E’ stato forse uno dei giochi più rivoluzionari della storia, di quelli che hanno creato un vero e proprio genere. Precedentemente il primo passo era stato fatto da Double Dragon, la vera e propria svolta per i picchiaduro a scorrimento è arrivata certamente con Final Fight.

Prodotto nel 1989 dalla Capcom, doveva essere il seguito del primo Street Fighter, ma ebbero una geniale intuizione e spostarono le loro idee su un genere diverso. La sua presenza nelle console mondiali è impressionante; la Capcom lo ha sviluppato per ben 14 console diverse (tra le altre Amiga 500, Amstrad, Commodore 64, Super Nintendo e Sega CD). Purtroppo, ahinoi, è stato protagonista di alcune censure, tra tutte quella in cui su alcune console solo due personaggi erano selezionabili (Haggar e Guy) a discapito di Cody, non presente.

La storia è narrata nella mitica Metro City e vede un’associazione di criminali, denominata Mad Gear, rapire la figlia di Mike Haggar. Tutto si svolge attorno a questo evento e lo scopo era di liberare la ragazza dalle grinfie del boss finale.

Per quanto riguarda il gameplay del gioco, ci troviamo a parlare di un picchiaduro 2D a scorrimento, in cui si utilizzavano due tasti (uno per picchiare ed uno per saltare). Alla pressione di entrambi i tasti contemporaneamente, il personaggio eseguiva una mossa speciale, che però toglieva un po’ di energia durante l’uso. Si poteva eseguire una presa premendo il tasto per picchiare, quando si era quasi attaccati al nemico.

Qui sotto elencati, ci sono tutti gli episodi della serie:

• Final Fight (1993)
• Mighty Final Fight (1993)
• Final Fight 3 (1995)
• Final Fight Revenge (1999)
• Final Fight StreetWise (2006)

QUI il filmato del primo mitico Final Fight.

Il cavaliere in mutande…

Lo abbiamo giocato sull’Amiga 500, sul NES, sul Super Nintendo, in sala giochi e in molte altre console…chi non si ricorda del povero Arthur, che combatteva in boxer i suoi nemici!

Ma partiamo dagli antipodi. Per chi non lo sapesse, Ghost ‘n Goblin, sviluppato dalla allor giovanissima Capcom, usci nelle sale giochi nel 1985 e, dato l’enorme successo, usci l’anno seguente su Commodore 64.

Il gioco era un platform 2d, a scorrimento orizzontale, dove impersonavate appunto il povero Arthur, costretto a farsi larogo a piedi in mezzo a zombie e demoni di vario genere. Non aveva una barra di energia, bensì al primo colpo accusato rimaneva in mutande, mentre al secondo moriva, diventando un mucchietto di ossa. Il gioco consisteva nel superare ben 7 livelli (all’epoca erano proprio tanti!) per arrivare a sconfiggere il Demone finale e salvare la sua amata principessa. Durante il percorso, Arthur era in grado di ottenere nuove armi (pugnali da lancio, torcia infuocate, lancia, crocifisso ed ascia). Poteva anche acquisire l’armatura d’oro, prendendo l’oggetto armatura (che ricovera uno stato di energia) quando già la possedeva.

Negli anni futuri, il nostro Arthur uscirà in tre versioni restyling precisamente:

1. Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (1988)
2. Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts  (1991)
3. Ultimate Ghouls ‘n Ghosts  (2006)

QUI potete gustarvi il filmato del gioco

Eccoci di nuovo qui!

Questa volta abbiamo voluto sperimentare un modo nuovo di fare podcasting. Per meglio venire incontro alle esigenze di internet, dei social network, per rendire più fruibile gli episodi senza farli troppo lunghi e per renderli ancora più “on demand”, abbiamo spearato l’episodio 2 in tanti mini-episodi che usciranno regolarmente durante le prossime settimane.

In questo primo mini-episdio abbiamo parlato di una band tedesca, davvero forte! Fanno musica con una chitarra, un Commodore 64 e la scheda audio di un Game-Boy; brani semplici, orecchiabili, molto ben prodotti… Ricordano il krautrock di gruppi più famosi come i Kraftwerk… Il gusto delle loro melodie è molto “vintage”, che riporta la mente a quelle bellissime musichette tipiche dei videogiochi degli anni ‘80 e ‘90.

Trovate maggiori informazioni sulla band in questi siti:

PORNOPHONIQUE – Sito Ufficiale

Melodicamente.com – Recensione da un blog italiano

Jamendo – Pagina della Band

Oggi abbiamo ascoltiamo:

Sad Robot

Lemmings in Love

Rock’n'roll hall of fame

>>SCARICA L’EPISODIO 2-1<<

It’s funny the turns Life takes.

I started programming in the eartly 1980s, on Timex Sinclair, Commodore 64 and TRS-80 computers in short order.  In those wild days when high-level languages were really coming into their own, free and open source software seemed more readily available than retail equivalents.  Hobbyist magazines, online bulletin boards and even the fledgling internet (pre WWW) were stuffed with code just waiting for eager learners like to me to take and tweak.  There wasn’t much in the way of formal free and open source protocol at the time– that evolved soon enough though.

But as I evolved myself, from hobbyist to ad hoc developer for various employers, I found myself drawn in deeper and deeper to the closed source world.  I discovered I had a liking and knack for Visual Basic and thus fell into the Microsoft development vortex.

