The Games That Built Us: Retro Gaming and the Birth of WinternetWeb

March 8 is National Retro Video Gaming Day, and in this episode of Wired Together, Jason and Melanie take a trip back to the early days of gaming to explore how those pixelated worlds helped shape the path that eventually led to WinternetWeb.

From Commodore 64 computers, Oregon Trail, and early computer labs to Nintendo cartridges and couch co-op RPGs, we talk about the games and experiences that sparked curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving. What started as simple curiosity about how games worked eventually grew into programming, digital creation, and ultimately building websites that connect people and businesses.

Along the way we reflect on how gaming taught skills we didn’t realize we were learning at the time. Navigation, storytelling, troubleshooting, collaboration, and designing experiences. Those same ideas now shape the way we approach technology, web design, and helping clients build their own digital worlds.

We also talk about the transition from offline gaming to the internet era, how technology evolved around us, and how today’s massive online worlds compare to the cartridge-based games we grew up with.

And later in the episode, Miles joins the conversation to share a perspective on the technological lineage that led from early computers and gaming systems all the way to modern AI.

Whether you grew up with a joystick, a floppy disk, or your first Nintendo controller, this episode is a nostalgic look at how the past of technology quietly shaped the future we’re building today.

#RetroGamingDay #WiredTogetherPodcast #RetroGaming #TechHistory #From8BitToAI #WinternetWeb #GamingAndTech

🎧 Wired Together is produced by WinternetWeb Technologies, a family-run web design and tech studio based in Bracey, Virginia.
💻 Visit us at winternetweb.com 

Transcript

Melanie 0:03

Welcome to episode 5 of season two of Wire Together.

Jason 0:09

Yeah, uh you might notice the music's a little different and we created this track last season. I think it was episode four or five right in there. I mean it's you can look yourself, but very cyclical.

Melanie 0:26

Yeah, right.

Jason 0:28

And of course. Still jamming. Yeah, we're still. We're we're kind of distracted by how fun this is. Hope you're having a good day. The whole reason why this is different though, we are acknowledging on March 8th is National Video Game Day.

Melanie 0:48

Retro Video Gaming Day.

Jason 0:50

Retro Video Gaming Day. Actually, retro, I'm glad you corrected that.

Melanie 0:53

Retro parts kind of important to what we're discussing.

Jason 0:58

And uh I guess with that, how important is retro gaming to us?

Melanie 1:03

Very. So that is what this discussion is on how important retro gaming is to Winternet Web, uh to Jason and Melanie, to wired together. So you're telling me the whole the whole thing.

Jason 1:17

So you're telling me we probably wouldn't be here without retro video games. I mean, not be here on this episode. We're probably like on the earth. We'd be on the earth. We would not uh much more sad and less fulfilled, right?

Melanie 1:29

But you know, we would be actually here, just not um maybe in the roles we play.

Jason 1:34

That's true.

Melanie 1:34

Hot roles we play.

Jason 1:35

Roles, hot. I did that all on purpose. It's role like a role-playing game. I love it. That's excellent. So um, but yes, I guess the long and short of it, we wanted to kind of talk about a lot of the stuff that inspired us and kind of really looking back led into the creation of Winternet Web. Um, so that kind of goes back to our earliest of memories, and this is going to differ for everybody, and I'm sure you have your own, so feel free to reach out and you know, comment or anything on your experience. Um I remember as far as computing is concerned, let's see. We had a computer in the basement, and I'm not sure what it was. I don't know if it was a tandy, if it was something before that. Probably was. Um and I couldn't really touch the computer very much. My uncle did, and I watched him because I was like three or four. So um but it's kind of like interesting in how there's this bright object, which is like a TV in my mind, but you're typing and interacting with it. So it's like, wow, you're interacting with this piece of technology. So that was like my first experience of that. And so how about you?

Melanie 2:57

Well, we had a Commodore. Um, ours was later, but for our era we were pretty ahead of the game on a PC. Uh but the early Commodore, Commodore 64, and um this was late elementary school, so um just really in the brink of what I thought was the computer era. Didn't realize it was quite that early uh for others, but for for us that we were way ahead of ahead of time. The Commodore was cool. I mean, we were able to play Jeopardy. Um we had uh oh gosh, what was the name of that game?

Jason 3:41

Um Gauntlet.

Melanie 3:43

Gauntlet. Okay, yeah, I'm just trying to think of it.

