John W. Ratcliff
Encyclopedia
John W. Ratcliff is a noted game developer, best known for creating the bestselling games 688 Attack Sub
and SSN-21 Seawolf
.
In conjunction with game publisher Electronic Arts
in 1987, he helped create the first 256 color MCGA
game 688 Attack Sub
. Several years later, he followed up with a sequel entitled SSN-21 Seawolf
, again to critical acclaim, and in 1997 released the game Scarab.
His most recent released title was as lead engine programmer for PlanetSide
, published by Sony Online Entertainment
. Ratcliff is also credited in Car & Driver (1992) and MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat (1995).
Ratcliff continues to be an active member of the game development community and has been a contributing author to such magazines as Dr. Dobb's Journal
. In 2006, he worked for AGEIA
, where his role was to provide open source
tools and technology to facilitate the integration of physics into games. Ratcliff is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences, with a focus on computer technology and algorithms.
Ratcliff also the founded the discussion forums
, which he called Atheist Apologetics Research Ministry in parody
of Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
(CARM) and which, despite its name, did not promote atheism
or any particular philosophy
, but rather sought to allow greater latitude in discussions than did CARM's forums. He turned the forum over to another user in December 2006.
688 Attack Sub
688 Attack Sub is a submarine simulator game designed by John W. Ratcliff & Paul Grace, published in 1989 for MS-DOS systems and 1990 for Amiga computers by Electronic Arts...
and SSN-21 Seawolf
SSN-21 Seawolf
SSN-21 Seawolf is a submarine simulator game designed by John W. Ratcliff and published for MS-DOS systems by Electronic Arts in 1994.The player takes command of a US Seawolf-class submarine and fights in 33...
.
Biography
John Ratcliff began his career as a software developer writing educational software as well as computer programs supporting cardiovascular research at the St. Louis University Hospital.In conjunction with game publisher Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
in 1987, he helped create the first 256 color MCGA
MCGA
MCGA may refer to*IBM Multicolor Graphics Array*Maritime and Coastguard Agency, in the United Kingdom...
game 688 Attack Sub
688 Attack Sub
688 Attack Sub is a submarine simulator game designed by John W. Ratcliff & Paul Grace, published in 1989 for MS-DOS systems and 1990 for Amiga computers by Electronic Arts...
. Several years later, he followed up with a sequel entitled SSN-21 Seawolf
SSN-21 Seawolf
SSN-21 Seawolf is a submarine simulator game designed by John W. Ratcliff and published for MS-DOS systems by Electronic Arts in 1994.The player takes command of a US Seawolf-class submarine and fights in 33...
, again to critical acclaim, and in 1997 released the game Scarab.
His most recent released title was as lead engine programmer for PlanetSide
PlanetSide
PlanetSide is a massively-multiplayer online first-person-shooter computer game published by Sony Online Entertainment and released on May 20, 2003....
, published by Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment is a game development and game publishing division of Sony that is best known for creating massively multiplayer online games, including EverQuest, EverQuest II, The Matrix Online, PlanetSide, Star Wars Galaxies, Free Realms, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, DC Universe...
. Ratcliff is also credited in Car & Driver (1992) and MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat (1995).
Ratcliff continues to be an active member of the game development community and has been a contributing author to such magazines as Dr. Dobb's Journal
Dr. Dobb's Journal
Dr. Dobb's Journal was a monthly journal published in the United States by CMP Technology. It covered topics aimed at computer programmers. DDJ was the first regular periodical focused on microcomputer software, rather than hardware. It later became a monthly section within the periodical...
. In 2006, he worked for AGEIA
AGEIA
Ageia, founded in 2002, was a fabless semiconductor company. Ageia invented PhysX – a Physics Processing Unit chip capable of performing game physics calculations much faster than general purpose CPUs; they also licensed out the PhysX SDK , a large physics middleware library for game...
, where his role was to provide open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
tools and technology to facilitate the integration of physics into games. Ratcliff is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences, with a focus on computer technology and algorithms.
Ratcliff also the founded the discussion forums
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
, which he called Atheist Apologetics Research Ministry in parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
The Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry is an Evangelical Christian apologetics ministry founded in 1995. The proprietor of the website is Matt Slick. The organization's materials may be accessed on the Internet, through its website at www.carm.org. The ministry is registered as a 5013...
(CARM) and which, despite its name, did not promote atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
or any particular philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, but rather sought to allow greater latitude in discussions than did CARM's forums. He turned the forum over to another user in December 2006.
Works
- 688 Attack Sub688 Attack Sub688 Attack Sub is a submarine simulator game designed by John W. Ratcliff & Paul Grace, published in 1989 for MS-DOS systems and 1990 for Amiga computers by Electronic Arts...
, 1987 - SSN-21 SeawolfSSN-21 SeawolfSSN-21 Seawolf is a submarine simulator game designed by John W. Ratcliff and published for MS-DOS systems by Electronic Arts in 1994.The player takes command of a US Seawolf-class submarine and fights in 33...
- Scarab, 1997
- PlanetSidePlanetSidePlanetSide is a massively-multiplayer online first-person-shooter computer game published by Sony Online Entertainment and released on May 20, 2003....
- Car and DriverCar and DriverCar and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
, 1992 - Mechwarrior 2: 31st Century Combat, 1995