All Hallows Eve

johpower · Post by **johpower** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:04 am

So, with All Hallowed's Eve '03 here, I thought it would be creapy to tell tales 'round the forum fire about horrifyin' game antics.

I start off with a fright from the very earliest Crypt of Games, where the cobwebs are so thick you could serve badmitten with someone's head in them. The year is 1981, so long ago some of your parents hadn't made out even once yet. Avalon Hill Game Company's "Microcomputer Games Division" mad scientists worked in the deepest, darkest, pre-64k days. The lightning was flashing. The Jacob's Ladder was sparking. On the cold green-screen slab was compiling "Galaxy", for the IBM PC (48k), TRS-80, PET, Apple II, and Atari 400/800.

I starts off calmly: You open the box and..... there's a 4 page manual, a 40 page catalog (some are actually computer games), a parts list and price sheet (for replacement pieces!), a single sided 180k 5-1/2" floppy with a cassette TAPE!!!! EEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKK!!!!! (chains rattle) And, what's this? A pad of ship log sheets!!!! Aaaahhhhh!!!!!!

Now, all those who once had a TAPE run "computer" (heh-heh):

If you'd had an Atari 400/800 (16k tape), you'd insert the basic cartidge (kaCHUNK) and insert the tape, side one UP, in the TAPE RECORDER (click-schnick-snap). Switch on the Atari console after you make sure the cassette TAPE is rewound, BUTTTT!! Ye shall not let the tape wind hard at the end of the tape or the poor thing would stretch, as upon the RACK. (clack-clank-clank) Now at the Atari console, run "C:" <return> and listen for the beep of the 4-bit mocking bird within. Now you press "play" on the cassette recorder. The tape would ccccrrrrreeeeekkkkkk forward and you hit <return> again AND, IF you did not over wind and stretch the tape (clank-clank-clank), the word "Galaxy" would appear upon the TV screen (GASP!!). Confirming the start with the <return> AGAIN, you turn up the TV volume and the mmmooooaaannnn of the load would be heard. In long, anxious minutes (4-5) you await the loading of Galaxy. Many would stiffen their resolve with a quick resort to the bottle at this time. Then, mmmaaaayyyybbbbeeee, the game would start to the relief of all and sundry.

If you had the Apple II (16k "beyond BASIC" tape) and have it up and running, the TAPE must be wound forward to the Apple program. Ye find this part by listening to the whiny little speaker. The ear and mic jacks might need to be cleared to hear it. The data buzz sounds cease and then your ears are hit by the high, pure tone "EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" of the Apple calibration lead in. You gasp as you realize it's very much similar to the atomic melting phone in "Fail Safe". When the tone stops (whew, New York is still here in this time-space continum!) you stop the tape... before the program starts to run. At the keyboard you type "LOAD", press "PLAY" on the recorder and deftly <return> on the Apple. Cross your fingers for several minutes as the TAPE runs, hoping your sister hasn't recorded some Britney on it instead. Then a second "BEEP" will sound and you type "RUN" and <return>. Then, mmmaaaayyyybbbbeeee, the game would start.

Commodore - PET: CBM (16k tape) fans found their program on SIDE 2. Wind the tape to the front and start your computer with the sys disk. Type "LOAD" <return> and then "PLAY" on the cassette. Again, you can go make a chicken pot pie as it wwiiiinnnnnddddddssssss in. The screen will popup a ready when,.... well, ready. "RUN" and <return> gets you to nirvana. You can rest just a minute now.... you can't hear the knives are being sharpened in the dungeon.

The real horror, emerges: TRS-80 (in 16k cassette only) Aaahhhh-hah-hah-hah-hah!!!! After the Commodore noise on side 2 is your Trash-80 data. Again you listen for the end of one kind of data noise and the start of the other, cueing a few seconds on front by pulling out the tape and HAND winding it a few secs back. The volume must be set to the 5-6 level, typically, or more noise than data will be made. Fire up the 80 and let it stabilize. As a darkness hangs over your worthy efforts, it is appropriate that you type in "CLOAD", start the TAPE and then <return>. If ye have the 80 Mod 3, the screen will (we hope) show, "CASS?". Ye then type "L" <return>. If this is accepted, type "CLOAD" and start the TAPE and only then <return>. The stalking of Jason or Freddie is revealed as the TAPE loads in. An asterisk flashes ominously as the minutes ooohhhhzzzzz by. Suddenly "READY" comes up and ye input "RUN" <enter>.

