Ron Corcoran Decision (12/10/06)

Hello fellow gamers:

After discussing at great lengths with Todd Rogers yesterday, the current worldwide Atari editor/referee, it has been decided that it is in the best interests of Twin Galaxies and the general gaming community to handle Ron Corcoran's Atari 2600 posted records as follows...

-> All records that are absolutely verifiable shall remain...previous thread replies on the matter provide support for several of his records

-> All remaining 2600 records will be unpublished from the TG database until such as time down the line that Ron Corcoran may be able to provide corresponding documentation to support these scores.

That said, I will collate the final validation replies tomorrow evening after work, picking up where my colleague Andrew Peter Mee left off. I do believe that with the aformentioned decision on Ron, coupled with the recent validation replies received by Andrew, will account for the vast majority of all 2600 records in the TG database.

The physical reclass will begin on Tuesday (12/12) evening. I will begin by instructing my fellow referees first on how this will go down by specific title/variation, and then share with the general gaming community.

In short, not every variation has validated submissions from every possible sub-platform (Orig NTSC, Orig PAL, Orig SECAM, EMU).

Existing variations will be renamed to include a PREFIX code in the variation name of \"Orig NTSC - \" (same for PAL and SECAM) or \"EMU - \", either of which will be followed by the actual variation detail.

For example...let's take \"Skiing\" (Activision).

Orig NTSC - 1B
Orig NTSC - 1A
Orig PAL - 1B
Orig PAL - 1A
Orig SECAM - 1B
Orig SECAM - 1A
EMU - 1B
EMU - 1A

Of these variation possibilities for just \"Skiing\" games 1A and 1B, only those with actual submissions will be in the TG database. Further, the existing variation will be renamed with the prefix commensurate with whichever sub-platform has the most submissions within that variation.

Other variations will be added with the corresponding prefix and then the scores themselves shall be moved manually. There is no other way to handle.

Each new variation set-up, depending on internet access speed, as well as each score reclassification as needed, will be done manually and will thus take time. As I cannot think of a more efficient way to monitor progress than starting alpha by game title/variation, I will do just that starting Tuesday evening.

Last but not least, NEW additions to the TG database will begin Tuesday evening. This is how that will go down so as not to lose control of the process.

-> My fellow referees will E-MAIL or PM me with whatever title/variation and sub-platform they need to add scores to

-> I will respond by telling them that they can either (A) add to the existing variation as is since only the variation name will be changed, or (B) I will establish the necessary new variation for the score(s) in question and will also amend the existing variation so as to polish off the complete variation across all sub-platforms with submissions.

Okay, that's the status of Ron's scores and the physical move.

Status updates will be provided every night or so with an update by letter of how this has progressed. For example, I might post a status update that says \"AA thru BE\" done, meaning all titles beginning with letters \"AA thru/including \"BE\" (such as \"Berzerk\") should be fully reclassified.

Eventually, and only time will tell, the 2600 section of the project will be complete, and then we will move on to the ColecoVision platform. We have the good fortune that Stephen Knox remains on staff. That is a valuable asset in determining the score classifications once we reach that hurdle.

For now, this is the 2600 reclass and no action will be taken on the CV reclass until this phase has been completed. However, being that this is the largest platform to be reclassed, future phases will go much faster.

That's it for now.

Robert