Search Results for: pax aus

Cramers Pinball Tournament

May 27, 2015 By ausretrogamer

Attention all pinball wizards and potential pinball wizards! If you want to participate in a local International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA) sanctioned pinball tournament, then diarise June 11!

Scott ‘Skott’ Kellett (Tournament Director) will host the inaugural pinball tournament at the Cramers Hotel in Preston. Registration opens at 5:30pm with a $10 entry and all machines set to free play to hone in on your flipper skills. The official tournament commences at 7:00pm, with great prizes on offer, like tickets to PAX Aus 2015. Another bonus for participants is that they will receive IFPA points and gain a world ranking! With a great specials bar and menu on the night, it promises to be an all-round awesome evening.

Tournament: Cramers Pinball
Date: 11 June 2015
Where: Cramers Hotel – 1 Cramer Street, Preston VIC
Entry fee: $10
Registration time: 5:30pm
Tournament start time: 7:00pm
Tournament pinball machines: Metallica Premium and AC/DC Luci

For more details on the tournament and to register your attendance, go here. We hope to see you at Cramers!

Are you ready?

Let’s get it on!

The tournament tables are waiting!

Partying With My Retro Gaming Brethren

January 18, 2015 By ausretrogamer

When I first ventured into retro gaming, little did I know that I would meet such awesome and like-minded people. Since establishing a great bond with the locally based Retro Domination and Weird and Retro guys, we have shared many a good time, not least of all, at our annual Classic Gaming extravaganza at PAX Aus.

With family priorities keeping me away for most of the 2014 PAX Aus event, the rest of the Classic Gaming crew, including the Adelaide based Retrospekt team, were hugely supportive, which was greatly appreciated.

As a thank you, Ms. ausretrogamer and I invited our Victorian based retro gaming colleagues to celebrate the grand opening of our new games room. Between the consumption of pizzas, beer, soft drinks and Ms. ausretrogamer’s famous Black Russians, there were pinball high score challenges, Frisbee action via Windjammers on the Neo Geo MVS and a lot of laughter and reminiscing. It was also great to meet Mrs. Daz Retro and their three lovely kids.

I was humbled to receive many gifts, which were totally unexpected. Matt Cawley handed me a few custom MVS boxes, Ultimate Body Blows and a number of other Amiga CD32 goodies. As per usual, Daz surprised me with a boxed (Last) Ninja 3 for the C64 and the equally awesome, Dracula – The Undead for the Atari Lynx. However, the biggest surprise came from Mr. Mark Cassar. Without any fanfare, Mark handed me an awesome custom-made ausretrogamer C64 t-shirt. To say I was rapt, would be a great understatement!

Since the new games room has now officially been opened, I hope to host many more retro gaming parties with great friends. Game on!

The calm before the retro gaming storm!

Pizzas, Drinks and great company = perfect ingredients for a party

Matt having a crack at the Pin*Bot high score!

The great Mark Cassar taking a swing on the Neo Geo!

Daz showing the boys his flipper skills!

The next generation of retro gamers

The awesome gifts! I have been spoiled.

Interview With Chris Wolfe: Cosplay Creator Extraordinaire

October 14, 2014 By ausretrogamer

I have said this numerous times, but I will say it again, you meet great people on social media, and Chris Wolfe is no exception. Recently, we were chatting to Chris on our Facebook page and learned that he was into cosplay and was also going to attend PAX Aus 2014! After we saw a few of Chris’ jaw-dropping creations, we knew we would have to corner the creator extraordinaire and put him in the interview hotseat. So here we go!

AUSRETROGAMER [ARG]: Hey Chris, please introduce yourself to our readers.
Chris Wolfe [CW]: My name is Chris Wolfe and I am from Combustible Props. I work full time in IT and spend my free time in the workshop building props. As you can imagine, I don’t get out very often. I have worked on a heap of theatre productions and a few low budget movies (‘Theatre of the dead‘ was the stand-out) and do a few custom commissions as time permits.

