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Hi,
Aphra suggested I start a new thread on this one (it might answer Bomberman’s question about the 8bit titles I was involved with also).Emerald Software set up in Waterford in 1989 by Mike Dixon and David IIRC. Incidentally it’s not the Emerald Software who did “Revolt of Don’s Knights “. I was still in touch/working with the art college at WRTC when the MDs came along looking for potential artists. I had no computer experience at the time but neither did anyone else and I fulfilled the other criteria (could draw a bit and was available :-) so they took me on. It’s a long time ago now but here’s a breakdown of what I remember of Emerald’s titles:
Bruce Lee Enter The Dragon; a static background beat em up on Spectrum, c64 and Amstrad (This was canned cos’ we really didn’t have a clue what we were up to and got rumbled).
Running Man; side scrolling platformer on PC (CGA and EGA) and Amiga. I think it was also on the 8bits, perhaps c64 and Amstrad?
Phantom Fighter; a pretty nice shoot em up on the Amiga (and released as ‘If it moves, shoot it’ on the PC)
Treasure Trap; A nice isometric puzzle game on Amiga and PC (EGA)
Moonwalker; An odd sideways scroller action thing featuring Michael Jackson saving kids! Amiga and some 8bits IIRC.
Guardian Angel; A sideways scrolling beat em up on Amiga.
A-10 Tank Killer; A 3d/2d action flight sim on Amiga. This fell apart about the same time the company folded.
All in all I think the company was only there for 2 years or thereabouts so this isn’t a bad portfolio. In the end some of the guys went to the UK. I and a couple of others set up a new company called Doodlebug with the help of Electronic Zoo. We had hopes to move to the US with them but as is often the way in this business it came to nothing. I then left for the UK and blah, blah…
So my 8 bit experience isn’t great. To be honest I don’t have very fond memories of it either. The limitations were horrid and the tools not much to smile about either. The c64 was a pig to do art for (sorry Bomberman). When the Amiga and AtariST came along I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.
All the best,
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Hi Paul,
I remember playing a few of those games in the good ol’ days! Little did I know that they were developed down the road, otherwise I’d have been ringing up for cheat codes! :P
Mal
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Hi Paul,
My team have just won the “Innovation and Creativity” award in the “Dare To Be Digital” competition in Dundee where we developed a prototype in 10 weeks. We were privilaged to have been judged by people from EA, Real Time Worlds, StoryLine, IOMO, BBC and Develop magazine.
I was wondering if Lionhead are aware of the competition as there doesn’t seem to be much of a following from down south. With big names such as EA and Microsoft attending the ceremony and being impressed by all the teams work, I think the reputation will be growing.
Damian Furlong.
Lost Box -
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Hi Aphra,
Had a horrible feeling yesterday that I didn’t attach those screen-shots. :(
I’ve just arrived back in Ireland now for the week, and will try get something to you by tomorrow. Sorry again…I’d be happy to let you all know about our winning entry. I’ll put something together by the end of the week, I need to revamp my website and everything should be good then.
I also got a call from GameSpot.com yesterday, and there should be an article about us up there pretty soon too!Damian.
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Hi Paul,
I missed Emerald by a few years but I still keep in touch with old Damian Power and Frank Somers (remember them?). Unfortunately for us we’re all from Waterford. That will always hang over us and we can only get so far…Always been aware of your career and thanks for all the wasted hours (especially on the bullfrog front).
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Another Irish company that some of you may have worked for or heard of is Phantom Games, Damien Lee was the MD of it a few years ago. I think they were going some Sega ( possibly Saturn ) games.
Damien is still in the real-time 3D field, he’s involved with these guys now…
http://www.siliconvista.com/index.htm
Taintech has already been mentioned… it would be interesting to hear from all of these guys who entered the game development market in Ireland years ago, and maybe get to hear some of their words of wisdom.
I’d say that would make for an excellent article for the website!
Mal
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Hi Paul
Sean Rogers here ex Emerald C64 programmer.
My memories of emerald are pulling all nighters to meet deadlines and various sessions in Geoffs (Remember the backdrop in Vigilante)
Still in touch with a couple of the guys we should organise a reunion and get Dave martin to foot the bill :-)
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Another Irish company that some of you may have worked for or heard of is Phantom Games, Damien Lee was the MD of it a few years ago. I think they were going some Sega ( possibly Saturn ) games.
Damien is still in the real-time 3D field, he’s involved with these guys now…[/quote:6f6814abf5]
It seems that as of May 2003 Silicon Vista are no longer with us…
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Crikey; there are still echoes of Emerald connections around it seems. Although the memory of those times is fading somewhat I still reckon we’d have a lell of a job getting Dave Martin to cover the tab :-)
I met Brian Kelly and Frank Somers in Dublin leas year when I was over for the ‘Art of games’ talk in Trinity. They’re still active in the ‘mobile’ market and to be honest, quite spookily, haven’t aged at all. It was weird but very enjoyable taking up from where we’d left off some 13 years earlier.
Paul Mc
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