Chris Sawyer
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| Chris Sawyer | |
|---|---|
| Residence | Dunblane, Scotland |
| Education | Computer Science degree, Strathclyde University |
| Occupation | Computer game developer |
| Known for | Designing and Programming, RollerCoaster Tycoon, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, Chris Sawyer's Locomotion, and Transport Tycoon. |
| Website http://www.chrissawyer.com/ |
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Chris Sawyer is a Scottish computer game developer who is best-known for designing and programming Transport Tycoon and the RollerCoaster Tycoon series.
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[edit] Career
Sawyer entered the games industry in 1983, writing games in Z80 machine code on the Memotech MTX home computer, and then the Amstrad CPC series home computer. Some of these were published by Ariolasoft, Sepulcri Scelerati and Ziggurat. The former was a rare instance of a game being accepted by a publisher when it was already nearing completion.
From 1988 to 1993, Sawyer worked on PC conversions of Amiga games and was involved in many projects, including Virus, Campaign, Birds of Prey, Dino Dini's Goal and Frontier: Elite II. He also contributed to the PC version Elite Plus.
Sawyer's first management simulation game, Transport Tycoon, was released by Microprose in 1994 and became a classic of the tycoon series of games. A year later he improved and extended the game, giving it the title Transport Tycoon Deluxe.
Sawyer immediately sought to create a sequel. However, while still working on the basic game engine, Sawyer developed an interest in roller coasters, and changed the project into what would become RollerCoaster Tycoon, originally called White Knuckle before release. [1] After creating RollerCoaster Tycoon, he resumed work on the sequel for Transport Tycoon but again postponed it to create RollerCoaster Tycoon 2. Upon completing that project, he resumed his work on the Transport Tycoon sequel, finally releasing it in 2004 as Chris Sawyer's Locomotion. [2]
Sawyer also served as a consultant for Atari in the development of RollerCoaster Tycoon 3.
In November 2005 Sawyer sued Atari, claiming that they had failed to pay him certain royalties.[3]
Since Locomotion, many fans[who?] have become concerned that Sawyer has retired from game development. His company website has not been updated since 2007 and he has remained silent from participating in any public interviews since his last project. This could be due to Sawyer's primary focus on 2D isometric game models with most new games being based around 3D engines.
Sawyer designed and programmed most of his games entirely by himself, using only the services of freelance artist Simon Foster and musician Allister Brimble. He currently lives in Dunblane, Scotland.[citation needed]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "10 things you (probably) never knew about Chris Sawyer's Tycoon games..." from Chris Sawyer Software Development website
- ^ Chris Sawyer (2004). Chris Sawyer's Locomotion Manual. Atari.
- ^ "Sawyer Sues Atari Over Roller Coaster Tycoon Royalties" from Gamasutra (November 8, 2005)
