Slashdot Mirror
Classic Gaming Expo Exposed
Thanks to GameSpy for their report from last weekend's Classic Gaming Expo in Las Vegas. As the article points out: "There's a huge focus on the 'homebrew' market, a clique of game makers that program 'new' classic cartridges from their basement", and additionally highlighted is "Seth Barken's Blue Wizard is About to Die (from Rusty Immelman Press), a collection of poems spanning over 20 years of gamedom, from the days of Defender and Robotron, all through the '80s, and up till Metal Gear Solid" - this apparently includes Megaman haiku, even. There's also a photo gallery from the convention, including some classic machines.
There was a place called /.
It had a great many crack pots.
They all visited sights,
Which had many frights,
Because the equipment there wasn't ubber hot.
Commander Taco
Leader of those at Slashdot
He slashdotted you
Cowboyneal option
Keeps us laughing and happy
The polls are funny
There once was a troll post
It sprang to life on this host
It was very rude
Something very lew
Then due to modding it was toast.
Hoist Number One and Number Six.
Seventeen symbols
In Japanese makes haiku
Not twenty-two, Seth
Promote civility: mod down any post starting with 'ummm'.
Nah, send them new fruit-flavored Metamucil... They are seniors now...
Spring of Megaman
Was good - II, III, good games all
The rest were no good
If you're interested in learning more about homebrew games for classic systems, we have a wealth of information over at AtariAge. You can learn about games currently being written in our In Development section, browse our rarity guide for 2600 homebrew games that have already been released, discuss homebrew programming with various homebrew authors in our forums, and purchase new homebrew titles in cartridge form in our online store. Atari 2600 programmer Andrew Davie is writing a comprehensive 2600 Programming For Dummies tutorial for those who are interested in what makes the 2600 tick and want to try their hand at programming this beast. And several homebrew authors have released commented source code for their games, also helping to pave the way for those who would like to program these classic systems.
Right now we're holding a CVDRUM Splash Screen Contest, which lets anyone submit entries for a splash screen to be included in the upcoming ColecoVision CVDRUM homebrew release.
So, did this Classic Gaming Expo take place in the real world or in the Matrix? Looking at those green tinted photos is making me woozy...
Vincent J. Murphy
Spandex Justice
I am one of those seniors and I don't need no stinking Metamucil! Where is this thing? I'm booking tickets now!
MMORPG Fan? Prove your worth!
I recently played XKobo, a very addictive yet simple game, that reminds me of old classig games. But I haven't found a homepage or much more info. They're listed at the Happy Penguin site.
I can see it now in the Senior Video Games Obituaries column of your local paper.
-Frogger dies at the age of 20 after trying to cross the road one to many times.
Frogger was run over today for the last time by a virtual Kentworth diesel on a simulated interstate highway. The virtual AI controlled trucker said he just couldn't stop in time when the green pixelated monstrocity leapt in front of his crudely rendered uncontrollable vehicle. The accident was determined to be caused by poor eyesite and coordination on Frogger's part due his advanced age.
-Pac-Man Assasinated by the Ghosts Blinky,Pinky,Inky and Clyde!
Sad news today as elder video game character "Pac-Man" was assasinated in a hostile takeover by the ghosts of the Atari labs. His platform of eating dots was extremely unpopular with the Ghost Party's platform of wandering around the maze aimlessly thus leading to the assasination. Pac-Man was determined at his time of death to be lost in the simply rendered maze. One witnesses said, "In his younger days he would had eluded these same ghosts many times but due to his advanced age he had forgotten the layout of the maze and just couldn't escape their clutches".
Pac Man is survived by his wife Ms. Pac Man and son Pac Man Jr.
Good ol' Ms. Pac Man.
:)
No matter where I go, if there's a Ms. Pac Man I am somehow compelled to play it. I need to get one for my home.
Hi, this is Seth Barkan, the guy who wrote the book.
I'd like to take a moment to set the record straight on why the Mega Man haikus were not written following the traditional Japanese form (EarwigCT is absolutely right; the traditional form is 5/7/5).
Haiku, in my opinion, is a form that is designed to express somethint that cannot actually be reproduced in the totally non-visual medium of language. In this sense, they are reflective meditations on the futility of trying to capture the actual visual and spiritual impact of seeing something that is so stunningly gorgeous, perfect, and awesome, that (even if more syllables were used to describe it) the author recognizes he will never be able to communicate the emotional moment completely. Seriously, when you're at three thousand feet, alone, standing on the side of a mountain cliff while watching swirling mists roll in during the morning (all the while knowing that you are probably the first human being to see such and experience such a sublime thing), ANY method of transcribing is innadequate of preserving the sensation of the experience to anyone who wasn't there for it.
Thus, it is my opinion (long winded and tiresome though the explanation may be:-) that the actual number of syllables one uses to describe something while using the form doesn't matter. For me, I decided that 5/7/5 was not enough space to get my point across (writing poetry about video games has actually been the hardest thing I've ever done). I made the necessary alterations to the form and then stuck to my new permutation of the traditional haiku. I kept consistent because I believe the limited length of haiku works primarily not to force the reader to use their imagination and thus participate in the experience that is communicated in the work, but rather to force the author single out the most important and resonant elements of the subject matter *for their own benefit*. A thousand words is not enough to describe the madness that is Cutman.
All of this is detailed in a much more complete (yet strangely enough, briefer) explanation in the appendices of the book. I hope you enjoyed the haikus (even though they aren't 5/7/5), and fervently urge all who read this to go to http://www.twhi.org/rip/wizard/bluewizard.htm and check out the excerpts of the book. If you like them, please buy it.
Thanks so much for the feedback!
Sincerely,
Seth "Fingers" Flynn Barkan