Mindscape to Electronic Arts with Mark 'TDK' Knight - The Retro Hour EP124

This week, we chat to Darlene Lacey, a trailblazer in game design and narrative development. Starting with her early experiences in arcades and her passion for story writing, Darlene shares her fascinating journey into the world of Advanced Microcomputer Systems. Learn about her pivotal role in the creation of iconic games like Dragon's Lair and Space Ace, working with legends Rick Dyer and Don Bluth, and the innovative approaches that kept the studio's costs low. Darlene also delves into her transition to the Walt Disney Company, where she navigated the challenges of adapting to new creative approaches and working on beloved titles like Donald’s Alphabet Chase and Disney's DuckTales.   00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 37:17 - Darlene Lacey Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - Get £5 off The Art of The Box - Use code: RH5 at checkout - https://www.bitmapbooks.com/products/the-art-of-the-box Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Sega Neptune is revived: https://tinyurl.com/52b9tnac Marvel vs Capcom collection is coming: https://tinyurl.com/ysjadasf Dune 2 remaster for Amiga: https://tinyurl.com/22zmpe9y 1 button handheld console: https://youtu.be/vJMq8O_84eU Carpark Capital: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3031880/Car_Park_Capital/

28 Jun 20241h 33min

This week, we hear the fascinating career of Ian Oliver as he shares insider stories from founding Real Time Games Software, including the development of the groundbreaking Carrier Command and creating development systems for Sega. From the humble beginnings of 3D Tank Duel on the ZX Spectrum to navigating the complexities of the Sega Dreamcast era, Ian offers a unique glimpse into the evolution of the gaming industry.   00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 41:44 - Ian Oliver Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - Get £5 off The Art of The Box - Use code: RH5 at checkout - https://www.bitmapbooks.com/products/the-art-of-the-box Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes $60 Sega Saturn Flash Cart: https://tinyurl.com/2j3xvcd5 Blingboard64 Keyboard: https://tinyurl.com/zxrt4396 New Power Rangers Beat 'Em Up: https://tinyurl.com/3te66jv8 Wonder Swan to TV Mod Kit: https://tinyurl.com/y6ehxrsr Contra Reforged: https://tinyurl.com/2s4artyr

21 Jun 20241h 39min

This week, we chat with Randell Jesup, former Senior Software Engineer at Commodore Amiga Inc. From his pioneering work with 80's online gaming platform PlayNET and the revolutionary Amiga OS. Discover how PlayNET evolved into Quantum Link and AOL, the challenges of developing high-performance drivers, and the innovative spirit that drove Amiga's success.  00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 39:15 - Randell Jesup Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Bitmap Books - Get £5 off The Art of The Box - Use code: RH5 at checkout - https://www.bitmapbooks.com/products/the-art-of-the-box Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Lost Atari game brought back to life: https://tinyurl.com/bp8ujffh The Thing remaster: https://tinyurl.com/3u23dk4a USB to 3DO driver: https://tinyurl.com/mu9mk2vx New beat 'em up Deadly Metropolis: https://tinyurl.com/2ab8pvwz Rare Xbox in Charity Shop: https://tinyurl.com/3837en9d

14 Jun 20241h 41min

This week, we chat with legendary game developer David Jones, the creative mind behind the iconic Magic Knight series. David delves into the fascinating history of creating some of the most beloved 8-bit adventure games of the 1980s, from his innovative use of the TRS-80 Model III for Spectrum development to developing the storytelling and gameplay mechanics of titles like Finders Keepers and Spellbound. 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 40:44 - David Jones Interview David’s Links: https://davidxjonesauthor.com/retro-hour-podcast-links/ Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Get 3 months of ExpressVPN for FREE: https://expressvpn.com/retro Bitmap Books https://www.bitmapbooks.com/ Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Evercade arcade: https://tinyurl.com/2s4d359p Resident Evil Zero & Code Veronica remakes: https://tinyurl.com/mw2seakj 8bit Do Keyboard and Numpad: https://tinyurl.com/mrj4jx6v Aliens Neoplasma II: https://tinyurl.com/4um523x8 Zelda LEGO announced: https://tinyurl.com/bdhdyhbw