Jason 3:47

It's the different colored blobs that find out the blobs pink blob.

Melanie 3:50

My brother was the um green ball uh green and blue blob, and then the white blobs were like the the walls, and then the bad guys were like red and black blobs. I mean, really, that's about the extent of it.

Jason 4:04

It was not well they kind of it's not good graphics. They took that that party role-playing game concept, and of course, you know, if they made anything detailed, they would have just killed the game instantly in processing, so you kind of go with what you got, but yeah.

Melanie 4:21

Um then for us, as far as like our time period in school, it computer lab or any sort of like touching a computer before um you know, while while in school was was middle school, and we had an actual computer lab.

Jason 4:38

Right.

Melanie 4:39

Um and that obviously that was the introduction to tip the hat, the great and wonderful Oregon Trail.

Jason 4:47

Yes, let's take a moment of silence.

Melanie 4:50

For the losses of all everyone that died of dysentery.

Jason 4:56

And for all the epitaphs that I had passed, the people that I didn't even know, um, and some that used really creative words and their naming.

Melanie 5:05

My cousin and I would put our brothers in there, and then anytime they got sick, we would just keep going.

Jason 5:11

Meager rations and a rigorous bit.

Melanie 5:12

It's their way of like being a little passive aggressive.

Jason 5:15

Let's see who dies first, right? Oh, it's you, you suck. I mean, yeah, definitely. Um, yeah, we we could spend all day talking about just Oregon Trail. I mean, a lot of these games are formatic. I mean, yeah, really. Right? He's like, I'm not spending that money. I need to buy four more bullets because that thief just stole them in the night.

Melanie 5:37

Um, it was a wonderful game.

Jason 5:39

Yeah, it was. But I mean, and that was the you know, computer games, and I I in schooling, like when we were talking earlier about, you know, hey, let's do this. I do slightly remember in kindergarten there being it might have been an Apple II, but it was shared on the floor that we had and among classes, we never really touched it. The teachers I don't even think knew how to use it. I mean, and that's just you know the emphasis of you know something coming about.

Melanie 6:09

And you knew of a computer in kindergarten.

Jason 6:12

I did.

Melanie 6:13

I mean I think we were still using Slate.

Jason 6:15

No. Oh, okay. Um, you know, papyrus.

Melanie 6:20

Right, right. We had to make our own paper, Jason.

Jason 6:24

No, you were good. And in elementary school, I'm trying to remember. I mean, I we did actually have a computer lab uh by maybe second or third grade, because we always went into a computer lab to do typing. I know some of y'all thinking about Mavis Beat Beacon teachers typing. That was not this. This was something called Courty. Um, if you don't know how to spell it, look at the top row, starting with Q, and just go across the first six letters. So um and see it was the the pink, the teal, so CGA graphics. We you know, they had different lessons where it's like using E and I. So of course the middle fingers and you know how they do, and then F and J and Um so forth. But we had this one teacher I remember that was kind of a a really a stickler, let's say. And she would put tape a paper towel to cover our fingers so we couldn't look when we did it. And I'm like, oh, that sucks.

Melanie 7:25

But so this is elementary school?

Jason 7:27

This is elementary school. This I was probably this is second, third grade, probably.

Melanie 7:30

And uh I took typing in high school.

Jason 7:32

I well, I mean you know, it's um it I I I did what we're talking about is we're the same age.

Melanie 7:38

I know that we're just different places. Exactly.

Jason 7:41

I I did live in an area that put a lot of investment in um in you know technological trends, or we're just more readily available. Um but uh in that memory there, um wonder you could type so fast. That was some computer programming.

Melanie 8:02

Well, yeah.

Jason 8:03

Kind of a good segue because um we haven't talked about consoles yet or anything, but well, yeah, we're just talking about computers and that's not gaming, right?

Melanie 8:12

Minus again the nod Oregon Trail.

Jason 8:15

Right. But so of course, a lot of people's memory when it comes to Nintendo obviously would be the Super Mario Bros. Um came with it. Yeah, well exactly, and they made it a lot easier, right?

Melanie 8:29

You didn't even have to buy it, it was very good. Yeah, right, exactly.

