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South West Amiga Group Meetings
Details of our 13 hour long "Workbench 2019" Mega Meet, taking place on Saturday 26th January 2019 can be found here:
http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=...3&postcount=49 South West Amiga Group - Meeting No. 1! About The South West Amiga Group (SWAG) originally formed in December 1997. They met once a month in Bristol to discuss their favourite computer. The group continued in various forms until 2005 when the group disbanded. In 2016, riding the wave of renewed interest in the platform, the group has been resurrected, a new venue found and new events planned. SWAG embrace both classic and next generation machines, including all Amiga OS variants, MorphOS and AROS. This includes physical, emulated and FPGA based platforms. All are welcome – but remember … Only Amiga Makes it Possible First Meeting Details To get things off to a flying start we’ve arranged to hold our first SWAG meeting in a rather special venue. Open for the first time only a week prior to our booking is the new Swindon Makerspace - http://www.swindon-makerspace.org/ - a fully refurbished building perfect for those wishing to tinker with new and old Amiga hardware and software. The date of the first SWAG meeting is Saturday 7th May, from 12 noon until 4:00pm. The Swindon Makerspace can be found at Unit 34, BSS House, Cheyney Manor, Swindon There is free parking on site, while the venue offers free Wifi plus tea and coffee making facilities. If You Arrive Early If you get to the venue early you’ll find the Café Aroma on site, serving all day breakfasts and lunches. A large McDonald’s and the Swindon Designer Outlet Food Court are also only five minutes drive away. Those who wish to explore the centre of Swindon could do a lot worse than visit the excellent Museum of Computing - http://www.museumofcomputing.org.uk For Further Information If you’d like more information then please visit the official SWAG web site at http://www.southwestamiga.org.uk You can also find us on: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/southwestamiga Twitter - https://twitter.com/southwestamiga And Finally If you are planning on coming, please drop us an email to let us know. We need to get a rough idea of how many people to expect Also, if you’re planning on bringing any hardware (computers, screens etc.) then please detail that in your email. SWAG can be contacted at: swag@southwestamiga.org.uk |
South West Amiga Group - Meeting No. 1!
SWAG Meeting Update!
I’d like to begin by thanking those who have already put their name down to attend the first of hopefully many SWAG meetings. At present we have 7 people confirmed as coming – a number which means that it’s more than worth us going ahead with the session. Naturally, it’s a case of “the more the merrier”, so if you’d like to come then please drop us an email at swag@southwestamiga.org.uk Since the initial “all systems go” email we’ve started planning the meeting content. Over the coming weeks we’ll be revealing further details as the date gets closer. In the meantime... http://www.track3.org.uk/~steve/SWAG/dynablaster.png http://www.track3.org.uk/~steve/SWAG/gauntlet2.png We know the Amiga was and still is a much-loved gaming platform, and it’s because of this that we’re making sure there’s a good multiplayer element to our first meeting. The 4-player joystick/pad adapter has arrived, and we’ll be firing-up Dynablaster Bomberman and Gauntlet 2 for a mix of fight-to-the-death and co-op gaming. (If you can think of any other 4/5 player simultaneous Amiga games that would be suitable then please let us know!). For the more technically minded we also hope to run a session on emulating an Amiga on your Raspberry Pi. This session will cover setting up your SD card so that your beloved Pi boots straight into the Amiga OS/Workbench from switch-on. For those of you unable to make it along to the first SWAG meeting we hope to film parts of the session and take a load of photos. We’ll make these available as soon as after the event we can. More updates to follow! |
Swindon........could do.........possibly
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Would be good to see you there. |
SWAG Meeting Update.
