Joel Billings is an Americanvideo gamedesigner andproducer. He is the founder of the computer game companyStrategic Simulations (SSI).[1] He was also the company's president.[2]
Joel Billings | |
|---|---|
_(Joel_Billings).jpg) Billings at the 1982West Coast Computer Faire | |
| Occupation(s) | Video game designer,producer |
| Organization | Strategic Simulations |
| Known for | Computer Bismarck |
Career
editJoel Billings wanted to work withAvalon Hill to publish hiscomputer wargameComputer Bismarck but they turned him down, so instead he decided to found a new company and publish the game himself.[3] Billings started SSI in 1979 just after finishing college, with a $1000 initial investment. The first product wasComputer Bismarck, which he co-wrote. Designed for theTRS-80 andApple II home computers, it is viewed as the first computer war game ever published. It sold 7000 copies, considered reasonably successful for its time.[2][4] The company was an industry leader for years inwar games androle-playing video games.
In 1987 Billings acquired the rights to theDungeons & Dragonsrole-playing games fromTSR,[citation needed] which led to the creation of theGold Box D&D game series, one of the best selling video game franchises of the 1980s and 1990s.
After a year of losses tied to delays in the newDark Sun game engine, Billings sold the company toMindscape in 1994.[citation needed]
In 2001 Billings started a game development company called2 By 3 Games with former SSIgame programmersGary Grigsby and Keith Brors.[citation needed]
In December 2013, Billings donated severalSSI video games, such asComputer Bismarck, including thesource code, for preservation to theICHEG.[5][6]
References
edit- ^Jones, Stephen (March 30, 1987). "A Video Game Comeback?",San Jose Business Journal4 (49): 7.
- ^abSeiken, Jeff (July 05, 1990). "Computer War Games Test Strategic Skills",Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^Shannon Appelcline (2011).Designers & Dragons. Mongoose Publishing. p. 176.ISBN 978-1-907702-58-7.
- ^Seiken, Jeff (October 6, 1990). "War simulations let you take charge",Austin American Statesman, p. 22.
- ^Nutt, Christian (2013-12-16)."Strategic Simulations, Inc. founder donates company collection to ICHEG".Gamasutra. Retrieved2013-12-22.
- ^Dyson, Jon-Paul C. (2013-12-16)."The Strategic Simulations, Inc. Collection".ICHEG. Archived fromthe original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved2013-12-22.
External links
edit | ThisDungeons & Dragons article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |