In this piece we play the long versions of our two songs, mixed with a segment from our movie "The Best *#@! Christmas Ever: An Atari 8-bit Journey Into The Vertical Blank" To lay out just what The Vertical blank means to us and why we use it as the metaphor for the retro gaming hobby.

Video version here:
https://youtu.be/qudbVpMUCWI

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley++,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave theVelociraptor
Jolt7800
wesbrown18
Daniel Stephens
Chris++

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by @8bitrocket and or @fultonbot unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios
#Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #GenerationAtari

Into The Vertical Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Out of the Vertical Blank Theme By Tony Longworth

Into The vertical Blank On Blue SKY @8bitrocket.bsky.social

Into The Vertical Blank on Mastodon

@[email protected]

facebook https://www.facebook.com/intotheverticalblank

Atari 800, Blue Max, and the Zen of Vintage Computing
A crack the seal, an essay, a something, whatever this is.

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley++,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave theVelociraptor
Jolt7800
wesbrown18
Daniel Stephens
Chris++

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by @8bitrocket and or @fultonbot unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios
#Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #GenerationAtari

Into The Vertical Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Out of the Vertical Blank Theme By Tony Longworth

Into The vertical Blank On Blue SKY @8bitrocket.bsky.social

Into The Vertical Blank on Mastodon

@[email protected]

facebook https://www.facebook.com/intotheverticalblank

The story from Season 2, Episode 5, remastered.

Video version here:

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave theVelociraptor
Jolt7800
wesbrown18
Daniel Stephens

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by @8bitrocket and or @fultonbot unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios
#Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #GenerationAtari

Into The Vertical Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Out of the Vertical Blank Theme By Tony Longworth

Into The vertical Blank On Blue SKY @8bitrocket.bsky.social

Into The Vertical Blank on Mastodon

@[email protected]

facebook / intotheverticalblank
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The Worst Game Visits The So Cal Retro Expo 2025.
Additional music:
Music: Heart Of Neon (Spectral Grid Mix) - Tony Longworth

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave theVelociraptor
Jolt7800
wesbrown18
Daniel Stephens

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by @8bitrocket and or @fultonbot unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios
#Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #GenerationAtari

Into The Vertical Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Out of the Vertical Blank Theme By Tony Longworth

Into The vertical Blank On Blue SKY @8bitrocket.bsky.social

Into The Vertical Blank on Mastodon

@[email protected]

facebook https://www.facebook.com/intotheverticalblank

STOS The Game Creator (and like software) might have been seen as silly or non-serious shortcuts for hobbyists, but for many many people it became entry point into the world of professional software development. This is just one such tale, the story of "Zamboozal Poker Dice"

Video version here: How STOS Helped People Forge Careers in Software

The is a re-edit and and re-master of podcast from season 3. 

Original Zamboozal on Atarimania.com: https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-zamboozal-poker-dice_37004.html
2020 Update on Atarimania.com: https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-zamboozal-poker-dice_37016.html

#atari #atarist #atariste #stos #dit #bedroomcoders

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave theVelociraptor
Jolt7800
wesbrown18
Daniel Stephens

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by @8bitrocket and or @fultonbot unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios
#Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #GenerationAtari

Into The Vertical Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Out of the Vertical Blank Theme By Tony Longworth

Into The vertical Blank On Blue SKY @8bitrocket.bsky.social

Into The Vertical Blank on Mastodon

@[email protected]

facebook https://www.facebook.com/intotheverticalblank

If you were a teen,  pre-teen, or even a curious adult with an 8-bit computer in the 80’s, you most likely started your journey as a computer enthusiast by playing with the basic language included with your machine.  Some typed in a few programs, then moved to games and never looked back, while many of us were so engrossed in the power to control the computer and especially create games,  that it became an obsession that we still feed off of today.  

Eventually many of us sold or traded up to an Amiga or Atari ST and we found that basic languages bundled with the machines, at least before the advent of the Super, or Power pack bundles, was lacking in any game making ability. In fact, some of the basics were so poor that many of us were put off trying to program on these newer faster machines at all. 

Enter the game creation basics!
If you were an ST owner in 1989 or an Amiga owner just one year later, your prayers were answered by a fantastic set of tools by a tint French development team of two genius developers. 

Video Version: https://youtu.be/kK4QrccSChg

Full notes available here: https://intotheverticalblank.com/2025/06/02/140-the-game-creator-atari-st-stos-history-games-community/

A lost tape from 2023. Jeff and I sit down to talk about our friend Brandon, the day we found out he passed away. Brandon was with us on our gaming adventures from 1982 to 2023.