ARG: So how did you get into cosplay?
CW: Believe it or not I haven’t officially cosplayed at a convention as yet! Some small things around the place but I am mostly kitted out for making things for cosplayers who want to commission small to medium scale items. I should start at how I started prop building: A long time ago… I came across a guy named Harrison Krix (you may know him as Volpin Props) making a portal gun and was pretty stunned at what he was able to achieve with his own skill set. I figured I would give it a go as I felt I had the same skills; I grew up in a house with a carpenter and sculptor. The real reason? I wanted an Aliens Pulse rifle (laughs)! At that point you couldn’t import them due to Australian Customs restrictions. Long story short, I have continued to build items and have branched out to a small number of commissions, and as an extension of this, found that I would love to showcase things I make but doing it in person at the conventions.

ARG: What is it about cosplay that draws you to it?
CW: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. For me, I think if I have been moved personally by a movie/game/TV show and I kind of want to be able to continue that feeling. Or maybe it’s even paying respect to a certain character I like. It’s hard to say for sure, but as so many people love it, it’s not surprising I’m getting into it.

ARG: What inspires you when making a new cosplay/costume?
CW: It has to be something that made a big impression on me personally and it has to have a large mechanical aspect. For example, I’ve come to the conclusion that I like power armour of all sorts so if I were to make something like an Iron Man costume, I would sit down and watch the movies and add anything with stomping robots, Pacific Rim, certain anime, you name it. I have to add Edge of Tomorrow to this list as well. People either love or hate Tom Cruise, but those who refuse to watch the movie due to him, are losing out on something amazing! Power armour, guns, aliens!

ARG: Do you make your costumes or buy them or a combination of both?
CW: I can and do make pretty much everything for a costume except the sewing part. Well I can join material together but it’s generally not sewing when you use hot glue (chuckles). I can machine sew ‘almost straight’ lines but making a pattern and sewing it together neatly is beyond me unfortunately. So if there is a good pre-made base to buy, I will go with that option. Alternatively, I know a few good seamstresses that I can commission to make something custom.

ARG: How much effort goes into creating cosplay costumes? Could you walk us through the process?
CW: With props and costumes I start by collecting as many reference images as I can. These can be in-game screenshots, artwork, film grabs or anything that shows the detail of the build. Once I have an idea of the detail level, I can gauge the build from there. For example, If it’s for a commission, the effort and quality stem from the client’s budget. If the item is for myself then I generally work on it to a point I am almost happy with it. If it’s a base for a cast, then I spend countless hours preparing it to be cast as the mold picks up *every* detail, like scratches and dings you may have missed.

ARG: Do you have a favourite theme, style, or characters when creating cosplay(s) costumes?
CW: I have always liked the post apocalyptic themes along the lines of Fallout 3. I guess after I played the game I fell in love with the 50s retro post apocalyptic environment. It might be in the same way as you imagine/plan what you would do when the zombies arrive.

ARG: What costumes are you working on at the moment and for which event?
CW: I am actively working on a fully 3D printed Star Citizen civilian space suit, helmet and main weapon. For later, I have a Fallout 3 Vault Dweller (hopefully with a working pipboy) and a Hardsuit from the old anime Bubblegum Crisis 2032 (this one is going to be interesting!).

ARG: You mentioned to us that you will be at PAX Aus 2014 – are you attending as an exhibitor or as general cosplay?
CW: Hell yeah! However I will only be there on the Friday wandering around in cosplay, so come say hi to the guy in the red space suit! Maybe next time I’ll be there for the full 3 days or with a vendor/exhibitor stall. CIG, the designers of Star Citizen will be around the entire convention, and they are releasing the FPS module on the Saturday at an external event to PAX Aus – so I will be there as well (hopefully in full costume again). I would love to get the Star Citizen rifle signed by Chris Roberts and the crew!

ARG: Finally, where can our readers go to see more of your work?
CW: I post most of my updates to my Facebook page and I can also be reached on Twitter. I also have my blog for entire build projects, but that is seldom updated. Oh yeah, I also post images of my work on Flickr.

