Howard Scott Warshaw
Encyclopedia
Howard Scott Warshaw is an American
former game designer who worked for Atari
in the early 1980s, where he designed and programmed the games Yars' Revenge
, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and infamously, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. He has also written two books as well as produced and directed three documentaries.
born, Jersey
raised, and New Orleans schooled." He attended Tulane University
, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree within 3 years, with a double major in Math and Economics. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and received a scholarship for his graduate work in Computer Science. One year later he received his Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering.
After graduation, he began work at Hewlett-Packard
as a multi-terminal systems engineer, which he found to be "boring." In 1981, he learned about an opening for a game programmer at Atari through a friend. The work and culture at Atari at the time appealed to him, and he quickly applied for the position, and was soon hired.
adaptation of the arcade game Star Castle
. However, as limitations became clear, Warshaw re-adapted the concept into a new game involving mutated houseflies defending their world against an alien attacker. The game was a major success and is still regarded as one of the best games made for the Atari 2600. This led Warshaw to be picked as the designer of the game adaptation of the film Raiders of the Lost Ark
, which was also a commercial success and was critically acclaimed at the time.
It was his success on Raiders that led to Warshaw being chosen to design and program the ill-fated Atari 2600 adaptation of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
. Problems began early as he was only given five weeks to go from concept to finished product. Although the game was finished on time it was poorly received and seen as being confusing and frustrating. Atari took a major financial loss on the project, which combined with other poor business decisions and conditions, led to the company being divided and sold within two years. During this time, Warshaw developed and finished another game called Saboteur, which was then re-adapted into a game based on the television series The A-Team
. However, Atari was dismantled before either version could be released.
, is a guide to the card game of the same name. In the second, Conquering College, Warshaw discusses his techniques toward academic success, referred to as RASABIC (Read Ahead, Stay Ahead, Be In Class) which enabled him to graduate early and save one full year's tuition.
Later, he studied video production, and released the documentary From There to Here: Scenes of Passage., a chronicle of the American immigration of two Russian women from the same family, one in 1912 and the other in 1978. Subsequently he went on to produce the multi-part documentary Once Upon Atari, a collection of interviews and stories of employees and designers at Atari during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 2005, he also produced and directed the documentary Vice & Consent, focusing on members of the BDSM
scene in San Francisco. This documentary was adopted by Santa Clara University as part of their Human Sexuality program where Warshaw lectures regularly.
In 2004 classic video game enthusiasts were able to produce cartridges of Saboteur for sale at game expos. It debuted at PhillyClassic 5 where Warshaw was at hand to bless the distribution and autograph the cartridges. That year Atari also released the Atari Flashback
system that includes fifteen Atari 2600 and five Atari 7800
titles, including Saboteur.
In his games, Warshaw is also known for always leaving his initials as an Easter egg. Along with this, in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the player can find a "Yar;" and in E.T., the player can find both a "Yar" and an "Indy."; in Yar's Revenge, if the player stays on the "mean streak" while the base is exploding, HSWWSH (his initials forwards and backwards) appear on the screen - and end the game.
In 2008, Warshaw guest starred as himself in the G4TV
animated series Code Monkeys
in the second season episode "Dean in Charge".
In 2011 Warshaw received a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University
. He is an intern psychotherapist in private practice specializing in couples and the unique stresses and challenges of Silicon Valley's Hi-tech community.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former game designer who worked 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 early 1980s, where he designed and programmed the games Yars' Revenge
Yars' Revenge
Yars' Revenge is a video game developed for the Atari 2600 in 1981. It was created by Howard Scott Warshaw, who also wrote the 2600 titles Raiders of the Lost Ark and the much-derided E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial...
, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and infamously, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. He has also written two books as well as produced and directed three documentaries.
Early life
Before entering game design, Warshaw was "ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
born, Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
raised, and New Orleans schooled." He attended Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree within 3 years, with a double major in Math and Economics. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and received a scholarship for his graduate work in Computer Science. One year later he received his Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering.
After graduation, he began work at Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
as a multi-terminal systems engineer, which he found to be "boring." In 1981, he learned about an opening for a game programmer at Atari through a friend. The work and culture at Atari at the time appealed to him, and he quickly applied for the position, and was soon hired.