6 Jun 20241h 31min

We sit down with Paul Hartnoll of the legendary electronic duo Orbital. Paul takes us on a nostalgic journey, sharing his first gaming experiences and the early home systems that sparked his passion for technology. Plus the impact of Orbital's music featuring on classics like Wipeout, Test Drive 4 and creating music on the Atari ST.  00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 42:48 - Paul Hartnoll Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour Bitmap Books https://www.bitmapbooks.com/ We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Atari purchase Intellivision: https://tinyurl.com/27n8vz93 Dreamcast PSU: https://tinyurl.com/3p43au66 Apple's Unreleased iPod Tetris Clone Has Been Discovered: https://youtu.be/q0c6SOP4CCo Mario kart rom hack: https://tinyurl.com/yc6pmyd2 RIP ICQ: https://tinyurl.com/5ed3hb8m

30 Mai 20241h 38min

This week, we're joined by legendary game designer and artist Mark Healey. From his early days with a Commodore 64, working on the classic KGB Super Spy, to his pivotal role in iconic Bullfrog titles like Theme Park and Dungeon Keeper, Mark shares the stories and inspirations behind his work. Hear about his experiences with industry giants like the Darling brothers and Peter Molyneux, his innovative approach to educational games with Fun School, and the creation of his own studio, Media Molecule. Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 40:37 - Mark Healey Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour Bitmap Books https://www.bitmapbooks.com/ We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Mario Maker 64: https://tinyurl.com/mrxyhtrw Cronela's Mansion: https://tinyurl.com/3tv6xaj5 The Glass Staircase PS2 Horror: https://tinyurl.com/t8y32zmb Hack NES Tetris from inside the game: https://tinyurl.com/3svec93w Play with classic Mac OS's in your browser: https://infinitemac.org/

23 Mai 20241h 43min

This week on the podcast, we sit down with the pioneering game designer Nicole Lazzaro, renowned for her work on iconic titles like The Sims, Myst, and Diner Dash. From playing Colossal Cave Adventure on shared computers to studying Psychology and Film at Stanford, and how these experiences shaped her understanding of emotions in games.  Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 34:10 - Nicole Lazzaro Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Take your business to the next level today and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for £1/month: https://shopify.co.uk/retrohour Bitmap Books https://www.bitmapbooks.com/ We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Incredible new N64 recomp tool: https://tinyurl.com/49s9sxsw Ron Gilbert is creating a new Zelda-type game: https://tinyurl.com/yc5bkevd Dread Delusion: https://tinyurl.com/ycy33e8h Tomb Raider TV show: https://tinyurl.com/4bz8274h Mario 64 on GBA: https://tinyurl.com/dv56mxnv

17 Mai 20241h 29min

We catch up with the legendary Joe Bonar as he discusses his journey from the early days of the GameCube to developing on quirky systems like the Nokia N-Gage. Joe gives us an insider’s look into the creation of groundbreaking titles like Burnout, Tron 2.0, and Sonic Rivals. Contents: 00:00 - The Week's Retro News Stories 39:09 - Joe Bonar Interview Please visit our amazing sponsors and help to support the show: Get 3 months of ExpressVPN for FREE: https://expressvpn.com/retro Bitmap Books https://www.bitmapbooks.com/ Check out PCBWay at https://pcbway.com for all your PCB needs We need your help to ensure the future of the podcast, if you'd like to help us with running costs, equipment and hosting, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://theretrohour.com/support/ https://www.patreon.com/retrohour Get your Retro Hour merchandise: https://bit.ly/33OWBKd Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/GQw8qp8 Website: http://theretrohour.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theretrohour/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/retrohouruk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrohouruk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/theretrohour Show notes Super Mario Bros CD: https://tinyurl.com/35tbt53m Gladmori for Dreamcast and Neo Geo: https://tinyurl.com/5byrnpbn BASIC turns 60: https://tinyurl.com/5xsawmbj Tricky Madness: https://tinyurl.com/2uj3v6zn ZX Spectrum game broadcast on FM radio: https://tinyurl.com/4dzxdfdp

10 Mai 20241h 35min