A walk round what used to be OCEAN SOFTWARE, 6 Central Street, Manchester Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2023-03-17 | Ocean Software rented the basement and the 2nd floor at The Friends' Meeting House back in the 1980s. It’s where many of their most popular titles were written, including versions of Chase HQ, Robocop, Wizball, Renegade, Head Over Heels, Hypersports & Daley Thompson’s Decathlon. On 16 March 2023 we were kindly granted access to the building to see what it looks like now. Many thanks to Sarah Donaldson at the Friends' Meeting House for granting us access and for taking the time to show us around. It was very much appreciated.To find out more about what it was like to work here download my FREE PDF: LOAD DIJ DIJ - 5 years of writing, 253 pages & 180,921 words (1987 to 1990 would be the key chapters to read)GD: tinyurl.com/bddrdutkDB: tinyurl.com/33b72r3dMusic: Main title theme from 'Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge' on the Commodore 64 by Jonathan Dunn (1988).A guide to who's who in the vintage photos:0:00 - Outside0:42 - Jon O'Brien (Jobbee)0:46 - Lee Cowley (standing with back to camera), Bill Harbison (standing with back to camera), Martin MacDonald (pointing)0:50 - Ivan Horn0:55 - Rocky Ming & Bill Harbison1:00 - James Higgins1:10 - Ivan Horn, Andrew Deakin, Zach Townsend1:16 - Steve 'Jolly' Thompson1:20 - Ivan Horn, Andrew Deakin (posing for filming, this wasn't their desk)1:24 - David Blake (leaning against wall), members of BBC TV film crew. Colin Porch very right sitting at his desk.1:32 - Steve Lavache (Tech guy)1:38 - Gary Bracey1:42 - James Higgins (back), Andrew Deakin (in front)2:19 - Dawn Drake (running into a room), Paul Hughes (trying to stop her), Gary Bracey, James Higgins2:24 - Mike Lamb, Dawn Drake2:28 - Paul Owens (back) & Mark R. Jones (Jnr)'s (front) desk2:30 - Mark R. Jones (Jnr), Simon Butler (sitting at Mark's desk)2:38 - Allan Shortt & John Palmer's desk2:44 - Rick Palmer, John Meegan, Jon Dunn, Andrew Sleigh - kitchen entrance is in background3:27 - David Ward & Tracey Crooks at Ocean's reception desk3:35 - Carl Pugh receives a 'birthday greeting' while staff look on3:37 - Gary Biasilo, Paul Hughes, Jenny Beattie, Jane Lowe, Hilary Greenwood, Christmas party 19873:40 - David Ward
Mark R. Jones - 2023 Yandex ZX Spectrum Competition - Rec: 8 June 2023 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2023-12-22 | Here's my video that was played at the awards ceremony for the Russian 2023 Yandex competition where a selected few are asked to judge a collection of new games for the ZX Spectrum that had been written that year.https://rgb.yandex.ru/?lang=enProduction values had gone up slightly this year as I included a brief intro to some of the work on the ZX Spectrum I had been involved with over the the last 30 or so years.
Mark R. Jones - 2020 Yandex ZX Spectrum Competition - Rec: 10 Dec 2020 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2023-12-22 | Here's my video that was played at the awards ceremony for the Russian 2020 Yandex competition where a selected few are asked to judge a collection of new games for the ZX Spectrum that had been written that year.https://rgb.yandex.ru/?lang=enP.S. The beard only lasted a few weeks! :)
Funny How - 12 inch mix - Airhead (1991) Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2023-10-20 | One of my favourite songs from the early 90s this is the rare 12" mix that contains 2 samples from the Beatles film 'Yellow Submarine'. As far as I know, this version has never been released on CD and is unavailable anywhere to buy unless you find a 2nd hand 12" vinyl.I've been after this version for years as a digital file, as it was the version I played the most back in the day. Thanks to Hayden Andrews for recently sending me a copy!Written by Michael WallisProduced by Leigh GormanMixed by Pete LorimarWarner Chappell Music LtdNo profit is made from this video, no copyright infringement intended. Uploaded only to make this version more widely available WHICH YOU CAN'T GET ANYWHERE (probably due to those Beatles samples) and for those people who want to hear it.
