Into The Vertical Blank

Atari 800, Blue Max, and the Zen of Vintage Computing
A crack the seal, an essay, a something, whatever this is.

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley++,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave theVelocira...

The story from Season 2, Episode 5, remastered.

Video version here:

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave theVelociraptor
Jolt7800
wesbrown18
Daniel Stephens

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by @8bitrocket and or @fultonbot unless otherwise no...

The Worst Game Visits The So Cal Retro Expo 2025.
Additional music:
Music: Heart Of Neon (Spectral Grid Mix) - Tony Longworth

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Thanks for support from:
BCB,
Atari Legend,
Atari Crypt -https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/
ED Possible,
Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley,
Barry Burkey
David Schmidt,
Dave ...

STOS The Game Creator (and like software) might have been seen as silly or non-serious shortcuts for hobbyists, but for many many people it became entry point into the world of professional software development. This is just one such tale, the story of "Zamboozal Poker Dice"

Video version here: How STOS Helped People Forge Careers in Software

The is a re-edit and and re-master of podcast ...

If you were a teen,  pre-teen, or even a curious adult with an 8-bit computer in the 80’s, you most likely started your journey as a computer enthusiast by playing with the basic language included with your machine.  Some typed in a few programs, then moved to games and never looked back, while many of us were so engrossed in the power to control the comput...

In 2008, when quite literally, NO ONE CARED we published a multi-part series called "Project Save Atari" with ideas and predictions for Atari's future. In 2024 we sat down to revisit it, and see how we did. These are the lost tapes from 2024 and 2008. These were predictions and suggestions to help save the then struggling Atari/Infogrames. In this lost tape from 2024,w e went back to loo...

In the final episode of "Worse Than E.T. ?" we attempt to, once and for all, find the "worst Atari 2600 game", even if we have to make it ourselves...so we do.
Here is the itch.io page for the game when you can download it, get the code, see the box-art, etc.
All free, of course.
https://intotheverticalblank.itch.io/worst-game

#worst #atari #atari2600 #humor

Late night fuel support appreci...

What Does It Mean To Finish A Game? Atari 2600, 400/800, 520/1040 ST
A lost tape from 2022, finally released. Inspired by an episode of The Retro Hour, We discuss all the games we "finished" for Atari platforms. With gobs of new video for each game.
#atari #atari2600 #atari800 #atari400 #atarist

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intothevert...

We get together live and in person to talk about the state of Atari and play victim to the C64, NES, and the Amiga. Whoa is us, as Atari fans.

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Thanks for support from:
BCB, Atari Legend, Atari Crypt,
ED Possible, Tony Longworth
Daniel Beasley, Barry Burkey
David Schmidt, Jolt7800
Dave theV...

#134 Atari ST Special: SSI on the ST and a STOS STE game engine

Welcome to episode 134 of the Into The Vertical Blank Podcast. Today we have a special treat. It’s the 40th anniversary of the Atari ST this year, so we will be confusing most of the audio and video channels on the Atari computers and especially the ST. 

Beautiful Disaster: An Ode to Fry's Electronics
A story about technology change from generation to generation and the importance of feeling useful with DIY
See video version here:
https://youtu.be/r78tcGiIzP4

#diy #atari #motorcycles #pcgames #fryselectronics #southbay #memoir

Music licenses:
Soundstripe
Full Throttle: Code: UKYZGYCBOZ5E6MSB
1 Up: Code: FPQITALX8O3ERBZV

Written and Created By ...

There were as many stories as there were people at Vintage Computer Fest So. Cal. 2025.

This is Ours

Video version of the main story here:
Finding Our Story at Vintage Computer Fest So. Cal. 2025

#retrogaming #vintacomouting
Links, etc.

Panel Attendees:
→ David from Usagi Electric - youtube.com/@UsagiElectric
→ Jeri from Tilt Five - tiltfive.com
→ Sean from Advent of Computing - adventofcom...

In the 1994, when retro gaming wasn't even really a thing yet, Ed Federmeyer decided he wanted to make his own Atari 2600 software. His drive to actually bring this dream to fruition may have sparked the modern are of retro games. Includes a new 2025 interview with Ed Federmeyer.

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Than...

What started as simple "crack the seal" to open and play a 30 year old Windows game, became journey to discover, what might be, the origins of retro gaming itself.
Many Thanks to Eclectic Lee for creating the archive page used in this story.

See Video Version: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_Sge_pELco&feature=youtu.be

Music: All Systems Go by used on Cyberlink Power Director license:
C...

The final, definitive version of the story we've been trying to tell for the past 6 years. Christmas 1983, the Atari 8-bit computer Christmas was, for many reasons, the best *#@! Christmas ever. This new version gives a rounder picture, explains The Vertical Blank, obsesses over Star Wars, and tries to explain the actual result of Christmas 1983, once and for all.
#atari #atari8bit #atar...

There is a new Atari related limited podcast out there that blew us away!
The Legend Of SwordQuest from iHeartRadio

Atariage Thread: Legend of Swordquest podcast - Atari 2600 - AtariAge Forums
iHeartRadio Podcast Page: The Legend of SwordQuest | iHeart
Jamie Loftus Page: Jamie Loftus
School Of Humans: The Legend of SwordQuest — School of Humans

Late night fuel support appreciated but not de...

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

On the Into The Vertical Blank’s The Essential #atari ST, we investigate, discuss and evaluate #atarist Computers games and try to uncover titles worthy of play by all who are interested in the platform. I will be giving you a history of #timebandit , a personal review and I will a...

In this 20 minute rant, we loudly discuss an incident we recently had at a retro game store, and then talk about how the retro game store experience could be improved for all.

https://retrogamesplus.com/

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

Thanks for support from:
BCB, Atari Legend, Atari Crypt,
ED Possible, Tony Longwort...