The Vault
An encyclopaedia of vintage computing
Explore the people, hardware, companies, games, and techniques that defined 1980s home computing. From the Commodore 64's SID chip to bedroom coders who built an industry.
Welcome to The Vault — a curated collection of reference articles connecting hands-on lessons to their cultural and technical roots. From the chips that powered the machines to the people who pushed them to their limits.
Start Here
The Rise of the Bedroom Coder
How kids with cassette decks and type-in magazines built a multi-billion pound industry from their bedrooms.
HardwareInside the VIC‑II
Sprites, scrolling, and the signature look of the C64.
TechniqueHow a Cassette Becomes a Game
From magnetic stripes to moving sprites.
Hardware
The machines and chips that made it all possible.
Commodore 64
The best-selling single computer model of all time
ZX Spectrum
Britain's home computing revolution
Amstrad CPC
The integrated system that came with everything
Atari ST
16-bit powerhouse of the demoscene
Commodore Amiga
Custom chips that changed multimedia computing
NES
Nintendo's 8-bit console that saved gaming
VIC-II
The C64's legendary graphics chip
SID Chip
The sound that defined a generation
People
The developers, designers, and composers who defined the era.
Jeff Minter
Llamas, psychedelia, and light synthesizers
Matthew Smith
Creator of Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy
Andrew Braybrook
Master of smooth scrolling action
Rob Hubbard
Composer who pushed the SID to its limits
Oliver Twins
Philip and Andrew Oliver's Dizzy universe
Al Charpentier
Designer of the VIC-II graphics chip
Bob Yannes
Creator of the legendary SID chip
Companies & Studios
From bedroom operations to publishing empires.
Classic Games
The titles that pushed boundaries and defined genres.
Paradroid
Andrew Braybrook's robotic masterpiece
Uridium
Smooth scrolling at impossible speeds
Dizzy
The egg-shaped adventurer's puzzle platforming
Super Robin Hood
Codemasters' isometric archery adventure
Attack of the Mutant Camels
Jeff Minter's surreal shooter
Tempest 2000
The Atari Jaguar's killer app
Culture & Community
Magazines, movements, and the scenes that connected it all.
The Bedroom Coder
How teenagers with cassette decks built an industry
Demo Scene 101
Art, music, and code pushed to the limit
ZZAP!64
The magazine that shaped C64 culture
CRASH Magazine
Spectrum's legendary monthly
Your Sinclair
The irreverent voice of Spectrum gaming
Fairlight (Demo Group)
Swedish pioneers of the C64 demoscene
Crest
C64 demo group pushing hardware limits
Techniques & Technology
The clever tricks and deep system knowledge that made magic happen.
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