It’s a seductive and powerful sucker, too.  It was all too easy to be “bought off” by events with (ironically) free training, free food and even giveaways of free software.  I ultimately joined a Microsoft program that dumped thousands of dollars of tools in my lap for an embarrassingly small outlay.  Resistance was futile.

Yep, I was assimilated.

Flash forward to 2005 when Nokia hired me to do data mining/management for factory quality assurance.  At first it was the usual: Microsoft SQL Server, the Office suite, VB.NET and even Oracle.  The only real challenge I faced at the time was ramping up SQL skills to an enterprise level.

Then, as I’ve mentioned in previous articles, the Nokia 770 internet tablet burst into my life.

At first it was an utterly alien object, this Linux-driven refugee from an old Star Trek show.  I only knew it mobilized the Internet like nothing else at the time… and I wanted to put it to work.

I eventually took on a new role as quality engineer for certain Nokia products and that included the 770 and then the N800, which I helped launch.  Supporting the tablets meant getting acquainted with something I had marvelled at from afar but never touched until then:

Linux.

At first I had to perform all device flashing from a Linux command line.  A helpful colleague introduced me to Ubuntu and after acquiring a laptop for the work I dug in.  Just not too deeply– I was still using Windows tools for the bulk of my labors so I didn’t really have time to invest in becoming a Linux guru… although the desire was certainly there.

And now a few years and turns later, I find myself in another role where the old trusted tools need not apply.  I haven’t even coded in VB for over a year!  Couple that with my current employer’s strong desire to save money and wham!  I’m back in the open source world.

Which is fine because I’m embarrassed that after a few years embedded in the Maemo culture I’ve barely picked up anything.  I want to do more application testing and even some development but I still lack the foundation.

So I’m excited by the opportunity I have in my employment to investigate a process workflow solution (more on that in another article) that’s completely open source and takes full advantage of the open source ecosystem (MySQL, Apache, OpenBravo, Knowledgetree, Zimbra).  This is my chance to pull free of the Microsoft vortex, at least a little bit, and gain some proficiency in what I think will ultimately become the status quo.

I’m ready now to get into Qt… Python… and whatever else looks useful.  How-To posts like those at talk.maemo.org showing how to get Windows developers onto Maemo devices are just adding irresistable fuel to the fire.

Hello (open source) World, here I (finally) come!

Super Zaxxon beziehungsweise ursprünglich nur Zaxxon genannt, ist ein klassisches Arcade-Spiel aus dem Jahre 1982. Der Entwickler Sega schuf mit diesem Spiel eine Art Shoot’em up, welches man mit der Kontrolle eines Raumschiffs meistern soll. Meistern deshalb, weil einem auf dem Flug, wie soll es auch anders sein, zahlreiche Gegner entgegen fliegen, die nur darauf aus sind, dich bzw. dein Raumschiff vom “Himmel” zu holen. Daher bleibt dir nichts anderes übrig, als jene ebenfalls zu beschießen und somit ins Jenseits zu befördern. Umso mehr Gegner man besiegt und je weiter man sich durch die kosmische Basis kämpft, desto mehr Punkte gibt es dafür, was demzufolge eine Highscore-Jagd fördern soll. Schließlich wurde es, wie so viele Spiele aus diesem Zeitalter, auf dem Atari 2600 veröffentlicht, wo das Erzielen von Rekordpunktzahlen an der Tagesordnung und notwendig für’s Geschäft war. Als weitere Startplattform ist der ColecoVision zu nennen.

Das Besondere an Zaxxon war der Einsatz einer isometrischen Perspektive. Mit deren Hilfe konnte eine gewisse räumliche Tiefe erzeugt werden, weshalb man es kurzerhand als quasi-3D-Scroller bezeichnen kann. Nerdig ausgedrückt, wäre das  dann ein Upper-Right-Diagonal-Scroller – jedoch wäre es damit nur halb beschrieben. Es gibt nämlich desweiteren die Möglichkeit, das Raumschiff nach links und rechts, sowie nach oben und unten zu steuern. Dadurch kann man auch Hindernisse, wie etwa Mauern, überfliegen. Das Spielprinzip wurde dabei vom quasi 2D-Vorgänger Scramble kopiert. Um sich davon ein genaueres Bild machen zu können, hier ein Vorschauvideo:

Zaxxon war, vermutlich gerade wegen des revolutionären Spielprinzips, äußerst erfolgreich. Daher folgte noch im gleichen Jahr Super Zaxxon, bei dem es am Ende einen Roboter zu besiegen galt -  es wurde ein Bossgegner hinzugefügt. Außerdem wurde es innerhalb von 2 Jahren, also bis 1984, auf sage und schreibe 13 Plattformen portiert: unter anderem auf den Commodore 64 und das Sega Master System. 1987 erschien der Nachfolger Zaxxon 3-D und ein Klon namens Panther. 8 Jahre später (1995) folgte dann der letzte Teil der Serie für den Sega 32X: Zaxxon Motherbase 2000.

Aber genug der Worte: Spielt es (KLICK) !

