Games

 

I began making games in May 1982.

I am one of the UK generation of self-taught back-bedroom programmers, who, inspired by arcade Space Invaders, the movie TRON, friends’ self-built Sinclair ZX81s and school Commodore PET microcomputers wanted to have a go at making their own games.

I succeeded and my first published game, Jet Power Jack was written while I was at school.

Having finished my Higher Education I spent a few months writing business software before I was approached to provide some freelance artwork for the Sheffield-based company, Gremlin Graphics. At my interview, I was offered a full-time position and I took the chance of leaving the world of safe and serious computing behind to give the more risky business of video games a try.

This ‘try’ has lasted far longer than I had ever expected and it has, at times, been a bit of a rollercoaster ride along the way. During it, I’ve met and worked with some amazing and talented people and I’ve seen a fair few game formats come and go.  From art and design to programming and project management, I’ve adapted my role many times as the task of making video games has evolved.

Where appropriate (or feasible, game teams can run to easily 100 people now) I have tried to credit those who worked alongside me on these projects. Without their talents, the games would never have been made.