The Atari interview discussion thread

[+therealbountybob]

Kevin, please could you send Mr Polin this link for Blue Max when we played in last season's HSC - he might be interested and mention if he's bored to dig out the Atari and create a new game for is to enjoy - do I hear Blue Max 3001

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/237189-hsc12-round-6-blue-max/?hl=%20blue%20%20max

[Savetz]

I'll send him the link.

 

Bob was making noises about interest in a new game. I can tell you that I put him back in contact with Ihor and Steve Hales, so. . . cross your fingers for getting the band back together. (But don't hold your breath.)

[+therealbountybob]

I'll send him the link.

 

Bob was making noises about interest in a new game. I can tell you that I put him back in contact with Ihor and Steve Hales, so. . . cross your fingers for getting the band back together. (But don't hold your breath.)

We like to dream If they put in months of effort they can make a game that hardly anyone will play and make no money at all, what's not to like?!! Though they could smash the abbuc software contest and scoop up the prize money

 

might also mention this to them and about Pro©'s bomber / boxed limited collectors editions if they were serious

[Bryan]

I'll send him the link.

 

Bob was making noises about interest in a new game. I can tell you that I put him back in contact with Ihor and Steve Hales, so. . . cross your fingers for getting the band back together. (But don't hold your breath.)

Don't tease me like that.. in my nerd wet dreams Synapse rises from the ashes....

[Lynxpro]

Don't tease me like that.. in my nerd wet dreams Synapse rises from the ashes....

 

Mine involve getting the schematics of a working AMY sound chip, doing a Kickstarter, and having WDC crank out a production run so Atari 8-bit/5200, 7800, and ST fans can finally enjoy the sound chip that we all should've had available to us.

[Savetz]

Jeff Bell, Atari coin-op

http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-145-jeff-bell-atari-coin-op

Jeff Bell worked for Atari Games for 31 years. He stated in 1973 as a Pong inspector, then moved to the engineering department, specifying requirements for parts. He worked in IT and system administration, and did other jobs in his more than three decades with the company. He also ran the Itsy Bitsy Bulletin Board System.

This interview took place on November 7, 2015. In it, we discuss Bob Stahl, whom I previously interviewed.

Teaser quote:

"People say Atari died in — what? — 1983? Didn't happen. Didn't happen. We were in Milpitas making video games. We made great video games."

[fultonbot]

 

Jeff Bell, Atari coin-op

http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-145-jeff-bell-atari-coin-op

Jeff Bell worked for Atari Games for 31 years. He stated in 1973 as a Pong inspector, then moved to the engineering department, specifying requirements for parts. He worked in IT and system administration, and did other jobs in his more than three decades with the company. He also ran the Itsy Bitsy Bulletin Board System.

This interview took place on November 7, 2015. In it, we discuss Bob Stahl, whom I previously interviewed.

Teaser quote:

"People say Atari died in — what? — 1983? Didn't happen. Didn't happen. We were in Milpitas making video games. We made great video games."

 

 

Wow. The guy who closed the doors and turned the lights-off at Atari. That's powerful stuff. Great work on this one, as always.

[+David_P]

 

Stephen Lawrow, Mac/65 assembler

http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-144-stephen-lawrow-mac65-assembler

Stephen Lawrow created the Mac/65 assembler, which was published by Optimized Systems Software. Stephen became an employee of OSS, where he also worked on the company’s enhanced BASIC products, BASIC XL and BASIC XE.

For the record, MAC/65 was sold on disk as well as cart. I sold my copy years ago, but MAC/65 was my introduction to DOS XL.

[Lynxpro]

 

Wow. The guy who closed the doors and turned the lights-off at Atari. That's powerful stuff. Great work on this one, as always.

 

John Skruch did the same… Fitting how a former Inc'er turned the lights out over at Corp.

[Savetz]

Arthur Leyenberger, Atari columnist

http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-146-arthur-leyenberger-atari-columnist

Arthur Leyenberger wrote the "Outpost: Atari" column in Creative Computing magazine, the End User column in A.N.A.L.O.G. Computing, and the ST User column in ST-Log magazine. He was also editor of the Jersey Atari Computer Group newsletter.

This interview took place on November 10, 2015.

Teaser quote:

 

"If I think about one thing that really captures that era, is that it was exciting. It was exciting, it was fun, it was something new, it was something you could share - you could join a user group, there were all these magazines. ... A lot of information out there, a lot of stuff to learn, a lot of stuff to have fun with and share."

