SPI Later Newsletters: SPIBUS and SPIRIT

 

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And

Networking in 1979               

In mid 1979, SPI went back to their roots, launching not one, but two new newsletters. Newsletters were the method of circulating information in the pre-world wide web internet days.

The first was SPIRIT, which stood for SPI Research, Information, and Testing. The goal was to become a defacto network of "Friends of SPI." The name SPIRIT was to evoke the feeling of a common bond between the staff of SPI and the volunteers that frequently provided the unsung and unpaid help that often made a world of difference for SPI projects.

The goal of the "SPIRIT Newsletter" was to create a more formal way to keep in touch with these invaluable resources. To that end, the goal of SPIRIT was to also make an assessment of the aid each of these volunteers could provide, so if in need, they could be reached. The newsletter lists these skills as Blindtesting, Research, Translating foreign documents and OOBs, writing for MOVES, and potentially, providing out of house designs!

It was a worthy goal. Most of the material I include below are "Calls to the SPIRIT World" for Playtesters, though in the first issue they are looking for people to apply to be the "official" answer person and errata compiler for various games.

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The Dawn of the Computer Age

The other newsletter hit the mail about two months later, and was an example of SPI's foresight. Despite the fact that fewer than a million home computers had been sold, SPI wanted to be in position to leverage their value to wargaming.

But they are also clearly casting a call out all potential programmers who happen to be gamers, and let them now SPI was interested seeing any game related programs they were putting together! 

One of the issues I frequently considered was how differently things would have developed had SPI made it another year or so. Their forward thinking would clearly have placed them in the computer gaming market. And with RAS and the wealth of games SPI had already created, I believe SPI would have ruled that market. I sincerely believe SPI had the talent, the insights, and the resources to have made computer gaming a boon for SPI. And, for gamers.

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Below are the links to these newsletters. I do not have much in the way of materials on these. If you do, and want to scan them, I would love to add them here for everyone's use! Reach me here!

Thanks!
                    ---Russ Gifford 
 

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SPIBUS Newsletter Issue 1 Link
April 1979 Moves 44

 

RAS wrote: "SpiBus is a newsleuer designed to serve those simulation gamers interested in microcomputer applications and those microcomputer hobbyists who have an interest in simulations. We intend to give SpiBus its first public exposure in the pages of MOVES in order to interact with the audience before casting it in its final form."

The goal? SPIBus was to be a forum where the state of the art could be developed. That art? The creation of game assistance programs - (GAP) i.e., no maps or graphics. The programs would assist the players to play the game manually.

Much of the article outlines a scope of work for these types of GAPs. They use Stonewall and Agincourt as examples.

It certainly appears the actual goal was to let potential programers know SPI would be willing to purchase your effort: "In fact it is willing to pay money to anyone who can write acceptable programs for resale to the gaming public. "

 

 

SPIRIT World Newsletter 2 Link
April 1979 Moves 44


 

Detailing the abilities SPI is looking for - Game testers, Researchers, Writers, and more. Lots to cover in this issue! 


SPIRIT News Moves45 Link
June 1979

Looking for testers for many of the new "time capsule" games, as well as recruiting potential "answer men."


SPIRIT News Moves 47 Link

Oct 1979

Looking for playtesters for Against Four Worlds, the soon to be known as the GBACW series, and the "quad series for Victory in the West!"


SPIRIT News Moves 48 Link

Dec 1979
 

This time, it is DragonSlayer in need of testing, and the steady requests for answer men!

This site was last updated 01/16/25