As April marches ever onwards, we're getting closer to our first meeting, which takes place on Saturday 7th May. We've added two further 4-player simultaneous games to our roster. The first addition is the legendary Super Skidmarks. See if you've got what it takes to beat your fellow attendees. Our second addition is recently released blast-em-up - Tanks Furry (that's how they spell it). We'll have this up and running on the day. Check out this new Amiga title and see how it plays when you're up against three other players. The SWAG meeting isn't just about the games. We'll also have a good selection of hardware at the session in the form of an Amiga 500 with Gotek drive (see one of these in action if you've not yet made the switch), an 020 equipped A600, and an A1200 with 030 installed. One potential attendee has also promised to bring along his Amiga One. If if you always wanted to see one of these beasts in the flesh, now's your chance. Along with all this, we'll also be screening the latest Amiga releases from the recent Revision 2016 demo party. Interested in coming along? The date of of our first meeting is Sat 7th May Time: 12 noon - 4:00pm Venue: Swindon Makerspace |
Final Call for First South West Amiga Group Meeting
With the date of the first South West Amiga Group (SWAG) meeting fast approaching we thought we’d send out one final reminder before this Saturday’s event takes place. Brief details are: Date: Saturday 7th May Time: 12 noon – 4:00pm Venue: Swindon Makerspace Address: Swindon Makerspace, 34, B S S House, Swindon, Wilts, SN2 2PJ The closest entrance is called Access A, next to the Café Aroma A few of us are planning to meet at the Café Aroma, next door to the venue at around 11:00am for a hearty brunch. If you’d like to join us you’d be most welcome. Hardware: We expect to have the following systems at our first meeting – Amiga A500 with Gotek drive, Amiga A600 with with 020 installed, Amiga A1200 with 030 installed, and an Amiga One. If you’ve got a problem with your Amiga then bring it along and we’ll see if we can fix it. Games: Multiplayer will be the main feature of Saturday’s line-up, so we’ll be set-up for 5-player Dynablaster, 4-player Gauntlet 2 and 4-Player Super Skidmarks. We’ll also be bringing the Amiga TOSEC along with us so we should have access to most titles from the Amiga back catalogue should you wish to play that something from your youth. Demos: We’ll be screening many of the Amiga demos from the recent Revision 2016 event. The Amiga 500 will also be set up with a collection of Amiga demos from down the years. If you’re planning to come along but haven’t yet told us you’re coming, please drop us an email at swag (at) southwestamiga.org.uk |
SWAG Meeting #1 – Saturday 7th May 2016 Venue: The Makerspace, Swindon Attendees: Approx. 12 The seeds of the first SWAG meeting were sewn back in January of this year when Amiga user Brian Hedley created a thread over on the English Amiga Board, asking if there was a group of Amiga users in the South West. If there wasn’t, would anyone be interested in forming one and helping to set up a meeting. Fellow Amiga users Steve Netting and Rob Hazelby responded, and in February the three met in a Swindon pub to chat all things Amiga and to discuss the possibility/viability of organising a meeting. By the end of the evening it was decided that the meeting idea was worth pursuing, with the thought that at the very worst three Amiga users would meet up later in the year for an afternoon of Amiga gaming, tinkering and repairing. The other decision made that evening was to resurrect the old SWAG name. The South West Amiga Group held its last meeting way back in 2001, and sadly folded in 2004. In its active years the members held regular sessions, and each meeting was well attended. After numerous enquiries a venue was chosen – the new Makerspace in Swindon, which was due to open the first weekend in May. The members there were happy to have us, and so, on Saturday 7th May the first meeting of the phoenix like SWAG took place. The afternoon ran from noon until 4:00pm, and during that time approximately 12 Amiga users turned up. The majority of attendees brought kit with them, and as such we had an amazing collection of Amiga and other computer systems. The line-up included: - Expanded Amiga 1200 (030 @ 50mhz, Indivision 2, 32megs RAM, Hard Drive, Network Card - Expanded Amiga 600 (ACA620 and A604n) - Amiga 500 with 512K RAM expansion and Gotek - A laptop running UAE - Raspberry Pi 3 running UAE for all - 2008 MacBook used for