ARG: Thank you very much for taking time out of your day and answering our interview questions.
CW: Thank you too. I’m always happy to answer questions.

As we turn down the heat on the interview hotseat, we allow Chris to disembark and get on with his awesome creations. As you will agree, Chris has an amazing talent and we look forward to seeing many more of his great creations!

Happy Holidays 2013

December 24, 2013 By ausretrogamer

It is that time of year. The time of year when you are supposed to be relaxed and very merry. If you are lucky enough to be on holidays and enjoying the festive season, lucky you!

For me, this time of year is always good to reflect on the last twelve months. Apart from reflecting on personal matters (which I am keeping to myself), for me, the main (retro gaming) highlight of 2013 was our participation in the very first PAX Australia event. The inaugural event was an absolute blast and we will no doubt be back, bigger and better for PAX Aus 2014! Other vintage gaming highlights included the capture (at last!) of the Vectrex and SX64.

Well, Santa is almost here, so I will take this opportunity to thank you all for your patronage – it is truly awesome and appreciated. I wish you all a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2014! Stay safe, be merry and game on!

WaR breaks out at EB Games Expo

September 24, 2013 By ausretrogamer

It is always a pleasure meeting up and chatting with like minded and passionate retro gamers. One retro gamer in particular is so passionate and down to earth, he is like a magnet for other retroholics. The retro gaming magnet I speak of is none other than Aleks Svetislav (aka: Serblander or Serby), one half of the great Weird and Retro (WaR) team. I have caught up with Serby a few times during the year and it never ceases to amaze me at the things they get up to – from hunting arcade machines across the country, to running retro club days and their awesome television show segment on New Game Plus on channel 31, to name a few.

In the recent past, WaR have been involved in events bringing retro gaming to the masses. Their events caught the eye of EB Games Australia which has lead to the WaR team being invited to participate in this years EB Games Expo (October 4 – 6). We caught up with Serby to get the lowdown on all things EB Games Expo and Weird and Retro.

For those that have been living on the moon and have not heard of Weird and Retro, this is what the lovely folks at EB Games have said about them:

“Weird And Retro are Australia’s premier retro gaming gurus. Watch them on TV or game with them in person at their numerous community events. Weird and Retro are keeping the pixelated past alive by bringing weird and retro to all generations!”

Now, on with grilling Serby!

AUSRETROGAMER [ARG]: Hey Serby, take us through the details of how your involvement with the EB Games Expo came about?
Aleks Svetislav [Serby]: It all started on Twitter. Earlier this year, our good friend Susie (@SiouxsieKate on Twitter) mentioned us to the community manager of EB Games Australia (EB) answering her call for any retro collectors in Melbourne to help out with retro consoles for their EB GameAThon; a 25 hour livestream to raise money for the Starlight Foundation. I followed up, they agreed, we gave a presentation, the crowd (and EB directors watching) loved it, and the rest as they say, is retro gaming history.

Kano and Serby at the Nintendo Experience for EB's Starlight GameAThon 2013 fundraiser — L-to-R: Kano and Serby at the Nintendo Experience for EB’s Starlight GameAThon 2013 fundraiser

ARG: Who came up with the awesome idea of a ‘Retro Gamer Garden’ theme for the Expo?
Serby: The Retro Gamer Garden theme was put forward to me at our first business meeting with EB by Kelsey Gamble. I loved it (as well as the complimentary lamb business lunch)! While we worked together on it in terms of adding extra themes and features, the credit for this awesome theme goes to EB Games!

ARG: Did you have any other ideas apart from the Garden theme?
Serby: Once I heard of their Retro Gamer Garden idea, I was sold. There was no need to explore any other themes. We were all excited about the garden theme and were on the same page, so it was full steam ahead. What we did do was add to the theme – for example, I came up with the idea to have a ‘gaming pond’ where you could play retro fishing games on a fishing controller while sitting in the comfort of a fold-out camping chair (ARG: You are so clever Serby!). Bringing a VHS player to watch old school cult classics while playing the movie tie-in games, as well as some other features that we hope you will get to see next year.

