iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 28/09/2026

Life has been a bit hectic as of late, but I managed to get in some Amiga time last night. Exploring different demos and their awesome music is always a treat.

An amiga 1200 with matching monitor hooked up to an av stack

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 26/09/2026

Like everyone else is saying this is very difficult to narrow down. But looking more at games that had an impact, or ones I played at important points in my life... this is as close as I can get!

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 26/09/2026

I'm pretty sure the only thing it lets you do is look at a red bar in the sysinfo benchmark utility. It probably does other things too.

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 25/09/2026

Almost 2 years ago I put myself on the wait list for the Dicke Olga Amiga 2000 accelerator. It just arrived after that long wait, and boy is it a beast of a card! Looking forward to boosting that A2000 further than it's ever been!

The dicke olga amiga 2000 accelerator card

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 23/09/2026

Now that's one I've been waiting for. The box is really beat up, but the price was low as a result. I'll clean it up, and happily have it on the shelf. Hail to the king, baby!

The big box version for pc of the game duke nukem 3d

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 22/09/2026

Last night I made some old country comfort food. It was good. That is all.

A plate of meatballs, potatoes and hard bread

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 17/09/2026

Of all the things I saw at VCF Midwest, this immediately caught my eye. Many of you might know this is my grail, my first real computer. Sadly this one wasn't for sale, but it was awesome to even see one in person again. So many memories associated with it. Terrific!

A compaq presario cds all in one 486 computer

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 14/09/2026

Another VCF Midwest in the books. It's always the retro highlight of the year. Met a lot of friends, new and old, and got to see a lot of cool stuff. A great time as always, and already looking forward to next year!

Looking out at the setting sun reflecting in the roof of a car

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 12/09/2026

Well can't argue with that find. Might be hard to top that for the rest of the event

The big box version of the game Grim Fandago

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 10/08/2026

With the addition of Sim Golf the Maxis shelf keeps expanding. The white box situation is unbearable as a collector. Must have them all!

A shelf with pc games in boxes from the publisher Maxis

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 19/07/2026

Adding some more memory to my utility laptop, and turns out you have to take the whole bottom case off. Lots of clips later but 16gb runs a lot better than 8 in this case!

The exposed motherboard of a lenovo laptop

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 19/07/2026

The steam controller replacement arrived and this one actually looks and feels new! Worth the extra wait.

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 24/06/2026

When your coworkers know you, and what you like. On my desk this morning was a Gateway 2000 bundled software binder, ca 1996, and some memory. Their cleaned trash is my treasure. Hits like Encarta, Golf, and Julia Child Home Cooking with Master Chefs. I'll happily take these!

A 1996 Microsoft software bundle binder that shipped with a Gateway 2000 computer, and some PC100 memory

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 21/06/2026

Well I'd say my kids know me and what I like, with a little help from @geekate.bsky.social. Happy father's day to all the geek dads out there!

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 19/06/2026

The cycle of loading up various retro systems with roms to then gather dust continues. Perhaps I'll even use this one!

The retro remake super station one console system with attached dock

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 17/06/2026

There were some Amiga goodies waiting for me at home as well. A midi cable, and a cf card relocator bundle.

An amiga 1200 with cables sitting on top of it

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 17/06/2026

Well hello, found this waiting for me when I finally made it home.

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 16/06/2026

We've enjoyed our time traveling, but now it's time to head on back home. So long, and thanks for all the fish we didn't eat. Homeward bound!

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 13/06/2026

Easily the best part of this trip. Our boys, who have not been around much water, especially beaches, got completely engrossed playing for several hours by the water. Digging channels, redirecting water, building embankments... pure kid joy. The water was cold, but they didn't mind one bit.

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 10/06/2026

This is retro in one way. Overlooking the town from the fortress in Norway where the Swedish king Charles XII met his demise. The fortress goes as far back as the mid 1600s. Retro!

An overlook of the town Halden next to the Fredriksten fortress

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 08/06/2026

Sometimes a little tech disconnect can go a long way. I miss my retro tech still though hah.

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 03/06/2026

This game evokes that Skyrim wanderlust

The main character Kliff, in the game Crimson Desert looks out over a vast landscape

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 28/05/2026

Well I have no illusions I'll ever own the original Doom box, but some variety has been missing from the shelf. Happy to add this one!

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 28/05/2026

If you have watched my streams, you likely have seen how much I rely on my NAS setup for retro use (not related to the excellent RetroNAS project). I noticed that the disk in it started making some less than exciting noises. Time for emergency cloning! Which was successful, thankfully.

