Chris Sawyer
Encyclopedia
Chris Sawyer is a Scottish
computer game
developer
who is best known for designing
and programming
Transport Tycoon
and the RollerCoaster Tycoon
series.
on the Memotech MTX home computer, and then the Amstrad CPC
series home computer. Some of these were published by Ariolasoft
, Sepulcri Scelerati and Ziggurat. The former was a rare instance of a game being accepted by a publisher
when it was already nearing completion.
From 1988 to 1993, Sawyer worked on PC
conversions of Amiga
games and was involved in many projects, including Virus, Campaign
, Birds of Prey, Dino Dini's Goal and Frontier: Elite II. He also contributed to the PC version Elite Plus.
Sawyer's first management simulation game, Transport Tycoon
, was released by Microprose
in 1994 and became a classic of the tycoon series of games. A year later, he improved and extended the game, giving it the title Transport Tycoon Deluxe. Sawyer immediately sought to create a sequel. However, while still working on the basic game engine
, Sawyer developed an interest in roller coaster
s, and changed the project into what would become RollerCoaster Tycoon
, originally called White Knuckle before release. After creating RollerCoaster Tycoon, he resumed work on the sequel for Transport Tycoon, but again postponed it to create RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
. Upon completing that project, he resumed his work on the Transport Tycoon sequel, finally releasing it in 2004 as Chris Sawyer's Locomotion
.
Sawyer also served as a consultant for Atari
in the development of RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
. In November 2005, Sawyer sued Atari, claiming that they had failed to pay him certain royalties. Sawyer and Atari settled out of court for an undisclosed amount in February 2008.
Sawyer designed and programmed most of his games in x86 assembly, using only the services of freelance artist Simon Foster and musician Allister Brimble
as needed.
"RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Soaked!" (2005), Atari Europe S.A.S.U.
"RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Wild!" (2005), Atari, Inc.
"Chris Sawyer's Locomotion" (2004), Atari, Inc.
"OpenTTD" (2004)
"RollerCoaster Tycoon 3" (2004), Atari do Brasil Ltda.
"RollerCoaster Tycoon 2" (2002), Infogrames Europe SA
"RollerCoaster Tycoon: Loopy Landscapes" (2000), Hasbro Interactive Ltd.
"RollerCoaster Tycoon" (1999), Hasbro Interactive Ltd.
"RollerCoaster Tycoon: Corkscrew Follies" (1999), Hasbro Interactive Ltd.
"Frontier: First Encounters" (1995), GameTek (FL), Inc.
"Transport Tycoon Deluxe" (1995), MicroProse Software, Inc.
"Transport Tycoon World Editor" (1995), MicroProse Software, Inc.
"Dino Dini's Soccer" (1994), Virgin Interactive Entertainment (Europe) Ltd.
"Transport Tycoon" (1994), MicroProse Software, Inc.
"Frontier: Elite II" (1993), GameTek, Inc., Konami, Inc.
"Goal!" (1993), Virgin Games, Ltd.
"Birds of Prey" (1992), Electronic Arts, Inc.
"Campaign" (1992), Empire Software
"Elite Plus" (1991), Microplay Software
"Conqueror" (1990), Rainbow Arts Software GmbH
"Xenomorph" (1990), Pandora
"Revenge of Defender" (1989), Epyx, Inc.
"Virus" (1988), Firebird Software Ltd.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
computer game
Personal computer game
A PC game, also known as a computer game, is a video game played on a personal computer, rather than on a video game console or arcade machine...
developer
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
who is best known for designing
Game design
Game design, a subset of game development, is the process of designing the content and rules of a game in the pre-production stage and design of gameplay, environment, storyline, and characters during production stage. The term is also used to describe both the game design embodied in a game as...
and programming
Game programming
Game programming, a subset of game development, is the programming of computer, console or arcade games. Though often engaged in by professional game programmers, many novices may program games as a hobby...
Transport Tycoon
Transport Tycoon
Transport Tycoon and Transport Tycoon Deluxe are computer games developed by Chris Sawyer and published by MicroProse in 1994 , and 1995...
and the RollerCoaster Tycoon
RollerCoaster Tycoon (series)
RollerCoaster Tycoon is a trilogy of computer games that simulate amusement park management. Each game in the series challenges players with open-ended amusement park management and development, and allowing players to construct and customize their own unique roller coasters.RollerCoaster Tycoon...
series.
Career
Sawyer first entered the games industry in 1983, writing games in Z80 machine codeMachine code
Machine code or machine language is a system of impartible instructions executed directly by a computer's central processing unit. Each instruction performs a very specific task, typically either an operation on a unit of data Machine code or machine language is a system of impartible instructions...
on the Memotech MTX home computer, and then the 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,...
series home computer. Some of these were published by Ariolasoft
Ariolasoft
Ariolasoft GmbH, later known as United Software, was a German computer game developer, publisher and distributor. It started as the software subsidiary of Ariola Records...
