Putty Squad to get a physical Amiga release after 20 years!

Set to be used as special pledges in an upcoming Amiga book Kickstarter campaign, 100 physical replica copies of Putty Squad for the Amiga are set to be produced!

These 100 copies will come in authentic replica packaging on actual Amiga floppy disks. Bitmap Books have gained exclusive permission from System 3 to produce these copies of Putty Squad and will work with them closely to ensure that the final packaging is as near as possible to how Putty Squad would have looked if released in 1994.

50 of the 100 copies will be signed by the original Putty Squad development team.

Commodore Amiga: a visual commpendium
Commodore Amiga: a visual commpendium is Bitmap Books follow up to their hugely popular debut book; Commodore 64: a visual commpendium. Following on from the C64 book, the Amiga book will focus on the visual side of the computer featuring stunning pixel art, game maps and box art. It will also showcase the best software houses on the Amiga and is set to feature the Amiga demo scene.

The Kickstarter campaign starts on the 13^th October and runs for 30 days. So far, some really exciting contributors are lined up and Commodore Amiga: a visual commpendium is set to be Bitmap Books biggest project yet.

Sam Dyer of Bitmap Books says ‘Putty Squad remains the Amiga’s most famous unreleased game. To be able to take Galahad’s 2013 release and produce physical copies of the game is hugely exciting. Huge thanks to System 3 and Galahad for allowing this to happen.”

About Putty Squad
Putty Squad was developed by System 3 and the follow up to 1992’s insanely good Putty. Set to be released in 1994 but this famously never happened due to the twindling Amiga market, but a pretty much full game remained in the System 3 archives. Fast forward 20 years and thanks to English Amiga Board member Galahad, in 2013 a version was released as a Christmas gift on System 3's website as free digital download.

About Bitmap Books
A new publisher specialising in beautifully designed and produced books all about video games. Commodore Amiga: a visual commpendium is the second book by Bitmap Books.

www.bitmapbooks.co.uk

Follow on Twitter @mrsidc64

Play Blackpool 2014, Sponsored by www.funstock.co.uk - Replay Events

Replaying at Replay

This weekend saw two important things happening - Star Wars day (May the fourth be with you!) - and the return of Replay to Blackpool

Turning up at the Norbreck Castle Hotel felt like returning to an old friends house. There was a welcomed sense of familiarity.

Walking through the corridors to get to the main hall, there were a few stalls to whet the appetite - Retro Hardware showing off the incredible BBC restorations they do, and AmigaKit touting their Amiga wares. We finally got to see an AmigaOne X1000,  and wanted one immediately. The bank balance however decided otherwise. We left the bright lights of the corridor to the promising darkness of the gaming hall. It sounded loud - always a good start.

The GYL and Funstock stand welcomed people into the arena where they got to play on the Neo Geo X console – a pacman arcade machine with the chance to play and chat to the people around the stand. The arcade section was huge – masses of cabinets all glimmering with their attract screens all supplied through the guys at Retro Games Party. The layout of the arcade perfect - you could easily move around or stop to admire a players skills without causing a bottleneck.


All the classics were there - Defender,  Robotron,  Battlezone,  Out Run,  Daytona,  After Burner.. the list goes on and on! Kudos to Retro Games Party who supplied the cabinets - over the weekend I only saw 3 machines out of commission. Great job,  guys!, Moving away from the arcade section,  there was table upon table of retro consoles and computers,  all with a small section of games to play on them. It was quite interesting to see the mix of old and young gamers. 

We saw one Dad showing his daughter (she looked maybe 2 or 3) how to play on old Pong game. He was twisting the knob to control the bat,  and the little girl was waving the controller in front of the screen like the Wii. Amazing to see how natural motion controls are to kids these days. its almost expected. Very endearing to see dads playing the old games with their kids though. Console Passion had a large stall next to the indie gaming zone, and there were two Oculus Rift demo stations set up - one with Jeff Minter and Llamasoft, the other with Project Games' Adam Sawkins. As the queues quietened down at the end of Saturday,  Adam was kind enough to let me play with some other demos he had been working on - I was really impressed by the tech and how immersive it is.

The side halls had LAN gaming set up,  and one of the side rooms hosted the card and tabletop gamers., From the main hall you walked through the "Games that Weren't' section, showcasing some games over many systems that never made it to commercial release. 

This corridor took you to the trader zone. It was always very busy, and you could buy almost anything, from cupcakes and radio controller drone-copters, to retro games on every format imaginable and posters, mouse mats and artwork. Some of the stalls you would recognise if you are an ebay addict - Rockrabilia, The Attic Bug etc, and some names that you'll know - Retro GT, RetroLords, ABeadsCStart.

Overall, the event was great - constantly moving, plenty to do and see (and buy!).

Replay Events did a great job of putting this on – we’re all looking forward to the next one!

Jesse McClure - Storage Hunters - BLOG Exclusive

Everything is worth something, but some things are just not worth selling! 