I was thinking back to my childhood recently as I was fighting my kids over computer time. We just purchased a new computer a couple of weeks ago so we’re all very excited over getting to know it. This is the first computer we’ve bought in about 11 years — I know, hard to believe myself. Our old Mac finally quit, for good — otherwise, I’m sure we’d still be fighting over that tired, old bubble. I’ve thought about getting my two oldest kids laptops. I say it’s to help with their school work but really, I need face time with the keyboard.

When I was in middle school, I remember my best friend getting a computer for her home. Some of you will remember what a true phenomenon this was back in the early 80’s. The Commodore 64. It was — at the time — the most incredible thing I had ever seen. It plugged directly into the television. I remember playing some rat race game on it and I remember being able to type things on it (of course, there was no printer so the typing was fairly pointless). When I started high school, everyone wanted to take the computer classes. We had those Radio Shack machines and learned to write programs where you could guide the tank around and blow things up.

In college, we had to send our papers to a typist — they were usually the only ones with access to a word processor much less any type of printing capabilities (unless you were lucky enough to have a parent with a secretary). But my sophomore year, a girl arrived in the dorms with a computer and a printer. We all flocked to her room and did whatever we could to become her best friend — she never let anyone but her roommate use that thing. Trips to the library, late at night, to finish papers were never-ending.

When my husband and I got married, his mother bought him a word processor. It could print the papers out — amazing. Of course, I had already completed my undergraduate degree… but, it did come in handy as I helped write his papers. Then finally, as I was beginning my graduate studies — we purchased our first real home computer — printer, internet access, the full package. I still remember sitting down to that bubble Mac and being amazed — it came with a CD encyclopedia. I watched the Hindenburg explode and Martin Luther King speak at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and Billie Jean King win the Battle of the Sexes — all right there from that disk on my computer. Access to the internet was mind-blowing — even though it took nine minutes to begin and the only thing available was AOL — but still, it was incredible.

My father bought a computer a couple of years before he passed away. He researched computers for months before he found the right one. Since he was already retired, we weren’t really sure what he was looking for in his computer — but watching him study all the brands and types, creating grids and flowcharts, was quite humorous. He ended up getting one that — I believe — had enough capabilities to guide the next shuttle launch.

He used it for pictures.

Really good pictures.

Pictures of his kids and grandkids, vacations, holidays … everyday. There are hundreds of pictures stored on that computer. He developed albums and added goofy captions to them. He used it to create a pictorial legacy — much better than a shuttle launch. That computer crashed a few months ago — I have faith that some computer tech can fix it. I’ve got to get it fixed.

I have to admit, sometimes I make up reasons to ground my kids from the new computer so I can get some time on it (of course, I won’t be able to use this parenting technique anymore now that I’ve outed myself). So here I sit, hoping the Vampire Diaries stay on long enough for me to finish a thought, contemplating buying laptops in the name of improved grades. Once again, I’ve discovered something I’m doing that has the appearance of being a great parent, but, in actuality, is out of sheer selfishness.

But, I cherish this new computer. I completely covet it when my kids are using it — I’m constantly thinking about what I’m going to do once my turn comes around. My kids will one day recount stories of the computer they had when they were young and how all their mother did on it was write stories.

In the mean time, as I ever so patiently wait for my turn, I can jot down thoughts on the iPhone — another amazing piece of technology (one that my husband regrets ever surprising me with). Unfortunately, the kids have taken it to play games on at the moment .

Those additional laptops seem like a great idea.

A quanto pare e’ partita una catena di S. Antonio, fatta di post in cui si mettono le foto della propria scrivania/postazione di lavoro, con in bella mostra i propri o il proprio computer. Ha iniziato dottorblaster, ha proseguito picchiopc. Potevo forse astenermi dal seguire questa catena? Si, potevo, ma non l’ho fatto, perche’ l’idea e’ divertente e perche’ e’ da tempo che volevo fare una foto di famiglia ai miei computer passati e presenti, e anche a quelli adottati, perche’ fanno parte della famiglia a tutti gli effetti.

Ecco dunque il primo arrivato, un Olivetti M300-28, ha 15 anni compiuti pochi giorni fa, se li porta benissimo, veloce come una scheggia (notate la figurina di Bip Bip nel bordo del monitor). Il DOS 6.22 impiega tre secondi ad avviarsi, Windows 3.1 ne impiega 25. Stracciando cosi’: Ubuntu 9.10 con 40 secondi, Ubuntu 9.04 con 51 secondi, Windows Vista con 67 secondi e Windows 7 con 72 secondi [1]. Eccolo qui in tutto il suo vecchiume (l’ho pulito, ma e’ rimasta un po’ di polvere):

Olivetti M300-28 (1994)

Il secondo arrivato e’ un PC assemblato, acquistato nel 2001. In questo PC sono installati Windows XP e XUbuntu 9.10 (quasi, come potete vedere dalla foto e’ in corso l’avanzamento di versione):

PC assemblato (2001)

Infine l’ultimo acquisto, il computer portatile della ASUS, il piu’ giovane della famiglia, e’ del 2007. In questo notebook c’e’ Debian Lenny:

ASUS A6M-Q049A (2007)

Ed ecco il nuovo arrivato, l’ho trovato l’anno scorso (2008) abbandonato dentro una scatola in un magazzino, dovevano buttarlo via. Quindi l’ho adottato e ora fa parte della famiglia. E’ un Commodore 64C, quindi dovrebbe avere circa 23 anni (e’ nato nel 1986). Eccolo in tutto il suo nostalgico aspetto:

Commodore 64C (1986)

Nella soffitta a casa dei miei nonni dovrebbe esserci un Amiga, quasi quasi quando capita vado a fare una foto anche a lui.

