retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers
@retrocomps.bsky.social
22K followers 1 following 7.1K posts
Semi-automated posting of old computers and videogames. Sometimes other bits of retro aesthetics and design. ~6-8 posts a day, ~24 posts on holidays. ⚠Outbound links tagged and monitored by Bluesky.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3h
The more things change, the more things stay the same. (Source.)
An ad from the classifieds section of the August '85 issue of Computer & Video Games. It reads, "BUSINESS opportunity for quality Games Software Programmer. I have an idea for an original computer game, but not the knowledge to program it. Help me out for 50/50 split on profits. Apply in writing to Computer Game...." And then the rest of the address, which has been edited out of the image so we don't innundate the new tenant with the hundreds of programmers leaping to take 50% of the profit of an 80s computer game.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 9h
"With Peter Pan, EA*Kids is doing something absolutely new..."
An ad from the October 1993 issue of Compute magazine. In the center, Captain Hook has a indian woman tied to a post, but is terrified in turn of a dolphin the anthropomorphic handbrush and hand of a childlike god. Peter Pan, stage left, looks on in surprise. Stage right, the tiny font describes a game that will let "boys and girls age 5-9 become the hands of the animator," describing a paint-driven choose-your-own-adventure game. The logo for "EA*Kids" at the bottom evokes the squiggly aesthetic of Fido Dido style mascots that were popular in the early 90s "benign disaffected" marketing schemes.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 15h
Hit-Bit 10 (Sony, '85)
The Hit-Bit 10 is a MSX 1 computer, sold with Lode Runner and a BASIC manual. Unlike most coputers before or sense, the Hit-Bit 10 is a blazing cherry red.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 21h
I could make a whole sub-bot based just on programming books with dragons on the cover. (Source.)
A blue book. Up top, pteradactors and the Interface Publications logo flirt through the sky. In red text, the words "Creating ADVENTURE GAMES on your DRAGON 32." Center, the main art - a muscular black-eyed green dragon reaches forwards with a great big paw, crushing a tiny thatched-roof cottage. The red text at bottom reads, "Clive Gifford."
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 1d
I looked up the artist of this ad, Martin Kenwright. Mr. Kenwright's had a long and storied career in computer games: working on Tetris ports out of college, flight sims in the 80s, sold one company to Ocean Software, sold two different companies to Sony, not bad for a cartoonist. (Source.)
Top, the title: "Interactive BASIC Programming 48K ZX Spectrum & Spectrum+" Center, a Martin Kenwight cartoon; left, the user imagines the old way, reading books while the comptuer reads "ERROR", and getting rustrated; right, the user is happily computing, using Eigen software to learn how to program his micro. The tagline reads: "The only ZX Basic programming course that runs in your Spectrum and gives you complete control over your computer." Dense ad copy touts the twelve Learning Modules, as well as a giveaway of two Epson FX80 printers; the footer gives the name and address of Eigen Software, and their slogan, "Create Reality," which is really a lot to put on a speccy.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 1d
Paint on your computer in over 100 colors with 96 different brushes!
In this William Geise illustrated ad, the title "Computer Graphics" appears up top, being cast from a giant Apple II monitor on an iceburg; the casts are a gradiant from purple to orange to yellow to green to blue to purple again, hewing towards neon tones. From the tan Amdek monitor flies a red biplane, a parachuting penguin, and a leaping unicorn; dolphins jump from the ice into the monitor. Around the iceberg, a sea otter peeks up, a penguin tap-dances, and a whale tale lifts a unicorn on a floe. The monitor is sitting on a giant Apple II. Down below, breathless text describes three different programming packages: "For the artist: Special Effects by David Lubar and Mark Pelezarski. Paint on your computer in over 100 colors with 96 different brushes!" "For the designer: The Complete Graphics System II by Mark Pelezarski. Everythign needed for computer-aided design." "For the programmer: The Graphics Magician by Mark Pelezarski, David Lubar, and Chris Joehumson. Add fast, smooth animation and hundreds of pictures to your programs." In the bottom left, the penguin software logo appears next to ordering information, with a sunfish floating to its left; at the very bottom it says, "All Penguin applications products are now on unprotected disks for your convenience."
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 1d
Edison had 1,800 patents in his name, but you can be just as inventive with an Apple. (Source.)
