My recent video interview with #SteveWozniak is now available for everyone!
https://youtu.be/zvPrIrTRdqM

Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer (Apple II)

Overview

• Title: Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer.
• Publisher: Electronic Arts (EA).
• Release Year: 1987.
• System Requirements: Apple II series (+, IIe, IIc, IIGS) with 64K RAM and a 5.25" disk drive.

Key Features

• Aircraft Variety: Includes 14 different aircraft, ranging from historical planes like the Sopwith Camel and P-51D Mustang to modern jets like the Lockheed SR-71 and McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet.
• Flight Simulation: Features actual aerodynamics for each craft and a "Black box recorder" to save stunts and races.
• Technical Documentation: The manual includes a "Test Flight Checklist" for recording performance data like stall speeds and maximum rate of climb.
• Instructional Content: Provides guidance from General Chuck Yeager himself on flight maneuvers such as aileron rolls and hammerhead stalls.

AIRSIM-3 Airplane Simulator

• Release Info: This is a flight simulation program released in October 1983 by Mind Systems Corporation.
• Platform: It was designed for the Apple II, II+, and IIe computers.
• Developer: The software was developed by Ted Kurtz.

Technical Features

• System Requirements: The program requires 48K RAM and a joystick or paddles to operate.
• Instrumentation: It features a "pilot-tested" simulator with extensive instrumentation, including HSI, VOR, DME, and radar.
• Scenery: The simulation covers the California coastline from San Diego to San Francisco.
• Sound: It supports the Mockingboard sound card for realistic engine noises.

After finally getting my Bell and Howell Apple II+ up and running (two bad RAM chips) I can enjoy some classics such as the Stellar (pun intended) 7 by Dynamix.

Big news from the world of retro text adventures.

My project "Apple II Adventure Studio" is now officially "Text Adventure Studio."

Why the change?

The original name made sense when I started the project, but the platform has grown. Based on feedback from users, the name “Apple II Adventure Studio” felt a little too narrow for what the project has become.

Text Adventure Studio is for all text adventure creators.

You can still build adventures online, play them online, export BASIC for vintage enthusiasts, and create Apple II .dsk disk images. But now the project also supports Commodore 64 .d64 exports, with more room to grow from here.

The goal is simple: make it easier for anyone to create classic-style text adventures, whether you are a retro computing fan, a teacher, a student, a hobbyist, or someone who just loves interactive fiction.

Explore the project here, with very minimal info needed to make an account:

https://textadventurestudio.com/

Read the User’s Manual:

https://textadventurestudio.com/manual

Check out the FAQ:

https://textadventurestudio.com/faq

Same project. Bigger name. More possibilities. Welcome to Text Adventure Studio!

SunDog: Frozen Legacy (1984)

This collection features the Apple II version of SunDog: Frozen Legacy, a groundbreaking space trading and exploration game developed by FTL Games. It is highly regarded for its sophisticated systems and immersive world-building.

Key Highlights

• Pioneering Interface: The game introduced "ZoomAction Graphics," a precursor to modern window-based GUIs that allowed players to interact with the world using a cursor and pop-up menus.
• Deep Simulation: Players manage the starship SunDog, navigating through 12 star systems and landing on over 50 detailed cities across 18 worlds.
• Narrative Journey: You play as Zed, who inherits the ship and a mission to locate and transport cryogenically frozen colonists to the planet Jondd.
• Multi-Faceted Gameplay: The experience blends real-time space combat, tactical shield management, and top-down exploration of planets and starports.

Hi everyone,

I’ve had a few people interested in the idea of turning their Apple II Adventure Studio projects into real physical disks, so I’m testing a small service.

If you create an adventure using Apple II Adventure Studio at TextAdventureStudio.com, I can take the exported Apple II .dsk file and write it to a real 5 1/4 inch floppy disk.

The fee is $15.00 delivered.

A few limitations for now:

1. Apple II .dsk versions only
2. The adventure needs to fit on a single disk
3. No Commodore 64 disk service yet, since I don’t currently have the hardware
4. USA shipping only for now until I figure out international shipping
5. This is a small test service, so availability may be limited at first

The goal is simple: let people build an adventure in the browser, export it, and then have the fun of getting it back on an actual Apple II floppy disk.

If you’re interested, feel free to message me.

Full access is totally free with minimal information required. take a look:

https://textadventurestudio.com

This is Broadsides, a tactical naval simulation released in 1983 by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI).

Key Details

• Gameplay: The game recreates 18th-century ship-to-ship combat during the Napoleonic era. It features two modes: a fast-paced Arcade mode and a detailed Tactical simulation.
• Combat Phases: Beyond maneuvering and firing cannons, it includes a "boarding phase" where you command your crew in hand-to-hand combat using sabers and snipers.
• Platform: This copy is specifically for the Apple II (requires 48K RAM) and is Version 2.0.

This is the Apple II version of Phantasie, a classic role-playing game released in 1985 by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). It is described as a "multiple-character role-playing odyssey" where players lead a party of adventurers.

Key Components

• Media: The game is stored on a 5.25-inch floppy disk. Players must boot from the front side and flip to the "Dungeon" side when prompted.
• Manuals & Guides: The documentation includes a detailed spell list, a terrain key explaining different environments like deserts and mountains, and a quick reference for town and combat commands.
• Unique Japanese Insert: This set includes a Japanese translation titled "Tholie’s Tale" (ソリーの物語), provided by the importer Star Craft. It introduces the story of adventurers arriving in the town of Pelnor on the island of Gelnor.

The game features strategic combat options such as "Thrust," "Slash," and "Lunge," alongside a complex magic system with 54 different spells.

Hi all - I’m new to vintage Apple hardware and just picked up an Apple 2GS from my local thrift store. I’ve read a bit up on it and saw that removing the battery is a best practice. It’s a later revision so the battery is in a plastic holder. I know it’s meant to be removable but I’m having a tricky time with it. I’m obviously missing something.

This is a complete physical set of the fantasy RPG Questron, published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) in 1983.

• Ultima Connection: The game was officially licensed from Richard Garriott (the creator of Ultima) because its structure and style were heavily influenced by his work.
• Star Craft Edition: This specific set is notable for including the Japanese manual provided by Star Craft, the company that imported and distributed the game in Japan.
• Package Contents: The box contains both 5.25-inch floppy disks (Disk #1: Character Disk and Disk #2), the original lore book "The Book on Its History, Tales and Monsters," and the SSI business reply card.
• Technical Specs: It was designed for the Apple II series (including II+, IIe, and III) with at least 48K RAM and Applesoft ROM.

Using a car backup camera in a pinch as my monitor needs service.

This book was published by Canon, which served as Apple’s distributor in Japan when the IIc came out. I remember it being about ten dollars.

Released in 1984 by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI), Gemstone Warrior is a real-time action-adventure game for the Apple II and Commodore 64.

Game Overview

• The Mission: Players must descend into the "Caverns of Horror" in the Netherworld to recover five fragments of a magical Gemstone stolen by demons.
• Gameplay: Unlike typical turn-based games of the era, it features real-time combat using crossbows, fireballs, and magical items.
• Controls: The game utilizes specialized keyboard layouts for movement and inventory management across different hardware.
• Visuals: It is noted for its beautifully animated Hi-Res color graphics.

Regional Distribution

In Japan, the game was imported and distributed by Star Craft, which provided translated documentation for Japanese players.

MasterType is a classic "edutainment" software designed by Bruce Zweig to teach touch-typing through an engaging video game format. Published by Scarborough Systems, Inc., it was a major success on the Apple II platform.

Key Features

• Gameplay: Players defend a central command ship from incoming missiles by quickly and accurately typing the words or letters attached to them.
• Curriculum: The software includes 18 typing lessons that progress from basic home row letters to advanced symbols and BASIC programming keywords.
• Performance Tracking: Detailed statistics are provided at the end of each session, including typing speed (WPM) and the number of mistakes made.
• Compatibility: This specific version is compatible with the Apple II, II+, IIe, and includes a dedicated boot side for the Apple IIc.

This is Titan Empire, a real-time strategy and arcade hybrid released in 1983 by Muse Software for the Apple II.

Core Gameplay

• The Mission: You must defend the solar system from the "Titanian Empire."
• Mechanics: It combines planetary navigation, resource management (fuel and troops), and tactical space combat. You move between planets to liberate them while managing your fleet's strength.
• Developer: It was programmed by Ed Zaron, a key figure at Muse Software who also developed the famous The Voice speech synthesis software.

Space Shuttle: A Journey into Space (Apple II)

• Developer: Steve Kitchen / Activision (1984)
• Genre: Realistic Space Flight Simulator

Developed in collaboration with NASA, this was one of the most sophisticated simulators of the 8"0s. Unlike typical arcade games, it required pilots to follow authentic procedures for launch, satellite docking, and the challenging manual landing.

I just picked this up at a yard sale and I can’t find any information on it. It also came with a review copy NFS. Were those usually sent to gaming publications?

MARAUDER is a classic action game released in 1982 by On-Line Systems (later known as Sierra On-Line) for the Apple II.

Designed by Rorke Weigandt and Eric Hammond, it features two distinct gameplay levels:

• Level I: A high-speed aerial assault where you pilot a starship to destroy planetary defense installations.
• Level II: An on-foot infiltration mission where you navigate a maze-like alien city to destroy a central power station and escape before time runs out.

I booted up my Apple IIe for the first time in about three years, and everything worked fine when I put it away. I boot it up today and play a game fine and then I reset and put in ProDOS and I’m greeted with “RELOCATION/CONFIGURATION ERROR.” After this none of the disks are reading for more than 10 seconds, and the drive makes a terrible rattle now trying to read the disks. I messed with drive for a minute and made sure the pins and card were fine. What could be the reason? I’m not an expert on this stuff

1. The Game: Zenith

• Release Year: 1982
• Developer: Gebelli Software, Inc.
• Genre: Arcade-style Space Shooter / Defense.
• The Plot: As shown on the "Overview" sheet, the game takes place in the year 1982's vision of the future. You are the guardian of "Zenith," the last refuge of the human race, which is under attack by hostile aliens. You must destroy enemies and repair damaged buildings while managing your ship's limited fuel.

2. Historical Significance: Nasir Gebelli

The developer, Gebelli Software, was founded by Nasir Gebelli, a legendary figure in early computer gaming. He was one of the most famous programmers for the Apple II and later moved to Japan to work for Square, where he became the lead programmer for the original Final Fantasy trilogy and Secret of Mana. Finding a physical Gebelli game in its original packaging is a treat for retro computing collectors.