For much of the 1980s, the UK led the world-wide revolution in home computing. At the heart of the fledgling industry, which grew to be a billion-dollar-a-year business, Ocean Software led the way as a creative developer and publisher. Its history of innovation, expansion and triumphs established the company as a global brand. This is Ocean’s extraordinary story, told first-hand by those who were there, from the Suits upstairs to the 'Scum' in the Dungeon.
This PAPERBACK and HARDBACK book has over 30 memoirs from those who worked at Ocean thus giving a unique insight into what it was like working for one of the largest software houses in the 80s and 90s. Remember Daley Thompson's Decathlon? Paul Owens wrote the game for the ZX Spectrum as well as Kong and tells us first hand how he created the games.
This is a 268 page book charting the rise and eventual sell off of this great company.
I really enjoyed this book. The presentation is top notch with plenty of good images and excellent reproductions of original artwork from box covers and posters. It made for a good read and was well thought out and put together. Also, well packaged for dispatch.
Quality content and excellent artwork
Brings back so many memories. Thank you for making this it is excellent
It was a nice read for me with personal views and memories from many former Ocean. I would have also liked a more technical twist describing how graphics effects were achieved in some of the games.
Ah, Ocean. Such a household name for games in the 80s even my parents recognised it. Shame then their output veered from classics like Parallax and Batman: Caped Crusader to unplayable dross like Highlander - and deliberately nerfed Robocop - that hit the shelves before the review magazines. Anyway, Chris Wilkins and Roger Kean give us yet another well-presented history of the company, from flogging tapes in trade mags to getting advance viewing of screenplays for the inevitable movie tie-in. Interviews with key personnel may pick at a few scabs, but it’s thorough and fair. And if you thought development crunch time was a new thing, think again.