ANTIC The Atari 8-bit Podcast
Randy Kindig, Kay Savetz, Brad Arnold
We cover Atari news, reviews, and a special feature each show for the Atari 8-bit line of computers (400/800/XL/XE/XEGS)
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 10, 2025 • 1h 28min
ANTIC Episode 115 - Exhausting Games for your Atari
ANTIC Episode 115 In this episode of ANTIC The Atari 8-Bit Computer Podcast… we talk lots of contest news, Mr. Paint, a DIY Atari-themed monitor, and lots of other Atari 8-bit news. Plus, we find a book on "exhausting" Atari games! READY! Recurring Links Floppy Days Podcast AtariArchives.org AtariMagazines.com Kay's Book "Terrible Nerd" New Atari books scans at archive.org ANTIC feedback at AtariAge Atari interview discussion thread on AtariAge Interview index: here ANTIC Facebook Page AHCS Eaten By a Grue Next Without For Links for Items Mentioned in Show: What we've been up to Scanned stuff from Timothy Onders https://archive.org/details/stx_Atari_400_800_Personal_Computer_System_Operating_System_Listing_1981-02_CO16579 https://archive.org/details/stx_Atari_400_800_Personal_Computer_System_Hardware_Manual_CO16555_1980-10 https://archive.org/details/APX_Isopleth_Map-Making_Package_manual_APX-20103_1982-06 Pilot book - "Atari 400/800 Student Pilot Reference Guide" by Atari - https://archive.org/details/atari_pilot-student-guide Scanned JACG (Jersey Atari Computer Group) newsletters: October, 1985 - https://archive.org/details/jacg-newsletter-1985-october-vol-5-no-2 November, 1985 - https://archive.org/details/jacg-newsletter-1985-november-vol-5-no-3 Atari newsletters at Internet Archive - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RkznDDlOL2O_K-RrbkajIuo6DvYof6Ajrn7j9NTcoDM/edit?usp=sharing Recent Interviews ANTIC Interview 453 - Giann Velasquez, Atariteca - https://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-453-giann-velasquez-atariteca ANTIC Interview 452 - Dean Garraghty, DGS Software ANTIC Interview 454 - Steve Kranish, Parker Brothers Frogger News Mr. Paint by Wade Ripkowski: https://github.com/Ripjetski6502/MrPaint https://forums.atariage.com/topic/379270-mr-paint/ Atari 'faux neon' LED logo sign, $40 on pre-order - https://atari.com/products/atari-neon-led-sign-white-12-x-13 "errant" on git - using Atari as a keyboard for a PC. Code and instructions posted: https://git.sdf.org/errant/keytari https://voidptr.org/ Arcade Centipede emulated on Atari 800XL - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/379015-centipede-emulator-for-the-atari-800xl/ FujiCup 2024 Results Announced: https://fujicup.pl/ results page for 2024 - https://fujicup.pl/wyniki2024 Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW-z9tD1OW4 Download all 2024 games in ZIP archive Atari Homebrew Awards 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b3g4Czr0BE Best Atari 8-Bit/5200 Homebrew (Original) - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/379180-7th-annual-atari-homebrew-awards-atari-8-bit5200-homebrew-original/ Best Atari 8-Bit/5200 Homebrew (Port) - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/379181-7th-annual-atari-homebrew-awards-atari-8-bit5200-homebrew-port/ Best Atari 8-Bit/5200 WIP (Original) - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/379182-7th-annual-atari-homebrew-awards-atari-8-bit5200-wip-original/ Best Atari 8-Bit/5200 WIP (Port) - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/379183-7th-annual-atari-homebrew-awards-atari-8-bit5200-wip-port/ 800XL gets a mention in Hackaday article - https://hackaday.com/2025/02/21/genetic-algorithm-runs-on-atari-800-xl/ XCL10 Monitor - Marcin "Fokaszalot" - Baran - https://atarionline.pl/v01/index.php?ct=nowinki&ucat=1&subaction=showfull&id=1740334426 BASIC 10-Liner Contest - https://gkanold.wixsite.com/homeputerium/copy-of-games-list-2024 Via bill kendrick - https://www.timeextension.com/features/interview-it-was-a-suicide-mission-larry-siegel-reflects-on-ataris-failed-war-on-nintendo Compute! Magazine ATR by Issue #4 to #95 - Rory McMahon - https://discord.com/channels/1071168010427060324/1071168010427060327/1340108131690348607 https://www.eurogamer.net/40-years-on-rescue-on-fractalus-remains-a-rare-reminder-of-the-magic-of-lucasfilm-games Computer Dealer Demos: Selling Home Computers with Bouncing Balls and Animated Logos by Patryk Wasiak, Institute for Cultural Studies, University of Wrocław, Poland - https://www.academia.edu/10744534/Computer_Dealer_Demos_Selling_Home_Computers_with_Bouncing_Balls_and_Animated_Logos?email_work_card=title Why the N tools?" By Thomas Cherryhomes: https://fujinet.online/2025/02/21/atari-why-the-n-tools/ Video - https://youtu.be/BUR_KRTRWk0 1090XL Expansion case: https://forums.atariage.com/topic/318373-1090xl-remake/page/41/#findComment-5620900 Link to STLs: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1084156 Upcoming Shows Midwest Gaming Classic - April 4-6 - Baird Center, Milwaukee, WI - https://www.midwestgamingclassic.com/ VCF East - April 4-6, 2025 - Wall, NJ - http://www.vcfed.org Indy Classic Computer and Video Game Expo - April 12-13 - Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel, Indianapolis, IN - https://indyclassic.org/ VCF Europe - May 3-4 - Munich, Germany - https://vcfe.org/E/ Retrofest 2025 - May 31-June1 - Steam Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon, UK - https://retrofest.uk/ Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo - June 14 - New Westminster, BC, Canada - https://www.vancouvergamingexpo.com/index.html VCF Southwest - June 20-22, 2025 - Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center at UT Dallas - https://www.vcfsw.org/ Southern Fried Gaming Expo and VCF Southeast - June 20-22, 2025 - Atlanta, GA - https://gameatl.com/ Silly Venture SE (Summer Edition) - July 31-Aug. 3 - Gdansk, Poland - https://www.demoparty.net/silly-venture/silly-venture-2025-se Fujiama - August 11-17 - Lengenfeld, Germany - http://atarixle.ddns.net/fuji/2025/ VCF Midwest - September 13-14, 2025 - Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL - http://vcfmw.org/ Portland Retro Gaming Expo - October 17-19 - Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR - https://retrogamingexpo.com/ Event page on Floppy Days Website - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSeLsg4hf5KZKtpxwUQgacCIsqeIdQeZniq3yE881wOCCYskpLVs5OO1PZLqRRF2t5fUUiaKByqQrgA/pub YouTube Videos The Atari 800 Quick Repair Guide ! - Paul Westphal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R7CpvJLERk Atari Pioneers Spill: 80s Gaming's Untold Stories! - Convention Coverage - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YexxqfHUeik Cutting Edge, Atari XL/XE 64 bytes intro - Freddy Offenga - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcoGgFd-3Nc (From