[1] Vedi: “Vista, Windows 7, Ubuntu 9.04 and 9.10 boot speed comparison” per ulteriori informazioni. Comnque non capisco molto l’importanza di simili test, soprattutto perche’ Windows Vista e 7 hanno un sistema che “prevede” le applicazioni che l’utente sta per avviare e precarica alcuni processi per velocizzare il tutto, ma questo richiede tempo. Insomma, non sono sicuro che i test siano eseguiti correttamente. [^]

[^] torna su | post<li> | 

]]> http://perkopp.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/ny-hylle-i-musikkskapet/ Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:11:44 +0000 perkopp http://perkopp.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/ny-hylle-i-musikkskapet/

Jeg har vært innom at jeg vokste opp med Commodore 64 og seinere Amiga (500 og 1200).

I den gamle Commodore-tida ble det skapt legendariske spill, der grafikk og musikk var magisk. I disse comeback-revival-tider har også C64-musikken gjort comeback.

Og jeg elsker det.

Det vil si, jeg hørte en La Roux-låt på P3, og syntes den var ganske fengende. Litt ulikt meg, da det i utgangspunktet ikke virket helt som min stil (som heller mer mot “klassisk rock”), men så la jeg merke til det: de magiske lydene…C64-musikk!! Enormt!
Og pakket inn med La Roux-papir ble rett og slett enda en skapdør åpnet!

Og takk for det

Kjøp albumet via iTunes

You may remember JOMG’s exclusive interview with the creators of the upcoming PC version of Armalyte.

This remake of the classic Commodore 64 shmup has been sanctioned by the original rights holders AND it’ll come out in a proper CDROM box.

We must be edging closer to a release date now, with publisher Psytronik releasing a big batch of screenshots. Here’s a few of them…

If you haven’t tried it already, there’s a single-level demo available on the Psytronik downloads page.

Oh, and there’s plenty more great new Armalyte screenshots on the Psytronik site.

Chipsounds, the new piece of software (from Plogue), which emulates classic sounds from old school chipsets, many which are difficult to purchase and/or obsolete. The Chipsounds plug-in, was reproduced with sonic accuracy in-house, at Plogue’s facility. With Plogue’s vast catalogue of cartridges, classic computers, and modified consoles the sounds we’re compiled.

Some of the sounds reproduced are from the actual chipsets emulated; by combining custom-made circuitry and low-level 8-bit software code.

Here’s a list of some of the chipsets provided within the plug-in:  TIA (Atari 2600) , AY-3-9010 (Intellivision), POKEY (Atari 400/800), VIC-I (Commodore VIC-20), SN76489AN (Colecovision), SID (Commodore 64), 2A03 (NES) and the P8244, and DMG-CPU.

Aside from the video above (which provides a mere glimpse) I’ve provided a link from Plogue, showcasing an EP made entirely of Chipsounds instruments.

Until November 1st chiptune lovers who produce, or those who just seek to experiment, can purchase the software from Plogue for $75.

For more information on the Chipsounds software go to the Plogue Website.

Syntax Error du blog http://retro.invaders.com/, m’a signalé la vente de cette console C64 GS, qui ira rejoindre les autres enchères record !

N’hésitez pas à m’envoyer d’autres liens d’enchères.

Saludos a todos aquellos alumnos de 8-bits de Indiana Jones. Les doy de nuevo la bienvenida a esta columna que desde hace un rato andaba un poco letárgica. Confieso en que tras un excelente inicio se me acabó un poco la memoria (metafóricamente hablando) y desenterrar nuevos episodios de aquellas pretéritas épocas se me complicó un poco. Créanme que el primer desilusionado soy yo.

Pero bendita sea esta época de redes sociales donde puedes conocer a un montón de gentes que mas o menos se acuerdan de esos pintorescos días del inicio de Internet. En ese sentido me ha permitido conocer a muchos contemporáneos que también han encontrado en estos posts un buen motivo para recordar viejas glorias.

Una de las mas prominentes en esta lista es una bloguera que tiene todo mi respeto, la famosa Rox de Rox-Cyclic Life. Ella también chambea en este negocio de sistemas, consultoría y demás y la verdad ha sido una de las personas que mas he llegado a apreciar con todo y que somos cuates a control remoto. Rox es computita desde los 13 años y lleva renegando de eso -y de sus congéneres- unos diez.

UPDATE: Hoy fué su último dia en la infecta chamba de QA que tenía. Apláudanle porque tuvo los pantalones de botar esa  chamba para poder dedicarse a lo que realmente le llama. Soy su fanboy irredento. Lo confieso.

Y bueno, sabiendo que a ella también le tocó está época, ¿pues quién mejor que ella para darnos otra visión de lo que fueron esos locos días ochenteros cuando tantas cosas comenzaron? Sin mas preámbulos le dejo el escenario a la irreductible Rox…

En el inicio de nuestros días, los computitos no eran esos símbolos sexuales que ahora somos.  Uno de los hombres más ricos del mundo no era un ñoño, ni había genios con pactos diabólicos para evitar que ni su manzana, ni su hígado se pudran. Las tarjetas de red se “programaban” de forma mecánica y únicamente en las universidades contaban con salas con computadoras conectadas (que entonces no era sinónimo de internet).

