MicroLeague Baseball

MicroLeague Baseball was an early classic baseball game for computers. This particular ad mentions the Commodore 64, DOS, Apple II and Atari 8-bit line though it was also later released for the Amiga and Atari ST. Like most other MicroLeague sports games, this one was strategic in nature instead of a more typical arcade style game.

In MicroLeague Baseball, you take the roll of a manager. MicroLeague used real teams in addition to real stats from real players licensed from the Major League Players Association. You could choose to manage any team from any year and match them up any way you wanted. As the manager, you got to choose the line-up, when to steal, when to send in relief pitchers, pinch hitters, etc. You could play vs. another human player or against a manager controlled by the computer. There were various expansions for this game including a Box Score/Stats Compiler Disk that allowed you to save the results of every game played and compile statistics for every player as well as a General Manager/Owners disk that you to make trades and create your own players and teams. Various data disks were released as well. While maybe not for everyone, MicroLeague Baseball was a statisticians dream.

As far as I know, this game has never been re-released which is a shame as the MicroLeague line is rather unique in the baseball video game world. There were several sequels culminating with MicroLeague Baseball IV in 1993. I tend to like turn-based strategy games and if there were more sports games like this today I would probably play them more. The above ad is from the November 1987 issue of Compute!'s PC Magazine and the screen shots are from the Commodore 64 version of the game.

MegaCon 2018: CELEBRITY Q&A WITH DOCTOR WHO'S CATHERINE TATE

MegaCon 2018: CELEBRITY Q&A WITH DOCTOR WHO'S CATHERINE TATE

Electronic Gaming Monthly (July 2001)

Electronic Gaming Monthly (July 2001)

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - Stary Olsa - Part 34

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - Stary Olsa - Part 34

Stary Olsa performs at the 2018 Brevard Renaissance Fair in Melbourne, Florida (2018-01-21).

From Stary Olsa's web page:

"STARY OLSA is a mediaeval Belarusian music band. It was founded in 1999 by its present leader Zmicier Sasnoŭski and now consists of six musicians. It takes its name from a brook in the west part of Mahilioŭ Region (Belarus).

The band's repertoire includes Belarusian folk balladry and martial songs, Belarusian national dances, works of Belarusian Renaissance composers, compositions from Belarusian aulic music collections (e.g. Polack Notebook, Vilnia Notebook), Belarusian canticles of the 16th - early 17th centuries, as well as European popular melodies of the Middle Ages and Renascence.

STARY OLSA cooperates with many knightly clubs from Belarus and Europe, museums and research centres, masters of early instruments, bands of folk, aulic, sacred and city avital music, as well as with solo performers using old instruments, as well as with fire show theartes.

The band's music makes it possible to restore sounds of many forgotten instruments. STARY OLSA uses for its performances maximal exact (in appearance, technology and materials) copies of old aged Belarusian instruments such as Belarusian bagpipe, lyre, gusli (Baltic psaltery) , svirel (reed pipe), jew's-harp, ocarina, Belarusian trumpet, birch bark trumpet, hudok (Belarusian rebec), tromba marina and drums.

The purpose is to completely reconstruct (whenever possible) musical traditions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania where Belarus was the main cultural and geopolitical part in the 13th – 18th centuries, and where there was a unique combination of Belarusian folk and aulic music with European musical achievements of that time. In order to revive this cultural peculiarity the band's members mix early Belarusian instruments sound with all-European mediaeval instruments such as lute, rebec, cister, flute, Arabic drum.

Besides its own theatrical concerts, the band performs at mediaeval culture festivals, spear-runnings and folklore festivals."

http://staryolsa.com/en/home.html https://dai.ly/x6mhzq5

MacAddict (May 1997)

1997 was arguably the year Apple started to turn things around. Their marketshare had been fading for a while (not that it was every particularly high back in those days) but Steve Jobs was back. The iMac would be introduced later in the year and the PowerBook was becoming something special (if absurdly expensive).

MacAddict was an enthusiasts magazine for the Macintosh. It was more or less equivalent to something like Maximum PC today but for the Mac. The May 1997 issue includes:

Highlights

• Super-Smart Desktops - No matter whether you're a list maker or an unstoppable slob, we can help you get your desktop under control. Find out how to organize folders and files, manage menus, create cool desktop patterns, and more.
• ICONtemplation - Believe it or not, there is an art to making beautiful icons. Our resident iconfabulator teaches you how to add perspective, eliminate jaggies, create shadows, and more.
• Welcome to MacAddict Lab - It's not your everyday lab. Nope, far from it. Take a behind-the scenes peek at how we really test products.
• Ropin' In Extensions - Ever opened that Extensions folder in your System Folder? Scared by what you saw? It has never beene asier to take control of those extensions, thanks to our hands-on guide.
• This Old Mac - There's a right way to upgrade and a wrong way. We show you the right way to upgrade a Mac IIci, IIcx, and IIsi.

