Break Into Chat
Josh Renaud’s blog about BBS history, retro computing and technology reminiscences.
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BBS door games + microtransactions = Zynga
It takes going back to BBS door games to make you realize that Zynga's whole empire is built on BBS door games with microtransactions. — Jeff Gerstmann (@jeffgerstmann) February 26, 2013
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Joel Bergen, creator of “Global War” and “Global Backgammon”
From paper tape to the BBS door game “Global War,” Joel Bergen discusses his history with computer programming.
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Global War memories
Though I had never played the board game RISK before, I discovered that I already knew, more or less, how to play. I had learned years earlier by playing a similar game for BBSes called “Global War” by Joel Bergen.
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Video: “The Joy of ASCII with Bob Ross”
This awesome new YouTube parody is like nostalgia squared. It imagines the late painter Bob Ross … if he had been an ANSI artist instead (though the video calls it “ASCII” art). If that whetted your appetite for more ANSI, then check out 8BitMUSH an intruigingly retro virtual world.
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Amit Patel, creator of “Solar Realms Elite”
In 1990, Amit Patel created the BBS door game “Solar Realms Elite.” In his other life he has worked with programming languages, scientific equipment, data analysis, visualization, geological exploration, simulation of complex systems, economic modeling, maps, trend analysis, artificial intelligence, and web software. He’s now working on interactive reference materials for game developers.
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Solar Realms Elite memories
What made SRE magical was the number of people who were playing at the time I encountered it. These games were not meant to be played solo; they were meant to be social experiences as you tried to dominate other players and build the mightiest empire. And when I began playing, SRE was a popular…
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