Si, eran los 80’s.  Cuando aún había guerra fría, la moda era exageradamente ridícula y Madonna reinaba el planeta.  Los domingos eran para Raúl Velasco, bailábamos a Timbiriche y Lucía Méndez asustaba por las noches.  Comíamos en Burger Boy, usábamos Bubble Gummers y, sin TLC, los Milky Way eran placeres casi vetados.

Las computadoras no tenían mouse (no lo necesitaban) y algunas, ni a disco duro llegaban.  Si el sistema operativo no estaba cargado en memoria ROM, tenías que arrancarlo con un floppy de 5.25, mismos que dabas vuelta como LP, para que la unidad leyera el “lado b”.  Eso, era para las computadoras muy modernas, porque las primeritas leían un cassette secuencial, que tardaba horas en cargar.  Literalmente, horas.  Los monitores monocromáticos en ámbar o verde les daban un toque tecnológico, aunque algunos ordenadores podían utilizar tu televisor en vez de monitor.

Aunque Apple, IBM y HP ya existían, marcas tan bizarras como Radio Shack, Atari, Timex, Zenith o Printaform (sí, los que hacen papelería) tenían su computadorcita en el mercado.  La Commodore 64 se cuece aparte, por favor.  Fue a mediados de esa década cuando se llevó a cabo uno de los parte aguas en la historia computita.  IBM crea su PS XT /AT con sistema operativo MS-DOS y procesador 8088 y 8086, las bisabuelas de nuestros PC Windows / Intel-based que casi matan a Apple en los noventas.

Eran tiempos extraños, con niños extraños que gustaban más de computadora que de una bicicleta.  Esas dulces criaturitas que, mucho antes de haber sentido un orgasmo, se habían volado la cabeza con un “Hello Word” programado en BASIC secuencial.

Cuando le pedí a mis padres un Nintendo, ellos me compraron una Commodore 16.  “Es una computadora y un videojuego a la vez” me aseguraron.  Tenía yo 13 años y me negaba a usar brassiere.  Y la computadora se negaba a cargar los juegos rápidamente, ya que eran en cassette.  Enojada por crecer y por no tener un videojuego de alto rendimiento, mis padres cedieron a mis reproches cambiándola por una Commodore 64 con unidad de 5.25.  Entonces aprendí una instrucción maravillosa: Run nombredeljuego.exe,8,1 con la que tenía acceso al increíble mundo de los videojuegos.  Las gráficas, colores y sonidos pateaban por mucho a la consola japonesa.  Mis favoritos eran Summer y Winter Games, Bruce Lee y Moctezuma Revenge.

Aqui es donde se espera que todos ustedes se pongan de pie y guarden un momento de silenciosa reverencia.

Ya resignada a usar bra y con 15 años, entré a un curso de verano de computación en el planetario.  Ahí aprendí las partes y funcionamiento de la computadora y más importante aún: a programar en BASIC.  Hacer que un aparatito siga tus órdenes es de las mejores primeras veces del mundo.  Me dediqué a copiar programas que aparecían en revistas y a ejecutarlos. Una computita había nacido.

¿Pero cómo veía el mundo a estos genios incomprendidos? ¿Cuáles eran sus modelos a seguir?

Dirijamos nuestra mirada a Hollywood.

En TRON, un programador de juegos ARCADE busca hackear un programa y así demostrar que él lo programó y que le robaron su creación…  Sin embargo es digitalizado y la pelea se desenvuelve en un terreno binario, o la versión monocromática y hollywoodense del mismo.  Una obra de arte visual y conceptual, si me preguntan. (N. del A. – Este tema por supuesto que ya se tocó en estás páginas)

Mientras tanto, en WAR GAMES un joven de mente inquieta encuentra una entrada a una computadora militar estadounidense.  Si no es la primera referencia a una red en el cine, si es de las top.  Lo que el mocoso creía era un juego, resultó ser un programa para activar los misiles contra la URSS y comenzar la tercera guerra mundial.  En un final épico, la computadora con la que jugaba insiste en lanzar los misiles, por lo que es “distraída” jugando gato.  Al final, el chamaco salva al planeta, viva USA. (N. del A. – Esto también ya se tocó dentro de esta misma serie, claro está.)

A casi a finales de la década, una serie televisiva sobre un niño genio y doctor -Doogie Howser M.D- cierra todos los capítulos con una reflexión escrita en un diario… algo así como un rudimentario blog. Si, la tecnología ya era para cualquier mortal¸ pero tenías que ser un genio para utilizarla.

¿Y en México? El canal 13 era del gobierno y se llamaba Imevisión.  Dentro de su programación existía un programa llamado Concursor, en el cual se hacían “retas” de juegos en Commodore 64… y no recuerdo nada más.

Hackers. Fans de videojuegos. Nerds.  En los ochentas, eso era un computito según la cultura popular.  Con internet disponible a ciertas horas para 3 universidades y hasta el último año de la década, no había tecnología alguna que pudiera contradecir esta imagen social.

En los noventas, con la llegada del pirateado Windows 3.1, el uso generalizado del mouse y de TCP/IP como protocolo de comunicación, se hizo posible el acercar las computadoras y el internet al populacho. En el 93 nace Mosaic (abuelo del navegador que estás usando) y lo demás es historia.