I have a unique job where every day has something new in store, but I always have the same goal regardless: SELL EVERYTHING.  Having grown up in the art of resale since I was 12 years old, I have grown accustomed and built up a sort of immunity to the idea of keeping “stuff.”  The thought of finding something “cool” and potentially keeping it, whether it's from a storage unit, a garage sale, or an auction, no longer peaks my interest anymore. I don't mean to say that as if  I'm one of those mindless people that express zero-emotion in their day-to-day lives. It's more the idea that if I did not approach it this way, my house would probably be featured on an episode of  Hoarders!. You know, one of those reality shows where I am just like the 60-year old lady who has floor-to-ceiling trash filling her entire home and no longer has any room left for herself or her 12 cats to sleep anymore.





There is however, one thing, out of all the antiques, trash, electronics, cars, guns, dirty mattresses, and adult toys I find that I absolutely cannot come to terms with selling. Ladies and Gentlemen, that one thing, is arcades!!!!.

Since I was a small child I've had this fascination with these large machines that too many non-fans may just see as glorified televisions in a wooden painted box dedicated to one lame video game. But whenever I see an arcade, whether it is at a laundry mat (launderettes), a family fun centre, or even a pizza restaurant, I see something different. I see art.

To be quite honest, I'm not really even into playing video games. I get a joy in simply collecting and displaying arcades, as if they were literal pieces of handmade art, like a painting or sculpture. Now that's not to say that many of these machines were probably made on some assembly line in Japan, but I still appreciate them just the same.  

I just don't like the fully restored, pristine condition machines either. In fact, I have more beat-up, graffiti tagged machines then perfect condition ones. And you know what? That's okay with me. These aged machines tell a story.  A story when the arcade was king, when going to these late night amusement centres were a social hangout spot, when people would leave their homes to play video games, as opposed to locking themselves in their rooms to playing Call of Duty all night. (Nothing against any of those people, I love console gaming on occasion too!)  

I just love to see these classic monsters in action. I like to see people, young and old, English, American, whatever, enjoy the experience of playing an arcade. This is why I am so excited for Play Blackpool. I would be lying to you if I didn't tell you the 12-year old inside me is completely ecstatic about being a part of this exciting event. I can't wait to see all these games in action, and all the awesome people that will get to enjoy them. 

This coming May 3^rd and 4^th, me and thousands of others will be at Norbreck Castle in Blackpool having the gaming times of our lives! I hope to see many of you out there, and if you would like to get beaten in any classics, please just ask. I'm open to all challengers!

Thanks to

Jesse McClure - follow at @storagehunters

See at Jesse McClure www.playblackpool.net in May!

Gaming - the 'Art' of Collecting and playing

My first console was an atari 2600 which I unfortunately do not still have. I've been collecting since I got my SNES when it first came out and I have never traded or sold any SNES game I've bought over the years

My first gaming experience I can remember is on my Uncle's pc not sure what it was exactly but it had big floppy discs. I'm 32 now and been gaming since I was about 6 or 7,  Super Nintendo is my favourite console followed by PS1

I'm currently looking online for arcade cabinets like Point Blank,  Street Fighter 2,  Tekken 2 and a few Others. When it comes to gaming art - Drawing wise,  I just like to draw.

My best games:

Atari would have to be Space Invaders or Asteroids as they were the games that got me started.  The sound effects on space invaders were very basic but had you in a blind panic once they started to speed up.

Sega I think Sonic 2 or Jet Set Radio and Sonic 2 because of the speed of it Sonic 1 was good but this game took it to another level. Chemical Plant Zone was unbelievable and Jet Set Radio because it was unlike anything else at the time and still stands alone today in originality of character and level design, 

I've got it on Dreamcast,  Xbox and PS3 it's that good, but it's Sony for me.  Metal gear or FF8,  metal gear because of the unbelievably realistic atmosphere at that time only Resident Evil came close to really thinking about the character and how to not alert any of the bad guys in the game, and FF8 because of everything; story,  graphics,  gameplay,  the card game (which I must have spent at least 30-40 hours playing alone).

When it comes to a SNES best game, this is the hardest for me as I could easily have a top 50. 

Legend of Zelda,  Mario World,  Goldeneye,  Mario 64, Zelda mainly because after playing it on NES originally and seeing the graphics then putting in the cartridge on my SNES and seeing Hyrule for the first time was amazing and then to top that - when it changed to the Dark Hyrule it opened up practicality another game.

Mario World as it was the first game I played on a SNES at a friends house and I knew that I had to have a super nintendo,  the level/character design was quality and still prove to be a challenge to this day,  

My sons both love playing this the most on the SNES and play it daily,  Goldeneye is a fantastic game because of the multi player,  no connecting consoles and having 4 tvs all in one room plus the fact of it being awesome in 1 player as well! Finally with Mario 64 because of the mass there is to it, levels,  challenges,  stars to collect just a massive quality game.

And I don't care what any one on the net says about emulating any of these games there's nothing better than playing them the way they are meant to be played with the proper pad and the original console.

