FTL Games: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
VisualWikitext
imported>Inpops
 
imported>WikiOriginal-9
m caps
 
Line 38: Line 38:
FTL was founded by Wayne Holder in 1982. Holder started Software Heaven and FTL as its game division after founding [[Oasis Systems]], which specialized in [[Spell checker|spell checking]] software. He hired [[Bruce Webster]], with whom he graduated from [[high school]], to head FTL. After Webster left FTL in 1984, [[Doug Bell (game designer)|Doug Bell]] joined FTL and served as the Technical Director until FTL ceased operations in 1996.<ref name="making">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/upload/media/scans/retrogamer_dungeonmaster.pdf |title=The Making of Dungeon Master|last=McFerran|first=Damien|issue=34 |year=2006 |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |pages=30–31|access-date=2011-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201014432/http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/upload/media/scans/retrogamer_dungeonmaster.pdf |archive-date=1 February 2012}}</ref>
FTL was founded by Wayne Holder in 1982. Holder started Software Heaven and FTL as its game division after founding [[Oasis Systems]], which specialized in [[Spell checker|spell checking]] software. He hired [[Bruce Webster]], with whom he graduated from [[high school]], to head FTL. After Webster left FTL in 1984, [[Doug Bell (game designer)|Doug Bell]] joined FTL and served as the Technical Director until FTL ceased operations in 1996.<ref name="making">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/upload/media/scans/retrogamer_dungeonmaster.pdf |title=The Making of Dungeon Master|last=McFerran|first=Damien|issue=34 |year=2006 |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |pages=30–31|access-date=2011-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201014432/http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/upload/media/scans/retrogamer_dungeonmaster.pdf |archive-date=1 February 2012}}</ref>


==Release History==
==Release history==
FTL released several games throughout its short history. Certain titles were best sellers for the time of their release.
FTL released several games throughout its short history. Certain titles were best sellers for the time of their release.


Line 45: Line 45:
Holder and Webster co-designed FTL's first game, ''[[SunDog: Frozen Legacy]]'', a space trading game. It was released first for the [[Apple II]] in March 1984.<ref>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030618084421/http://www3.sympatico.ca/maury/games/space/sundog.html|url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/maury/games/space/sundog.html|date=2000-09-01|accessdate=2011-01-08|archivedate=2003-06-18|first=Maury |last=Markowitz|language=|title=SunDog: History (Interview with Bruce Webster)}}</ref> Webster did most of the [[video game programming|programming]] for the Apple II version, but resigned from FTL after the release of version 2.0. Doug Bell, Andy Jaros and Michael Newton significantly enhanced the game's graphics when [[porting]] the game to the [[Atari ST]], releasing it in late 1985. ''SunDog'' became the best selling game on the Atari ST during the system's first year, and garnered lavish critical acclaim.
Holder and Webster co-designed FTL's first game, ''[[SunDog: Frozen Legacy]]'', a space trading game. It was released first for the [[Apple II]] in March 1984.<ref>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030618084421/http://www3.sympatico.ca/maury/games/space/sundog.html|url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/maury/games/space/sundog.html|date=2000-09-01|accessdate=2011-01-08|archivedate=2003-06-18|first=Maury |last=Markowitz|language=|title=SunDog: History (Interview with Bruce Webster)}}</ref> Webster did most of the [[video game programming|programming]] for the Apple II version, but resigned from FTL after the release of version 2.0. Doug Bell, Andy Jaros and Michael Newton significantly enhanced the game's graphics when [[porting]] the game to the [[Atari ST]], releasing it in late 1985. ''SunDog'' became the best selling game on the Atari ST during the system's first year, and garnered lavish critical acclaim.


