I have been a technology enthusiast since I was 10 years old, today I repair computers and provide solutions to everyday computer challenges for home users and very small businesses. To find out more about me, visit my home page.
If you want reach out to me about this article, use retrogaming O scottrlarson.com
This article is the first part of a three part series:
- Part 1: My First Computer
- Part 2: The C64 & A500
- Part 3: Amiga Games, The BBS Days & 3d Modeling
Introduction
This article is about my experience with the first home computers. My history starts with gaming on the consoles of the time, starting with the Atari 2600. I played games like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Donkey Kong”. When the first Home Computers were released, I played one of the first dungeon crawlers, “Tunnels of Doom” on the TI99/4A. After the Commodore 64 was released, I played games like “Wasteland” and “Ultima IV”. Most of my surviving memories center around the Commodore Amiga. What memories of your game history has survived the aging process? Games like “Another World” and “Flashback” bring me back to a time of story-driven 2D side-scrollers, with the first use of cinematic cut scenes. I also touch on the era of the BBS. Computers hosting Bulletin Board System software were the first forum like experience allowing enthusiasts to communicate with each other. Finally, I recall my experiences with the first 3d Modeling applications on the Amiga.
Take a journey back in history with me. The year is 1982, just after one of the first home computers was released, the Texas Instruments TI-99/4A. I was about 12 years old. Relatively expensive, but affordable to many middle-class families, Home Computers ranged around a thousand dollars in value.
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
.jpg)
|
|
| Manufacturer | Texas Instruments |
|---|---|
| Type | Home computer |
| Release date | June 1981 |
| Introductory price | US$525 (equivalent to $1,560 in 2021) |
| Discontinued | March 1984 |
| Units shipped | 2.8 million[1] |
| Media | |