[Savetz]

Mike Potter: Protector II, Shadow World, Nautilus, Chicken

http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-147-mike-potter-protector-ii-shadow-world-nautilus-chicken

Mike Potter ported several Apple II games to the Atari 8-bit computers for Crystalware, including Protector. He later developed five programs for Synapse Software: Protector, Protector II, Chicken, Nautilus and Shadow World — in a one year period, with the combined sales of 93,000 copies.

In this interview we discuss Steve Hales and Ihor Wolosenko, both of whom I previously interviewed. This interview took place October 22, 2015.

Teaser quote:

"Let's see, I got married in '84, and my brother-in-law had every single one of my games pirated. And I was like, 'What? You have all my games!'"

[R4ngerM4n]

Kevin, did you ever ask someone in your interviews for sales figures of the 400/800/1200XL computers?

[rkindig]

I did. Check out the interview with Marty Goldberg and Curt Vendel.

 

Randy

[rkindig]

Or check out the Atari history episode of Floppy Days.

[+Ripdubski]

Now that you have fifty three hundred twenty six interviews cataloged, this thread aches for an index. Or point to an index on the Antic website in post 1.

 

Sometimes I want to include a mention for an interview you did, but have trouble finding it.

 

Did I miss an index?

[Savetz]

We absolutely need an index. *I* need an index. I started one, but it was lots of work — and not interesting work. I want them sorted by category (like magazines, pirates, management) and by company (Atari, Synapse, Antic) and I'm sure there are other useful ways to categorize them.

 

Are you volunteering, Wade? Extra points if you use SynFile to do it

 

K

[+Ripdubski]

We absolutely need an index. *I* need an index. I started one, but it was lots of work — and not interesting work. I want them sorted by category (like magazines, pirates, management) and by company (Atari, Synapse, Antic) and I'm sure there are other useful ways to categorize them.

 

Are you volunteering, Wade? Extra points if you use SynFile to do it

 

K

 

 

Challenge accepted.

[rkindig]

 

 

Challenge accepted.

Awesome, Wade! Are you really going to use SynFile?

 

If you can get me an index, I can get it on the Web site. As Kevin said, we REALLY REALLY need an index. I tried to find a way to generate something using Libsyn tools but couldn't find a way to do it. Of course, it will have to be maintained, which will also be a chore, considering we publish 12-15 interviews per month.

 

Randy

[rkindig]

Steve Baker: Defender, Stargate

http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-148-steve-baker-defender-stargate

Steve Baker is well-known in the Atari world as having done the 400/800 and 5200 conversions of Defender. He also did ports of Stargate for the 5200 and the 400/800. Additionally, he developed Miniature Golf and Microgammon SB for the 400/800 and 5200, and Reversi and Gomuku for the 400/800. He worked for Apple from 1980 to 1982, then for Atari from 82 to 84. Steve also wrote games for the Apple II, the Atari 2600, the Intellivision, and the Commodore 64.

[+Ripdubski]

Awesome, Wade! Are you really going to use SynFile?

 

If you can get me an index, I can get it on the Web site. As Kevin said, we REALLY REALLY need an index. I tried to find a way to generate something using Libsyn tools but couldn't find a way to do it. Of course, it will have to be maintained, which will also be a chore, considering we publish 12-15 interviews per month.

 

Randy

 

 

I started in SynFile. Found that I needed to go back to add fields, then found I needed to go back and fill in missing info. Decided to do it in Numbers. Will export and import into SynFile when done. I've collected all the base information, including todays episode, and am collecting the URL's now.

 

BTW, there was a negative side to standardizing your episode comments - Its hard to identify who conducted the interview. Not that its a bad thing. So, some of the later ones will need to be verified, though I think I have them mostly correct. For dates, I collected the publish date, not the interview date mainly to keep from having to listen to them to find it (though some its in the text).

 

I still have to work our how best to handle shows where there were multiple ppl interviewed. Leaning toward individual entries, unless you have other preferences. Hopefully I will have something for you by the weeks end.

[+Ripdubski]

I have all the data collected now, except for the length of interview episode 148. Its not refreshing in iTunes.

[rkindig]

I have all the data collected now, except for the length of interview episode 148. Its not refreshing in iTunes.

According to iTunes on my phone, it's 51 minutes in length.

[+Ripdubski]

Not sure why iTunes isn't showing it for me. Ill check tomorrow. i downloaded it from the site and found the length. My import plan didn't pan out. I forgot it only supports DIF, which nothing today speaks. So, I'm entering all the data now. I tried to cheat and failed.

[rkindig]

Oh, the joys of using 35-year-old technology

[Chris++]

rkindig, on 20 Mar 2016 - 8:40 PM, said:

Oh, the joys of using 35-year-old technology

 

And notice that it's all working fine, while there's a problem with I-Tunes. Let that be a lesson to all of you who keep drinking the Apple Kool-Aid.