Atari
Warshaw's first success, Yars' Revenge, first started as an Atari 2600Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
adaptation of the arcade game Star Castle
Star Castle
Star Castle is a 1980 vector arcade game by Cinematronics. The game involves obliterating a series of defenses orbiting a stationary turret in the center of the screen. The game was designed by Tim Skelly and programmed by Scott Boden. Tim Skelly also created a number of other Cinematronics...
. However, as limitations became clear, Warshaw re-adapted the concept into a new game involving mutated houseflies defending their world against an alien attacker. The game was a major success and is still regarded as one of the best games made for the Atari 2600. This led Warshaw to be picked as the designer of the game adaptation of the film Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
, which was also a commercial success and was critically acclaimed at the time.
It was his success on Raiders that led to Warshaw being chosen to design and program the ill-fated Atari 2600 adaptation of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote...
. Problems began early as he was only given five weeks to go from concept to finished product. Although the game was finished on time it was poorly received and seen as being confusing and frustrating. Atari took a major financial loss on the project, which combined with other poor business decisions and conditions, led to the company being divided and sold within two years. During this time, Warshaw developed and finished another game called Saboteur, which was then re-adapted into a game based on the television series The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
. However, Atari was dismantled before either version could be released.
Later life
Following the collapse of Atari, Warshaw wrote two books. The first, The Complete Book of PANPanguingue
Panguingue , Tagalog Pangginggí, also known as Pan, is a 19th century gambling card game probably of Philippine origin similar to rummy, first described in America in 1905. It used to be particularly popular in Las Vegas and other casinos in the American southwest...
, is a guide to the card game of the same name. In the second, Conquering College, Warshaw discusses his techniques toward academic success, referred to as RASABIC (Read Ahead, Stay Ahead, Be In Class) which enabled him to graduate early and save one full year's tuition.
Later, he studied video production, and released the documentary From There to Here: Scenes of Passage., a chronicle of the American immigration of two Russian women from the same family, one in 1912 and the other in 1978. Subsequently he went on to produce the multi-part documentary Once Upon Atari, a collection of interviews and stories of employees and designers at Atari during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 2005, he also produced and directed the documentary Vice & Consent, focusing on members of the BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
scene in San Francisco. This documentary was adopted by Santa Clara University as part of their Human Sexuality program where Warshaw lectures regularly.
In 2004 classic video game enthusiasts were able to produce cartridges of Saboteur for sale at game expos. It debuted at PhillyClassic 5 where Warshaw was at hand to bless the distribution and autograph the cartridges. That year Atari also released the Atari Flashback
Atari Flashback
The Atari Flashback, Atari Flashback 2, Atari Flashback2+ and Atari Flashback 3 are dedicated video game consoles marketed by Atari Inc. in 2004, 2005 and 2010, then AtGames in 2011...
system that includes fifteen Atari 2600 and five Atari 7800
Atari 7800
The Atari 7800 ProSystem, or simply the Atari 7800, is a video game console re-released by Atari Corporation in January 1986. The original release had occurred two years earlier under Atari Inc. The 7800 had originally been designed to replace Atari Inc.'s Atari 5200 in 1984, but was temporarily...
titles, including Saboteur.
In his games, Warshaw is also known for always leaving his initials as an Easter egg. Along with this, in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the player can find a "Yar;" and in E.T., the player can find both a "Yar" and an "Indy."; in Yar's Revenge, if the player stays on the "mean streak" while the base is exploding, HSWWSH (his initials forwards and backwards) appear on the screen - and end the game.
In 2008, Warshaw guest starred as himself in the G4TV
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
animated series Code Monkeys
Code Monkeys
Code Monkeys is an American animated television program created by Adam de la Peña. Set in the early 1980s, it follows the adventures of fictional video game company GameaVision....
in the second season episode "Dean in Charge".
In 2011 Warshaw received a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University
John F. Kennedy University
John F. Kennedy University is a nonprofit, private university located in Pleasant Hill, California, with satellite campuses in Campbell, Berkeley, and Costa Mesa. It was founded in 1964 to focus on providing continuing opportunities for non-traditional higher education. Enrollment is approximately...
. He is an intern psychotherapist in private practice specializing in couples and the unique stresses and challenges of Silicon Valley's Hi-tech community.
External links
- Once Upon Atari
- Warshaw's Conquering College Book
- Warshaw's PAN Book
- Howard Scott Warshaw profile on MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- Vice & Consent
- interview with Digital Press
- Matt Chat 69: Howard Scott Warshaw's Early Days
- Matt Chat 70: ET and Yar's Revenge with Howard Scott Warshaw