Jasper Cat Trick - 21 March 2023 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2023-03-21 | Jasper loves watching cats on TV. So, let's see how he copes when he thinks there's a real one in his house! :)
Iggys Brontosaurus Birthday Song by Mark Jones Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2023-03-17 | In 2011 I recorded this ridiculous song to celebrate Iggy Rose's birthday and sent it to her. Back in 1969 Iggy knew ex-Pink Floyd front man Syd Barrett & was featured on the photos used for the cover for his 'Madcap Laughs' album, issued 3 January 1970.I spoke to Iggy every now & again on Facebook and once, while I was at Libby Gausden's house, on the phone. She sounded delightful but I never got to meet her. Sadly, she passed away on the 13 December 2017.Rest in peace Iggy Rose 1947-2017.Written (!) & performed (!) by Mark Jones. Iggy, Iggy.Today it's your birthday.Iggy, Iggy.Me and Phil we are gay.Iggy, Iggy.You're so dolly-licious.Iggy, Iggy.But you can be quite vicious.Iggy, Iggy.We have never met you.Iggy, Iggy.But in order to we'd join a queue.Iggy, Iggy.With you around we aren't glum.Iggy, Iggy.And we've seen your round bum.Iggy, Iggy.We think you're hunky dory.Iggy, Iggy.Give me a morning glory.Iggy, Iggy.We know you 'cause you met Syd.Iggy, Iggy.We are jel', we wish we did.Iggy, Iggy.We hope that your day was swell.Iggy, Iggy.More like heaven and not like hell.Iggy, Iggy.Thank you for making us laugh.Iggy, Iggy.I'll read your comments when I'm in the bath.Iggy, Iggy.They say this song must end now.Iggy, Iggy.And so I must take a bow.Iggy, Iggy.I hope this song does make you laugh.Iggy, Iggy.One day I'll get your autograph.Iggy, Iggy.So toodle-pip and I must go.Iggy, Iggy.Chooga-chug and don't be slow.
Flaming (Pink Floyd cover) by Mark Jones Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2023-03-17 | Written by Syd Barrett.All singing and intrumentation by Mark Jones.
Somewhere Theres A Feather (Nico cover) by Mark Jones Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2023-03-16 | Written by Jackson Browne.All singing and intrumentation by Mark Jones.
Me on Radio Luxembourg Tuesday 11th January 1983 requesting a song by The Beatles Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2023-03-11 | In 1983 I was (and still am) a massive fan of The Beatles. One way to hear songs I hadn't yet got copies of was to listen to Radio Luxembourg on Tuesday nights between 6:45 and 7:45pm as they had a Beatles Hour on. This day I thought I'd ring up and see if I could get through. I did and went live on the radio and wished my Mum a happy birthday (33!) Luckily I had the fore thought to press record on the family Hi-Fi and captured the earliest recording I have of me speaking! I was 12 years old. Reception from this radio station was always dodgy though, full of hums & whines. You could never get a clear signal!
MATILDA MOTHER - Pink Floyd (Heavy version. From 20 January 1967, live at UFO. Voiceover removed) Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2022-10-03 | This is from the 'So Far Out It's Straight Down' documentary but with the intrusive voiceover removed using AI software. While the result is far from perfect (the recording is just a mono televsion soundtrack from 1967 and goes quiter where the voiceover was) you can at least hear the music that was previously obscured by the chatter a bit easier. The voiceover is so loud that it nearly hides ALL the music so there wasn't actually much left to uncover, but that was there is now clearer.This version is much faster and heavier than the version on 'Piper At The Gates of Dawn' and contains alternate lyrics. A line of which is hard to make out definitively:"..his friends were very good to him.They gave him tea and cakes and jamand slices of delicious ham.Oh what a drag, out with a bang.Finding he was left alonewent tiptoe to the telephone - 999.And summoned the immediate aidof London's noble fire brigade.The chief defect of Henry Kingwas chewing little bits of string.At last he swallowed some which tieditself in ugly knots inside.Oh what a drag, out with a bang.Finding he was left alone went tiptoe to the telephone - 999.And summoned the immediate aidof London's noble fire brigade.(Instrumental freak out)Finding he was left alonewent tiptoe...."
Dogs playing together - Part 7 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2022-09-24 | Various clips from 2017 to 2022 including Monty (19 April 2013 - 3 March 2021 RIP). Monty looks like a fox, Lennon is the darkest dog, Jasper is the Border Collie & Duggie is the Shih Tzu.From 1:25 to 1:55 you can see how Monty used to let Lennon in from the garden himself. Lennon would knock on the back door & Monty could come down & open the door for him. It's super cute!
