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All quiet on the CD-i front

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:05 pm
by Trev
When was this forum at its peak? Do you think it will ever get back to that point, or even surpass it?

This is a nice forum, and pretty much the only place for steady CD-i chat (steady to the extent that people are here) But, honestly, it is pretty dead. What do you think it would take to pick things up around here?

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:59 pm
by Bas
I asked myself that very question, a long time ago already. I don't think it will peak again. Even when cdifan publshed the first update of CD-i Emulator, there was hardly any interest.
I must say, the activity this year thanks to you guys is better than last year :)
My own activity here is also lower, unfortunately. CD-i websites passed away (Le Monde du CD-i, Philipscdi.com), Black Moon slowly dies, there's nothing left..... Perhaps it will peak if someone creates a full blown-away modern website with all CD-i info including high res pics and videos.

Lots of CD-i players died anyway or will die soon thanks to the horrible CD-i battery design. So fewer and fewer people will pick up a new player or get interested in it. If only there were more people like Alan, those people are RARE!

Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 4:24 am
by Trev
I feel like I missed out when the forum was more active. Like many, my CD-i player had died thanks to the horrible battery design you mentioned. Even though I checked in on occasion, it was tough to bring myself to chat when I knew I couldn't play ...

Now my player is woking again, but sadly in the gap of time it seems that things have slowed to a near crawl. I appreciate your thoughts Bas, and (sad as it is) your realistic assesment is probably correct. I'm thankful for your past activity here on the forum, and I'm a fan of your blog. Near as I can tell, it's the only active dedicated CD-i site out there. Even if your activity here stays on the lower end, I hope your blog continues.

I may send you a pm w/some thoughts. But thanks for your reply in any event. :)

Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 3:17 pm
by Seb
I totally agree with Trev on the blog. Seriously, great work in keeping the spirit of CD-i going strong on there! It's jammed packed full with interesting CD-i info and a lot of that info has been lost from other sources. I hope it sticks around!

Hopefully, someday, someone makes a new CD-i reference site again.

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:56 am
by Austin
Likewise, I appreciate the work put into both the forum and the blog. Both proved to be excellent resources when I began to get back into the platform a few months ago!

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:56 pm
by Alan_Eng
Thanks very much Bas for your comment - really appreciate that! I want to say that I think it is thanks to your website too that the interest in cd-i is still there, and yours is a fantastic resource for all info relating to cd-i. Keep up the great work.

As for when Blackmoon peaked, I would say in 2002. At this time, we were all so excited by the first cd-i release in 3 years.... from Oldergames.com - called''Go''. And even better was to come - in August 2002 at the classic gaming Expo they released another three cd-i games.

Like Bas, I am pleased to see renewed interest in the cd-i this year. I agree that the battery problem is awful. In 2004 my cd-i 350 portable lost all of it's memory one day and all my progress in 'Myst' was gone :cry:
The players that everyone should now be looking for are: portable cd-i 370, Goldstar GPI-1100M & 1200M, DVS VE-200 (as mentioned by Shrooman the other day), LG GDI 700M, and the Philips 490 model (I have been told it has a much longer battery life).

I would really like to see Devin come back, as he put so much work into making Blackmoon what it is today. Along with Interactive Dreams, they are keeping cd-i alive.

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 3:11 pm
by Jamisonia
One thing keeping people from getting into the CDi community is the very high prices demanded for CDi stuff, especially given is low demand relative to other retro game systems.

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:36 pm
by cdifan
Perhaps DVC support for CD-i Emulator could help renew the all-around interest? I've been steadily working on it for the past few weeks, but there's still a ways to go...

I've also been disappointed in the silence on the homebrew / co-developer front, when just last year there appeared to be so much interest.

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 12:20 am
by Merijn
Hey bas..i seem to remember you mentioning some rebel assault news in 2011.... Hows that coming along? Other than that, great work with the blog, i still check in quite regularly to see what you dug up :D

Merijn

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 1:52 pm
by Bas
Merijn wrote:Hey bas..i seem to remember you mentioning some rebel assault news in 2011.... Hows that coming along? Other than that, great work with the blog, i still check in quite regularly to see what you dug up :D

Merijn
Hi Merijn, good to see you're still here :)
Stories about Rebel Assault and Discworld were around the corner early 2011 but we have to wait for Devin to return 'home' :D

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:48 pm
by Alan_Eng
Can't wait to hear all about those games Bas. I was very disappointed that Discworld never made release, despite a full review in cd-i magazine!

All the best,
Alan

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 9:17 pm
by K1ngArth3r
Discworld is something I really want to try and program for the CD-i

But i'm a novice so will take time unless I can get help from those who know more.

I'm willing to put in the hours but most of that time will be learning as opposed to making any actual progress with the game itself

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:16 pm
by Merijn
Hey Bas...how frustrating to be so close to those great stories and then have to wait again. So what's up with Devin? Notice Black Moon hasn't been updated in ages..?

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 3:05 pm
by Gaara
I've been hoping for some time to make some videos for YouTube that will, um, discuss the system in a more positive light than usual (not that they'd be over-flowing with praise, just that they'd be a bit more neutral), but it will be some time until I am able to even begin planning such videos.