Wednesday 21 October 2015

The Future is Back, But now in the Past!

Back in 1989 whilst watching the first sequel to one of the greatest films ever, I never imagined in my young teenage mind that the year 2015 would ever happen. It seemed so far away, so distant that even envisaging what things would be like was pie in the sky lunacy. Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis crafted a fantastic futuristic world of Hill Valley, CA for the movie Back To The Future Part 2, and now that date has finally come to pass. The 21st of October, 2015. It's a very different world in a lot of ways to what those writers dreamed up, but with some eerie and fairly accurate predictions that have sort of come true. In a sense.


The real Hendo Hoverboard

So, let's look at a few of those ideas of technology and sociology, and examine the similarities. Firstly, lets get the wrong ones out of the way and it's best to start with the two most famous predictions: flying cars and hoverboards. Yes, both exist in a fashion in the real 2015, but far from the commercially manufactured and ease of use models such as the film depicts. Expensive and heavy-duty hoverboards are out, they have massive limitations and are not sold in toy shops with a Mattel label on them to any pre-teen. They are in fact a stepping stone for future earthquake protection. See here, it's true! And as for flying cars, we ain't to the point of driving Mask vehicles or The Man With The Golden Gun's bronze glider. No, our flying cars look like what they are: aircraft with car like wheels and controls. So, without splitting hairs flying cars as the movie see's them do not exist.

Also, anti-graving chiropractic belts, automated service stations, 100% accurate weather service, self-lacing shoes and self fitting/drying jackets, instant hydrating pizza's, dust repellent paper and more either don't exist or are in very early stages of development. Unfortunately, there are also still lawyers as well. A prediction I wish the movie really did get correct.

Marty's Hoverboard from the Movie

However, Gale and Zemeckis did hit the mark with a few things. Flat and multi-screen TV's are common in millions of households, as is video calling and conferencing. Roads and car parks in some places are marked with lights for guidance, full holographic technology and it's implementation is getting more popular, thumb-print recognition for payments is now coming to the fore and glasses which display TV and more are in the form of Google Glass and Microsoft's HoloLens. Even the prediction of ridiculous ways of wearing trousers/pants came true. Just look at the amount of idiots wearing leg apparel halfway down their legs, underwear and arse cheeks on display, and losing them completely if they run for a bus! But strangely, Bob and Rob missed what is the most common, useful and futuristic device around. The Smart-Phone.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to gloss over these, as it turns out Back To The Future's, er, future was closer to reality than you may think. For more BTTF coverage from me, Novabug, check out my video's below.




Hope you had a lovely Back To The Future Day, it's now in the past and will never happen again. Ever. But remember what Doc Brown says, "The Future is not written, no-ones is. So make it a good one..."

Bug' Out!

Friday 31 July 2015

Podcast Announcement: Boy 'n Bug's Soccer Shakedown


Taking a side-step from my usual video game projects, I have teamed up with my good friend and fellow You Tuber Dave AKA Lawnboyspost1975 to bring football fans the world over a semi-regular podcast with a difference. And when I say difference, I mean slightly alternative. Just.

Boy 'n Bug's Soccer Shakedown will look at football with a sideways swipe, no only talking about then facts and stats, but with personal viewpoints on the wacky, sometimes detestable but somehow lovable world of planet football. We focus our musings on the English leagues, but will also talk about the European game, Major League Soccer and more widespread the world over. Our respective clubs will of course be talked about, mine being Queens Park Rangers and Lawnboys' Liverpool.

Each show will include 1 or 2 special guests with particular interest in the beautiful game. This first show has the RetroUnlim Live Host Harry Yack and Slamcast host from the USA Brandon Liggan. Be warned; we will talk candidly, honestly, joke about and sometimes argue, but it's all in good clean fun and nothing should be taken to seriously. We all love football, but we also love to mock it. No punches will be pulled and all teams are subject to our micky-taking. Like I said, it's all for a bit of a laugh, and I hope we make you smile too.

You can download the Podcast direct from the RetroUnlim website, or you can listen to the show on You Tube. Links are provided below.


On the RetroUnlim Website

http://retrounlim.com/retrounlim/faces/post?id=4018&_afrLoop=1624705141536398&_afrWindowMode=0&Adf-Window-Id=w3



On the RetroUnlim YouTube Channel




Remember, don't let a day out at the football ruin the football....