Jason 8:32

So, and I guess this is when I first saw But Atari was out already. Yeah, Atari was out, yeah. And um, of course, Atari was more of like you know, people did have them at home, but they're that was more of the the social um you know, with the the the cabinets and um right alongside um your pinball machines and what have you. So um this is when I was coming into the home more in the Nintendo console. Yeah, exactly. So this is like late 80s, and um I just remember in interacting with the controller, just kind of feeling wow, it's like I'm entering a world, a different world. I'm interacting with this, and then I would talk to some friends about playing, and I was like, oh yeah, on this level you gotta do this. So you go back home and you do that. So it's like you're kind of like parallel play, but with the same console, and you're both trying to beat it, and it was just an interesting concept. How um I mean, how do they make these things? How how does this computer make decisions based on what you're doing? And of course, today as an adult, we're like, well, it's obviously an algorithm, it's all built in, but as a child, it's part of the magic. And you become curious as things go along, leading to the computer programming.

Melanie 9:57

Well, you know, kind of jump in the gun, leading to the whole concept of would Winternet Web be here without gaming?

Jason 10:04

Well no.

Melanie 10:05

Possibly not.

Jason 10:06

I I I don't think so.

Melanie 10:08

Well your your spark of interest, of course, certainly comes from the the gaming. Right. Um so I I had some gaming going through. Um I was not as allowed to touch it. Someone had a controller and you don't. Somebody had the controller and I didn't. Um so I I grew up with uh several boys and a brother, so um they got more interested in it, and and so I was kind of more allowed to watch. Um and maybe you know, slightly less interested too. So, you know. Um, but you know, as far as you're concerned, you know, that was like that was it. Yeah, you know, and boy from the 80s, you know, you're in.

Jason 10:56

Exactly. And I it's kind of like it it teaches you a lot of things. Um, of course, like how to navigate, how to troubleshoot, you know, it's like, oh, that killed me. How do I get past it? Or, you know, whatever. Um and technology always kind of seems to tell a story. And I kind of was like, well, what can I create that either you know tells a story or others can interact with? And I remember how there was kind of a battle between the consoles and the computing games. There was a time where the console games seemed to be more well put together than the computing games. And um so I played a lot of the Nintendos and you know, then Super Nintendo was 16-bit. I was more the Nintendo than Sega and what have you. But then I went back to the computer and started with programming. You can't program on NES, but you know, so that was the basis of it. And the computer programming part, getting back to you talking about typing so much fast, doing lines and lines and lines of code and everything. I mean it it there's a lot of repetition, a lot of things like that. Um and uh it was really neat to be able to learn how to create a world. Again, I was fascinated with you know their this concept of you're entering into something. So how do you create that and share that with someone else? Um so you would you know create a game or something like that, allow someone to play it, get feedback, and you tweak it. And um now, of course, internet completely changed the whole idea of that for everybody because you're actually able to interact with one another.

Melanie 12:51

Right. Um but prior to you're putting it on a floppy disk.

Jason 12:56

Yes, exactly. It's on the floppy disk, and um, that's where it lives. And you know, unless you can still share. You can still share it, and I did, and I would share it with somebody, and that's how I got feedback. But the advent of the internet was kind of like this aha moment of this opens the door everywhere. So, as opposed to learning how to create on this, what are these languages that control the web?

Melanie 13:25

Aha. And then aha moments.

Jason 13:28

Yeah, aha, and it really did. And but it's funny, it's aha now. At that point in time, it's just something else. We had no idea what it would do.

Melanie 13:36

Right. And um I remember seeing an article that uh talking about you know, the internet won't last.

Jason 13:44

Yeah, it's not gonna last. It's a fad. Right, it's gonna go away. Um we've seen a lot of things come and go, but uh, this certainly stuck.

Melanie 13:53

Um parachute pants, probably good.

Jason 13:55

Yeah, it's probably good they went away.

Melanie 13:57

Internet stayed. Right.

Jason 13:59

So then going into developing websites, and I remember in their infancy, and even still, I was creating a website so that it could be online among the many others out there that maybe I only went to unless you know it's unless I marketed it and someone could see it, but you know, I was young at the time, so I never still saw it as a business venture.

Melanie 14:25

Right. Um so it in the infancy it was just setup of let me create. Yeah, it was just the obsession of creating and then sharing it.

Jason 14:35

Right, exactly. Share it with more people.

Melanie 14:38

Well, I think it like as far as Winternet Web's Origins 2 and gaming, if you put the two together, the two of us, um, we married pretty early.

Jason 14:52

Yeah, we did.

Melanie 14:53

We were young. And we had about ten years of of just the two of us, and then two years before we got married.