How To

• Use MacBug - Learn eight things you can do with this underused utility, including recover from crashes, discover the meaning of error messages, and salvage files.
• Put Up a Web Page Fast - The clock is ticking. You've got less than three minutes to put up a Web page. What do you do?

Every Month

• Editor's Note - A warm, fuzzy missive on the most personal of computers - the Mac.
• Letters - More madness from our readers, as well as a few sensible questions (and answers, too!).
• Get Info - Introducing the Twentieth Anniversary Mac, a contest for winning an Epson color printer, five browser plug-ins that you must have, more on Java, and our Pick-a-Steve survey.
• Cravings - Slurp 'em up! Six superhot products that will make you pant.
• Reviews - All new stuff! The MessagePad 2000, Mah Jong Parlour, Lightwave, Rama, Fetch, and more!
• Ask Us - Defragmenting your hard drive, icons gone wacko, understanding IDE drives, and other techie questions answered.
• PowerPlay - Get the hard facts on how MacSoft will affect the future of Mac gaming.
• Shut Down - Oddball clippings from the bizarre world of computers.

The Disc

• Thousands of desktop patterns, icons, and customization utilities jampacked onto The Disc. Plus, a contest to win Command & Conquer, original music, and a new interface!

Online

• Get your daily fill of Mac stuff on our Web site. We've got hot news from Apple; we've got areas of interest for gamers, artists, Mac aficianados, Net survers, and productivity Mavens; we've got just tons of Mac regalia!

..and more!

MegaCon 2018: Vendor Hall (Saturday)

MegaCon 2018: Vendor Hall (Saturday)

Video taken walking up and down the aisles of the vendor hall at MegaCon 2018.

I think I covered every aisle but not the entire artist area. This gives you a pretty good idea how big (and crowded, especially on Saturday) it is. It took nearly an hour to do the walkthrough and I wasn't stopping to look at stuff. This is the perfect Where's Waldo game if you were walking around there on Saturday :).

https://dai.ly/x6mc2gs

Crazy Taxi 2 (Sega Dreamcast)

Crazy Taxi 2 (Sega Dreamcast)

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - Stary Olsa - Part 33 (Pagamoszka)

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - Stary Olsa - Part 33 (Pagamoszka)

Stary Olsa performs "Pagamoszka" at the 2018 Brevard Renaissance Fair in Melbourne, Florida (2018-01-21).

From Stary Olsa's web page:

"STARY OLSA is a mediaeval Belarusian music band. It was founded in 1999 by its present leader Zmicier Sasnoŭski and now consists of six musicians. It takes its name from a brook in the west part of Mahilioŭ Region (Belarus).

The band's repertoire includes Belarusian folk balladry and martial songs, Belarusian national dances, works of Belarusian Renaissance composers, compositions from Belarusian aulic music collections (e.g. Polack Notebook, Vilnia Notebook), Belarusian canticles of the 16th - early 17th centuries, as well as European popular melodies of the Middle Ages and Renascence.

STARY OLSA cooperates with many knightly clubs from Belarus and Europe, museums and research centres, masters of early instruments, bands of folk, aulic, sacred and city avital music, as well as with solo performers using old instruments, as well as with fire show theartes.

The band's music makes it possible to restore sounds of many forgotten instruments. STARY OLSA uses for its performances maximal exact (in appearance, technology and materials) copies of old aged Belarusian instruments such as Belarusian bagpipe, lyre, gusli (Baltic psaltery) , svirel (reed pipe), jew's-harp, ocarina, Belarusian trumpet, birch bark trumpet, hudok (Belarusian rebec), tromba marina and drums.

The purpose is to completely reconstruct (whenever possible) musical traditions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania where Belarus was the main cultural and geopolitical part in the 13th – 18th centuries, and where there was a unique combination of Belarusian folk and aulic music with European musical achievements of that time. In order to revive this cultural peculiarity the band's members mix early Belarusian instruments sound with all-European mediaeval instruments such as lute, rebec, cister, flute, Arabic drum.

