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From Bedrooms to Billions: The Amiga Years

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TheAmigaYearsFollowing their critically acclaimed first feature length documentary, From Bedrooms To Billions, Nicola and Anthony Caulfield are back with a follow-up film based on Commodore‘s wonder computer, the Amiga. Coinciding with the Amiga‘s 30th anniversary, Nicola and Anthony have kicked off their From Bedrooms to Billions: The Amiga Years Kickstarter campaign with a bang!

This film will have a whole new set of interviews to add to the already extensive list to create a standalone, immersive and highly nostalgic film that really explores why the release of the Commodore Amiga and the era that soon followed, was a key period in the evolution of video games.

Regardless of your allegiance to Commodore or the Amiga, this is one Kickstarter campaign you cannot miss. Back this project now!

Amiga_Ballimage source: From Bedrooms To Billions: The Amiga Years

Partying With My Retro Gaming Brethren

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Party_groupWhen 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!
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Pizzas, Drinks and great company = perfect ingredients for a party
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Matt having a crack at the Pin*Bot high score!
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The great Mark Cassar taking a swing on the Neo Geo!
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Daz showing the boys his flipper skills!
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The next generation of retro gamers
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The awesome gifts! I have been spoiled.
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Commodore Club – Going Out With A Bang!

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Amiga_TitleOn a warm Sunday afternoon in December, just before Christmas, the Melbourne Amiga User Group held their final Commodore Club meet for 2014.

The final meet had everything, from the Commodore 64 and Amiga 500, to the CD32 and the Amiga 4000 beast. There were a few rarities present, the Paravision SX-1 and FMV module for the CD32 – security was quite tight around these two items (Ed: and so it should be!). There were magazines and controllers aplenty, with not one, but two Battlestations for those that like to play as if they were in an arcade.

amiga_1The highlight of the meet is always the people. Playing games is secondary, especially when you have your behind handed to you in Hat Trick on the C64!

In between the festive mood and feverish discussions, there were pizzas consumed by the bucket-load and fizzy drinks downed to quench our thirst.

As 2014 draws to a close, so does another Commodore Club event for the year. We are already looking forward to reconvening in 2015! Have yourself a Happy Commodore New Year!

The SX-1 and FMV module! I’ll tuck these into my bag…..
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Giving the Amiga CD32 some boost juice!
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The Amiga CD32 in its fully glory
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Code in Assembler, like a cracking boss!
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Drive Power!
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Man your battlestations!
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Look at all those lovely connectors!
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This makes life easier
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Lightning fast loading!
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Serby says it’s Doritos Crunchy Crust pizza or bust!
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Play to win
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Love me these publications!
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A classic C+VG Book of Maps!
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Hints and tips, 1985 style
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Taking control one last time for 2014!
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Retro Gaming Calendars for 2015

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RetroCalendars_TitleHave you got a calendar for next year? Even if you do, I guarantee you will like these retro gaming inspired calendars even better!

The Sunteam (the team behind the PC Engine Software Bible) have put together seven classic gaming calendars to cater for all retro gamers – from the Spectrum and PC-Engine lovers, to the Sega and Commodore fans, no one will feel left out (Ed: unless you are a one-eyed Nintendo fan!). You can finally put your old CD cases to good use!

Get on over to the Sunteam site to download your favourite retro gaming calendar!

 

 

Commodore Club Day

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Something special happens every third Sunday of the month at the Wadham House Craft and Hobby Centre. Courtesy of the Melbourne Amiga Users Group, the Commodore Club Day (#CommodoreClub) is a love-in of sorts for anyone that is (or was) into the great home computers from Commodore. Even if you aren’t a Commodore fan, you are still most welcome.

CommClub_playing

The Commodore Club Day is filled with like-minded people, and of course, the hardware – from the Commodore 64 to the Amiga 1200 and CD32. The biggest buzz for us is always the people. It is great to catch-up with our friends and have a yarn about our experiences with the great beige pieces of plastic.

CommClub_COMP

Of course no club day is complete without some friendly gaming rivalry. On this particular occasion, Kevin Tilley from the C64-centric magazine, RESET, created a four-player, four game competition between yours truly, Ant Stiller, Rob Caporetto and Kevin himself. The competition was fierce, but fair. There was adulation and pain in the battle to find out who reigned supreme on the C64. I hate to do this to you all, but you will have to wait for issue 4 of RESET to find out who was hot and who was not!

