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Retro Computers

@retrocomps.bsky.social

22K followers 1 following 7.2K posts

Semi-automated posting of old computers and videogames. Sometimes other bits of retro aesthetics and design. ~6-8 posts a day, ~24 posts on holidays. ⚠Outbound links tagged and monitored by Bluesky.

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 2h

The Memorex VIS: It's CD-ROM ON YOUR TV!

An ad from the Tiger Electronics Catalog demonstrating the Video Information System's "32 Bit technology," promising a complete game console and 20 game titles free for $99.00. The image on the right shows Links, a then popular FMV golf game, but the list of games on the left is nearly total eduatainment.

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 7h

Dammit, I even fixed the spelling in the alt text without noticing that.

Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 7h

With the power of atproto.blue !

if 'source' in newpost and (len(newpost['post']) < (300-11)):
tb.text(' ')
tb.link('(Source.)', newpost['source'])
response = c.send_image(tb, image=img_data, image_alt=newpost['alt'])

Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 8h

I thought about altering the script so this post would quote this post, but then thought better of it. (Source.)

Under the read heading "Recursion," A ballpoint pen drawing of a girl holding a mirror in front of her and behind her. We see the front of her head and the back of her head stretching into infinity. Artist's signature is "C. Lewis", but no credit is given in the booklet itself.

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 14h

I got the hook-up.

A spade lug switch box. The face indicates various ports: GAME, 300Ω, 75Ω, TV - and has a black rocker switch to switch between GAME and ANT. The whole device is on a woodgrain background. From the bottom, a spade switch output wire runs offscreen.

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 20h

Hey! Someone tell @spinny that something in Skybot broke:
Something broke when attempting to embed!

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 1d

Fallout (PC, 1996)

The main interface for the game Fallout. The PC is currently in a cave; a two-headed cow corpse is visible screen left. Top center is dominated by the Pipboy view. Left are the player's current inventory (a rifle and two stacks of ammunition); top center is the PC's appearance, a grey green army man; middle is the current armor, some football-pad-looking leather armor; bottom shows the left hand is empty, and the right hand has a grey pistol. Top right are the character's key stats (ST 15, DX 17, IQ 11, HT 14, PD 2, DR 7, Move 7, Dodge 7), attack stats (Magnum, 3d bullet), Total Weight 10, Points 138, and Unspent Points -38. Bottom left is a log showing everything the player has looked at, an inventory button, the menu button, HP 14, FP 15, the left hand button showing Punch/Kickthe right hand button showing a Magnum, three toggles for action control, a Pip-Boy button, a Character Sheet button, a button for movement, and a mollyguard that would show combat options.

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 1d

You'll have to type it in. No spoilers.

Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 1d

Up to 60 electronic mail messages a month. Just $7.95. (Source.)

A two page ad. The title reads "Finally, a computer information service you can't outgrow. No matter how hard you try." The left page depicts a shirt ("Shop. But don't drop..."), a striped fish ("Dive deep into aquarium lore..."), a red sports car ("Price a new Mustang..."), a satellite ("Learn how to monitor military satellites..."), a zither ("Find out just what the heck a zither is."), and a globe that shows the Americas twice ("Talk to twice as many people about parallel universes"). The right page depicts G. Washington ("Learn a sensible way to get the dollars to start a new business"), a PC network ("Find out why your PC won't talk to your LAN..."), a Visa stamp ("Find out how in the world to apply for a visa."), a phone handset ("Get the current phone number of your old friend from high school..."), a scuba diver ("Discover a good place to dive..."), and a salad ("Copy down a truly delicious tofu recipe."). The bottom of both pages is dense ad copy.

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 1d

Introducing Maelstrom:The ultimate galactic strategy game. (Source.)

Up top, an alt deco take on a spaceship control concole, with a brown chair at the silvery panels; the three monitors show workers at the base of a pyramid, a three-dimensional map (currently highlighting the planet Harmony: "Friendly, population:low, Tech Level:medium"), and a topographic map with a selection cursor. The catchphrase "Murder. Treason. Sabotage. Espionage. Intergalactic war. Just another day on the planet Harmony." is in the middle. Dense, breathless ad copy below gives multiple paragraphs of reasons to play the game ("Introducing Maelstrom", "Mind-Bending Strategy", "Heart-Stopping Action", "Ever-Changing Plots"), and an 800 number to call to order. The logos for Merit Software and Don Bluth Multimedia appear at page bottom, as well as the box art (the same spaceship instrument panels as shown above).

