Brian Howarth
Encyclopedia
Brian Howarth is a computer game programmer. He wrote many interactive fiction
computer games in the early 1980s in a series called Mysterious Adventures.
Howarth was initially inspired to write computer moderated adventures by the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons
, and the UK television show The Adventure Game
. He first adventures were written on the TRS-80
, taking his cues from the works of Scott Adams
. After becoming frustrated with the BASIC
programming language, he learnt machine language to create his first adventure, The Golden Baton, which was published by Molimerx in 1981
. Following this success, Molimerx encouraged Howarth to produce two more titles, The Time Machine and Arrow of Death.
In 1982 Howarth finished developing his own interpreter
, based on Scott Adams' Adventureland source code published in Byte magazine. This used a database format which would speed up development of new adventures. He ported his games from the original TRS-80 format to the BBC Micro
under his own label, Digital Fantasia, as Molimerx were not planning to support other platforms. Digital Fantasia operated a mail order service and software shop, staffed by family and friends.
The Mysterious Adventures titles were later ported to the Acorn Electron
, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 16
and, with added graphics, to the Commodore 64
and ZX Spectrum
and released by Channel 8 Software and later Paxman Promotions.
Howarth also created games based on the film Gremlins and the TV shows Robin of Sherwood
and Super Gran in 1985.
The Feasibility Experiment was one of Edge
magazine's 20 strangest moments in videogaming, calling it a "glorious stream-of-consciousness ramble". In The Inform Designer's Manual, Graham Nelson found a lack of variety in the room descriptions of the Mysterious series. With the exception of The Feasibility Experiment, Nelson deemed them "highly repetitive and difficult to tell apart."
Interactive fiction
Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as video games. In common usage, the term refers to text...
computer games in the early 1980s in a series called Mysterious Adventures.
Howarth was initially inspired to write computer moderated adventures by the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
, and the UK television show The Adventure Game
The Adventure Game
The Adventure Game was a game show, aimed at children but with an adult following, which was originally broadcast on UK television channels BBC1 and BBC2 between 24 May 1980 and 18 February 1986. The story in each show was that the two celebrity contestants and a member of the public had travelled...
. He first adventures were written on the TRS-80
TRS-80
TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first units, ordered unseen, were delivered in November 1977, and rolled out to the stores the third week of December. The line won popularity with...
, taking his cues from the works of Scott Adams
Scott Adams (game designer)
Scott Adams is the co-founder, with ex-wife Alexis, of Adventure International, an early publisher of games for home computers....
. After becoming frustrated with the BASIC
BASIC
BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code....
programming language, he learnt machine language to create his first adventure, The Golden Baton, which was published by Molimerx in 1981
1981 in video gaming
-Events:* November -** The British video game magazine Computer and Video Games starts.** Game & Watch - released in Sweden.* Arnie Katz and Bill Kunkel found Electronic Games, the first magazine on video games and generally recognized as the beginning of video game journalism.-Notable releases:*...
. Following this success, Molimerx encouraged Howarth to produce two more titles, The Time Machine and Arrow of Death.
In 1982 Howarth finished developing his own interpreter
Interpreter (computing)
In computer science, an interpreter normally means a computer program that executes, i.e. performs, instructions written in a programming language...
, based on Scott Adams' Adventureland source code published in Byte magazine. This used a database format which would speed up development of new adventures. He ported his games from the original TRS-80 format to the 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...
under his own label, Digital Fantasia, as Molimerx were not planning to support other platforms. Digital Fantasia operated a mail order service and software shop, staffed by family and friends.
The Mysterious Adventures titles were later ported to the 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....
, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 16
Commodore 16
The Commodore 16 was a home computer made by Commodore with a 6502-compatible 8501 CPU, released in 1984. It was intended to be an entry-level computer to replace the VIC-20 and it often sold for 99 USD...
and, with added graphics, to the 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...
and 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...
and released by Channel 8 Software and later Paxman Promotions.
Howarth also created games based on the film Gremlins and the TV shows Robin of Sherwood
Robin of Sherwood
Robin of Sherwood , was a British television series, based on the legend of Robin Hood. Created by Richard Carpenter, it was produced by HTV in association with Goldcrest, and ran from 1984 to 1986 on the ITV network. In America it was retitled Robin Hood and shown on the premium cable TV channel...
and Super Gran in 1985.
Mysterious Adventures
These are the games in the Mysterious Adventures series.- The Golden Baton, 19811981 in video gaming-Events:* November -** The British video game magazine Computer and Video Games starts.** Game & Watch - released in Sweden.* Arnie Katz and Bill Kunkel found Electronic Games, the first magazine on video games and generally recognized as the beginning of video game journalism.-Notable releases:*...
, in machine code - The Time Machine, 19811981 in video gaming-Events:* November -** The British video game magazine Computer and Video Games starts.** Game & Watch - released in Sweden.* Arnie Katz and Bill Kunkel found Electronic Games, the first magazine on video games and generally recognized as the beginning of video game journalism.-Notable releases:*...
, in machine code - Arrow of Death part 1, 19811981 in video gaming-Events:* November -** The British video game magazine Computer and Video Games starts.** Game & Watch - released in Sweden.* Arnie Katz and Bill Kunkel found Electronic Games, the first magazine on video games and generally recognized as the beginning of video game journalism.-Notable releases:*...
, in machine code - Arrow of Death part 2, 19821982 in video gaming-Events:* December 27 - Starcade, a video game television game show, debuts on TBS in the United States.-Notable releases:*October 13 - Mystique releases the Custer's Revenge adult video game for the Atari 2600 home console....
, in Scott Adams database - Escape from Pulsar 7, 19821982 in video gaming-Events:* December 27 - Starcade, a video game television game show, debuts on TBS in the United States.-Notable releases:*October 13 - Mystique releases the Custer's Revenge adult video game for the Atari 2600 home console....
(with Wherner Barnes), in Scott Adams database - Circus, 19821982 in video gaming-Events:* December 27 - Starcade, a video game television game show, debuts on TBS in the United States.-Notable releases:*October 13 - Mystique releases the Custer's Revenge adult video game for the Atari 2600 home console....
(with Wherner Barnes), in Scott Adams database - The Feasibility Experiment, 19831983 in video gaming-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...
(with Wherner Barnes), in Scott Adams database - The Wizard of Akyrz, 19831983 in video gaming-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...
(with Cliff J. Ogden), in Scott Adams database - Perseus and AndromedaPerseus and AndromedaPerseus and Andromeda is a text adventure game released in 1983 by Digital Fantasia on the Mysterious Adventures label.Perseus and Andromeda was written by Brian Howarth in Scott Adams database. The story is an adaptation of the Greek myth of Perseus and includes characters and artifacts such as...
, 19831983 in video gaming-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...
, in Scott Adams database - Ten Little Indians, 19831983 in video gaming-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...
, in Scott Adams database - WaxworksWaxworks (1983 video game)Waxworks is a text adventure game by Brian Howarth and Cliff J. Ogden. It was originally published by Digital Fantasia in 1983 for the Commodore 64, Commodore Plus/4, ZX Spectrum and BBC Micro....
, 19831983 in video gaming-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...
, (with Cliff J. Ogden), in Scott Adams database
The Feasibility Experiment was one of Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
magazine's 20 strangest moments in videogaming, calling it a "glorious stream-of-consciousness ramble". In The Inform Designer's Manual, Graham Nelson found a lack of variety in the room descriptions of the Mysterious series. With the exception of The Feasibility Experiment, Nelson deemed them "highly repetitive and difficult to tell apart."