Fix it Felix Jr. (Any News?)

[BUCKETHEAD]

Originally Posted by BadBoyBill

I have this game almost entirely reproduced exact to the arcade. It's been over 3 weeks of work , recoding and adding fixing and adding new code. Me and Brian have made 4 trips to Disneyland already to record gameplay video, snapshots, log behaviors and proper level structs for the game and sound effects not online. Sound effects were edited and put right in to the game to replace sounds such as the glass breaking sound, sounds when you press start, hi score screen sounds, sounds between player plays etc..

This is extremely close to the arcade as I can get and it's pretty sweet. Even has the level 39 kill screens, and boot garble/romcheck screens just like the arcade.

Probably over 100 additions and changes have been added to make it arcade perfect. There are so many little things they changed from the online version that you really have to look very closely to catch. Everything from the colors, how fast stuff blinks, colors of certain text, fonts, sounds, brick patterns, building graphics, ralph animations, felix animations, window spacing, window styles, glass on window styles, walking behavior, new objects, attract mode sequence and timings, 2 player support with all the proper interlude screens and player turnover screens, high score screen and input behavior, giant bricks that come after level 4, etc..

I've analyzed every aspect of the game from beginning to end in great detail and have replicated it all.

To top it off I added some features that do not interfere with game such as a custom soft dip screen where you can set your lives, max lives, bonus life amount, coinage settings including true free play, high score management, attract mode settings, default reset etc..

Also added an nvram file to store all your high scores and last play stuff, which can be managed from the dip screen thats mocked up like the DK / DKJR soft dip rom upgrade. Scores behavior is accurate as far as roll over and storage.

Also added were some settings that are normally off that you can turn on such as stuff found only online , on iphone, old versions and prototypes of the game, such as alternate bushes styles, lamposts, real voices from ralph and felix for the "Im gonna wreck it" etc.., flowers, shades etc... all optional and off by default.

I'll put up a video next week.

Why in the devil would you spend all that time and research (Going to Disneyland 4 times)
To study the game?

Add--> Dip Switch Menu, Alternate Bushes, Lamp posts and sound effects ETC...
And not have any intention of sharing the game?
Crazy!

Just doesn't sound right??
Makes me even happier i made my donation here.

[PL1]

Why in the devil would you spend all that time and research (Going to Disneyland 4 times)
To study the game?

Add--> Dip Switch Menu, Alternate Bushes, Lamp posts and sound effects ETC...
And not have any intention of sharing the game?

A combination of really liking the game and a rational fear of Disney bringing a lawsuit that could take years to resolve and probably bankrupt him whether he won it or not.   


Scott

[BUCKETHEAD]

I can understand that.
But i figure if MICKEY was coming?
He would have been all over these replica cabinets and graphics already.

[PL1]

I can understand that.
But i figure if MICKEY was coming?
He would have been all over these replica cabinets and graphics already.

Disney is more likely to monetize the game than replica cabs or graphics.

This makes shared software a larger possible drain on their income stream.

If cost of shared software > cost of lawyers  ==> Lawsuit likely.

Cost of lawyers >cost of unshared software ==> Lawsuit less likely.

Shareholders rightly expect a return on their investment and Mickey's gotta make the dividends worth the capital risk.

Money is a great motivator.  How many people would keep going to work without getting paid?


Scott

EDIT: As ChadTower correctly points out below there are also intellectual property considerations in play here.  This narrowly-focused post only covered the financial aspects.

[BUCKETHEAD]

Fully understood.
But I ask?
Why doesn't Mickey just release the Official Arcade Port himself?

[PL1]

I've got no special knowledge on their marketing strategy/research/timing, but "follow the money" is a reasonably good way to determine their likely actions.


Scott

[Sjaak]

Fully understood.
But I ask?
Why doesn't Mickey just release the Official Arcade Port himself?

Just guessing, but they would have to make a pc friendly version of the game, that runs on all sorts of different hardware/videocards. They would have to create a distribution channel, arrange for support, add some sort of copy protection and last but not least advertise the game.

It would cost tons of money and the potential market is about 7 people that would pay for the game (That's how many people are actually contributing to this project).

