Stormfront Studios

Stormfront Studios was a 1988 based developer of computer and video games, who achieved particularly through its games in the RPG world Dungeons & Dragons ( D & D) great notoriety. In 2008, the company ceased business operations due to lack of new orders and dismissed all remaining employees.

History

The studio was founded in 1988 by Don Daglow following his departure from Brøderbund under the name Beyond software and led to the cessation of the activities. Since there were more companies of that name, it was decided in 1991 to change its name in Stormfront Studios.

The Stormfront Studios were set to no genre or product, but endeavored, according to Don Daglow always a great development bandwidth. Nevertheless, above all, numerous commissions for different D & D contributed to a large franchisee awareness Developer at. In addition, the studio has developed several sports and racing games like the EA Sports Madden NFL series and NASCAR.

One of the first commissions included games for the online service AOL, and Tony La Russa 's Ultimate Baseball for SSI. SSI commissioned Stormfront also a continuation of the D & D games of the Gold Box series. The first game of this cooperation was titled Gateway to the Savage Frontier. In consequence was on the technical basis of the Gold Box series in a joint collaboration of Stormfront, SSI and AOL in 1991, the first graphical MMORPG titled Neverwinter Nights. For Stormfront was honored in 2008 with the Emmy Technology Award for the creation of the first graphical online role-playing game. Followed in 1992 with Treasures of the Savage Frontier is a direct successor to Gateway of the Savage Frontier. The game included the possibility of a romance between the player character and an accompanying character, with effects on the attribute values ​​of the first role-playing game. Appeared in 1993 with Stronghold the fourth D & D titles of the studio and also the first real-time strategy game in 3D look.

Between 1993 and 2001 the studio worked mainly on sports and racing games, including at other titles by Tony La Russa Baseball, Madden NFL, Mario Andretti Racing, NASCAR and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001. Besides, the developers created the two-part children's series Eagle Eye Mysteries (1993/1994), the action adventure Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Harbinger (1995), the adventure Byzantine - the Betrayal (1998), and in 2001 originally for SSI begun and after several acquisitions ultimately published by Ubisoft D & D role-playing game entitled Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor.

From 2002 until the cessation of business in 2008, published with The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002 ) Eragon (2006) and The Spiderwick Chronicles ( 2008) mainly accompanying games to movies. For the former, the company was awarded in 2002 by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences with an award for outstanding achievement in Visual Engineering. In addition Stormfront developed with Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone (2004) for Atari and in collaboration with novelist RA Salvatore once an action-adventure in the D & D game world, based on the technical basis of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

On April 1, 2008 it was announced publicly that the company had after the rejection of a project due to lack of orders all the remaining 33 employees laid off and out of business.

Ludography (excerpt)

  • Tony La Russa 's Ultimate Baseball ( 1991)
  • Gateway to the Savage Frontier (1991 )
  • Neverwinter Nights (1991 )
  • Treasures to the Savage Frontier (1992 )
  • Stronghold (1993 )
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Harbinger (1995 )
  • Madden NFL '97 (1996 )
  • Nascar '99 (1997)
  • Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor (2001)
  • Blood Wake ( 2001)
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
  • Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone (2004)
  • Eragon (2006)
  • The Spiderwick Chronicles ( 2008)

Significant developments

  • Neverwinter Nights - First graphical MMORPG
  • Stronghold - First real-time strategy game with full 3D vision

Awards

  • 2003 - Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences: Award for Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering ( The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers )
  • 2008 - National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Emmy Technology Award for the creation of the first graphical online role-playing game ( Neverwinter Nights )
Types of business entity San Rafael, California List of NASCAR video games Neverwinter Nights (MMORPG) Action-adventure game Adventure game The Spiderwick Chronicles (film) Emmy Award MobyGames Edge (magazine)
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