ANTIC The Atari 8-bit Podcast

Bruce Campbell, APX Character Fun

Bruce Campbell is the author of Character Fun, an educational game which was published by Atari Program Exchange. It appeared in the winter 1983 APX catalog — the final APX catalog.

This interview took place on September 22, 2016.

Shortly after we did this interview, Bruce sent me scans of the source code printout for Character Fun, it's now online at archive.org.

Character Fun source code: https://archive.org/details/AtariCharacterFunSourceCode

Character Fun the the winter 1983 APX catalog

Character Fun at AtariMania

Ed Stewart and Ray Lyons, APX Letterman

Ed Stewart and Ray Lyons co-wrote Letterman, an educational word game that was first available in the winter 1982-1983 Atari Program Exchange catalog. Ed also wrote two articles for Antic magazine: "Hokey Pokey Interrupts" - on using POKEY timers in assembly language - and "Talk Is Cheap", a 1-bit audio digitizer. Ed also had two articles in Compute!'s Second Book of Atari: Memory Test and Back Up Your Machine Language Programs With BASIC.

This interview took place on September 15, 2016. The first voice you'll hear is Ed's.

"They played that thing for days. They would love to try and stump each other by typing in their own word, primarily."

After the interview, Ray emailed me this update: "There's one fact I wished I had included--and I'll tell you just in case you find it useful: This would have probably been early in the 2nd year of the sale of Letterman via the APX. Atari contacted us and asked us to sign some legal documents giving them permission to port Letterman to a ROM for one of their game platforms. My recall is that it was for the 2600. But I'm wondering if they were announcing a new model. Or maybe it was an updated 2600 with a keyboard added? Sorry for this lapse. Anyway, they said they needed educational software to demo this on the new device at a trade show in New York City that year. The Toy Fair I think it was. We never did hear back from Atari about whether they actually carried through or not. If I run across any paperwork about this, I'll send it to you."

Letterman in the winter 1982-1983 APX catalog

Letterman at AtariMania

Antic magazine articles by Ed Stewart

Compute!'s Second Book of Atari: http://www.atariarchives.org/c2ba/

Blog Post by Ray Lyons: https://libperformance.com/2009/03/05/technology-20/

Russ Walter, Secret Guide to Computers

Russ Walter is the author of Secret Guide to Computers & Tricky Living, a book that he has been publishing and updating since 1972. It is currently in its 32nd edition; he's working on the 33rd now. The book has evolved with technology and time — the current versions cover modern machines like Windows, Android, and iOS. The early editions covered then-modern machines like the Atari 800, TRS-80, Commodore 64, and Apple //.

In addition to the book, Russ provides a free technical support phone number, which he invites people to call at any time, day or night. (My copy of the book, from 1987, says right on the cover: "Call 24 hours: he's usually in and sleeps only lightly.") Though the phone number has changed, some 30 years later, that is still a feature that he offers.

This interview took place on September 15, 2016.

"The craziest call that I got was a girl, sounded like she was 7th or 8th grade or something ... wanted to know how to attract her boyfriend to her."

Secret Guide web site: http://SecretFun.com

In this episode of Antic the Atari 8-bit podcast, we visit vintage computer festivals and upgrade our systems. We fail to spend thousands of dollars on rare new hardware.

Recurring Links

Floppy Days Podcast

AtariArchives.org

AtariMagazines.com

Kevin's Book "Terrible Nerd"

New Atari books scans at archive.org

ANTIC feedback at AtariAge

Atari interview discussion thread on AtariAge

ANTIC Facebook Page

AHCS

What we've been up to

• Paul Westphal at Eight Bit Fix - http://www.eightbitfix.com
• VCFMW 11- http://vcfmw.org
• Suburban Chicago Atarians (SCAT) - http://www.scatarians.org/
• Randy's Presentation at VCFMW11 on Modern Upgrades for Vintage Computers
• Edladdin controllers - http://www.edladdin.com/
• TransKey II for XEGS - http://ataribits.weebly.com/transkey-ii.html
• Ultimate Cart runs by Santosp (Panagiotis Santos)
• Ultimate Cart run by MacRorie
• Atlanta Maker Faire. Oct 1 & 2 - http://atlanta.makerfaire.com/
• Dial-A-Grue - https://dial-a-grue.com
• VCF West XI -- Paul Laughton — Mainframes to micros and beyond
• Harry Stewart stuff:
• • Atari WSFN - An Introduction - draft
  • Atari WSFN Manual Draft
  • Atari Diagnostic Cartridge Evaluation Memo
  • FORTH Assembler For 6502 Microprocessor
  • Fig-FORTH Glossary
  • Atari Calculator Cartridge Specification
  • Atari BASIC BNF - Backus–Naur Form
  • Atari BASIC Known Problems Memo
  • Atari DOS Manual Outline and Draft
  • Overview Of Atari DOS Version 2.4+
  • Atari MEDIT draft manual
  • Atari Music Composer draft manual
  • Atari Star Raiders draft manual
  • Atari Assembler Editor draft manual
  • Colleen Calculator - Atari 8-bit - source code
  • Colleen Floating Point Routines
• Atari 800 iTalk II voice synthesis Demonstration
• Yokoonomatopea - Benjamin Biolay
• Atari 800/iTalk II unboxing - https://youtu.be/XY6gM5QAOtk

