Like most other state Education Departments in the 1980s, the Queensland Department of Education had a software development unit. This unit employed the individuals who created the game “Pieces of Eight”.
Companies
Red Rat Software
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Sinclair Research Ltd
With the dream of a computer in every British home, Sir Clive Sinclair’s company created the ZX80 in 1980. Started in 1961, the electronics research company created the world’s first pocket calculator in 1971.
Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI)
Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) was founded in 1979 by keen table top war gamer, Joel Billings, to make strategic games for the home computer. Fresh out of college and bound for MBA studies, he planned to indulge his hobby on his holiday. He was joined by programmers John Lydon and Ed Willeger.
Strategic Studies Group Pty Ltd (SSG)
Strategic Studies Group (SSG) was founded in New South Wales in 1982 by wargame specialists Roger Keating and Ian Trout. SSG was both a developer and a publisher. Their first game, “Reach for the Stars” (1983), is identified with launching the 4X genre of space games (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate).
Tandy
Tandy Corporation’s Radio Shack division was responsible for the development of the TRS-80 (Tandy Radio Shack- 80) home computer. The TRS-80 is remembered fondly as an underpowered but affordable home computer. Whilst Tandy’s computer may not have been as sophisticated as its competitors, such as the Apple, the TRS-80 had advantages beyond its low cost. Tandy’s Radio Shack stores offered a readymade distribution network for software.
Trident Technological Systems
Trident Technological Systems was a New South Wales based company that bought original, saleable programmes from independent programmers, and published them in Australia. They are known to have published several titles for the Sega SC-3000.
Ultra Software Company
Ultra Games was a subsidiary publishing label of Konami. It was a shell company created to get around the strict Nintendo America licencing laws that limited third party publishers to a maximum of five NES titles per year. Konami established Ultra Games to expand its...
U.S. Gold Ltd
U.S Gold was a United Kingdom-based software company which published American games in the United Kingdom, often converting them to platforms that were popular in that country. Founded in 1984 by Geoff and Anne Brown, U.S. Gold acquired popular American game titles for consoles such as the Atari…