streaming demos to the plasma screen and for storing an Amiga TOSEC - AmigaOne 500 - Amiga 1200 for repairing Gamers were well catered for, with some excellent 4-player sessions of Hudson’s Dynablaster Bomberman, Acid’s racer Skidmarks and Team 17’s platformer Superfrog. Numerous other titles from down the years were also fired-up, with one attendee completing Turrican from start to finish in what he declared was his fastest ever run. The Raspberry Pi 3 did a fantastic job of emulating classic Amiga hardware, with a number of children present glued to Lemmings. The speed of the mouse took a little getting used to, though. It was rather twitchy! The Macbook was mainly used for streaming a selection of Amiga demos from the recent Revision 2016 demo competition, along with a number of repeated showings of the forthcoming “Amiga Works” documentary by Paul Bridger. When it wasn’t streaming video it was used to transfer files from the Amiga TOSEC to pen drive and then on to an Amiga. The AmigaOne 500 was undoubtedly the star of the afternoon when it came to hardware specs. Facebook user Amiga Richard had been kind enough to bring his prized posession along, and throughout the afternoon gave guided tours around the system, answering questions put to him by fellow attendees. The final system was Amiga Richard’s faulty Amiga 1200, which initially failed to display a picture or boot. A dismantling later, the removal of a rogue screw which didn’t seem to actually belong to the system, and the 1200 was back up and running once more. Success! By 4:00pm the computers had all been packed-up, and the last of those who’d attended were making their way home. What had started as a thread over on the English Amiga Board and a subsequent meeting in a pub, had turned into a fantastic afternoon of classic gaming, tech and general retro chit chat. Feedback from those who came along was glowing, and as such a second SWAG meeting to take place one Saturday in September is already being planned. An exact date will follow. In the meantime you can check out a selection of photos from the event by going to: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...hVVEl6Z1VfblhB If you’d like to find out more you can find SWAG on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/southwestamiga/ and via their web site at http://www.southwestamiga.org.uk |
Thanks for organising this. I really enjoyed attending and meeting like minded Amiga people and seeing what others are up to with their machines.
After tapping into the knowledge pool, I *finally* managed to get my Amiga 1200 connected to the Internet and browse Aminet. It was good meeting you all. |
South West Amiga Group (SWAG) – Meeting #2 - 17th Sept
About
The South West Amiga Group (SWAG) originally formed in December 1997. They met once a month in Bristol to discuss their favourite computer. The group continued in various forms until 2005 when the group disbanded. In 2016, riding the wave of renewed interest in the platform, the group has been resurrected, a new venue found and new events planned. Our first meeting was held in May this year, and following the success of that a second meeting is now planned. SWAG embrace both classic and next generation machines, including all Amiga OS variants, MorphOS and AROS. This includes physical, emulated and FPGA based platforms. All are welcome – but remember … Only Amiga Makes it Possible Meeting Details Once again, we’ve arranged to hold our SWAG meeting in a rather special venue. Opened back in May, the SWAG meeting #2 will take place in the new Swindon Makerspace - http://www.swindon-makerspace.org/ - a fully refurbished building perfect for those wishing to tinker with new and old Amiga hardware and software. The date of the second SWAG meeting is Saturday 17th September, from 12 noon until 4:00pm. The Swindon Makerspace can be found at Unit 34, BSS House, Cheyney Manor, Swindon There is free parking on site, while the venue offers free Wifi plus tea and coffee making facilities. If You Arrive Early If you get to the venue early you’ll find the Café Aroma on site, serving all day breakfasts and lunches. A large McDonald’s and the Swindon Designer Outlet Food Court are also only five minutes’ drive away. Those who wish to explore the centre of Swindon could do a lot worse than visit the excellent Museum of Computing - http://www.museumofcomputing.org.uk Meeting Content – Arcade Conversions At this meeting we take a look at arcade conversions. The Amiga was home to some truly terrible arcade conversions (Chase HQ and Street