Ahora los computitos somos vistos como… hackers, fans de videojuego, nerds. Creo que algo salió terriblemente mal.

Esteee… Pues si, la neta si, con la diferencia de que ahora los computitos dominan al menos una parte del mundo (ver “Google”) Pues muchas gracias a Rox por este extenso y completo post. Confío en que no sea el último en este blog. Ha sido un honor.

A mi sólo me queda darles las gracias por su tiempo y atención y rectificar la única omisión que cometió Rox en este artículo y que me atrevo a mencionar:

Hubo un serie mas en los ochentas que se volvió la definición misma de los chavitos que Rox menciona al principio. Yo en lo personal, no me la perdía.

¿Se acuerdan de esto?

Que tengan una excelente semana.

Sigo escribiendo.

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More notes on complex and simple pleasures. Lizzie didn’t let my last post on this go, so I had to think some more as I sit at my Mac, but think about the Commodore 64 that is running on the desk next to it (I’m preparing a talk on old computers for early next month).  Why is my iMac a simple, if seductive pleasure, but the C64 running next to it a more complex experience (and more satisfying for it)?

This seems counter-intuitive. The C64 is a very simple computer: the Mac is state of the art. When I turn on the Mac everything is there for me. It’s purposely simple and intuitive to use. A lot of effort has gone into making it like this. But it’s not my effort. Not my agency.  What is happening is that the vast hinterland of effort by designers, programmers, component–makers, hardware, networks,  and all the rest is very effectively ‘othered’. It’s invisible to me but acting away to co-produce the experience and the result is that I’m a ‘user’ or ‘consumer’ . A side effect of this is, however, that my individual agency relative to the network that I’m part of is small – insignificant even.  I’m actually ‘just a user’.  That can make the experience passive and alienating. Much contemporary technology is like this.

Now  what about the C64? Much of the experience is informed by nostalgia, so really this is a re-experiencing of a now almost dead network – changed into the one described above by global markets and consumer desires.  When I turn the C64 on I get a flashing cursor. I can’t do anything at first. Nothing happens unless I act on it.  Even if I load a programme the ritual feels like more of me and less of the machine. But if I code (and it invites this from the first page of the documentation), then I feel like a much more significant actor in this network. A lot is still othered of course, but I have to learn BASIC (or some higher-level programming language). It takes time, effort and skill. This means there is a lot more of ‘me’ in it. I’m not ‘just a user’, I’m a programmer. I can also feel how I act on the hardware beneath the plastic case. I can imagine electricity flowing with each ‘peek’ and ‘poke’.

So I have to revise my earlier comments about simple and complex pleasure. The Mac provides simple pleasures for the user, but this results from a very complex network. The C64 results from a smaller network – one that is easier for the user to grasp (even still). The trade off is that the work (or agency) of the user is greater – hence a more complex pleasure.

But both of these experiences are actually on the complex network/simple pleasure end of a scale. As are most consumer experiences. They are part of a trajectory in our consumer society to produce vast complex networks of human and non-human actors, but where much of the agency is not from the end user or even from humans at all. Here is a network for mobile phones (taken from a lecture on technology markets – in marketing we might call this  something like a  ‘value system’):

• Mines for silicon, copper and heavy metals (and that means all that mining hardware)
• Power plants to power factories (and so more mining, or drilling, or atom-smashing)
• Research labs developing new processors, etc
• A sophisticated education system to produce scientists
• Factories that make various kinds of microchips, memory storage chips, led screens, batteries, etc
• Factories that assemble the finished phones (and workers willing to work in them for low pay)
• Designers who design the phones (with their CAD software)
• Programmers who programme the phones (more degree courses needed here too)
• Packaging companies
• Logistics companies (and so a global distribution system of boats, trains and trucks)
• Factories to assemble phone network equipment
• Network operators
• Network engineers
• Site developers to construct networks and associated software
• Lawyers for all sorts of contracts and transactions
• Shops and websites to sell phones and contracts
• Call centers to help customers with contracts and with phones
• Credit cards and credit checks (complete with databases and security systems)
• PR companies, advertising agencies and a system of media willing to carry these commercial messages
• A society where people move about a lot, but desire to keep in touch with each other
• Consumers with loose networks of friends
• Consumers with a desire to talk, and to…
• …text and take pictures and videos
• Consumers with a desire to move around in unfamiliar places
• Consumers with a desire to use the internet on the move
• Consumers who desire to express identity through privately owned technologies  

Again, most of this is ‘othered’ and has to be because we can’t deal with this complexity when we try to grasp the use of a mobile phone.

Kate Soper’s alternative hedonism and the greater body of work on simple living reflects our often implicit awareness of this situation and the ansgst that can cause. What we crave isn’t simple pleasures, but more experience of agency within more simple networks.  What we don’t want is for our agencies to be dispersed within these huge global networks, to be no more that a small ‘consumer demand effect’ represented by other ‘consumer samples’ in a survey, or by hits on a log file, and then reduced to a point on a chart in new product development meeting on the other side of the world. So alienation is just this experience. It doesn’t feel good.

