Star Rider
Encyclopedia
Star Rider is a laserdisc
based arcade
video game created by Computer Creations and Williams
in 1984. The object of the game is to steer a motorcycle
type vehicle in a race around a track in various surrealistic settings. The tracks themselves and the background graphics were actually video played from a laserdisc onto which the foreground graphics and racers were superimposed. This technique enabled a much more realistic appearance of the graphics than in other games of the time period.
At the time, Ken Fedesna managed general development at Williams electronics and the game was conceived to compete with the laser disc game Dragons’ Lair which was had just come to market. Ken Lantz was directing software development with leader programmer Richard Witt. John Newcomer was the creative director. The laser disc video prosecution was outsourced to third party company.
Rich and Ken developed a means by which the first few lines of NTSC video signal would contain data about the roadway, so that animated riders could be drawn to follow the roadway in the video background. A guest appearance occurs by Sinistar, from another game that Rich had recently finished working on with John Newcomer, Noah Falstein and Sam Dicker.
The game was produced in both an upright and a sit-down version (where the player would sit on a replica of the cycle).
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
based arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
video game created by Computer Creations and Williams
Williams (gaming company)
WMS Industries, Inc. is an American electronic gaming and amusement company based in Waukegan, Illinois. The company's main operating subsidiaries are WMS Gaming and Orion Gaming. WMS traces its roots as far back as 1943, the Williams Manufacturing Company, founded by Harry E. Williams...
in 1984. The object of the game is to steer a motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
type vehicle in a race around a track in various surrealistic settings. The tracks themselves and the background graphics were actually video played from a laserdisc onto which the foreground graphics and racers were superimposed. This technique enabled a much more realistic appearance of the graphics than in other games of the time period.
At the time, Ken Fedesna managed general development at Williams electronics and the game was conceived to compete with the laser disc game Dragons’ Lair which was had just come to market. Ken Lantz was directing software development with leader programmer Richard Witt. John Newcomer was the creative director. The laser disc video prosecution was outsourced to third party company.
Rich and Ken developed a means by which the first few lines of NTSC video signal would contain data about the roadway, so that animated riders could be drawn to follow the roadway in the video background. A guest appearance occurs by Sinistar, from another game that Rich had recently finished working on with John Newcomer, Noah Falstein and Sam Dicker.
The game was produced in both an upright and a sit-down version (where the player would sit on a replica of the cycle).
External links
- Star Rider page at the Dragon's Lair Project