Comments on: Atari's 40th anniversary http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Mon, 20 May 2013 06:05:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Chris Maddox http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1463399 Chris Maddox Sat, 30 Jun 2012 14:46:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1463399 Yes, It was first called SYZYGY when I started there. Then they called themselves Atari. Yes, It was first called SYZYGY when I started there. Then they called themselves Atari.

]]> By: Red Pill Junkie http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1461435 Red Pill Junkie Thu, 28 Jun 2012 16:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1461435 As a kid I was forced to accept being enrolled in a damn Summer camp so my fat ass could lose a few grams, and for that pain, suffering & social humiliation I would get my Atari 2600. It was worth it. Barely. As a kid I was forced to accept being enrolled in a damn Summer camp so my fat ass could lose a few grams, and for that pain, suffering & social humiliation I would get my Atari 2600.

It was worth it. Barely.

]]> By: niktemadur http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1461220 niktemadur Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1461220 Responding twice, but this baby deserves its' own post: When I open an emulator, it's gotta be <a href="http://gnm5.tripod.com/images/lunar1.jpg" rel="nofollow">Lunar Lander</a>. Responding twice, but this baby deserves its’ own post:
When I open an emulator, it’s gotta be Lunar Lander.

]]> By: niktemadur http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1461219 niktemadur Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1461219 Ah yes, the memories!  Made by Atari but it wasn't Atari proper, it was licensed exclusively for the compatible, practically identical in fact, Sears Console. Ah yes, the memories!  Made by Atari but it wasn’t Atari proper, it was licensed exclusively for the compatible, practically identical in fact, Sears Console.

]]> By: niktemadur http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1461217 niktemadur Thu, 28 Jun 2012 09:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1461217 I NEVER played that, when it came out it was the most expensive cartridge.  In fact, only one kid in school had it, although I can't quite remember who it was. A third party game that had a TV ad, looked like a gas, but I also never played, was "Pitfall!" I NEVER played that, when it came out it was the most expensive cartridge.  In fact, only one kid in school had it, although I can’t quite remember who it was.

A third party game that had a TV ad, looked like a gas, but I also never played, was “Pitfall!”

]]> By: niktemadur http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1461212 niktemadur Thu, 28 Jun 2012 09:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1461212 I loved <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/it/6/6d/Adventure-Atari_2600.png" rel="nofollow">Adventure</a>, always on nervous lookout for the dragon, and squeals of panic and adrenaline every time it appeared.  But the bat, oh the bat... that kleptomaniac asshole. Much later I found out Adventure was the first RPG game ever. I loved Adventure, always on nervous lookout for the dragon, and squeals of panic and adrenaline every time it appeared.  But the bat, oh the bat… that kleptomaniac asshole.

Much later I found out Adventure was the first RPG game ever.

]]> By: CH http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1461198 CH Thu, 28 Jun 2012 09:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1461198 Oh, yes! Although (if I don't remember totally wrong) the Decathlon I played was not on our Atari but on the computer (I think it was on the Amstrad... or was it onVic-20... can't remember). Killed a lot of Atari joysticks on it (the white plastic ring inside just snapped cleanly on all of them... and since it was used to indicate direction...) and Quickshot 2 joysticks. The Quickshot was much better for Decathlon, but much more expensive to replace (ouch!). Evol, evol game!!! Oh, yes! Although (if I don’t remember totally wrong) the Decathlon I played was not on our Atari but on the computer (I think it was on the Amstrad… or was it onVic-20… can’t remember). Killed a lot of Atari joysticks on it (the white plastic ring inside just snapped cleanly on all of them… and since it was used to indicate direction…) and Quickshot 2 joysticks. The Quickshot was much better for Decathlon, but much more expensive to replace (ouch!).

Evol, evol game!!!

]]> By: CH http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1461193 CH Thu, 28 Jun 2012 08:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1461193 My very first introduction to gaming was the little black Pong box (I'm pretty sure it wasn't an Atari version) my mother bought me. That... was... amazing!  I and my brother played it so much, and I still would love to have those potentiometer paddles for any breakout clone I play! Then we got an Atari 2400 for Christmas... and the world has never been the same after that. More or less everything I am today harken back to those Pong and Atari consoles. I still get so nostalgic just seeing the font used on the Atari game boxes.  My very first introduction to gaming was the little black Pong box (I’m pretty sure it wasn’t an Atari version) my mother bought me. That… was… amazing!  I and my brother played it so much, and I still would love to have those potentiometer paddles for any breakout clone I play! Then we got an Atari 2400 for Christmas… and the world has never been the same after that. More or less everything I am today harken back to those Pong and Atari consoles.

