YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS

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MERMAN: Did you playtest each other’s games and give honest feedback?

Yes. I especially remember The Master. Dave Mcgee, the programmer, and the artist, John Robinson, were my mates. The game was originally based on Blade Runner and it looked great but the gameplay… I just told them it was shite. They knew they would get an honest opinion out of me.

RORY MILNE: What attracted you to the TRS-80, as a gamer and a coder, and could the Colour Genie have ever been a contender?

Good questions! I was interested in electronics and the TRS-80 was the next step up. Everyone sees the ZX81 and the Spectrum as the groundbreaking machines but they were cheap and that’s what made them popular, but as far as I’m concerned, the TRS-80 was the first useable computer. It had a proper keyboard and a proper BASIC interpreter. You could sit down with it and it just worked. As for the Color Genie, no. It was very expensive and we’d moved on by the time it came out. Even though it was technically advanced, it was like Betamax when the Spectrum was VHS.

CRUSTY STARFISH: Would you ever program games on retro systems?

No, I hate them. All I really want to do with any retro computer is put a nail through it. I know people love the retro scene but I’ve been there and got the T-shirt and it’s worn out in the wash.

PSJ3809: Do you miss the Eighties and the rise of home computers?

I miss the Eighties – the camaraderie and the music scene. I don’t miss the games industry, to be honest.