Museum post not related to sticky.

[TVs Hasselhoff]

This message will appear in other forums to generate a response. I'll let the admins decide if it should be consolidated.

Many of you don’t know me or recognize my user name, so you may not want to give much attention to what I’m about to say. Still, others may recognize the subject of this diatribe and will give it a moment of your time to see if it contains any value. Either way, I need to say these things because it is too easy today to hide in an electronic “social” background, clicking “like” buttons and twittering, sating our conscience long enough to enjoy another episode of The Daily Show or South Park.

Digital Press has begun a fundraiser to launch a history museum for videogames. You have probably seen the post and already know this, but I don’t think the scope of this news is really sinking in with the Digital Press audience, in particular, and the general gaming community, at large. There are two items of significance that need to be highlighted about this project, one fact, one philosophy, once illustrated, will hopefully redirect the apathy that seems to be the overall response to the current fundraiser.

First, the crew at Digital Press has been providing a means of gathering, communication, and historical and commercial relevance to classic gaming for over 20 years. Every idea they’ve put forth as a “wish list” they’ve made happen. “Let’s put together a fan-zine that will allow us to highlight our favorite classic games, interview the founders of the industry, and provide a center of communication for other classic gamers.” The Digital Press magazine was launched, and though sporadic in its distribution, has been showing up in collectors’ mailboxes for over twenty years.

An idea the Digital Press team made happen.

“Let’s put together a pricing guide the way WE would like to see a pricing guide. Rate the games. Judge the rarity. Provide a description of the game, including minutia like catalog numbers, disparities in packaging and product, etc. Make the lists as complete as possible, and make sure we include AS MANY systems as were produced during those early years.” The Digital Press Guide has not only had multiple editions launched, in various spiral-bound and published versions, but supplements to these “bibles” have been provided to keep them as up-to-date as possible. To this day, no one has provided a database as comprehensive as these guides. That is a fact, not opinion.

An idea the Digital Press team made happen.

“Let’s put together a website and forum to not only store all this information we’ve been gathering on classic gaming, but also to allow classic gamers to meet and talk about their passion, no matter where in the world those gamers may live.” The Digital Press website, through several server changes, provides the classic gamer an almost limitless resource of information regarding everything, from the Fairchild to the 3DS. Images, screen captures, ROMS, emulators, scans, pricing and rarity guides, sound clips, and forum discussions… all for free! To say you are a classic gamer and NOT be a member of this website would make you sound foolish.

An idea the Digital Press team made happen.

“Let’s open a game store where we can sell classic games, and not just used PS1 games, but a store that can meet the demands of the classic gamer. A store where enthusiasts can meet on a regular basis, find the things they are looking for to complete their collections, and talk to knowledgeable store staff about classic and modern gaming.” The Digital Press store has been a running success in New Jersey for several years now, despite tough economic times. You don’t need to buy a thing to enter this store, but you’ll be hard-pressed not to walk out without something. NAVA meets once a month, with active trading, discussions, and store tournaments (usually with free food and prizes awarded). The store can provide you with an original Odyssey 2, a new generation NES, or the latest copy of Madden NFL 2xxx. This store has gained such popularity that it has been featured in the news, mentioned on international forums and magazines, and was even the setting for a Capital One commercial.

An idea the Digital Press team made happen. (I must also emphasize the additional sacrifice of Joe Santulli on this endeavor, as he QUIT HIS JOB to make this store a reality. Years of planning and savings went into the launch of this store. A man who put everything he had into something he believed in.)

“Let’s put together a convention where classic gamers can get together to talk, trade, meet industry giants, and just have fun with other enthusiasts.” Classic Gaming Expo has been a recurring (ok, semi-recurring) endeavor for quite a while now. Its popularity has not only been recognized by many of the industry founders, but it led to exhibitions at E3 and PAX. Guest speakers, rare collectibles available for purchase and auction, and trade material that provided something for the collector of any level.

An idea the Digital Press team made happen.

The harping on this first point of “making it happen” is just that… making it happen. Digital Press has a proven track record of putting forth an idea that contributes to the classic gaming community, then making that idea a reality. They have held true to their promises, and beyond that, they haven’t proposed ideas they felt were untenable. To Digital Press, the idea of a history museum is not fantasy, not a matter of “if only…”, but an idea that can happen because of the industry leadership that is participating in this project, the enthusiasm of the collecting community, and because of the antiquities they can access to populate this museum. Look at the past exhibitions Digital Press has put together, look at the board members taking part in this launch, then ask yourself why can’t this happen.

My second point, and it won’t be as belabored as my first point, is one of future preservation. I’ll be blunt. Those of us who were there for the beginnings of video gaming are getting old. More importantly, many who created and contributed to the foundation of the industry are leaving us. We need more than just magazine clippings and a few re-told tales of burying cartridges in the desert to remind us of how all of this began. The basic idea of any museum is to provide a third party repository, hopefully objective, to house items of importance for display and study. The museum Digital Press is proposing goes beyond the sideshow attractions that the Smithsonian and others are currently planning or (poorly) executing. This is a museum that will house contributions from the likes of Atari, Activision, Electronic Arts, as well as the men and women who were the blood and sweat of those early days. It is something that will remain after the creators of Digital Press have passed on, and it is something that will remain for future gamers and collectors. It’s not meant to sound dreamy and weepy, but the philosophy is sound. We need to remember the past so we can see how we progress towards the future. This museum that Digital Press is proposing will store and display as many items as attainable and imaginable relating to the video game industry.

These points are what need to be stated and understood. These are the reasons why this museum is a good idea, and a workable idea. These are also the reasons why I’m so distressed at the lack of response by our community. We see a few hundred people click “Like” on the museum posting, yet only a couple of dozen backers step in to help. Are we really that content with one-click activism and 140 character prose that the need to exert ourselves further seems like a burden? I know times are tough. I just went through a home purchase and I’m still paying off bills from several months of unemployment, but I made some kind of contribution. If you look at all the things you get from the internet for free (including your porn), look at all the things Digital Press has provided to you for free through their website, then ask yourself why can’t you contribute $5 to this. Believe me, there are enough of you out there that $5 donations add up quickly. And remember, the $30,000 goal is to show other backers that there really is interest in this project. You’ve heard the phrase, “Vote with your dollars.” That is what is happening here. If Digital Press meets its goal, that is the signal for the big players to take notice.

You may think I’m out of line for saying these things, but considering all the things Digital Press has contributed to classic gaming over the past 20 years, $5 means nothing as a way of saying thank-you. There are less than 60 days to make this happen. $5 gives you a lot of bragging rights on opening day, when you can turn to someone and say, “I made this happen.”

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Truth.