News

• Atari 1090 XL Expansion System Prototype WITH COVER for 800XL 600XL for sale on eBay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/291849042910
• Atari 1400XL Rare Vintage Computer on eBay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/322227321151
• Silicon Valley History - http://www.SiliconValleyHistory.com
• OSS BASIC XE, Mac/65 and Integer BASIC source code released into the public domain
• • OSS-D-Day part 1-BASIC XE V4.2-cart&source now in PD
  • OSS-D-Day part 2-MAC/65 >1.02-cart&source now in PD
  • OSS-D-Day part 3-Integer Basic & source code now in PD
• Atari Blast! Game released - for 8-bits and 5200
• • Video
  • Download
• Excel Magazine Issue #2 - Robert Stuart - http://www.excel-retro-mag.co.uk
• ABBUC Software competition 2016
• • AtariAge
  • ABBUC
  • Full list of submitted games at AtariOnline.pl (Google translated)
• Retrochallenge 2016/10
• Atari800MacX
• • is not compatible with SIerra — sound doesn't work
  • Altirra 2.8 Wine port for macOS Sierra
• ComputeHer (Michelle Sternberger, half of 8-bit Weapon) released a new Chiptune album called "BLIPTASTIC!" - https://computeher.bandcamp.com/album/bliptastic
• Master List Of Missing / Undumped Software
• Jumpman Reverse Engineering Notes - http://www.playermissile.com/jumpman/
• Level Editor in Omnivore http://playermissile.com/omnivore
• Jumpman Level Design contest
• Video demoing how to use the level editor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_KhNS8nk70
• Retro Asylum Podcast
• New videos put up by Nir Dary:
• • 1050 upgraded with Mega Speedy
  • Backing up carts onto disk - https://youtu.be/Ham1-4lKBJ4
  • Ultimate Cart - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUjxAX0sHLI
• Vintage is the new Old with Paulo Garcia - http://vintageisthenewold.com

New at Archive.org

• Salesperson's Guide
• Portland Atari Club Computer News February 1990
• https://archive.org/details/AtariHomeComputersCatalog
• Atari In-Store Demonstration Cartridge Instruction Guide
• BBS Express
• K-DOS Cartridge for Atari 8-bit Computers
• MPP Smart Terminal source code
• MPP Microfiler - Atari - Source Code
• MPP Microfiler - Commodore 64 - Source Code
• 21 new issues of Twin City Atari Interest Group newsletter
• Atari Character Fun Source Code
• Text Wizard manual
• Diggerbonk manual
• APX Space Chase manual
• The Write File manual
• AtariWriter Plus Full-Size Manual
• VCF — Paul Laughton — Mainframes To Micros And Beyond
• Atari and the Business of Video Games: Crash Course Games #4 - https://archive.org/details/youtube-r8gHnuv7U_o
• The Video Game Crash of 1983: Crash Course Games #6 - https://archive.org/details/youtube-x4F_sZiAl7s
• Games Crash Course Videos
• https://archive.org/details/Page6-Issue11982
• Atari 130XE Schematics

Of the Month

• Book- A.N.A.L.O.G. An Atari 8-bit Extra
• Websiste- Ken's Classics, not been updated in awhile, but some interesting utilities for programmers - http://atari.kensclassics.org/a8programming.html

Feedback

• Game Grumps - https://www.youtube.com/user/GameGrumps

End of Show Music

• Blog entry
• Better Blues - MIDI Computer Blues V3

Monty Webb, APX Seven Card Stud

Monty Webb published one program through Atari Program Exchange: Seven Card Stud. The program first appeared in the summer 1982 APX catalog, where it won second prize in the entertainment category. He also self-published the program as Real Poker I, his publishing company was called Real Software.

This interview took place on September 14, 2016.

Teaser quotes:

"And then I could call up a certain sector on a track...and then WHAM, I'd knock a hole in the disk."

