Without Jeff Minter I would not have become a game developer.
So there would have been no Burnout, no Burnout 2 Point of Impact, no Burnout 3 Takedown, no Burnout Revenge, no BLACK, no Burnout Paradise, no Dangerous Golf, no Lethal VR, no Danger Zone, no Danger Zone 2!
They never would have happened because I would have ended up, to paraphrase Jeff "as a breadhead" or worse "buying, selling or processing something" (thanks Lloyd!)
I own nearly all of this early VIC-20 titles on cassette. And I've still got them!
The first game I ever played on what I was told was a "VIC-64" was Jeff's "Attack of the Mutant Camels' - (and the first game I ever saw boot on a 1541 drive to boot)
At the early computer fairs and exhibitions in the UK in the 80's the Llamasoft stand was always a hive of activity.
Unlike a lot of other famous coders, Jeff always made time to be around and talk to his fans. (He signed my mate Ozzy's copy of "Iridis Alpha." with 'have a zarjaz blast!")
Jeff countless inspired many other people to become interested in microcomputers, coin-ops and gaming. Jeff also wrote and circulated his own newsletter to fans in the 80's. He was one of the few people writing about what was happening in the arcade scene. It was because of him I learned about games like "OutRun" and "Space Harrier.' It was Jeff who told me how good the GameBoy was, what the PC Engine was like, and what the Sega Megadrive was. There was no internet back then, and only C+VG featured coverage of arcade games. Quality information was scarce.
If I'd never gone out seeking an 'OutRun' machine then there definitely would never have been a Burnout game.
His work has been nothing but unique and original. He's always tried new things on new hardware. He's taken more risks than most developers will ever do in a lifetime. The only 'herd' he has ever chased has been his own.
He continues to do so today. He's an independent developer and he's still going. Still making games. And arguably doing his best work right now.
As a self funded independent developer myself I know first hand how hard it can be to both develop and publish games across multiple platforms and multiple digital stores.
The fact that he has still not yet been recognised by either the DICE Awards, BAFTA in the UK or The Game Awards is saddening.
(I hope that Richard, Harvey or Geoff will rectify this someday soon.)
The industry needs more developers like Jeff.
I can only hope that threads like this one will help gamers to take time to discover his work and join me in celebrating a truly unique and visionary gaming talent.
Great reading and such a beautiful love letter to Jeff Minter's legacy, you made my day!
You should be proud of your work, because I consider the original 'Burnout' trilogy as one of the greatest achievements in arcade design, so good as many of the classics that you are referencing.
And I was really excited when all of you started a new small studio, to continue making small arcade games faithful to the spirit of your early work.