Andrew Owen [Monash University] at the War exhibit at the Computer Games Boot Camp 2013 — Andrew Owen [Monash University] at the WaR exhibit at the Computer Games Boot Camp 2013

ARG: What is your main aim or what would you like (hope) to achieve with the Retro Gamer Garden?
Serby: We are very experienced with gaming events, expos, red carpet events and crowds. What we aim to achieve with the Retro Gamer Garden is the same as with all our other events: to make people aware of and excited about the rich history and great fun that retro gaming has to offer. This is not only for the bearded merchants of reminiscence from ye old times, but for all the younger generations who may not have been exposed to or have had a chance to enjoy gaming on actual retro hardware.

ARG: How will the retro systems be sourced? Are you bringing your own? If so, which ones? How are you going to cart this precious cargo? Will there be any arcade machines?
Serby: One of the reasons that Weird And Retro was chosen to run the retro event for EB Games Expo (apart from all of our event experience and good working relationship with EB) is that we can supply and run all the retro games and systems needed for the event. As such, EB offered to fly us to the expo and back and have all our retro ‘luggage’ transported by their transport company. However, due to the uber rare and expensive nature of our collection, we did not want to take any chances with couriers damaging our rarities. So, we offered to drive a hire truck to Sydney and back ourselves. This way, we not only ensure that everything will get all the TLC that it needs, but we just scored another ‘paid for’ Retro Road Trip! Oh, and there may also be an arcade machine or gaming kiosk coming with us too.

The 'Interactive Retro Gaming Museum' for YMCA's Pixel Arcade event — The ‘Interactive Retro Gaming Museum’ for YMCA’s Pixel Arcade event

ARG: Will you be running competitions during the expo? If so, which games, what format and most importantly, what are the prizes?
Serby: As with all of our events, we will be running some WaR comps (not to be confused with ‘war camps’). Like at all of our larger events, we aim to have our regular 10-player Saturn Bomberman tournament; running on a projector in front of a large audience. We will have to see if space and facilities will permit this. Back by popular demand will be C64anabalt: the recent cartridge release from the ever awesome RGCD. This C64 release is based on the popular Canabalt game. As far as prizes go, isn’t seeing and playing with your favourite retro gamers from the television screen in real life prize enough? (winks).

ARG: If PAX Aus is anything to go by, I reckon your area will be extremely popular! Do you have helpers on hand? If not, can I sneak into your luggage.
Serby: (Laughs), thanks for the offer Alex, but EB security already have an ‘AusRetroGamer Wanted’ poster (ARG: I have been exposed!) at all entry points so smuggling yourself through them would be tougher than squeezing anything past a cavity search by the TSA (laughs). Apart from the ‘faces’ of Weird And Retro (Serby & Kano), we will almost have the full contingent of ‘WaRiors’ coming along and helping out: Pedro (aka: RetroGamerRival), Jamie, Stacey Borg, and returning to EB from our previous EB GameAThon venture: Jerry (aka: @icemanfx). ARG: No love for ausretrogamer hey. This changes everything Serby (wink).

Weird and Retro on their infamous 'Retro Road Trip'. Completing Serby's life-long dream in owning Gauntlet II — Weird and Retro (Kano and Serby) on their infamous ‘Retro Road Trip’. Completing Serby’s life-long dream in owning a Gauntlet II machine

ARG: Can you give us an exclusive on something about the EB Games Expo that we didn’t already know about?
Serby: For AusRetroGamer? Absolutely! Those that follow our Weird And Retro twitter exploits, you will know of our retro hunts. Well for this years EB Games Expo, we will be bringing the mother-load of our Retro Road Trip pick-ups! I am talking about none other than an original 1986 4-Player Atari Games arcade cabinet that is Gauntlet II! ARG: WHOA, I am fully gobsmacked! I hope she is guarded like Fort Knox.

