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{{ | {{Infobox_Company | | ||
company_name = Stormfront Studios Inc.| | |||
| | company_type = [[Private company|Private]] | | ||
| | company_slogan = N/A | | ||
| | foundation = [[San Rafael, California]] (1988) | | ||
| | location = [[San Rafael, California]] | | ||
key_people = [[Don Daglow]], President [[CEO]] | | |||
num_employees = ~50 (2007) | | |||
industry = [[Software Programming]]| | |||
products = ''[[The Spiderwick Chronicles (video game)|The Spiderwick Chronicles]]'' Sierra br''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'' EA br''[[Blood Wake]]'' Microsoft br''[[NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition|NASCAR Racing]] series'' EA Sports br''[[Madden Football]]'' EA Sports br''[[Neverwinter Nights (AOL game)|Neverwinter Nights]]'' [[MMORPG]] on [[AOL]]br''[[Tony La Russa Baseball]]'' SSI br''[[Gold Box]] [[Dungeons and Dragons]] Games, SSI''brVarious Interactive Television demos | | |||
revenue = N/A | | |||
homepage = http://www.stormfront.com | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Stormfront Studios''' was a video game developer based in San Rafael, California which had one of the longest creative histories in the industry. In | '''Stormfront Studios''' was a [[video game developer]] based in [[San Rafael, California]] which had one of the longest creative histories in the industry. In 2007, the company had over 50 developers working on two teams, and owned all its proprietary engines, tools and technology. As of the end of 2007 over fourteen million copies of Stormfront-developed games had been sold. As of March 31, 2008, they are [http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=9809Itemid=2 out of business]. | ||
The company received major awards and award nominations from The Academy of Interactive Arts Sciences, G4 Television, BAFTA, The IGDA Game Developers Choice Awards, The EMMA Awards, [[SCEA]], the Software Publishers Association and many magazines and websites. | The company received major awards and award nominations from [[The Academy of Interactive Arts Sciences]], [[G4 (TV channel)|G4]] Television, [[BAFTA]], The [[International Game Developers Association|IGDA]] [[Game Developers Choice Awards]], The [[Frankfurt Book Fair|EMMA Awards]], [[Sony Computer Entertainment America|SCEA]], the [[Software Publishers Association]] and many magazines and websites. | ||
In 2008 | In 2008 Neverwinter Nights was honored (along with [[Everquest]] and [[World of Warcraft]]) at the 59th Annual [[Technology Engineering Emmy Award]]s for advancing the art form of [[MMORPG]] games. [[Don Daglow]] accepted the award for project partners Stormfront Studios, [[AOL]] and [[Wizards of the Coast]]. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Stormfront was founded in [[ | Stormfront was founded in 1988 by [[Don Daglow]], who had worked as a [[game programmer]] and then as Director of Game Development at [[Mattel]] [[Intellivision]], as a producer at [[Electronic Arts]], and as a production executive at [[Broderbund]]. Stormfront's management includes veterans of [[The Walt Disney Company#Studio Entertainment|Disney]], [[Electronic Arts]], [[Ensemble Studios]], [[LucasArts]], [[Origin Systems]], [[THX]], [[Vivendi Universal]] and [[Warner Bros.]]. | ||
==Games | Stormfront was originally founded as '''Beyond Software''', but changed its name in 1991 when the trademark for ''Beyond'' proved difficult to enforce. | ||
* [[The Spiderwick Chronicles]] (2008) | |||
* [[Eragon]] (2006) | ===Highlights 1988-1993=== | ||
* [[Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone]] (2004) | * ''[[Neverwinter Nights (AOL game)|Neverwinter Nights]]''. Daglow had worked on game projects with [[Kathi McHugh]] and [[Steve Case]] of [[AOL]] (then called [[Quantum Computer Services]]) since early in AOL's history. Apart from baseball, Stormfront's initial projects were a series of online titles for AOL, including the first original [[play-by-mail game|play-by-email game]], ''[[Quantum Space]]'' (1989) and later the first graphical [[MMORPG]], the original ''Neverwinter Nights'' (1991-1997). ''Neverwinter Nights'' held the all-time record as the top revenue-producing online [[Role-playing game|RPG]] for almost ten years until the success of ''[[Ultima Online]]'' in the late 1990s. [[BioWare]] subsequently purchased the rights to the name, and built a new generation of award-winning multiplayer RPG's set in the Neverwinter universe. | ||
