Strategic Simulations

Strategic Simulations, Inc. ( SSI) was an American developer and publisher of computer games, who published over 100 titles since its inception in 1979. Became famous for SSI in particular for its war games like the Panzer General series and its based on the role-playing rules Advanced Dungeons & Dragons computer role-playing games.

History

The company was founded by Kriegsspielfan Joel Billings. He teamed up with several programmers together, including John Lyon, the author of Computer Bismarck, and Ed Williger, developer of computer Ambush. Both games were created like many other games of SSI in BASIC. Computer Bismarck was released in January 1980 for the Apple II and later for the TRS- 80th

SSI took in 1984 and the genre of role-playing games and brought games like Wizard's Crown, Questron and the fantasy series out. In 1987, SSI the exclusive video game license of the role-playing rules TSR Advanced Dungeons & Dragons of and in the course of the following years published thirty AD & D titles, beginning with Pool of Radiance 1988. Later, Champions of Krynn, Death Knights of Krynn followed, and The Dark Queen of Krynn, who play in the world of Dragonlance. In 1995, the exclusive agreement between SSI and TSR ran out.

The second half of the 1990s until the dissolution of SSI in 2001 were marked by several changes of ownership. 1994 SSI was acquired by Mindscape. Since the takeover by Mindscape, SSI gave up the role-playing division and devoted himself instead military simulations and strategy games. Among the most famous products of SSI was at this time the Five Stars Series, whose most famous part is the Panzer General series. In addition, tactical simulations such as Steel Panthers by Gary Grigsby and various game simulations created ( Silent Hunter, Su -27 Flanker, Tank Commander and Warhammer 40k Chaos Gate ).

In March 1998, Mindscape was acquired by The Learning Company, which was in turn acquired by the toy manufacturer Mattel in December of the same year. In September 2000, Mattel launched its video game division of The Learning Company because of continuing losses to the Gore Technology Group, which eventually passed it, the group in March 2001 to the French publisher Ubisoft. Up to this point, SSI had received as an independent brand name until he was taken under Ubisoft finally off the market. At the last overseen by SSI publications include the submarine simulation Silent Hunter 2 and developed by the Stormfront Studios D & D role-playing game Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor, a continuation of SSI success title Pool of Radiance and the first track on basis of the rules Edition 3.0. For these titles SSI has already acted only as a label, the distribution was taken over by Ubisoft.

In the meantime, many development departments were outsourced under purchase and restructuring. So the very popular series Silent Hunter Steel Panthers and not of SSI, but instead of Ultimation Inc. and Matrix Games have continued.

In December 2013, the SSI - founder Joel Billings gave some SSI games with source code ICHEG the Museum for archiving.