RVG Interviews Good Deal Games.

[zapiy]

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[size=360]Good Deal Games[/size]

[size=140]Here is our long awaited interview with Good Deal Games, publishers and supporters of homebrew gaming.

Good Deal Games have published games for the 3DO, Atari 2600, Sega Mega CD, Vectrex, Philips CD-i, ColecoVision and Gameboy Advance. Take a look at their Homebrew Section

They also stock games and accesories for all the major consoles!

Huge thanks to Michael Thomasson for taking part[/size][/align:scbuccs3]


The Laird

Why are your Mega CD games only available in NTSC format? Have youthought about doing PAL releases as I for one would be very interested?

Michael

Our original Sega CD games, Star Strike and Bug Blasters: The Exterminators were available in NTSC and PAL.  However, only five PAL orders were placed so we made a custom run.  Now that they have become crazy collectable, there has been increased demand, and a new run was licensed and published.  The new publisher even sels them online on E-Bay and can be located with a simple search of, "Sega Mega CD " followed the particular game.

Sadly, since demand was so poor for the European market, the other games were never released in PAL format.

The Laird

How come some of your Philips CD-i releases are out of stock forever, is their any reason you can't make more

Michael

We had a partnership with another party that originally licensed those titles.  Unfortunately, that company stole a great deal of money from us and we were forced to break ties.  They have since been chased out of the industry involving other shady activities.  The few remaining copies that we have for sale are simply leftover unsold stock from that dissolved partnership.  So, the titles that are sold out are probably sold out forever.

The Laird

Are you going to be publishing any homebrews or prototypes for other systems in the future?

Michael

Our goal and priority is conservation, so if/when we come across any unpublished software, we try to negotiate a means to get such titles released to the masses and to those that would appreciate the work of the original development team.  Our secondary interest is publishing new titles for vintage systems.  When such an opportunity arises or makes itself available, we usually jump at the chance.  While we have been a bit silent as of late, we do have a HUGE surprise for the Magnavox Odyssey2 coming that will knock that communities socks off!  So sorry, but our lips are sealed until the big announcement.

The Laird

I hear you have struck a deal to distribute your games in the UK via 16/32 Systems, can you tell us more about this? Will it go both ways?

Michael

We have swapped some inventory early this year and hopefully it will prove fruitful enough for both parties to continue the practice.  They allowed us to restock some previous titles that were in "sold out" status so our
clientele was grateful for the new opportunity to grab titles that were initially a missed opportunity.  We were delighted to see some of our releases to make a bigger splash across the ocean.

The Laird

Have you thought about holding a homebrew competition to find some new games to release?

Michael

We have seen others do this and it is a great idea.  We are an all-volunteer group and all profits go directly to funding the next project. Unfortunately, we are a small operation and our cash-flow is very limited. We would not be able to do what we do if we were paying ourselves.  Homebrew Heaven is a labor of love and our motivation results from seeing new life emerge for our childhood favorites.  Manufacturing and international
distribution is very expensive so we seem to be limited to only a few projects at a time, as a result.  Rarely do we have ample resources to offer a "grand prize" or even a carrot to dangle to incite such a contest.  In time...

TrekMD

How did you get into video games?  What led to you making a store?

Michael

Well, in 1978 I rode my bicycle with my big brother to the local Dairy Queen for a refreshing Mr. Misty and instead saw a huge hulking box in the middle of the restaurant.  It was a Space Invaders that ended up taking my quarters that I had saved for my slushy.  The rest is history.

My first game was Cosmic Avenger for the Colecovision.  It was a gift from my grandparents given to me on Christmas Eve.  I thought for sure that an actual Colecovision would actually emerge the following day but it was the hot Christmas item and sold out everywhere, so that didn't happen.  I looked at the Cosmic Avenger box and read the manual everyday until the following Christmas (no luck on my birthday in April, either) when a Colecovision unit did emerge.  We went to hook it up, the Donkey Kong screen came up on the television and then almost immediately a snow storm knocked the power out. Eventually I had to go to bed, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, the power came back on and I laid there in bed listening to my big brother and sister play until I eventually fell asleep.  It was the best gift my parents ever gave me other than their love.