* [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]] (2002) | * ''[[Tony La Russa Baseball]]''. Upon its founding in 1988 Stormfront's first project was a baseball title, which over the following eight years was to become the ''Tony La Russa Baseball'' series of games, working closely with baseball manager [[Tony La Russa]]. La Russa remains a member of the company's Board of Directors today. Daglow had previously designed or co-designed a number of baseball games, including ''[[Baseball (Computer Game)|Baseball]]'', ''[[Intellivision World Series Baseball]]'' and ''[[Earl Weaver Baseball]]'', the latter two with programmer [[Eddie Dombrower]]. | ||
* [[Blood Wake]] (2001) | * ''[[Gold Box]]'' [[DD]] Games. In 1990 the company began working with [[Strategic Simulations, Inc.|SSI]] on a series of ''Gold Box'' Dungeons and Dragons RPG games. This led to the company's first #1 hit, ''[[Gateway to the Savage Frontier]]'' (1991), and the first game where an AI character might fall in love with the player (depending on how they reacted to situations in the game), ''[[Treasures of the Savage Frontier]]'' (1992). | ||
* [[Legend of Alon D’ar]] (2001) | * ''[[Stronghold (1993 video game)|Stronghold]]'' (1993). The first [[real-time strategy|RTS]] game to use a [[3-D computer graphics|3D]] perspective, ''Stronghold'' also featured a [[GUI]] interface in an era when most games continued to use text menus. | ||
* [[Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor]] (2001) | |||
* [[Tiger Woods PGA Tour]] Golf 2001 (2000) | ===Highlights 1994-1999=== | ||
* [[My Style / My World: Kindergarten]] (2000) | * ''[[NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition|NASCAR Racing]]'', the original versions of the top-selling American [[auto racing]] game series of all time, created by Stormfront for EA Sports. ''[[John Madden Football]]'' game designer [[Scott Orr]], who produced a long series of games with Stormfront, championed the development of ''[[Andretti Racing]]'', which led in turn to the creation of ''NASCAR''. | ||
* [[My Style / My World: Pre-K]] (2000) | * ''[[Madden NFL]]''. Stormfront created the original PC versions of ''Madden'' for EA Sports. | ||
* [[NASCAR 2000]] (1999) | * ''[[Byzantine]]'' Although the game earned limited distribution in the United States, Stormfront's 1997 [[Discovery Channel]] game ''Byzantine'' swept the European Emma Awards at the [[Frankfurt Book Fair]], winning honors as Best Adventure Game, Game of the Year, and CD of the Year. | ||
* [[Hot Wheels Turbo Racing]] (1999) | * ''[[Tiger Woods PGA Tour]] Golf'', EA Sports. | ||
* [[Starfire Soccer Challenge]] (1998) | * ''[[Tony La Russa Baseball|Tony La Russa Baseball 3]]'' and ''[[Old Time Baseball]]''. In 1994-1995 the company self-published these two baseball games, both distributed by EA. The [[baseball strike]] of 1994 severely hampered sales, and Stormfront returned to being solely a developer. | ||
* [[NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition]] (1998) | * Stormfront was the first video game developer to use [[motion control photography]] in a video game, in the Electronic Arts game ''[[Eagle Eye Mysteries]]'', (1993). | ||
* [[Madden NFL | |||
* [[Byzantine: The Betrayal]] (1997) | ===Highlights 2000-2005=== | ||
* [[La Russa Baseball 4]] (1997) | * ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'' (2002). Published by [[Electronic Arts]] for [[PlayStation 2|PS2]], [[Gamecube]]. and Xbox and based on the [[Peter Jackson]] film from [[New Line Cinema]]. One of the top-selling games of both 2002 and 2003, ''The Two Towers'' allows players to join [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and the Fellowship of the Ring in their quest to save [[Middle-earth]] from [[Sauron]]. Players can fight as [[Aragorn]], [[Legolas]] or [[Gimli (Middle-earth)|Gimli]] in this epic adventure that features scenes and music from the first two movies in the [[The Lord of the Rings film trilogy|''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy]], battling [[Orc (Middle-earth)|Orcs]] including the [[Uruk-hai]], [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]] and more. Players play a pivotal role in [[Battle of the Hornburg|the defense]] of [[Helm's Deep]]. The game features extensive unlockable content, including exclusive interviews with the stars of the films. Winner, [[Academy of Interactive Arts Sciences]] [[Interactive Achievement Awards|Award]] for Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering. | ||