Fighter 2, for example), but it also played host to a mountain of absolute classic arcade replicas including Pang, Toki, Rodland, Rainbow Islands and many more. Armed with the Amiga TOSEC, we’ll be putting an Amiga aside to play some of these classics of yesteryear (check out the SWAG Facebook group for the list of titles so far). Meeting Content – Morph OS 3.9 If you’d like to see what an off-shoot Amiga OS looks like in action then come along to our September meeting where Amiga Richard will be demoing his Power PC G5 running Morph OS 3.9. Find out if it’s the OS for you and have your questions answered. Meeting Content – Ambian We’ll have a Raspberry Pi 3 running the new Ambian installation. This is your chance to get your hands on it and see how well it works. Perhaps it’ll give you ideas for your own Pi Amiga emulation setup. Meeting Content – 5-Player Dynablaster Bomberman Such was the popularity of Dynablaster at our first SWAG meet we’ll be wheeling this classic out once again for more multiplayer bombing action. For Further Information If you’d like more information then please visit the official SWAG web site at http://www.southwestamiga.org.uk You can also find us on: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/southwestamiga Twitter - https://twitter.com/southwestamiga And Finally If you are planning on coming, please drop us an email to let us know. We need to get a rough idea of how many people to expect Also, if you’re planning on bringing any hardware (computers, screens etc.) then please detail that in your email. SWAG can be contacted at: swag@southwestamiga.org.uk |
Good news. The last one was great fun. I look forward to this.
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Is SWAG just a front for a meeting of all the local burglars? :D
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Looking forward to seeing you, Andrew. Are you planning to bring any kit along? |
What classic Amiga hardware will be there?
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4GB CF running "Classic" Workbench 3.1 Internet access on wired or wifi After seeing it at the last meet, I've also got the Gotek Floppy USB Adapter I've got a 2 joysticks, 2 joypads and the 4 player adapter. |
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OH! Sounds more like a meeting of the Guild of Thieves, i'll have to watch my back now :)
Hope the 'meeting' goes OK! |
SWAG Meeting Number 2 - Update Line-up of Kit So far we are expecting…
Buggy Boy Tournament Elite’s conversion of Tatsumi’s 1985 arcade classic is still very playable today, and it’s why we’ll be running a Buggy Boy tournament at SWAG meeting number 2. Get practising, as we want to see your best scores on the Offroad course. Amibian Gunnar Kristjánsson, the developer of Amibian for the Raspberry Pi, has promised to make the latest version of the installation available for us in time for the meeting. To make this happen he’s busy working on it this weekend. If you want to see one of the best Amiga emulation installations for the Raspberry Pi you’ll find it here. Meeting Content – Arcade Conversions At this meeting we take a look at arcade conversions. The Amiga was home to some truly terrible arcade conversions (Chase HQ and Street Fighter 2, for example), but it also played host to a mountain of absolute classic arcade replicas including Pang, Toki, Rodland, Rainbow Islands and many more. Armed with the Amiga TOSEC, we’ll be putting an Amiga aside to play some of these classics of yesteryear (check out the SWAG Facebook group for the list of titles so far). Purchase Your Amiga 600/1200 Cap Kits Do you have an Amiga with failing caps? One of our members will have kits for sale at the meet. Kick Off 2 Tournament SWAG member, Gil Ashby will be running a Kick Off 2 tournament on his projector. Time to brush up those skills! Amiga Hardware / Software Test The group have had a massive stash of Amiga hardware and software donated to us. We’ll be testing this lot out at the meet. Feel free to lend a hand. Meeting Content – 5-Player Dynablaster Bomberman Such was the popularity of Dynablaster at our first SWAG meet we’ll be wheeling this classic out once again for more multiplayer bombing action. See you on Saturday! |
It is almost here! :great
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Another great meet. Thank you very much.
I enjoyed seeing all the Amiga kit and had a good chat about MorphOS and a modded BBC Micro. My gaming skills are still rubbish. :crying |
Any photos?
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