William Volk - Avalon Hill, Activision, Lightspan, PlayScreen

William Volk - Avalon Hill, Activision, Lightspan, PlayScreen

Author: Karl Kuras February 28, 2024 Duration: 3:17:55

Few developers can boast careers spanning more than 4 decades, but today's guest, William Volk has developed games for virtually every platform released, covering every genre, including strategy, RPG, adventures, educational titles, puzzle games, and more.
Sit back and enjoy the insights, memories, and experience of a true legend of the industry!

Recorded October 2023

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Links:
https://www.anagramquest.com/
https://www.mobygames.com/person/3264/william-d-volk/
He Put in a Bar, in the Back of His Car - https://youtu.be/pEQ_VLo4pBY?si=mw5p8i7-dlDo5-Zp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestake_experiment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cromemco
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalon_Hill
https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/24/jobs/the-computer-telecommuters-say-theres-no-workplace-like-home.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Minsky
https://www.mobygames.com/game/7390/ports-of-call/
https://www.mobygames.com/company/3165/aegis-interactive-entertainment/
https://www.macintoshrepository.org/6195-mac-challenger
Infinite Loop - https://youtu.be/clxpPQbj234?si=aN1f215CSDnRmkVj
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LightWave_3D
https://www.mobygames.com/game/9222/the-manhole/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyperCard
https://www.mobygames.com/game/1219/return-to-zork/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/44036/cosmic-osmo/
https://www.mobygames.com/company/434/cyan-worlds-inc/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/39698/rodneys-funscreen/
https://youtu.be/yZbJL5Egyzs?si=abJ5FJ_CS9O-wZju
https://www.mobygames.com/company/42078/lightspan-inc/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realtime_Associates
https://kidscreen.com/2001/10/01/lightspan-20011001/
https://psxdatacenter.com/games/U/L/LSP-010360.html
https://www.gamezone.com/news/wayans_brothers_the_dozens_announced_at_e3/
https://www.pgconnects.com/hong-kong/speakers/william-volk/
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/production/william-volk-veteran-game-developer-mobile-pioneer
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/trump-dump/id1070999857
https://www.apple.com/de/tv-pr/originals/extrapolations/
https://www.theclimatetrail.com/
https://www.calstate.edu/attend/student-services/Pages/esports.aspx
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Oscar-Clark/dp/1138428302
https://www.mobygames.com/game/52384/controller/
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/production/why-johnny-can-t-ship
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Child_Left_Behind_Act

Copyright Karl Kuras


Ever wonder what gamers were actually talking about decades ago, before online forums and endless hot takes? Each month, Video Game Newsroom Time Machine hosted by Karl Kuras does exactly that, dusting off the headlines and magazine pages from the past. This isn't just a nostalgia trip; it's a grounded look at the industry's turning points as they happened. You'll hear about the surprising announcements, the forgotten controversies, and the hardware launches that had everyone buzzing-from arcade trends in Japan to home computer wars in Europe and North America. The podcast specifically revisits news from exactly 30, 40, and 50 years prior, creating a unique layered perspective on how video game culture evolved. It’s like sitting in a newsroom from a different era, piecing together the stories that shaped the games we remember today. Tune in for a monthly dose of context, where the past conversations about pixels and processors feel surprisingly fresh and directly connected to the present.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Video Game Newsroom Time Machine
Podcast Episodes
September 1993 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Mortal Monday, F-15 Strike Eagle saved by Falcon, Sega announces Saturn These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game industr…
5th Anniversary Interview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:36
After 5 years of asking the questions, the tables get turned and Karl finally has to get grilled. You, the listener (or at least some of you) asked for it, so by multiple demand, the Karl interview! Recorded: November 20…
September 1983 - 7 Minutes in Heaven segment - Complete [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:13
This is the full 7 Minutes in Heaven clip for the September 1983 episode covering Battlezone on the Atari 2600. An error in the edit of the full episode cut it short, so I decided to upload it to the feed as its own file…
September 1983 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:58:17
Atari dumps product in the desert Commodore and Sinclair revenues sore The Vic20 is no more These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around th…
Brent Naseath [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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At the height of the arcade boom, two young entrepreneurs wanted to take arcade gaming higher, creating a unique, immersive cooperative experience combining computer game tech with the latest laser disc audio visuals. Si…
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7-11 drops coinop Nintendo disses Sega's rating system Commodore premieres Amiga CD32 These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the vide…
Owen Rowley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Starting out as a signals decoder for the air force, through to working for Nolan Bushnell's Chuck E. Cheese Pizza Time Theatre on its ill-fated Kadabrascope animation initiative, Autodesk, VRML and so many others, Owen…
August 1983 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:40:18
Dragon's Lair takes arcades by storm, Commodore rules the computer roost & Video game makers pivot to micros These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest stories…
July 1993 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:53:47
Sega introduces ratings Nintendo beats Tengen Sony buys Psygnosis These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game industry in J…
Bruce Nesmith - TSR, Bethesda [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:26:32
In the history of pen and paper role playing games, no company name looms larger than TSR, creators of Dungeons and Dragons, and in the realm of computer role playing games one of the greatest publishers has been Bethesd…