MSX POWER REPLAY MEETS THE APOSTLES

First off the introductions. Tell us your names, nicks & age, as well as your usual work place.

S.T.A.R. (AKA Nolan Bushnell. Sorry, personality crisis.)
Nick: Sutaru, Hoshi-chan for the Japanese as I'm a child.
Age: -229.
Work place: MechaAsteroid I (orbit XXIV)

Mark 2
Nick: Torpedo (guess why).
I was born exactly same time Atari Corp. was founded. When Nolan Bushnell & Alcorn were shaking hands doc was "shaking my ass".
As for the work place, I follow the Masterplan at Weird World.

Z-0 (zeta hyphen zero!)
Nick? I don't use nicks.
Age? Barely legal.
Work place? The deepest layers of your imagination.

"THE MSX IS LIKE A WEAPON"

What's your opinion about MSX computers?

MK2: The concept behind MSX is to integrate computer as another home appliace. Manufacturers of MSX were also important home appliance manufacturers. That's how it was originally devised and that's exactly my opinion about it.

STAR: The MSX is like a weapon. It can serve either good or evil depending on who's actually wielding it.

Z-0: Nice acronym (MoreSeX). But seriously, I dig for its case design and electronic layout.

What are the reasons you believe the MSX is still active despite the scarce commercial support and its age?

MK2: Somewhere, somehow, 8-bit computers will always be active. The ZX Spectrum, for example, has continued growing in Russia. Pentagon, Skorpio, Stalingrado. Machine beasts "homebrewed" in 1999!!!

Z-0: There will always be some geek or fool using or collecting them.

STAR: All's part of the Plan. I see no difference between an 8-bit computer and a Wintel brick when it comes to survival.

And now I ask: Why do you keep using PCs? Conformism? Mimicry?

What are your plans for MSX?

MK2: We'll resume evolution from the point it was broken. Computers have actually suffered regression. We don't know exactly the cause of depletion.
The people that bringed us the videogame heritage have disappeared, and now there's no one left with the required capabilities to continue.
We are all you've got. Are you ready for this?

STAR: We're here to fix what's wrong and to prepare the world for the things to come.

Z-0: And to create beauty out of the nothing.

"YOU'RE AFRAID OF US"

What about users? Do you think they're great people?

MK2: Some of them seem "alcatrazers"!

Z-0: They're afraid of us.

STAR: I understand why they're afraid. But those who dared to come close are very simpathetic and great people. Really.

What's for you the MSX life expectancy?

STAR: As long as there exist collectors, misfits and people who consider themselves special just because they don't use only PCs, perhaps the MSX will last some years more, but not much.

The current user is eager of computer stuff: more memory, more boards, more HD megs... and the true computer essence is lost. You can count real users with your toes. Who's seriously using the MSX? Who's really enjoying its games?

But hopefully all this will change, because it has the potential. Great power implies great responsability.

Z-0: People loves to have fun, and videogames are the best achievement in entertainment. The MSX is an entertaiment and hi-tech combo. It's a great videogame system and a powerful home intelligent terminal. If you forget that, system dies.

MK2: The MSX is on the edge of becoming a zombie computer, just like the ST and the Amiga. A system cannot be supported by a bunch of fanatic users that end up migrating to PC just because "what else can you do?". Have you ever seen those stupid T-shirts with phrases like "MY OTHER COMPUTER IS A XXXX"? Just pathetic.

It all depends on the true users' attitude.

"THIS IS A FLEA-MARKET"

What was your first impression when you attended your first MSX user meeting?

STAR: I thought: "Oh my God! A shanty room with a few tables scattered with all sorts of gadgets, and a lot of dudes with plastic bags staring open-mouthed at us."
The second meeting was more of the same, but then I saw there was something more. If you cannot change the public, change the scenario.

MK2: My first impression was: "This is a flea-market. What the hell are we doing here?".

Z-0: They even asked me whether we were in disguise! And also if we were at the wrong place!

STAR: Albert Molina (the Boss) is a real man. But he (and all those involved in organization) need help & support.

Z-0: He actually resembles Ros (from TV series Friends) & Máximo Pradera, from Lo MásPlus!

What do you miss bad on the MSX computers?

Proper use of sprites, proper use of the PSG, glamour, quality, cartridges, glamour, robots, credit cards, Japanese-style, creativity, design, glamour... you know, just what's featured in the magazines back in 1986!