[BUCKETHEAD]

That makes sense.
I'm just thankful your willing to do a playable version for our cabinets.
Thank you! Sjaak.

[ChadTower]

If cost of shared software > cost of lawyers  ==> Lawsuit likely.

Cost of lawyers >cost of unshared software ==> Lawsuit less likely.

Intellectual property has different rules.  Sometimes companies will take a legal costs loss in order to protect IP because if an IP owner knowingly ignores third party use of IP then future users can credibly argue that they forfeited their copyrights/trademarks when they allowed free use by others.  It muddies the waters quite a bit when that comes into play.  It's the "why sue me but not them" defense and it can be successful depending on context.  Some companies will sick lawyers on anything that moves from a pirate to a 3rd grader's science project.  Atari was notorious for that.  A monster like Disney has their own staff of permanent lawyers that have to be kept busy to justify their salaries.

I wouldn't get too concerned with this guy's game until you've seen evidence.  There is just way too much talk going on around FIF to take it all at face value.

[BadMouth]

I imagine the guy over on KLOV will probably give the game to a small circle of people he trusts not to make it available online.

[Le Chuck]

I imagine the guy over on KLOV will probably give the game to a small circle of people he trusts not to make it available online.

So it's to be an infiltration operation then?  Little hope of back-up?  Saint to deny all knowledge of actions on our part if captured?  Little hope of success?  Certain death?!

Count me in!

[Furry131]

I imagine the guy over on KLOV will probably give the game to a small circle of people he trusts not to make it available online.

So it's to be an infiltration operation then?  Little hope of back-up?  Saint to deny all knowledge of actions on our part if captured?  Little hope of success?  Certain death?!

Count me in!

LOL Ok you guys got me convinced. I will donate to the cause as soon as I get paid.

John

[ChadTower]

I imagine the guy over on KLOV will probably give the game to a small circle of people he trusts not to make it available online.

If anyone gets hold of the game other than him it will end up online.  Over and over and over again this has been proven true in the MAME community.  If you let something out of your own hands it will be distributed sooner than we want to think possible.

[BadMouth]

It's also possible that he got a copy of the real game and all this talk about painstakingly making the game is just a cover.
It makes more sense that he wouldn't share it if the person who owned the machine the copy was made from had signed a NDA.
Wookies don't live on Endor.  It just doesn't make sense.

I'll chip in for an alternate version called ---fudgesicle--- it Up Fred, where the guy breaks the windows instead of fixing them.

[ChadTower]

It's also possible that he got a copy of the real game and all this talk about painstakingly making the game is just a cover.

I would buy that but the smarter thing to do in that case would be to keep his mouth closed and just enjoy having it. 

[CoryBee]

It's also possible that he got a copy of the real game and all this talk about painstakingly making the game is just a cover.
It makes more sense that he wouldn't share it if the person who owned the machine the copy was made from had signed a NDA.
Wookies don't live on Endor.  It just doesn't make sense.

I'll chip in for an alternate version called ---fudgesicle--- it Up Fred, where the guy breaks the windows instead of fixing them.

Hey! That is just a copy of my idea of a wreck-it-ralph game!!! I should of had you fools sign an NDA.

[ChadTower]

I would pay for that if the end of level sequence was that song from the old Mormon commerical about breaking windows and lying about it. 

[nipsmg]

Ok I don't know why I'm having trouble figuring this out (probably lack of sleep) but how do I donate?  I'm definitely in on this.

Just click here.

Donated. Looking forward to it

[CoryBee]

I would pay for that if the end of level sequence was that song from the old Mormon commerical about breaking windows and lying about it. 

The  was that

[ChadTower]

The  was that

Carlton Banks becoming a man.

[GibsonRiddler]

Sequel has already been green lit. Disney is going to protect their ip. It's become another cash cow for them.

[BUCKETHEAD]

It's also possible that he got a copy of the real game and all this talk about painstakingly making the game is just a cover.
It makes more sense that he wouldn't share it if the person who owned the machine the copy was made from had signed a NDA.
Wookies don't live on Endor.  It just doesn't make sense.

Kind of what i was thinking.
He has been asked point blank. (Are you releasing it?)
And he seems to avoid the question everytime.