I think that it also wouldn't be a bad idea if we could mobilize and bombard the popular "gaming news" sites like Kotaku, 1UP, IGN, etc. via their "news tip lines" or direct emails to the editors about the fund-raising efforts going on.

Make mention in your correspondence that these are the guys that run CGE and who had a very noteworthy showing at this years E3.

A simple news story run on their news/RSS feeds could spread the message like wild-fire and get people interested that might not otherwise ever hear about this project.

I've personally done that, so far it's not netted me any results or responses .... but I'm just one guy. As a community we could probably shake things up and get some news out there.

[portnoyd]

While there is nothing false about this post regarding the history of DP, it ignores one fact - at least from the perspective of these boards.


Look at the past exhibitions Digital Press has put together, look at the board members taking part in this launch, then ask yourself why can’t this happen

These boards are not the forums they were five years ago and they are miles away from what they were when it was switched from ezboards in 2002.

Daily posts are down. Way down. Server problems have had an effect but the community just isn't growing, it's shrinking. Posts in the most popular forums barely reach the second page after a day. In the past, you'd be looking at twice that. Things that keep the community together - like the 12 Days of DP Christmas - have withered away until this past year when they didn't even happen.

We have lost a lot of good posters (Where is Capt Wrong? Sylentwulf? RetroYoungen? Atarigirl?). Some have trailed off, some moved permanently to other forums like NintendoAge (Qixmaster being by far the worst loss to NA). Even Joe himself rarely makes a post outside the Events & Gatherings forums. While his obligations to the store take priority, his presence is really not known to new members within the past few years and it was a presence that drove these forums to the maximum.

The people who made it happen in the past are gone and the community is suffering in general. If you're looking to do this, this is not the place to be petitioning for help.

[TVs Hasselhoff]

What I'm more amazed at is the amount of bitching I've already encountered when posting this speech on other sites.

"Why don't you post a link to payment? Why didn't you think of that when writing this speech? What am I supposed to do?"

"Posting is down at Digital Press. You should post elsewhere."

If the numersous mentions of Digital Press can't give you a clue, then go to the Digital Press website and take a look. If I post a link to kickstarter, I get accused of spam. If you can't do a google search, then I think what I mention in my writing about one-click activism is true.

If this is the wrong post, then copy and paste the speech where you think it will matter. Better yet, make your own post where it will matter. I'm sorry if you feel defeated at a low posting count on these boards, but if you think there is a better place to bring up this discussion, then post it there. This negativity is not what is needed right now, and you know you can be more productive than that.

[GrandAmChandler]

Agreed 100% with Portnoyd.

<digipress> well. i guess it's time to blow it all up and start over

[RCM]

I'm all for a dedicated museum run by guys who love this stuff and know their shit, but aren't they kind of ignoring other well-funded places already established (This, for example: http://www.icheg.org/)?

I'm not trying to shit on the guys or anything as we've been cool and they (Joe and John) even appeared in a film I've been working on. I'm just interested in a real business plan before I pledge any money or ask anyone else to. I want something like this and WE NEED something like this, but I want it to be an everlasting monument to what we all love. And more importantly I want it done right. I'm not saying they won't do it well, it's just that I've only seen goals and no detailed, concrete strategy and tactics to meet them.

Regardless, good luck.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I'm all for a dedicated museum run by guys who love this stuff and know their shit, but aren't they kind of ignoring other well-funded places already established (This, for example: http://www.icheg.org/)?

I'm not trying to shit on the guys or anything as we've been cool and they (Joe and John) even appeared in a film I've been working on. I'm just interested in a real business plan before I pledge any money or ask anyone else to. I want something like this and WE NEED something like this, but I want it to be an everlasting monument to what we all love. And more importantly I want it done right. I'm not saying they won't do it well, it's just that I've only seen goals and no detailed, concrete strategy and tactics to meet them.

Regardless, good luck.

I don't see any information on ICHEG's site that detail how financial donations are or will be utilized, and in my past experiences providing donations to museums or historical preservation organizations I've rarely ever seen comprehensive details of how funds will be utilized (at least not in the forefront). We know the rough outline of what they intend to do - With the broad strokes being - get a space in the Silicon Valley area that is the Museum proper, get transportation materials to make the collection mobile as needed, and then build and operate it similar to how other interactive museums/collections are, perhaps even better than (however that may be).

I think that it's safe to say that Joe and Co.'s efforts in the past have been successful enough to warrant faith in donating, but ultimately how or what you invest is your own decision.

If you're unsure, I'm sure that if you engage Joe, John or Sean directly that they'll be happy to explain how the initial funding will be utilized and what their future plans are.

That aside, the apparent bitterness that the on-site community appears to be exhibiting towards a call for support makes me very sad.

[portnoyd]

I don't see any information on ICHEG's site that detail how financial donations are or will be utilized, and in my past experiences providing donations to museums or historical preservation organizations I've rarely ever seen comprehensive details of how funds will be utilized (at least not in the forefront).

I do know that they paid me $7,000 for my grey NWC. I think the safe bet is they are amassing items to fill the museum out with the funds they have.


That aside, the apparent bitterness that the on-site community appears to be exhibiting towards a call for support makes me very sad.

It's not bitterness, it's the cold truth. These are not the same forums that TV's Hoff described in his speech. Expecting the same community spirit from years past is a fallacy. I'm not saying the museum won't happen; I'm not saying you will not get support. What I am saying is you will not get the level of participation and interest that has been seen for other past initiatives on DP. The community is just not there anymore.

[RCM]

I don't see any information on ICHEG's site that detail how financial donations are or will be utilized, and in my past experiences providing donations to museums or historical preservation organizations I've rarely ever seen comprehensive details of how funds will be utilized (at least not in the forefront). We know the rough outline of what they intend to do - With the broad strokes being - get a space in the Silicon Valley area that is the Museum proper, get transportation materials to make the collection mobile as needed, and then build and operate it similar to how other interactive museums/collections are, perhaps even better than (however that may be).

I think that it's safe to say that Joe and Co.'s efforts in the past have been successful enough to warrant faith in donating, but ultimately how or what you invest is your own decision.

If you're unsure, I'm sure that if you engage Joe, John or Sean directly that they'll be happy to explain how the initial funding will be utilized and what their future plans are.

That aside, the apparent bitterness that the on-site community appears to be exhibiting towards a call for support makes me very sad.

The difference being we aren't donating to an established museum. They are, for all intents and purposes, building this from scratch. You're confirming one point exactly: we know the broad strokes. What I'd like to know is how they intend to truly create and maintain this thing. 30K aint going to do it, which I believe they acknowledge. I guess as a potential contributor, however small, I'd like to know because I care.

