Artic Software
Encyclopedia
In the early 1980s, Artic Software, also known as Artic Computing, was a software development company based in Brandesburton
. The company's first games were for the Sinclair ZX81
home computer, but they expanded and were also responsible for various ZX Spectrum
, Commodore 64
, BBC Micro
, Acorn Electron
and Amstrad CPC
computer games. The company was set up by Richard Turner and Chris Thornton. Charles Cecil
, who later founded Revolution Software
, joined the company shortly after it was founded, writing Adventures B through D. Developer Jon Ritman
produced many of their games.
Initially packaging and distributing games themselves, some titles were picked up by Sinclair
, who repackaged them under the Sinclair brand.
Adventures A through D were written for the ZX81
but were quickly ported to the ZX Spectrum platform on its release. By comparison to later Spectrum adventure games available at the time (e.g. The Hobbit
), they are basic and short.
and Magnetic Scrolls
.
Brandesburton
Brandesburton is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately west of Hornsea and north-east of the market town of Beverley....
. The company's first games were for the Sinclair ZX81
Sinclair ZX81
The ZX81 was a home computer produced by Sinclair Research and manufactured in Scotland by Timex Corporation. It was launched in the United Kingdom in March 1981 as the successor to Sinclair's ZX80 and was designed to be a low-cost introduction to home computing for the general public...
home computer, but they expanded and were also responsible for various ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, BBC Micro
BBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
, Acorn Electron
Acorn Electron
The Acorn Electron is a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. It has 32 kilobytes of RAM, and its ROM includes BBC BASIC along with its operating system....
and Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
computer games. The company was set up by Richard Turner and Chris Thornton. Charles Cecil
Charles Cecil
Charles Cecil MBE has worked in the interactive entertainment industry for 25 years. He is currently operating as Managing Director for UK based company Revolution Software which has released such critical and commercial hits as Beneath a Steel Sky and the Broken Sword series...
, who later founded Revolution Software
Revolution Software
Revolution Software Ltd. is a British adventure game company, based in York in northern England.The company was founded in 1990 by Charles Cecil, Tony Warriner, David Sykes and Noirin Carmody...
, joined the company shortly after it was founded, writing Adventures B through D. Developer Jon Ritman
Jon Ritman
Jon Ritman is a software developer, notable for his work on major 1980s video games. Working primarily on games for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC home computer range. His first experience with a computer was at the age of 13, and first computer was a Sinclair ZX81 that he bought in 1981.His first...
produced many of their games.
Initially packaging and distributing games themselves, some titles were picked up by Sinclair
Sinclair Research Ltd
Sinclair Research Ltd is a British consumer electronics company founded by Sir Clive Sinclair in Cambridge. Originally incorporated in 1973 as Ablesdeal Ltd., it remained dormant until 1976, and did not adopt the name Sinclair Research until 1981....
, who repackaged them under the Sinclair brand.
Adventures A through D were written for the ZX81
Sinclair ZX81
The ZX81 was a home computer produced by Sinclair Research and manufactured in Scotland by Timex Corporation. It was launched in the United Kingdom in March 1981 as the successor to Sinclair's ZX80 and was designed to be a low-cost introduction to home computing for the general public...
but were quickly ported to the ZX Spectrum platform on its release. By comparison to later Spectrum adventure games available at the time (e.g. The Hobbit
The Hobbit (video game)
The Hobbit is a computer game released in 1982 and based on the book The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was developed at Beam Software by Philip Mitchell and Veronika Megler and published by Melbourne House for most home computers available at the time, from more popular models such as the ZX...
), they are basic and short.
Games
- 1K ZX Chess1K ZX Chess1K ZX Chess is a chess-playing computer program for the unexpanded Sinclair ZX81, created by programmer David Horne. The game implements most chess rules , artificial intelligence, and a user interface...
(1981) - Adventure AAdventure AAdventure A: Planet of Death is a 1981 adventure game from Artic Computing for the ZX81 and ZX Spectrum computers. In this adventure, the player is stranded on an alien planet. The aim is to escape from this planet by finding his or her captured and disabled spaceship...
: Planet of Death (1981) - Adventure B: Inca Curse (1981)
- Adventure C: Ship of Doom (1982)
- Adventure D: Espionage Island (1982)
- Adventure E: The Golden Apple (1983)
- Adventure F: The Eye of Bain (1984)
- Adventure G: Ground Zero (1984)
- Adventure H: Robin Hood (1985)
- Bear BovverBear BovverBear Bovver is a computer game released in 1983 for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC and was developed by Jon Ritman.-Gameplay:Ted's Sinclair electric truck has broken down and needs new batteries. Ted must climb up the scaffolding and collect the batteries for his electric car. ...
(1983) - Mutant Monty (1984)
- The Great Wall (1986)
- Paws (1985)
- Web War (1985)
- Woks (1986)
- World Cup Football (1986)
Programming
The parser in their adventures is of a basic 2-word design, such as "Use Axe". Other developers later produced multiple word parsers, as featured in games by InfocomInfocom
Infocom was a software company, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that produced numerous works of interactive fiction. They also produced one notable business application, a relational database called Cornerstone....
and Magnetic Scrolls
Magnetic Scrolls
Magnetic Scrolls was a British computer game developer during the mid 1980s and early 1990s. It was one of two largest interactive fiction game makers of the 1980s...
.