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Jim Groom's Known World

Jim Groom

A closer look at the Virtual Boy headset. #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Virtual Boy for our next exhibit on the 1990s -this thing is pretty crazy. #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Back to the Future now on Betamax #umwconsole

I learned today that Betamax survived as a format through the 80s into the early 90s, as a niche market.

Jim Groom

Also picked up this box of Betamax tapes. #umwconsole

What is interesting about Betamax tapes is that while they're smaller than VHS, the packaging is the same size. Making the two virtually indistinguishable save for the Beta label or the blue "Beta" sticker.

Jim Groom

The #umwconsole is officially in Betamax!

I picked up a pretty awesome Sanyo Betamax VCR player today. The Olympics sticker dates it at 1984!

Jim Groom

D&D Green Slime Ad #umwconsole

http://onceuponageek.com/wordpress/2010/03/15/green-slime-dont-touch-it-it-is-certain-death-look-out-its-dripping/

Jim Groom

Jim Groom

Looks like E.T. finally made it home to the #umwconsole thanks to the great @timmmmyboy #4life

Jim Groom

Games like Missile Command, Defender, Ms Pacman, etc for 5200 are arcade quality #umwconsole

Jim Groom

The great @timmmmyboy visited the #umwconsole this morning, schooled him at Combat :)

Jim Groom

The Atari 5200 is a very bulky system and the joystick design is terrible #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Up close and personal with Ms Pacman for the 5200 #umwconsole

Jim Groom

An excellent assortment of 5200 cartridges #umwconsole

Jim Groom

This morning we got a new console for the #umwconsole exhibit thanks to Shannon Swanson #atari5200

Jim Groom

Back to the Future of Media Covergence #umwconsole

I think this poster officially dates the exhibit to 1985

Jim Groom

Sue Fernsebner contributes Yars Revenge to the #umwconsole cause

Jim Groom

Back in the USSR #umwconsole

Zach Whalen time appropriate world globe subtly points to the geo-politial realities that framed 1985. The Cold War and Vietnam were still very much with us. Mother Russia was ground Zero for the USSR, and Rambo: First Blood, Pt. II was out in theaters. Latch-key kids would come home to play Space Invaders in hopes that they could ward off the highly organized aliens from world domination. The metaphors of the moment are everywhere.

Jim Groom

One of the coolest details of #umwconsole is @zachwhalen's period appropriate world globe

Jim Groom

Another angle of the Console Living Room at #UMW. #paneling #umwconsole #4life

We are still waiting on the Back to the Future poster, but once that goes up I think the first phase of the Console Living Room exhibit will be complete. The next stage is to promote the site, and have people donate elements to the space that make it a shared experience (real or imagined ) of a 1985 living room.

Jim Groom

The Videodrome poster came in today. Dr. Oblivion would be proud #umwconsole #thenewflesh

This is a nice shot of the almost completed reproduction of a 1985 living room at UMW. The Videodrome (1983) poster came in today, and nothing says convergence like James Woods corporally internalizing a VHS tape into his stomach :) We are still waiting on the back to the Future poster, but after that we are pretty much golden. You'll notice the details on the paneling are all done-Zach Whalen and I finished all the paneling up this afternoon thanks to the help of Kenny Horning in the Theatre department.

Jim Groom

Cartridge packaging was such a huge part of the experience for me #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Asteroids shipped with this awesome catalog of games circa 1981. #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Tried out Asteroids for the 2600 just a few minutes ago, it works great. Thanks @ITjoemac #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Thanks to #UMW alum @ITjoemac we got this Atari 2600 classic delivered today for #umwconsole #classof08

Jim Groom

Blades of Steel arrived today, and it even works. Although the Maple Leafs whooped me #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Atari 2600 in focus #umwconsole

Jim Groom

A look at a few of the Atari 2600 cartridges we have available to play at the Console Living Room #umwconsole

Not a bad selection, if I do say so myself :)

Jim Groom

Tommaso digging latest addition to the #umwconsole exhibit: Coleco's Head-to-Head Football

This was one of my all-time favorite games as a kid, and I was surprised how quickly Tommaso picked up on the gameplay. It is stands up fairly well, and he spent a better part of this morning doing touchdown dances around the living room.

Jim Groom

Commodore Monitor #umwconsole

The owner of the TV repair shop is using a Commodore monitor as a test monitor. He has had it since he was a kid, and swears it's the best test monitor ever. It was not for sale :(

Jim Groom

Space Commander 300 -OG remote control that changed channels via sound! #umwconsole

No shit, this remote control has two different tones, and they would activate a motor on the TV that would change the channel. Trippy!

Jim Groom

Today's vinyl purchase is dedicated to the original roller queen @drgarcia #umwconsole

Is there anything more 80s than this vinyl record?

Jim Groom

I bought this Emerson TV today with manual and working remote for $20 #umwconsole

I got some bad news that the Quasar 25" Tv I bought a month ago needed some major surgery. I committed to the necessary organ transplants, but in the meantime bought another old school TV for the exhibit because I am a chronic consumer. God save capitalism and the 80s.