I haven't observed much bitterness towards the project, but my reasonable questions along with clear support of the idea shouldn't be construed as such. But these questions deserve to be asked.

[Kid Ice]

While I strongly agree with Don's points I have not noticed any massive apathy. Joe's post went up a few days ago and IIRC the deadline for donations is September. Is there a desperate need for funding at this point? It appears the fundraising is just getting under way.




These boards are not the forums they were five years ago and they are miles away from what they were when it was switched from ezboards in 2002.


The web is not what it was nine years ago either. Come on.

I don't see a strong connection between the forums and the fundraiser.

I look at it this way.

2000 DP = the DP zine

2005 DP = the DP forums

2010 DP = the DP store

The forums simply aren't the center of town any more, at least not how I see it.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

It's not bitterness, it's the cold truth. These are not the same forums that TV's Hoff described in his speech. Expecting the same community spirit from years past is a fallacy. I'm not saying the museum won't happen; I'm not saying you will not get support. What I am saying is you will not get the level of participation and interest that has been seen for other past initiatives on DP. The community is just not there anymore.

I'm not sure what the presumption is ... that forum members that were not a part of the community ten years ago will not have any interest/desire/ability to support such a cause or that the whole of the community ten years ago would have somehow immediately rocketed the cause to it's goal within a period of 7 days ... but whatever it is, it's pretty short-sided IMO and whatever the reasoning ultimately is, people being critical of/standing in the way of the progress of this cause for any reason (even just via straight-shooting "why bother?" type pessimism) makes me sad.

[TVs Hasselhoff]

I think one of the moderators needs to retitle this thread to the "Reasons not to donate to the museum." thread.

If a business plan is what you need, then ask Joe. If you cannot get the information you need from the Kickstarter page, the Digital Press site, or the museum page, then call someone at the store or shoot Joe or John an email. It's that simple.

I think asking about a business plan is a good question, but I'm not hearing anyone asking Digital Press about it.

All I'm hearing are more reasons to sit on one's hands and do nothing. If you think it's important, follow up.

I'm not going to sugar-coat my posts concerning some of the negative responses I'm seeing from friends of Joe and John on this subject. There shouldn't be reasons NOT to donate beign posted by members of this community. These aren't strangers asking for money, and they aren't guys that don't have a proven track record.

And 17,000 titles at New York? Seriously. Joe has more than that in his store. The wealth of items that have been displayed in Las Vegas, New Jersey, PAX and Los Angeles are just the tip of the iceberg, and far exceed what is displayed in New York. Graph paper for the creation of Sim City? BFD.

[GrandAmChandler]

I think one of the moderators needs to combine all of these threads that are duplicate into one thread.

Fixed.

Do we really need the same post in both forums? C'mon.

[TonyTheTiger]

What I'd like to know is how they intend to truly create and maintain this thing. 30K aint going to do it, which I believe they acknowledge.

From what I understand, if 30K can be raised by September that's the baseline goal for getting major investors involved. It's a courtship method to bring in the big guns.

[TVs Hasselhoff]

Fixed.

Do we really need the same post in both forums? C'mon.

My post stated that if the moderators wanted to combine, that is fine. My multiple posts were to reach other threads that some people don't look at. Not everyone reads Classic and Modern and Events threads. Some haunt one or two forums and nothing else.

I left the decision to combine up to the moderators.

[RCM]

From what I understand, if 30K can be raised by September that's the baseline goal for getting major investors involved. It's a courtship method to bring in the big guns.

I don't see any mention of that on their page, but could be mistaken. But if that's the case their strategy is tried and true.

"Initially the funds raised through this Kickstarter project will be used to make our collection more mobile and give it a permanent home."

[Bojay1997]

I think one of the moderators needs to retitle this thread to the "Reasons not to donate to the museum." thread.

If a business plan is what you need, then ask Joe. If you cannot get the information you need from the Kickstarter page, the Digital Press site, or the museum page, then call someone at the store or shoot Joe or John an email. It's that simple.

I think asking about a business plan is a good question, but I'm not hearing anyone asking Digital Press about it.

All I'm hearing are more reasons to sit on one's hands and do nothing. If you think it's important, follow up.

I'm not going to sugar-coat my posts concerning some of the negative responses I'm seeing from friends of Joe and John on this subject. There shouldn't be reasons NOT to donate beign posted by members of this community. These aren't strangers asking for money, and they aren't guys that don't have a proven track record.

And 17,000 titles at New York? Seriously. Joe has more than that in his store. The wealth of items that have been displayed in Las Vegas, New Jersey, PAX and Los Angeles are just the tip of the iceberg, and far exceed what is displayed in New York. Graph paper for the creation of Sim City? BFD.

I feel comfortable sharing that I have made a pledge already, however, it was less than I initially planned primarily because the more I looked at the informational page they posted, the more I became concerned about the lack of a comprehensive plan. While I believe there is no group of people that has done more to build the classic collecting community than the three proposed founders of the museum, I am also concerned about some of the failures of other similar attempts and frankly, their own spotty track record on things like making CGE an annual event.

Building a successful permanent museum requires setting up a board of directors that doesn't just sound good and include luminaries in the field, but also one that will beat the bushes and agree to raise a minimum of $500K to $1 million each by contacting their friends, relatives, co-workers, corporate sponsors, etc...It also means hiring professional fund raisers and coming up with a real business plan for how to fund this thing initially, construct or refit a facility, pay rent, utilities, staffing costs, insurance, etc...Perhaps they have such a plan, but as I re-read their proposal, all I saw was something that looked a lot like Videotopia which as far as I am concerned would be useless since Videotopia already exists (at least it's in storage somewhere and occasionally comes out when someone puts up the funds). I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and risk a little cash in this initial push in the hopes that they'll use it to start assembling a real team of professionals to make this happen. Until then, I remain skeptical and accept the fact that this might be a donation that disappears into a pipe dream.

[portnoyd]

I think one of the moderators needs to retitle this thread to the "Reasons not to donate to the museum." thread.

All I was saying, to you specifically, was that your speech, while accurate, is aimed at a community that is not the same as before and that you can't expect the same kind of commitment that your impassioned speech reflected upon.


Graph paper for the creation of Sim City? BFD.

After all this, you discount the same kind of material that will be featured in this new museum. To quote Frankie, that makes me sad.


I'm not sure what the presumption is ... that forum members that were not a part of the community ten years ago will not have any interest/desire/ability to support such a cause or that the whole of the community ten years ago would have somehow immediately rocketed the cause to it's goal within a period of 7 days

It's not that at all. I'm just saying:


The forums simply aren't the center of town any more, at least not how I see it.

[TonyTheTiger]

I don't see any mention of that on their page, but could be mistaken. But if that's the case their strategy is tried and true.