I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles - 1962 Cavern Rehearsal INSTRUMENTAL Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2022-06-10 | Recorded down in the basement in the Cavern, Liverpool not long after Ringo joined the band. No vocals, just the instruments. Taken from a rough, amateur tape recording that first surfaced in the mid 90s on a bootleg.
Jackanory with John Lennon Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2022-05-18 | John Lennon reads, in the creepiest voice, part of 'The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle' by Beatrix Potter in (probably) 1967 and (probably) recorded at his house in Kenwood, Surrey.
Playing New Zealand Story by Ocean Software on the Amiga in 1991 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2022-02-23 | Here's 3 minutes of my 2 cousins, Joanna & Ian playing 'The New Zealand Story' on the Commdore Amiga in Sept or October 1991.Filmed in Longland Road, Headlands in Northampton.
Dogs playing together - Part 6 - Yet more frolics from Lennon, Jasper, Duggie & others Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2021-12-09 | ...
Paul & Linda McCartney March, Rye, Sussex, 15 October 1990. Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2021-10-06 | Paul & Linda went on a march to save their local hospital. I went to this and met Paul. Photos from the march are here http://www.jiggler.de/images/pictures.htm
Dogs playing together - Part 5 - Lennon, Jasper, Duggie & others Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2021-09-26 | More doggy shanigans from 2021. Includes a walk to Rivington in the North West.
Dogs playing together - Part 4 - Lennon & Monty Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2021-08-20 | These are older videos than those contained in my 1st 3 compilations. In memory of MONTY - 19th April 2013 - 3rd March 2021 RIP.
Dogs playing together - Part 3 - Lennon, Jasper & Duggie (natural sound) Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2021-08-16 | More jolly japes with our 3 dogs.
Dogs playing together - Part 2 - Lennon, Jasper & Duggie (natural sound) Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2021-08-15 | Jasper & Lennon are now well acquainted with each other and are good buddies. In this video you can see Jasper's 1st ever visit to the beach when we went on holiday to Overstrand in Norfolk (which starts at 8:38). At 1st he wouldn't even let the sea touch his feet, by the end of the holiday, 5 days later, he was jumping into the waves. Straight after the holiday, on Sunday 11th July 2021, we rehomed an 11 month old Shih Tzu called Duggie. He had belonged to my sister but she had to re-home him. 1st time we met him we loved him so we volunteered to take him on, making our tally of dogs 3. So, here you can see him getting acquainted with Lennnon & Jasper. He makes his 1st appearance at 11:24. Jasper & Duggie really get on great now, both being young ones, & are constantly playing with each other while Lennon generally grumbles at them.There's lots of playing. grumbly growling, squeeky toys, more reactions of Jasper watching TV (he loves watching dog videos, especially ones that feature him!) and general rough, tumble & frolics.See more occasional photos of Lennon, Jasper & Duggie at my Twitter account: twitter.com/MarkRJones1970
Dogs playing together - Part 1 - Lennon & Jasper (natural sound) Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2021-08-14 | On 3rd March 2021 we had to have the youngest of our two dogs, Monty, put to sleep as he was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer after a very short illness. He was only 7 years old and can be seen in this video here from 2017 (he's the lighter brown of the two): youtube.com/watch?v=wCrJ8A3OC88 Over the past 7 years Monty & Lennon, who was by this point 12 years old, had become the best of pals.Five days later, on Sunday the 7th March, we gave a home to a new puppy called Jasper. While we weren't trying to replace Monty, getting him gave us something else to focus on rather than the huge hole Monty left. In this video you can see Jasper growing up (as they are shown in chronological order), the 1st clips are from his first day with us, and how him and Lennon acquainted themselves with each other (eventually) and now get on great.There's lots of playing. grumbly growling, squeeky toys, reactions of Jasper watching other dogs on TV and general rough, tumble & frolics.See more occasional photos of Lennon, Jasper & Duggie at my Twitter account: twitter.com/MarkRJones1970
Glendon Roadmender Rooftop gig - 19 May 1995 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2019-10-13 | Max's speech / 'Strapped Up' / 'The Man Who Minds' / 'Shooter' - Here the Roadmender announces their lottery grant given to them in order to modernise the venue.
Mr. Do! on the ZX Spectrum is finished! Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2019-06-13 | Coding, music & sound f/x by Adrian Singh.Loading screen & graphics by Mark R. Jones.Look out on Twiiter @MarkRJones1970 for the announcement of the free download very soon.