"There were shortcuts to try to get that to fit in 16K. ... Somebody was really hot because he has a straight flush that's higher than someone else's straight flush, and the pot split. So he goes crazy and writes me a nastygram..."

AtariMania's list of Monty's software

Seven Card Stud in the summer 1982 APX catalog

Elizabeth MacRae, APX Mankala

Elizabeth MacRae published one program for the Atari 8-bit computers: Mankala, which was published by Atari Program Exchange. It first appeared in the fall 1982 APX catalog, where it won second prize in the entertainment category.

This interview took place on September 13, 2016. After the interview, Elizabeth sent me a scan of the Mankala manual, which is now available at the Internet Archive.

"They didn't think personal computers on everyone's desk was the way to go, because everything worked fine the way it was, with the mainframe handling all of the applications, and that was it."

Mankala in fall 1982 APX catalog

Mankala manual: https://archive.org/details/APXMankala

Douglas Crockford: Galahad And The Holy Grail, Burgers!

Douglas Crockford worked in Atari's Game Research Group under Chris Crawford. There he created a variety of demos -- including Ballsong and Crockford's Trench -- and games. He created Galahad And The Holy Grail, which was published by Atari Program Exchange in summer 1982; and Burgers!, which was published by APX in winter 1983. After Atari, he worked at LucasFilm where he worked on Atari games including Rescue on Fractalus! and Koronis Rift.

This interview took place on July 16, 2016.

Teaser quotes:

"For most of what we wanted to accomplish it was not possible to do things correctly. So it was all about cheating."

"If they hired an executive and he wasn't working out, it was too much trouble to fire him, so they would assign him to special projects."

Crockford's web site: http://crockford.com

Galahad And The Holy Grail in the summer 1982 APX catalog

Burgers! in the winter 1983 APX catalog

Crockford's games at AtariMania

Wikipedia on Crockford: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Crockford

Dewitt Robbeloth, AKA Robert Dewitt, Editor of Antic magazine

Dewitt Robbeloth, who went by the pen name Robert Dewitt, was editor of Antic magazine, STart magazine, and the short-lived II Computing magazine. He also freelanced for InfoWorld and other computer magazines. He was the editor the book "The Best of Antic Volume 1," published by Antic Publishing.

This interview took place on July 14 and 15, 2016. In it, we discuss Jim Capparell, whom I previously interviewed.

Teaser quotes:

"The bathroom flooded. So someone had the bright idea, since we were giving the paper away ... they decided to take our magazine and put it on the floor of the bathroom so it would sop up the water."

"I had to go up and sit at the big table. I had to keep my back to the wall so that nobody would see that my pants were split open."

Antic articles credited to Robert DeWitt and DeWitt Robbeloth

Best of Antic book at archive.org

Best of Antic book at AtariMagazines.com: http://www.atarimagazines.com/index/?issue=vbook

Jim Capparell interview

Bob Smith: Video Pinball; Imagic co-founder; Sleazy Adventure

Bob Smith worked at Atari, where he created Video Pinball for the Atari 2600. He also wrote two programs for the Atari 8-bit which were sold by Atari Program Exchange: Sound Editor and Sleazy Adventure, which both appeared in the inaugural APX catalog, fall 1981. He left Atari to co-found the game developer Imagic, where he programmed Riddle of the Sphinx, Dragonfire, Moonsweeper, and other games. Then he went on to work on games at Bally, Electronic Arts, and Accolade.

This interview took place on June 24, 2016.

Teaser quote: "I have two kids, no degree. I walked in to Atari and said, "I've written a game and sold it. ... Wanna hire me?' And Dennis Koble did."

Sleazy Adventure in the fall 1981 APX catalog

Sound Editor in the fall 1981 APX catalog

Gaming After 40 blog Plays Sleazy Adventure

National Videogame Museum: http://www.nvmusa.org

Bob Graves, Gridiron Glory

Bob Graves co-wrote Gridiron Glory, a football game which was published by Atari Program Exchange. The game first appeared in the winter 1982-1983 APX catalog. His co-author was Mike Drury, who was unavailable for an interview. Bob and Mike created two other Atari computer programs: Asteroid Artist and Ramblin Gamblin, which were published by their own company, MicroMate Software.

This interview took place on June 14, 2016.

"We'd go to the state library and look up historial records for the different football teams and how they did under certain circumstances. ... We'd come up with tables that would be cross-referenced when different plays were called."

Gridiron Grit - Computerized football for the ATARI - article in Antic magazine: http://www.atarimagazines.com/v2n7/gridirongrit.html

Gridiron Glory in the winter 1982 APX catalog

Bob's software at AtariMania

Gridiron Glory manual: https://archive.org/details/APXGridironGloryV3