"IT'S BEHIND YOU: the making of a computer game"

Reminisce about those old games and dedicated gaming hardware

"IT'S BEHIND YOU: the making of a computer game"

Postby kevman3d on Thu Sep 12, 2013 1:49 pm

In case anybody is interested, Bob Pape who wrote R-Type for the ZX Speccy has released a PDF book of his story called "IT'S BEHIND YOU: the making of a computer game". 136 pages, and while I've just speed-flicked through it, looks an interesting read when I get time.

R-Type on the speccy was pretty authentic - I recall many an hour playing it and being wowed by how close it was to the Arcade version.

http://bizzley.com/
"kevman3d" on trademe.
Blog
kevman3d
 
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 2:54 pm

Re: "IT'S BEHIND YOU: the making of a computer game"

Postby Shayde on Thu Sep 19, 2013 10:55 am

I finally got around to reading this. Apart from his annoying habit of using back-slash, it's well written. :)

The way he was treated in the games industry sounds pretty typical, and it hasn't really changed much from what I know. I was very briefly in the industry and, as usual, it was long hours, low pay, and managers that didn't care about you - yet strangely I still remember that time fondly.

I never used a Spectrum though (I moved to a C64 after owning a ZX81), so I never played the version of R-Type described in this story. I don't think I even played the C64 version.

Still, a good read. I'm a sucker for these kinds of stories, having read Masters of Doom, and The Soul of a New Machine previously.
Shayde
 
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 6:05 pm
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Re: "IT'S BEHIND YOU: the making of a computer game"

Postby kevman3d on Sat Sep 21, 2013 5:54 pm

I'm a sucker for these kinds of stories


I'm terrible when it comes to reading these days... I don't tend to read a lot (though I do flick through things and take a little in) - I'm much more a video watcher...

I'm waiting on the "From Bedrooms to Billions" doco to finish and be released (I think Jan 2014 - not too far off now). I've thrown a few extra $$ to get the 4 hour special edition - its definitely a reminder of those times in the 1980's when gaming was exciting and new, and its great to hear a little about how things were from the programmers behind the games (rather then recall those news stories from an issue of some computer magazine)
"kevman3d" on trademe.
Blog
kevman3d
 
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 2:54 pm


Return to Vintage Computer Gaming

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests

cron