LoveByte 2025 - https://lovebyte.party/ ) "Abundance" 128 Byte Intro Atari XL/XE - gorgh Atari - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6HmWxcGVrg New at Archive.org https://archive.org/details/addison-wesley-adventures-voor-uw-atari-xlxe https://archive.org/details/addison-wesley-afmattende-spelen-voor-uw-atari-600-xl-800-xl https://archive.org/details/great-lakes-atari-digest-june-1989-vol-1-no-4 https://archive.org/details/great-lakes-atari-digest-october-1989-vol-1-no-8 https://archive.org/details/catch-on-to-computers-with-atari-logo-post-cereal https://archive.org/details/computer-shopper-april-1987-vol-7-num-4-atari-articles https://archive.org/details/salespersons-guide-to-the-atari-400-home-computer-system/page/n1/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/excalibur-magazine/ https://archive.org/details/capitol-hill-atari-owners-society-software-library-disk-catalog-march-1987 https://archive.org/details/atari-price-list-june-1982-and-letters/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/grand-rapids-atari-systems-supporters-software-library-disk-catalog-1987 Commercial Atari XE Computer System Commercial (1988) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjWEE5r8Rak Feedback Chris Lorenzo - Vintage Gaming Memories (YouTube) - Atari Addict Collectors Issue Magazine

Mar 6, 2025 • 1h 27min
ANTIC Interview 454 - Steve Kranish, Parker Brothers Frogger
Steve Kranish, Parker Brothers Frogger Steve Kranish is the creator of the Atari 8-bit and Atari 5200 versions of Frogger, the versions published by Parker Brothers. Parker Brothers had the rights to publish cartridge versions of Frogger. Sierra On-Line had already published versions of Frogger on floppy disk and cassette, so Parker Brothers bought the rights to use that version as the basis for its cartridge version. But there were a few problems: for one, the 13K cassette game would need to be shrunk to fit on an 8K cartridge. Another: the source code was lost. Steve also worked on an Atari 8-bit version of the board game Risk, and a game called Baker's Dozen, both of which were unfinished. He also worked on Project Zelda, Parker Brothers investigation into distributing Atari VCS games via cable television. This interview took place on March 2, 2025. In 2016, I interviewed John Harris, who programmed the Sierra Online version of Frogger (as well as Jawbreaker and Mouskattack). Check the show notes for the link to that. Video version of this interview 2007 interview with Steve at Atari Compendium Steve's games at AtariMania Steve on Atariage ANTIC Interview 200 - John Harris: Jawbreaker, Frogger, Mouskattack Support Kay on Patreon
Feb 18, 2025 • 31min
ANTIC Interview 453 - Giann Velasquez, Atariteca
ANTIC Interview 453 - Giann Velasquez, Atariteca Hello, and welcome to this interview-only episode of ANTIC, The Atari 8-bit computer podcast. I'm Randy Kindig, your host for this episode. Giann Velasquez is the owner and curator of the popular, Spanish-language, Atari 8-bit news site, Atariteca. Giann is a consummate Atari 8-bit fan and lives in Lima, Peru. This interview took place on June 30, 2024. Links Atariteca - https://www.atariteca.net.pe/ Blog about Atari 8-bit computers. News, guides and analysis on emulators, games and programs for Atari XL/XE series computers.
Jan 28, 2025 • 1h 37min
ANTIC Episode 114 - Andy Diller Returns!
