Difference between revisions of "Kenneth Hurley"
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| education=[[wikipedia:University of Maryland, College Park|University of Maryland, College Park]] (1998-2000; BS Computer Science){{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/}}, [[wikipedia:Texas A&M University|Texas A&M University]] (2013-2015; MBA Business Administration and Management){{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/}} | | education=[[wikipedia:University of Maryland, College Park|University of Maryland, College Park]] (1998-2000; BS Computer Science){{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/}}, [[wikipedia:Texas A&M University|Texas A&M University]] (2013-2015; MBA Business Administration and Management){{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/}} | ||
}}{{sub-stub}}'''Kenneth L. Hurley''' is an American businessman, programmer, and co-founder of [[Futurescape Productions]], known for his work on peripherals like the [[Sega VR]] and [[Menacer]]. | }}{{sub-stub}}'''Kenneth L. Hurley''' is an American businessman, programmer, and co-founder of [[Futurescape Productions]], known for his work on peripherals like the [[Sega VR]] and [[Menacer]]. | ||
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| + | ==Career== | ||
| + | {{PAGENAME}} began his professional career in September 1982 as a freelance programmer, developing programs for [[Atari ST]] computers and even creating the official waste management system software used by the city of [[wikipedia:Medford, Oregon|Medford, Oregon]]. In July 1985, he landed a software engineer position at [[Dynamix]] in nearby [[wikipedia:Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]], where he ported the [[Apple II]] game ''Sword of Kadash'' to the Atari ST. During this time, one of Hurley's previous Atari ST programs - the disk copying utility Copy II ST - was acquired by a local software company named [[wikipedia:Central Point Software|Central Point Software]] in September 1985. He also accepted a job with the company, staying on for two months while developing an internal [[Amiga]] copy/backup program.{{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/details/experience/}} | ||
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| + | The following January, Hurley teamed with Warrick Holfeld to found Monarch Development, a two-man development team which ported the ''[[wikipedia:Rampage (franchise)|Rampage]]'' games to [[IBM PC]], [[Apple II]], and [[Amiga]] home computers from the beginning of 1986 to January 1987. According to Hurley, the "games were [written in] 100% [[wikipedia:assembly language|assembly language]]."{{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/details/experience/}} Eventually, the series' publisher [[Activision]] took notice, and later that year hired Hurley for a full-time software engineer role. He recalls that one of his responsibilities working for the company was stripping the copy protection from older Activision titles so they could be rereleased in compilation packs. He would remain in this position for two years, when he was eventually picked up by [[Electronic Arts]] in January 1990. At Electronic Arts, Hurley served as programmer on the [[IBM PC]] games ''[[wikipedia:Chuck Yeagers Air Combat|Chuck Yeagers Air Combat]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:The Immortal (video game)|The Immortal]]'', acting as lead programmer on the latter. During his time with the company, he found himself specializing in C, C++, and 8086 assembly languages, as well as graphics for 6502/65816, IBM, and Apple II computers.{{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/details/experience/}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Futurescape Productions=== | ||
| + | In October 1992{{ref|http://web.archive.org/web/20210509222319/https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ca/C1825862}}, {{PAGENAME}} and fellow Electronic Arts programmer [[Kevin McGrath]]{{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmcgrath/details/experience/}} cofounded their own game development studio, the [[wikipedia:San Mateo, California|San Mateo, California]]-based [[Futurescape Productions]]. Acting as both company executive and working programmer, Hurley managed a team of four artists, three programmers, and one business manager, all while continuing to directly write C, C++, and assembly language code for Futurescape's projects. He also had an important role in Futurescape's development capabilities, personally coding the company's in-house [[Genesis]] software libraries, as well as designing the physical PCBs used in the development of their games. He also designed undisclosed hardware which allowed for 128k of Save ROM in Genesis games, but nothing further is known of this project.{{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/details/experience/}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | Futurescape soon became an official third-party developer of [[Sega of America]], beginning a number of ambitious game development projects for the company. Chief among these was ''[[Nuclear Rush]]'', a 3D action game along the lines of ''[[wikipedia:Battlezone (1980 video game)|Battlezone]]'' or ''[[Stellar-Fire]]''.{{fileref|1993 Sega Catalog.pdf|page=73}} Intended as the pack-in title for the ill-fated [[Sega VR]] headset, the game supports 360° head tracking, with the 3D coding programmed by Hurley himself.{{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/details/experience/}} Another ambitious title was ''[[Monster Hunter]]'', a light gun adventure game envisioned by Sega of America as the launch title for the [[Menacer]], their 16-bit light gun peripheral.{{magref|egm|51|18}}{{fileref|MonsterHunter MD US conceptdoc.pdf|page=1}} Hurley was involved in the programming of virtually all the company's games, including personally porting ''[[Sid & Al's Incredible Toons]]'' from the [[IBM PC]] to Genesis hardware. Unfortunately, a number of complications both within Futurescape and the larger game industry resulted in the company's closure in August 1994.{{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/details/experience/}}{{ref|https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmcgrath/}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Later career=== | ||
| + | On July 27, 2020{{ref|https://github.com/OldSkoolCode/Sega-Monster-Hunter}}, Hurley uploaded the source code for the unreleased [[Mega Drive]] games ''[[Monster Hunter]]'', ''[[Nuclear Rush]]'', ''[[Relentless]]'', and ''[[Sid & Al's Incredible Toons]]''.{{ref|https://github.com/OldSkoolCode}} | ||
==Production history== | ==Production history== | ||
Revision as of 23:17, 24 September 2024
|
| Kenneth L. Hurley |
|---|
| Place of birth: Oregon, United States |
| Employment history:
Activision[1] (1987 – 1989)
Electronic Arts[1] (1990-01 – 1992-03)
Futurescape Productions[1] (1992 – 1994)
Electronic Arts[1] (1994-08 – 1997-01)
|
| Role(s): Programmer[1], Executive[2] |
| Education: University of Maryland, College Park (1998-2000; BS Computer Science)[2], Texas A&M University (2013-2015; MBA Business Administration and Management)[2] |
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Kenneth L. Hurley is an American businessman, programmer, and co-founder of Futurescape Productions, known for his work on peripherals like the Sega VR and Menacer.