Now, just when you thought you were safe and running out the door, IBM PC (48k RAM, no tape,... being a "real-by-G*D-computer" and running CP-M or even DOS 1.1) NEEEEEEDS ye to FEEEEEED it a super-high-capacity-48k 5-1/4" floppy disk after you start the PC on a sys disk. WWWWoooooooooooo!!! Or if you were incredibly rich and had a real-by-G*D-HARD-DRIVE with maybe 5 MEGAbytes of storage, you didn't swap disks; you just PUT IT IN and ROTATED THE LEVER!!!! At the flashing ">" ye types "BASIC" <enter> (not <return>, as this is a "real-by-G*D-computer"), and swap the game floppy for the sys disk. I say swap, as this disk won't usually work in an IBM PC with a real-civilized-by-G*D-2nd-floppy-disk without possibly rewritting the game code. Then from the BASIC screen, ye types "GALAXY" <enter> like it's a real-by-G*D-computer-program-with-a-name! I mean, like if gorillas heaving bananas can work, why not GALACTIC CONQUEST?!!!

*Giant Vigon space ship rumbles overheard. It's making noises about some hyperspace bypass. I wanta Watneys...... poofff*

Oz · Post by Oz » Sat Nov 01, 2003 5:25 pm

my god!!! i remember those days, even though i only turned 15 2 months ago. (i'm an early starter).

may i point you to this site, johpower. it may interest you.

www.pouet.net

part of the infamous demoscene, which has been around since you were a young boy, no doubt. check out fr-08: the .product, and Rise. those are my favourites. by Tube it the best, at only 256 bytes. (beat TAHT, MYCORSOFTY!)

John The Ax · Post by **John The Ax** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 10:54 am

*Shudders in horror*

johpower · Post by **johpower** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 2:51 am

OOOhhhh, this site will need some serious exploring. Everyone get your tombgear and guns. We're goin' in!!!

Uhhhh, You first......

Post by **Dogbreath** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 3:36 pm

Hey! In all horror movies, it's always the whimpy dude who doesn't want to go into the scary room that gets eaten first...

*steps into the site and comes back out screaming in horror*

Or maybe not!

johpower · Post by **johpower** » Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:38 am

What, no NO

NOOOOO

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

*WHAMP, CHOMP, munch, crackle-crackle-crackle, GULPPPP, belch, "Hummm, needs salt and curry. Next....." THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.....*

Oz · Post by Oz » Tue Nov 04, 2003 4:30 pm

heh heh... i mean oops. now for wally4000....

Thunderdog · Post by **Thunderdog** » Thu Nov 06, 2003 7:19 pm

How come when I went to this Halloween party, I was the only one as a Victim!?

Oz · Post by Oz » Fri Nov 07, 2003 11:36 am

cause you're easy to pick on and you don't fight back. simple.

Thunderdog · Post by **Thunderdog** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:12 pm

I can fight back... So long as I'm armed.

Oz · Post by Oz » Fri Nov 07, 2003 3:24 pm

heh heh... poor ThunderDog. he's an american now, and it shows.

Thunderdog · Post by **Thunderdog** » Mon Nov 10, 2003 9:23 pm

How do you know I live in the US? for all you know, I'm Irish!

Oz · Post by Oz » Tue Nov 11, 2003 3:18 pm

t'aint hard, man. you left clues all over the board and your writing style has changed. i'm not dumb.

well, ok, i AM dumb, but i'm not stupid. wait, i'm not silly. wait, i'm not.....

oh, forget it. i'm useless.

Kazer0 · Post by **Kazer0** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 3:24 pm

Can't be Irish, doesn't sound drunk...

Oz · Post by Oz » Tue Nov 11, 2003 3:27 pm

irish people aren't all drunk. my mom's irish and she's fine.

but what IS true is that twice as many canadians died falling out of bed last year than died from SARS.

KAZER0 IS MY HERO!!!!!!! HE IS TEH BESTEST EVER!!!!!

Kazer0 · Post by **Kazer0** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:06 pm

Im going with the latter part that says SARS isnt a problem, than going with Canadians are stupid.

Post by **Dogbreath** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 8:03 pm

Luckily, both are true...

Now then, what aboot them tricksie beds? Burn them, I say!

Kazer0 · Post by **Kazer0** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 8:27 pm

I have bunk beds, to myself of corse. It would hurt to fall off.

Thunderdog · Post by **Thunderdog** » Tue Nov 11, 2003 10:29 pm

I'm drunk! I'm just in New england! In 10 Degree weather, in November.

Oz · Post by Oz » Wed Nov 12, 2003 11:15 am

And only 24 canadians died of falling out of bed last year. si sars wasn't a problem.

and it's 10 degrees or less for 6 months of the year in old england.

Obscene content deleted. :Angry: -Dogbreath