Robert Woodhead

Last updated

Robert Woodhead
Born1958or1959(age 65–66) [1]
Occupation(s) Entrepreneur
Software engineer
Game programmer (formerly)
Notable work Wizardry
AnimEigo

Robert J. Woodhead (born 1958 or 1959) is an American entrepreneur, software engineer and former game programmer. He is the co-creator of the Wizardry franchise, and the co-founder of both the video game publishing company Sir-Tech and anime licensing company AnimEigo.

Contents

He claims that a common thread in his career is "doing weird things with computers".

Career

In 1979, he co-founded Sirotech (later known as Sir-Tech) with Norman Sirotek and Robert Sirotek. Along with Andrew C. Greenberg, he created the Apple II game Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord , one of the first role-playing video games written for a personal computer, as well as several of its sequels. [2] [3] [4] Woodhead designed the 1982 Apple II arcade game Star Maze , which was programmed by Gordon Eastman and sold through Sir-Tech. [5] He told TODAY magazine in 1983, "I have loads of arcade game ideas, but lack the patience to do the actual coding. I'm sort of a big project person; I like the challenge of a program like Wizardry." [5]

Later, he authored Interferon and Virex, [6] two of the earliest anti-virus applications for the Macintosh, and co-founded AnimEigo, one of the first US anime releasing companies. As a result of this venture, while living in Japan, he married his translator and interpreter, Natsumi Ueki, together with whom he has two children. [7] He also ran a search engine promotion website called SelfPromotion.com.

As a hobby, he builds combat robots, and his children, James Ueki and Alex Ueki, are the 2004 and 2005 Robot Fighting League National Champions in the 30 lb Featherweight class.

Woodhead made a cameo appearance in the 1982 video game Ultima II as an NPC; when the player talked to him he would scream "Copy Protect!", a sarcastic reference to the extensive copy protection methods used in video games of the time. He also has a screen credit in the film Real Genius as their "Hacking Consultant".

Woodhead has created two successful Kickstarter projects, " Bubblegum Crisis Ultimate Edition Blu-Ray Set" ($153,964 pledged on a $75,000 goal), [8] and "BackerSupport" ($326 pledged on a $100 goal). [9]

Woodhead has also served on the Eve Online Council of Stellar Management with an in-game avatar name of Trebor Daehdoow. He was re-elected for 4 terms, serving in his last term as Chairman.

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<i>Star Maze</i> 1982 video game

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References

  1. ↑ Parish, Jeremy. "The Mad Overlord speaks on episode 162". Retronauts. Retrieved September 20, 2018. I'm 59 now
  2. ↑ DeMaria, Rusel; Wilson, Johnny L. (December 18, 2003). High score!: the illustrated history of electronic games. McGraw-Hill Professional. pp. 154–155. ISBN   978-0-07-223172-4 . Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  3. ↑ Buckler, Grant (March 9, 1985). "Small firms find big-time markets". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Small U.S. game maker caters to global audience". Eugene Register-Guard. September 24, 1995. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  5. 1 2 Salmons, Jim (August 1982). "Exec Sir-Tech: Wizzing to the Top". SoftTalk. 2 (12): 36.
  6. ↑ Kates, William (February 13, 1989). "MacIntosh computers' virus cured". The Evening News. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  7. ↑ Robert Woodhead at MobyGames
  8. ↑ "Bubblegum Crisis Ultimate Edition Blu-Ray Set". Kickstarter. October 25, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  9. ↑ "BackerSupport - The KickStarter Management & Logistics App". Kickstarter. July 16, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
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