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 1d

Some people say I focus too much on Commodore computers, but they're just sour appleheads. (Source.)

Two people talk to each other. A man, in a striped polo, with an Apple II for a head. A woman, in a blouse, with a Disk II disk drive. They're using their hands animatedly. Illustration drawn by Martin Cannon.

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 2d

In Quest of the Star Lord (TRS Coco 3, 1988, 4 disks)

A TRS-80 text adventure screenshot. The screan reads: "I am in a pre-war bunker. It appears to have taken quite a bit of damage and remains in poor repair. A hole exists in the west wall. You see: BIN, COT, CABINET, HOLE. EXITS: W U. COMMAND?"

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 2d

Hey! Someone tell @spinny that something in Skybot broke:
Something broke when attempting to embed!

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 2d

two lego characters are standing next to each other with the words " i have so much to learn " written above them

ALT: two lego characters are standing next to each other with the words " i have so much to learn " written above them

media.tenor.com

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 2d

The UNIVAC 1 (1958) (Source.)

An isometric diagram of a computer room. Along the left wall, four Magentic Tape Units, and one Sort Collate Unit. In the far corner, two general storage drum cabinets, showing magnetic tape. Along the right wall, one General Storage Control Cabinet, one Arithmetic Cabinet, two Program Control Cabinets. In the near corner, one 90-column card control cabinet. Along the near wall, a 90-column card processor. In the very center, an operat's desk, labeled Console System.

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 2d

Man, 80s computer books made even non-relational databases look fun. (Source.)

The cover to the book, "Writing Your Own Program: Creating A Database: Adventure Game." Each line is in its own font. The computer (a black affair with rainbow keys" depicts a scuba diver swimming, handcuffs in hand, as it is attacked by a giant cross octopus; the painted octopus is literally bursting out of the monitor. A tiny little banner in the corner states: "For Commodore 64 And Apple IIe Computers"

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d

To highlight their "Commodore" brand, Commodore Business Machines once brought an actual ship to the waterfront for the 1983 CES show, meaning there was in fact a brief time where you could be a Commodore Commodore.

A report from the August 1983 issue of Commander Magazine, showing the 'Commodore Clipper', a fairly large ferry decked out in Commodore colors, docked on the Chicago waterfront for the 1983 Consumer Electronics Show.

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d

"Elite, the widely acclaimed 3-D space game, is the highest selling game ever published for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron..."

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d

Curse of the Azure Bonds

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d

HP OmniGo 700LX (1996). The power of the 186 in the palm of your hand!

A 90's catalog image for the HP Omnigo 700LX. The device itself is a chubby rubberpized pebble with a CSTN display; the box (left) shows there's a recess for the included Nokia phone, allowing true wireless communication; the thick user's guide and the slim quick start guide appear right.

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Reposted by Retro Computers

Che John @che666.bsky.social · 4d

The amazing team @gamesthatwerent.com have supported me recently in recovering & archiving a couple of my unpublished games from the late 80's for Commodore 64 & Amiga platforms. Read more here : www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/hill-19/

#commodore64 #retrogames

Hill 19 (C64) - 1988 Gremlin Graphics - GTW64

Hill 19 was to be a strategic action-shooter game, very similar to Ikari Warriors/Commando, but with more strategy involved. The player would control a team of characters (believed to be about 3), inc...

www.gamesthatwerent.com

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d

no, tender reader, YOU stayed up to 6 am coding python for a project that will save maybe two weeks of work and now will be attempting to go to sleep with Goldfinger blasting out your eardrums

Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d

Sometimes they restore them, so I leave the links up... But what can you do? These days all libraries have torches being taken to them every day.

Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 3d

Feeling older all the time, feeling younger in my mind.

Retro Game Art 🎮🖼️🎃🦇 @retrogameart.bsky.social · 3d

Tony Hawk Pro Skater ad (1999)

#retro #art #gaming #TonyHawk

Tony Hawk Pro Skater ad
Activision
Multi System
1999

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Retro Computers @retrocomps.bsky.social · 4d

The more things change, the more things stay the same. (Source.)

An ad from the classifieds section of the August '85 issue of Computer & Video Games. It reads, "BUSINESS opportunity for quality Games Software Programmer. I have an idea for an original computer game, but not the knowledge to program it. Help me out for 50/50 split on profits. Apply in writing to Computer Game...." And then the rest of the address, which has been edited out of the image so we don't innundate the new tenant with the hundreds of programmers leaping to take 50% of the profit of an 80s computer game.

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