"Initially the funds raised through this Kickstarter project will be used to make our collection more mobile and give it a permanent home."

The money from the kickstarter fund is most certainly going to some aspect of the museum, sure. But I think it's pretty obvious that the only way to attract major investors is to show that the project has legs. So what's important isn't necessarily what specific museum-related issue the initial 30K will be spent on but simply that 30K was raised at all.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Big shot investors have to see progress for themselves. Which, if you think about it, is only rational. What is irrational is not putting forth at least a little team spirit into an idea everybody seems to agree is a good one to reach that minimum goal in order to get the ball rolling.

I'm not necessarily blaming people for not acting like the entire world is sunshine and roses. Realistic outlooks and criticisms are important to any endeavor's future success. But acknowledging potential hurdles and nevertheless trying to make something happen are not mutually exclusive.

[RCM]

The money from the kickstarter fund is most certainly going to some aspect of the museum, sure. But I think it's pretty obvious that the only way to attract major investors is to show that the project has legs. So what's important isn't necessarily what specific museum-related issue the initial 30K will be spent on but simply that 30K was raised at all.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Big shot investors have to see progress for themselves. Which, if you think about it, is only rational. What is irrational is not putting forth at least a little team spirit into an idea everybody seems to agree is a good one in order to reach that minimum goal in order to get the ball rolling.

I'm not necessarily blaming people for not acting like the entire world is sunshine and roses. But acknowledging potential hurdles and nevertheless trying to make something happen are not mutually exclusive.

Most "major investors" (however you're measuring it) won't give a fuck about raising 30K. In comparison to what the CGE guys realistically need it's insignificant and unimpressive from the standpoint of a "major investor." You might disagree, and by all means go ahead.

It's perfectly rational to look before you leap and ask questions when you can. Those of us who don't choose to donate shouldn't be labeled as irrational.

[Bojay1997]

The money from the kickstarter fund is most certainly going to some aspect of the museum, sure. But I think it's pretty obvious that the only way to attract major investors is to show that the project has legs. So what's important isn't necessarily what specific museum-related issue the initial 30K will be spent on but simply that 30K was raised at all.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Big shot investors have to see progress for themselves. Which, if you think about it, is only rational. What is irrational is not putting forth at least a little team spirit to reach that minimum goal in order to get the ball rolling.

I would agree with this to some extent, however, having been involved as volunteer legal counsel and later a board member very early on in two museums (neither tech related) in Southern California, one of which is still very successful and one which completely disappeared and which was a total failure a few years after opening, I can tell you that you need a comprehensive business plan. In addition, you need a strong team including fundraisers (both professional and volunteers), wealthy benefactors, community leaders, corporate leaders, luminaries, an MBA/Accountant/tax type, a PR person, etc...from the inception of the non-profit. "Investors" is probably not the right word as I am assuming they will want to maintain their non-profit status and approach corporations in the field about making donations for which they will get a tax benefit. Similarly, they will likely want to go after grants or other foundation funds to support the educational mission of the museum.

I realize it's early days, but you would be surprised at how much scrutiny the general public and certainly corporate giving departments will apply to non-profits even during an initial push. If they don't already have a professional looking and reasonable plan, they need to get one together and make it available asap.

[TonyTheTiger]

Trust me, I'm the last person you have to give a lesson to about the requisites. What I'm wondering is why the presumption is that there isn't a strategy when it's been...what...a few days since the initial public announcement?

And, as was said above, if anybody wants more details or has questions they know the names and contact info of the people involved. It's one thing to think, "Wow, major undertaking. I'm going to do my homework on this before deciding." That's a perfectly valid way of approaching it. But that's entirely different than thinking, "Wow, major undertaking. Somebody should do their homework on this before I decide." It's that outlook that's irrational.

[GarrettCRW]

These boards are not the forums they were five years ago and they are miles away from what they were when it was switched from ezboards in 2002.

Daily posts are down. Way down. Server problems have had an effect but the community just isn't growing, it's shrinking. Posts in the most popular forums barely reach the second page after a day. In the past, you'd be looking at twice that. Things that keep the community together - like the 12 Days of DP Christmas - have withered away until this past year when they didn't even happen.

Port's criticisms are extremely correct. There are people in vbender (which is dominated by DP old-timers) that don't even visit the forums at all anymore, so it's not like this trend has gone unnoticed or unobserved. The chronic server outages were probably the breaking point for many. What's the point of visiting a web site that isn't even working half the time?

[digitalpress]

It's not bitterness, it's the cold truth. These are not the same forums that TV's Hoff described in his speech. Expecting the same community spirit from years past is a fallacy. I'm not saying the museum won't happen; I'm not saying you will not get support. What I am saying is you will not get the level of participation and interest that has been seen for other past initiatives on DP. The community is just not there anymore.

Dave, the "community" is much more than the forums. If that's the only area you choose to be a part of, that is your call.

Announcing this here was one of many avenues for this project. I was hoping that it would be most "at home" here as well. I'm sorry if it feels like I've drifted away from the forum community but the truth is I'm simply spread out over a great number of social environs. It would be nice if someone else could play "the leader" here and it not hurt my persona to step out of the role on the forums from time to time.

I love you guys, and I've continued to support every project I've ever been a part of. Let's build something NEW together!

[RCM]

Trust me, I'm the last person you have to give a lesson to about the requisites. What I'm wondering is why the presumption is that there isn't a strategy when it's been...what...a few days since the initial public announcement?

And, as was said above, if anybody wants more details or has questions they know the names and contact info of the people involved. It's one thing to think, "Wow, major undertaking. I'm going to do my homework on this before deciding." That's a perfectly valid way of approaching it. But that's entirely different than thinking, "Wow, major undertaking. Somebody should do their homework on this before I decide." It's that outlook that's irrational.

That's not the presumption at all, we just want more information. In the spirit of their call to action I asked the questions publicly in hopes the info could be disseminated at once in an efficient way. Joe, John and Sean are busy guys, after all. I know, I know-- highly irrational.

[Bojay1997]

Trust me, I'm the last person you have to give a lesson to about the requisites. What I'm wondering is why the presumption is that there isn't a strategy when it's been...what...a few days since the initial public announcement?

And, as was said above, if anybody wants more details or has questions they know the names and contact info of the people involved. It's one thing to think, "Wow, major undertaking. I'm going to do my homework on this before deciding." That's a perfectly valid way of approaching it. But that's entirely different than thinking, "Wow, major undertaking. Somebody should do their homework on this before I decide." It's that outlook that's irrational.