ARG: Apart from the Expo, will you have time to go on a retro hunt while in Sydney?
Serby: Weird And Retro never goes to Sydney without visiting our friends and previous event sponsors: ‘Retro Games Top Ryde City’ and ‘The Gamesmen’ in Penshurst! If you want retro, then do not go there! Leave it all for us!

Weird and Retro area at the Amiga Users Group meet - showcasing RGCD's latest C64 releases — Weird and Retro area at the Amiga Users Group meet – showcasing RGCD’s latest C64 releases

ARG: What is next for Weird and Retro?
Serby: WaR is breaking out on all fronts! Apart from EB Games Expo, we are already booked for the annual two day AFTERSHOCK event taking place at Monash University (Caulfield Campus) on Saturday 7 – Sunday 8 December. Events for 2014 are looking good with the 7-day Computer Games Boot Camp 2014, PAX Aus and EB Games Expo 2014. Monthly club meets (in Victoria) include: Retro Tuesday on the first Tuesday of every month; and AUG (Amiga Users Group) every third Sunday of each month. I was recently stopped at a Cash Converters (pawn store) while on a GameCube retro hunt by a mature couple who were big fans of our WaR segment on the New Game Plus TV show, which reminds me: we need to record more WaR TV segments! We have also set-up our Weird and Retro YouTube channel so watch out (no pun intended) for upcoming feature length segments, reviews, event videos and more! Our weirdandretro.com site is under construction – this is where you will find a host of retro related goodies in the not too distant future. In the meantime, if you cannot join us in person at any community event, you can follow our exploits on Facebook and Twitter. If you like to see a lot of ‘Retro Gaming Show & Tell’ then following us on twitter is highly recommended!

ARG: Hang on, did you say PAX? Are you joining us at the Classic Games Console crew?
Serby: Looks like it (winks).
ARG: Oh man, that is awesome! We will have a blast.

ARG: Finally, what is your all time favourite arcade game?
Serby: As a Highlander would say: “There can be only one!” But as Weird And Retro has two co-hosts, I will give you (my) two. My two all time favourite arcade games are Gauntlet II and Mortal Kombat II. Gauntlet II was the first game that introduced me to multi-player gaming. It was more than just 2 players at one time, which has led me to my love (and vast collection) of multi-player LAN games and consoles. As for Mortal Kombat II, I was a champion. Having played the game for five plus hours a day, every day, for almost a year, at a local Dandenong arcade (for free), I was bound to become a flawless champion! Anyone want to take on Kitana?

Well there you have it. Thank you Serby for your time and candid responses. We wish you all the best at the upcoming EB Games Expo. We are certain the Retro Gamer Garden will be quite popular. All the best in your future retro endeavors and adventures. We will definitely see each other again in the not so distant future.

Pinball Evolved: Infinity Amusements

September 16, 2013 By ausretrogamer

It is no surprise that I love pinball! At the recent PAX Australia 2013 exposition, I had the pleasure of playing an Australian made video pinball machine. Impressed with the ingenuity of the table, I tracked down Sana Nolan from Infinity Amusements and asked him to tell us about this exciting product – from inception to the current state of play. This is Sana Nolan’s story.

source: Infinity Amusements

Pinball Evolved: Infinity Pinball Entertainment System
By: Sana Nolan

Pinball – if you are of the right vintage, that one word brings back a flood of nostalgia. For the last few years, pinball has been experiencing a renaissance of sorts thanks to incredible titles like The Pinball Arcade (Farsight Studios) and PinballFX2 (Zen Studios). Unfortunately, no matter how good the software is, nothing can replace the feel of playing on a real table. For a true pinhead, a touch screen or controller just doesn’t cut it.

Over the last few years, enthusiasts around the world have solved this problem by building video pinball cabinets, otherwise known as “Hyperpin” or “Pin MAME”. These were real cabinets, with real buttons and a real plunger with 3 LCD screens to emulate the playfield, back glass and dot matrix display – and all the joy of the real thing without any of the maintenance headaches.

