Dave Theurer
Encyclopedia
David "Dave" Theurer is a game designer. In 1980, he created Missile Command
, considered one of the great classic video games from the Golden age of arcade games
. Another pioneering achievement, also in 1980, was Tempest. Theurer also designed I, Robot
, the first commercial video game with filled 3-D
polygon
al graphics
. All three were released by Atari
.
David attended Wheaton College in Chicago initially following a path in Chemistry and then Physics, but with two years to go until completion changed once more to Psychology, earning a degree. He has said that earning the degree had helped him create addictive games by using the same techniques originally used on pigeons.
David worked for the college data processing center for approximately six months after graduating. After which he found a job as a junior programmer at Bunker Ramo Corporation
, a company that built supermarket computer systems. He moved to California and joined National Semiconductor in 1976. Six months after joining National Semiconductor a co-worker was hired as Manager of Programmers for Atari Games and subsequently hired David without an interview.
Despite not liking the sport, David's first game for Atari was Four Player Soccer. During the development of Missile Command
, David regularly had nightmares which involved the bombing of nearby towns. The idea for Tempest was of monsters appearing from a hole in the ground.
Theurer cites Pong
as his inspiration to become a game designer.
He left Atari in 1990 to work full time on DeBabelizer, an automated image editor, graphics optimizer, and file converter for Windows and Macintosh.
On the way to fireworks displays at Moffet Field on July 4, 1983, David used his Porsche 928 to chase down a hit-and-run driver which had knocked down Michael McCully, a 15-year-old person from Los Altos. Michael suffered a severed spine and was paralyzed from the waist down. The driver returned to the scene where the California Highway Patrol arrested him for hit-and-run, drunken driving, giving false information to a police officer and driving without a license. David was praised for his efforts by the California Highway Patrol.
Theurer was born and raised in Fergus Falls, Minnesota
, where some of his family still reside.
Missile Command
Missile Command is a 1980 arcade game by Atari, Inc. that was also licensed to Sega for European release. It is considered one of the most notable games from the Golden Age of Video Arcade Games...
, considered one of the great classic video games from the Golden age of arcade games
Golden Age of Arcade Games
The golden age of video arcade games was a peak era of video arcade game popularity, innovation, and earnings. Although there is no consensus as to its exact time period, most sources place it around the early 1980s.-Overview:...
. Another pioneering achievement, also in 1980, was Tempest. Theurer also designed I, Robot
I, Robot (arcade game)
I, Robot is an arcade game designed by Dave Theurer, and published by Atari Inc. in 1983. The arcade machine comes with two games. The first is I, Robot, a multi-directional shooter that has the player assume the role of "Unhappy Interface Robot #1984", a servant bot that rebels against Big Brother...
, the first commercial video game with filled 3-D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
polygon
Polygon
In geometry a polygon is a flat shape consisting of straight lines that are joined to form a closed chain orcircuit.A polygon is traditionally a plane figure that is bounded by a closed path, composed of a finite sequence of straight line segments...
al graphics
Graphics
Graphics are visual presentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain. Examples are photographs, drawings, Line Art, graphs, diagrams, typography, numbers, symbols, geometric designs, maps, engineering drawings,or...
. All three were released by Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
.
David attended Wheaton College in Chicago initially following a path in Chemistry and then Physics, but with two years to go until completion changed once more to Psychology, earning a degree. He has said that earning the degree had helped him create addictive games by using the same techniques originally used on pigeons.
David worked for the college data processing center for approximately six months after graduating. After which he found a job as a junior programmer at Bunker Ramo Corporation
Bunker Ramo Corporation
Bunker Ramo Corporation was founded by George M. Bunker and Simon Ramo in 1964, jointly owned by Martin-Marietta and Thompson Ramo Wooldridge TRW . The resulting company, Bunker-Ramo, was based in Trumbull, Connecticut....
, a company that built supermarket computer systems. He moved to California and joined National Semiconductor in 1976. Six months after joining National Semiconductor a co-worker was hired as Manager of Programmers for Atari Games and subsequently hired David without an interview.
Despite not liking the sport, David's first game for Atari was Four Player Soccer. During the development of Missile Command
Missile Command
Missile Command is a 1980 arcade game by Atari, Inc. that was also licensed to Sega for European release. It is considered one of the most notable games from the Golden Age of Video Arcade Games...
, David regularly had nightmares which involved the bombing of nearby towns. The idea for Tempest was of monsters appearing from a hole in the ground.
Theurer cites Pong
Pong
Pong is one of the earliest arcade video games, and is a tennis sports game featuring simple two-dimensional graphics. While other arcade video games such as Computer Space came before it, Pong was one of the first video games to reach mainstream popularity...
as his inspiration to become a game designer.
He left Atari in 1990 to work full time on DeBabelizer, an automated image editor, graphics optimizer, and file converter for Windows and Macintosh.
On the way to fireworks displays at Moffet Field on July 4, 1983, David used his Porsche 928 to chase down a hit-and-run driver which had knocked down Michael McCully, a 15-year-old person from Los Altos. Michael suffered a severed spine and was paralyzed from the waist down. The driver returned to the scene where the California Highway Patrol arrested him for hit-and-run, drunken driving, giving false information to a police officer and driving without a license. David was praised for his efforts by the California Highway Patrol.
Theurer was born and raised in Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Fergus Falls is a city in and the county seat of Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,138 at the 2010 census.-Today:...
, where some of his family still reside.