Due to lack of information available, this article about the DarkStar BBS program is written from (my failing) memory.

Contents of this page will be updated as more factual information reveals itself.

What is a BBS?

A BBS, or Bulletin Board System, is a computer system running software (like DarkStar) that allows users to connect and login to a remote system using a terminal program like DarkTerm.

Once logged in, a user could download or upload software, read news, and exchange messages with other users. Some even offered games and other online distractions.

This was the precursor to today’s Internet.

Most BBS’s were run by non-commercial hobbyists.

(Wikipedia entry for BBS)

Why DarkStar?

DarkStar presented SysOps with a way to make their BBS totally different from other BBS’s running the same software. Like other Commodore 64 BBS’s, DarkStar supported the PETSCII (Commodore colorized ASCII) graphics with one important addition: Vector Plotting.

Vector plotting allowed users to "jump" the cursor to any position on the screen. In a nutshell, this made PETSCII animation possible. Users could animate their messages, and SysOps could put the "wow" factor into a user’s text-based BBS login.

The DarkStar CG (colour graphics) engine was capable of much more. Movies! People (including myself) made short animated movies using the DarkStar editor.

If you existed online in the later part of the 1980’s in North America, chances are you’ve called at least one DarkStar BBS.

Why DarkStar’88?

DarkStar’88 was developed as a modular design. By plugging in modules, you built the content of the BBS. Message and File areas, Games, and Bulletins, all plug into the core program which supports up to 65,535 modules. (Expandable)

DarkStar’88 also expanded on its CG engine allowing more animation options such as vertical and horizontal scrolling of entire screens.   

Plus, the ease of setup for DarkStar’88 would be preferred. I have a copy of DarkStar V3.1 (.d64 image) and I’m fondly remembering the setup nightmare that it presented. 

If push comes to shove and we cannot find DarkStar’88, my secondary plan is to use DarkStar V3.1 to complete this project.

The Ultimate Question:  Why are you doing this?

The ultimate answer: "Because I want to!"