Imagic question

[zekish]

Hiya. First off, this is my first time posting here so hello to all!

 

Now, my question. I used to enjoy Imagic games a lot. I think they made some of the best games for the 2600, along with Activision, of course. I am interested in finding out as much as I can about them. I'm not sure why, but just thought it'd be nice. I'd be interested in finding out how and why they started up, who programmed for them, and so forth.

 

I also have fond memories of when I entered the Riddle of the Sphinx contest. I didn't win, obviously, but it was one of the first contests I'd ever entered and it was nice of Imagic to get back to me to tell me that they got my entry but I wasn't chosen to be the winner, unfortunately. I really hadn't expected to hear from them unless I won. It's kind of like when you apply for a job and they call you to let you know you weren't hired but thanks anyway.

 

Don't ask me why I remember but the letter was written by a lady named Kathy Boothe. I remember stupid stuff like that in life but not what I did two days ago. Go figure. Anyways, she was cool and I'd actually written back to her a few times, discussing this and that. She turned out to be quite cool. It was almost like I had a penpal for awhile there, hehe. When you are a young kid, it's a wonder when you have contact like that back and forth with a company that you idolize.

 

I even sent them game ideas I had, hoping they might like what they saw and ask me to elaborate further. Kathy got back to me and said thanks, but no thanks but she wished that one day she'd pick up a box for a game one day and see that it was programmed by me, encouraging me to hang with it.

 

I was too young to even know how games were made, that they were programmed using a special language and all. If I'd only known, I probably would have been enticed into learning programming before I had picked up an 800XL years down the road. Even with the 800XL, though, I'd only gotten most of BASIC down.

 

Nowadays, I do programming for websites using PHP. I guess you could say I hung on to the programming aspect enough that I can leave my mark in spots, even if it isn't programming games.

 

Back to Kathy and Imagic...

 

I had saved my corresponence with her for years but I must have gotten rid of it, as I can't recall having seen it in recent times. So, I've been wondering what ever became of those fine folks at that company and what their story was. They were a class act and I'd like to know more about them.

 

Anyone have any idea where I can find such info?

[ren.dhark]

Here are some Informations (sorry, only in german). Hope this will help you

 

Copyright by "The Dot Eaters"

(http://museum.ruhr.de/)

Inspiriert durch den großen Erfolg den Activision genießt, wird Imagic 1981 der zweite Software-Dritthersteller. Die ehemaligen Atari Angestellten Bill Grubb und Dennis Kobel, einer der ersten Programmierer bei Atari 1971, gründen zusammen mit Brian Dougherty dieses Unternehmen mit weniger als 2 Mio. Dollar. Imagic verfügt über ursprünglich 10 Angestellte, hauptsächlich frühere Atari und Mattel Mitarbeiter. Unter denen befinden sich auch der 24jährige Rob Fulop, der für die Atari VCS Hits Night Driver und Missile Command zuständig war, sowie der VCS Video Pinball Entwickler Bob Smith.

 

Fulop entwirft Demon Attack, das 1982 veröffentlicht wird und das bestverkaufteste Imagic Cartridge wird. Das Spiel ähnelt sehr dem 1980 entstandenem Centuri-Spiel Phoenix und Atari als Lizenznehmer verklagt 1982 Imagic wegen dieser Phoenix-Portierung, was schließlich auch vor Gericht ausgefochten wird. Fulop entwickelt auch Cosmic Ark für Imagic, zusammen mit dem weniger bekannten Fathom und dem unglaublich seltenen Rubik's Cube Spiel mit Namen Cubicolor.

 

Während Imagic seine Spiele auf andere Plattformen, wie die Intellivision und sogar der sterbenden Odyssey 2, portiert, erliegt das Unternehmen nach nur 20 Veröffentlichungen dem großen Videospielecrash 1983/84.

 

Günther

[Ian Primus]

And translated, that is...

 

Inspired by large success enjoys the Activision, Imagic becomes 1981 the second software third manufacturer. The former Atari employee Bill Grubb and Dennis Kobel, one of the first programmers with Atari 1971, creates this enterprise with fewer than 2 million dollar together with Brian Dougherty. Imagic has originally 10 employees, mainly earlier Atari and Mattel coworker. Under those is also the 24jaehrige Rob Fulop, which were responsible for the Atari VCS hit Night Driver and Missile COMMAND, as well as the VCS video pin ball developer Bob Smith. Fulop sketches Demon Attack, which is published 1982 and which bestverkaufteste Imagic cartridge becomes. The play resembles much that 1980 developed Centuri play Phoenix and Atari as a licensee sues 1982 Imagic because of these Phoenix Portierung, which finally also before court output-fenced becomes. Fulop develops also Cosmic Ark for Imagic, together with the fewer well-known Fathom and the unbelievably rare Rubik's Cube play with name Cubicolor. While Imagic its plays on other platforms, like the Intellivision and even the dying Odyssey 2 portiert, the enterprise succumbs to the large Videospielecrash after only 20 publications 1983/84.

 

 

Ian Primus

ian.primus@usa.net