During the past 18 months, a work colleague of ours was building a video pinball cabinet, slowly working on it in his spare time. To celebrate its “play ready completion” he decided to show it off at PAX Australia 2013. Although I had been following the project for months, this was the first time I could get my hands on it and realize its incredible potential.

Everyone that played the cabinet at PAX Australia had two questions: “How does it work?” and “Where can I get one?” The first question was simple – with lots of time, research, motivation and (most importantly) electronics skills, anyone could potentially build their own cabinet, as dozens of people around the world have done. The second question was a bit trickier. When you build something out of love, you quickly stop keeping track of the component costs, let alone the hours of labour!

The problem with most enthusiast projects is that they often start with restoring an original pinball cabinet and the rest of the time spent on setting up the PC and MAME software. However, you cannot spend six months building a retail product which would see you get sued at the end of it!

Anyone for some Avengers pinball action, video style?

This is where the journey of Infinity Amusements comes into the story. With the PAX Australia inspiration fresh in our minds, my wife Jennifer and I proceeded to work out all the necessary components, finding suppliers and working out the cost of the units to ensure their feasibility. Luckily, the numbers added up and the Infinity Pinball Entertainment System was born.

Microsoft invited us to show off the enthusiast cabinet from PAX Australia at their TechEd 2013 event on the Gold Coast. This event allowed us to test the waters by showcasing a “proof of concept” unit to Australia’s IT industry. With less than six weeks to the event, we completed our website and crowd-funding campaign. This was achieved with little sleep, but we knew it would pay dividends.

The showcasing at TechEd taught us an important lesson – we needed to have prototypes of our final retail machines. Everyone that played the cabinet at PAX Australia and TechEd 2013 had an absolute blast, but the machine suffered from major heat issues and various technical problems. To ensure confidence in our products, we had to demonstrate that these problems had been resolved. That was one week ago!

Since TechEd, we have been quite busy sourcing the required hardware to construct our first prototype. Thanks to the generosity of the Pinball Spare Parts Australia team, we also had a Williams cabinet to assist in getting the finalised measurements. In the last few days, we have also procured a 3D printer. This 3D printer will be critical to produce components as well as being an invaluable tool during the rapid prototyping stage.

Both Jennifer and I are geeks – half the fun of this project is the opportunity to play with different types of technologies. We find all sorts of excuses to play with new toys – I just wish I had more time to play PinballFX2!

It has been a fantastic journey and we look forward to demonstrating our retail prototypes within the next few weeks. You can follow our endeavours via the development diaries section on our website and our Instagram feed. We will also have the ausretrogamer team play test our prototypes – very exciting times!

Infinity Amusements is 100% Australian owned and we use Australian made components wherever possible. You can find out more, or contribute towards the project at IndieGoGo.

About

Spreading the nostalgic vibe of everything retro from the 80s, 90s & 00s, plus a sprinkle of contemporary pop culture.

Who we are

ausretrogamer.com – is an independent e-zine committed to spreading the nostalgic vibe of retro gaming and general pop culture across the known universe

Ausretrogamer was established in 2012 and has grown to become a popular independent source for high quality old-school gaming and pop culture news and information.

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Awards & Nominations

Nominated in the ‘Favorite Pinball Publication or Article’ category for The Annual 2020 TWIPY Awards

Ausretrogamer was voted 4th in the Top 75 Retro Gaming Blogs and Websites On The Planet
Ausretrogamer was voted 21st in the WePC Top Retro Gaming Blogs and Websites

Events

The ausretrogamer team love to take part in events – we are proud to have been the showrunner of the Classic Gaming area at PAX Aus in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Our very own, Alex Boz has also appeared on multiple PAX Aus panels: Geek Trash or Treasure? Finding Collectibles with Real Value and Blast from the Past – How Yesterday’s Heroes Became Today’s Icons.

pax-aus-2016-panel-2

We have also covered the following events:

Please contact alex[at]ausretrogamer.com if you have an event you would like us to contribute to or cover.

Other work

As well as articles published on the ausretrogamer site, founder Alex Boz regularly contributes to publications such as:

You can also listen to Alex on his many podcast appearances here.