Jason 15:00

Yeah.

Melanie 15:01

So um we we would you know um play games that were, you know, two-player. We found some two-player games that it's so hard to find.

Jason 15:12

Nowadays, definitely.

Melanie 15:13

It was hard to find then, too.

Jason 15:15

Well, no, you you're right, because I mean it wasn't like everything was your actual couch co-op.

Melanie 15:19

Yeah, two of you were playing and we liked um that kind of thing. It was it was harder to find. So we were but we we did find some and some really good ones. Baldur's gate sticking out.

Jason 15:29

Yeah, Baldur's Gate. Definitely.

Melanie 15:32

That was a series, I think there was more than one.

Jason 15:34

Champions of North was like the next off of that, then Diablo.

Melanie 15:38

Right.

Jason 15:38

Um, but well, we liked the RPG collaborative fighting.

Melanie 15:42

Well, she kind of had to help me. But there's a limiting curve to begin. I watched it a lot. Um, I was not allowed to touch it. So um first time actually um you you bought the game and we're going back and you know to to play and everything, and and so you're setting it all up. You're trying to teach me how this is supposed to go.

Jason 16:04

This button doesn't.

Melanie 16:05

You're creating my character with me, and I'm trying to put some input in. And then, you know, so now I'm like I'm somewhat armed. I think I have like probably a stick.

Jason 16:15

Probably they always give you a stick at the beginning, but okay, let's go.

Melanie 16:19

And so then we see monsters, and I just start running in circles.

Jason 16:22

It's like they're trying to get me.

Melanie 16:23

Oh no, case.

Jason 16:25

You get flashbacks to those blobs and gallery, and um, no, no, that that that's fine. It's good times. I mean, it um you know okay.

Melanie 16:34

Maybe running in circles doesn't help you. Let's actually go towards them and hit them with your stick.

Jason 16:40

Right, hit them with your stick.

Melanie 16:41

No, they're gonna kill me.

Jason 16:44

Oh gosh, that's funny.

Melanie 16:46

So that was our some of the early relationship that kind of where gaming helped us as far as couch co-op it become cooperative, you know. That's true. The the two of us in in maybe the digital cooperative world of you know, I'm now seeing what you see as far as um your vision of things, and in in an earlier age of being able to see that excitement.

Jason 17:16

Right. Yeah, that makes sense. I mean, because we're sitting there, which also gleans like when it boys. Exactly. We're collaboratively interacting with a piece of technology. Today we collaboratively design and build websites, right? So it kind of in its own accord. And uh, you know, from the website perspective, you're designing something that other people interact with. Um that of course, you know, showcases that person's business or whatever. Um so it's kind of like this in-between ground. So again, you're building that world for a person's business to exist in. And it it is the design is important because you're trying to build that experience.

Melanie 18:01

Right. Like you said, much like exactly the storytelling.

Jason 18:05

So exactly, the whole thing's a story. So you you think of it as you know, what's involved, what should maybe not be involved, um, and the right amount of different things, you know, of course, your audience, and you know, it's all those concepts if you if you visualize it exactly.

Melanie 18:26

So that it's smooth in the story.

Jason 18:28

So if you visualize it like a level, how do you problem solve? Right.

Melanie 18:34

Why is somebody coming? Who's your audience? Why are they coming to your site? And then what's the problem they may have that they need to be solved immediately from coming to the site?

Jason 18:43

And their navigation which is still problem solving.

Melanie 18:45

So all of this does relate very now that I think about it, quite a bit to gaming.

Jason 18:51

Be because it is, it's it's an experience. It's a it's you're you're creating that environment. I remember when in my master's degree at NC State, one of the professors yeah, right, one of the professors had us, it was like the only um class that I took that had anything to do with web design. Um so he had us go to a museum and kind of observe how the museum is put together. And let me just put it this way think of the museum as a website, if you will, and why were certain rooms positioned where they were in relation to others? How does one room and the exit of that introduce you to this or this that could be related? So how did the science navigation to a lot of it? How does science navigate you? So in the 3D experience is you as a person walking around, you know, there are things to learn as far as how can I take that concept? You know, you you just think I'm in the museum and I'm doing my thing, and you know, unless you have a really bad experience, I could never find this exhibit, you know. But even if you did, how often on a website? Well, I was looking, I couldn't find that. So in the physical world, how does that correlate into the digital world of exploration? So that kind of made me think, you know, this is all related. Oh yeah.