Sure and that's valid, and I realize that to some extent the Internet has short-handed the manner in which people conduct business and Kickstarter is not the easiest way to get a comprehensive vision out there, but the website they linked to is woefully inadequate as well. In my view, they should have put together their team and board, created a very comprehensive website, announced the full plan and then started raising the funds. Maybe that plan is already in place, but if you are asking people to donate a total of $30K, I don't think it's unreasonable to provide those people with as much information as possible up front without them having to e-mail you for it. It's not like this is something that has to be kept confidential as it's not a business, but rather a non-profit.

I know from my own perspective, the first day I heard about this, I was ready to make a pretty substantial contribution and also approach our corporate giving department about matching it, but after I saw all the information that they made available, I realized I couldn't put my credibility on the line with my employer for something that sounded a little amateurish. I know the studio I work for won't provide funds for cases so people can truck video games around to events. They would consider that to be too short term with not enough benefit to the community. They would, however, probably provide funds for something that is a permanent institution that actually provides research archives and educational outreach to the community. They won't, however, make such a donation until they are confident that the board and team behind the project has experience, is legitimate and knows what they're doing. In fact, our company has a very detailed form to fill out for requests of this type and they want to know the assets of the non-profit, the experience and background of the board and management team, etc...I suspect most other corporations would react the same way and have very similar forms.

[TonyTheTiger]

That's not the presumption at all, we just want more information. In the spirit of their call to action I asked the questions publicly in hopes the info could be disseminated at once in an efficient way. Joe, John and Sean are busy guys, after all. I know, I know-- highly irrational.

What questions? All you said is you wanted a strategy. That's a pretty vague way to put it if you were expecting a public response. What I was implying is that people who want details should pursue those details if they think A) the project sounds good at its core; and B) their decision will be based on any specifics not yet made clear. And, as Bojay eloquently pointed out, there are plenty of details to discuss for anybody who wants absolute specificity.

Now if the criticism is that the specifics were not laid out upfront, fine. I'm sure plenty of people walking in would like to read as much about the plan as possible. But just because those details were not up as of now doesn't mean they are not available to people who actually want them. So while it's not wrong to have preferred they have been available right there on the site, dropping back and not asking for further specifics after acknowledging those details could make or break your position sounds a bit premature.

[Bojay1997]

Nevermind, board glitch.

[digitalpress]

Haha! I'm now wondering what would have happened if I outright asked some of you in person "Can I have five dollars please?".

Cough it up, you cheap bastards :P

[RCM]

What questions? All you said is you wanted a strategy. That's a pretty vague way to put it if you were expecting a public response. What I was implying is that people who want details should pursue those details if they think A) the project sounds good at its core; and B) their decision will be based on any specifics not yet made clear. And, as Bojay eloquently pointed out, there are plenty of details to discuss for anybody who wants absolute specificity.

Now if the criticism is that the specifics were not laid out upfront, fine. I'm sure plenty of people walking in would like to read as much about the plan as possible. But just because those details were not up as of now doesn't mean they won't be available to people who actually want them. So while it's not wrong to have preferred they have been available right there on the site, dropping back and not asking for specifics further (after acknowledging those details could make or break your position) sounds a bit premature.

You're right about that, "question" was the wrong term. Regardless, I hope these concerns are addressed.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Let me say that while I do not personally see the necessity for an ultra-complex outline of where our kickstart money will go, I don't think that questions, any questions, about this project are unreasonable.

However, I'll reiterate once again (and I'm not specifically harping on you RCM, this is general to anybody it may describe) - I see no reason why any member of this community, especially active forum members - would hesitate even for a second to engage Joe (or John or Sean if they have the means) directly and ask questions/request a greater level of detail if the kickstart page wasn't enough.

It's one thing for a casual observer not connected to the community hesitating to donate based on limited information (even though there's an email on the kickstart page for questions) but for forum members to opt to withhold donations without making any effort whatsoever to ask Joe directly whatever questions that they may have ... well, that seems almost spiteful to me.

We all have a direct link to the leaders of this project, why are we not engaging them if we have questions?

Even if it was just shooting an email over to Joe and saying something along the lines of "Hey, you might want to put more details up regarding 'the plan' or else nobody, including me, is going to invest!" that would be more constructive than saying "yeah, I'm not going to invest because the vision/goal as outlined is vague and/or unclear".

[mindlesspunk77]

I think its a good idea and I made my donation. If your going to make a substantial donation then email Joe and ask some questions. I have talked to him many times and he is a very easy guy to get in touch with and talk to.

[TVs Hasselhoff]

Quote:
"Originally Posted by TVs Hasselhoff
I think one of the moderators needs to combine all of these threads that are duplicate into one thread."

"Fixed.

Do we really need the same post in both forums? C'mon."


Looking at this post agin, I never said this. I said this would be the decision of the moderators if it was felt necessary, but I never called out a for a direct consolidation. Where did this quote come from?

[TonyTheTiger]

It's a cheeky way of disagreeing. He was "fixing" something you had said by changing it into what he felt you should have said instead.


I think one of the moderators needs to retitle this thread to the "Reasons not to donate to the museum." thread.





I think one of the moderators needs to combine all of these threads that are duplicate into one thread.
Fixed.

Do we really need the same post in both forums? C'mon.

[TVs Hasselhoff]

It's a cheeky way of disagreeing. He was "fixing" something you had said by changing it into what he felt you should have said instead.

I still question whether it was necessary to consolidate the threads, as the discussion is now not seen by others who don't frequent this particular forum. The post was meant as a notice, and maybe would have received a more positive response from one of the other sections. Instead, the discussion is already getting buried in this section.

Maybe someone will post the speech on another website, if they feel the writing or effort is worth it. Obviously, I wasted my time turning to those closest to the Digital Press crew.

[portnoyd]

I still question whether it was necessary to consolidate the threads, as the discussion is now not seen by others who don't frequent this particular forum. The post was meant as a notice, and maybe would have received a more positive response from one of the other sections. Instead, the discussion is already getting buried in this section.

Maybe someone will post the speech on another website, if they feel the writing or effort is worth it. Obviously, I wasted my time turning to those closest to the Digital Press crew.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u239/efreet69/JokerNotSureifSerious.jpg?t=1242858097

[Kid Ice]

Maybe someone will post the speech on another website, if they feel the writing or effort is worth it. Obviously, I wasted my time turning to those closest to the Digital Press crew.

I don't think it was a waste of time. What reaction were you expecting within 8 hours? You've given us some food for thought, give some of the more reasonable people here a chance to respond. I certainly plan to donate (and a lot more than $5), I don't need fingers wagged at me because I'm not doing it today.

[TonyTheTiger]

I still question whether it was necessary to consolidate the threads, as the discussion is now not seen by others who don't frequent this particular forum. The post was meant as a notice, and maybe would have received a more positive response from one of the other sections. Instead, the discussion is already getting buried in this section.