[thrashbarg] missed the sounds of the Commodore 64 and longed to hear the great masters in 8-bit glory. To get his fix, he created a midi device using the original Sound Interface Device from those long-dead systems. He’s interfaced the MOS6581 SID with an Atmel AVR ATmega8 microcontroller. The receiving pin for the AVR’s UART is used as a MIDI-IN connection, with the microcontroller converting midi data into the proper sound generation specs for the SID. The result is the 10 minutes of [Bach]’s Brandenburg Concerto heard in the embedded video above.

We have no idea where he picked up this obsolete chip, but if you want to give this a try, perhaps you’ll have some luck emulating the MOS6581 by using another ATmega8.

Bu ay Ortadoğu ile ilgili birşey yazmayacağım. Hem de belki de en gerekli olan bu zamanda yazmayacağım. Söyleyecek birşeyim olmadığından değil, kalemim biraz ağır kaçar korkusuyla yazmayacağım. Gazze’deki ölümler günlerdir içimi acıtırken, şöyle bir olayları unutma amacıyla PS3′ümün başına geçip rahatlama amacındaydım dün akşam. Fakat nedense çocukluk günlerimde Commodore 64′ümün başına geçip oyun oynarken duyduğum o rahatlığı ve mutluluğu yaşayamadım PS3 önünde. Hayır, PS3′de oynadığım Prince of Persia’nın senaryosu ya da oynanabilirliği ile ilgili birşey değildi bu. Dünya, Commodore 64 oynadığım zamandan çok da farklı değil şu an. 1988 yılıydı hatırlıyorum. Yani Sovyetler’in Afganistan’dan çekilme kararı aldığı, İran-Irak savaşının halen devam ettiği, İsrail’in FKÖ komutanı Ebu Cihad’ı Tunus’ta öldürdüğü, ABD savaş gemilerinin İran yolcu uçağını düşürdüğü, Baba George Bush’un ABD başkanı olduğu, Pakistan Devlet Başkanı Ziya Ul-Hak’ın uçağının patlatıldığı, Ermenistan Depreminde 100 bin kişinin öldüğü, Tanju Çolak’ın Avrupa Gol Kralı olduğu, Bülent Ersoy’un sahne yasağının kaldırıldığı, Başbakan Turgut Özal’ın suikaste uğradığı, Türk Hava Yolları’nda sigara içme yasağının getirildiği 1988 yılında dünya evet bugünkünden farklı değildi. Fakat benim dünyam o zamandan bu yana çok değişti. Artık o çocuk aklımın görmek ve dinlemek bile istemediği bir sürü şeyi biliyorum, görüyorum, anlıyorum ve PS3′ün önünde tam rahatlığa kavuşamıyorum. Evet, galiba sorun burada.

Hala bazen Commodore 64 oyunlarını düşünüyor ve mutlu oluyorum. Grafik ve sesleri iyi olduğu için değil, çocuk ruhumun aldığı hazzı hatırladığım için. Babam akşam eve gelmeden ve “ajansları” seyretmeye başlamadan önce alelacele okuldan çıkıp yemek dahi yemeden evin tek televizyonuna bağlardım kablosunu Commodore 64′ün.

Yedikule’nin sisli ve karanlık kış akşamlarında okuldan çıkıp elimde çanta dar sokaklardan eve doğru yol alırken aklımda olan tek şey Emilyn Hughes International Soccer (hatırlayanlar bilir bu bir futbol oyunudur) oynamaktı. Fifa 09 ve Pro Evoluation Soccer 09 gibi gerçeğe yakın grafikler değildi beni karşılayan ekranda bulunanlar. Zaten ihtiyacım falan da yoktu gerçekliğe. Futbolcuların her bir pikselinin gözümün içine girecek kadar belirgin olduğu bu oyunu oynarken zaten ben kendimi oyundaki stadın içinde buluyordum. Henüz daha yeni yeni Galatasaray, Neuchatel Xamax’ı 5-0 ile eleyip Şampiyon Kulüpler Kupası’nda adını çeyrek finale yazdırmışken ben de gollerimi Xamax’a atıyordum ve daha da önemlisi ben bütün bu atmosferi yaşıyordum.

Çalı çırpıdan yapılmış gibi duran bacaklarıyla sevgilisini kaçıranların elinden kurtarmayı kendine amaç edinmiş Zorro’yu da hatırlarım ara sıra. Daha da ötesi bilgisayarıma yüklediğim emülatör yazılımı ile zaman zaman da oynarım hala. Şimdiki çocukların dinlediği zaman gülmekten kırılacağı oyun müziği, benim kulaklarıma Mozart’ın senfonilerinden biri gibi geliyor şimdi bile ve bazen de cep telefonumun melodisi oluyor bu oyun müziği.

Şimdiki oyun konsolları gibi tak CD’yi çalıştır oyunu gibi çok rahat da ulaşamazdık heyecanla satın aldığımız kaset şeklindeki oyunlarımıza. Commodore 64′ün teybine koyduğum o pahalı “Summer Games” oyunu neredeyse diğer tüm oyunlar gibi “kafa ayarı” isterdi her seferinde. Elimde tornavida ekrandan matrix tarzında aşağı doğru akan çizgileri düz hale getirmeye çalışırken annem bu olanlara anlam veremezdi. Ayarı yaptıktan sonra bile oyunun yüklenmesi için uzun süre beklemek zorunda kalırdım. Ama olsun ben oyunun yüklendiği sırada ekranda hızlıca hareket eden rengarenk çubukları seyretmekten bile hoşlanırdım.