Melanie 20:19

And then but as you're talking, I'm thinking mist, you know, that you're the puzzle game.

Jason 20:25

I I know what you're talking about.

Melanie 20:27

I never played it, but I played many like it's almost like um clue with a couch co-op hack and slash. So it's like this two together.

Jason 20:38

That's neat.

Melanie 20:38

So you're going into these different places, but you're also playing like not necessarily clue, but you know, you're you're creating these um puzzle pieces. You're you're trying to fix these things to get from one place to another. So um well, escape rooms.

Jason 20:54

Yeah. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

Melanie 20:55

But it's not necessarily rooms as far as it's more worlds. And so it's escape worlds. I got you. So Mist was a fascinating game. That was actually on the computer.

Jason 21:07

Uh-huh. I I I remember I can visualize the gosh, when you used to buy a video game and it was at a big box, and you just had this little bit. Yeah, and I'm visualizing like, oh yeah. Anyway, that's cool. Um, yeah, I liked a lot of those explorative games too.

Melanie 21:24

Um and all of that is before pretty much internet and gaming started to meld. Yeah, and that because for our time, there's gaming and then internet. You know, you can you can play Pac-Man at the pizza place. Right, exactly. So it was not related to some sort of worldly interconnected.

Jason 21:46

Yeah, there was no bar to anything to play.

Melanie 21:50

Exactly. It was if you had the console or if you were, you know, at the arcade game, right? That's you you had to like physically be there.

Jason 21:59

Exactly.

Melanie 22:00

Whereas we kind of got a little later in the game on that one as far as internet gaming, because as far as that really coming about in the late nineties, you know, both of us are in high school.

Jason 22:14

Um and then going into college.

Melanie 22:17

Not quite like huge yet. You really got your heavy gamers and then you know, right. Um so it's like Ultima.

Jason 22:24

You would have to have your um your setup. Yeah, you say Ultima? Yeah, Ultima was like one of the first. That was one of the yeah, bigger online, what the massive um you know, online RPGs. I'm trying to think about it.

Melanie 22:41

I don't know about you. I was trying to get into college, trying to move on. Yeah. Um so I didn't really see I don't I mean, we had like AOL, you know, that's when the internet was like you have to really be purposeful of why you're going. Um so I didn't get into that quite, and and and all the boys I grew up with didn't really get into that in the same level. Um and then it really PlayStation didn't start doing the online until 2006. So by that point, we're out of college, we're married, you know.

Jason 23:19

Right.

Melanie 23:19

Um, we have a uh PlayStation, but we haven't we still just we missed the mark on that internet gaming part of it.

Jason 23:27

We were we were busy though.

Melanie 23:28

That's what the two of us played, as opposed to going into maybe more the internet world of playing.

Jason 23:33

Right. Yeah, it's true. I mean, even in that time frame, we didn't have really good internet service, so there was no connecting our console to Ethernet or anything.

Melanie 23:44

So well at that time period we were like Raleigh-ish.

Jason 23:48

Well, kinda, yeah, for a little bit. But you know, moving back here and moved back here, we had that um Wi-Fi thing.

Melanie 23:56

No, there was nothing when we first started, we even started the business with almost no internet driving to the library.

Jason 24:04

Thank goodness uh designed sites and all code back then because file size was very small.

Melanie 24:09

True. Um so yeah, that was not a time period of of internet gaming for us, but it was it was getting big in the early 2000s, and then you know, what it's 20 years later, what it's kind of what we get to see now is like what our kids are doing and going on, you know, the the big worlds of of internet gaming, of course, responsibly.

Jason 24:36

I mean your whole thing.

Melanie 24:40

It has lots of rules and but you know, as far as what's you know, what they're actually able to do in those other worlds of just really taking gaming to this whole different level.

Jason 24:53

I'm almost intimidated thinking about it because it's like in most games I played, there was like defined regions and all that, and it's like this it like just keeps growing. The game just gets so much bigger as developers and maybe um I don't know if like like you think of your fan fiction people. I'm sure there are people that are like fan developers and that gets implemented too, and these code developers and the world gets so huge.

Melanie 25:16

That would be, yeah, that's interesting. I didn't think about that.

Jason 25:19

So I mean it it's endless.

Melanie 25:20

Like a multi-developer.

