DURELLgames News
November 6th, 2007.
Harrier Attack II is now TrackIR enhanced
The latest update to Harrier Attack II includes TrackIR enhancement. TrackIR is a neat bit of kit that uses infra-red technology to track the position and orientation of the players head. In Harrier Attack II TrackIR is used to control the direction of the main camera, allowing you to look ahead, behind, above and below just by slightly turning your head. It adds a whole new dimension to the game and shows up much more of the action than can normally be seen.
The positional information from TrackIR is used to alter the position of the Harrier on screen. It allows you to move the Harrier forward, back, up and down on the screen, by moving your head in the appropriate direction, and also zoom in on the Harrier by leaning forward.
To find out more about TrackIR see the Natural Point website.
October 22nd, 2007.
Harrier Attack II reviewed
Harrier Attack II has been reviewed by Stuart Hunt in issue 43 of Retro Gamer magazine, on page 98.
Stuart gave Harrier Attack 2 an overall score of 88%.
Quote, 'Harrier Attack 2 is extremely playable, looks great and feels staggeringly quick'.
October 8th, 2007.
Deathpit Rediscovered
Clive Townsend, author of Durell Software's popular 'Saboteur' and 'Saboteur II, Avenging Angel' games, has unearthed a pre-production cassette tape copy of 'Deathpit' for the ZX Spectrum, created in 1984.
Deathpit was a game that Clive developed prior to Saboteur. Although briefly advertised late in 1984, Deathpit was never commercially released by Durell Software as it was not thought to be quite 'up to scratch'.
More info about Deathpit, and a download of the recovered game, is available from the World of Spectrum website here.
August 25th, 2007.
Harrier Attack II is AVAILABLE NOW!
Download and play for free from here.
Have fun!
March 5th, 2007.
The making of 'Turbo Esprit' and 'Thanatos'
Retro Gamer magazine is to feature an article entitled 'The making of Turbo Esprit' in issue 36, available in April 2007.
The article will include comments from Durell Software's MD, Robert White, and the games author Mike Richardson.
Issue 37 of Retro Gamer is to follow up with 'The making of Thanatos', another game from Durell Software.
Back issues of Retro Gamer can be obtained at www.retrogamer.net
January 2nd, 2006.
Happy New Year!!!
All of us at Durell Games would like to take this opportunity to wish
everyone a very happy and prosperous new year..
December 6th, 2005.
Dambuster game rediscovered.
Following a casual enquiry by Russell Keith Davis of
www.CamputersLynx.info Mike has discovered a back-up tape of the game
Dambuster for the Camputers Lynx computer. Russell has managed to read the tape
and create a .TAP file for use with the PALE Lynx emulator. Both the game
and emulator are available on Russells' site.
Dambuster was the first project that Mike completed for Durell Software. The
tape itself is dated 25 April 1983. In keeping with Durell Softwares other
products at that time it was meant to be a playable game, written in basic, but
filled with 'educational' comments to teach others how to program and write
games.
November 2nd, 2005.
Durell Software Saboteur III plans revealed.
After discussions with Mike on the World of Spectrum forums at
www.WorldOfSpectrum.org, Andrew Barker has successfully recovered the
data from several old ZX Spectrum microdrive cartridges of Mikes'. The cartridges contained
images and data that were to be used in Saboteur III, a game produced towards
the end of Durell Software's time in the games industry, which was never
published. Images and more information to be posted in due course.
March 14th, 2005.
Durell Games goes on-line.
Durell Games are pleased to announce that their website,
www.DurellGames.com, is now on-line. The site features news items about
Durell and progress on the development of their first release, 'Harrier Attack
II', a new game for PC download. Although not ready for release yet, Durell are
pleased with the progress of 'Harrier Attack II', and samples of music and
graphics can be pre-viewed on the site.
Durell Games are also requesting feedback from game players in the form of a
'what would you like us to do next' poll. Just go
on-line and cast your vote to let us know what you think.
December 24th, 2004.
Durell Software featured in Retro Gamer magazine.
The December 2004 issue of Retro Gamer magazine has featured a major article
about Durell Software in the eighties. Issue eleven also comes with a coverdisc
for PC and Mac, 'Big 40 Hits', containing over 40 of Durells smash-hit games
across seven classic formats. The disc is complete with 8-bit ROMs and
emulators, all you need to play any of Durells classic games, and it's a great
keepsake.
The article contains new interviews with Robert White (MD of Durell
Software), Mike Richardson (Creator of Jungle Trouble, Scuba Dive and Turbo
Esprit, among others) and Clive Townsend (Creator of Saboteur). It gives
fascinating insights into how the games were created, and what it was like to
be a game developer in the eight-bit days. There are also many pages of
cassette box covers and screenshots of the games in action.
Back issues of Retro Gamer can be obtained at www.retrogamer.net
October 10th, 2004.
Mike gets the go-ahead.
Robert White, MD of Durell Software, has given Mike Richardson, creator of
many of Durell's classic 8-bit games, the go-ahead to call his new venture
Durell Games.
Mike says, 'I'm really excited about starting a computer game business of my
own. Robert even suggested a great first project, Harrier Attack 2, which
I am planning to begin development of soon. I've managed to cajole
some of my family into helping with music and graphics too. I can't wait to get
started.'
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