Besides its own theatrical concerts, the band performs at mediaeval culture festivals, spear-runnings and folklore festivals."

http://staryolsa.com/en/home.html

https://dai.ly/x6m50tx

Ahoy! (April 1984)

Ahoy! is a magazine dedicated to Commodore computers and covered most of them throughout the years. In 1984 it was primarily the Commodore 64 with some VIC-20 and a little bit of PET thrown in for good measure. The Commodore 128 and Amiga would come the following year and later the C-16/Plus 4 though its life would be short. The April 1984 issue includes:

Departments

• A View from the Bridge - A look at how the magazine has improved in its short existence thus far and an overview of what's in the issue.

• Scuttlebutt - The latest Commodore related news including More on Tramiel's resignation; delays in the proposed 264 and 364 models; Leonard Nimoy to appear in Hes-Ware ads; a variety of educational software including one of my all time favorite games, Agent USA; a music synthesizer system for the Commodore 64 called "When I'm 64"; a bunch of new games including Sorcerer, Slamball and and much more.

• Book Reviews - Reviews of new Commodore 64 books including Sprite Graphics For The Commodore 64 by Sally Greenwood Larson and The Commodore 64 Music Book: A Guide To Programming And Sound by James Vogel and Nevin B. Scrimshaw.

• The Rupert Report - A short guide to math on the Commodore 64 and how you may not always get the results you expect.

• Reviews - Reviews of Dino Eggs (Micro Fun, Commodore 64), Oil's Well (Sierra On-Line, Commodore 64), Blue Max (Synapse, Commodore 64), Lunar Leeper (Sierra On-Line, Commodore 64), Learning With Leeper (Sierra On-Line, Commodore 64), Final Orbit/Bumper Bash (Sirius, VIC-20), Cross Fire (Sierra On-line, Commodore 64 and VIC-20), Jumpman Junior (Epyx, Commodore 64), Purple Turtles (Quicksilva, Commodore 64), Beach-Head (Access, Commodore 64), The Search Series (T & F, Commodore 64), and Gateway to Apshai (Epyx, Commodore 64). Of the games in this list, there are several I played extensively including Blue Max, Jumpman Junior, Beach-Head, and Gateway to Apshai. Those were all outstanding games.

• Commodares - Problems for the reader to solve by writing (or fixing) small programs.

• Glossary - A glossary of computer terms.

Features

• Easy Script and Easy Spell - A review of this relatively inexpensive, full featured word processor (and spell checker) for the Commodore 64.

• Printer Interfacing, Part II - The results of a series of tests on a couple of printer interfaces for the Commodore 64 and VIC-20, including the Tymac Connection and the Cardco Cart?/+G.

• Introduction to Petspeed - Review of Petspeed, a BASIC Compiler for the Commodore PET/CBM.

• Playing the Light Fantastic - A look at lasedisc technology including laserdisc games.

• Who Programmed J.R.? - A detailed look at The Dallas Quest, based on the extraordinarily popular prime time soap opera. Includes a conversation with the creators.

• Educational Software, Part II - Part 2 of a guide to educational software for parents.

Programs

• Lunar Lander - A type-in game for the Commodore 64 in which you attempt to land you spacecraft on the Moon.

• Apple Pie - A type-in educational game for the Commodore 64 that lets you practice multiplication.

• Commodore 64 Bug Repellent - A proofreading program for type-in programs published in Ahoy!

• Lower Case Descenders - A program for creating a custom, and much improved, character set for the Commodore 1525 printer.

...and more!

MegaCon 2018: CELEBRITY Q&A WITH THE LEGENDARY JEFF GOLDBLUM

Jeff Goldblum panel at MegaCon 2018 in Orlando, Florida.

MegaCon 2018: CELEBRITY Q&A WITH THE LEGENDARY JEFF GOLDBLUM

Vanessa Z. Schneider (P.N.03)

P.N.03 is perhaps one of Capcom's more obscure games. However, that obscurity comes from the fact that this title was released exclusively on the GameCube and was not one of Capcom's better games. P.N.03 was released in 2003 and is short for Product Number Zero Three. It is more or less a fairly generic third person shooter and the plot bears at least a passing resemblance to I Robot (the Will Smith movie) with a little bit of Orphan Black thrown in. Though to be fair, this game preceded both.

In P.N.03 you take the role of Vanessa Z. Schneider (pictured above from Girls of Gaming) who is hired by an unknown client to destroy the robots of Computerized Armament Management System that have run amok. Along the way Vanessa discovers a clone of herself and receives a message from her client who also appears to be a clone and the plot thickens. However, it doesn't really go anywhere because that's the end.

