Toni Westbrook

@Megaboz@oldbytes.space
32 Followers
56 Following
203 Posts

I'm a computer scientist who absolutely loves #retrocomputing and #retrogaming!

Some of my software & hardware creations: Shredz64 (#C64 Guitar Hero), ZISA-X (ISA compatible #Z80 computer), Whirlwind (NES FPGA).

I'm currently working on a #BBS themed adventure RPG, Cloudburst Connection.

Recent repairs & mods: IMSAI 8080, TRS-80 Model III, C128DCR.

Research interests: Bioinformatics, genomics, file systems, HPC, and scientific reproducibility. Check out my ORCID page for my publications!

Day JobDep Director Research Computing & AI @ UNH
Githubhttps://github.com/ToniWestbrook
Research Publicationshttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5398-6916
Websitehttps://www.toniwestbrook.com

Dear electronics folks - how do you manage/track all your ICs and components? I've been using a spreadsheet with part numbers, quantities, and descriptions, and that works okay, but it seems like I spend more and more time just doing asset management so I don't accidentally re-purchase things already in my collection each new project.

#electronics

Trip to Funspot today! I definitely feel lucky being an hour away from the largest arcade in the world!

#arcade #retrogaming #funspot

What does everyone think about the new Commodore?

I’m curious if it will last and if people will jump on this. I never owned one before. Is this just for a niche group of nostalgic individuals?

#retrocomputing #commodore

https://www.commodore.net

Home | Commodore

Commodore
An interesting article about how blind people can play classic text-rendered #roguelike games #retrodev #retrogaming #retrocomputing #gamedev

Playing roguelikes when you ca...
Playing roguelikes when you can’t see

For most of us, traditional roguelikes are intrinsically inaccessible. They’re notoriously difficult, their design is c…

Rock Paper Shotgun

Been loving necroware's board for converting MDA/CGA/EGA to VGA! Quick to solder, compact, and has worked like a champ on everything I've tried: Tandy 1000, Laser 128, C128DCR, etc.

#retrocomputing #tandy #commodore #VGA #CGA #necroware

Two of my favorite mobile devices, the DevTerm and Flipper Zero, having a nice "chat" with each other. I would love to use my DevTerm more, I need suggestions of things I can print on the thermal printer!

#devterm #FlipperZero #cyberdecks

New video: Let's Code MS DOS 0x30: VGA 3D Textmode

The EGA and VGA card can do a lot of magic tricks in textmode. This time we will investigate how you can draw a rotating 3D cube overlayed on normal text by utilising the EGA/VGA feature of a second character set.

https://youtu.be/4hrVpFY43bY
https://makertube.net/w/vyeR1JSA7p4TmfSbBkyFWG

#letscode #msdos #retrocomputing #demoscene

over the years i've become more interested in game/software ephemera than the software itself.

for example, few people under 20 have grown up with a local computer store or brick & mortar store that sells boxed games. biking over to the computer store to line up, pay cash, and buy a game you've been saving for months has become an alien experience.

a few days ago i bought some old PC boxed games from a guy that had them in storage for decades. of all of them, i was the least excited about Millionaire. it looked like the kind of lazy portware that probably started its life as a text simulation on the Apple II and made its way to every godforsaken architecture.

tucked away on the last page of the manual was an absolute treasure: the original VISA transaction record for the day the game was bought, for $52.88, on July 20, 1985 at the Real Canadian Superstore in Edmonton, AB, Canada. This is before Canada had the goods and services tax (GST), and when Alberta was abbreviated to Alta.

the owner stapled it on to the warranty registration card, just in case he had to return it or RMA it some day.

Superstore #1572 is still there, in the north end. while i knew they had always sold video games, i had no idea that they sold IBM XT software way back in 1985.