Maybe someone will post the speech on another website, if they feel the writing or effort is worth it. Obviously, I wasted my time turning to those closest to the Digital Press crew.

I'm not saying I agree. I think that having some kind of notice across the forums is a good idea given that this project transcends any particular niche of gaming. And I don't think that it's a waste of time, either. Better people talk about it and hope some good comes from that discourse that let it fade into obscurity.

[TVs Hasselhoff]

I don't think it was a waste of time. What reaction were you expecting within 8 hours? You've given us some food for thought, give some of the more reasonable people here a chance to respond. I certainly plan to donate (and a lot more than $5), I don't need fingers wagged at me because I'm not doing it today.

Not wagging a finger at anybody for not donating today. Not wagging a finger at anyone not donating more than the minimum $5. What I am pointing out is that folks seemed quick to click the "Like" button, but left it at that.

The reaction I wasn't expecting was the negativity. At this point, all I can do is sit back and see what happens, but the conversation in this thread seemed less than enthusiastic about the proposal.

[ubersaurus]

I don't think it was a waste of time. What reaction were you expecting within 8 hours? You've given us some food for thought, give some of the more reasonable people here a chance to respond. I certainly plan to donate (and a lot more than $5), I don't need fingers wagged at me because I'm not doing it today.

This. Quite frankly raising as much as they have in a few days is pretty impressive for such a project, and with some more exposure than the DP forums I imagine they could fill their requirements before the deadline. I intend to donate too when I've got a bit more cash on hand - traveling out of town over the weekend hit my spending money for a couple weeks - and I certainly believe in the project enough to give more than $5.

Hell, if you can get someone like James Rolfe or the PA guys to post something about it, that would probably bring in a nice wave right there. Something tells me a project like this is close to their hearts.

Down the line it would be interesting to see if Japanese companies like Konami, Nintendo, or Namco would be interested in supporting the museum, either with funds or item donations, but I don't see that even being a possibility for some time.

[Badhornet]

I am very alarmed with the good grammar shown in this thread!

What the hell has happened to this forum???

[Leo_A]

Was this posted at AtariAge? I never saw any mention of it over there.

Taking advantage of that large community and trying to get people like Curt Vendel and Albert involved from the start would seem like a good early step to take in this attempt to establish a museum dedicated to videogaming.

Edit - Found it

http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/184353-the-videogame-history-museum-how-you-can-help/page__p__2316998__fromsearch__1#entry2316998

Might not hurt for someone involved to do a quick write up and submit this as news so it gets posted on the main page at AtariAge to help bring it to people's attention. It seems to have flown under many people's radar so far over there (The holiday weekend I imagine). Requesting that the topic be pinned might also not be a bad idea.

[DreamTR]

Where is this museum going to be? Is it a permanent based one or traveling?

[Flack]

Where is this museum going to be? Is it a permanent based one or traveling?

The Kickstarter page states that the money raised will be used to:

- Move Joe, John, and Sean's collections to one location (Silicon Valley)
- Buy mobile shipping containers
- Go toward opening a permanent museum within 8 years.

Reading between the lines, if they are planning on moving their collection to California, it stands to reason that's where the museum would be.

[Greg2600]

There's only one team of guys who do things like organize the CGE. The fact is many big time collectors do not show theirs off at all. One reason is they don't have a viable reason or place to do so. I first met Joe at his store about 5 years ago, just getting into the actual collecting of games. He's been very generous over the years with his NAVA events there, so I donated really to help him out. I can't imagine I'd actually get to the museum out in CA, but maybe once, but it would be cool to know such a museum exists.

[digitalpress]

The Kickstarter page states that the money raised will be used to:

- Move Joe, John, and Sean's collections to one location (Silicon Valley)
- Buy mobile shipping containers
- Go toward opening a permanent museum within 8 years.

Reading between the lines, if they are planning on moving their collection to California, it stands to reason that's where the museum would be.

I must admit to a fundamental personality flaw of not sharing every detail, but as I've said so many times in so many endeavors before "I'm learning to adapt on this latest endeavor". We certainly hoped that having met and forged relationships with this community rife with friends and cohorts, we'd have a sort of automatic vote of confidence. But money is money and times are tough. Should have learned this while planning CGE 2K9 or CGE 2K11 during difficult economic times.

I'm not sure this is the right place to divulge the entire plan our charity has drawn up, but I have shared with many of you in personal conversation that this first pledge drive is to establish an address in the Silicon Valley area, get all of our things moved out there (as well as have a central location for donors to contribute), prepare the first phase which would be to be "at the ready" to mobilize exhibits anywhere in the country, and at the tail end of this, to personally re-locate. YES, I'm the first one to go and NO, I'm not sure what exactly happens to the Digital Press shop in NJ when this event triggers.

There are many steps along the way but this first one is to establish a base and an ongoing source of revenue (hosting mobile events and preferably local ones at this new address) to continue driving and building the museum's efforts. We do NOT like asking for money and anyone who knows us may call us "shrewd" but we have always provided something in return. This time we need a little backing before we can provide returns.

This first week was expected to be a "safety blanket" notice to our friends and family. It didn't go as easily as we had hoped but we still have confidence that our many industry contacts garnered over years of exhibiting and engaging decision-makers at E3, our personal relationship with gaming's "alumni" via Classic Gaming Expo, and our rather taut media contact list who will receive the impending press release will yield the very results that each of these groups have assured us we'd achieve.

This is going to happen. Again, I'd like to see as many of you on board in this charter effort as possible. I'm quite certain you'll find a great deal of personal fulfillment when those doors open, and we can thank each other at that time!

Many more details to follow. Sharing more than anywhere else right here because it's "home".

Game ON, brothers and sisters.

[Sysop]

Haha! I'm now wondering what would have happened if I outright asked some of you in person "Can I have five dollars please?".

Cough it up, you cheap bastards :P
I would definitely consider donating, but unfortunately, I don't have the ability to transfer funds over the internet at the moment.

[ProgrammingAce]

So speaking of projects that are doomed to be abandoned, when's the next printing of the DP guide coming out? We submitted articles for it years ago...

It's a shame so many of the older forum members no longer wish to visit here. At one point, this might have been an interesting project.

Protip: every video game museum i've been to, and there are already several out there, have been incredibly boring.

[skaar]

At least we can be guaranteed it'll have a comfy couch.

[digitalpress]

So speaking of projects that are doomed to be abandoned, when's the next printing of the DP guide coming out? We submitted articles for it years ago...

