Joel Billings
Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Wikidata image
Joel Billings is an American video game designer and producer. He is the founder of the computer game company Strategic Simulations (SSI).[1] He was also the company's president.[2]
Career
Joel Billings wanted to work with Avalon Hill to publish his computer wargame Computer Bismarck but they turned him down, so instead he decided to found a new company and publish the game himself.[3] Billings started SSI in 1979 just after finishing college, with a $1000 initial investment. The first product was Computer Bismarck, which he co-wrote. Designed for the TRS-80 and Apple II home computers, it is viewed as the first computer war game ever published. It sold 7000 copies, considered reasonably successful for its time.[2][4] The company was an industry leader for years in war games and role-playing video games.
In 1987 Billings acquired the rights to the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing games from TSR,Script error: No such module "Unsubst". which led to the creation of the Gold Box D&D game series, one of the best selling video game franchises of the 1980s and 1990s.
After a year of losses tied to delays in the new Dark Sun game engine, Billings sold the company to Mindscape in 1994.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
In 2001 Billings started a game development company called 2 By 3 Games with former SSI game programmers Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
In December 2013, Billings donated several SSI video games, such as Computer Bismarck, including the source code, for preservation to the ICHEG.[5][6]
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ Jones, Stephen (March 30, 1987). "A Video Game Comeback?", San Jose Business Journal 4 (49): 7.
- ↑ a b Seiken, Jeff (July 05, 1990). "Computer War Games Test Strategic Skills", Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Seiken, Jeff (October 6, 1990). "War simulations let you take charge", Austin American Statesman, p. 22.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".