[jammin0]

It's also possible that he got a copy of the real game and all this talk about painstakingly making the game is just a cover.
It makes more sense that he wouldn't share it if the person who owned the machine the copy was made from had signed a NDA.
Wookies don't live on Endor.  It just doesn't make sense.

Kind of what i was thinking.
He has been asked point blank. (Are you releasing it?)
And he seems to avoid the question everytime.

If I was taking on this project I wouldn't charge and I certainly wouldn't broadcast it a bunch if I was giving it away.  More likely I would get someone else to host / distribute it for me who was less concerned about the legal implications.  A cool project could pretty easily turn into a nightmare when the cease and desist order comes in the mail.

[Sjaak]

It's also possible that he got a copy of the real game and all this talk about painstakingly making the game is just a cover.
It makes more sense that he wouldn't share it if the person who owned the machine the copy was made from had signed a NDA.
Wookies don't live on Endor.  It just doesn't make sense.

Kind of what i was thinking.
He has been asked point blank. (Are you releasing it?)
And he seems to avoid the question everytime.

If I was taking on this project I wouldn't charge and I certainly wouldn't broadcast it a bunch if I was giving it away.  More likely I would get someone else to host / distribute it for me who was less concerned about the legal implications.  A cool project could pretty easily turn into a nightmare when the cease and desist order comes in the mail.

I'm not selling the game or giving it away, because (as you are saying) Disney would be all over that! This is a contribution to the functioning Fix It Felix replica i'm building. There are people contributing money for my time and materials, but also people helping me out with the artwork for the cabinet and music and sound effects.

People that contribute to the build can request features in the game and they receive regular updates on my progress.

[jammin0]

You're the man Sjaak.  I was just referencing the other guy who everyone is bugging about not releasing his stuff.  The minute he releases a full on game and is buddied up with the guy releasing full on copies of the artwork there might be some problems.  Better to tread lightly.  You're in the same position where this project is simply that, a personal project.  I'm loving the progress so far and wanting to contribute somehow without doing the wrong thing.

[BUCKETHEAD]

You would think it would look bad on Disney's part.
To give video gamers a hard time,
Because they want to create a replica of a video game they love/want.

Seeing how the movie is about a video game.
Bad publicity i would think ?
Especially if a sequel is down the road.

[yotsuya]

Disney doesn't give a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- how bad things look. 

[BUCKETHEAD]

Well then.........

[GibsonRiddler]

Disney doesn't give a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- how bad things look. 

They have their own news division they can spin the story any way they want.

[ChadTower]

Disney doesn't give a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- how bad things look. 

They have their own news division they can spin the story any way they want.

Disney owns ABC and ESPN.  News division... yeah.

[BUCKETHEAD]

I watch ESPN alot.
But who honestly watches ABC News?   

[Furry131]

I watch ESPN alot.
But who honestly watches ABC News?   

My 80 year old grandparents!!! :-D

[Dazz]

It's also possible that he got a copy of the real game and all this talk about painstakingly making the game is just a cover.
It makes more sense that he wouldn't share it if the person who owned the machine the copy was made from had signed a NDA.
Wookies don't live on Endor.  It just doesn't make sense.

I'll chip in for an alternate version called ---fudgesicle--- it Up Fred, where the guy breaks the windows instead of fixing them.

I can guarantee that he did not get a copy of the real game.  He started by decompiling the flash version and used as the basis for his re-build.  He's not saying anything about releasing it because he doesn't want people hounding and asking when is it going to be finished.

[Sjaak]

He's not saying anything about releasing it because he doesn't want people hounding and asking when is it going to be finished.

Understandable, I think he has enough people hounding him for Hyperspin 2.0

[sacredgaming]

I am interested. Looks like alot of fun.

[sacredgaming]

sjaak i cant pm on this site as it wont let me for some reason. Possibly not enough post's. Would you please check hyperspin's site and pm me there?

[abcmanusn]

Sjaak

I would like to donate to your project but I am unable to pm you. Would it be possible for you to pm me or send me a link I could make a donation? Thanks

[simondwilliams]

Ok I am in too. I will have a long drive to see a non PCB Donkey Kong machine for the conversion but will try it out or else I'll simply build one like most of you did. Can't wait to get my hands dirty!