Robert Kniskern - GameMaster

Author: Karl Kuras September 23, 2022 Duration: 2:05:30

Online gaming is one of the dominant business models today, but back in 1979, a small start up in Chicago showed how it was done. The Game Master was a virtual playground for computer enthusiasts before most people knew what a personal computer was.
Robert Kniskern helped bring that technology to life. He tells us about his early experiences with minicomputers, buying Altair 8800 number 400 with some friends and later working with Sega, 3DO, and Sierra to help build the multiplayer gaming tech of the future.

Recorded October 2021.

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Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-kniskern-1794841/
http://adaptivemicroware.com/management/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-100_bus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDP-11
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altair_8800
https://cybernews.com/editorial/the-1977-trinity-and-other-era-defining-pcs/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabash_College
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Microsystems
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletin_board_system
https://archive.org/details/softalkv2n02oct1981/page/82/mode/1up
http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/softline_3.2.pdf pg. 10
https://books.google.de/books?id=-dgDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=harlow+stevens+jr&source=bl&ots=UxMV-u2BB_&sig=ACfU3U0VAEzuFq0DpEWWDkGS07PAFMjsqw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSpdOb_MfzAhWrgP0HHQHgCLsQ6AF6BAgUEAM#v=onepage&q=harlow%20stevens%20jr&f=false
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3DO_Interactive_Multiplayer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Entertainment
Ken Williams Interview - https://www.patreon.com/posts/42700706
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCUBE

Video Game Newsroom Time Machine

Ever wonder what gamers were actually talking about decades ago, before online forums and endless hot takes? Each month, Video Game Newsroom Time Machine hosted by Karl Kuras does exactly that, dusting off the headlines and magazine pages from the past. This isn't just a nostalgia trip; it's a grounded look at the industry's turning points as they happened. You'll hear about the surprising announcements, the forgotten controversies, and the hardware launches that had everyone buzzing-from arcade trends in Japan to home computer wars in Europe and North America. The podcast specifically revisits news from exactly 30, 40, and 50 years prior, creating a unique layered perspective on how video game culture evolved. It’s like sitting in a newsroom from a different era, piecing together the stories that shaped the games we remember today. Tune in for a monthly dose of context, where the past conversations about pixels and processors feel surprisingly fresh and directly connected to the present.

Author: Karl Kuras Language: English Episodes: 100

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