* [[Andretti Racing ’98]] (1997) | * ''[[Blood Wake]]'' for [[Xbox]] (2001). A featured title in [[Microsoft]]’s launch of the Xbox, Blood Wake is a fast-action naval combat game with real wakes and waves and the most striking water effects created on a [[video game console]]. The game later became part of the Xbox Platinum line of classic hits. | ||
* [[NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition]] (1997) | * ''[[Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone|Demon Stone]]'' (2004). Published by [[Atari]] for PS2, Xbox and PC. Players can switch which of the three main characters they control “on the fly” at any moment to battle an onslaught of enemies. The game was nominated for multiple Academy of Interactive Arts Sciences Interactive Achievement Awards and [[BAFTA]] Awards. | ||
* [[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]] (1996) | |||
* [[Andretti Racing]] (1996) | ===Highlights 2006-Present=== | ||
* [[Madden NFL | * ''[[The Spiderwick Chronicles (video game)|The Spiderwick Chronicles]]'' (2008) Wii, Xbox 360, PS2, and PC, published by Sierra, based on the Paramount film (adapted from the illustrated children's fantasy books written by [[Holly Black]] and illustrated by [[Tony DiTerlizzi]]). | ||
* [[La Russa Baseball ’96]] (1996) | * ''[[Eragon (video game)|Eragon]]'' (2006). Published by [[Vivendi Universal Games]] for [[Xbox 360]], PS2, Xbox and PC, based on the [[Twentieth Century Fox]] movie ''Eragon'', adapted from the best-selling [[Christopher Paolini]] fantasy novel. | ||
* [[Old Time Baseball]] (1995) | * (2008) Stormfront closed its doors on March 31, 2008 [http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=9809Itemid=2]. | ||
* [[La Russa Baseball 3]] (1995) | |||
* [[ESPN National Hockey Night]] (1995) | ===Interactive TV=== | ||
* [[Mario Andretti Racing]] (1994) | Stormfront had an ongoing involvement in the development of games for [[Interactive TV]] since its first experiments on Florida cable systems in 1990, and produced demos for companies including [[OpenTV]]. | ||
* [[ESPN Baseball Tonight]] (1994) | |||
* [[Eagle Eye Mysteries in London]] (1994) | ==List of Stormfront Titles== | ||
* [[La Russa Baseball ‘95]] (1994) | *''[[The Spiderwick Chronicles (video game)|The Spiderwick Chronicles]]'' (2008) Wii, Xbox360, PS2, and PC, published by Sierra, based on the Paramount film (adapted from the illustrated children's fantasy books written by [[Holly Black]] and illustrated by [[Tony DiTerlizzi]]). | ||
* [[La Russa Baseball II]] (1994) | *''[[Eragon (video game)|Eragon]]'' (2006) for Xbox360, PS2, Xbox and PC, published by Vivendi Universal Games, based on the film from Twentieth Century Fox (adapted from the Christopher Paolini novel). | ||
* [[Rebel Space]] (1993-95) | *''[[Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone]]'' (2004) for PS2 and Xbox, published by Atari | ||
* [[Tony La Russa Ultimate Baseball | *''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'' (2002) for PS2 and Xbox, published by EA, based on the Peter Jackson film from New Line Cinema. | ||
* [[Stronghold]] (1993) | *''[[Blood Wake]]'' (2001) for Xbox, published by Microsoft Games | ||
* [[Eagle Eye Mysteries]] (1993) | *''[[Legend of Alon D’ar]]'' (2001) for PS2, published by [[UbiSoft]] | ||
* [[Treasures of the Savage Frontier]] (1992) | *''[[Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor]]'' (2001) for PC, published by [[Strategic Simulations|SSI]] | ||
* [[Neverwinter Nights (AOL)|Neverwinter Nights]] (1991-97) | *''[[Tiger Woods PGA Tour]] Golf 2001'' (2000) for [[PlayStation]], published by [[EA Sports]] | ||
* [[Tony La Russa Ultimate Baseball]] (1991) | *''[[My Style / My World: Kindergarten]]'' (2000) for PC and [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]], published by [[Lego]] | ||
* [[Gateway to the Savage Frontier]] (1991) | *''[[My Style / My World: Pre-K]]'' (2000) for PC and Macintosh, published by Lego | ||
* [[Quantum Space]] (1989-1992) | *''[[NASCAR 2000]]'' (1999) for PlayStation, [[Nintendo 64]] and PC, published by EA Sports | ||
