Six Game Devs Speak to Computer Games Mag (1984)

Meet the Creators of Choplifter, Wizardry, Castle Wolfenstein, Zaxxon, Canyon Climber, and the Arcade Machine

from the June 1984 issue of Computer Games magazine

Computer Games Interview: The Secret Superstars

Meet the Creators of Choplifter, Wizardry, Castle Wolfenstein, Zaxxon, Canyon Climber, and the Arcade Machine

By Kathy Bissell

How do they do it, these masterful creators of high-caliber games like Wizardry and Choplifter? From what strange planet or time warp do they draw such appealing and durable game scenarios? How did they get a foot in the high-tech door in the first place? And what kind of games do they play when not busy writing their own?

To find out, we tracked down six of the top guns - Silas Warner (Castle Wolfenstein), Dan Sortin (Choplifter), Bob Flanagan (Thief, Speedway and Spectre), Chris Jochumson (The Arcade Machine), Robert Woodhead (co-creator of Wizardry) and Steve Bjork (Canyon Climber and the Apple version of Zaxxon). In addition to advice on how to break into the game-writing game, they even revealed a few tips on how to beat their own classic games.

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CG: What was the first video game you created, and when?

Jochumson: "I was in the Air Force and was home on leave. I was headed for Korea. And I got an Apple computer— I was the first person on my block to have one. I took it and played with it. That was in 1977. In my spare time I worked on a game, Space Quarks."

Warner: "Castle Wolfenstein was created between February and September of 1980. 1 started with a character generator for Apple and got it fast enough to do animation. I got the idea of someone running around. Then I watched a rerun of The Guns of Navarrone. From there I got the idea of a World War II setting. The voice of the guy talking in German came from there. We had the Control Data PLATO system, which, although designed for education, was the greatest game system ever invented. I bought an Apple in 1977 because I realized there would be a need for programmers. We founded Muse in Ed Zaron's living room." (Zaron is president of Muse Software. Muse subsequently published Old Maze and Tank War.)

Woodhead: "I started Sir-Tech Software to do business programs for one of my mom's partners. I got hooked up with Andy [Greenberg], who was and still is a grad student at Cornell. I had a game working called Paladin. Andy had one of the first Apples and had written two versions of Wizardry. Andy had figured out how to do complicated things on a micro with limited resources and get past 'hack and slash'— Hack, hack, kill, kill, loot, loot."

Flanagan: "When I was in the 10th grade, I bought an Apple. I paid half and my mom paid half. As soon as I got it, I started learning assembler language and before long wrote my first game, Speedway."

Bjork: "I started with a Radio Shack Model 1 in 1977. I guess I've written between 20 and 30 games."

Gorlin: "In December of 1981 I borrowed my grandfather's Apple computer. He sort of collects gadgets. Choplifter was released in May of 1982. It was my first game."

CG: How long did it take to create your most popular game?

Jochumson: "The Arcade Machine took eight months. It was a long process. The concept allows people to create an arcade game. There are shapes, paths, background colors. There are options to the game. Options to the levels."

Gorlin: "Choplifter took six months."

Warner: "Castie Wolfenstein was created between February and September of 1980, with a working version finished in June of 1980."

Bjork: "It took three or four months for the first version; translation to other computers took at least two months each."

Flanagan: "Spectre took a long time to do. Initial writing of the game and getting it on the screen and working took three weeks. Making adjustments, changing the number of enemies, with levels, took two months."

Woodhead: "It took from July of one year to September of the next. We wrote it in PASCAL to get more into it."

CG: What is it about your game that you think has made it special?

Gorlin: "It is special because I finished it. In a deeper sense, you see things that don't match expectations. But Choplifter did everything that needs to he done."

Jochumson: "The Arcade Machine is different from most games. I'm still excited about it."

Bjork: "It has a solid rock feel—like arcade games. It's well done. Generally, when you start [a new game], you can't get beyond the first screen. But adding different screens is currently difficult and costly. Not as costly as three new games."

Warner: "There are subtle relationships; it's hard to put it all together just right. I don't claim it all myself. There was probably a lot of luck involved. It's playable. Continuously interesting."

Flanagan: "The key to a real successful game is playability. Thief is closest to arcade games because of its playability."

Woodhead: "I think we were in the right place at the right time. Nobody can come close to it. If you want it, there's only one us."

CG: What kind of background, education, training is necessary to become a game creator? And how did you get started?