2 hard disks sitting on the floor attached to a computer tower

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 27/05/2026

More to come on this, but the pickup of the day was this Umax Supermac clone! I can't say I've ever seen one listed locally so I had to grab it. The model is C600. Also came with accessories and a big ol Apple CRT. More to come on this machine, odds are it'll be on a stream soon!

The front of an umax supermac c600 computer tower

The insides for an umax supermac c600 computer tower

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 26/05/2026

Yeah I'm a bit of a rebel, a real wild type. I don't even select the option to turn off swearing when I install my retro games.

A installation dialog box showing the options to create a desktop shortcut, and to disable swearing in the game

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 25/05/2026

I feel like games have caught up to how my memory thinks games looked in my childhood.

A scenic landscape from the game Crimson Desert

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 25/05/2026

Well with so many things going on, shoving another massive open world game into my life is probably not a good idea. I do enjoy making bad decisions, however.

The protagonist Kliff in the game Crimson Desert looking out onto a green landscape

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 20/05/2026

I ended up grabbing the smaller version of the Viewsonic monitor that supports native 15khz signal, and it also works great! This size is a really nice match for the Amiga and the screen looks great. Happy to bank a couple of these!

An amiga 500 showing the title screen of the game Jim Power

An Amiga 500 showing the workbench desktop

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 19/05/2026

Out of all the retro things I have, I think I enjoy the big box collection the most. Sometimes I just sit down and peruse, checking boxes out like I remember doing as a kid in the game store. No other medium, old or new, evokes quite the same feeling.

A shelf with a large collection of old school big box pc games

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 09/05/2026

Well this is pretty cool! I decided to wing it getting a modern Viewsonic monitor, based on feedback from others, that might do 15khz natively. And it works! Simple passive VGA adapter and it takes the signal no problem. Image adjustment options are great too. All for under 100 bucks!

An amiga 500 displaying the workbench desktop

A monitor showing the splash screen for the game Pinball Dreams

An amiga 500 displaying the table select for the game Pinball Dreams

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 08/05/2026

Thinking to myself: I wonder if I have something that'll work with <this very specific video scaling use case, for a specific setup>. Why yes, I do. Hoarding can be useful sometimes.

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 04/05/2026

Commodore got me. I put my money toward the upcoming C64C. I love wedge computers, and I want to support the company for bringing these machines back, hoping they continue to launch products (please do Amigas, you know you want to!). We shall see this fall if it lives up to the hype!

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 03/05/2026

I took a gamble to find a retro friendly flat panel. This is a Unico arcade monitor, and it's not a great fit. Poor colors, viewing angles and biggest issue of all, no 15khz support over VGA (it's listed as supporting it via RGB). It was worth a shot, but it'll have to go back. The hunt continues!

An arcade monitor displaying the Windows 95 startup screen

A monitor displaying the windows 95 display settings dialog

A display being tested with an Amiga 500, showing an unsupported message

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 02/05/2026

Starfield continues to be a great reality escape. The world: You can't just run away from your problems! Me: Weeee!

A moon buggy flying across a landscape in the game starfield with lightning striking in the background

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 01/05/2026

There is always time for a quick pinball session

An Amiga 500 showing the game pinball dreams

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 17/04/2026

Starfield has fully pulled me in, and the gameplay loop is addictive. Bethesda games have their issues but boy is it video game comfort food. The new update elevated the game even further.

A spaceship floating among some asteroids

A rover making a huge jump over a desolate moon landscape

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 24/03/2026

I enjoy working from home when my schedule allows, but the coworkers here are very low energy. No get up and go!

A corgi resting in a dog bed, barely awake

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 21/03/2026

Can't wait to experience this newfangled CD-ROM multimedia thing I've heard so much about!

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 16/03/2026

Our storage room had become a mess of shoving random things in it for months. Thanks to a monumental effort from @geekate.bsky.social that's all taken care of. I can now actually get to my storage shelf without tripping over things!

A storage shelf with a mixture of random vintage computers, and accessories

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 14/03/2026

I really like the LRG reprints for games that demand a high price. There was a vault drop on this one, and I had to jump on it. Nice box, great game!

A box for the computer game Sam & Max hit the road

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 12/03/2026

Last night I actually did some retro things. I put the Mac back where it goes, and played some Sim City 2000. All while the 486 was on tracker duty in the background. I should probably sit down and use the stuff more often!

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 04/03/2026

Well the French civilization was coming along nicely, until meeting a neighbor caused the game to freeze...

A screen showing the mac version of the game civilization

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Rik's Random Retro @riksrandomretro.com · 04/03/2026

A little bit of Civ on the Mac for #marchintosh. I'm always fascinated by different ports of games. In this case the resolution boost makes a big difference compared to the other versions!

A Power Mac 7100 playing the game Civilization

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