Arc Developments
| Arc Developments | |
 |
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| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | UK |
- Not to be confused with the Japanese developer Arc System Works.
Arc Developments was a British game developer founded by Chris Coupe, Byron Nilsson, Paul Walker, and Richard Underhill in 1988 after they had disbanded from Elite Systems. They are known for converting computer games to home consoles. Arc Developments' most popular game was Johnny Bazookatone. The company closed its doors in 1998, just 10 years after its opening.
The company rarely put credits in their games. According to one of the developers, this was because they simply didn't care to add the polish of credits to their games, and also because most of their games were made by the same development teams.
Contents
Games
Music Development
Amiga
Mark Cooksey had his own drivers at Elite, but used a a different variant on each game. Martin Walker also used his own sound engine. Andi McGinty used Protracker. It is unknown how Justin Scharvona made his music.
Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Music is in Mark Cooksey's second driver (first found at Elite), in Tony Williams' driver, and client Ocean Software provided Jonathan Dunn's music.
Atari ST
Both Mark Cooksey and Andi McGinty used Cooksey's second driver (first found at Elite).
DOS
Andi McGinty was the only composer to make music for Arc Developments' MS-DOS games. According to Arc programmer Julian Scott, he programmed a sound driver to which McGinty's MIDI files were converted.
Genesis / Mega Drive
Mark Cooksey programmed a sound driver and MIDI files were converted to his engine. The game Hurricanes (SMD) seems to use a different engine than Cooksey's. It is believed either Derrick Owens, and/or Chris Coupe, with the possible assistance of Julian Scott, programmed its sound engine.
Game Gear/Sega Master System
Arc had two sound engines:
- One by Mark Cooksey, who created the sound driver and MIDI conversion tools. He would use Logic and Notator for his music.
- A second sound engine was programmed by Chris Coupe. This sound engine was only used by Andi McGinty.
Audio Personnel
- Allister Brimble (Composer for Liverpool: The Computer Game (AST))
- Andi McGinty (In-house composer; 1992–1998)
- Byron Nilsson (Programmer, credited for Additional Sounds in Bart vs. the Space Mutants (AMI) and Bart vs. the Space Mutants (DOS); 1991–1994)
- Chris Brighton (Composer; 1995–1996)
- Chris Coupe (Programmer, credited for Effects in Hurricanes (GG); 1992–1996)
- Derrick Owens (Programmer, credited for Additional Sounds in Bart vs. the Space Mutants (AMI) and Bart vs. the Space Mutants (DOS); 1991–1996)
- Julian Scott (Programmer, programmed Arc's DOS sound driver; 1991–1993)
- Justin Scharvona (Composer; 1991)
- Mark Cooksey (Freelance composer, sound programmer; 1989–1992)
- Martin Walker (Composer)
- Sound Images (Composer for Predator 2 (DOS))
Cooksey was employed by Elite in 1989–1990 and only got credited in Crack Down (C64) as "Dr K". In The One Issue Seven, Byron Nilsson replied: "We really can't tell you, but he's dead good." Cooksey remembered in 2003:
Picture Gallery
The One Issue Seven, April 1989.
Links
- mobygames.com/company/arc-developments - MobyGames.
- youtube.com/user/LongAnimalsGames - Julian Scott's YouTube Channel.
