5 ms·

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy shown in the photo in the article is actually the very first piece of computer software I ever bought. I remember purchasi

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy shown in the photo in the article is actually the very first piece of computer software I ever bought. I remember purchasing it in a Babbages or something for $14 and being so excited. Brought it home and ran it on a 286 with a monitor capable of displaying text in one color: amber > insert babelfish into ear

salgernon 2y ago
It was also a great example of the 'feelies' that came with games back then - the peril sensitive sunglasses and little baggie of belly button lint. It helped bridge the virtual text world with a connection to the physical.
- brandall10 2y ago
  It's interesting that 9 year old me remembers opening the box like yesterday because of those items.
OldGuyInTheClub 2y ago
Likewise. I remember the Infocom ads: A photo of a brain and a statement that imagination was the best graphics anyone could get [1]. I never could finish the Hitchhiker's game though. [1] https://www.atarimania.com/pgepub.awp?param=publisher-&value=1258-&system=8 https://www.atarimania.com/pgepub.awp?param=publisher-&value... --> "We stick our graphics where the sun don't shine..."
- johnmw 2y ago
  The BBC released an online version for the 30th Anniversary of the Hitchhikers Guide with some additional graphics if anyone would like some nostalgia [1]. I don't know anyone who finished that game. It could be very frustrating. I was very pleased just to get the babel fish. Since then I have read the walk through and I doubt could have ever completed it without help. [2] (spoilers!) [1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1g84m0sXpnNCv84GpN2PLZG/the-game-30th-anniversary-edition https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1g84m0sXpnNCv84GpN... [2] http://www.eristic.net/games/infocom/hhg.html http://www.eristic.net/games/infocom/hhg.html
- eru 2y ago
  > A photo of a brain and a statement that imagination was the best graphics anyone could get [...] Funny enough, that actually applied to computer graphics just as well. Have a look at eg the sprites of Super Maria Bros: there's so little detail, and your imagination fills in the rest. (In twenty years, we can point at today's graphics and say the same, I guess. It's always easier to see with past works.)
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- self 2y ago
  we stick our graphics where the sun don't shine: https://web.archive.org/web/20150923005950/http://web.mit.edu/6.933/www/Fall2000/infocom/images/ads/BrainAd1.jpg https://web.archive.org/web/20150923005950/http://web.mit.ed... we unleash the world's most powerful graphics technology: https://web.archive.org/web/20230117073114/http://web.mit.edu/6.933/www/Fall2000/infocom/images/ads/BrainAd2.jpg https://web.archive.org/web/20230117073114/http://web.mit.ed...
- IceCreamJonsey 2y ago
  I never really played HHGG as a kid but started it up on my Apple //e using this wonderful disk image, which has a great front end for Infocom games, in case anyone hasn't seen it: https://archive.org/details/PitchDark https://archive.org/details/PitchDark

salgernon 2y ago

It was also a great example of the 'feelies' that came with games back then - the peril sensitive sunglasses and little baggie of belly button lint. It helped bridge the virtual text world with a connection to the physical.

brandall10 2y ago
It's interesting that 9 year old me remembers opening the box like yesterday because of those items.

OldGuyInTheClub 2y ago

Likewise. I remember the Infocom ads: A photo of a brain and a statement that imagination was the best graphics anyone could get [1]. I never could finish the Hitchhiker's game though. [1] https://www.atarimania.com/pgepub.awp?param=publisher-&value=1258-&system=8 https://www.atarimania.com/pgepub.awp?param=publisher-&value... --> "We stick our graphics where the sun don't shine..."

johnmw 2y ago
The BBC released an online version for the 30th Anniversary of the Hitchhikers Guide with some additional graphics if anyone would like some nostalgia [1]. I don't know anyone who finished that game. It could be very frustrating. I was very pleased just to get the babel fish. Since then I have read the walk through and I doubt could have ever completed it without help. [2] (spoilers!) [1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1g84m0sXpnNCv84GpN2PLZG/the-game-30th-anniversary-edition https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1g84m0sXpnNCv84GpN... [2] http://www.eristic.net/games/infocom/hhg.html http://www.eristic.net/games/infocom/hhg.html
eru 2y ago
> A photo of a brain and a statement that imagination was the best graphics anyone could get [...] Funny enough, that actually applied to computer graphics just as well. Have a look at eg the sprites of Super Maria Bros: there's so little detail, and your imagination fills in the rest. (In twenty years, we can point at today's graphics and say the same, I guess. It's always easier to see with past works.)
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
self 2y ago
we stick our graphics where the sun don't shine: https://web.archive.org/web/20150923005950/http://web.mit.edu/6.933/www/Fall2000/infocom/images/ads/BrainAd1.jpg https://web.archive.org/web/20150923005950/http://web.mit.ed... we unleash the world's most powerful graphics technology: https://web.archive.org/web/20230117073114/http://web.mit.edu/6.933/www/Fall2000/infocom/images/ads/BrainAd2.jpg https://web.archive.org/web/20230117073114/http://web.mit.ed...
IceCreamJonsey 2y ago
I never really played HHGG as a kid but started it up on my Apple //e using this wonderful disk image, which has a great front end for Infocom games, in case anyone hasn't seen it: https://archive.org/details/PitchDark https://archive.org/details/PitchDark