Thanks the Daniel Beech for his Guest Blog
You can follow Dan on Twitter to at @Danny_Beech1981

Commodore 64: a visual commpendium - Interview with Sam Dyer

We spoke to Sam Dyer - Author and inspiration being the new Commodore 64 Kickstarter



Tell us a bit about you first 

I'm 32 years old with an ever decreasing hairline and an ever increasing waistline. I'm a Graphic Designer and a huge C64 fan and retro gaming fan in general. As a designer I have over 10 years experience, working for award winning agencies in London and the South West. It has always been a dream of mine to design a book all about the Commodore 64.

How long have you been playing videogames now and what was your first computer or console? 

My first computer was a C64, handed down to me by my (very kind) Uncle. It must have been circa 1986. It came bundled with an Imagine multi-pack, International Soccer and a war strategy game called Theatre Europe! The Imagine pack had some amazing games on it such as Frogger, BC Bill, Arcadia and Pedro. I fell in love with this computer and over the next few years got loads and loads of games and spent many an hour in awe of the graphics and sound. Happy days! 

Tell us about your role at Retro Asylum? 

I absolutely love been part of the Retro Asylum. Since I have been involved about a year ago I have seen it go from strength to strength (obviously not just due to me joining!). My roles include uploading and writing site news, posting up reviews and essentially managing the front page. I also design the podcast covers with co-founder Dean Swain (Swainy). Also, every now and again you can hear me appearing on a podcast rambling on about my love of Sensible Soccer or looking at the career of a certain 8-bit games composer in a series called 'My 8-bit Life'. Been part of the Retro Asylum is loads of fun. It keeps me busy and out of trouble... 

Why are you into retro gaming now? 

Purely for nostalgic reasons. That warm fuzzy feeling I get when I am reminded of my childhood. It's addictive and I am constantly remembering little things that make me smile. I'm obviously a huge gamer too. I'm too tight to buy expencive modern games and have hardly any free time so the 'pick up and play' nature of retro gaming works for me perfectly.

Why do you think retro gaming is so popular in 2014? 

I think a huge part of it is down to emulation. It's there for all to get online, at the click of a button. Also nowadays, with YouTube and websites like Retro Asylum and GamesYouLoved, retro gaming is all over social media, constantly reminding people and sparking their memories. Also the retro gaming community is so friendly and welcoming and it's a great thing to be part of. I've made some great friends through this shared love.

Also, nowadays it's acceptable to be into Retro Gaming and not something you would be embarrassed to admit!
 

Tell us about your graphic design background? 

I went to Art College in Taunton where I spent 5 years and learnt loads. Then went to London and worked at some award winning agencies. I then took everything I had learnt and came back to the South West which is where I now ply my trade. Currently I am head of design at a brand agency and loving every minute of it. Every day if different and I am very lucky to do what I do. 

About the book...

Why the Commodore 64? 

The Commodore 64 was my first computer and the one I have the fondest memories of. It also played a massive part in inspiring me to become a designer. I used to be obsessed with the loading screens and box art. It is so visually rich, everywhere you look there is great design. Whether it's the iconic loading screens, Oliver Freys illustrations or the pixel art. I always wanted a book with all of this this stuff in it, but couldn't find one anywhere. So... I thought I would design one myself! 

Any particular C64 games you love - perhaps a top 10? 

Loads! In no particular order:
Batman The Movie
Up n down
Aztec Challenge
Cabal
Beyond the Forbidden Forest
Slap Fight
Treasure Island Dizzy
Blue Max
Ghostbusters 2
Ghouls and Ghosts

Can you give us any sneak insights into the book that people who are in the community would love to hear?  

One of the rewards I am most excited about is the chance for backers to 'own their own spread'. They pick the game, write the review and then I design it as a spread. I think it will give the book a unique feel and something that backers would be excited about. 

Getting the rights to use Oliver Freys illustrations is a massive deal for me. I have always loved his work and it will look stunning over double page spreads.

I am also planning to have a section on modern C64, looking at current day developers and the art they are producing.

When is the kickstarter due to start? 

1st April 2014

Any reveals on the pledges available? 

I'm still finalising the pledges but these will include a series of A2 loader posters, a chance to own your own spread in the book and also a chance to sponsor the book! There will also be smaller pledges where you can be credited in the book as an official supporter. 
  

Who is writing the book and why? 

The book will not have many words. It's a visual commpendium so accompanying each beautiful image may be a few game facts, a mini review or even a quote from the developer. 

Ex Sensible Software artist and C64 fan Stoo Cambridge will be writing the foreword and I'm hoping to get a few well known retro legends to also write some words here and there. 

What about design and illustration - as a designer what is your vision? 

As previously said, it has always been my ambition to create this book and if there is enough interest my dream will come true. What I would love would be too get the C64 book produced and then maybe do one on the Amiga. The dream would be to walk into a high street bookshop and see my book on the shelf. That would be pretty cool!

Back the project here NOW LIVE:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2146199819/commodore-64-a-visual-commpendium-by-bitmap-books

Watch the promo video: