Spectrofon #22 20 июля 1997

Mirror - "Among the gods: Odin (Thor)" Interview with Steven Veterillom, the company's history.

               Chris Owen, Norway, (c) 1995

           Translated by Sergei Novikov, (c) 1997


         Among the gods: Odin (Thor)



   Steve Veterill (Steve Wetherill): Odin
consisted of many members (up to 15
people) and had a pretty impressive office
opposite Albertskih docks in Liverpool.


   The company had 4 major artist - Paul
Salmon (Paul Salmon), Stewart Fotheringham
(Stuart Fotheringham), Colin Gryunz (Colin
Grunes) and Andy (Andy???, Surname not known) ... Of the 
programmers that I can remember call Robbie Tinman (Robbie 
Tinman), Mark Dawson (Mark Dawson), George Barnes (George 
Barns), Tommy Lenigana (Tommy Lanigan), Rausona Derrick (Derrick


Rowson), Steve Perry (Steve Parry), well,
themselves. There was also a musician - Keith Tinman
(Keith Tinman), not to mention the doorman and
secretary. Manager was Paul McKenna
(Paul McKenna).


   Stewart Fotheringham (Stuart
Fotheringhem): Yes, you're all right. I
was actually the chief artist at the
Commodore 64, Colin Gryunz was the main artist on the Speccy, 
though I periodically shipped with mikrodrayva Melbourne Draw 
sit and sit for any Spectrum graphics (primarily in the Nodes 
and Arc, slightly in Robin and I.C.C.U.P.S. plus

perhaps cooked a couple of pixels in
Heartland, as well as in most pictures to the games). Hence, it 
becomes clear why the hero of Nodes and Arc was named Charlie 
Fotheringham Gryunz if you saw the tape packaging.



           How it all began.


   Gryunz Colin (Colin Grunes): first appeared Thor - a 
computer firm, released the game "home" programmers. She was 
selling poor-quality programs, mainly for the Speccy, the very 
long directory. Among the whole series of second-class software 
is able to allocate only a trilogy of Jack and the Beanstalk 
(Jack and the Beanstalk, Giant's Revenge, and ... hmmm ... Here 
sclerosis! - Approx. author).



   Thor became Odin Computer
Graphics (OCG) for three reasons:

 1) All games created at home;
 2) In Thor dreamed resemble Ashby
Computer Graphics (ACG), better known as "Ultimate Play the 
Game" (In Crash'e once called Thor "future

Ultimate "- approx.'s).
 3) The Thor was a nasty reputation
because of the low-quality programs.


   After initial success Nodes and Robin
branded OCG, it was decided to return
Thor from the dead, but under a different name - Thor Computer 
Software (TCS). 


   It was a subsidiary of OCG, which was to distribute the 
"cost" odinovskie game funta 7.95 (instead of the usual 9.99). 


   Steve: Odin gave up a trilogy
Beanstalk immediately after the Nodes. Us
had spread to 10 new games
a year, than we are, incidentally, earned an amount
with five zeros. By the time the
last program was launched, the firm
there were only a few people, and the very
premises, the blight. I am sure that this picture was familiar 
to Most companies of that time.



   I could tell many stories about
Odin. Well, for example, as one of the artists tried to call 
the Demon "to dos thief, "one of the programmers. Or when

unnamed party is over at the sink in the kitchen after a fairly 
hearty meal and then it turned out that Shell has not yet been 
connected. Or when the window Odin'a appeared tablet "Thin 
girl, go!" which helped one of the programmers to find a 
spouse. It was a very young company with young employees, and 
similar antics to be expected. 


   Stewart: Colin Gryunz and I, Stewart Fotheringham, created 
the bulk of odinovskoy graphics. The exception was Robin o'the 
Wood, where the lion's share of Spectrum Graphics

drew Paul Salmon. Steve Veterill engaged codes in all major 
games for Speccy.



   Odin received the award "Golden Joystick
Awards "in the nomination" The best advertising in
1985 and 1986. Local commercial artist Jerry Fisher (Gerry 
Fisher) drew our brochures.



   Question: "What do you do after the collapse of
Odin? "


   Stewart: Most of us have gone into
Denton Designs (Liverpool computer company), which then 
consisted of left Imagine people. But we're not there long 
sitting, and each went his own way: some opened his own 
business, someone just was not work and the like.



   Today Colin and I are working in an international consulting 
company that creates graphics on business topics and using 
computers are Apple Macintosh. We work in many countries around 
the world and live in hotels. Steve Veterill - Manager Research 
and Development of the American computer company Westwood 
Studios (released featured Dune 2, Command 'Conquer, Red

Alert ... - Approx. TRANSFER.) located in
Las Vegas. Mark Dawson - Manager of the Manchester firm engaged 
in games (Barbie - His latest work).



   About Golf Salmone I heard that he was sitting
on unemployment benefits. Keith Tinman -
musician in the Ocean Software. Paul McKenna
returned to the construction business. On the rest, I do not 
know anything. 


                 ■ ■ ■


            Softografiya Odin:

Stairways


  Author: Thor (the last game before the renaming of the 
company) 

  Codes: Mark Dawson (C64)

  Graphics: Stewart Fotheringham (C64)

  Music: Fred Gray (Fred Grey)

Nodes of Yesod Working title:

           "Moon Munching Moles From Mars"


  Author: O.C.G.

  Codes: Steve Veterill, Keith Robinson, Dave
?? (Spectrum, Spectrum 128), Keith Robinson (C64), Stephen 
Walker (Stephan Walker) (Amstrad CPC); Steve Veterill 
(Enterprise Elan); Robbie Tinman (BBC Micro - not completed) 
George Barnes (MSX - not completed) 

  Graphics: Stuart Fotheringham, Colin Gryunz
and Paul Salmon (Spectrum, etc.)

  Music: Fred Gray

Robin of the Wood Working title:

                       "Robin o 'the Wood"


  Author: O.C.G.

  Codes: Steve Veterill (Spectrum, Spectrum
128), Mark Dawson (C64); Lawrence??, Stephen Walker (Amstrad 
CPC - not completed) 

  Graphics: Paul Salmon (Spectrum, Amstrad
CPC); Stewart Fotheringham (C64)

  Music: Fred Gray


Arc of Yesod


  Author: T.C.S.

  Codes: Steve Veterill (Spectrum, Spectrum
128); Robbie Tinman (C64)

  Graphics: Colin Gryunz (Spectrum, C64);
Stewart Fotheringham (C64, Spectrum)

  Music: Keith Tinman

I.C.C.U.P.S. - International Commision for

                 Universal Problem Solving


  Author: T.C.S. (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Tommy Lenigan and Steve Parry (Spectrum); Robbie 
Tinman (C64) 

  Graphics: Stewart Fotheringham (Spectrum,
C64)

  Music: Keith Tinman

Mission A.D. (Not published)


  Author: O.C.G. (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Mark Dawson (C64)

  Graphics: Stewart Fotheringham (C64)

  Music: Keith Tinman

Heartland


  Author: O.C.G. (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Steve Veterill (Spectrum, Amstrad
CPC); Keith Robinson (C64)

  Graphics: Colin Gryunz (Spectrum, Amstrad)

  Music: Steve Veterill

On The Tiles Working title:

           "Black Cat Game" (not released)


  Author: O.C.G. (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Robbie Tinman (C64)

  Graphics: Andy P? (C64)

  Music: Keith Tinman

Sidewize


  Author: O.C.G. (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Steve Veterill (Spectrum)

  Graphics: Colin Gryunz (Spectrum)

  Music: Steve Veterill

U.F.O. Working title:

              "Invaders '86" (not released)


  Author: (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Robbie Tinman (C64)

  Graphics: Andy P? (C64)

  Music: Keith Tinman

Working title:

   "Gladiator Fighting Game" (not released)


  Author: (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Derrick Rauson (Amstrad CPC)

  Graphics: Paul Salmon (Amstrad CPC)

  Music: Keith Tinman

The Gunpowder Plot (not released)


  Author: (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Derrick Rauson (Spectrum)

  Graphics: Paul Salmon (Spectrum)

  Music: Keith Tinman

Working title: "Tank Game" (not released)


  Author: (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Steve Perry (Spectrum)

  Graphics: Colin Gryunz (Spectrum)

  Music: Keith Tinman

P.L.O.D. (Not published)


  Author: (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Tommy Lenigan (Spectrum)

  Graphics: Andy P? (Spectrum)

  Music: Keith Tinman

Lusitania Working title:

          "Sunken Ship Game" (not released)


  Author: (Telecomsoft)

  Codes: Robbie Tinman (C64)

  Graphics: Paul Salmon (C64)

  Music: Keith Tinman

Crosswize


  Author: Telecomsoft

  Codes: Steve Veterill (Spectrum)

  Graphics: Colin Gryunz (Spectrum)

  Music: Steve Veterill


   Crosswize emerged after the collapse of Odin, but
is a continuation Sidewize, so
here mentioned.


   Question: "Why do not many games left?"


   Stewart: In I.S.C.U.P.S. and Mission A.D.
it was boring to play, On the Tiles in general
it was impossible to cut a long time, and all
unreleased games were terribly unplayable.
This was probably the worst program for
the history of video games, but they had a great schedule. In 
Telecomsoft believed that the game is not worth it, so projects

closed.


   Question: What was the problem? "


   While we were in a former office Bug
Byte (c picturesque views of the river from the window,
nice secretaries / Switzerland and the telephone system of the 
future), we were also too young (I was 16 when I got there

fell and 18 when I went there). Majority
proof of us were naive, not greedy
money, good players, but poor performers. We have absolutely no 
head: in those places was not a normal manager, the strategy of 
the company was reckless (she was supposed to enrich Paul 
McKenna), there was no thorough analysis projects, no clear 
goals or targets, responsibilities or requirements, joint 
activities, which brought success Nodes and Robin, died, and 
not having develop, there was no interaction with

McKenna or between programmers, there was no respect for 
others' opinion, each worked separately and built their plans 
for the future, and when it is all fed up, they started to 
leave (I think I was the first) Although we created some 
colorful games but looking back, I wonder how

company held out for so long.


   Steve: Nodes and Arc were something like
teamwork. I totally disagree with the fact that ICCUPS, 
Gunpowder 

and P.L.O.D. were second-class games and
I want to apologize to anyone who might they
see, because we have not released them in
light.


   Most of these games were also released on the C64, but 
you're not interested, right?



       Before the deal with Telecomsoft.


   Stewart, Colin: We are interested in playing on laser discs, 
so much so we bought a slot machine and played with

morning till night for free. We also purchased
Dragon's Lair and the two had just arrived
on sale laser disc player,
brought in from Tokyo, which can connect to your computer. One 
of them was in subsequently sold to Software

Projects (Disc Dragon's Lair), to
they moved this game to Speccy, C64 and
so on.


   We attempted to negotiate with the principal
Japanese manufacturers of arcade games,
so they let us write the arcade
Robin'a version for them. But they are only interested in the 
conversion of its arcade toys on different consoles (Nintendo 
and Sega). But we believe that these cars have no future and 
refused. 


   We would like to purchase a license for the manufacture of 
games on the Terminator movies and Dune, which at that time, 
only appeared on the posters of movie theaters. But both the 
studio thought that video games are too easy, and they only 
lowered the rating of the movie. How times change! 


   We have long tried to insert it into cpektrumovsky Nodes, 
and in the end it all works well (when he said Mark Butler 
(Mark Butler). After that, we are constantly plagued by the 
owners of Commodore, who were indignant, why their version of 
the speech no.



  After the deal with Telecomsoft.


   We turned into a warehouse, because
Telecomsoft there was no place to store
unsold goods firms Rainbird,
Firebird and Beyond (in the office one has already been
warehouse).


               ■ ■ ■



   If you want to connect with Colin,
Stewart, or Steve, here's their address:

Stuart Fotheringham -

                  stuarto@stoo.demon.co.uk
Colin Grunes -

                  colin@grunes.demon.co.uk
Steve Wetherill -

             stevew@terminus.intermind.net


PS: Thor and Odin - the names of gods in ancient
Viking.