Lode Runner, a game many of us logged hundreds of hours upon. Lode Runner has a great deal of replay value thanks to its great map editor. The game was first published by Broderbund in 1983, but was first prototyped by Douglas Smith, an architecture student at the University of Washington.
The Lode Runner prototype was called Kong and was originally written for a Prime Computer 550 minicomputer on campus, but shortly after it was ported to the VAX minicomputer. Originally programmed in FORTRAN and utilized only ASCII character graphics (the most basic of characters).
In September of 1982 Smith was able to port it to the Apple II+ (in assembly language) and renamed it to Miner. In October of that same year he submitted a rough copy to Broderbund and he’s said to have received a one-line rejection letter, “Sorry, your game doesn’t fit into our product line; please feel free to submit future products.”
The original title had no joystick support and was developed in full black and white…not exactly exciting. So, Smith then borrowed money to purchase a color monitor and joystick and continued to improve the game. Around Christmas of 1982, he submitted the game, now renamed Lode Runner, to four publishers and quickly received offers from all four: Sierra, Sirius, Synergistic, and Brøderbund.
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@John Caramack interested in Kinect:
Whaa … ?
I don’t get it. In case of Kinect, it’s hard to implement a control scheme that would work for shooters. But who knows, maybe id is going for the new version of Dance Central?
I honestly don’t know what to think of this.
@Kinect sells 1 million units in 10 days:
MSFT would better do a good job with adding games to the Kinect library. Otherwise you’ll have 1 million unhappy (non corporate) customers.
@Diablo III coming to consoles?
That’s not much of a surprise. I mean the control scheme for RPGs is not that demanding as for an FPS, so why not use the DRM box?
It’ll be a pretty darn successful move.
A kinect version? No. As long as the game requires you to move your character across a large level, I don’t see kinect going ok. Unless you install some sort of treadmill.
Derrick, good call with the possibility of MSFT buying Harmonics.
Loved them bloopers 🙂
@John Caramack interested in Kinect:
Whaa … ?
I don’t get it. In case of Kinect, it’s hard to implement a control scheme that would work for shooters. But who knows, maybe id is going for the new version of Dance Central?
I honestly don’t know what to think of this.
@Kinect sells 1 million units in 10 days:
MSFT would better do a good job with adding games to the Kinect library. Otherwise you’ll have 1 million unhappy (non corporate) customers.
@Diablo III coming to consoles?
That’s not much of a surprise. I mean the control scheme for RPGs is not that demanding as for an FPS, so why not use the DRM box?
It’ll be a pretty darn successful move.
A kinect version? No. As long as the game requires you to move your character across a large level, I don’t see kinect going ok. Unless you install some sort of treadmill.
Derrick, good call with the possibility of MSFT buying Harmonics.
Loved them bloopers 🙂
It has been a loooooong time since I actually commented on the QotD, as I simply haven’t had the time (writing 10,000 word essays isn’t the easiest thing in the world).
I find that during holidays, I always intend to relax and play more games, but I end up talking to family more anyway. And as I think about it, I realise that I ‘need’ to game less over holidays, due to the fact that I don’t need that extra bit of catharsis to deal with stress.
I was sorry to hear that Don will be leaving the show, but needs-must I suppose. Good luck with all that you attempt Don.
I do however look forward to seeing (or more, hearing) what Jonah Falcon brings to the show.
As always, cheers and peace.
It has been a loooooong time since I actually commented on the QotD, as I simply haven’t had the time (writing 10,000 word essays isn’t the easiest thing in the world).
I find that during holidays, I always intend to relax and play more games, but I end up talking to family more anyway. And as I think about it, I realise that I ‘need’ to game less over holidays, due to the fact that I don’t need that extra bit of catharsis to deal with stress.
I was sorry to hear that Don will be leaving the show, but needs-must I suppose. Good luck with all that you attempt Don.
I do however look forward to seeing (or more, hearing) what Jonah Falcon brings to the show.
As always, cheers and peace.
Don, in the words of Glados of Aperture Laboratories, You will be… (dramatic pause) missed. Hope you will come back for plenty of guest appearances.
@QotW:
Holidays mean crazy Steam sales and more games I will probably never have the time to play. But in recent years I have often been working through the holidays so it hasn’t made a big difference. This year I don’t so I’m hoping I will have more time for gaming.
Don, in the words of Glados of Aperture Laboratories, You will be… (dramatic pause) missed. Hope you will come back for plenty of guest appearances.
@QotW:
Holidays mean crazy Steam sales and more games I will probably never have the time to play. But in recent years I have often been working through the holidays so it hasn’t made a big difference. This year I don’t so I’m hoping I will have more time for gaming.
I sent you guys a letter on your e-mail address, you haven;t checked it, haven’t you? =)
Hmm, I’ve got to check again, I thought I had one but I seem to have lost it, I can get it out of our inbox though.
I sent you guys a letter on your e-mail address, you haven;t checked it, haven’t you? =)
Hmm, I’ve got to check again, I thought I had one but I seem to have lost it, I can get it out of our inbox though.
Thx Don, i enjoyed what you brought to the show & wish you good times in the future =).
Thx Don, i enjoyed what you brought to the show & wish you good times in the future =).