Doomed to be abandoned? The online guide has been offered free of charge for years now. During that time (and while building another arm of Digital Press) the online guide has been made editable online to our editing team, which blows away the funnels and roadblocks of the past. As for a printed book, it's our 20 year anniversary. Barring unforeseen disaster, available October 31st.


It's a shame so many of the older forum members no longer wish to visit here. At one point, this might have been an interesting project.

Protip: every video game museum i've been to, and there are already several out there, have been incredibly boring.

Boring museums are partially why we're doing what we're doing. Clearly you have never been to the CGE Museum. By the way, thanks for your support and productive post, DP forum member. Why return here just to "stick it to us"?

[Greg2600]

Guess you won't be getting any contributions to the museum from "Mr. Xbox."

[portnoyd]

By the way, thanks for your support and productive post, DP forum member. Why return here just to "stick it to us"?

Well, he is the guy making a NES homebrew (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131204) off of a DP running gag. (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71891) He's involved with this community and not just "returning" here.

[calthaer]

In before lock.

Oh...and I believe I'd like to donate at some point. Silicon Valley is far away, though, so might not ever visit. Bummer.

[killersquirel]

It's a shame what has and is happening to our community. People, it's about video games. Let's enjoy the games from the past and the future classics that will come from all parts of the industry (big corporate, indies, and homebrew author's). If you don't get along with another member of the community, be civil and respect one another.

To bring this back on topic. Joe, John, and Sean have consistently given to the community over the past 20 plus years. The CGE show is still considered to be one of the consistently best expo's dedicated to games around. Every month Joe plans the NAVA event, and they are always a good time. Believe me, NAVA isn't just thrown together. There is plenty of thought and planning each month to make Nava a worthwhile trip. We have had notable people from within the industry come to these events. There is a Digital Press video and audio podcast in the works (It's coming real soon). There are the online & print collector's guides and also the fanzine. Digital Press has always given to the community.

If you want to help out and make a donation, I'm sure the guys would appreciate it. If you have questions about what the initial money is going to be used for and what the plan is after the initial fundraising period then send a message to Joe or John. It's cool if you can't make a donation at this time, but why feel the need to bash the idea or the people that are trying to do something positive for the community?

-mike

[ProgrammingAce]

Boring museums are partially why we're doing what we're doing. Clearly you have never been to the CGE Museum. By the way, thanks for your support and productive post, DP forum member. Why return here just to "stick it to us"?

I'm commenting because i've spent the last 10 years gathering prototype gaming hardware in the hopes of lending or donating it to a dedicated gaming museum.

You have a tremendous resource you can bring to the community, but i don't think it's well served in a museum setting. Nobody will go to a museum to look at an old set of rare atari games, or NES flash carts, or even a SNES CD system. A website with a few pictures is good enough to satisfy most people's curiosity.

The more intersting story is "Why are games the way they are?". The story about why Mario has a mustache, or why he's called Mario. How many people realize that the clouds in SMB are the same tile pattern as the bushes? Nintendo has done a great job in recent years talking about things like that. Like the fact that SMB originally had fruit instead of coins, but they changed it because coins were something everyone would want to collect.

I think that's something unique to the Digital Press empire, you have the connections to the original Atari and intellivision creators, you can publish those stories. That's the kind of thing that's interesting to a lot of people. I question if you have the same kind of connections to modern game development.

Call of Duty is the best selling game of all time, how much do you know about it? Do you know why there aren't any female characters in the game? Do you know what technical limitation forced the developers to remove customizable camouflage from CoD4? Did you know that the camera never stops moving during any cut scene in Halo 1 due to a flaw in the game's engine? Or that the characters in Halo 1's cutscenes were usually controlled by a developer using a controller? Do you know what really killed the Tony Hawk franchise?

These are the things that gamers, and the public find interesting. Not the games themselves, but the stories behind them. Don't create an experience that the average person can find while looking at pictures on the internet, or using emulators on their PC. Create something that can't be experienced any other way.

I'm not sure that a gaming museum is the proper medium for such stories, or that such a museum could really stay in business.

[TonyTheTiger]

You have a tremendous resource you can bring to the community, but i don't think it's well served in a museum setting. Nobody will go to a museum to look at an old set of rare atari games, or NES flash carts, or even a SNES CD system. A website with a few pictures is good enough to satisfy most people's curiosity.

The more intersting story is "Why are games the way they are?". The story about why Mario has a mustache, or why he's called Mario. How many people realize that the clouds in SMB are the same tile pattern as the bushes? Nintendo has done a great job in recent years talking about things like that. Like the fact that SMB originally had fruit instead of coins, but they changed it because coins were something everyone would want to collect.

Isn't that like saying people won't want to see the old Medieval sword when there's so much to say about actual swordsmithing? One doesn't preclude the other.

[j_factor]

Isn't that like saying people won't want to see the old Medieval sword when there's so much to say about actual swordsmithing? One doesn't preclude the other.

Perhaps not, but he still has a point. Michaelangelo's David is going to be a much bigger draw than some obscure unfinished Michaelangelo work, even if the latter is more interesting to art buffs. I love the CGE museum, but it has a relatively esoteric appeal, compared to the type of thing he's talking about.

[ProgrammingAce]

Isn't that like saying people won't want to see the old Medieval sword when there's so much to say about actual swordsmithing? One doesn't preclude the other.

I think that's entirely true, would you want to go see a bunch of swords, or learn about them?

Remember that video games are an art form. The final product can be played in it's entirety in any home on the planet using emulators or modern consoles. Look at how many people play unreleased prototype games. They get a few days of fame, get played for a little while, then get thrown into the rom fullset torrents.

Museums are educational, what are people there to learn? And is that the right medium to teach it?

Filmed interviews with videos of the games themselves shown on something like the History Channel might be far more entertaining.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Filmed interviews with videos of the games themselves shown on something like the History Channel might be far more entertaining.

Wasn't that a show on one of those modern gaming channels? It was only shown once and then locked away for good. Damn shame.

My main area of uh, "expertise" is PC stuff so I dunno if I can help.

[TonyTheTiger]

I think that's entirely true, would you want to go see a bunch of swords, or learn about them?

Remember that video games are an art form. The final product can be played in it's entirety in any home on the planet using emulators or modern consoles. Look at how many people play unreleased prototype games. They get a few days of fame, get played for a little while, then get thrown into the rom fullset torrents.

Museums are educational, what are people there to learn? And is that the right medium to teach it?

Filmed interviews with videos of the games themselves shown on something like the History Channel might be far more entertaining.

It may not have been an entirely fair statement considering I'm a huge sword buff so seeing them is alone a big enough deal for me, which wouldn't be true for many other people. I think museums, though, can attack on both fronts if necessary. Lots of museums actually do have theaters with special footage playing of interviews and History Channel-esque documentaries minus the Alien Jesus conspiracies.