TrekMD

Any plans for additional GBA releases?

Michael

We've had some manufacturing issues concerning the equipment that we use to make the GBA games.  However, we think that we have figured it out and have two more projects in the works.  Another compilation of Homebrew Game Pack is in the works, with three games already approved.  The second title in the works is similar to the Atari computer compilation we released except that it contains a handful of games released from a classic 80s console.

TrekMD

What is your most favorite game system?

Michael

I personally collect for 108 different gaming consoles, so it is hard to pick just one.  I have machines that you'd never even heard of such as the CougarBoy out of Brazil or the Mega Duck out of the Netherlands.  The Colecovision was my "first love" so it always holds a soft spot and is played regularly.  My other favorites that are regularly played are the Sega Genesis, Vectrex, Atari Lynx, Sega Dreamcast and the X-Box 360.

TrekMD

Do you attend retro gaming shows?  If so, which ones?

Michael

We regularly attend the Classic Gaming Expo, Columbus Ohio Retro Gamers Society (CORGS) and Too Many Games.  We often make appearances at (or are a proud supporter and sponsor) JagFest, PhillyClassic, CinciClassic, Oklahoma Gaming Exhibit, East Coast Gaming Expo, The Midwest Classic, America's VideoGame Expo, NorthWest Classic Games Enthusiasts, Classic & Computer Gaming Show, The VideoGame Summit Game Expo, Mid-Atlantic Game Festival, Video Game Trader Expo, Southern California Classic Collectors SC3, Classic & Computer Gaming Show, Game Core, Bits and Pieces, Atari Computers Enthusiests of Columbus and more!

TrekMD

Are there any plans for new exclusive titles from GDG in the near future?

Michael

The gears are always quietly turning here.  We like surprises, so we never announce anything before it is ready to go and out the door.  We usually release new games at tradeshows or quietly put them online for our regulars to discover.  It is hard to produce homebrew games in bulk, and we want the PLAYERS to get them and not the E-BAY RESELLERS to gouge others down the line.  So, we rarely make a public scene or brag.  We prefer the close-knit family style approach as it keeps it closer to the heart, so to speak.

Shadowrunner

Any plans for more titles for the 3DO?

Michael

I wish, but no prototypes have been discovered and we have not found anyone with the understanding to create a fresh game for the system.  If anyone reading this interview is interested or knows something, please contact us as we would love to work with you!

Shadowrunner

You have Soul Star for the Jaguar CD for sale on your site. Even though it's not complete have you had any problem with the original copyright holders?

Michael

I bought about a dozen of these from another vendor at a trade show and am simply reselling them.  I've encountered no issues, but again we are not the manufacturers or publishers of the game.

[TL]

Good stuff, sounds like he is going to continue supporting the homebrew scene 

[TrekMD]

Very nice!  Glad to see this posted!

[Shadowrunner]

I was wondering what happened to this. Good interview, thanks guys 

[onthinice]

Thanks! Sounds interesting for the Odyssey 2.

[TrekMD]

Thanks! Sounds interesting for the Odyssey 2.

Be sure to keep an eye on their site.  As you can see from the interview, they don't announce the stuff to all the four winds. 

[onthinice]

Thanks TrekMD!

The Odyssey 2 gets mentioned every know and then which sometimes makes it easy to forget. My interest is peaked, so I will check.

[zapiy]

Glad you guys enjoyed this one. Always good to see companies like these guys supporting the HB scene.

[Greyfox]

Yes, and where very happy to include there advertisement in the Homebrew Hereoes magazine, great stuff

[DZ-Jay]

I met Michael at Classic Gaming Expo 2012, during the Christmas Carol debut.  He is a very nice and passionate man, and I respect and admire his contributions to the community.

Although he didn't mention the Intellivision in his list of favorite consoles, he did write a review of Christmas Carol for the English edition of the French retro-gaming magazine ReVival, which he distributes.  He played the game at CGE, and was impressed enough to want to review it.

I look forward to all his future projects, for they are sure to be amazing.

    dZ.

[TL]

[size=140]Here is a great new interview with Michael of Good Deal Games[/size]

[TrekMD]

That was a very interview.  I had never heard of the left over Vectrex units being converted to to EKG monitors!