İstisnasız hergün Commodore 64′ün başına geçmemin sonucu olarak derslerim kötü gitmeye başlamış ve babam da çareyi Commodore 64′ün kablosunu işyerine götürmekte bulmuştu. O zamanlar yoktu tabi ama şimdiki zamanda olsaydı babamın bu hareketi üzerine soluğu Teknosa mağazasında alırdım. Ne de olsa Commodore 64′e uyacak bir kablo bulurdum orada.

Babam kabloyu alıp beni Commodore’umdan ayırdığında, o zamanlar yayında olan 64′ler dergisini elime alır ve yeni çıkan oyunlara bakarak iç geçirirdim. Hala dostluğumuzun devam ettiği Tolga Ciner arkadaşımın evine gider, kendisinin Atari 800XL model “bilgisayar”ıyla Commodore 64′de de bulunan “International Karate” oyununu iki kişi oynardık. O zamanlar Atari 800XL bana daha gelişmiş bir cihaz gibi gelirdi. Şimdilerde baktığımda ortalama bir Nokia telefonu ile bütün bu oyunları oynayabildiğimi gördükçe yüzüme bir tebessüm yerleşir zaman zaman.

Bütün bu eski günlerde tecrübe ettiğim o basit grafikli oyunlardan sonra, şimdiki PS3′ün bütün oyunlarının beni cezbetmesi gerekirken ne olmuştu da ben PS3′ün çekimine girememiştim? 8 yaşındaki Oğlum olmasaydı belki de hiç satın almayacağım PS3′ün yerine, PC’ye kurduğum emülatör üzerinden Commodore 64 oyunlarını oynamaya devam mı ederdim? Muhtemelen evet. Şu bir gerçekki artık büyüdüm. Şu an 33 yaşındayım ve Commodore 64′ü hala unutamıyorum. PS3 mü? Unutun gitsin. Yakında PS4 ve PS5 de gelecek. Fakat “Commodore 65″ hiçbir zaman üretilmeyecek. Zaten onu efsane yapan da olduğu gibi kalması değil mi biraz da?

Bugün 8 yaşında olan oğlum, 20 yıl sonra PS3′ü benim Commodore 64′ü andığım gibi anmayacak.Çünkü o PS3′ün tüm gelişim evrelerine tanıklık yapacak ve 28 yaşına girdiğinde muhtemelen evinde PS9 veya PS10 olacak. Onun da kendi oğluna, “nerede o eski PS3′ler ne güzel günlerdi” demesini beklemiyorum çünkü PS3 gerçekliğin kendisi ve daha da gerçekçi oyunları olacak. Dediğim gibi Commodore 64′ü hafızamın en güzel yerlerine koyan gerçeğe yakın oyunları değil, o kötü grafiklerin bile beni başka bir dünyaya götürmesiydi. “Call of Duty-World at War” oyununu PS3′de oynarken giriş ekranında askerin boğazının kesilmesi , Commodore 64′de Barbarian oyununda rakibin kafasını dönerek uçurmakla aynı şey değil benim için.

Ben büyüdüm, dünyam değişti…Ama ya dünya? Belki 20 yıl daha sonra.

Davut BEKRİ

I’m pretty nerdy, that much is agreed but I sometimes do it in a cool way (oh, did you miss they times…shame *cough*) but I’ve been lucky enough that for about as long as I can remember (some days that ain’t too long), I’ve had access to computers. This has been a factor in my above average wpm and also no doubt a factor in my ability to sit on my bahookie for hours on end doing virtually nothing. All great skills in modern life.

BBC4 has been running an old-skool electronic series recently and there was a show tonight about the conflict between the ZX Spectrum and the BBC Micro (from Acorn) in an early computer battle. As far as the media remembers, and maybe because they were British based firms but the history tends to be focused on the battle between Spectrum and Amstrad. In my opinion, they were both a bit shit, especially in comparison to the Commodore 64. That was the real home of games with colours, tunes and graphics that the other two also rans couldn’t compete with…and I don’t care what the British based history books tell you.

The dream and ambition of the people involved in the development of these projects is the true success of these stories and should probably be viewed as one of the greatest influences of the 1980s. Clive Sinclair was the man behind Spectrum and sadly, his dream of the C5 electronic car proved to be his downfall but then again, whatever happened to the guy behind Amstrad??? Hes probably been fired from a number of positions since then! However, as I said, the British stuff was alright but the Commodore 64 was the best of the lot. – Here’s Impossible Mission, best remembered for the chilling “DESTROY HIM MY ROBOTS” and “STAY A WHILE….STAY FOREVER”

From there, I gravitated towards the consoles with the Sega Master System being my first console but after that, I’ve been a Nintendo fan, with their games suiting the more child like and simple brain that Nintendo cater for. The Playstations and Xbox’s have been aimed at the more mature market, with a harder edge and more gore in their games but Nintendo has always relied on a more simplistic nature to their games.

Even with the Wii and the cutting edge technology used in its sensors, the actual games themselves retain much of the charm. Even my dad has warmed to the world of computing games, his input to the Commodore 64 may have been a lot more financial but he did spend a fair bit of time on Hungry Horace. The Gameboy with Tetris or the DS have found him playing games on a much more regular basis though, proving that games consoles are open to everyone. So….the first ‘tales in the key of c’ poll.