Into The Vertical Blank

Jeff Fulton & Steve Fulton

A Podcast about growing with a twin brother up In the 70s and 80s, at the dawn of video games, navigating family strife, punk rock, Star Wars obsessions, and trying to understand the world while developing an inexplicable love for everything “Atari”. -- In this podcast we discuss Atari computers and systems, new and old, review new games we collect, talk about all the systems, and the significance they had in our lives and the lives of others, and even talk about them in an historical context with the backdrop the times they were released, and how they are being used now. We do all this in an effort to finally understand the answer to this existential question: what does it mean to have grown up in the generation of "the Vertical blank." Credits: Written, Engineered and Produced by Jeff Fulton @8bitrocket With help from Steve Fulton @fultonbot Branding by Daryl Litts @daryllitts

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Top 10 Into The Vertical Blank Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Into The Vertical Blank episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Into The Vertical Blank for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Into The Vertical Blank episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

S3:E25: 1981 - Atari VCS Christmas

Into The Vertical Blank

12/23/20 • 102 min

S3:E25; 1981 - Atari VCS Christmas

For the 2020 Christmas episode we go back 39 years to 1981 and talk about how it felt to want, and ultimately, get, an Atari VCS that year. We have a story from Steve about our twin scheming and planning to get a VCS, and then we have a discussion about our top-10 VCS games available at the end of 1981. We hope these memories and stories help you have a good holiday in 2020 no matter what you celebrate or what your situation might be. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Into The Vertical Blank.

Show Notes:

Written, Edited, Produced by Jeff Fulton and Steve Fulton

Branding by Daryl Litts

Music in “Atari VCS Christmas” story is Crystalline by Tony Longworth from his album “Tinsel And Fire”. Tony’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tonylongworth

XMAS 7800 playable Demo: JS7800: Atari 7800 Emulator (raz0red.github.io)

Top-10 VCS Games available for Xmas 1981

Steve’s List

Asteroids
Space Invaders
Missile Command
Breakout/Super Breakout
Tennis:
Skiing
Adventure
Night Driver
Video Pinball
Outlaw

Jeff’s List

Asteroids
Breakout
Tennis
Laser Blast
Missile Command
Space Invaders
Pele’s Soccer
Video Pinball
Night Driver
Adventure

Some Cool Atari Videos from 1981

Stay In Touch

#110: AT Speed: The Day Our Atari 1040 ST Became a 286 PC Clone + News Overscan.

Into The Vertical Blank

06/05/24 • 61 min

AT Speed: The Day Our Atari 1040 ST Became a 286 PC Clone + News Overscan.
Into The Vertical Blank podcast episode #110
#atari, #atarist, #dinodini #skald #rollercoastertycoon #stevenlevy #atspeed

00:48 Intro
01:28 Atari News
08:56 Atariage.com
09:21 Book Club
13:18 Excitement Of The Week
17:13 Feedback
20:49 Creator Spotlight
24:59 AT Speed - when an Atari ST could transform into a 286

Roller Coaster Tycoon:
https://atari.com/pages/rollercoaster-tycoon

Titan
https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-titan_6337.html

Hackers
https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Steven-Levy/dp/1449388396/

Skald
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1069160/SKALD_Against_the_Black_Priory/

Moths Of Programming
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moths-of-programming-with-dino-dini/id1505940543

AT Speed In Last Issue Of STart
https://www.atarimania.com/mags/pdf/atari_start_vol_5_issue_7.pdf

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by #JeffFulton and or #SteveFulton unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios
#Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #GenerationAtari

Into The Vertical Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Out of the Vertical Blank Theme By Tony Longworth
Find the full song on band camp
https://t.co/qxbudlAFCK

Research: Atarimania.com Atariage.com Atarilegend.com AtariCrypt MobyGames.com LemonAmiga.com

Find us here:
http://intotheverticalblank.com
Into the Vertical Blank: Generation Atari | Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/intotheverticalblank
Into The Vertical Blank Pod Cast – Twitter
https://twitter.com/Atari_VB_Pod
Jeff on Threads @jeffdfulton
Jeff on Twitter @8bitrocket
Steve on Threads @steveafulton
Steve on Twitter @fultonbot