"BOMBS GIVE ME THE HOTS"

Any real shattering news? Is there a "bomb" in development?

MK2: Bomb?! I like this word (Clint Eastwood sight). And all of a sudden, a bomb controller cartridge has just popped in my mind.

Z-0: Bomb. I've got the hots for this word!

STAR: We have lots of "bombs" under development you'll never understand. We neither like nor make vaporware. The main headline is that we're finishing off a fetish strip videogame featuring Ms. Z-0.

And the biggest "bomb" so far is that we're developing a true ARCADE COIN-OP with a vertical display version of the game. That means a true coin-op upright cabinet with a vertical oriented monitor, a milk brick to collect coins...

MK2: Straight playing required. If you dare to ask us for a stool I'll crack your legs!

STAR: The best things are made straight.

Z-0: We'll present the machine at the 16th AAM meeting in Barcelona.

MK2: New: FYI we're answering this interview on an assembler!

Z-0: And another new. My fetish pret-a-porter gear catalog will be available soon. The perfect Xmas present for your girlfriends!

"IT'S A CARNIVAL ACT"

What's cool and what sucks in the MSX world?

Z-0: Cool: RobotArm.

Sucks: MSX is becoming another PC ersatz.

MK2: Cool: The home computer concept and the perfect integration of the machine in the Japanese Culture environment, with built-in kanji support at both hardware & firmware levels.

Sucks: The determination in turning the MSX into an alternate PC.

STAR: Cool: The MSX is a HB not a PC. Remember this!

Sucks: The bloody attitude towards MSX as a mere hobby. And the s.o.b.s say "live to MSX" from its bloody PC emulator window. They are poor devils. It's a carnival act.(furious!)

Let's encourage people to keep on with the MSX. From your point of view, what do you believe can encourage a user to keep on with a 16 y/o computer?

STAR: Trust us.

"And soon you will turn off the lights and see the clouded sky. And the pride of my tears running down my face will be the encouraging sign for Mankind."

The Last Mangiatorium..."

Z-0: Nothing will encourage people to keep on with their computer if there is no change.

MK2: Users keep on with their MSX because there's a void current computers and game consoles simply cannot fulfill.

What projects do you have in development stage and what are already available for sale?

NAVARONE. RGB/SCART adapter, to hook your beloved MSX to your favourite TV set, with the capability to split every signal (provided you have a suitable cable).

It also serves as an overpowered combat arm. Great when it comes to destroying toy soldiers!

MouseMat. Fab mouse mat. Wiggle your rat over the MSX logo. 100% compatible with other computers (that includes your PC or MAC, huh?!)

MouseMat: The 21st century toy!

MSX/C+ descrambler. The ultimate video board. Hook your MSX to our incredible board, a human engineering prodigy, and xlate real horrorshow the scrambled Canal+ broadcastings!

This product was BURNT. Fireware #1.

S.T.A.R. took this outrageous decision because the board got no user response. People seems to prefer decoding pornography in a PC set and wiggling the rats with Lara Croft.

In the future, S.T.A.R. promises to concentrate on more MSX-ish issues.

Do you envision a 32-bit MSX future with available projects like Padial's Z380 board. Are you considering programming for this CPU?

MK2: Bullshit. The MSX is an 8-bit computer. I only support computers with 8 or fewer bits.

Z-0: This sounds bog standard PC jargon: soundcards, lots of memory... as Mark 2 says, it's the same picture with different filmstars.

STAR: See (breath). Do you think I'm an asshole or what? An MSX with another CPU different of a Z80 is like a dude with a 32" plastic cock!

"I COULD HOOK YOUR BRAIN TO AN MSX"

Do you think the MSX can grow or it's a bit too much of a limited machine?

STAR: The MSX is like a cornered animal. Only in a limit situation you discover its true power.

So yes, I think so. I believe MSX can grow and/or has limitations.

Z-0: How could a computer grow when it has still not been fully exploited? If you don't know the true power, how could you know its limitations?

MK2: The MSX is like a cornered person(laughs)

If you consider growing the fact of adding boards and similar prosthesis then any electric device can be hooked to any thing, just like a pacemaker can be attached a person.

With proper documentation, I could hook your brain to your MSX.

STAR: I've even heard of people amputating someone else's fingers and sewing them on to "grow".

Z-0: Yes. I've seen it.

"OH BOY, THIS IS GRRRROWING!"