These were the "magics" you were able to do at that time!
You could achieve amazing and unexpected results going beyond common software programming, mixing software with phisical effects for example.
This was the reason the author of the article got so impressed.
I don't know what kind of todays's unconventional programming technique can achieve such a wow effect!
Side note: i was 14 too in 1991...incredible times, such as mid '80s!