Blog RSS


System Extensions or 'Create Your Killer GS/OS Environment!'

Posted 22 March 2011 | 70 Comments | » Read more...

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Using system extensions is much like a juggling or balancing act - while there are many great ways to enhance GS/OS, you're limited by how much RAM you have, slowdowns, how well each extension gets along with each other and if they were specifically written for the version of the GS operating system you want to use.


Game Interpreters Part IV: Snatcher

Posted 2 March 2011 | 25831 Comments | » Read more...

Tags: , , , ,

Unfortunately, it's that time where the 'what if' switch in my brain goes off again. On this occasion it's around the adventure game Snatcher, although this one's a different kettle of fish from my previous musings of bringing 'new' adventure games to the IIGS for some home-brew treatment.


Game Interpreters Part III: SCI Adventure Games

Posted 3 January 2011 | 68 Comments | » Read more...

Tags: , , , ,

This latest blog in a series devoted to game interpreters and their potential for the IIGS is all about SCI, also known as the 'Sierra Creative Interpreter'. The good news, while not specifically for the Apple II, is that SCUMMVM now supports SCI0 to SCI1.1 interpreter games.


The Perfect GS/OS Desktop Picture or How to Get the Most of the 640 x 200 Super Hi-res mode

Posted 20 December 2010 | 3588 Comments | » Read more...

Tags: , , , , , ,

Let's face facts: the 640 x 200 pixel super hi-res graphics mode is as Woz-like ingenious as it is frustrating.


The Japanese Connection

Posted 9 December 2009 | 39714 Comments | » Read more...

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I've always loved playing Thexder, Silpheed and especially, Ancient Land of Ys on the Apple IIGS. But with equal enjoyment came equal fascination: where exactly did these games originate in Japan? Research to answer this question lead me on a wonderful retro computing journey of discovery that, quite to my surprise, came full circle and ended up back to the Apple II again.


I Love Pixel Art!

Posted 7 June 2009 | 313 Comments | » Read more...

Tags: , , ,

Quite simply, I love pixel art...truly, madly, deeply (4-bits of it to be precise).


Game Interpreters Part II: An easier adventure to accomplish?

Posted 22 February 2009 | 249 Comments | » Read more...

Tags: , , , ,

OK, so creating a runtime environment for Lucas Arts adventure games for the IIGS is no walk in the park. How about something that's hopefully easier, but still for the truly adventurous at heart?


Inspiration from a Higher Place

Posted 2 February 2009 | 267 Comments | » Read more...

Tags: , ,

At 36886 feet, 868 kilometres per hour and over Indonesia to be precise.


CFFA2 Card Review

Posted 2 December 2008 | 40 Comments | » Read more...

Tags: , , , ,

I'll admit it: I'm no expert with hardware. While many Apple II faithful are handy with a soldering iron and can boast to have modified their TranswarpGS or ZipGSX beyond their default clock rate, I'm very cautious with anything that's green with gold teeth. Additionally, having never upgraded my Vulcan hard drive before moving onto a Power Mac, I've never used SCSI (similar to the CFFA in some respects) on the IIGS and with it, setting up and managing multiple 32meg ProDOS partitions.


'AMay' Answers an Apple II Creative Mayday

Posted 19 October 2008 | 64 Comments | » Read more...

Tags: , , , ,

Upon reflection, one of the many things I enjoyed about the IIGS back in 1987 as an impressionable 11 year old was not having one. That's right - the wait itself, although painful at the time, was made thrilling knowing this was the computer we were going to get after visiting the local Apple Centre and seeing various ‘multimedia' examples of what the machine was capable of.


1 2 3