, Sepulcri Scelerati and Ziggurat. The former was a rare instance of a game being accepted by a publisher
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
when it was already nearing completion.
From 1988 to 1993, Sawyer worked on PC
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
conversions of Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
games and was involved in many projects, including Virus, Campaign
Campaign (computer game)
Campaign is a strategy war game developed and pusblished by Empire Interactive. It was released in 1992 for DOS and in 1993 for the Amiga and Atari ST....
, Birds of Prey, Dino Dini's Goal and Frontier: Elite II. He also contributed to the PC version Elite Plus.
Sawyer's first management simulation game, Transport Tycoon
Transport Tycoon
Transport Tycoon and Transport Tycoon Deluxe are computer games developed by Chris Sawyer and published by MicroProse in 1994 , and 1995...
, was released by Microprose
MicroProse
MicroProse was a video game publisher and developer, founded by Wild Bill Stealey and Sid Meier in 1982 as Microprose Software. In 1993, the company became a subsidiary of Spectrum HoloByte and has remained a subsidiary or brand name under several other corporations since...
in 1994 and became a classic of the tycoon series of games. A year later, he improved and extended the game, giving it the title Transport Tycoon Deluxe. Sawyer immediately sought to create a sequel. However, while still working on the basic game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
, Sawyer developed an interest in roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
s, and changed the project into what would become RollerCoaster Tycoon
RollerCoaster Tycoon
RollerCoaster Tycoon may refer to:*RollerCoaster Tycoon - a series of video games in which a player must manage an amusement park**RollerCoaster Tycoon - the first game, which came out in 1999...
, originally called White Knuckle before release. After creating RollerCoaster Tycoon, he resumed work on the sequel for Transport Tycoon, but again postponed it to create RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 is a construction and management simulation computer game that simulates theme park management. Developed by Chris Sawyer and published by Infogrames, the game was released on October 15, 2002. It is the sequel to RollerCoaster Tycoon and is the second game in the...
. Upon completing that project, he resumed his work on the Transport Tycoon sequel, finally releasing it in 2004 as Chris Sawyer's Locomotion
Chris Sawyer's Locomotion
Chris Sawyer's Locomotion is a computer game by independent game developer Chris Sawyer. In his words, it is "the spiritual successor to Transport Tycoon"....
.
Sawyer also served as a consultant for 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...
in the development of RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is a construction and management simulation computer game. It is the third installment in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series, first released on October 26, 2004 in North America...
. In November 2005, Sawyer sued Atari, claiming that they had failed to pay him certain royalties. Sawyer and Atari settled out of court for an undisclosed amount in February 2008.
Sawyer designed and programmed most of his games in x86 assembly, using only the services of freelance artist Simon Foster and musician Allister Brimble
Allister Brimble
Allister Mark Brimble is a video game music composer. Allister has written music and sound effects for the videogame industry since the mid 1980s for a vast array of games, such as Driver, Project-X, Superfrog, Alien Breed, Assassin, Colonization, Descent II, Dizzy series ,Slightly Magic...
as needed.
Credits
The following is a list of video games Chris Sawyer has been credited for over the course of his career."RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Soaked!" (2005), Atari Europe S.A.S.U.
"RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Wild!" (2005), Atari, Inc.
"Chris Sawyer's Locomotion" (2004), Atari, Inc.
"OpenTTD" (2004)
"RollerCoaster Tycoon 3" (2004), Atari do Brasil Ltda.
"RollerCoaster Tycoon 2" (2002), Infogrames Europe SA
"RollerCoaster Tycoon: Loopy Landscapes" (2000), Hasbro Interactive Ltd.
"RollerCoaster Tycoon" (1999), Hasbro Interactive Ltd.
"RollerCoaster Tycoon: Corkscrew Follies" (1999), Hasbro Interactive Ltd.
"Frontier: First Encounters" (1995), GameTek (FL), Inc.
"Transport Tycoon Deluxe" (1995), MicroProse Software, Inc.
"Transport Tycoon World Editor" (1995), MicroProse Software, Inc.
"Dino Dini's Soccer" (1994), Virgin Interactive Entertainment (Europe) Ltd.
"Transport Tycoon" (1994), MicroProse Software, Inc.
"Frontier: Elite II" (1993), GameTek, Inc., Konami, Inc.
"Goal!" (1993), Virgin Games, Ltd.
"Birds of Prey" (1992), Electronic Arts, Inc.
"Campaign" (1992), Empire Software
"Elite Plus" (1991), Microplay Software
"Conqueror" (1990), Rainbow Arts Software GmbH
"Xenomorph" (1990), Pandora
"Revenge of Defender" (1989), Epyx, Inc.
"Virus" (1988), Firebird Software Ltd.
External links
- Chris Sawyer Software Development
- Interview with Sawyer on Locomotion from GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...