The beginning

My love for PC gaming - let’s call it “computer gaming” began with my very first computer - the Texas instruments Ti99-4a.

This little powerhouse clocked in at 3 mhz w. 16K of RAM, 16 colors and was delivered to me in December 1981 courtesy of Santa.  I don’t actually remember receiving the gift (opening the wrapping paper and screaming with delight), but I do remember carrying the Ti manual with me that night as my family went to my Uncle’s for a little christmas celebration.  

For me to carry any book outside the confines of school was close to a miracle.  This one covered the basics of BASIC. Not the most interesting material for an 8 yr old.  Yet, somehow I managed make it all the way up to Chapter 4 before the end of the christmas holiday.  A friend at school received a Ti for christmas and had only made it to chapter 2.  I must admit I felt slightly superior.

Reading all the way up to Chapter 4 was by no means a great feat.  It was only a quarter way through the entire book.  The great feat was that I actually cracked the manual to begin with.  The thought of voluntarily reading the directions to anything was absurd.  I was more of a get-in-there and do-it kind of guy.  If reading a book was considered taboo then why did I manage to push my way up to chapter 4?  I can’t be positive of my motives as I’m now 35 and 8 was a long time ago . . . I’m pretty sure I know what I was after.  I wanted to make my own video games.

I didn’t learn how to write/create/program a computer game that holiday or any other. There was no magic elixir included in the box that if drunk would give me the power to program at will.  I accepted the fact that video game making was going to remain a mystery (at least for now) and figured that  particular skill was probably reserved for the Albert Einstein’s of the world, anyway.  Who else, but a genius could come up with such a wonderful thing.

I couldn’t write my own games and the manual was missing an all important “how to” chapter.  But I could still PLAY them.  That was the next best thing, right?  All I had to do was come up with enough money to buy one.  I had birthdays, christmas, weekly allowance and grandparents that spoiled me rotten (yes, i love you very much nana and paw paw).  There were plenty of roads to gaming goodness.  Unfortunately, my parents saw it a bit differently.  They didnt just drop $525 on a computer, so I could use it to play games.   I believe the quote went something like this: “You are to use your new computer for Educational purposes only.”   That meant math, science, spelling, social studies and whatever other boring subject you could throw at it.  What it didnt mean was Hunting the Wumpus.

My parents ”Educational” blockade worked for a good period of time.  The closest I got to a computer game was one in the math based arena.  Solve the math problem and unlock the secrets of . . . .  The next math problem.  Not exactly what I was hoping for.

This did not discourage me and hope still lingered.  In the meantime, I continued to expand my knowledge of BASIC by writing a few little programs of my own slightly more complex than . . .

10 PRINT “JUSTIN”
20 GOTO 10

. . . and added a couple new pieces of hardware.  I managed to score a printer and a very important adapter needed to hook my cassette recorder to the Ti.  I could now save/load my programs to tape, instead of having to re-type them every time.  Software stored on tape was now available to me. A great addition to my system, but still no games.

The day did finally arrive even if it took its sweet time.  I was able to carefully cross that line my parents had so deftly drawn.   My family and I were in a local bookstore browsing for books or cards or some kind of non-kid related purchases. As I wandered the store I came across a red rotatable cardboard display next to the cashier counter.  It was stocked full of software for the Ti.  I examined all the titles.  At the very top of the display I found one that caught my eye. A most intriguing package titled - “Tunnels of Doom”.

I reached up and grabbed the box for closer examination. Tunnels of Doom was a computer role playing game.  Players had to search the Tunnels of Doom for a lost king and his orb then return to the surface to win.  I had recently discovered the Pen and Pencil game called “Dungeons & Dragons” and had fallen in love with it.  I had no idea they had such a thing for the computer.  I had to have it.

I brought the box to my mother and carefully asked her if I could buy the game with my own money.  I still remember the game cost - $20.  My piggy bank was going to take a huge hit.  Tunnels of Doom was worth it.

Mom carefully examined the box turned it over and read the back.  She showed it to my father.  I cringed.  He was never gonna go for it.  They conferred for a few moments and then my mother turned to me.  “Ok, honey you can buy this, but only because it looks complicated enough to have some educational benefits.”  YES!!!

I spent many afternoons and evenings playing Tunnels of Doom.  I played it alone or with a friend.  It was a great amount of fun and I get such a good feeling when I reflect on it now. And for me thats when it began - my great love for computer games.