The next installments of the new BBS documentary is coming soon, This part of the documentary covers games, mods, using retro hardware to connect to a BBS in the modern world, BBS server software, messaging/email, privacy and a little insight to the BBS community
The documentary interviews some users and system operators, both young and old. Crazy as it may sound, BBS's are actually still around today and can be accessed via the net. BBS's offer information and provide mail systems that are away from the prying eyes of Facebook and Google. They're a very sociable place to be, with messaging & chat. They have art unlike any you've ever seen and some really cool games and mods.
In this part of Back to the BBS we introduce Games and Mods. There are interviews with the authors of some excellent brand new games, as well as talking to sysops that make add-on software (mods) to BBS's that give it some modern and fun functionality.
In this part of the documentary we introduce the matter of privacy, with all the erosion of privacy on the net, the #BBS might provide a real alternative for you. We also introduce BBS messaging, a fun forum and email service. Finally we cover hardware to get your retro equipment such as #Commodore 64 and #Atari machines to connect to a BBS via WiFi!
In this part of Back to the BBS, we focus on making your own BBS. I spoke with the authors of Synchronet, Enigma 1/2, Image 3.0 and Legacy/X BBS software and from Daniel Kelly and Shooter Jennings to hear their take on the great software out there and why you might want to run your own BBS!
In this episode of Back to the BBS, we take a step down memory lane to look at where the darker side of the Internet came from. We examine Warez BBSes and explain what HPAVC boards were all about (Hacking, Phreaking, Anarchy, Virii, Cracking & Carding).
Very soon now, coming to a YouTube near you, is episode six of the documentary, "Back to the BBS: The Return to Being Online". This episode covers the Demoscene, introduces you to what it is, and interviews the legendary Jim 'Trixter' Leonard, Vegard 'Shady' Skefstad of The Gathering / Crusaders Amiga demogroup, as well as Bill Hart from @PCRetroTech and Rowan 'Cthulu' Lipkovitz. This vital part of where games, music, online/cyberculture all intertwined is a really important history lesson, that brings you all the way from the late 80's to the present day. Enjoy the ride, the full feature is just over an hour long!
This action packed episode takes you on the road from where it all began, with simple cracktros on the 8-bits, to the crazy parties and the professional side of it all. Some wonderful footage of some great demos too, old and new(ish).
The next upcoming episode of Back to the BBS focuses on the Music Tracker scene, where we have some great interviews with the likes of Purple Motion and Skaven (ex Future Crew) as well as cTrix and Mark Knight (aka TDK). Here's a short few minutes excerpted from an interview with Mark on Nostalgia and music tracker music. Mark is still very much active in the music scene, making contemporary chiptune music, he's also composer, an ex-demoscene, ex games musician for Bullfrog/Codemasters/EA. as well as a games developer of 29+ years. Check him out over at sonicfuel.co.uk
Starting with the Commodore Amiga, Module tracker music was the first widely used consumer grade sampled audio. It made huge inroads in computer games and the Demoscene from the late '80s onwards. This episode of Back to the BBS starts off from where the last episode on the Demoscene left off. Interviews in this episode include members of the legendary Demo group, The Future Crew: musicians Purple Motion (Jonne Valtonen) and Skaven (Peter Hajba) join cTrix (Chris Mylrae), TDK (Mark Knight) and Trixter (Jim Leonard). We talk about the equipment, how the music was made, how the demoscene adopted the format as well as fame and fortune with the games industry. This is a bumper episode that you don't want to miss!
Well fans, it's been a really long time coming, but Back to the BBS part 8 is finally upon us! Here's a teaser trailer to get you in the mood!
In the 80s and 90s, people found a way to make art from text. And they would share this art online on Electronic Bulletin Boards (BBSes).This episode talks about how art is made from text, the various art types, about what this art scene is like today, as well as what it was in the past. This episode also meets some of the people and art groups, and shows you how you can get involved too.