In 2008, when quite literally, NO ONE CARED we published a multi-part series called "Project Save Atari" with ideas and predictions for Atari's future. In 2024 we sat down to revisit it, and see how we did. These are the lost tapes from 2024 and 2008. These were predictions and suggestions to help save the then struggling Atari/Infogrames. In this lost tape from 2024,w e went back to look at the 17 year-old "Project: Save Atari" and see how we did. We also unearthed another lost tape...from 2008 where we discussed it all in context.

Web text here:
https://intotheverticalblank.com/2025/05/04/how-well-did-we-predict-ataris-future-in-2008/

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave theVelociraptor
Jolt7800
wesbrown18
Daniel Stephens

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by @8bitrocket and or @fultonbot unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios
#Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #GenerationAtari

Into The Vertical Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Out of the Vertical Blank Theme By Tony Longworth

Into The vertical Blank On Blue SKY @8bitrocket.bsky.social

Into The Vertical Blank on Mastodon

@[email protected]

facebook https://www.facebook.com/intotheverticalblank

In the final episode of "Worse Than E.T. ?" we attempt to, once and for all, find the "worst Atari 2600 game", even if we have to make it ourselves...so we do.
Here is the itch.io page for the game when you can download it, get the code, see the box-art, etc.
All free, of course.
https://intotheverticalblank.itch.io/worst-game

#worst #atari #atari2600 #humor

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt,
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave theVelociraptor
Jolt7800
wesbrown18
Daniel Stephens

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by @8bitrocket and or @fultonbot unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios
#Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #GenerationAtari

Into The Vertical Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Out of the Vertical Blank Theme By Tony Longworth

Into The vertical Blank On Blue SKY @8bitrocket.bsky.social

Into The Vertical Blank on Mastodon

@[email protected]

facebook https://www.facebook.com/intotheverticalblank

What Does It Mean To Finish A Game? Atari 2600, 400/800, 520/1040 ST
A lost tape from 2022, finally released. Inspired by an episode of The Retro Hour, We discuss all the games we "finished" for Atari platforms. With gobs of new video for each game.
#atari #atari2600 #atari800 #atari400 #atarist

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Opening 0:00
Adventure (2600) 2:15
Breakout (2600) 5:31
Dragonstomper (2600) 7:31
ET (2600) 10:05
Haunted House (2600) 11:51
Fantastic Voyage (2600) 13:50
Raiders of the Lost Ark (2600) 15:23
Star Raiders Star Master Phaser Patrol (2600) 16:27
Laser Blast (2600) 17:56
Escape from the Mind Master (2600) 18:14
River Raid (2600) 18:37
Pitfall (2600) 19:07
Hero (2600) 19:42
Pitfall II (2600) 20:03
Crypts of Chaos (2600) 22:17
Jungle Hunt (2600) 22:45
Vanguard (2600) 23:07
Archon (Atari 400/800) 23:42
Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves (Atari 400/800) 25:12
Bruce Lee (Atari 400/800) 26:27
Excalibur (Atari 400/800) 27:20
Easter Front (Atari 400/800) 28:30
Ultima IV (Atari 400/800) 29:30
MULE (Atari 400/800) 31:51
F16 Strike Eagle (Atari 400/800) 33:08
Murder on the Zinderneuf (Atari 400/800) 34:23
Soft porn Adventure (Atari 400/800) 36:37
Star Raiders (Atari 400/800) 37:39
7 Cities of Gold (Atari 400/800) 38:14
Star League Baseball (Atari 400/800) 39:29
One on One (Atari 400/800) 39:50
Pinball Construction Set (Atari 400/800) 40:25
ET Pone Home (Atari 400/800) 42:14
Karateka (Atari 400/800) 42:57
Battle Hawks 1942 (Atari ST) 44:46
Kings Quest 1 and 2 (Atari ST) 45:50
Phantasie I, II, III (Atari ST) 46:45
Wizards Crown (Atari ST) 49:11
Demons Winter (Atari ST) 50:16
Dungeon Master (Atari ST) 51:06
Kult (Atari ST) 52:46
Xenon 2 (Atari ST) 54:01
Kickoff Player Manager/Kickoff 2 (Atari ST) 54:57
Gateway to Apshai (Atari 400/800) 56:02
Karate Kid 2 (Atari ST) 56:24
Balance of Power (Atari ST) 56:33
Battle Tech Crescent Hawks Inception (PC on ST via AT-Speed) 57:39
The Price is Right (PC on ST via AT-Speed) 56:09
Closing 59:40

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt,
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave theVelociraptor
Jolt7800
wesbrown18
Daniel Stephens

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by @8bitrocket and or @fultonbot unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios
#Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #GenerationAtari

Into The Vertical Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Out of the Vertical Blank Theme By Tony Longworth

Into The vertical Blank On Blue SKY @8bitrocket.bsky.social

Into The Vertical Blank on Mastodon

@[email protected]

facebook https://www.facebook.com/intotheverticalblank