Retro365 | 3-D Skiing - Continental Software, 1981 - Apple II (4K) @Retro365 | Uploaded March 2024 | Updated October 2024, 22 hours ago.
Two short plays of Jeffrey Stanton's 3-D Skiing, published by Continental Software for the Apple II in 1981.
Stanton had been fascinated by Bruce Artwick's 1979, Flight Simulator, a game celebrated for its use of "real-time 3D" wireframe graphics. Having worked as an engineer in the aerospace industry in the early '70s, Stanton was intrigued with the idea of home computers being able to calculate and display 3D. While Artwick's Flight Simulator offered two airports and a mountainous terrain, Stanton went on to modify its database, transforming the features to depict Marine del Rey harbor and the Palos Verdes hills in Los Angeles County.
Changing existing work was doable but creating a 3D game engine from scratch and making the content interactive was a challenge for most, including Stanton who wanted to craft his own game.
In 1980, programming prodigy Bill Budge introduced his 3D Graphics System for the Apple II. The software package provided developers with access to Budge's sophisticated tools, enabling them to create their own projects without extensive 3D technical expertise. As Stanton's postcard and photography business was slow during the winter season of 1980-81, he spent his spare time creating a 3D skiing game, utilizing Budge's tool set.
The resulting game comprised two parts, a "real-time 3D" slalom section where players had to navigate a skier through a series of gates, and a more traditional ski jumping segment in 2D.
The two parts were put together and released by Continental Software as 3-D Skiing.
The game debuted at the March 1981 West Coast Computer Faire.
Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
0:18 Ski Slalom
2:07 Ski Jumping (which I'm apparently quite miserable at)
Two short plays of Jeffrey Stanton's 3-D Skiing, published by Continental Software for the Apple II in 1981.
Stanton had been fascinated by Bruce Artwick's 1979, Flight Simulator, a game celebrated for its use of "real-time 3D" wireframe graphics. Having worked as an engineer in the aerospace industry in the early '70s, Stanton was intrigued with the idea of home computers being able to calculate and display 3D. While Artwick's Flight Simulator offered two airports and a mountainous terrain, Stanton went on to modify its database, transforming the features to depict Marine del Rey harbor and the Palos Verdes hills in Los Angeles County.
Changing existing work was doable but creating a 3D game engine from scratch and making the content interactive was a challenge for most, including Stanton who wanted to craft his own game.
In 1980, programming prodigy Bill Budge introduced his 3D Graphics System for the Apple II. The software package provided developers with access to Budge's sophisticated tools, enabling them to create their own projects without extensive 3D technical expertise. As Stanton's postcard and photography business was slow during the winter season of 1980-81, he spent his spare time creating a 3D skiing game, utilizing Budge's tool set.
The resulting game comprised two parts, a "real-time 3D" slalom section where players had to navigate a skier through a series of gates, and a more traditional ski jumping segment in 2D.
The two parts were put together and released by Continental Software as 3-D Skiing.
The game debuted at the March 1981 West Coast Computer Faire.
Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
0:18 Ski Slalom
2:07 Ski Jumping (which I'm apparently quite miserable at)
