Retro computers, anyone?

Just wondering if anyone is into retrogaming or retro computers in general... any of you that follow me on social media might have seen the box of old Sinclair computers I recently acquired, or the unboxing of the Amiga goodies from my loft.

None of it is currently working of course - I plan to share my barely competent efforts to ressurrect some of them on my blog - but I thought I'd see if anyone here was interested in that sort of thing anyway, just in case I have any success later!

I've got a bro-in-law who's into that stuff. I would be a disaster at it!

When I was 10 I had a TRS-80 (model 4) and had started to build some of those games where you input the code yourself and then MY MOM GAVE IT AWAY! GAH!

I used to work on my Grandma's C64, but that mysteriously disappeared too. As far as I know, no retro computers exist anywhere in the known universe.

I enjoy retro gaming, but pretty much only to the point of what I can easily install via GOG. Definitely do not have the patience to work with retro hardware, but my hats off to you for doing it and would be curious to know how it turns out/what games you get to run

Well, I never intended to have a collection, but you know how it is when the geekery sets in. So currently I have:

• a Sinclair ZX81 - working but hampered by only having 1K of RAM
  
• 2.5 ZX Spectrums - one working, one not, and the 0.5 an empty case ready to receive a Rasperry Pi
  
• a ZX Spectrum +2 - bought used from a friend back in the late 80s, but currently dead
  
• an Amiga 1200 - mine from new, recently retrieved from storage and in need of a little tlc
  
• a PlayStation - the original one, also mine from new
  
• an Oric-1 - recently picked up on eBay, not working yet...
  

I don't suppose terms like Oric or ZX81 mean a lot across the pond though do they?

UKSteve wrote:
I don't suppose terms like Oric or ZX81 mean a lot across the pond though do they?

Sure they do! Orics are those ugly guys from LOTR, right?

Funny you should mention that Paeter, one of my writing projects at the moment has a sentient ZX81 taking on an evil Dragon and its army of Orics...

It's an comic fantasy epic in 8 bits.

UKSteve wrote:Funny you should mention that Paeter, one of my writing projects at the moment has a sentient ZX81 taking on an evil Dragon and its army of Orics...

It's an comic fantasy epic in 8 bits.

Nice. Maybe its your avatar or maybe I'm racist, but that sounds like a very British type of sci-fi comedy. Wait, racist isn't right. What's the thing where you stereo-type based on nationality? Is there a thing like that? I think I just invented a thing like that...

Yeah, Old Testament Space Opera hasn't made me retirement money yet, so I've decided Brit humour is my niche

And, I think you're thinking of xenophobia

In related news, I just had my first retro game review go live at Indie Retro News. It has Brit humour in it too.

UKSteve wrote:I don't suppose terms like Oric or ZX81 mean a lot across the pond though do they?

Hmph. My first computer, bought and paid for with my own money, in Texas, no less, was a ZX-81. I also sprung for the 16k memory expansion pack.

I still have fond (if nerve-wracking) memories of programming in BASIC.

cleireac wrote:My first computer, bought and paid for with my own money, in Texas, no less, was a ZX-81.  I also sprung for the 16k memory expansion pack.

Nice. I need the extra memory myself, having just acquired this little bundle:

Nice! Wish I still had mine. I had it tricked out somewhat, where I installed an adhesive overlay that allowed me more of a rubberized push-button feel to the keyboard (as opposed to the membrane keyboard), and a dot matrix printer.

I used it for the first year in college, basically transcribing my handwritten class notes into something more legible. I think I found an adequate word processor, but I don't think I used it much.

Rather, I wrote a BASIC program to generate planets for TSR's old Star Frontiers RPG. That was fun.

Whoa, are those like cassette tapes with computer games on them?

Paeter wrote:Whoa, are those like cassette tapes with computer games on them?

Yup. State of the art, back in the day. Loading them up reminded me of connecting an old dial up modem.

Paeter wrote:Whoa, are those like cassette tapes with computer games on them?

Indeed, with authentic volume instructions pencilled onto the covers by a previous owner - loading from tape was a complex operation on a ZX81...

Wow. If you ever make a video of those things in action I'd love to see it!