Jim Groom

1980s video discs on the wall #umwconsole

Turns out the TV repair shop in Petersburg where I bought the Quasar TV was originally a video store, and they had custom built holders for videodiscs on their wood paneled walls. The owner of the shop showed them to me, and I decided I would build something like this myself, one day.

Jim Groom

My mom used to call this the "Victrola" #umwconsole

This piece of history actually works. We are working on getting a new needle and cleaning up the radio tuner.

Jim Groom

A look at the preliminary setup of the Console Living Room #umwconsole

We hadn't yet moved the foosball in the living room, but you can get a sense of the space in this shot. And how about that love seat?

Jim Groom

.@zachwhalen adjusting the vertical hold #umwconsole

The faux wood panel entertainment center is pretty awesome. It actually has a whole side door for VHS tapes :)

Jim Groom

Various UMW students, including @Plamkeen, already having fun in the 80s living room! #umwconsole

After we got the initial furniture set and moved in the Atari 2600, student started immediately hanging out in the space, including a rare spotting of @Plamkeen.

Jim Groom

Hollywood Flat Plans for the #umwconsole panel walls we'll be building this weekend

Kenny Horning from the theater department came by yesterday to help Zach Whalen and I plan how we would build the panel walls for the exhibit. These are the whiteboard plans with all the details. I learned that this particular design is called a Hollywood flat.

Jim Groom

Playing the Bible Adventures game for NES makes me wonder if there is really a Red Sea Crossing game for Atari 2600 #umwconsole

There is lore about this game, but I don't think any versions have materialized to confirm it existence. I guess we should take it on faith. http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/21/rare-atari-2600-game-red-sea-crossing-pops-up-in-philly-shop/

Jim Groom

"Pelican!" Karate Kid #umwconsole poster is now proudly hanging on my office door

Zach Whalen and Mike Black did the heavy lifting to get the UMW Console poster finished up. And we now have 60 posters with five different screens of various media. This should be fun!

Jim Groom

"Don't throw baby Moses in the water!" Bible Adventures for NES can be disturbing #umwconsole

The Baby Moses game story for the Bible Adventures NES allows you to throw baby Moses into the water, and then that's it. The game goes on, but there is no point. Seems like some deep, disturbing existential parable a la Nietszche.

Notice how the graphics seem to be inspired by the Super Mario Bros design.

Jim Groom

Caught @zachwhalen hitting TV for full Bible Adventures experience on NES #umwconsole

Zach is playing the Bible Adventures game Baby Moses. You can actually throw baby Moses into the water, and the gameplay goes on, although there is nothing else you can do. Kind of religiously existential.

Jim Groom

Bible Adventures game for NES includes long Biblical Quotes #umwconsole #gamifyreligion

This quote is from Genesis and is where God tells know I'm about to open the tap on you all. This is some hardcore gamifying of the Bible, although you only shepherd animals, so gameplay gets dull quick.

Jim Groom

Menu screen for Bible Adventures game for the NES #umwconsole

Zach Whalen has this wild NES game called Bible Adventures that let's you play through three different stories in the Old Testament: Noah's Ark, baby Moses, and David and Goliath. You spend most of your time shepherding animals, unless you are throwing babies in water. A truly wild game. It wasn't an official NES game, but rather a religious bootleg sold only in religious stores. Kinda like early religious rock bands, but for the NES :)

Jim Groom

Just secured some handheld awesome for #umwconsole exhibit: Coleco Head to Head Football

Jim Groom

Atari 2600 page from 1982 JC Penny Xmas Catalog #umwconsole

This image was found on the great Wishbook's Flickr site:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wishbook/6904417568/

Jim Groom

Microsurgeon #umwconsole poster for upcoming Exhibit starting March 30 at #UMW

Zach Whalen and Mike Black have been hard at work on the UMW Console posters, I like what they've come up with a lot!

Jim Groom

VIC-20 #umwconsole poster for upcoming Exhibit starting March 30 at #UMW

Jim Groom

Super Mario #umwconsole poster for upcoming Exhibit starting March 30 at #UMW

Zach Whalen and Mike Black have been hard at work on the UMW Console posters, I like what they've come up with a lot!

Jim Groom

Karate Kid #umwconsole poster for upcoming Exhibit starting March 30 at #UMW

Zach Whalen and Mike Black have been hard at work on the UMW Console posters, I like what they've come up with a lot!

Jim Groom

Console Living Room poster for upcoming Exhibit starting March 30 at #UMW #umwconsole

Zach Whalen and Mike Black have been hard at work on the UMW Console posters, I like what they've come up with a lot!

Jim Groom

Phoenix for the Atari 2600, perhaps the best gaemplay yet #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Phoenix Spaceship on the Atari 2600 #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Miles playing Phoenix on Atari 2600 #umwconsole

Miles came by my office this morning, and was really digging on the Atari 2600. Phoenix was his favorite (which is no surprise to me), and he was more than competent. Interestingly enough, he had real problems with the old school Atari joystick, which I realized are not designed for lefties. Whereas the joystick pictured here has a far more universal design.