I still get so nostalgic just seeing the font used on the Atari game boxes. 

]]> By: martyg http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1461029 martyg Thu, 28 Jun 2012 03:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1461029 Also, November '72 was when they began full production of PONG. Andy Capps was back in late August. Likewise it was Ted's daughter's bedroom, which he turned into a work room for Computer Space. Also, November ’72 was when they began full production of PONG. Andy Capps was back in late August. Likewise it was Ted’s daughter’s bedroom, which he turned into a work room for Computer Space.

]]> By: CognitiveDissident http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1461027 CognitiveDissident Thu, 28 Jun 2012 03:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1461027 Stella! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stella_%28emulator%29 http://stella.sourceforge.net/ Stella!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stella_%28emulator%29
http://stella.sourceforge.net/

]]> By: JIMWICh http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460999 JIMWICh Thu, 28 Jun 2012 02:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460999 I've got one of the original business cards, and posted it below... I’ve got one of the original business cards, and posted it below…

]]> By: JIMWICh http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460995 JIMWICh Thu, 28 Jun 2012 02:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460995 Al Alcorn is one of my all-time heroes!  A few years ago when my partner Steve Doss and I were creating our iPhone game, DodgeDot, my friend (and another Silicon Valley hero) Lee Felsenstein asked me if we'd like to meet his friend Al.  Needless to say we were both as thrilled as sixth-graders (which was how old I was in 1973 when I first saw and played Pong)!  We had lunch at Buck's in Woodside, CA and Al regaled us with stories of the development of Pong and many other things. And best of all - he gave me one of his original SYZYGY business cards, predating Atari! It was one of the major high points of my career! Al Alcorn is one of my all-time heroes!  A few years ago when my partner Steve Doss and I were creating our iPhone game, DodgeDot, my friend (and another Silicon Valley hero) Lee Felsenstein asked me if we’d like to meet his friend Al.  Needless to say we were both as thrilled as sixth-graders (which was how old I was in 1973 when I first saw and played Pong)!  We had lunch at Buck’s in Woodside, CA and Al regaled us with stories of the development of Pong and many other things.

And best of all – he gave me one of his original SYZYGY business cards, predating Atari!

It was one of the major high points of my career!

]]> By: penguinchris http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460950 penguinchris Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460950 I've got a working Atari 2600 with joysticks and a bunch of games (including E.T. but also some good ones)... I bought it on a whim in high school (early 2000's) so it doesn't really have any nostalgic value for me, though I did actually play with it quite a bit when I bought it and am glad to have known first-hand this part of video game history even though it was way before my time :) I'm trying to unload my stuff and it's not really worth anything on ebay, so... if any BB reader wants it for free (I'd ask you to pay the cost of shipping), let me know.  p.s. I love the design of that original Pong system. Totally 70's sci-fi in a way that other video game systems that came afterward never were. I’ve got a working Atari 2600 with joysticks and a bunch of games (including E.T. but also some good ones)… I bought it on a whim in high school (early 2000′s) so it doesn’t really have any nostalgic value for me, though I did actually play with it quite a bit when I bought it and am glad to have known first-hand this part of video game history even though it was way before my time :)

I’m trying to unload my stuff and it’s not really worth anything on ebay, so… if any BB reader wants it for free (I’d ask you to pay the cost of shipping), let me know. 

p.s. I love the design of that original Pong system. Totally 70′s sci-fi in a way that other video game systems that came afterward never were.

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460936 EH Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460936 Someone should do a documentary on that coin box used on the side of the Pong. I've seen those on EVERYTHING. Someone should do a documentary on that coin box used on the side of the Pong. I’ve seen those on EVERYTHING.

]]> By: jimh http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460920 jimh Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460920 And IIRC, Jobs threw him $300 of the ~$5k he got for the project... And IIRC, Jobs threw him $300 of the ~$5k he got for the project…

]]> By: Marty Goldberg http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460864 Marty Goldberg Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460864 He wasn't  freelancer for Atari either. Jobs brought  him in on the side without telling anyone. BTW, there's a preview up of the Atari history book coming out in July - ataribook.com He wasn’t  freelancer for Atari either. Jobs brought  him in on the side without telling anyone. BTW, there’s a preview up of the Atari history book coming out in July – ataribook.com

]]> By: jimh http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460858 jimh Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460858 Had no trouble remembering the "game reset" button was on the far right; it's still in muscle memory. On our machine the lettering above that lever was worn off ! Had no trouble remembering the “game reset” button was on the far right; it’s still in muscle memory. On our machine the lettering above that lever was worn off !

