Retro Tea Breaks Volume One
Retro Tea Breaks Volume One
The Cave
Retro Tea Breaks Vol.1 is a collection of interviews with pioneers who have helped shape the computer, console and video game industry.
As time passes, it is becoming more and more important that we record these voices and first-hand experiences while we still have access to them. That's my goal with the Retro Tea Break series, and within this book I hope to capture and share these fantastic memories and experiences with you all.
This volume includes 14 very special conversations with:
- The Oliver Twins (British 8-bit pioneers)
- Richard Garriott (Origin Systems founder and astronaut)
- Al Lowe (Sierra, Video Game Developer)
- George 'The Fat Man' Sanger (Composer, Freelance/Lucas Arts)
- Bill Volk (Developer, Activision/Avalon Hill)
- Francois Lionet (Developer, STOS/AMOS)
- Mark Ferrari (Lucas Games Artist)
- Rob Hubbard (Composer, C64 Maestro/Electronic Arts)
- Stoo Cambridge (Artist, Sensible Software)
- Jon St. John (Voice Over Artist, Duke Nukem 3D)
- Mike Dailly (DMA, Grand Theft Auto/Lemmings)
- David Fox (Developer, Lucas Arts)
- Chris Sawyer (Transport Tycoon, RollerCoaster Tycoon)
- Ken Silverman (Build engine)
Each interview includes technical breakouts and explanations to support the conversation, and a centrefold illustrates the release timeline of discussed games as well as full colour pixel portraits of each guest by Sensible Software artist Stoo Cambridge.
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Neil Thomas - aka Mr RMC, aka The Nicest Man in Retro - has put together a lovely little hardback book featuring highlights from interviews over the years with Big Names in the retro scene. A must have purchase for any fans of his YouTube channel, or just geeks in general who may have been brought up on a diet of 16 bit games, 486s and Lemmings. Highly recommended.
This book makes an excellent first impression, with a lovely embossed cloth cover, good quality paper, a bookmark ribbon and a little glossy colour section including 8-bit art fold out of the contributors. Few publishers, even large ones, deliver physical books to this standard at this price.
The content itself is both interesting and accessible. Never so complex as to be impenetrable, never so simple as to be bland. Like the podcasts/interviews it collects, this is a true retro treat. Roll on Volume 2!
PS I really appreciated the signed dedication from the author too.
The copy I received had a little personalised signature in it, which would have been lovely, except I bought it as a gift. I didn't realise this until after I gave it away!
Not great when the person you bought a gift for, shows you a note left for you, inside their book. :/