Why they chose the Texas Instruments TMS9918 graphics processor (which had no hardware scrolling) over other choices
-Why they designed the controllers like they did
-What other components/ideas were floated around during the hardware development process
-Did they make any design choices based off of observing competitor's consoles

[Kugyince]

I brought up the Z80 and the 2801 but I'll ask again whil;e being recorded. I also brought up the damn daisy wheel over dot matrix and casettes over 3.5s.

@SJB: They had nothing to do with software, just hardware.

[Dudebro]

Does anyone know why they choose the name ColecoVision? By they I don't mean these guys in particular. I was just curious and wiki didn't seem to know.

[samejamesbond]

Alright, but they can answer the Atari port right?

[Seahawk]

To be sure, I'm not saying that choosing the Z80 was a bad choice--in fact it probably made porting arcade titles much easier since most arcade games at the time used a Z80 as the main CPU. I'm just asking why they chose THAT particular CPU over everything else. Maybe you should ask if making arcade games easier to port was an objective in the design process.

[Kugyince]

Does anyone know why they choose the name ColecoVision? By they I don't mean these guys in particular. I was just curious and wiki didn't seem to know.

COnnecticut LEather COmpany.

[Dudebro]

Is that really where it came from? I love trivial trivia like that.

[Kugyince]

Alright, but they can answer the Atari port right?

Yes they can.

To be sure, I'm not saying that choosing the Z80 was a bad choice--in fact it probably made porting arcade titles much easier since most arcade games at the time used a Z80 as the main CPU. I'm just asking why they chose THAT particular CPU over everything else. Maybe you should ask if making arcade games easier to port was an objective in the design process.

I believe they said something along the lines that TI was really pushing their 7000 series on them but the major reason they chose the Zilog Z80 is because it's what their programmers had the most experience with.

[samejamesbond]

That's good to hear, Thanks Tenser.

[Slime Slayer]

Neat, I can't really think of a good question... ask them about how they got paid, were there any royalties involved at all, do they or did they ever own any rights to anything? Also ask them about any funny stories related to mudslinging or under handedness involving competitors.

---------- Post added at 05:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:39 AM ----------

Do you plan on clearing your name from these questions, and asking them on our behalf? Or are you just gonna choose the good ones, and ask them without mention of us?

[elrod21]

I would like to know about the module that never was that was supposed to bring us games like Super Donkey Kong, and if any prototypes were ever made.

The rumor was that became the ADAM computer.

[Kong]

How did you meet these guys?

What do they think of RU?

What do they think of modern gaming and the path that gaming took after Coleco?


-Why they designed the controllers like they did
-What other components/ideas were floated around during the hardware development processI think these are really good. Similar question, anything they wish they could have done?

Like Steven said, do they still receive royalties, if not do they know if anyone is still collecting a pay check from ColecoVision IP.

[CatalystiCam]

The controllers are definitely something im wondering. Why couldn't the controls be compressed to a more simple manner? Also ask the motive of the super action controller and what it attempted to make better please.

Also it would be neat to cover the cool controller specs. How and why does a genesis controller work? (yes, I tested this theory and it works). Did they expect stuff like this to be compatible?

I guess its kind of a general question but ask them what games they like most. It would especially cool to hear stuff on venture and space panic.

Sorry, lot of questions but I own a Colecovision as well and play it every so often (with the genesis controller if I can :P)

thanks, ten and lucky you. Hope it's all fun!

[Kong]

How and why does a genesis controller work?Atari, Coleco, SMS and Genesis all use the same controller input. I am guessing that originally they made them all the same because they thought it would be better for the user if there was one standard input so you could easily switch or fix controls if one broke. Then later on they realized they could make more money if you couldn't easily fix or switch your control and couldn't buy a new one from a competitor.

[Kugyince]

@Steven: I'll mention that some of these questions are from the retro gaming community but I'm not going to make an idiot out of myself by saying "Cam3ron36 asks.."

[Tails]

@Steven: I'll mention that some of these questions are from the retro gaming community but I'm not going to make an idiot out of myself by saying "Cam3ron36 asks.."lmao, made me laugh.

Did they just do Coleco or did they move on to more gaming stuff?

[Dudebro]

What do they think of RU?
I think most people are interested in this. Have you/will you bring up RU specifically in some way? No ones asking you to make a fool out of yourself, just curious.

[joz]

That's awesome Tenser. :D Are you going to upload your interview for us to hear and enjoy?

[Kugyince]

@Tails: Coleco only.
@DB: I'm still working on an exact plan, right now I'm trying to figure out the best recording logistics. Most likely I'll ask them how the feel about the Coleco being emulated and if it remains interesting we'll go into more detail. If they don't seem to care about the topic or have nothing to to say on it I'm not going to go into further detail.

[CrispyChicken]

Congrats Tenser, I hope you have fun in your interview :D

[Gamenguru]

That's very cool Tenser, Congrats! Keep us posted on the developments, particularly if there will be a way for the RU community to see the video once it's produced.

[Kugyince]

Oh don't get me wrong, the interview is basically for the site. One way or another it'll be hosted here. I'm just saying I doubt we'll be discussing RU in the interview.

[samejamesbond]

Are we going to be referenced in the questions or are they just going to be given blank?

[Tails]

@Steven: I'll mention that some of these questions are from the retro gaming community but I'm not going to make an idiot out of myself by saying "Cam3ron36 asks.."
SJB, I believe Tenser answered that in this quote. :p

[samejamesbond]

Oh I had no idea, Thank Tails.
+1 for helping out.

[TrakMastaTom]

I have no questions, Coleco was before my time. But this is awesome and something I am interested in. Looking forward to it.

[Seahawk]

It was an absolutely amazing experience for me being the huge Coleco fan that I am.

Curious, why are you a big Coleco fan? Not like I'm saying it's negative or anything, but I'm interested to hear any personal stories stories behind this. If you don't mind telling of course ;).

[CatalystiCam]

I believe he was given all the games somehow but don't quote me.

[Tails]

Relative worked for them I think.

[samejamesbond]

I think Tails is right, and he got everything for free or something like that...

[Kugyince]

Right. Aunt worked for Coleco. At one time I owned every game except maybe three or four.

[samejamesbond]

Did you have Chuck Norris Superkicks?

[Kugyince]

List of ColecoVision games - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The three I didn't own were (I think):
Flipper Slipper
Jukebox
Ken Uston
(and the homebrews)

I lost my entire collection during a move. I own about 20 or so now.

[samejamesbond]

That's terrible, how did you lose all of them?

[jim5cents]

What was it like to spend the early to mid 80's sleeping in beds of 100 dollar bills?

[elrod21]

What was it like to spend the early to mid 80's sleeping in beds of 100 dollar bills?

I don't think he did. It sounds to me like he got them for nothing from his Aunt or at least next to nothing.

Losing them would really suck though. I held on to mine and have added to it in subsequent years.

[Slime Slayer]

I don't think he did. It sounds to me like he got them for nothing from his Aunt or at least next to nothing.

Losing them would really suck though. I held on to mine and have added to it in subsequent years.
I think he meant the Coleco guys el.:q

[elrod21]

Oh! My bad then. Sorry Jim.