#97 : Punker Pacman And The Mindless Generation

Into The Vertical Blank

12/06/23 • 18 min

In 1982 I was enthralled with Pac-Man. A Pee-Chee folder I found in box 40 years later remined me of that time: when anything, even growing-up and working for Atari, seemed possible.
Watch video version here: (1) Punker Pac-Man and the Mindless Generation - YouTube

Original story published in the Easy Reader as "Punker Pac-Man: An ode to the Mindless Generation, and The Guild Drug" - Easy Reader News: https://easyreadernews.com/punker-pac-man-an-ode-to-the-mindless-generation-and-the-guild-drug/?fbclid=IwAR2Q2-1ytOUrMPfa2HQIwfMTABCGzPIuEdV47X84SID6p-zmCm0hHGY-sAo

Special thanks to Manhattan Beach Historical Society: https://www.manhattanbeachhistorical.com/

All music, video production. writing and game play by #JeffFulton and or #SteveFulton unless otherwise noted.

Theme by Brian Travis Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP http://www.briantravisband.com/ F

Find us here: http://intotheverticalblank.com Into the Vertical Blank: Generation Atari |

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/intotheverticalblank Into The Vertical Blank Pod Cast –

Twitter https://twitter.com/Atari_VB_Pod

Jeff on Threads @jeffdfulton

Jeff on Twitter @8bitrocket

Steve on Threads @steveafulton S

teve on Twitter @fultonbot

#98: Atari 8bit and more With Author and Extreme Tech Editor Jamie Lendino

Into The Vertical Blank

12/10/23 • 62 min

#JamieLendino, #ExtremeTech 's Editor, is the Author of books on the #Atari8bit Computers, #Atari2600, #AtariST, Classic Arcade machines and games in the DOSs era. We sit down to discuss his books, focusing on the second edition of Breakout: How Atari 8-Bit Computers Defined a Generation, but end up discussing all of them.

The Full Video Version S6:E12 of the Into The Vertical Blank Podcast is available here:

https://youtu.be/2yf8a3kCGdE

S6:E12 Atari 8bit and more With Author and Extreme Tech Editor Jamie Lendino

Breakout: How Atari 8-Bit Computers Defined a Generation, Second Edition https://www.amazon.com/Breakout-Atari-Computers-Defined-Generation/dp/1957932023/

Adventure: The Atari 2600 at the Dawn of Console Gaming https://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Atari-2600-Console-Gaming/dp/1732355207/

Faster Than Light: The Atari ST and the 16-Bit Revolution https://www.amazon.com/Faster-Than-Light-16-Bit-Revolution/dp/1732355215

Attract Mode: The Rise and Fall of Coin-Op Arcade Games https://www.amazon.com/Attract-Mode-Coin-Op-Arcade-Games/dp/1732355223/

Starflight: How the PC and DOS Exploded Computer Gaming 1987-1994 https://www.amazon.com/Starflight-Exploded-Computer-Gaming-1987-1994/dp/1732355290/

My website: https://www.jamielendino.com

ET free excerpt of Breakout: https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/celebrating-the-atari-800-and-its-games

PCMag Atari 2600 article: https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/atari-2600-console-brought-arcade-games-home

PCMag Atari at 50 article: https://www.pcmag.com/news/atari-turns-50-a-look-back-on-the-original-name-in-video-games

All music, video production. writing and game play by #JeffFulton and or #SteveFulton unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios #

Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #Generation Atari
Theme by Brian Travis

Tk2 by Tony Longworth: https://www.patreon.com/tonylongworth

Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Research: Atarimaina.com Atariage.com Atarilegend.com AtariCrypt MobyGames.com LemonAmiga.com

#120 : Worse Than E.T.? Mr. Postman and the games from Bit Corp

Into The Vertical Blank

08/14/24 • 17 min

Mr. Postman is another game from Bit Corp., the people who brought us Bobby Is Going Home. It's a doozy of game for the 2600, but is it worse than E.T.?
Video Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toxJOrAOklw&feature=youtu.be