Top Left, a putative illustration of Edison besides multiple prototype light bulbs - and an Apple computer. To the side, the headline "Edison had 1,800 patents in his name, but you can be just as inventive with an Apple." Below, dense ad copy with heading "How Apple grows with you," "Apple speaks many languages," "More illuminating experiences in store," and beneath, the rainbow apple logo reading Apple Computer, Inc. At the bottom, an Apple III with integrated disk drive and detached keyboard is left, and an Apple II is right, with a bamboo fan on the Apple III, which is ironic given the system's heat issues.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 1d
The VTech Precomputer Powerpad
A grey laptop of early 90s design, with dozens of 'function' keys for each built in application - and a surprisingly nice mechanical keyboard - but the 'screen' is a tiny 4 line 20 character LCD surrounded by a faux Windows interface.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 2d
Alter Ego (Mac, 1986)
An old System 6 status window reads: "That wraps up your status for the very first years of life. I hope you like yourself. If not, you can always try to improve in the years to come. There's plenty of time." Buttons are Continue and Escape.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 2d
DEC VT-100 (1978)
A catalog shot of the VT-100 features a white-on-black monichrome monitor, a black monitor inset in a white case, and a black keyboard frontispiece and keys over a white keyboard case, set in a 70s warm umber backshot. The text, barely visible, features various forms of graphics characters, fonts, double-height lines, and inverse video; the 'digital VT 100' slogan appears case right.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 2d
Buy a portable and get a desktop free.
Left page top, the side profile of the Toshiba portable computer, showing power port and 3.5" floppy drive. Left page bottom, statistics ("17.0 pounds, 16 MHz 386SX with 20387SX-16 coprocessor socket...") and a view of the expansion options ("one full-length, one half-length... [and] three dedicated internal expansion slots"). Right page top, the portable opened up, showing full mechanical keyboard with keypad, an amber monochrome 640x480 plasma screen, and system status lights worked into the monitor case. The bottom right includes ad copy ("The new Toshiba T3200SX. Take it. See how far you can go.") and company slogal ("In Touch with Tomorrow: TOSHIBA.").
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 2d
The 'Clementina', Argentina's first computer, a Ferranti Mercury mainframe named for its demo program that played "My Darling Clementine." Installed 1961, and effectively destroyed in Onganía's Night of Long Batons in 1966.
A replica of the Clementina computer. It's an 18m long computer with a desk, a QWERTY machine with photoelectric tape reader on the right, and a hardware monitor on the left; image left, one vacuum tube rack lies open, revealing the vacuum tube network within.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d
Long before Robot Unicorn Attack, "Always" got some serious MIDI work in this strange Tetris clone. This is TRIS-ME (1997). (Source.)
An old school Windows shareware title with a lot going on. Menus are Play, Options, Info, and (greyed out) "TRIS-ME 1997 (C) Unregistered Version." The playfield is a standard black field with falling Tetronimos composed of rounded spheres of various colors. Top left are colorful notes of Level, Score, Money, and Bonus; playfield left is the Next indicator, with hearts, clovers, magic wands, and a timer. Top right is a spellbook, with the colorful word "CAST!" below; below that are various spellcasting reagents, and their point values. A strung-out orange tank cat with green stripes has a chat balloon, currently empty, where messages would appear; at the bottom right are the buttons "Play!", "Buy!", "Stole!", and "Return!" The whole thing is set up against a faux-granite backdrop.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d
If you want more detail about the RatecaPUTER than is available... anywhere else, Oh! Ishi, who was able to do a teardown of one of the very few units that exist. (It was invaluable when fixing my alt-text.)
ラテカピュータ
retropc.net
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Reposted by Retro Computers
nomindrewind.bsky.social
O.H. Westberg @nomindrewind.bsky.social · 3d
teaching an old paperclip new tricks
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d
THE HULK HAS GONE SOFT
In an ad that was printed on special flourescent paper to give it a "radioactive" green gradient (meaning, it scans very poorly), Commodore advertises a first party adventure game: "QUESTPROBE: THe Hulk: A Marvel Adventure." Screenshots show Bruce Banner looking in the mirror, the Hulk looking in a morror, and a transformation scene.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d
Only 200 were made. But that hasn't stopped everyone who walks into Sharp's industrial design museum from wanting to walk out with one of these beauties.
The Sharp Rateca Puter. Up top, left to right: a collapsable TV/radio antenna, brightness and contrast dials, a giant speaker, a smaller speaker, and input for the tapedeck, with the play counters that were more common on the day. Face, left to right: A 4.5 inch CRT (behind a plastic guard), VHF/UHF and radio dials, channel and band selectors (TV/COMP, FM, Shortwave, and Middlewave), the "RATECA PUTER' logo on the battery gauge, AFC switch, mode selector, tape deck controls, audio controls for balance, bass, treble, and volume, and a mollyguard to prevent dials and switches from being mashed (the mollyguard being a signature of Sharp's boomboxes of the time). Face, low: the collapsable carrying handle that doubles as a stand; computer power button; slide-out chiclet keyboard based on Sharp calculators of the day, with number pad; an LED clock, clock controls, alarm controls. Right side: mic jacks, earphone jacks in two different sizes, beat cut switch, fan exhaust, DC and AC power plugs, and a printer port (!). Help I'm trapped in an alt text factory
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d
Despite a strong opening act, Commodore made multiple errors through the 80s. Perhaps one of the biggest ones was the Sanyo Amiga CD-X. The CD-X was set to use the established Amiga 500 electronics and receive Japanese arcade ports from Taito, Capcom, Sega, and Konami... in 1989. (Source.)