Contents
Career
Kenneth Hurley began his professional career in September 1982 as a freelance programmer, developing programs for Atari ST computers and even creating the official waste management system software used by the city of Medford, Oregon. In July 1985, he landed a software engineer position at Dynamix in nearby Eugene, where he ported the Apple II game Sword of Kadash to the Atari ST. During this time, one of Hurley's previous Atari ST programs - the disk copying utility Copy II ST - was acquired by a local software company named Central Point Software in September 1985. He also accepted a job with the company, staying on for two months while developing an internal Amiga copy/backup program.[1]
The following January, Hurley teamed with Warrick Holfeld to found Monarch Development, a two-man development team which ported the Rampage games to IBM PC, Apple II, and Amiga home computers from the beginning of 1986 to January 1987. According to Hurley, the "games were [written in] 100% assembly language."[1] Eventually, the series' publisher Activision took notice, and later that year hired Hurley for a full-time software engineer role. He recalls that one of his responsibilities working for the company was stripping the copy protection from older Activision titles so they could be rereleased in compilation packs. He would remain in this position for two years, when he was eventually picked up by Electronic Arts in January 1990. At Electronic Arts, Hurley served as programmer on the IBM PC games Chuck Yeagers Air Combat and The Immortal, acting as lead programmer on the latter. During his time with the company, he found himself specializing in C, C++, and 8086 assembly languages, as well as graphics for 6502/65816, IBM, and Apple II computers.[1]
Futurescape Productions
In October 1992[3], Kenneth Hurley and fellow Electronic Arts programmer Kevin McGrath[4] cofounded their own game development studio, the San Mateo, California-based Futurescape Productions. Acting as both company executive and working programmer, Hurley managed a team of four artists, three programmers, and one business manager, all while continuing to directly write C, C++, and assembly language code for Futurescape's projects. He also had an important role in Futurescape's development capabilities, personally coding the company's in-house Genesis software libraries, as well as designing the physical PCBs used in the development of their games. He also designed undisclosed hardware which allowed for 128k of Save ROM in Genesis games, but nothing further is known of this project.[1]
Futurescape soon became an official third-party developer of Sega of America, beginning a number of ambitious game development projects for the company. Chief among these was Nuclear Rush, a 3D action game along the lines of Battlezone or Stellar-Fire.[5] Intended as the pack-in title for the ill-fated Sega VR headset, the game supports 360° head tracking, with the 3D coding programmed by Hurley himself.[1] Another ambitious title was Monster Hunter, a light gun adventure game envisioned by Sega of America as the launch title for the Menacer, their 16-bit light gun peripheral.[6][7] Hurley was involved in the programming of virtually all the company's games, including personally porting Sid & Al's Incredible Toons from the IBM PC to Genesis hardware. Unfortunately, a number of complications both within Futurescape and the larger game industry resulted in the company's closure in August 1994.[1][8]
Later career
On July 27, 2020[9], Hurley uploaded the source code for the unreleased Mega Drive games Monster Hunter, Nuclear Rush, Relentless, and Sid & Al's Incredible Toons.[10]
Production history
- Monster Hunter (Mega Drive; unreleased) — Programmed By (as Kenneth L. Hurley)
- Sid & Al's Incredible Toons (Mega Drive; unreleased) — Programmed By
External links
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/details/experience/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://www.linkedin.com/in/klhurley/
- ↑ https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ca/C1825862 (Wayback Machine: 2021-05-09 22:23)
- ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmcgrath/details/experience/
- ↑ File:1993 Sega Catalog.pdf, page 73
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 18
- ↑ File:MonsterHunter MD US conceptdoc.pdf, page 1
- ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmcgrath/
- ↑ https://github.com/OldSkoolCode/Sega-Monster-Hunter
- ↑ https://github.com/OldSkoolCode