Novabug 'Out!

Monday 13 July 2015

The 464 Project... A Tribute to the Amstrad CPC464

To mark to 31st anniversary of the Amstrad CPC464, I took the time to create a tribute film showcasing four hundred and sixty four games in just under 1 hour. This blog page is to assist the video; a full list of all the games shown in order, as well as the soundtrack listing.

All games used are playable on the CPC464, but some may require additional ram expansion or disk drive. However, no Plus or GX4000 games have been included. The footage is captured from either emulation or actual hardware.




Full List of Games in Order.

1. Cyber Chicken AKA Cyber Huhn
2. Bubble Dizzy
3. International 3D Tennis
4. 4 Soccer Simulator
5. Barbarian
6. Ten Pin Challenge
7. 1942
8. 2088
9. Airwolf
10. Alien Storm
11. Altered Beast
12. Chevy Chase
13. APB: All Point Bulletin
14. Arkanoid: Revenge of DOH
15. ATV Simulator
16. Back To The Future Part 3
17. Dive Dive
18. Donkey Kong
19. Crazy Worm
20. Agent X2
21. Barbarian 2: The Dungeon of Drax
22. BallBreaker
23. The Simpsons: Bart vs The Space Mutants
24. Batman the Caped Crusader
25. Pacmania
26. Escape from the Planet of Robot Monsters
27. How To Be a Complete Bastard
28. Blasteroids
29. Bombjack
30. Dynamite Dan
31. Top Gun
32. Boulderdash
33. Blockbusters
34. Bravestarr
35. Bubble Bobble
36. Bridge It
37. Dominoes
38. Fighting Warrior
39. Buggy Boy
40. 1943
41. Cabel
42. California Games
43. Eagles Rider
44. Captain Dynamo
45. Captain Planet
46. Fast Food
47. Deathkick
48. Dizzy Prince of the Yolkfolk
49. Cavemania
50. Betiled
51. Center Court
52. Challenge of the Gobots
53. Back to the Future Part 2
54. Chiller
55. Chips Challenge
56. Chuckie Egg
57. Cisco Heat
58. Classic Invaders
59. Fruit Machine Simulator 2
60. Codename Mat
61. Collapse
62. Grand Prix Simulator
63. Combat School
64. Commando
65. Continental Circus
66. Convoy Raider
67. Countdown
68. Count Duckula
69. Crazy Cars 2
70. Operation Wolf
71. R-Type Remake
72. Obsidian
73. Dizzy: The Ultimate Cartoon Adventure
74. Crystal Castles
75. Custard Pie Factory
76. Cybernoid
77. Bubble Ghost
78. Dan Dare
79. Darkman
80. 180 Darts
81. Deactivators
82. Game Over 2
83. Dead On Time
84. Defenders of the Earth
85. Deflektor
86. Desperado
87. Dick Tracy
88. Dizzy Down the Rapids
89. Double Dragon
90. IK+
91. Bad Dudes vs Dragonninja
92. Dragon Spirit
93. Cauldron
94. Driller
95. Captain Blood
96. Dynamite Dux
97. Dynasty Warriors
98. Arkanoid
99. Jet Bike Simulator
100. Edd the Duck
101. Electro Freddy
102. Eliminator
103. Elite
104. Batman
105. Enduro Racer
106. Eswat
107. European 2
108. Everyones a Wally
109. Extreme
110. F1 Tornado Simulator
111. F15 Strike Eagle
112. Jailbreak
113. FA Cup Football
114. Fantasy World Dizzy
115. Father Christmas the Game
116. Fighter Bomber
117. Final Fight
118. Finders Keepers
119. Fire and Forget
120. Bombjack 2
121. Firetrap
122. Flimbo's Quest
123. Freddy Hardest
124. Fres Fighter 2 Turbo
125. Fruit Machine
126. Bakterik Dream
127. Fruity Frank
128. Feud
129. Galactic Plague
130. Crystal Kingdom Dizzy
131. Galaxy Force
132. Gauntlet (Defender Clone)
133. Gauntlet
134. Gazza 2
135. Gemini Wing
136. Ghostbusters 2
137. Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom
138. Ghouls 'n Ghosts
139. Golden Axe
140. Fruit Machine Simulator
141. Goliath
142. Grand Prix Simulator 2
143. Great Giana Sisters
144. Green Beret
145. Grid Iron 2
146. Groops
147. Gryzor
148. Gunsmoke
149. Gunstar
150. Hammerfist
151. Harrier Attack
152. Hate
153. Head Over Heels
154. Crazy Cars
155. Helter Skelter
156. Hunchback
157. Ikari Warriors
158. Impossiball
159. Galaxia
160. International Karate
161. International Rugby
162. Isotopes
163. Jackal
164. Jack the Nipper
165. Double Dragon 3
166. Mission Genocide
167. Jet Set Willy
168. Joe Blade 2
169. Ninja Scooter Simulator
170. Highway Encounter
171. Kane
172. Milk Race
173. Joust
174. Lemmings
175. Jumper
176. Crazy Golf
177. Kick Off
178. Kikstart 2
179. Killer Cobra
180. Klax
181. Ghosthunters
182. Knight Force
183. Knightrider
184. Krakout
185. Kung Fu Master
186. Kwik Start
187. Laser Warp
188. Last Duel
189. LA Swat
190. Lazer Tag
191. Leaderboard
192. League Challange
193. LED Storm
194. The Light Corridor
195. Magic Johnson's Basketball
196. Light Force
197. Lotus Turbo Challenge
198. Macadam Bumper
199. Marble Madness
200. Mask
201. Masterchess
202. Gauntlet 3
203. Matchday
204. Cauldron 2
205. Max Headroom
206. Mazemania
207. Mega Nova
208. Line of Fire
209. Mega Plex
210. Last Ninja 2
211. Metrocross
212. Miami Vice
213. Mickey Mouse
214. Microprose Soccer
215. Midnight Resistance
216. Molecule Man
217. Double Dragon 2
218. Monopoly
219. Monty On the Run
220. Moon Buggy
221. Mr Heli
222. Cybernoid 2
223. Mr Freeze
224. Hard Drivin'
225. Oriental Games
226. Nemesis
227. Dragons Lair
228. Prehistorik
229. Dan Dare 2
230. Mutant Fortress
231. Nanako Decends To Hell
232. Narc
233. Navy Moves
234. Nebulus
235. P47 Freedom Fighter
236. New Zealand Story
237. Nigel Mansell Grand Prix
238. Savage
239. Ninja Warrior
240. Crazy Cars 3
241. No Exit
242. Nonterraqueous
243. Obliterator
244. Oh Mummy
245. Moonwalker
246. Operation Gunship
247. Prohibition
248. Pro Golf Simulator
249. Pipemania
250. Orion Prime
251. Outlaw
252. Outrun
253. Fluff
254. Outrun Europa
255. Pacland
256. Panic Dizzy
257. Roland In Time
258. Paperboy
259. Run The Gauntlet
260. Manic Miner
261. Psycho Hopper
262. Pick 'n Pile
263. Pilots
264. Pinball Magic
265. Ping Pong
266. Matchday 2
267. Psyborg
268. Platoon
269. Play Your Cards Right
270. Popeye
271. Night Shift
272. Pop Up
273. Postman Pat
274. Silkworm
275. Power Boat Simulator
276. Power Drift
277. Predator
278. Munch It
279. Prince of Persia
280. Operation Thunderbolt
281. Pro Ski Simulator
282. Yie Ar Kung Fu
283. Pro Tennis Tour
284. Pit Fighter
285. Puzznic
286. Gauntlet 2
287. Python
288. Q10 Tank Buster
289. Rambo 3
290. Quad
291. Quartet
292. Quick Draw McGraw
293. Ramparts
294. Rainbow Islands
295. Super Off Road
296. Shinobi
297. Total Ecplise 2: Sphinx Jinx
298. Ranarama
299. Rapids
300. Rastan
301. Rasterscan
302. Renegade
303. REM
304. Seymour At The Movies
305. Street Fighter
306. Rick Dangerous
307. River Ace
308. Netherworld
309. Roadblasters
310. Road Runner
311. Croco Magneto
312. Robocop
313. Rock 'n Wrestle
314. Paperboy 2
315. Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles
316. Rockstar Eat My Hamster