ANTIC Episode 114 - Andy Diller Returns! In this episode of ANTIC The Atari 8-Bit Computer Podcast… we have special guest Andy Diller for a FujiNet update and to let us know about all the great things he's working on… READY! Recurring Links Floppy Days Podcast AtariArchives.org AtariMagazines.com Kay's Book "Terrible Nerd" New Atari books scans at archive.org ANTIC feedback at AtariAge Atari interview discussion thread on AtariAge Interview index: here ANTIC Facebook Page AHCS Eaten By a Grue Next Without For Links for Items Mentioned in Show: What we've been up to ANTIC Interview 450 - Robert Leyland: AtariArtist, KoalaPainter, MicroIllustrator Kay's 2024 wrapped - https://www.patreon.com/posts/kays-2024-119233408 Lee Pappas ANALOG disks treasure hunt: https://forums.atariage.com/topic/378256-lee-pappas-analog-disks-treasure-hunt/ https://github.com/scttgs0/titan-prototype-atari8 S.T.A.R. newsletter - https://www.atariorbit.org/star/ Rogul game: https://www.atariorbit.org/2025/01/16/rogul-an-interview-with-wojciech-bocianski/ http://bocianu.atari.pl/ YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOm0njTd4tI Installing Altirra on ARM Macs - https://www.atariorbit.org/2024/12/26/altirra-arm-and-sequoia/ News TNFS GUI for OSX & Windows (nwah) - https://github.com/FujiNetWIFI/tnfsd-gui?tab=readme-ov-file#tnfs-server-manager FujiNet Virtual Printer Output Examples (Thom Cherryhomes) - https://fujinet.online/2025/01/22/fujinet-virtual-printer-examples/ FujiNet and GitHub (Thom Cherryhomes) - https://youtu.be/aYwUGnfU5c0 FujiNet NOS By Example (Thom Cherryhomes) - https://fujinet.online/2025/01/08/fujinet-nos-a-network-only-dos/ Atari 65XE in laptop form on Hackaday - https://hackaday.com/2025/01/05/atari-65xe-in-laptop-form/ New season 2025 of the High Score Club: https://forums.atariage.com/topic/378830-new-season-2025-of-the-high-score-club/ https://forums.atariage.com/forum/60-8-bit-high-score-club/ Replacement Case for 800XL Coming to Kickstarter Q2 2025 - joeventura - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/378702-replacement-case-for-800xl/ from Atariteca: Inufuto releases «Mieyen» for Atari 8-bit and 60 other retro systems: Article at Atariteca - https://www.atariteca.net.pe/2025/01/inufuto-lanza-mieyen-para-atari-8-bits.html YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqRwCAygyeI (Atari 8 Bits For Ever) A8E - Atari 800 Emulator - https://www.zerstoerung.de/ A JavaScript emulator built using A8E - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/224709-jsa8e-javascript-atari-800-xl-emulator-online/ BW-DOS 1.5 update - https://github.com/HolgerJanz/BW-DOS Upcoming Shows Vintage Computer Festival SoCal - February 15-17, 2025 - Hotel Fera Events Center, Orange, CA - vcfsocal.com Midwest Gaming Classic - April 4-6 - Baird Center, Milwaukee, WI - https://www.midwestgamingclassic.com/ VCF East - April 4-6, 2025 - Wall, NJ - http://www.vcfed.org Indy Classic Computer and Video Game Expo - April 12-13 - Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel, Indianapolis, IN - https://indyclassic.org/ VCF Europe - May 3-4 - Munich, Germany - https://vcfe.org/E/ Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo - June 14 - New Westminster, BC, Canada - https://www.vancouvergamingexpo.com/index.html VCF Southwest - June 20-22, 2025 - Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center at UT Dallas - https://www.vcfsw.org/ Southern Fried Gaming Expo and VCF Southeast - June 20-22, 2025 - Atlanta, GA - https://gameatl.com/ Silly Venture SE (Summer Edition) - July 31-Aug. 3 - Gdansk, Poland - https://www.demoparty.net/silly-venture/silly-venture-2025-se Fujiama - August 11-17 - Lengenfeld, Germany - http://atarixle.ddns.net/fuji/2025/ VCF Midwest - September 13-14, 2025 - Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL - http://vcfmw.org/ Portland Retro Gaming Expo - October 17-19 - Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR - https://retrogamingexpo.com/ YouTube Videos Using Atari with FujiNet to build source from