Appeared in

We have also had the privilege to appear in many national and international media, from gamer-centric sites to print magazines, radio and TV:

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Get in touch with us to discuss submissions and suggestions for posts, events, projects and/or collaborations – or just to say hi!

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The Team

Alex Boz, Co-founder, Editor-In-Chief and Video Game Historian
Alex is a collector, arcade extraordinaire, pinball tragic, an Atarian and a C64 lover. Alex has been gaming since the early 80s when the weapon of choice was a joystick with a single fire button.
Follow Alex Boz on Twitter & on Substack

Ms. ausretrogamer (Kerith S), Co-founder, Editor and Writer
Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.
Follow Ms. ausretrogamer on Twitter

Mat Panek, Chief Games Reviewer
Retromancer – Collector, repairer & fan of retro games & tech. Atari to Amiga, Nintendo to Sega! LD, Zip, Beta and a proud dad! One half of the TiredParents on Twitch.

Follow Mat on Twitter and Twitch

Dr. Brant Raven, Reviewer and Star Wars fanatic
Scientist, philosopher & technologist. Science Fiction über-aficionado, retro gamer, curator & bibliographer. Creator of the Star Wars Bibliographic Database.
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Contributors:

Aaron Clement, Contributor
Tassie based retro gaming guy. Father of 3 and married to the very tolerant Kellie Clement. Coffee powered!
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David Cutler, U.S. Contributor
Love books, writing, sports, law, history, science, tech, film…oh, and tacos.
Follow David on Twitter
David also writes opinion pieces for The Baltimore Sun

Dylan C. (aka: ausmoderngamer)
Teenage video gamer and ausretrogamer contributor. When Dylan isn’t dribbling on the virtual basketball court he is ripping it up for real on the football field.

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Disclaimer:
The opinions, advice, products and services (if applicable) offered by third party sources are not necessarily endorsed by the author. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in the web page(s), the author cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.

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This site, compilation and unattributed content is copyright © of ausretrogamer – the Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Comments, stories, submissions, or entries submitted by others are owned by their respective author, who agrees to grant permission to publish their stories on this site. No warranty or guarantee of any kind is given regarding the operation of this site, and all implied warranties are revoked to the maximum extent possible. The right of editorial control is reserved and exercised at the sole discretion of the editor-in-chief.

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Retro Gamers Screening in Melbourne

July 13, 2023 By ausretrogamer

Not even a global pandemic could stop the Michael Naim Film Retro Gamers film being completed! It may have been delayed (like everything else was during COVID times), but we are rapt to see this Australian made and produced short film completed and ready for screening!

Featuring our good friend and fellow PAXAus Classic Gaming exhibitor, Cameron Bonde (aka: @octamed on Twitter) , Retro Gamers delves into the retro gaming community and explores its culture and nostalgic stranglehold.

Mark yourself busy on Sunday, July 23rd, as Retro Gamers will be screening at Cinema Nova. To purchase tickets to the screening, please head over to the Cinema Nova website here!

PS: For our friends in the US, you can also get tickets to the Retro Gamers screening at Gen Con 2023!

image & video source: Michael Naim

The Disappearing Legacy: The Endangered Status of Classic Video Games

July 11, 2023 By ausretrogamer

New study shows 87% of classic video games are critically endangered

The above headline should send shivers down our collective spine!!

In the ever-evolving world of technology and entertainment, video games hold a significant place. They have become a multi-billion dollar industry, captivating millions of players around the globe. However, a recent study conducted by the Video Game History Foundation in collaboration with the Software Preservation Network has shed light on a distressing reality: 87% of classic video games released are critically endangered. This revelation poses a serious threat to preserving the rich history and cultural significance of these digital artifacts.