As they say, all good things must come to an end. It is always sad to wrap things up at the Commodore Club Day, but it is never a goodbye, it is always, till next time!

The Terminator made its presence known!
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Bomberland 64 mayhem ensued
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Weird and Retro’s Serby was preoccupied while the Doctor kicked ass
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Feel the power of the Amiga
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Weird and Retro’s RGCD cartridge stash
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The C64 4-player competition is ready to go!
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Pedro enjoying some Amiga time
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Paul’s ever impressive Amiga setup. This is just the tip of the iceberg
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Games begging to be played!
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Top 5 Games Charts: November 1990

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Top5_Title

There is no denying that there were some awesome games released towards the end of 1990. The below charts are testament to these great games that still endure till this day (Ed: well, some of them anyway).

So, take out those Amiga Operation Stealth diskettes and blow into that dusty Super Mario Bros. cartridge for some unabashed retro gaming experience. Nostalgia rules y’all!

  1) Golden Axe (Sega)
2) Chase HQ (Sega / Taito)
3) Operation Wolf (Sega / Taito)
4) Battle Out Run (Sega)
5) Double Dragon (Sega / Technos)

 

  1) Super Mario Bros 2 (Nintendo)
2) Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (Nintendo)
3) The Legend Of Zelda (Nintendo)
4) Super Mario Bros (Nintendo)
5) Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest (Konami)

 

Amiga_108 1) Corporation (Core Design)
2) Shadow Of The Beast 2 (Psygnosis)
3) Operation Stealth (US Gold / Delphine)
4) Shadow Warriors (Ocean)
5) Wings (Mirrorsoft / Cinemaware)

 

atari_st 1) F-19 Stealth Fighter (Microprose)
2) Their Finest Hours (US Gold / Lucasfilm)
3) Shadow Warriors (Ocean)
4) Operation Stealth (US Gold / Delphine)
5) Midnight Resistance (Ocean)

 

Trapped: Andy Warhol’s Amiga Experiments

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Andy_Title

Back on April 25, we reported on the discovery and recovery of Andy Warhol’s digital artistic works from 30 year old Amiga diskettes. The Trapped: Andy Warhol’s Amiga Experiments documentary was shown this past weekend (May 10) at the Carnegie Lecture Hall in Pittsburgh. If you happen to have missed the première, don’t worry, we have it right here for you. Press play and enjoy.


source: nowseethis

Andy Warhol Digital Images Recovered From Old Amiga Disks

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Andy Warhol
Commodore Amiga computer equipment used by Andy Warhol
source: Hyperallergic

No need to rub your eyes in disbelief, it is all true – Andy Warhol’s digital artistic works have been recovered from 30 year old Amiga diskettes, as reported by BBC News.

Commodore commissioned Warhol to create a series of works to aid the launch of their Amiga 1000. Thank you to the Carnegie Mellon University’s computer club, these long lost works were (painstakingly) recovered. Who said diskettes oxidised?

The discovery and recovery of Andy Warhol’s digital images has been filmed for the Trapped: Andy Warhol’s Amiga Experiments documentary, to be shown on May 10 at the Carnegie Lecture Hall in Pittsburgh. The documentary will be available online at nowseethis. Make sure you mark your diary!

Screen shot showing list of Warhol created digital works
Screen shot showing list of Warhol created digital works
source: Academia

Andy Warhol, "Venus"
Andy Warhol, “Venus” [1985]
source: Hyperallergic
Andy Warhol, “Campbell’s”
Andy Warhol, “Campbell’s” [1985]
source: Hyperallergic
Andy Warhol, “Andy2″
Andy Warhol, “Andy2″ [1985]
source: Hyperallergic
 

Viva Amiga: The Glory Days

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RJ_AmigaOMG! This teaser video of Viva Amiga: The Documentary Film about the beautiful machine, has not only whet our appetite, but it has totally made us all drool in anticipation. Some true heavyweights feature in this video, one being RJ Mical – (one of) the inventing geniuses behind Commodore’s flagship model.

The Kickstarter campaign was funded back in July 2011, so this teaser video serves as a reminder of what is to come. For those that funded the project, you lucky, lucky b*$7%^&$! For those of us that didn’t, let’s hope pre-ordering opens very soon!


source: Viva Amiga