The packaging cover art was designed and illustrated by David R. Darrow.<ref name="darrow">[http://www.darrowart.com/paintings/illust_index.html My Illustration Career] from David R. Darrow's website</ref>
The packaging cover art was designed and illustrated by David R. Darrow.<ref name="darrow">[https://www.darrowart.com/paintings/illust_index.html My Illustration Career] from David R. Darrow's website</ref>


===''Oids''===
===''Oids''===
Line 80: Line 80:
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct video game companies based in California]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1982]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1982]]
[[Category:Defunct computer companies based in California]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1982]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in California]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Video game companies based in California]]

Latest revision as of 23:58, 30 October 2025

Script error: No such module "about". Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherTemplate:Main otherScript error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". FTL Games (Faster Than Light) was the video game development division of Software Heaven Inc. FTL created several popular video games in the 1980s. Despite the company's small size, FTL products were successful and received positive reviews from critics.

Overview

FTL was founded by Wayne Holder in 1982. Holder started Software Heaven and FTL as its game division after founding Oasis Systems, which specialized in spell checking software. He hired Bruce Webster, with whom he graduated from high school, to head FTL. After Webster left FTL in 1984, Doug Bell joined FTL and served as the Technical Director until FTL ceased operations in 1996.[1]

Release history

FTL released several games throughout its short history. Certain titles were best sellers for the time of their release.

SunDog: Frozen Legacy

Holder and Webster co-designed FTL's first game, SunDog: Frozen Legacy, a space trading game. It was released first for the Apple II in March 1984.[2] Webster did most of the programming for the Apple II version, but resigned from FTL after the release of version 2.0. Doug Bell, Andy Jaros and Michael Newton significantly enhanced the game's graphics when porting the game to the Atari ST, releasing it in late 1985. SunDog became the best selling game on the Atari ST during the system's first year, and garnered lavish critical acclaim.

The packaging cover art was designed and illustrated by David R. Darrow.[3]

Oids

Oids, an action game, was one of FTL's minor releases. The original Atari ST version was created by Dan Hewitt who did both the graphics and all of the programming. It received little attention with a later conversion to the Mac, but received 5 Stars on Macworld 1990.[4][5] However the original Atari ST release received rave reviews in the UK, where it remains a cult favourite. Later, after FTL ceased operations, an updated authorized shareware version of Oids for the Macintosh was developed and released by Kirk Baker. It was however eclipsed by the release of FTL's next game.

As with SunDog, the packaging cover art was designed and illustrated by David R. Darrow.[3]

Dungeon Master

Dungeon Master is a fantasy role-playing game, which popularized real-time gameplay. The game included a number of user interface features that made gameplay particularly enjoyable, from a spell system that seemed to be "logical" to the intuitive way the player used the mouse to directly manipulate items in the simulated 3D view.[6] It was released on the ST in 1987 and went on to become the ST's best selling product of all time. It was eventually ported to over a dozen platforms in six languages. It received many awards, including the first Special Award for Artistic Achievement from Computer Gaming World when it was initially released.

David R. Darrow. returned to illustrate the cover artwork for Dungeon Master.[3]

Chaos Strikes Back

A Dungeon Master sequel, Chaos Strikes Back, was released in 1989 for most platforms, but notably excluding a PC version. It uses the same engine as Dungeon Master but features new creatures and graphics.[1]

Dungeon Master: Theron's Quest

Dungeon Master: Theron's Quest was a simplified Dungeon Master version with new dungeons from 1992 for TurboGrafx-16 and the PC Engine.[1][7]

Dungeon Master II

Dungeon Master II: The Legend of Skullkeep was the best-selling game of the week when it was released in Japan in December 1993. For some reason, it took two years before it was released in the US and Europe in 1995 by Interplay Productions. While the game had been highly anticipated, by 1995[8] it was considered too dated and sold poorly. The studio began to break up around this time.[1]

Dungeon Master Nexus

Dungeon Master Nexus was released 1998 for Sega Saturn and only the Japanese market under the FTL and Software Heaven brand.[9] It was developed and published by Victor Interactive Software.[1][10]

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Authority control

  1. ↑ a b c d e Template:Cite magazine
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ a b c My Illustration Career from David R. Darrow's website
  4. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Theron's Quest for TurboGrafx/PC Engine - from Dungeon Master Encyclopedia
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Dungeon Master Nexus for Sega Saturn - from Dungeon Master Encyclopedia
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=FTL_Games&oldid=3455630"