Because of financial problems Capcom was having at the time, development for this game was rushed. The rather shallow plot is one of several problems with the game. Despite the intriguing sounding twists described above, the game is really just about blowing up robots, not that there is anything wrong with that. P.N.03 also had some odd gameplay mechanics like not being able to shoot while moving. There was also an emphasis on defensive action which seems a little odd when you are supposed to be destroying robots. At the end of the day, there was just too little variety and too much repetition. However, the gameplay may remind you of more classic arcade play, just with updated graphics.

P.N.03 has never been re-released as far as I know. It was the first game of the "Capcom Five" which were five games that were originally supposed to be exclusive to the GameCube and introduce new intellectual property. Of those five games, one was cancelled and only P.N.03 remained exclusive to the GameCube. P.N.03 can still be had pretty cheaply. It may be one of those games destined to rise in price though as it never sold particularly well and despite its flaws, it really isn't a bad game.

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - The Craic Show - Part 20 (Step It Out Mary)

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - The Craic Show - Part 20 (Step It Out Mary)

Compute! (November 1982)

Compute! (November 1982)

MegaCon 2018: CELEBRITY Q&A WITH LANDO HIMSELF BILLY DEE WILLIAMS

MegaCon 2018: CELEBRITY Q&A WITH LANDO HIMSELF BILLY DEE WILLIAMS

Lethal Weapon (NES, SNES, Game Boy)

Lethal Weapons was released for various home computers, the NES, Super Nintendo and Game Boy in 1992. It was actually based on the movie Lethal Weapon 3 which was the iteration of that series that was released around the same time. The game is a fairly typical side-scrolling platform adventure game with the quality you have come to expect from licensed properties.

There are two primary versions of the game. One released for the NES and Game Boy and another released for the Super Nintendo and various home computers including the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and DOS. In both versions, you get to choose to play either of the two main protagonists, Riggs or Murtaugh. The NES and Game Boy version is extremely difficult and mostly involves fighting with various criminals in the Los Angeles area. You can either punch or shoot your enemies and often punching seems to be more effective. The Super Nintendo and computer versions are similar types of games but the levels have more specific goals. The difference between the two characters that you can choose from are minimal and relate to firing speed and jump height.

None of the versions are particularly great games. The computer versions seem to be more highly regarded but that's not saying much. If you do want to give this one a try, the Amiga (or Atari ST) version is probably best. Pick the SNES version over the NES or Game Boy version if you want a console game but if you are a sucker for punishment and want to play both variations then you'll have to give the NES version a shot too (or Game Boy but why?). Needless to say, this game has never been re-released. A Sega Master System version was planned and may have even been mostly completed but was never released.

The ad above is from the February 1993 issue of Game Players magazine and advertises the NES, SNES and Game Boy versions. Screen shots above are from the Super Nintendo version of the game.

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - The Craic Show - Part 19 (In Taberna)

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - The Craic Show - Part 19 (In Taberna)

Psygnosis Games (Amiga)

Psygnosis was one of the more prolific and better known developers of gaming software on the Amiga. They weren't exclusive to the Amiga as they were well known for the Lemmings series on various platforms, Wipeout on the PlayStation and many others. However, they were one of the first to develop games that really pushed the Amiga hardware as opposed to just supporting the lowest common denominator across multiple platforms.

This particular ad is from the December 1990 issue of Amiga Plus and features three games: Armour-Geddon, Obitus, and Nitro.

Armour-Geddon is not one of their better games. Graphics and gameplay are good but there just isn't enough to it despite the unique and interesting plot. You are part of a group that was apparently smart enough to build underground shelters before the nuclear war so you've had it relatively good, at least compared to the people outside. However, those outside survivors (or their decendants anyway) are a little upset so they are trying to build a laser canon with which to kill you. Your ultimate goal is to collect five pieces of an old neutron bomb to destroy the laser canon with. Along the way you'll also battle in various vehicles with weapons you develop. It is played from a 3D perspective.

Obitus is an action RPG which starts with you as a history professor whose car breaks down in a storm. You seek refuge in an old tower and wake up in another land. Those that don't mind making their own maps may like this one as map making is definately a key to success. It played from a first person point of view similar to games like Eye of the Beholder but with 8 directions instead of just 4.

Nitro is a virtual clone of Sega's Hot Rod but with different tracks and graphics. It is a top down racer that can be played with up to three players. Top down racers are one of those genres that has seemingly gone away which is too bad because it was one of my favorites. Anybody know of any decent modern top down racers?

