Bitmap Brothers

Bitmap Brothers is a company of development of video game of the the United Kingdom, based in Wapping, in the East of London. Its last Chairman and managing director is Mike Montgomery.

History

The Bitmap Brothers was Co-founded in 1987 by Mike Montgomery, Steve Kelly and Eric Matthews. This small studio quickly will acquire a statute worship near the community of players Amiga and Atari ST by connecting productions with remarkable quality.

Their the first two plays leave in 1988: Xenon , shoot' EM up pioneer on microcomputer 16 bits, and Speedball , a futuristic play of sport, receive a favorable reception of the public. Xenon becomes in particular the first play Amiga has to make its entry in Top40 of the sales in England.

In 1989, Xenon 2: Megablast surprises by a degree of sophistication raised, graphics detailed and a percussion band. The developers are tested then successfully with the play of adventure with Cadaver . This enthralling title will be supplemented by a subtitled extension The Payoff . Complete recasting of the first episode, Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe is distinguished at the end of 1990 by proposing intense meetings in an electric environment.

In search of independence, Bitmaps Brothers then put a term at the contract which binds them to the editor/distributer Mirrorsoft to engage with Renegade Software, company of which they are at the origin with Martin Heath. The first play to be born under this label is Gods in March 1991. Inventive and nicely carried out, this play of platform/action which takes seat in a ancient Greece fantastic is often regarded as titrates it more succeeded of Bitmap Brothers. In October 1991, Magic Pockets , a play of platform coloured, is greeted for its originality. Lastly, in 1993, The Chaos Engine , a play of shooting multijouor, closes with brilliance one of the most prolific series of productions of the era 2D.

Like other independent small structures, Bitmap Brothers, which assert their autonomy, are long in operating the transition towards the new standard 3D imposed by the new generation from PC and consoles. In 1996, the studio leaves its last Amiga title, The Chaos Engine 2 , and rubs with a new kind of play with Z . Tinted black Humor and with the innovating Artificial intelligence, this strategy game real-time is well accommodated by the specialized press. In spite of good sales, the title does not reach the popularity of the references already established like Warcraft or Command & Conquer . In 1998, Steve Kelly and Eric Matthews leaves the direction of the company and concentrate on their respective career of programmer and graphic designer. The studio is harnessed then with its first two projects in 3D which are born at the end of 2000: Speedball 2100 on PlayStation and Z: Steel Soldiers on PC.

In 2002, Mike Montgomery engages a new company reconstruction and sign one partenarait with Crawfish Interactive in order to adapt the catalog 8/16 bits on GameBoy Advance and PC Pocket. After the cancellation of the project Speedball Arena and the exit in May 2003 of World War 2: Frontline Command , Bitmap Brothers since did not develop any play any more.

Productions

Compilations

  • 1992 - The Bitmap Brothers Volume 1
  • 1993 - The Bitmap Brothers Volume 2
  • 1995 - The Bitmap Brothers Compilation

The Bitmap Brothers Volume 1 (Amiga, Atari ST and PC) contains Xenon , Cadaver , its extension The Pay Off and Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe . The Volume 2 (Amiga) contains Gods , Magic Pockets and Xenon 2: Megablast . Lastly, The Bitmap Brothers Compilation (PC) gathers Cadaver , The Pay Off , Gods , Magic Pockets , Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe and Xenon 2: Megablast .

Rewards

Some of the rewards received by this development team:

  • The Bitmap Brothers : Developer 16bits of the year 1989 (Golden delicious Joystick Awards)

  • Xenon: Bandage year 1988 (InDin)
  • Speedball: Play of the year 1988 (Golden delicious Joystick Awards)
  • Xenon 2: Megablast: Shoot' EM up of the year 1989 (Four of Gold, ELSPA Awards); Bandage year 1989 (InDin)
  • Cadaver: Play of adventure of the year 1990 (Gen4 d' Or, Fnac)
  • Speedball 2: Original play of the year 1990 (Gen4 d' Or, Fnac); Play of arcade of the year 1990 (InDin); Bandage year 1990 (Golden delicious Joystick Awards)
  • Magic Pockets: Play of platform of the year 1991 (Tilt d' Or)
  • Gods: ACE Trailblazer 1992
  • Chaos Engine: Play of action of the year 1994 (Sega Awards); Play multi-player of the year 1994 (Power Play)

To note

  • In September 2006, the German developers Froggster announced to have recovered the rights of adaptation of Speedball 2 and The Chaos Engine in the intention to develop them on the new generation of consoles. Bitmap Brothers could be associated with the projects.

Random links:49 (number) | Veratrum nigrum | Pelléas and Mélisande (opera) | 1890 with the theater | Tang Taizong | Robert_Gascoyne-Cecil