Up top, the headline: "SANYO FIRST OFF THE BLOCKS WITH A CD-ROM AMIGA 500? A combined CD-ROM/Amiga had already been developed in Japan as early as last August, the Express can reveal." The article describes how the specs resemble an Amiga 500, but the case resembles an Amiga 2000 with a Sanyo badge; while Commodore US knew nothing and Commodore Japan did not respond (not terribly good signs), the quote from the lead engineer Nakamura stated they were looking forwards to porting Amiga home titles to the Japanese market. But don't go looking for one at your local used game shop. Instead, this deal would fall through and they would spend 1990 shovelling out the C64 "Games System" (like a C64 you can't program, but more expensive!) and spend further development money reinventing this working Amiga with the CDTV (1991, 2 years later, 60000 units sold) and the CD32 (1994, 4 years later, 125000 units sold).
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Reposted by Retro Computers
sinclairresearch.bsky.social
Sinclair Research @sinclairresearch.bsky.social · 4d
Ace forever!
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 4d
If flying your IBM® PC got any more realistic, you'd need a license. (Source.)
Up top, the slogan: "If flying your IBM® PC got any more realistic, you'd need a license." Upper half, dense ad copy with headings like "The plane inside your PC," "The world beneath your fingers," "The learning curve," "The Ace in your soul," and "Throttle on." At the end of the ad copy, the MICROSOFT "pixel earth" logo, with the slogan: "Better Tools For Microcomputers." Below, the viewer is put behind a tilted art-deco airplane control panel, looking towards a vaporwave horizon; the plane is lining up for Runway 18. The registration on the dash, N4081L, belonged to a real Piper PA-31 Navajo in the 80s, and the instrument panel is (with some artistic license) what it would look like if you were sitting in the copilot's seat.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 4d
Rogue (DOS, 1984)
ROGUE: The Adventure Game. The game of Rogue was originated by: Michael C. Toy and Kenneth C.R.C. Arnold Adapted for the IBM PC by: John Lane. Significant design contributions by: Glenn Wichman and scores of others. Public Domain Software - 1984, not to be sold. Rogue's Name? Player
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 4d
The Bard's Tale III. Wasteland. Wolfenstein 3D. Jazz Jackrabbit 2. Out Of This World. Baldur's Gate II. Neuromancer. Battle Chess. Rock & Roll Racing. And, let us not forget: Super Noah's Ark 3D!

Rebecca's work is everywhere in this industry, and she deserves our support and our love.
burgerbecky.bsky.social
Rebecca Heineman @burgerbecky.bsky.social · 4d
I’ve started a GoFundMe to help with my cancer battle gofund.me/6850175a3
Donate to Help Rebecca Ann Heineman Fight Aggressive Cancer, organized by Rebecca Heineman
I’m Rebecca Ann Heineman. The very first video game champion, creat… Rebecca Heineman needs your support for Help Rebecca Ann Heineman Fight Aggressive Cancer
gofund.me
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 4d
Don't get upset, it's just a syntax error. (Source.)
an panel from "Shogakukan Encyclopeida 191: You Can Make It Too! Famicom Games" showcasing a screen from the Famicom: "NS-HUBASIC v2.1A © NINTENDO/SHARP/HUDSON 1982 BYTES FREE OK". To this, the kid typed in: "Let's play some cool games!" The Nintendo replied with: "?SN ERROR OK" The boy's eyes are bugging out, saying "WHAT IS THIS?" and the girl is replying, "There's no games coming out!" Any transcription errors are mine.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 4d
Let's revisit the Jupiter Ace, and see why even in those days it was unlikely to carry the good name of Forth forth.
From Popular Computing Weekly for 20 Jan 1983, the article "Juipter Ace revisited." Three images (all of the Ace) fill up space, while an extremely commented article gives the listing for a Galaga knockoff, 'Alien Swarm' - then reveals the 35-line program is 'as complex as the limitations of memory allowed'.
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retrocomps.bsky.social
Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 5d
SKATE OR DIE
In an ad from Compute! Gazette, April 1988 (shortly before skating became Absolutely Huge), this extremely 90s ad features a skater doing a hand plant in a technicolor maelstrom suggesting palm trees. Headings read "The Wildest Multi-Event Game Ever!" (above the graffiti logo), "Mad Max on Wheels" (by a half-pipe screenshot), "Skate & Destroy" (in the top-down overworld), "Rodney's Skate Shop" (speaking to a lawyer-safe punk rendition of Rodney Dangerfield), and "Lester" ("Free 'Lester' sticker in every package!"). "Software by David Bunch, Michael Kosaka, Stephen Landrum." By Electronic Arts, with their classic ECA logo.
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