MegaCon 2018: CELEBRITY Q&A WITH THE PRINCESS BRIDE'S CHRIS SARANDON

MegaCon 2018: CELEBRITY Q&A WITH THE PRINCESS BRIDE'S CHRIS SARANDON

BLiP (March 1983)

BLiP (March 1983)

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - Stary Olsa - Part 32 (Highway to Hell)

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - Stary Olsa - Part 32 (Highway to Hell)

Microkids (December 1983)

Microkids (December 1983)

MegaCon 2018: CELEBRITY Q&A WITH THE X-FILES; ANNABETH GISH, MITCH PILEGGI & WILLIAM B. DAVIS

MegaCon 2018: CELEBRITY Q&A WITH THE X-FILES; ANNABETH GISH, MITCH PILEGGI & WILLIAM B. DAVIS

Top Gear 3000 (Super Nintendo)

Source: EGM 2 - Issue Number 5 - November 1994

Top Gear 3000 was the third game in the Top Gear series for the Super Nintendo and was released in 1995. At a glance, the Top Gear series looks very much like Outrun or similar games though it does offer a little more complexity. For instance, Top Gear 3000 allows choosing various cars, automatic or manual transmission, and various futuristic upgrades that give your car special abilities.

The main difference between Top Gear 3000 and its predecessors was that it was set in the future. Aside from the futuristic upgrades to your car, it didn't make a whole lot of difference and even those upgrades weren't really all that important to the game. Visually speaking, it looked much like the previous games in the series.

The Top Gear series in general and Top Gear 3000 specifically is a pretty average game. A decent arcade racer but not as graphically advanced or sophisticated as other racers of the time. The best feature of Top Gear 3000 is probably the ability to play it as a four player game in Vs. mode with the addition of a multi-tap.

While there would be several more sequels and spinoffs related to the Top Gear series, as far as I know there has never been a re-release of Top Gear 3000. You'll need a Super Nintendo or resort to emulation. I haven't tried this on an emulator, does anybody know if you can play four players with any of the emulators? In my opinion, the four player option is the best reason for owning this one.

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - Stary Olsa - Part 31 (Drumul Draculi)

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - Stary Olsa - Part 31 (Drumul Draculi)

Commodore Magazine (August 1987)

Commodore Magazine (August 1987)

MegaCon 2018 - 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH STARS GARY LOCKWOOD & KEIR DULLEA (2)

MegaCon 2018 - 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH STARS GARY LOCKWOOD & KEIR DULLEA (2)

The Itchy & Scratchy Game (Super Nintendo)

The Itchy and Scratchy Game is a video game based on a fictitious show within the Simpson's. It's basically a demented Tom & Jerry. The premise is Itchy the Mouse and Scratchy the Cat trying to kill each other in the most violent ways imaginable. The game takes the form a typical side-scrolling platform action game. You play the role of Itchy has he attempts to torture and kill Scratchy.

Simpsons related games in general typically fair better than the average licensed property. However, The Itchy and Scratchy Game is not one of the better examples. There are a lot of Simpsons games to choose from and this is definitely not the best choice. It got mediocre to terrible reviews. It's a pretty short/easy game and despite the stated goals, it lacks much of the violence and humor that makes up the appeal of these characters.

Interestingly, the ad above shows Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Game Gear and Sega Genesis boxes. However, only a Super Nintendo and Game Gear version was released. These were pretty similar to each other which is not always the case with games of the same title released on multiple platforms. The Genesis version was apparently completed but never released. The ROM can be found online for play on an emulator if you are interested. I don't know why it was never released though I suspect the poor reception of the SNES and Game Gear versions combined with being very late in the life of the console (this game was released in 1995) probably contributed.

Screenshots above are from the Super Nintendo version of the game and the ad is from the March 1995 issue of GameFan.

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - Stary Olsa - Part 30 (Water, Hops and Malt)

Brevard Renaissance Fair 2018 - Stary Olsa - Part 30 (Water, Hops and Malt)

Uptime (Commodore 64)

Source: Commodore Magazine - January 1988

In the 1980s, before the Internet was available and when commercial online services were expensive, there were still other ways to obtain software besides just going to the store. One way was through disk subscription services. I’m not sure how popular these were on other computers but there were several for Commodore 8-bit computers. The most popular was probably Loadstar. Quality varied but on average I would say the applications and games that came on these disks was better than your average type-in program and not quite as good as your average commercial program.

This particular ad is for one such disk subscription called Uptime. I’m not really familiar with this one and I suspect it didn’t last particularly long. At least I don’t recall seeing many ads for it. Searching the web, it appears that there were 21 issues of Uptime and that Loadstar actually bought them out at some point. Believe it or not, Loadstar continued to be published until 2007. Disk images for both Uptime and Loadstar can be found out on the web if you look hard enough.