Chris Sawyer

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
www.chrissawyergames.com

Chris Sawyer is a Scottish computer game developer who is best known for designing and programming Transport Tycoon and the RollerCoaster Tycoon series.

Career

Sawyer first 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, Conqueror, 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. 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.

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. Sawyer and Atari settled out of court for an undisclosed amount in February 2008.

Sawyer designed and programmed most of his games in x86 assembly, using only the services of freelance artist Simon Foster and musician Allister Brimble as needed.

Credits

The following is a list of video games Chris Sawyer has been credited for over the course of his career.

• "Cities in Motion" (2011), Paradox Interactive (inspiration)
• "RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Wild!" (2005), Atari, Inc. (Consultant)
• "RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Soaked!" (2005), Atari Europe S.A.S.U. (Consultant)
• "Chris Sawyer's Locomotion" (2004), Atari, Inc.
• "RollerCoaster Tycoon 3" (2004), Atari do Brasil Ltda. (Consultant)
• "RollerCoaster Tycoon 2" (2002), Infogrames Europe SA
• "RollerCoaster Tycoon: Loopy Landscapes" (2000), Hasbro Interactive Ltd.
• "RollerCoaster Tycoon: Corkscrew Follies" (1999), Hasbro Interactive Ltd.
• "RollerCoaster Tycoon" (1999), Hasbro Interactive Ltd.
• "Frontier: First Encounters" (1995), GameTek (FL), Inc.
• "Transport Tycoon Deluxe" (1995), MicroProse Software, Inc.
• "Transport Tycoon World Editor" (1995), MicroProse Software, Inc.
• "Dino Dini's Soccer" (1994), Virgin Interactive Entertainment (Europe) Ltd.
• "Transport Tycoon" (1994), MicroProse Software, Inc.
• "Frontier: Elite II" (1993), GameTek, Inc., Konami, Inc.
• "Goal!" (1993), Virgin Games, Ltd.
• "Birds of Prey" (1992), Electronic Arts, Inc.
• "Campaign" (1992), Empire Software
• "Elite Plus" (1991), Microplay Software
• "Conqueror" (1990), Rainbow Arts Software GmbH
• "Xenomorph" (1990), Pandora
• "Revenge of Defender" (1989), Epyx, Inc.
• "Virus" (1988), Firebird Software Ltd.

See also

• RollerCoaster Tycoon (series)

External links

• Chris Sawyer Software Development
• Chris Sawyer's profile at MobyGames
• Interview with Sawyer on Locomotion from GameSpot