Update to my doings.
Above you see an image of “ready to send” – Vectorblades.
I said I would make 100 – in the image you see 97 – strangely that is more than I planned.
See: I already sent out 7 copies to beta testers and other people I promised copies to (VectrexMad! I had totally forgotten you, shame on me – you’ll get a copy!!!).
Also – not seen are 6 “limited” editions.
So – all together I made 110.
As mentioned I might make a few more – but none of the next “versions” will be completely complete.
My first item is gone – and I won’t do new ones. The Vectorblade PIN:
I still have overlays, instructions, diaries, pcbs and boxes. I am running short on inlays, flash and NAND chips. I’ll order some supplies and in a months or so I’ll make another small batch of about 20. After that my “over ordering” of stuff will be eaten up, and Vectorblade will truely be finished.
Each of the following things I did more than 100 times:
– solder a pcb
– burn flash
– insert pcb in card, and shut the thing
– insert card in vectrex and test
– glue the boxes
– cut bubble wrap for pins
– put the pin in bubble wrap
– insert overlay in protective sleeve
– insert overlay, diary, tray, pin, instruction and cartridge in box
– close the box very carefully
– straighten the box protector
– remove plastic cover from box protector
– put box in box protector and carefully close the thing
– cut bubble wrap for boxes
– wrap box in bubble wrap and apply sticky tape
– unfold the postage packages
– but bubble-wraped box in package
– carefully close the package
I don’t want to do this anymore! 🙂
Next proceedings!
I googled “random number” – and google offers a random number generator. I used that one to determine randomly who is chosen.
If a number was doubled, I skipped it. I drew 97 “numbers”.
I will send all of the “chosen” ones an email, with my paypal account.
Only accepted Payment option:
- Paypal friends/family
(If not trusting – add the charge to your price, otherwise I will refund and the next on the list will get a chance to receive a VB) - face to face in Düsseldorf (Germany)
80€ for the game plus postage.
I will use DHL, current charges I looked up:
(500€ insurance + tracking)
(actually all prices end with 0.99 cent, I rounded 1cent!)
- Germany: 5€
- EU/GB: 14€
- USA: 53€
- Canada: 38€
- Norway: 30€
If you live in another not mentioned country – pls contact me, and I will figure out the postage costs.
Please include your full name and address (and country) – otherwise I can not send the package.
ALSO
Include the Alias/Nick from the table you used, when you emailed me, so I can check off payments.
If I do not hear back from you within 2 weeks time (from my email), I will assume that you lost interest, and I will randomly determine a person from the original “interest” list – and ask if he/she still is interested.
If the postage costs are too high or for any other reason you do not want a copy of Vectorblade anymore, just say so. It is totally fine with me I will hopefully find another person who might still be interested :-).
For all of you “missing a yes”.
I am sorry you missed out. I dearly wish people to play Vectorblade – I just cannot (or do not want to) produce more.
After I sent out the 97 games – I will release everything into the public domain. Packrat has shown interest in producing Vectorblade, so perhaps it will be available in due time. Or you chose to build one on your own.
I myself will produce – as said – a couple more… and I am sure sooner or later someone will put one on ebay…
(a YES in front means YES you can buy a Vectorblade)
♥
Top 15 get one except me? Wow – Mack
Glad you didn’t use the Vectrex BIOS “random” number generator function, that’s nowhere near random 🙂
I hoped so much to receive a copy of Vectorblade for my Vectrex but my alias is not in the “yes” list….☹☹
Nice! 🙂
Congratulations to the chosen ones!
I was not lucky but if some cancel Iet me know really want 1 😛
I could had just waited to order and got one after the 100 mark instead of rushing and being in the top 70. There are a LOT of people that got this after the 100 mark, which does not seem fair to the people that got their order in time before 100. Usually in this case the orders should had been closed after you hit 100. First come first serve is usually how it is. Then serve what ever people after 100 with left over product.
I don’t care how it “usually” is.
I stated EXACTLY how I wanted to proceede – and I discussed it with several people. This is what seemed most fair to me/us.
With a limited supply there are always people left out. I am sorry for this.
What I don’t like is: People who think they have the right to tell me what I did wrong – especially when I didn’t!
I didn’t get one, but I for one thank you for the way you did it.
(and of course it’s completly up to you anyway)
I think first come first served is very unfair. When the target auidence is world wide, timezones can make it very difficult and those of us who have to worry about jobs, kids, family and the world currently ending don’t always have time/availability to sit online waiting online to order something.
😍paid 👉👌
Malban, you did it the right way. For me, I play my Vectrex each week but am not involved in Vectrex fan groups so I often find out about things late on. I buy homebrew when I can afford it as I am on a lower salary. I wasn’t sure if I could afford to buy your game until near the end of August. Had it been first come first serve I would have missed out. As it stands I missed out anyway but at least I had a chance. Thankyou for that chance.
Stings a bit when you’ve followed a project since the beginning to see it finally released and be unable to play it, would rather purchase a copy direct from the developer rather than wait for a possible inferior release months/years down the line if and when someone else picks up the project… why bother getting together a list of people who want a copy if your only going to supply half of them, seems a bit pointless tbh, eitherways as you said it’s your project to complete how you see fit, will hopefully pick up an vastly overpriced copy on eBay in the coming months/years and will temper my expectations and try not to get too hyped for future releases.
It seems you have not asked to be on the list – at least not under the given name.
I also have not heard from you befor (under that name/email). It might be that you followed Vectorblade if so, I do not know out it.
Just so you know it is way more inspiring for a programmer/creator, to “hear” from followers, get inspiration and ideas – or just an “I like it”, than “only” after finishing a project an “Oh no, I missed out”.
Showing enthusiasm and trying to communicate might even have resulted in getting a copy Vectorblade. All of my beta testers e.g. volunteered!
—-
That being said…
It was much work to put together the release. Actually if I had known how much work it would be – I’d would not even have put together the 100 copies that I built.
Hi Malban
I want to volunteer to be a beta tester if you ever need me!
Regards,
Steven AKA Thitherton
Congrats on having so much interest in your project. I’ve enjoyed my alpha version that I won and was going to buy but just too expensive with shipping included. Still I have no problem with the price you put it at or how you released. Actually I commend you for releasing your way then putting in public domain for other to do their own release.