Dr. Spuds Game Reviews: https://doctorspudsreviewsthings.wordpress.com/2018/12/12/mr-postman-bit-corp-atari-2600-game-review/

Ric Pryor on Old School Gamer Magazine:
https://www.oldschoolgamermagazine.com/mr-postman-for-the-atari-2600/

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

All music, audio / video production. writing and game play by #JeffFulton and or #SteveFulton unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios
#Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #GenerationAtari

Into The Vertical Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

Out of the Vertical Blank Theme By Tony Longworth
Find the full song on band camp
https://t.co/qxbudlAFCK

Research: Atarimania.com Atariage.com Atarilegend.com AtariCrypt MobyGames.com LemonAmiga.com

S6:E7: Lost Credit: The Secret Atari Heroes of GCC (part 1)

Into The Vertical Blank

09/17/23 • 64 min

Lost Credit: The Secret Atari Heroes of GCC (part1)

GCC were masters of video game design in the early 1980's. They created Ms. Pac-Man and went on to become a "secret" development house for Atari. They are responsible for many golden age Atari games, but so far, the credits for their games have been incomplete and hard to locate. After working for 5 years, Into The Vertical Blank may have finally "cracked the code" on the credits for GCC Atari games by pestering and annoying ex-GCCers Doug Macrae, Michael Feinstein, Steve Golson and Jonathan Hurd until they finally put pen to paper, researched, reached out to fellow ex-employees, and put together a definitive list of credits. This is part 1 of that story. Features brand-new interview Doug Macrae, co-founder of GCC

Video Version: (1) Lost Credit: The Secret Atari Heroes of GCC (part 1) - YouTube

Music in the episode is "I Want To Feel (instrumental)" By Tony Longworth

Written, Edited and Produced by
Into The Vertical Blank is:
Steve Fulton and Jeff Fulton
Branding by Daryl Litts
Theme Song by Brian Travis
Additional Music by Tony Longworth
Coffee Provided by Atari Legend

Special Thanks to:

Jonanthan Hurd
Steve Golson
Michael Feinstein
Doug Macrae
and
All The rest of our boyhood
Heroes at GCC and Atari

Full GCC Creditss will
Be available at
intotheverticalblank.com
when they are completed
and provided to any
other site tha
requests them.

Into The Vertical Blank

Late night fuel support appreciated but not demanded : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intotheverticalblank

All music, video production. writing and game play by #JeffFulton and or #SteveFulton unless otherwise noted. (c)8bitrocket Studios #
Atari #IntoTheVerticalBlank #Generation Atari
Theme by Brian Travis
Title: Into The Vertical Blank theme Words & music by Brian Travis (c)(p)2021 Taste This Moment Music ASCAP
http://www.briantravisband.com/

S5:E2: Atari 50th Anniversary: Our Top-50 Atari Games (from 2020)

Into The Vertical Blank

06/28/22 • 106 min

From 2020 for Atari's 50th Anniversary: Our Top-50 Games From Atari.

S3:E11 Interview With Game Developer Jon Williams

Into The Vertical Blank

05/27/20 • 55 min

An Interview with Jon Williams a Gamer Developer for the Atari 8bit computers, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Commodore C16, Amiga and many other platforms.

We discuss some technical details about developing for the Atari 8bits, Commodore C16 and C64, and well as dive into his game development history and what he is working on now.

Jon Williams Game Video

https://intotheverticalblank.com/2020/05/27/the-atari-8bit-and-st-games-by-jon-williams/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-HJR2WpWTc&feature=emb_logo

Original Games

8bits

http://www.atarimania.com/pgelstsoft.awp?system=8&type=G&team=1417&step=25

Jet Book Jack 1984 - Really difficult but great looking unique platformer in the style of Miner 2049er

Berks Four 2019 - More like Shamus than Baby Berks

Major Blink 2018

Time Slip 1986 - justs good and difficult as 2020

Fandal New versions

Baby Berks 2020 http://a8.fandal.cz/detail.php?files_id=7853 - Combo of Daleks and Berzerk