]]> By: Shibi_SF http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460843 Shibi_SF Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460843 We had one magic controller that was "loose" and much easier to manipulate because of it's worn-out status.   Ahhhh Atari!   We loved you (a lot more than the Intellivision game console, and the Comodore 64 games, and you were so superior to my old Blip).  We had one magic controller that was “loose” and much easier to manipulate because of it’s worn-out status.   Ahhhh Atari!   We loved you (a lot more than the Intellivision game console, and the Comodore 64 games, and you were so superior to my old Blip). 

]]> By: howaboutthisdangit http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460802 howaboutthisdangit Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460802 I got good at knocking the other player into, and through, the corner of the screen so that they would appear on the other side.  Used to frustrate the hell out of my sister. I got good at knocking the other player into, and through, the corner of the screen so that they would appear on the other side.  Used to frustrate the hell out of my sister.

]]> By: swlabr http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460800 swlabr Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460800 There was a swell footnote in the News section of a late 70's National Lampoon, which mentioned that (paraphrase) "Now with video games like Pong we finally have a real use for the video screens we've had for the past few decades, and the random images we've broadcast to fill the time are now obsolete..."  There was a swell footnote in the News section of a late 70′s National Lampoon, which mentioned that (paraphrase) “Now with video games like Pong we finally have a real use for the video screens we’ve had for the past few decades, and the random images we’ve broadcast to fill the time are now obsolete…” 

]]> By: IronEdithKidd http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460725 IronEdithKidd Wed, 27 Jun 2012 20:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460725 Thanks for the lifelong addiction, Atari!  Thanks for the lifelong addiction, Atari! 

]]> By: Richard Mulley http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460723 Richard Mulley Wed, 27 Jun 2012 20:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460723 Indie 500 with the 'paddles'... I still have that engine whine sound in my head 27 years later. I don't know what my brother and I would have done without our Atari... probably gone and played outside or something stupid like that  Indie 500 with the ‘paddles’… I still have that engine whine sound in my head 27 years later.
I don’t know what my brother and I would have done without our Atari… probably gone and played outside or something stupid like that 

]]> By: Jorpho http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460683 Jorpho Wed, 27 Jun 2012 19:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460683 Other sources reference that the first choice for the company's name was Syzygy , which I suspect would have doomed the enterprise for being hard to pronounce. Needless to say, the company currently known as Atari (nee Infogrames) has nothing to do with the organization of yore. Other sources reference that the first choice for the company’s name was Syzygy , which I suspect would have doomed the enterprise for being hard to pronounce.

Needless to say, the company currently known as Atari (nee Infogrames) has nothing to do with the organization of yore.

]]> By: UnholyMoses http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460669 UnholyMoses Wed, 27 Jun 2012 19:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460669 Still have my old 2400, about 15 or so games -- with the boxes and manuals, I might add. All I need is the little switch to plug it into my TV, which I can get; I just haven't as of yet. But reading this post makes me wanna play the hell outta some <em>River Raid</em>, maybe some <em>Pitfall</em> ... hmmm ... Gotta go visit Amazon. brb Still have my old 2400, about 15 or so games — with the boxes and manuals, I might add.

All I need is the little switch to plug it into my TV, which I can get; I just haven’t as of yet.

But reading this post makes me wanna play the hell outta some River Raid, maybe some Pitfall … hmmm …

Gotta go visit Amazon. brb

]]> By: BadIdeaSociety http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460638 BadIdeaSociety Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460638  The 1600m Dash was a nightmare to play.  The 1600m Dash was a nightmare to play.

]]> By: Felton / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460608 Felton / Moderator Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460608 I keep going back to Yar's Revenge every time I open an emulator. I keep going back to Yar’s Revenge every time I open an emulator.

]]> By: BombBlastLightingWaltz http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460607 BombBlastLightingWaltz Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460607 Atari Submarine Commander was the schlitz back in the day.  Atari Submarine Commander was the schlitz back in the day. 

]]> By: Fábio Emilio Costa http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460603 Fábio Emilio Costa Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460603 I doubt no one who played Atari 2400 Decathlon didn't destroyed at least one joystick (I had a large box we called "the joystick graveyard" will all joysticks I destroyed playing Decathlon) I doubt no one who played Atari 2400 Decathlon didn’t destroyed at least one joystick (I had a large box we called “the joystick graveyard” will all joysticks I destroyed playing Decathlon)

]]> By: nvlady http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460604 nvlady Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460604 I still have my Atari. Its in my closet with about ten games. Still works :) I still have my Atari. Its in my closet with about ten games. Still works :)

]]> By: Nicole http://boingboing.net/2012/06/27/ataris-40th-anniversary.html#comment-1460594 Nicole Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167961#comment-1460594 I loved the $hit outta some Atari back in the day! I loved the $hit outta some Atari back in the day!

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