Some spine-chilling classic video games facts:

87% of classic games are not in release, and are considered critically endangered
Availability is low across every platform and time period tracked in the study
Libraries and archives can digitally preserve, but not digitally share video games, and can provide on-premises access only
Libraries and archives are allowed to digitally share other media types, such as books, film, and audio, and are not restricted to on-premises access
The Entertainment Software Association, the video game industry’s lobbying group, has consistently fought against expanding video game preservation within libraries and archives

The Vanishing Act:

Imagine a world where to watch a beloved film, you had to scour secondhand shops for a worn VHS tape and maintain outdated equipment solely for the purpose of viewing it. To exacerbate matters, the only other option would be to journey to a specific location, such as ACMI in Melbourne, where you could access a digitised version of the film but only by physically being there. Unbelievable as it may sound, this is the reality video game enthusiasts face today. Despite the industry’s colossal worth of $180 billion, the games themselves, along with their storied past, are disappearing.

The Dire Lack of Access:

When it comes to accessing classic video games, the options are dishearteningly limited. One could embark on the arduous task of hunting down collectible games and maintaining obsolete hardware. Alternatively, individuals might find themselves traversing great distances to reach specialized libraries or archives, all in the hopes of playing these beloved relics. However, these options are far from ideal. And regrettably, for most people, classic video games remain beyond reach, reserved only for the most dedicated and passionate fans. It’s a rather grim state of affairs.

The PAXAus Classic Gaming area is great to play classic video games, but not everyone has a 486SX PC setup at home to play classic games like Doom II

The Role of Libraries and Archives:

One might argue that libraries and archives should play a crucial role in preserving and providing access to classic video games. Just as one can peruse classic novels, listen to timeless albums, and watch iconic movies, the same privilege should extend to gaming enthusiasts. However, archaic copyright laws act as a significant obstacle, impeding institutions from fulfilling their mandate.

The Battle for Preservation:

Preserving classic video games is not a trivial matter. These digital artifacts not only represent milestones in the gaming industry but also reflect the evolving nature of technology and the artistry of game design. As with any form of cultural preservation, it is essential to protect these historical treasures for future generations.

Ah, if only we all had an old-school Apple IIc computer at home

Potential Solutions:

Addressing this crisis requires a collaborative effort from various stakeholders. A crucial step would be to reassess copyright laws, allowing libraries and archives the flexibility to digitise and provide access to classic video games without fear of legal repercussions. Additionally, industry players, game developers, and publishers should actively support preservation initiatives by providing resources, funding, and legal permissions to ensure the survival of their own creations.

Conclusion:

The perilous state of classic video games is a matter of concern for gaming enthusiasts and cultural preservationists alike. With the majority of these games facing the risk of extinction, urgent action is required to safeguard their legacy. By advocating for copyright reforms and promoting collaboration between industry and preservation organizations, we can ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to explore, research, and appreciate the rich history of video games, just as we do with other forms of artistic expression.

Only through collective efforts can we prevent the disappearance of our digital heritage and ensure that classic video games remain accessible to all.

PS: For what its worth, we (in Australia) would love to see/support video games to be fully preserved by institutions/museums like ACMI (formerly Australian Centre for the Moving Image)

image source: if.com.au

story source: Video Game History Foundation

Sean’s Amazing Retro Video Game Art and Arcade Model Builds

June 8, 2022 By ausretrogamer

We have many talented friends around the world. One local multi-talented friend, Sean Tagg (aka: ) is not only an accomplished Donkey Kong player, but he is also an arcade restorer, OutRun expert and an amazing artist (amongst many other talents)!

Out of all of Sean’s accomplishments and creations, it is his meticulous artistic skill and flair that always captures our attention and astounds us with each of his amazing creations. Sean’s artwork (like on his Shinobi runners) and model builds of iconic video games are simply stunning to say the least. If you don’t believe us, check out the video below!

source: Sean Tagg – Arcade Modeller

Want to see more of Sean’s amazing Arcade Model builds? If you said yes (as you should have), then go to his Arcade Modeller site right now!

Here a video collection of my Model building and art of Video Games (with cheesy background music ) #chaseHQ #OutRun #Rtype #Ghoulsnghosts #Alteredbeast #Hangon #sega #arcade pic.twitter.com/G4o68E4b7a

— (@sean_tagg) March 27, 2020