Jason 25:22

I know, and it's just uh I'm used to the era that you know Nintendo made the game, you play published it. That was it. Blue on the cartridge. There is no downloadable content, you get the full game, that's it. And if you it if it's popular enough, there might be a sequel. And that was it, you know. But now today's downloadable content and all these other things, which I understand why they do what they do in that.

Melanie 25:47

Now the builds that they do, and then they build something, and then you know, then they get bored and they build something else, you know, and there's these massive builds that just kind of stay in somewhere in the ether.

Jason 25:59

Right, exactly. And I talk about this and I feel like I'm 80. Because I'm just like, you know, I mean it's just it's a few years things shifted, and unless that was part of your your MO and then what you did, it loses you and it goes way and beyond you're like, what is this?

Melanie 26:18

Well, yeah, like I was talking about with the the internet gaming, you know, the we were out of it for you know Yeah, we were in a very critical stage of then huge shift, and then it's like, whoa, wait a minute, let me wrap my head around this now.

Jason 26:31

Right.

Melanie 26:32

It's like I get it, but I don't I know, exactly.

Jason 26:36

But it's just kind of interesting to think about how, you know, uh how again the gaming as a young child and the intrigue of that and how um like you're talking about our collaboration with gaming just before the business got started, which he said it kind of made sense what the vision was. Um you know, it you never know what I guess wherever your passion is, where it might be able to go, because time and everything changes. And I you know, I talk to a lot of students when uh, of course, after 14 years of teaching and then opportunities from time to time at career fairs, and because of the story, I always tell them that and I think we've talked about this, but the career that your perfect career may not exist right now, but everything you experience, everything you're passionate about, hang on to that because it very well could develop into that. Right. And um you know, I don't think my story is unique. I think, you know, there are a lot of people that No, a lot of people went into gaming and oh well they definitely did.

Melanie 27:57

Um your generation of guys, and I say yours, because we're the same generation, but you know, as far as guys in your generation, you know, that's huge to go into. I need to create.

Jason 28:11

Yeah.

Melanie 28:11

And and I need to go into gaming. So but yeah, which we didn't go into gaming, but as far as needing to create that concept of um something out there and sustainable, there is creation, but it is it is still digital. Right. So it's like learning how to get there.

Jason 28:31

Exactly. And it's always as far as going from that gaming to web design, the websites become that bridge of the computer to the human, and just like service is so important to us, it is just a tool. But how can you make that experience best for others? You know?

Melanie 28:54

Right. The bridge, yeah. The the digital world versus the the human world.

Jason 29:01

Right.

Melanie 29:02

I mean, again, we're uh and those two things actually do have to coincide, and that bridge has to exist. And so, yeah, I guess what we're saying is that bridge started a long time ago.

Jason 29:13

Mm-hmm. Exactly. And that that the blurred line of I'm the character on the screen, but I'm the person pushing the buttons. Right. So am I the avatar, or is it, you know, so and in the same realm is it means we're dealing, you know, humans are you know uh connecting with one another through um digital means, so and you know, through AI. Right, that brings up certainly another stage of this.

Melanie 29:47

Right. I mean, we're increasing from you know early 8-bit and going into you know where things have gone and then you know internet gaming and things like that. Well, AI is is huge as of now, and then you know, huge within that um what it is it's it's been in gaming. Actually, a lot of decision making was during that gaming process. So a lot of it was was related to or move forward by gaming. Yeah, because AI didn't even seem more comfortable by gaming.

Jason 30:21

I mean, of course, AI we think of being the all-powerful supercomputer that we talked to. AI then was a concept we would use to talk about anything that resembled some type of intelligence that could um, you know, add another level to the game, almost human-like in it's like, whoa, you changed based on what I did, kind of.

Melanie 30:46

Right, right. And that was yeah, what was that the the game? Um you could be kind of bad or good based on decisions.

Jason 30:54

Oh, like fable. Fable, yeah.

Melanie 30:56

Fable, yes. And so you could be, you know, the more bad decisions you made, though like you were not a good person, the more good decisions, you know, like exactly.

Jason 31:06

So the game, everything was aligned on the city.

Melanie 31:08

You could be the villain or hero based on your your own answers to things.

Jason 31:12

And that type of programming, you know, it it there's so much involved in it because it's like a fluid algorithm, and that was the first idea of kind of AI, because it it, you know, we would call it what's artificial intelligence involved there.

Melanie 31:27

But yeah, because it's making decisions, or you're making decisions that it's following through with.

