Wait. What… is that? Please be conductive and explain all my troubles.

Bucket list - Acquire an Apple IIc with Alps keys. Maybe attach the LCD to it and code a completely useless program just to feel cool. I haven't used one of those computers in decades, but my fingers still have tactile memory from the school days. That key feedback is underrated and unmatched.

3dfx Voodoo 2 640x480 @ 120Hz on a CRT. That’s the way… I like it.

That feeling when you are tweaking retro PC hardware and have put something that was previously in a working state into a now non-working state. Physical damage? Electrical oops? The worries start flooding in.

I just found this in the wild for $3! First Wheel of Fortune game I ever played. Played it on our IBM dual 5.25” machine back in the day.

Who has a Socket 7 system? I think I might be cooking up something.

I shared the original 6502 source code for Galaforce several years ago. If you want to see what game programming was like back in the mid-1980s have a look here on my GitHub account! Lots of other similar code can be found in my other respositories. github.com/KevEdwards/G...

GitHub - KevEdwards/Galaforce1BBC: Galaforce - BBC Micro, Full source code.

Galaforce - BBC Micro, Full source code. Contribute to KevEdwards/Galaforce1BBC development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

Upgraded the video ram in my primary retro system. Let’s gooooo

Tonight’s sicko activity: messing around with the debugger hidden in Return of the Phantom. It shows a debugger on the MDA after enabling cheats and hitting ALT+D. (Picograph handling MDA output)

Cleaning up and organizing a bit. Found something.

Gimme your BEST CD audio cable.

I think it is high time we return to the land of DOS - of 486 CPUs, games, and especially VLB video cards. Do you think the Diamond Viper VLB card is slow? Well, think again! youtu.be/srht2WdXuWI

Turbocharging the Worst VESA Local Bus graphics card - Diamond Viper VLB

YouTube video by Displaced Gamers

youtu.be

I think it is high time we return to the land of DOS - of 486 CPUs, games, and especially VLB video cards. Do you think the Diamond Viper VLB card is slow? Well, think again! youtu.be/srht2WdXuWI

Turbocharging the Worst VESA Local Bus graphics card - Diamond Viper VLB

YouTube video by Displaced Gamers

youtu.be

Some more Double Dribble fun!

@mdsherry.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Somebody on YT suggested making a heat map of where scoring a basket was possible. That sounded interesting, so I went ahead and made it. Colour scheme: Grey: No basket is possible (bad angle). Red: No baskets (bad arc?). Green->cyan: # jump heights resulting in baskets Blue: Basket guaranteed.

It has been exactly zero days since I last said “Doom Nukem 3D” out loud.

If things go according to plan, next video involves DOS, VGA, my 486, and several games.

How do you shoot a basketball... in 3D... on the NES? Let's find out! A dive into the 3D ball physics of Double Dribble and a technical explanation of the infamous CORNER THREE! glitch. youtu.be/P_iWYyssJ0g

Get to the Hoop! 3D Ball Physics and Corner Three Exploit of NES Double Dribble - Behind the Code

YouTube video by Displaced Gamers

youtu.be

Doing not-really-VGA things with VGA and MS-DOS.

Over the last couple of years, I have been looking to run various PC games on old hardware - including games I do not own. You'd be amazed at how many classic PC games from 1980-2000 just aren't available unless you buy a secondhand copy or eyepatch them. Kinda sad because they end up forgotten.

Have you had a moment to think about accurate phase sampling and picture sizing for scalers in order to handle both 320x200 graphics and 720x400 text output from DOS at the same time without cropping or shimmering? No!? Well… lucky you.

I think I still have my sticker album somewhere…

Chris Covell@chriscovell.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Hi, all. Can you smell this through your screen?

Note to self - 1: Get a Mac 2: Get this

1Bit Fever Dreams@1bit.bsky.social · 4mo ago

cozyMIDI: my brand new 68k mac application coded in C (and sweat). Plays standard MIDI files assuming you have an external module plugged on the modem port. Runs on a Mac Plus, speed is perfect on a SE/30 and up. Has fun animations during playback (see the 2/2 post in this thread) #macintosh 1/2

It took a long time to have the right equipment to scale and capture low resolution, VGA output from my old computers... But I think I am finally there. I still have tweaking to do, but perhaps I can finally make the video I have wanted to make for years.

Ok! Started work on the Matrox Mystique “too fast” build…. I dunno. It has a 333 MHz K6-2 processor. The Mystique had a clown on the box and came with Mechwarrior 2, so I am calling this one “ClownWarrior” right now. 🤡 Mystique not pictured yet, ironically. Here is the current state 🧵:

It took this video to remind me that I have a color one of these kicking around somewhere. And… it has a screen issue. (Can only see the screen from off-axis, iirc)

LGR@lgr-yt.bsky.social · 4mo ago

mmm grayscale VGA... with an ACTIVE MATRIX panel?! youtu.be/5wv-eSJnRJQ This ain't your typical 486 laptop, it has a TFT monochrome LCD! Tech that didn't end up in too many systems. Sadly it's not without issues, but I've wanted to show it on LGR and what better time than now while it still works?

Well at least it is apologizing for wasting my time.

I can’t believe this VLB card fell into my lap. Really excited to own it and use it.

It may seem like a strange build, but I am planning a Super Socket 7 Windows 95 system with an AMD K6-2 333MHz and my original Matrox Mystique (yeah, seriously). The goal is early, quirky 3D gaming with a very mid-late 90s focus - around 1996-1997.

As expected, I need smaller test clips for an SOP20 chip. So I can either buy a set of those or get the full SOP20 clamp for like … $30+ or whatever. Ha! Ahh… sadly, I suspect the main graphics chip is bad. This diagnostic process is wishful thinking.

Displaced Gamers@displacedgamers.bsky.social · 5mo ago

I am going to fix this video card, gosh darn it.

I am going to fix this video card, gosh darn it.