Why did you choose the CPC?

[Herman]

Thanks to everyone for taking part in this survey and writing the posts. I immensely enjoyed reading everything.

Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy your home-computer devices and emulators.
Long live the good old CPC. :-)

[xesrjb]

The company where my father worked had a offer that employees could buy a computer at a discount. As far as I can remember, the C64, MSX, Enterprise, C64 and Atari 800XL were the options. My father chose the CPC as we only had one TV and my father (wisely) thought, that if the computer didn't come with a monitor, conflicts may arise. Unfortunately, he wasn't convinced that I needed a computer at all, so he went for the cheapest model: CPC464 with a GT65*.

Bryce.

* Yes, it really came with a GT65 although it was a 464.

Yeesss, I bought the cheapest system...

xesrjb 

[retro space]

I only have it 3 weeks. It was never on my radar. Even on my regular visits to the Home Computer Museum nearby, I never gave the CPC a try. But the question "what was the best 8-bit computer of its time" kept hunting me.
So I started comparing the main contenders of the time on specs and the CPC looked like a winner. And because I already had 2 Z80 systems, I thought a third Z80 machine would be easier to get into. So I found a very nice looking but untested CPC 464 on the cheap on Ebay, and apart from the common bad tape belt and fimsy tape counter reset button, it was fully functioning. I added a ULIFAC internally, so the tape is no longer an issue.
And as I grew up with Rick Dangerous, it was a treat to find out this is such a great Rick Dangerous machine. It is basically on par with the Amiga version, yet 8-bit only.
In 3 weeks it has become by second favourite machine, but that is because I'm very deep into research for my nr.1, our locally beloved P2000T. That machine is less gaming oriented, even though there are some seriously brilliant ones in Teletext graphics, but the way they developed and distributed local Dutch software for it is truly unique. So where most ZX,C64 and CPC programs lack basic usability demands like a quit option, instructions, navigation menu's, version control and more, P2000T software never had those issues because of the tightly organised community of developers. Distribution was mainly free and "online" through Viewdata servers.

[Targhan]

Our neighbour had a CPC 464. No idea how he came to get one. His wife apparently told him he was spending too much time with it, so it was "either me or the computer". He eventually sold my parents the computer, with a few games (Sorcery, Fruity Frank at least... and a manual in English). Such a game changer! With my brother (Orphee), we were instantly hooked. It took a few months (and my uncle who was engineer at IBM) to understand how to save type-ins on tape instead of typing them every time we wanted to use them (none of my parents were good enough in English to understand the manual). In France, there was nearly a new magazine every 3 months, so we quickly learned how to use the machine. Ah, such great memories.

[Shaun M. Neary]

It was chosen for me.

In 1986, I visited my uncle in Stockport and was hooked on his Vic 20. Later that year my mother asked where we could get one and he (wisely) advised against it and recommended an Amstrad because it came with a monitor and wouldn't dominate the television.

Of course, he was right, but I was initially disappointed as I couldn't play Pharoh's Curse (sp?), but Oh Mummy and Harrier Attack quickly made me forget about that.

But for me, it was primarily for gaming. I didn't (and still don't) have the head for programming. Although I'm such a stubborn fuck that makes me a great debugger!

So yeah... there you have it.

PS: I have since installed retroarch on multiple systems and have finished both Vic20 and C64 versions of Pharoh's Curse)

[cwpab]

I only have it 3 weeks. It was never on my radar. Even on my regular visits to the Home Computer Museum nearby, I never gave the CPC a try. But the question "what was the best 8-bit computer of its time" kept hunting me.
So I started comparing the main contenders of the time on specs and the CPC looked like a winner. And because I already had 2 Z80 systems, I thought a third Z80 machine would be easier to get into. So I found a very nice looking but untested CPC 464 on the cheap on Ebay, and apart from the common bad tape belt and fimsy tape counter reset button, it was fully functioning. I added a ULIFAC internally, so the tape is no longer an issue.
And as I grew up with Rick Dangerous, it was a treat to find out this is such a great Rick Dangerous machine. It is basically on par with the Amiga version, yet 8-bit only.
In 3 weeks it has become by second favourite machine

Great story! You see, only the winners choose the Amstrad CPC!

[0ziris]

I can tell you exactly why my best friend got an Amstrad 464, two reasons basically.

1. Woolworth stocked the stand alone CPC464 AND the modulator (he already had a 14" colour portable TV)
2. Sorcery. It was loaded up on the 464 on display and he loves those kind of arcade adventures and he loved the colourful graphics. 

He liked Sorcery so much he splurged on it and slapped down the £225(?) from the wad of cash in his jacket pocket from the postal insurance cheque he had just cashed at the post office after waiting 2-3 months for the claim for his lost home computer in the post sending it back for a warranty repair. 

We were in the shop for ages whilst he played Sorcery lol. That and Get Dexter were his 2 fav' games of all time. He liked to map out games, not really a shmup kinda guy etc.

(before you wonder, due to illness he is not able to come on this forum and tell you these things himself)

[reidrac]

My school had a lab with around 5 CPC 6128 that were used in extra-curricula programming classes (BASIC essentially).

But if we look at how I got my 464, it was after listening to a podcast episode of Retro Asylum (so I voted "other"). In their first "8-bit wars" the guy defending the CPC was very enthusiastic and did a good job explaining what the CPC was about, IMHO. Shortly after that a local 464 with color monitor appeared on ebay. That was late 2014 or early 2015.

Because I had a CPC I thought I would make some games for it

[arnoldemu]

I wanted a computer of my own, the family shared a bbc model b, and my dad mentioned the Amstrad because of it's convenience, I was initially going to go for a 664 but the 6128 was due, so once I'd saved up enough money and with the help of my parents I got my own cpc which I've still got.

I chose it because I wanted to play games and do a job making games.

[Shaun M. Neary]

I chose it because I wanted to play games and do a job making games.

Interestingly enough Kev, next year marks 30 years since we were first in contact. Between game reviews and game swapping (You had downloaded a bunch of stuff from NVG and put em on to discs for me, which I thought was a really cool gesture then as it is now)

As a result, I spent a lot of time on my 464 with disk drive attached that Christmas.

Good times.