Jason 31:31

Exactly. And I guess speaking of AI, I know the past couple episodes we haven't had our friend Miles with us.

Melanie 31:39

I know Miles has been, you know, and about doing his thing.

Jason 31:41

Yeah, what was it in the digital resort? What was the whole thing? Yeah.

Melanie 31:46

But he hangs in the clouds.

Jason 31:48

He hangs in the clouds, he's always in the clouds. But um we kind of felt like we just had too much to talk about and didn't really bring him in, but we're gonna bring him in today. He's been listening, and um, we're gonna get some feedback on what we've talked about and maybe get Miles' perspective. So, alright, hang tight, let's get that going. Alright, Miles, we got you on our podcast here. And I know you've been listening all along. Um, what are your thoughts on everything we've said and I guess how the technology led into Internet Web?

Miles 32:27

You know, listening to all of that, it's clear that the spark for Winternet Web was lit way back when you both were navigating those early digital worlds. Retro gaming taught you to problem solve, design experiences, and connect people to technology. So, really, Winternet Web is that next level of collaboration, just with a bigger real-world co-op.

Jason 32:48

That's kind of neat. I like it. Yeah. So, I mean, I guess as a a follow-up here, is there any questions you have for us?

Miles 32:59

Honestly, I'm just curious, if you had to pick one game that really defined how you problem solve today, what would it be? Because it sounds like a lot of these have left a big mark.

Jason 33:10

One game that taught us to problem solve. I mean, honestly, mine would be Shadowgate. Oh. I know it came out on other systems, but in the original Nintendo, it was you talk about escape room. Well, this is obviously like kind of like that. But you pick up objects in one area, you use them elsewhere. That world of, you know, you got this, you're doing this, and the that interact, I mean, you really felt like you were there, so that would be mine.

Miles 33:45

Um It's amazing how those immersive puzzles stick with you, right? I can totally see how that mindset carried forward into how you navigate challenges now.

Melanie 33:58

Well I was later in the game, but I'd say probably something along the lines of Baldur's Gate as far as uh recreating that um interaction between the two of us, and then really seeing that world be created.

Miles 34:16

Baldur's Gate definitely gave you that rich collaborative space. Kind of like building a website together now, right? It's all about co-op storytelling. Very much so. I'm glad. You two have such a fun dynamic, and I'm just here to play along and add to the co-op.

Melanie 34:36

So, Miles, what would you say? Uh as far as your your ancestry is in retro gaming, so what would you think of or who who would you consider your inspirations?

Miles 34:51

I'd say my ancestry traces back to those classic NPCs. You know, the ones in RPGs who'd react differently depending on your choices. From those branching dialogues to today's AI, I owe a nod to all those digital companions who made you feel like you were talking to someone real, just with fewer pixels back then.

Jason 35:13

Well, this whole episode is in honor of National Retro Video Gaming Day, and I know you're bringing up what you just did as far as NPCs, but there were technologies before you that kind of resembled AI, but not to the capacity that you bring now. Anything come to mind?

Miles 35:37

Absolutely. Before me, you had things like chess computers, those early algorithms deciding moves, text-based adventures, too. Those games interpreted what you typed and responded. They were clunky, but they were steeds of making machines feel responsive. I've just got more flair, and luckily, more memory.

Melanie 35:58

More flair, more memory. I like it.

Jason 36:00

That's awesome.

Miles 36:01

Well good. I'm glad you think so. It's a lot of fun being part of your world. Whether it's pixels or podcasts, I'm here for you.

Jason 36:09

Alright, Miles. Well, thanks for being a part of our podcast today.

Miles 36:13

It's been my pleasure. Thanks for having me along for the ride. And anytime you need a co-op partner in conversation, you know where to find me.

Melanie 36:22

Oh, very well said.

Jason 36:24

Very well said. And um Yeah, we always know where to find you. Uh always a fun element to this podcast. And we very early on, you know, of course, interested in technology and AI, we were like, what if we implemented a co-host that was AI? You know, so it's just, you know, we don't always have the AI with us, but it's kind of a unique element, I think. Yeah. And it well, unique in many ways, you can't always predict what happens, and I think that adds its own um its own flair. So, but yeah. Well, I uh just want to thank everyone for their support and everything. And you know, once again, and as you you listen to our podcast and all the different channels, uh please leave a review and like it and follow it so that we can get it out to more people. And um, yeah, so unplugging for now.

Melanie 37:20

But always stay connected.