Github Part 2: The Princess and the Frog - Thom Cherryhomes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppbV50iHFN4 Atari 8-bit Vs. Commodore 64 TV commercial - DashRetroTV - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JpsQTVoXq3U I Won Atari 8-Bit eBay Auction for $71.00 : Was It Worth It? - Into the Vertical Blank - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUhys9krXtA How to implement a Hopfield network in BASIC on the ATARI 800 - BASIC Hacking - 11 - Jean Michael Sellier - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqAEClxrCsw ATARI Party! - Retro Repair Roundup Episode #71 - Retro Repair Roundup - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cybgH9hKC2Y Atari 8-bit computer 400/800: The first gaming PC? - Stay Forever Podcast (German) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMJkq2D4oyc Commercial https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JpsQTVoXq3U Feedback Stray Pointers Podcast - with the Antic hosts Closing Andy Diller's site - https://www.atariorbit.org/
Jan 23, 2025 • 32min
ANTIC Interview 452 - Dean Garraghty, DGS Software
ANTIC Interview 452 - Dean Garraghty Hello, and welcome to this interview-only episode of ANTIC, The Atari 8-bit computer podcast. I'm Randy Kindig, your host for this episode. Dean Garraghty is the proprietor of DGS Software, which sold, and continues to sell, software for the Atari 8-bit computers since the 80's. This is a very low cost, 191-disk set that includes an entire utility pack, games, issues of a disk-based newsletter, a sound and music package, an interesting programming language called Quick, and more. Dean has been an Atari enthusiast since the 80's and has an interesting story to tell concerning his journey with the Atari 8-bit. This interview took place on April 6, 2024. Links DGS Website - http://www.dgs.clara.net/ DGS post on AtariAge - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/268373-dgs-pd-library-the-whole-lot-to-download/ YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLn2nyiuk_OaW1Is4cZtvtQ
Jan 4, 2025 • 1h 5min
ANTIC Episode 113 - Feeling Fancy!
ANTIC Episode 113 - Feeling Fancy! In this episode of ANTIC The Atari 8-Bit Computer Podcast… The clear case Kickstarter doesn't make it, lots of FujiNet news, and we end the year 2024 with a bang by bringing you all the rest of the Atari news; all while Kay is feeling fancy… READY! Recurring Links Floppy Days Podcast AtariArchives.org AtariMagazines.com Kay's Book "Terrible Nerd" New Atari books scans at archive.org ANTIC feedback at AtariAge Atari interview discussion thread on AtariAge Interview index: here ANTIC Facebook Page AHCS Eaten By a Grue Next Without For Links for Items Mentioned in Show: What we've been up to FASTBASIC on Mac - (https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=EricCarr.fastbasic-debugger) 10-liner option of FASTBASIC - https://github.com/dmsc/fastbasic/blob/master/compiler/USAGE.md#passing-options-to-the-compiler Finished archiving Lee Pappas' disks!! - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/378256-lee-pappas-analog-disks-treasure-hunt/ Eaten by a Grue is back - https://monsterfeet.com/grue/notes/56 Kay TODO - https://www.atariorbit.org/2024/12/26/altirra-arm-and-sequoia/ https://www.smoliva.blog/post/friend-of-the-blog-006-kay-savetz-antic-hybrid-arts/ Keeping Up With Atari: Neoliberal Expectations in Early Electronics Advertising - https://tmgonline.nl/articles/10.18146/tmg.847 keyboard to replace domes on 130XE - https://amzn.to/4i10QZz News Clearcase Kickstarter update - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/seethruit/injection-molded-clear-case-for-atari-800xl-computer SpartaDOS 4.50 update - https://sdx.atari8.info/index.php?show=en_download_release RM800XL update (from Philsan) with images: Philsan post - https://mastodon.world/@Philsan/113627289787765526 RM 800XL site - https://revive-machines.com/index-en.html FujiNet news: FujiNet RAPID 13 (2024 wrap-up) and RAPID 12 by Andy Diller - https://www.atariorbit.org/rapid/ FujiNet news substack by Brian Cox - https://fujinews.substack.com/ Video by The VintNerd and Brian Cox on FujiNet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XcsSznKbTs Atari FujiNet User's and Programmer's Guide (First Draft) - Thomas Cherryhomes - https://fujinet.online/2024/12/31/early-draft-of-fujinet-users-manual-for-atari-users-0-0-2/ Atari Party East 2024 update from Andy Diller (Photos): https://www.flickr.com/photos/vladimirvince/albums/72177720322425117 https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/t0qh6ekylnscbq6vbkkh8/APXF0_WBraGyO64fhDhVFIQ?rlkey=iey7dmfhet3ecahy229tzhfsy&e=1&dl=0 Atari 1200XL-1MB, Solder-Less 1088K SRAM-Based Memory Replacement Board by MyTek - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/378131-atari-1200xl-1mb-solder-less-1088k-sram-based-memory-replacement-board/ The Joy of Sticks article in ROMchip Journal https://www.romchip.org/index.php/romchip-journal/article/view/204 Altirra V4.30 - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/378003-altirra-430-released/ ABBUC Magazine 159 - http://www.abbuc.de Bubble-Bobble for the Atari 8-bit released - https://vega.atari.pl/main-page/bubble-bobble/ Via Bill Lange on bluesky: "Playing "Kaiser", a pretty version of "Hammurabi" or "Kingdom" on the Atari 8-bit. I translated most of the German to English here" - https://github.com/billlange1968/Kaiser/wiki "Archer Maclean's DropZone returns with 40th Anniversary Edition landing this December" - https://www.flickeringmyth.com/archer-macleans-dropzone-returns-with-40th-anniversary-edition-landing-this-december/ Upcoming Shows Vintage Computer Festival SoCal - February 15-17, 2025 - Hotel Fera Events Center, Orange, CA - vcfsocal.com Midwest Gaming Classic - April 4-6 - Baird Center, Milwaukee, WI - https://www.midwestgamingclassic.com/ VCF East - April 4-6, 2024 - Wall, NJ - http://www.vcfed.org Indy Classic Computer and Video Game Expo - April 12-13 - Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel, Indianapolis, IN - https://indyclassic.org/ SFGE / VCFSE - June 20-22 Atlanta, GA - https://gameatl.com/ Fujiama - August 11-17 - Lengenfeld, Germany - http://atarixle.ddns.net/fuji/2025/ Event page on Floppy Days Website - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSeLsg4hf5KZKtpxwUQgacCIsqeIdQeZniq3yE881wOCCYskpLVs5OO1PZLqRRF2t5fUUiaKByqQrgA/pub YouTube Videos How Atari 8-Bit Computers Work - The 8-Bit Guy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDAZAgrzNoo Bubble Bobble: Saberman RetroNews - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXo462Es-lg Atari 8-bits Forever - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dZcJqTdIlk CCA - Atari 8Bit Demoscene - 48k to 128k - The 400 Mini - Exploring Demos - CoffeeCupArcade - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ury9fxpwOvk Seven Amazing New Atari 8-Bit Games including Bubble Bobble & Time Wizard Deluxe Edition! - ZeroPage Homebrews - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P-6zzDZpHg Silly Trip Demo for the Atari XL/XE PAL, 64kb and single POKEY by Desire - Heaven6502 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUEMvTSUEkE The Best *#@! Christmas Ever: An Atari 8-bit Journey Into The Vertical Blank - Into the Vertical Blank - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9YfsN51kO0 Atari 2024 Recap video - https://youtu.be/J6PqOM9pXrA Al Alcorn presents "Early Days of Atari" Lecture @ Museum of American Heritage (August 22) - https://youtu.be/0fnMoMb32ak?si=S_PxYEzDJfemcaFs 6502 coding on Atari - Ellyse - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfK78h8cvrQ New at Archive.org https://archive.org/details/magatar-vol-2-num-1 https://archive.org/details/cheat-alpha-systems

Dec 30, 2024 • 39min
ANTIC Interview 451 - Daniel Serpell, FastBasic
