Quick CommVEx Recap (fwd)

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.classic,alt.c64 (More info?)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 3 Aug 2005 20:07:08 -0700
From: larry(at-no-spam)portcommodore.com

Here's a quick n dirty rundown of CommVEx:

Presentations:

Saturday

Las Vegas Amiga Group demonstration for Amiga hardware and software.

Demo of the latest videogame MetalDust which utilizes a tricked out
Commodore system.

A DVD video from Dave Haynie and Bil Herd - who showed off their
various 264 to Plus/4 revisions (relating the problems Commodore was
going through at the time of the post-Tramiel era), the 128 prototype,
but the real highlight was seeing one of the Commodore LCD units
(believed to be three in existence with one whereabouts unknown) and
it's for sale... for the right price.

Dave Ross' informative presentation on Commodore information on the
Internet, more on how people who do websites can make their information
more accessible.

Scene coder NightLord with a very in-depth overview and history of the
European demo scene, how it began, who they are, and why they do those
killer graphic and music demos on the 64.

Cameron Kaiser demo of Hyperlink and his progress with his 3-D game
Geotrope.

Debut of the Retro Game "Spork 64" - save the world from food!

Dinner at the Palace Station buffet (long wait, good food, good
conversation)

Sunday

Oils Well video game contest for a DTV

Viewing of several European demos with commentary by NightLord on
their merits and programming nuances. (way cool)

Explanation of the C2N-232 tape-to-rs-232 adapter and its use to
transfer PET/CBM data. (wish I could have gotten the programs for it
tranferred for a demo)

Demonstration of Star Commander and how to use if with a Commodore for
e-mailing.

Raffle - JiffyDOS Sets, HyperLink, ClickHere Software, a 1541-II, and
Amiga 500 system, and a really tricked out gold-painted 128 system.

Modification of a CMD HD to use a magneto-optical disk drive.

Metal Dust Competition for a DTV.

Visit from some DefCon attendees including 'Mr. Nike' of Basement
Boys/Fast Hack'em fame who gave a quick bit of his history. and Jason
Scott, creator of the BBS Documentary DVD, who had a bit of a
question-and-answer session with interested attendees.

Pack-up and a small gathering at an all-you-can eat sushi bar (Don't
order the sea urchin rolls unless you like to wait).
.. . ... . . . . . . ... .

Other highlights:

Many good Commodore related/programming books and manuals available
free for the taking, picked up a few gems myself.

Some free Amiga programs also up for grabs.

Armstrong selling some Commodore necessities like monitors, computers,
and disk drives and some software.

CommVEx tee shirts and Infinite Loop newsletters.

Several Commodore 128Ds set up to entertain.

An Amiga which seemed to have Bar Games as the most popular game.

A couple DTVs set up to play games (and analyzed at one point)

RetroGamer Magazines, some other newsletters, and a pair of old
Commodore PC laptops on display.

Playing of the Lucki Expo video, Jeri's 15 seconds of news fame (TV news
report clip), and of a 1983ish Commodore Video from Germany (shows
Commodore chips being made as well as 64s and other Commodore goodies
being assembled and tested).

Jeri Ellsworth was there with her C-1 board, talking to many but didn't
give a formal presentation.

A short demo of Flash Attack 64 (two 64 game) before my cable came
apart.

I am sure there were other things that were going on, but I couldn't be
at all the tables. When I get time I'll try to get some pictures up on
my site (after LinuxWorld).

.... . ... .... . . .... .. . . ..

Before the Expo, Robert, my wife and I were able to meet with some
really great and dedicated Commodore folk from the Vegas area, without
whom we would not have had such a success. Thanks to all of you for
hosting CommVEx and helping us get it all together in your hot but
exciting city.

Next year I plan to have stuff ready to transfer anything we need
to/from CD or Internet to diskette.

See Dave Ross' write-up at http://csixty4.com/ which has many links.

Larry