Major Blink 2020 http://a8.fandal.cz/detail.php?files_id=7855 - combo of crossfire and Kid Grid / Amidar

Time Slip 2020 http://a8.fandal.cz/detail.php?files_id=7859 - frantic Zeppelin on acid

Pyaramax 1990 http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-pyramax_10329.html

Tony Longworth’s Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/tonylongworth

Atariage Thread about Timeslip 2020

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/305374-timeslip-2020-48kb/?tab=comments#comment-4507611

Antic Podcast with Jon

http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-365-jon-williams-jet-boot-jack-timeslip

Encounter us:

http://www.intotheverticalblank.com

https://www.facebook.com/intotheverticalblank/

https://twitter.com/Atari_VB_Pod

https://www.instagram.com/into_the_vertical_blank/

Written, Edited. Produced by Steve Fulton and Jeff Fulton

Branding by Daryl Litts
Additional Music "Chill Wave" by Tony Longworth

S3:E4: Atari’s Biggest Mistake Part 2: Game Player Non Expandable

Into The Vertical Blank

04/06/20 • 58 min

In part 2 of “Atari’s Biggest Mistake” we explore the core reasons why Atari blundered in 1982 with their biggest releases and explore a “what if” scenario right out of The Vertical Blank.

What really was Atari’s biggest mistake? Was it ET for the 2600, was it Pac-Man for the 2600? Was it over confidence and inexperience? Or was it some else entirely? In this 2nd part of our brand new investigative series on the real failure of Atari, we delve deep into the exact moments that we feel turned Atari from, the fastest growing company in the world, to a failure 3 years later.

This podcast includes never before heard interviews with Nolan Bushnell, Chris Crawford and Curt Vendel.

Atari Business is Fun

by Marty Goldberg (Author), Curt Vendel (Author)

https://www.amazon.com/Atari-Inc-Business-Complete-History-ebook/dp/B00CELBAJS/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=atari+business+is+fun&qid=1586136981&sr=8-2

Arcade Perfect

by David L. Craddock (Author), Milan Jaram (Illustrator)

https://www.amazon.com/Arcade-Perfect-Pac-Man-Coin-Op-Classics-ebook/dp/B07XCDZZ12/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=arcade+perfect&qid=1586137006&sr=8-1

Chris Crawford Interview : http://www.8bitrocket.com/2017/06/16/in-depth-interview-with-game-philosopher-king-chris-crawford/

History Of Atari Part 1 (with Nolan Bushnell Quotes): https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2000/the_history_of_atari_19711977.php?page=1

History Of Atari Part 2 (with Nolan Bushnell Quotes): https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3766/atari_the_golden_years__a_.php?page=1

Antic ET Story: https://www.atarimagazines.com/v2n4/etgame.html

Antic Podcast with Dave Comstock, programmer for E.T. Phone Home: https://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-316-dave-comstock-et-phone-home-superman-iii-cloak-dagger?fbclid=IwAR1PKHuEKcKRV6LhMBE6GxaMmElFu5s_eE-d1t6rZnuPt7Hx4BOCK2tj7yk

The Atari 5200 FAQ

http://www.atarihq.com/5200/5200faq/5200faq.txt

Atariprotos.com Atari 5200 Pac-Man

http://www.atariprotos.com/5200/software/pacman/pacman.htm

Atarimania.com Atari 8bit Et Phone Hone

http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-et-phone-home_1881.html

Atarimania.com Atari 8bit Pac-Man

http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-pac-man_3857.html

AtariMuseum.com Atari 400 “Candy”http://www.atarimuseum.com/computers/8BITS/400800/400/400.html

Antic Magazine December 1982

https://archive.org/details/anticdecember1982vol1no5

Electronic Games Magazine October 1982

https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Games_Volume_01_Number_08_1982-10_Reese_Communications_US/mode/2up

Electronic Games Magazine May 1984

#111: Atari 8bit Sierra Action Game Tier List, News, Book Club and more! Overscan:

Into The Vertical Blank

06/13/24 • 56 min

In this episode we cover Atari SA’s 7800 product shipping dates; The possibility of new Atarisoft games; Fixing Activision Labels by Silicon Underground; Atari 2600 Coleco Tarzan ROM Found. Book Club featuring Katie Hafner’s Cyberpunk; How bad is Phantasmagoria?; Evercade Alpha; Open a New Package Feedback and the Sierra Atari 8bit Action Game Tier List

Contents

Intro 0:00

Atari SA’s 7800 product shipping dates 1:28

New Atarisoft games? 3:10

Audacity is back 5:12

Fixing Activision Cartridge Labels Silicon Underground 6:50

Atari 2600+ Update 7:25

Atari 2600 Coleco Tarzan ROM Found. 9:14

Book Club featuring Katie Hafner’s Cyberpunk 13:00

How bad is Phantasmagoria? 17:53

Evercade Alpha 21:50

Let’s Open A Package 24:40

Feedback 25:51

Sierra Atari 8bit Action Game Tier List 26:48

Aquatron 27:30

BC's Quest for Tires 29:35

Crossfire 32:05

Frogger 2 Versions 33:28

Golf Challenge 35:45

Jawbreaker 37:30

Jawbreaker II 40:15

Lunar Leeper 40:41

Marauder 44:00

Mouskattack 47:35

Mr. Cool 49:20

Oil’s Well 50:17

Threshold 51:42

Wallwar 52:45

Final Tiers 54:15

Outro 55:00

Into The Vertical Blank Over Scan Retro News and Atari 8bit Sierra Action Game Tier List Coming Up Next

Genx Grownup On Atari 7800 Releases by Atari

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64dHiDhw9G0

Alien Abduction by Audacity

https://adgm.us/portal/guide04A.html

Mockduck Plays Games Alien Abdictuon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02fSpcQoc-w

Silicon Underground

https://dfarq.homeip.net/reattach-activision-atari-2600-cartridge-labels/

New 2600+ Firmware

https://forums.atariage.com/topic/361600-experimental-2600-firmware-and-dumper/

Coleco Tarzan - Kevin Bunch Article https://gamehistory.org/atari-2600-tarzan/

-Irata Non Grata Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSmMr3OWlmo

Cyberpunk By Karie Hafner

-Cyberpunk https://amzn.to/3XhSWTB

-Where Wizards Stay Up Late

Phantasmagoria At Moby Games

https://www.mobygames.com/game/1164/roberta-williams-phantasmagoria/

Evercade Alpha Megaman

https://amzn.to/4ciJHHi

Evercade Alpha Street Fighter 2

https://amzn.to/3KG4vwA

Should Atari own Retro By Silicon Underground

https://dfarq.homeip.net/should-atari-own-all-of-classic-retro/

All Atari 8bit Sierra Releases

https://www.atarimania.com/list_games_atari-400-800-xl-xe-sierra-on-line_publisher_1411_8_G.html

Ken Williams Book

https://amzn.to/3VBydcj

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FAQ

How many episodes does Into The Vertical Blank have?

Into The Vertical Blank currently has 126 episodes available.

What topics does Into The Vertical Blank cover?

The podcast is about Leisure, Society & Culture, Personal Journals, Podcasts and Video Games.

What is the most popular episode on Into The Vertical Blank?

The episode title 'S5:E11 John' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Into The Vertical Blank?

The average episode length on Into The Vertical Blank is 58 minutes.

How often are episodes of Into The Vertical Blank released?

Episodes of Into The Vertical Blank are typically released every 15 days, 2 hours.

When was the first episode of Into The Vertical Blank?

The first episode of Into The Vertical Blank was released on Apr 26, 2018.

Show more FAQ

Into The Vertical Blank

Jeff Fulton & Steve Fulton

Top 10 Into The Vertical Blank Episodes

Featured in these lists

FAQ

How many episodes does Into The Vertical Blank have?

What topics does Into The Vertical Blank cover?

What is the most popular episode on Into The Vertical Blank?

What is the average episode length on Into The Vertical Blank?

How often are episodes of Into The Vertical Blank released?

When was the first episode of Into The Vertical Blank?

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