2. Video Games

Subnodule

An Apple II side-scrolling shooter that I wrote in December 1984 and eventually published in 1987 through Keypunch Software. Yes, this game saw retail store shelves!
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  • Sub Hunt! Not really. It's the legendary SUBNODULE! Can you believe they actually changed the name on the box and the game itself had "Subnodule" all over it? Dolts. Anyway, this was my first retail boxed game I ever had published. It was on the shelf in 1987 and I originally wrote the game in December 1984 a week before and during my Christmas vacation halfway through my senior year in high school in England. I sold this game to Keypunch Software for $250. Not bad for 2 weeks of coding fun while on vacation.

    Sub Hunt! Not really. It's the legendary SUBNODULE! Can you believe they actually changed the name on the box and the game itself had "Subnodule" all over it? Dolts. Anyway, this was my first retail boxed game I ever had published. It was on the shelf in 1987 and I originally wrote the game in December 1984 a week before and during my Christmas vacation halfway through my senior year in high school in England. I sold this game to Keypunch Software for $250. Not bad for 2 weeks of coding fun while on vacation.

  • This is the back of the box. Just to reiterate the point, this beautiful collection of games is titled Torpedos Away. Mine is the first one in the list but the second screenshot down. Awesome layout skills and planning.

    This is the back of the box. Just to reiterate the point, this beautiful collection of games is titled Torpedos Away. Mine is the first one in the list but the second screenshot down. Awesome layout skills and planning.

  • The date I put on the game was 1985 even though I finished it at the end of 1984. I didn't want the game to seem old when people saw it, heh. My girlfriend at the time (through most of high school) was Jennifer and I gave her special thanks because she gave me the ideas for the different sea creatures to put in the game....plus she was cool about me spending time writing it!

    The date I put on the game was 1985 even though I finished it at the end of 1984. I didn't want the game to seem old when people saw it, heh. My girlfriend at the time (through most of high school) was Jennifer and I gave her special thanks because she gave me the ideas for the different sea creatures to put in the game....plus she was cool about me spending time writing it!

  • In-game action screenshot...your sub is at the top left just below the waves. The ship just dropped a bomb and there are eels and a fish coming toward the player. There's 3 manganese nodules for the player to collect here.

    In-game action screenshot...your sub is at the top left just below the waves. The ship just dropped a bomb and there are eels and a fish coming toward the player. There's 3 manganese nodules for the player to collect here.

  • These are the instructions for the game as I wrote them in early 1985 (some time after the game was finished). I gave Jennifer credit for creating the game even though she just gave me the sea creature ideas...I was very generous with my credits! These are the printed instructions as I included them in my submissions to game companies for possible publication. Oh, you'll see I misspelled "manganese" as "magnese". Excellent work.

    These are the instructions for the game as I wrote them in early 1985 (some time after the game was finished). I gave Jennifer credit for creating the game even though she just gave me the sea creature ideas...I was very generous with my credits! These are the printed instructions as I included them in my submissions to game companies for possible publication. Oh, you'll see I misspelled "manganese" as "magnese". Excellent work.

  • This is the second page of the instructions. I used a program called Fontrix to create them. OH FONTRIX I LOVED YOU!

    This is the second page of the instructions. I used a program called Fontrix to create them. OH FONTRIX I LOVED YOU!

  • Here's the magic of Magnese! These are the in-game instructions, animated for your pleasure (only the scrolling bottom). I took that idea and ran with it for Pyramids of Egypt, my next game.

    Here's the magic of Magnese! These are the in-game instructions, animated for your pleasure (only the scrolling bottom). I took that idea and ran with it for Pyramids of Egypt, my next game.

  • The is the original subnodule package that I sold in the Software Centre in Salt Lake City in 1985 (diagonally across from Cottonwood Mall on Highland Drive).I sold these on consignment while I worked there and probably sold about 20 of them.I created this cardboard cover with Fontrix on my Apple //e and the entire package had this cover, the instruction sheet, and a 5.25' disk all in a ziploc baggie. They hung on a hook on the wall along with all the rest of the software.Those of you with a keen eye will see that I corrected the spelling of Manganese on the back!! I used a font that looked just like the Karateka font because I was nuts about Karateka. The font looked great.

    The is the original subnodule package that I sold in the Software Centre in Salt Lake City in 1985 (diagonally across from Cottonwood Mall on Highland Drive).I sold these on consignment while I worked there and probably sold about 20 of them.I created this cardboard cover with Fontrix on my Apple //e and the entire package had this cover, the instruction sheet, and a 5.25' disk all in a ziploc baggie. They hung on a hook on the wall along with all the rest of the software.Those of you with a keen eye will see that I corrected the spelling of Manganese on the back!! I used a font that looked just like the Karateka font because I was nuts about Karateka. The font looked great.

  • Here are the instructions I wrote in Fontrix and included in the retail version. Hurry - limited edition!

    Here are the instructions I wrote in Fontrix and included in the retail version. Hurry - limited edition!

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    In-game action screenshot...your sub is at the top left just below the waves. The ship just dropped a bomb and there are eels and a fish coming toward the player. There's 3 manganese nodules for the player to collect here.
    These are the instructions for the game as I wrote them in early 1985 (some time after the game was finished). I gave Jennifer credit for creating the game even though she just gave me the sea creature ideas...I was very generous with my credits! These are the printed instructions as I included them in my submissions to game companies for possible publication. Oh, you'll see I misspelled "manganese" as "magnese". Excellent work.
    This is the second page of the instructions. I used a program called Fontrix to create them. OH FONTRIX I LOVED YOU!