REDO FROM START (USA & Japan)
REDO FROM START (USA & Japan)
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THE STORY
THE STORY
1982–1985: How the COMMODORE 64 conquered the home computer industry
How did the Commodore 64 become one of the defining computers of the 1980s? The people who were there tell the story themselves. Developers, publishers, marketers and software pioneers recall their first steps in the games industry and reveal how a new generation of computer entertainment took shape.
Across two volumes, 64 previously unpublished interviews explore the pioneering scenes of the USA and Japan (Volume 1) and Canada and Europe (Volume 2).
Commodore pioneers revisited
REDO FROM START is the debut work of Italian researcher Andrea Pachetti, who spent ten years tracking down the programmers, designers, entrepreneurs and publishers who helped shape this extraordinary period in computing history.
The story is introduced by John Romero and Chris Crawford – two influential figures in the games industry, with Crawford also known as the founder of the Game Developers Conference (GDC).
The developers’ vision in pixels
The interviews are accompanied by richly illustrated features examining the companies, technology and creative ideas behind the emerging computer games industry.
Pioneers including Paul Norman (Aztec Challenge, Forbidden Forest), Jeff Bruette (Wizard of Wor), David Crane (Ghostbusters, Decathlon), Dane Bigham (Lode Runner, Choplifter) and David S. Maynard (Worms) describe the challenges they faced, the ideas they pursued and the work that helped transform the Commodore 64 into an outstanding games machine.
IT engineers and game makers
This was an industry without an established rulebook.
New companies appeared, young programmers experimented with unfamiliar hardware, cassettes hissed into life and floppy drives rattled across bedrooms and offices.
At Commodore, efforts were under way to build a compelling software library and bring arcade-style experiences into the home. At the same time, independent developers and entrepreneurs began exploring the remarkable possibilities offered by Commodore’s machines. Their games, conversions and pixel worlds would go on to become enduring classics.
Industry profiles and “More Bytes”
Every interview is complemented by a dedicated industry profile charting the most important games, products and stages of each contributor’s career.
What came before? Which projects mattered most? And where did their careers lead afterwards?
Dedicated tables provide a concise overview, while the book’s “More Bytes” navigation system connects related features, articles and reading recommendations for anyone wishing to explore the story in greater depth.
Back to the origins of the C64
REDO FROM START returns to the years when Commodore repeatedly changed the home computer market with the PET 2001, VIC-20 and Commodore 64.
Eyewitness accounts, rare images and carefully researched background features capture the optimism, experimentation and entrepreneurial spirit of the early 1980s.
With around 800 images, numerous profiles and extensive editorial content, REDO FROM START is both a visual journey through the birth of the C64 era and an in-depth reference work for enthusiasts of computer history.
PEOPLE & FEATURES
PEOPLE & FEATURES
Conversations with industry veterans
Andrew Kaluzniacki, Bruce Robinson, Chris Crawford, Chris Warling, Chuck Benton, Dane Bigham, David Crane, David Lundberg, David Martin, David S. Maynard, Douglas Carlston, Harry Briley, Hitoshi Suzuki, Jeff Bruette, Jerry W. Jewell, John Marvin, John Romero, Judy Braddick, Ken Madell, Ken Williams, Louis Ewens, Michael Crick, Michael J. Hanson, Mike Blackman, Mike Wacker, Paul Norman, Peter Filiberti, Randall Lockwood, Robert Leff, Satoshi Matsuoka, Scott C. Berk, Steve Hales, Steve Penners, Steven Sidley and Yash Terakura.
Commodore games in focus
Wizard of Wor, Gorf, Solar Fox, International Tennis, Jupiter Lander, Pitfall!, Ghostbusters, Decathlon, Novablast, Whistler’s Brother, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, Lode Runner, Choplifter, Frogger, B.C.’s Quest for Tires, Softporn Adventure, Repton, Worms?, M.U.L.E., Seven Cities of Gold, Silicon Warrior, Lunar Outpost, Caverns of Khafka, Aztec Challenge, Forbidden Forest, Beyond Forbidden Forest, FrogMaster, HesGames, Indiana Jones and the Lost Kingdom, Visible Solar System, Cosmic Life, Fort Apocalypse, DragonHawk, Fax, Escape MCP, Bets, Godzilla!, Labyrinth, Speed Racer, Slalom!, Waterline, Grave Robbers, Adventure Pack, Oil Wells, Jawbreaker and many more…
A wealth of classic 8-bit publishers
Activision, Briley Software, Brøderbund, Comm*Data, Commodore Business Machines, Commodore Japan Limited, COSMI, Cyberia, Electronic Arts, Epyx, HAL Laboratory, Lucasfilm Games, HESware, Mindscape, Sierra On-Line, Sirius Software, Softsel, Spinnaker, Synapse, T&F Software, The Code Works, Tronix, United Microware Industries (UMI), Victory Software and many more…
EDITION DETAILS
EDITION DETAILS
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE HARDBACK EDITION
- 384 full-colour pages
- 168 × 230 mm portrait format
- High-quality offset printing
- 130 gsm Amber Graphic paper
- Pantone metallic ink
- C64 colour reference guide
- Made in Germany
DELIVERY
DELIVERY
Hardback book
Digital PDF edition
Ribbon bookmark
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Full disclosure: I am one of the Commodore Pioneers interviewed in this book.
The book is impressive. It is almost 400 pages and interviews over 30 pioneers. The book printing is excellent.
It has an excellent balance of photos and text.
At Commodore's heyday in the early 1980s, I was in a virtual foxhole not able to see what other companies were doing. This book shows me what else was going on at the time that I was not aware of.
This book is not a linear history of the history of Commodore. It is about the people who were part of this incredibly exciting time.
My company, Victory Software, was just a tiny player compared to the big boys like Activision, Sierra On-Line, and Electronic Arts. I'd like to thank Mr. Pachetti for including me.
Let's not have anyone thinking this is just a vanity publication like Who's Who, even if everyone that was featured in the book bought a copy (all 30 or so), there is no way it would have paid for the printing of the book.
If you do buy a copy, the photo for me is incorrect (my fault for not submitting my photo in time for publication), so feel free to print out my photo and paste it over page 345.