Offering a wealth of information is a great thing and I'd imagine that's part of the plan, and yeah, the information itself isn't going to be exclusive to any specific museum. But being able to see the genuine artifact while simultaneously learning about it is probably a lot more meaningful than wiki walking. The same reason why, despite everybody already having seen dozens of pictures and reprints of the Mona Lisa, people still go to see the genuine article.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying the Adventure Vision has the same significance as the Declaration of Independence or something. But I think a similar principle applies in that people interested in the subject matter will probably like to see things for real. I would probably say that a gaming-centric museum would be comparable to a Hall of Fame. Sure, maybe only baseball enthusiasts would be especially interested in Babe Ruth's glove but for those of us who really do care about baseball it's awesome to see it.

[j_factor]

Wasn't that a show on one of those modern gaming channels? It was only shown once and then locked away for good. Damn shame.

You mean Icons? It wasn't that good. The episode on game music, for example, just talked about a few specific composers and their works. It wasn't really about the history of music in games, and it didn't talk about anything technical. Some of the episode subjects were awfully specific (e.g., EverQuest), while some were ridiculously broad (e.g., arcade games).

[digitalpress]

The more intersting story is "Why are games the way they are?". The story about why Mario has a mustache, or why he's called Mario. How many people realize that the clouds in SMB are the same tile pattern as the bushes? Nintendo has done a great job in recent years talking about things like that. Like the fact that SMB originally had fruit instead of coins, but they changed it because coins were something everyone would want to collect.

I'm not sure that a gaming museum is the proper medium for such stories, or that such a museum could really stay in business.

You're thinking way too traditionally. In fact, in an interview I recently did with Game Informer (should be available in the next few weeks) I explained that our vision of the museum would focus as much on the people and the stories as it would the items themselves. Very little will be "look don't touch". The place will be highly interactive. Again, think more Classic Gaming Expo on a daily basis. And at least in my personal variation on our theme, the place will be lively and colorful. Dare I say "rockin".

If it's the stuffy boring museum concept that's a deterrent, then I can understand the critique. If you've been to any of the events I've organized it should really squash the notion that a museum in my care would be anything like that.

[InsaneDavid]

I'm commenting because i've spent the last 10 years gathering prototype gaming hardware in the hopes of lending or donating it to a dedicated gaming museum.

You have a tremendous resource you can bring to the community, but i don't think it's well served in a museum setting. Nobody will go to a museum to look at an old set of rare atari games, or NES flash carts, or even a SNES CD system. A website with a few pictures is good enough to satisfy most people's curiosity.

The more intersting story is "Why are games the way they are?". The story about why Mario has a mustache, or why he's called Mario. How many people realize that the clouds in SMB are the same tile pattern as the bushes? Nintendo has done a great job in recent years talking about things like that. Like the fact that SMB originally had fruit instead of coins, but they changed it because coins were something everyone would want to collect.

EDIT: Link isn't working at the moment.

I think that's something unique to the Digital Press empire, you have the connections to the original Atari and intellivision creators, you can publish those stories. That's the kind of thing that's interesting to a lot of people. I question if you have the same kind of connections to modern game development.

Call of Duty is the best selling game of all time, how much do you know about it? Do you know why there aren't any female characters in the game? Do you know what technical limitation forced the developers to remove customizable camouflage from CoD4? Did you know that the camera never stops moving during any cut scene in Halo 1 due to a flaw in the game's engine? Or that the characters in Halo 1's cutscenes were usually controlled by a developer using a controller? Do you know what really killed the Tony Hawk franchise?

These are the things that gamers, and the public find interesting. Not the games themselves, but the stories behind them. Don't create an experience that the average person can find while looking at pictures on the internet, or using emulators on their PC. Create something that can't be experienced any other way.

I'm not sure that a gaming museum is the proper medium for such stories, or that such a museum could really stay in business.

Computer History Museum (http://www.computerhistory.org/). Every time I've ever been there were a ton of people in there and it's 99% static displays. The curators make it interesting, as with any museum. Having this in Silicon Valley is another prime reason why it is successful. I don't want to get off topic about that sideshow in Ottumwa, Iowa. Location has a lot to do with these things.

EDIT: Link isn't working at the moment.

[Rob2600]

These are the things that gamers, and the public find interesting. Not the games themselves, but the stories behind them. Don't create an experience that the average person can find...on the internet, or using emulators on their PC. Create something that can't be experienced any other way

Um, I can read interviews with developers on the internet whenever I want. Just saying.

[Rob2600]

I just registered with Kickstarter and made a donation.

Like Greg posted above, Joe hosts monthly NAVA events at his store for free and I've attended many of them. Sometimes I buy something at the store, but most times I just hang out, play old games, and socialize. Supporting the museum is the least I could do to pay Joe back for all the free fun he's provided me.

[badinsults]

You know, I am excited by the prospect of a museum for video games done by people who are fans of the medium, for both public and research purposes. The main caveat that leads me to not donate (aside from being a poor student who does not live in the United States) is the eight year plan to open the physical museum. Eight years is a little too close to "might never happen" territory.

I would love to have a place where unusual and interesting gaming items such as the prototypes I own where they can be properly cataloged, preserved and studied. However, at this juncture the plan simply seems to make a traveling display that doesn't fully qualify as a museum.

I would be more interested if you guys hooked up with an educational institution and bring in some heavyweight contributors. Perhaps start a website to display what items are already in the collection, and their significance. Digitpress.com has a lot of interesting things on it, but it isn't really very well organized, and quite frankly still looks like a website designed 12 years ago (frames anyone?).

I'm sure you will reach the goal you have set out. But at the moment, I just can't justify investing in this venture.

[Rob2600]

After all these years of providing us with the DP forums for FREE, plus hosting the FREE monthly NAVA events at his store, can't everyone give the guy $5?? Joe asks for a small donation to help fund what will be one of the most awesome video game museums ever, and suddenly half the members of this forum think they're seasoned venture capitalists who insist on seeing a spreadsheet detailing how their $5 will be spent. Seriously?! It's five f-ing dollars.

Next time you're out wasting money on yet *another* Intellivision or Genesis console to add to your junk pile, remember how a fraction of that cash could've been put toward something that'll actually benefit our hobby.




He's involved with this community and not just "returning" here.

If by "involved," you mean reporting fellow forum members who modded their Xbox 360s to Microsoft, then you're correct.

[digitalpress]

Almost there.

A pre-emptive "thank you" to those who care and have supported our endeavors past and present, and trust that we will acknowledge you in endeavors future.

Our future is coming on, it's coming on, it's coming on :)