Ozark Softscape
Encyclopedia
Ozark Softscape was a computer game programming team consisting initially of Dan Bunten
, Bill Bunten, Jim Rushing, and Alan Watson.
and had profound success with a few of their early titles. Ozark Softscape had a publishing deal with Electronic Arts
for several of its groundbreaking games.
In the early 1990s, Ozark Softscape left their partnership with Electronic Arts over a dispute to port some games to cartridge format for the Nintendo
entertainment system. They began a partnership with Microprose
to produce two more influential titles:
Dan (later Dani) Bunten was arguably the driving force behind Ozark Softscape. A dispute occurred over creating a follow-up to M.U.L.E. with Sega
in 1993, and the company dissolved. Dani Bunten and the others moved to different areas of the software industry.
After Dan's death in 1998; his three children formed a company called MELDANNIC, LLC (which stands for Melanie, Daniel and Nicholas) to preserve their father's legacy. They are currently doing business as Ozark Legacy and have developed a web site devoted to fans and providing current news about remakes of Ozark Softscape games. http://www.OzarkSoftscape.com
--Melanie Butnten Stark 21:27, 18 September 2009 (UTC)
Danielle Bunten Berry
Danielle Bunten Berry , born Daniel Paul Bunten, and also known as Dan Bunten, was an American game designer and programmer, known for the 1983 game M.U.L.E. , and 1984's The Seven Cities of Gold.-Biography:Bunten was born in St Louis, Missouri, and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas as a...
, Bill Bunten, Jim Rushing, and Alan Watson.
History
The company was based out of Little Rock, ArkansasArkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and had profound success with a few of their early titles. Ozark Softscape had a publishing deal with 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...
for several of its groundbreaking games.
Titles
- M.U.L.E.M.U.L.E.M.U.L.E. is a seminal multiplayer video game by Ozark Softscape. It was published in 1983 by Electronic Arts. It was originally written for the Atari 400/800, and was later ported to the Commodore 64, the Nintendo Entertainment System and the IBM PC Jr. Japanese versions also exist for the...
(1983) - The Seven Cities of GoldThe Seven Cities of Gold (game)The Seven Cities of Gold is an adventure game created by Dan Bunten and published by Electronic Arts in 1984. The player takes the role of a late-15th century explorer for Spain, setting sail to the New World in order to explore the map and interact with the natives in order to win gold and please...
(1984) - Heart of AfricaHeart of AfricaHeart of Africa is an adventure game for the Commodore 64 and unofficial sequel to The Seven Cities of Gold. Created by Ozark Softscape and published by Electronic Arts in 1985, it casts the player as an adventurer searching for the Lost Tomb of Pharaoh Ankh Ankh in Africa during the late 19th...
(1985) - Robot RascalsRobot RascalsRobot Rascals is a scavenger hunt video game by Ozark Softscape and published by Electronic Arts. It was released in 1986 for various home computers of the era, including the Apple II, Commodore 64 and DOS.-Summary:...
(1986) - Modem WarsModem WarsModem Wars is a 1988 Real-Time Tactics game developed by Ozark Softscape and published by Electronic Arts for the IBM PC and Commodore 64 platforms.-Summary:The first multi-computer online game...
(1988)
In the early 1990s, Ozark Softscape left their partnership with Electronic Arts over a dispute to port some games to cartridge format for the Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
entertainment system. They began a partnership with 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...
to produce two more influential titles:
- Command HQCommand HQCommand HQ is a real-time strategy world domination game. It was released in 1990 by MicroPlay software and was created by acclaimed designer Dan Bunten...
(1990) - Global ConquestGlobal ConquestGlobal Conquest is a computer game developed by Microplay Software in 1992 for the PC/MS-DOS.-Plot:Global Conquest is a strategy game where the object is to discover territories and conquer the world through strategy and management of military and economic resources.The game always involves four...
(1992)
Dan (later Dani) Bunten was arguably the driving force behind Ozark Softscape. A dispute occurred over creating a follow-up to M.U.L.E. with Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
in 1993, and the company dissolved. Dani Bunten and the others moved to different areas of the software industry.
After Dan's death in 1998; his three children formed a company called MELDANNIC, LLC (which stands for Melanie, Daniel and Nicholas) to preserve their father's legacy. They are currently doing business as Ozark Legacy and have developed a web site devoted to fans and providing current news about remakes of Ozark Softscape games. http://www.OzarkSoftscape.com
--Melanie Butnten Stark 21:27, 18 September 2009 (UTC)