Mr. Do! - unofficial ZX Spectrum conversion (work-in-progress). Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2019-05-02 | Unofficial conversion of the Universal arcade game from 1982.Coding, sound effects & music - Adrian Singh - Known as 'Mr. Poke' for Sinclair User magazine back in the day. This is Adrian's 1st full game ever and is the first coding he's done since the late 80s).Graphics - Mark R. Jones (ex-Ocean Software graphic designer).The game currently is still being worked on. Adrian is working his way through at least 30 identified bugs in order to get it finished. There are also a few wrong notes in the 'end of game' tune. These will be sorted out ready for the finished version. The loading screen is finished but has not been unveiled yet.
Arkanoid by Slainte Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2019-02-17 | Back in 2002 I had an email from a Polish folk group called Slainte! asking for permission to record a cover of the Spectrum Arkanoid tune. I didn't compose it so couldn't give any permission but they recorded it anyway & sent me an MP3. I just found it again so here is all 11 minutes of it!
Dog tug of war, 12 July 2017 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-07-12 | Monty (brown) and Lennon (black) play tug of war in the front garden.Monty was put to sleep on 3rd March 2021 as it was discovered he had inoperable lung cancer. RIP :(
Games You Loved on the ZX Spectrum Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-07-08 | http://gamesyouloved.comtwitter.com/gamesyoulovedfacebook.com/gamesyouloved
I, Robot inspired graphic on the ZX Spectrum from 1985 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-06-22 | Made by myself using VU-3D way back in 1985 when I was 15 years old.
Certainty (excerpt) by The Temples, Manchester Academy 2, Tues 28 March 2017 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-03-28 | ...
Chegwin Checks It Out - Tuesday 4 October 1988 on BBC 1 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-03-13 | Broadcast on Tuesday 4 October 1988 at 16:35 on BBC 1.This appears to be the only clip from this series available. I do not have the whole episode. The section on Ocean Software was recorded on Friday 8 July 1988. Features interviews with various school children, Tony Wadsworth from EMI, Chris Ponds of the Low Pay Unit, actor Kieran O'Brien and Mark Jones of Ocean Software
A quick look at Ocean Draw - Ocean Softwares ZX Spectrum sprite designer. Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-02-22 | Back in the 80s Spectrum graphics for Ocean's in house games were drawn on a version of Melbourne Draw that had been amended to include sprite design capabilities. This version had been 'hacked' by Ocean z80 programmers and was never available commercially.
LOAD DIJ DIJ (version2) Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-02-18 | Download this file to load in to a real or emulated ZX Spectrum from here: tinyurl.com/gvfyoxw(the file must be loaded in real time and not flash loaded instantaneously in order to work properly).
Being Pamela - Part 2 of 3 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-02-07 | Documentary'Cutting Edge'9:00pm - 10:00pmChannel 4Documentary following Pamela Edwards, a young woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder, more commonly known as multiple personality disorder. At some point, Pamela's personality split into four distinct characters -Sandra is the most dominant, Susan is diplomatic, Andrew emerges when Pamela is afraid and Margaret, the most peripheral character, shares Pamela's mother's name. A rare insight into a complex and misunderstood condition.The Dvd I recorded this on became slightly corrupt so while it would play to watch it wouldn't let me copy this section to a computer in order to upload it. I've had to play this on the TV and record it with a camera, hence the dip in quality to the 2 other parts. There are about 3 times when the film pauses for a split second, these are the damaged parts. It does play to the end though and is certainly better than not being able to watch it at all.
Total Recall Playable scrapped ZX Spectrum version Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-01-29 | The previously uncontrollable demo is now controllable thanks to Adrian Singh who hacked the code on the demo to enable the keyboard. Amazingly this is the first piece of hacking he has done for at least 27 years. Hats off to him! Thanks to him for taking the time to do this.Keys are:'A' - up / pressed with SPACE jumps / pressed with left or right punches diagonally upwards'Z' - crouch / pick up / down'N' - left'M' - right'SPACE' - punch / shoot (press whilst crouching to swap between fight modes) 'P' - Pauses the gameIn Adrian's email that accompanied the file of the game he said:"Very odd is that, because SPACE is used for shooting, if you are carrying the gun and you want to jump you also end up firing a bullet....you can see that happening in the unplayable demo!Also I discovered something in the game is that if you press the 'B' key the display changes to another screen with some other dude running around, 'Q' brings you back....any idea what that is about??Don't know how far you can go, and there may be something you are supposed to do with the items that you pick up, but you can get to see more of the level than is in the demo...though beware...you may go somewhere and crash the game!"'Total Recall' scrapped version for the ZX Spectrum.©1990 Ocean Software.Download runable file for use on an emulator or real Spectrum available at this link: http://tinyurl.com/yrrjzk52
A look at the scrapped Spectrum version of Total Recall Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-01-25 | My name is Mark R. Jones and I used to work at Ocean Software.Here I look at the only version of this game that exists which is a rolling demo that was given away with Spanish Spectrum magazine 'Micro Hobby' in 1990. No playable version of the game exists and this is as far as development got before it was abandoned and the project then went in house at Ocean and a successful, but rushed game was written in time for the Christmas market.