Daniel Serpell (dmsc), Creator of FastBasic Daniel Serpell (dmsc) is the creator of FastBasic, a modern implementation of the BASIC programming language for the Atari 8-bit computers. He released the first version to the public in 2017. Today, the GPL-licensed language is up to version 4.6, and is a favorite of 10-line BASIC game contest entrants and anyone who wants a speedy, modern take on Atari programming. I'm going to crib from AtariWiki's description of FastBasic: "It is a complete re-implementation of the BASIC system, using a built-in bytecode compiler rather than a tokenizing interpreter. Typical BASICs use an interpreter that examines every line of code as the program runs. ... FastBasic works on an entirely different principle. When a line is parsed in FastBasic, it (essentially) compiles the entire line into tokens and then leaves them in memory. This way the line does not have to be repeatedly parsed, even from the simplified token format, which makes it much faster to run." FastBasic has other enhancements, including new commands for player-missiles and communicating with FujiNet, an option to only use faster integer math instead of floating point, and structured programming instead of line numbers. This interview took place on December 21, 2024. Video version of this interview FastBasic at github FastBasic at AtariWiki 10-line BASIC Contest Daniel at atariage Viña del Mar, Chile BW-DOS ANTIC Interview 436 - Rodrigo Castro, Atari in Chile FastBasic Debugger Extension for VSCode Support Kay's interview on Patreon

Dec 25, 2024 • 1h 4min
ANTIC Interview 450 - Robert Leyland: AtariArtist, KoalaPainter, MicroIllustrator
Robert Leyland: AtariArtist, KoalaPainter, MicroIllustrator Robert Leyland programmed AtariArtist, KoalaPainter, and MicroIllustrator (along with Steve Dompier) - the graphics applications that worked with KoalaPad, Atari Touch Tablet, and Chalk Board PowerPad drawing tablets. Prior to that, he programmed The Dragon's Eye (published by Automated Simulations/EPYX), Murder on the Zinderneuf (published by Electronic Arts) and, with Jaron Lanier, the Atari version of Alien Garden for Automated Simulations. This interview took place on January 21, 2023. Video version of this interview Robert's utilities at AtariMania Robert's games at AtariMania ANTIC Interview 104 - Aric Wilmunder, Star Raiders II, Temple of Apshai ANTIC Interview 70 - Jon Freeman, Freefall Associates De Re Atari Support Kay's interview on Patreon

Dec 20, 2024 • 55min
ANTIC Interview 449 - Tim Boehlert, Atari's WCI Labs Division
Tim Boehlert, Atari's WCI Labs Division Tim Boehlert began at Atari in 1982. He worked at WCI Labs, the New York Atari subsidiary, where he worked on the broadboard of the 600XL, robotics projects, and mass storage devices. This interview took place on June 4, 2022. Video version of this interview ANTIC Interview 65 - Steve Mayer, 400/800 Designer ANTIC Interview 332 - Mike Matthews, Alien Group Voice Box ANTIC Interview 383 - Gregg Squires, Atari Manager of Hardware Engineering Strong Museum of Play Support Kay's interview on Patreon

Dec 13, 2024 • 58min
ANTIC Interview 448 - Frank Foster, Hybrid Arts
Frank Foster, Hybrid Arts Frank Foster was one of the founders of Hybrid Arts, the company that made MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) hardware and software for Atari 8-bit and Atari ST computers. Frank was in charge of marketing for the company. After Hybrid Arts, Frank headed the music division at Atari, where he build marketing partnerships with Tangerine Dream, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Gabriel, and other musicians. I talked with two of the other Hybrid Arts founders, Robert Moore and Paul Rother, in my previous interview. This interview took place on February 20, 2024. Video version of this interview My interview with Robert Moore and Paul Rother Hotz MIDI Translator: Atari Team Redefines Electronic Instruments Frank Foster Biography Frank's SIGGRAPH documentary on computer graphics Hybrid Arts Timeline, Founders, and Goals document by Robert Moore Midi Maze at AtariMania ANTIC Interview 434 - Michael Park: Swan and Fujiboink Demos, MIDI Maze ANTIC Interview 193 - Gary Yost, The Catalog and Cyber Studio Support Kay's interview on Patreon


