» At tempts at a Wizball logo drawn
before the ar t work for the game had
been completed.
ones I’d been playing for the last three
years at home. After a quick chat with
my mum, I accepted his offer there and
then and left feeling elated.
Upon my arrival on my first day
there wasn’t a programmer sitting
there ready to be paired up with me.
Until then I was to be given odd bits
that needed doing. I was found a desk
and some equipment to use and my
first task, assigned to me by Gary
Bracey, was to design a loading screen
for an educational program on the
Spectrum called Say No To Strangers
for the Thetford Crime Prevention
Panel. It was hardly a thrilling start.
My next job was to alter the title of
a racing game on its already-finished
loading screen. I had to remove the
words ‘Hyper Rally’M
y first trip to Ocean’s office
in 6 Central Street was
on 8 January 1987. After
the train ride up from
Northampton, for which I
was accompanied by my
mum, we walked the short distance
in the melting snow from Piccadilly
Station to Ocean’s headquarters
in Manchester’s city centre. After
being welcomed, we made our
way downstairs to the office of the
software development manager, Gary
Bracey, situated in the cellar of the
building. The interview was made
up of an informal chat where Gary
told me about how things worked at
Ocean, the working hours and details
of the wage I’d be earning. A tour of
the building followed, where I wasintroduced to a few of the staff, some
of them, like Jonathan ‘Joffa’ Smith and
Paul Owens, I’d already heard of and
read about them in magazines.
There then followed a look at some
of the new titles being developed
in-house, which included Short Circuit
on the ZX Spectrum and Arkanoid on
the Commodore 64. It was the first
time I’d seen unfinished commercial
games before, and I was very excited
to be afforded the privilege. The
place permeated with the aroma of
coffee, cigarette smoke and the odd
hygienically challenged staff member.
Once back in his office Gary offered
me the job. I was so excited. Ocean
appeared to be a great place to work.
It looked so interesting to actually be
involved in making games just like the+HDG$ERYH:DWHU 0\ãUVW
month at Ocean Software
On 19 January 1987, aged 16, I commenced work at
Ocean Software as a graphic designer on, primarily,
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weeks as a professional game artist
alterthe title of
racing game on its already-finished
loading screen. I had to remove the
words‘HyperRally’actuallybe
mes just likke te thehe words Hyper Rally» The let ter informing Mark that
Ocean Sof t ware was interested in
of fering him a job.