How I found games on a ZX Spectrum pirated tape before I had a tape counter Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-01-21 | From 1984-1986
A Wizball tutorial by Mark R. Jones. Version used - ZX Spectrum Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-01-17 | My name is Mark R. Jones and I used to work at Ocean Software.We all know the Commodore 64 version of 'Wizball' is one of the best games ever written for the machine but here I used the Spectrum version, as it was the one I produced the graphics for.Even today I still hear of people who can't get the hang of the game because they can't stop the ball from bouncing around. It is relatively simple to stop that from happening as you can't get anywhere in the game without having done so, it's just too uncontrollable.So here I demonstrate how to stop the ball from bouncing and also include a bit of info about the making of the Spectrum version. I hope you enjoy it.For your information here is how I rank the various versions of Wizball from best to worst:1. Commodore 64.2. Mac and PC free download version.3. Atari ST and Commodore Amiga.4. ZX Spectrum.5. PC MS-Dos.6. Amstrad 464.Year is wrong at the end, this video was made in 2017! Not 2016.
Ocean Software dungeon vitual tour with commentary Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2017-01-15 | Have a look round the programming department at 6 Central Street circa end of 1986 - beginning of 1989 with the help of myself, Mark R. Jones, and Rob Southworth's virtual reconstruction of the 'dungeon's at Ocean Software where all of the in-house games were written during that time period.Thanks to Preston Thomas for the technical help.
Imagine Software, Liverpool, BBC TV, 1983 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2016-10-26 | Clip about Imagine Software in Liverpool from a BBC TV program. Features interviews with Dave Lawson, Ian Weatherburn & John Gibson. Clip also has a little bit about Virgin Games at the end.
Ocean Software - December 1990 - JPs Flat video 1 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2016-10-09 | Mark R. Jones, Bill Harbison & John Palmer in John's flat in December of 1990. This was filmed when we were all working on the graphics for Ocean's licence of 'Total Recall'. I would travel up to Manchester for 2 days in-house work and would stay over at John's flat in Salford. This night we messed around with John's camcorder.
Ocean Software - December 1990 - JPs Flat video 2 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2016-10-09 | Mark R. Jones & Steve 'Jolly' Thompson in John Palmer's flat in December of 1990. This was filmed when we were all working on the graphics for Ocean's licence of 'Total Recall'. I would travel up to Manchester for 2 days in-house work and would stay over at John's flat in Salford. This night we messed around with John's camcorder. This video is silent so it's not your computer playing up!
Emmerdale Farm out takes 1982 Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2016-03-25 | Excuse bad quality, filmed off Tv screen from an old video. From the 1982 Thames Tv Christmas tape
Arthur Lee & Loves last Manchester gig (silent film) Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2015-11-04 | This is footage I took of the legend that is Arthur Lee and Love at the Manchester Academy on 31st March 2005. It was the only time I saw original member Johnny Echols playing along with Arthur. This was the gig where I spotted 3 of the original Stone Roses in the crowd as we filed out of the venue.Arthur Lee (March 7, 1945 – August 3, 2006) R.I.P.
Commercial Breaks - The Battle For Santas Software (Best quality) - Imagine & Ocean Software Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2015-08-25 | In early 1984 the Imagine team were working on a spectacular project known as 'Bandersnatch'. The game was to come in an A4 sized box containing around 30 'goodies' including a required additional piece of hardware for your Spectrum computer. The retail price of 'Bandersnatch' was expected to be around £40 and it was to be a completely new concept in computer games. Apparently 10 professional artists were working on the graphics alone. Bandersnatch was never released. On the 9th of July 1984, Imagine went bust after only 18 months of operation. This documentary also features Ocean Software, who were situated at 6 Central Street, Manchester at the time.
John Lennon - Mind Games Advert Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2015-05-31 | The advert for John Lennon's 'Mind Games' album.
John Lennon - Only People Mark R. Cobley-Jones 2015-05-31 | Outtakes from the 'Mind Games' advert filming.