317. Rocky Horror Show
318. Rogue Trooper
319. Megablasters
320. Roland Ahoy
321. Tau Ceti
322. Ziggurat
323. Spy vs Spy
324. Rolling Thunder
325. R-Type
326. Sabateur
327. Mystical
328. Salamander
329. Samantha Fox Strip Poker
330. Santas Christmas Capers
331. Technocop
332. Thunderjaws
333. Screwball
334. Roland Goes Digging
335. Shadow of the Beast
336. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Coin-op
337. Shockway Rider
338. Shanghai Warriors
339. Short Circuit
340. Sim City
341. Skweek
342. Slap Fight
343. Slap Shot
344. Way of the Tiger
345. Sly Spy Secret Agent
346. Smash TV
347. Sonic Boom
348. Sorcery
249. Space Ace
350. Space Harrier
351. Zub
352. Paws
353. Reflektor
354. Speed Zone
355. Spellbound Dizzy
356. Rampage
357. Sai Combat
358. Prehistorik 2
359. Splat
360. Spy Hunter
361. Starfox
362. Raid
363. Star Wars
364. Stormlord
365. Streetgang Football
366. Strider
367. Strip Poker 2
368. Stun Runner
369. Trivial Pursuit
370. Stunt Bike Simulator
371. Stuntman Seymour
372. Ghosts 'n Goblins
373. Stunt Car Racer
374. Super Cycle
375. Turrican
376. Super Monaco GP
377. WWF Wrestlemania
378. Super Robin Hood
379. Super Seymour
380. Roland Goes Square Bashing
381. Super Space Invaders
382. Super Wonderboy in Monster Land
383. Shadow Warriors
384. Roland In the Caves
385. Sweevos World
386. BMX Simulator
387. Wizball
388. TT Racer
389. Swiv
390. Syntax
391. Renegade 3
392. Z Blast SD
393. Beyond the Ice Palace
394. Tapper
395. Zap't Balls
396. Roland On The Run
397. Task Force
398. T-Bird
399. The Untouchables
400. UN Squadron
401. Predator 2
402. Zarkon
403. Technician Ted
404. Tempest
405. Tennis Cup
406. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
407. Thanatos
408. The Bells
409. Relentless
410. The Cycles
411. The Duct
412. The Vindicator
413. Thrust
414. Thundercats: The Lost Eye of Thundera
415. Titan
416. Titus The Fox
417. Tornado Low Level
418. Xybots
419. Tom and Jerry
420. Wacky Darts
421. Total Recall
422. Trailblazer
423. Superman the Game
424. Trantor
425. The Trap Door
426. Traveller
427. Treasure Island Dizzy
428. Xevious
429. Switchblade
430. Roland On the Ropes
431. Total Eclipse
432. Turbo Outrun
433. Turrican 2
434. Twin Turbo V8
435. Ultima Ratio
436. Ultimate Tetris
437. Unitrax
438. Uridium
439. Victory Road
440. Vigilante
441. Vindicators
442. Vixen
443. Rambo
444. Wacky Races
445. Warhawk
446. Way Of The Exploding Fist
447. Wec Le Mans
448. Welltris
449. Roland In Space
450. Werewolves Of London
451. Wild Streets
452. Wild West Seymour
453. Wings of Fury
454. Target Renegade
455. Wipeout
456. Wonderboy
457. Xenon
458. Xor
459. X-Out
460. Xyphoes Fantasy
461. Yogi's Great Escape
462. Rick Dangerous 2
463. Satan
464. Chase HQ

Soundtrack Listing

Cyber Chicken Theme
Agent X2 Theme
Back to the Future Part 2 Theme
R-Type Remake Level 1 Theme
Cauldron Theme
Jailbreak Theme
Golden Axe Theme
Ninja Scooter Simulator Theme
Cybernoid 2 Theme
Pro Golf Simulator Theme
Silkworm Theme
Super Off Road Theme
Croco Magneto Theme
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 Level 1 Theme
Zub Theme
Ghosts 'n Goblins Theme
BMX Simulator Theme
Untouchables Theme
Switchblade Theme
Wild Streets Theme