Warner: "The big thing is to learn how to program your particular computer. It is possible to write games in BASIC, but only if you are willing to put up with slow, clumsy games. You have to improvise to get some good graphics."

Gorlin: "Anything in a manual or a book is old. But learning programming and assembler language is essential. I was a piano major at four colleges for seven or eight years, but took a couple of computer courses. I also had a strong math background. It seems like the two [music and mathematics] go hand in hand. It's common for scientists to be interested in music. I got a job at Rand through one of my professors. I was hired in support services. It was not a high-level job. As I got better, I worked up the ranks. By the time I left, I was working alongside PhD.s. I stuck my foot in the right doors and asked questions. Got on-the-job-training in computers. To the people at Rand, these games are more like pocket watches."

Jochumson: "The way I learned was sitting in front of the computer and doing it."

Flanagan: "I had a math class that required us to use the computer to do problems. It was to familiarize us with the computer. That was all the contact I had with it. Then I spent a lot of time in the computer room—I was what you'd call a hacker—on my own. If you're into computer games, there's no school. They can teach you how to program and how to program right. But you have to work on your own. I did because I was ambitious and curious. Take a course. Read books. Learn assembler language. There's no magic formula for that."

Bjork: "Buy your own machine and play at home. Write a few programs. Try machine language or assembler language. Companies don't want to bother to train you. You need to build your programming techniques. [Bjork recommends PASCAL because it teaches structured programming.] It's especially important when two or three people are working on the same project. They all have to be able to speak the same language."

Woodhead: "Contrary to what Edison said, its 99% Inspiration and 1% perspiration. It's important in creative work to have a firm idea of what you want it to be at the end—so that your colors continue to be brilliant. The best thing a person can say is 'This is what I want to do, now how can I do it?' Raster Blaster is like that. So is Choplifter. The programmers developed a clear perception before they started out."

CG: What are your favorite games to play?

Bjork: "I liked Tron when it was hot. Ms. Pac-Man is just like the arcade version. Zaxxon is as close to playable as Pac-Man."

Warner: "By the time I get done, I've mastered the game. We play and test them [other games] out. I don't usually play. I test to try to figure out how they did it, I like to look around to find out what's new."

Flanagan: "I like Raster Blaster, Repton, Turmoil, Pinball Construction Set."

Woodhead: "On arcades—Robotron. Home cartridge—Zaxxon on ColecoVision. I am sort of addicted to baseball games in arcades. But it cheats."

Bjork: "One of my favorite places is the Malibu Grand Prix game test center. I got to play the first Tron machine that was shipped. My favorites right now are Pengo and Robotron."

Gorlin: "I don't play them to enjoy. Most games aren't interesting enough yet."

Jochumson: "I don't enjoy playing computer games that much. I'd like to see more games that add more skill, have less hand/eye coordination."

CG: How do you feel about making a living creating games?

Bjork: "I hope it lasts for quite a bit longer because I love it! I spend all day working and playing with games. To me it's the fun of it. I can't see myself doing anything else."

Flanagan: "I just enjoy it. Creating games that I can watch someone else play and get into. It's like creating a book or a painting. People get enjoyment from it. It's very rewarding."

CG: What tips can you offer for game players who want to get a better score on your games?

Woodhead on Wizardry: "If you get stuck, the big tip is to call our office and we'll give you a hint. Remember the coward's creed: He who turns and runs away lives to see another day."

Warner on Castle Wolfenstein: "One secret people may not know is the schnapps. What happens is that you can't shoot straight if you have a lot of schnapps. To get around that problem, you should eat a lot of bratwurst."

Gorlin on Choplifter: "If you don't knock out the tanks, you will be better off. If you knock out tanks, another round will come. I like to leave the barracks closed until I want to get hostages. Land close to get loaded before a tank or plane comes along."

Bjork on Canyon Climber: "In the first scene, whenever possible use the ladders to avoid getting hit by goats. Watch the goats. The longer you're on the scene, the faster the action becomes. Don't bother with shields. Get to the top as fast as possible. Shields only last a certain time. They can act to hurt you, not help you. On avoiding rocks: Two birds are dumb. One is smart. It will drop rocks. When it flies over, fly at the same height. Practice, practice, practice."

Flanagan on Spectre: "You'll see some little dots and big dots on the right at the start of the game. Those are energizers, and you should head straight for them as soon as possible."

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