(for anyone not in Canada, Superstore is a national discount grocery chain.)

even better, no one under the age of 30 will have seen these credit card transaction records. they were made using a "credit card imprinter" - a sliding mechanism that pressed the card number through several layers of invoice and carbon copy paper. The invoice papers were usually two or three layered - a white and pink copy for the business, and a yellow copy went to the customer.

#vintageComputing #softwarePreservation #digiPres #canada

From a recent C128 mod - drilled and added two switches to case for turning on/off JiffyDOS and changing internal floppy from device 8 to 9. First switch is wired up to highest address line of a ROM that contains both JiffyDOS and stock image. For second switch, I cut the trace that keeps the device selection at gnd for ID 8 and instead wired it into the switch.

#retrocomputing #commodore #c128 #electronics

I'm liking #regicide the awesome RPG style battle card game that you can use a normal 52 card deck (with jokers) and play solo or up to several players. You're battling progressively big baddies and have combos and abilities and other stuff, pretty cool... and free!

https://www.regicidegame.com/site_files/33132/upload_files/RegicideRulesA4.pdf?dl=1

#cardgame

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Trip to Funspot today! I definitely feel lucky being an hour away from the largest arcade in the world!

#arcade #retrogaming #funspot

@Megaboz what did you play? What's your go-to?
@zorrobandito Q*Bert is definitely my fav, but my wife doesn't let me play when we go as my games last too long! Also love Crystal Castles, Mario Bros (though this was out of order), and Lady Bug. Also played some Moon Patrol, Kung Fu, Mr Do, and TMNT. Tried The Pit for the first time, enjoyed it quite a bit, need to practice at home. I try my best to always try a new cab. What are your fav arcade games?

@Megaboz whenever I get the chance to play original cabs, I always go for the unusual setups - eg Tempest, Missile Command, Star Wars, Tron, Virtua Racing, Op Wolf, etc. After all, like you I have an arcade machine at home!

Q-Bert is interesting because it does have an interesting joystick mounting but there are workarounds and I do play it a bit at home.

@zorrobandito Yup, I find myself doing the same thing. Tron is actually one of my favs too (played a lot growing up) but the machine was out of order this time around unfortunately. Love the cab on that though with the black light. I've really considered installing an 8-way triggerstick on my Mame cabinet to play it, but haven't yet. Really love Tempest too. Yeah mapping the diagonals in MAME for QBert isn't bad, but the original joystick and mount definitely feels better.
@Megaboz I've not come across The Pit before, I'll look it up.
@zorrobandito Maybe it's fairly rare? Not sure, I see a few but not a ton of videos on it. Hard game though (especially because it's a block based playfield but you can do partial movements that don't line up - hard to explain). Let me know if your thoughts if you ever try it, curious to see what others think!
@Megaboz This looks amazing. What was the best pinball table?
@adamsdesk They had a ton of new ones this time, for years they've had the same collection of 70s-90s tables (Addams Family, BK2000, Funhouse, Pinbot, etc) but now they have Stranger Things, Alien, D&D, etc. All great but I am absolutely trash at the new tables!
@Megaboz Still sounds like endless fun.
@adamsdesk oh it definitely was! And they do still have the old favorites too which is great. Just means I need to practice more! 😄
@Megaboz What is a game of pinball worth?
@jellycrystals They range, I think some of the older ones there are still at 25/50 cents, but then some of the new ones they had set to $1.25. Not a huge fan when they go above a buck, but I do understand they need to recoup their costs given how crazy expensive they are.
@Megaboz Actual money, tokens or a swipe card? Most places here (Australia) are swipe cards. $1 up to $3 a game!
@jellycrystals At Funspot they use tokens, but we do have a bunch of places around here that use card swipes too. Some places will also do an entry fee for free-play kind of deal. Wow though, $3 is definitely a little pricey, you have to really think about whether it's a table you want to play at that cost!
@Megaboz AUD to USD means almost 2 USD a game.. Yeah, it does mean some games are just a one play only. As a family of 3 we tend to all play the same game as it makes the credits last longer..