Jim Groom

Close-up of the insane graphics for the Intellivision game Microsurgeon #umwconsole

Jim Groom

.@zachwahlen reading the Microsurgeon manual #umwconsole

Microsurgeon is a crazy Intellivision game based on The Fantastic Voyage. In other words, this game is designed around a ship that flies through a body and destroys invasive contagions.

Jim Groom

Star-Lord "A World of No Return" #umwconsole

Jim Groom

"Defend the Galaxy" Ad for Star Frontier RPG Game #umwconsole

Jim Groom

While cartridge art not inspired, port of Venture for Atari 2600 was #umwconsole

Jim Groom

The port of Phoenix for Atari 2600 in 1982 was impressive #umwconsole

And the art is totally Blade Runner-esque.

Jim Groom

Video Pinball for Atari 2600. Don't let the purists fool you, this one rules #umwconsole

Jim Groom

The 1981 Missile Command Cartridge for Atari 2600 may have had the grooviest art ever #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Cartridge for Haunted House (1981) #umwconsole

Another of my favorite games for Atari 2600.

Jim Groom

Most disappointing video game purchase of my life was back in 1981 #umwconsole

Pac-Man for the 2600 might have been the greatest disappointment of my life.

Jim Groom

Math Grand Prix -Gamified Education in 1982 #umwconsole

Gamification is nothing new, it's just more annoying now.

Jim Groom

Raiders of the Lost Ark for Atari 2600 Manual Cover #umwconsole

One of my personal favorite games for the Atari 2600 was Raiders of the Lost Ark. It took two joysticks to play, and may have been one of the most inelegant games ever. But I loved it.

Jim Groom

Art of the Microsurgeon Intellivision Game #umwconsole

Zach Whalen brought in this insane game for Intellivision called Microsurgeon, based on the film Fantastic Voyage, or the 80s adaptation Inner Space.

Jim Groom

Coleco Video Games for the Atari 2600 #umwconsole

This is a promotional pamphlet that accompanied Coleco video games for the Atari 2600 console. Donkey Kong was decent, but I really liked Venture and the Smurf game, personally. Given how rudimentary Venture graphics were in the Coin-op version, it almost seemed like a flawless port to the 2600. As for Gargamel's Castle, well, I've been an unrepentant Smurf fan since second or third grade.

Zach Whalen brought this over along with a ton of video cartridge manuals and other "paratext" as he described it. This stuff is alike a waterfall of context nostalgia. Between the cartridge art, the player manuals, advertisements like this one, and the actual cartridges and consoles---I really couldn't be happier. My office has transformed into an early 80s showroom. I'll be scanning and blogging as much of the cartridge art, manuals, and advetisements as I can as part of the Console Living Room exhibit. And Iyou can be sure I'll be flooding all the social mediaz with what I discover.

Jim Groom

We now have 2 working Atari 2600 joysticks for #umwconsole exhibit, the third/spare (pictured) has 3/4 directions working

Jim Groom

Close-up of Atari 2600 joystick circuitry #umwconsole

Thanks to Zach Whale, I know have a rather solid understanding of how an Atari 2600 joystick works, and I consider that a very cool accomplishment.

Jim Groom

Disassembled Atari 2600 Joystick #umwconsole

Zach Whalen and I spent much of this afternoon working on the controllers for Atari 2600. Zach fixed the paddles for 2600, as well as the paddles on the Telestar (he was on fire). We finally got one of the two broken joysticks working for the 2600 which means we have a pair. Hopefully we'll get the third/spare joystick working soon enough.

Jim Groom

.@zachwhalen playing Space Armada on Intellivision #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Utopia brought to you by Mattel in 1981 #intellivision #umwconsole

Jim Groom

Skiing on Intellivision #umwconsole

The gameplay on the Intellivision was quite solid. And the physics engine for momentum was pretty impressive for the skiing game.

Jim Groom

The Intellivision controller-like a 1990s cellphone #umwconsole

Jim Groom

The graphics for Mine Storm on the Vectrex almost seem 3D #umwconsole


Jim Groom

Got You Humanoid #umwconsole

This is how the Berzerk game for Vectrex ends. It's pretty awesome.

Jim Groom

.@zachwhalen delivers Atari 2600 for #umwconsole exhibit, and sticks around for game of Pitfall

Jim Groom

First piece of the Console Living Room exhibit has been secured #umwconsole

Description:
QUASAR Vintage 1981 25" Color Console TV! RETRO w/ Remote!! TU9920TP
RETRO & VERY CLEAN Vintage Quasar Console TV! The cabinet is in excellent condition, clean, no scratches at all on the tops and sides, this TV was kept in excellent condition and has only had one owner! The remote control is a little worn and the battery cover is missing.
The TV works perfectly and has no issues at all, great picture and sound! It is cable ready and can adapt to any cable box, VCR, or digital antenna converter! There are no aux AV jacks, so in order to connect a DVD player or game system, you must have an RF modulator or run through a VCR.