*''[[Hot Wheels Turbo Racing]]'' (1999) for PlayStation and Nintendo 64, published by EA | |||
*''[[Starfire Soccer Challenge]]'' (1998) for PC and Macintosh, published by [[Purple Moon]] | |||
*''[[NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition|NASCAR '99]]'' (1998) for PlayStation, Nintendo 64 and PC, published by EA Sports | |||
*''[[Madden NFL]] ’98'' (1997) for PC, published by EA Sports | |||
*''[[Byzantine: The Betrayal]]'' (1997) for PC, published by Discovery Channel | |||
*''[[Tony La Russa Baseball|La Russa Baseball 4]]'' (1997) for PC, published by [[Maxis]] | |||
*''[[Andretti Racing ’98]]'' (1997) for PC, published by EA Sports | |||
*''[[NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition|NASCAR ’98]]'' (1997) for PC, published by EA Sports | |||
*''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' (1996) for PC and Macintosh, published by [[Viacom]] New Media | |||
*''[[Andretti Racing]]'' (1996) for PlayStation and PC, published by EA Sports | |||
*''[[Madden NFL]] ’97'' (1996) for PC, published by EA Sports | |||
*''[[Tony La Russa Baseball|La Russa Baseball ’96]]'' (1996) for PC, self-published by Stormfront | |||
*''[[Old Time Baseball]]'' (1995) for PC, self-published by Stormfront | |||
*''[[Tony La Russa Baseball|La Russa Baseball 3]]'' (1995) for PC, self-published by Stormfront | |||
*''[[ESPN National Hockey Night (game)|ESPN National Hockey Night]]'' (1995) for PC, published by [[Sony]] | |||
*''[[Mario Andretti Racing]]'' (1994) for [[Sega Genesis]], published by EA Sports | |||
*''[[ESPN Baseball Tonight]]'' (1994) for PC, published by [[Sony]] | |||
*''[[Eagle Eye Mysteries in London]]'' (1994) for PC and Macintosh, published by [[Creative Wonders]] ([[EA Kids]]) | |||
*''[[Tony La Russa Baseball|La Russa Baseball ‘95]]'' (1994) for Sega Genesis, published by EA Sports | |||
*''[[Tony La Russa Baseball|La Russa Baseball II]]'' (1994) for PC, published by [[Strategic Simulations|SSI]] | |||
*''[[Rebel Space]]'' (Online [[Play-by-email]]) (1993-95) for PC and Macintosh, available on the [[Prodigy (ISP)|Prodigy]] [[online service]] | |||
*''[[Tony La Russa Baseball|Tony La Russa Ultimate Baseball]]'' (1993) for Sega Genesis, published by EA Sports | |||
*''[[Stronghold (1993 video game)|Stronghold]]'' (1993) for PC, published by SSI | |||
*''[[Eagle Eye Mysteries]]'' (1993) for PC and Macintosh, published by Creative Wonders (EA Kids) | |||
*''[[Treasures of the Savage Frontier]]'' (1992) for PC and [[Amiga]], published by SSI in the [[Gold Box]] [[DD]] series | |||
*''[[Neverwinter Nights (AOL game)|Neverwinter Nights]]'' (Online) (1991-97) for PC, available on [[AOL]], boxed set also published by SSI in the Gold Box series | |||
*''[[Tony La Russa Baseball|Tony La Russa Ultimate Baseball]]'' (1991) for PC, published by SSI | |||
*''[[Gateway to the Savage Frontier]]'' (1991) for PC, [[C64]] and Amiga, published by SSI in the Gold Box series | |||
*''[[Quantum Space]]'' (Online Play-by-email) (1989-1992) for PC, Macintosh, [[Apple II]], C64, available on [[AOL]] | |||
*''The [[QuantumLink Serial]]'', ''[[AppleLink Serial]]'' and ''[[PC-Link Serial]]'' (Online) (1988-1989) for PC, Macintosh, Apple II, C64, available on [[AOL]] | |||
==References== | |||
*[http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3120265did=1 1up.com feature on Stormfront] | |||
*[http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/stormfrontstudios1.php GameBanshee feature on Stormfront] | |||
*[http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200406/N04.0622.1918.31532.htm Game Informer article on Daglow] | |||
*[http://www.the-underdogs.org/company.php?name=Stormfront+Studios Underdogs company listing] | |||
*[http://www.mobygames.com/company/stormfront-studios/ MobyGames company summary] | |||
==External links== | |||
*[http://www.stormfront.com Official Website] | |||
*[http://www.bladekeep.com/nwn The Original Neverwinter Nights] | |||
[[Category:United States video game companies]] | |||
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1988]] | |||
[[Category:Academy of Interactive Arts Sciences members]] | |||
[[Category:International Game Developers Association members]] | |||
[[Category:Video game developers]] | |||
[[Category:Defunct video game companies]] | |||