Driver Creator Quits.

[London Geezer]

Guess who this is from...

Driver Creator Quits
Reflections' founder Martin Edmondson leaves after 20 years of service.By Ivan Sulic
December 16, 2004 - Atari's Reflections Interactive (responsible for the Destruction Derby, Driver, and Stuntman franchises) has lost its founder. MCV reports that Martin Edmonson has resigned his position as managing and creative director as of December 7, 2004.


Edmonson founded reflections 20 years ago. In 1998 it was purchased by Infogrames, which later adopted the Atari brand name. According to MCV, Edmondson still plans on "creating original IP and bringing successful games to market." Exactly where he will do this is currently unknown.
Expect reports as more information becomes available.

*COUGH*COUGH* Successful != good. I thought they'd learn that after the last few years.

Seen the last few pieces of total junk they made, i won't miss him at all. I mean, fucking up the Driver franchise was quite something. And that's without mentioning Stuntman and the other glorious franchise, Destruction Derby, which was totally ruined in its last installment for PS2.

 

[MrWibble]

... other glorious franchise, Destruction Derby, which was totally ruined in its last installment for PS2.

Would that be the PS2 installment that was written by someone else entirely and was nothing to do with Reflections?

But I'm sure everything else was his fault

<sigh> Just what is the problem with British developers these days... so many good people either producing tat or going under (ok, maybe those are slightly related..)

 

[London Geezer]

Would that be the PS2 installment that was written by someone else entirely and was nothing to do with Reflections?

Maybe...?

But I'm sure everything else was his fault

<sigh> Just what is the problem with British developers these days... so many good people either producing tat or going under (ok, maybe those are slightly related..)

I agree, even Sony's UK developers have been making decently presented games, but lacking in the gameplay department BIG time. Mostly all UK studios have been making very disappointing games lately, what's up with that?

 

[hey69]

they can't handle the true powers of the current gen consoles.

they where king in the 16/32 bit era

 

[London Geezer]

they can't handle the true powers of the current gen consoles.

they where king in the 16/32 bit era

Well actually i could argue that the UK devs have been making very decent games in the visual and audio department... It's the gameplay that lacks...

 

[MrWibble]

they can't handle the true powers of the current gen consoles.

they where king in the 16/32 bit era

Well actually i could argue that the UK devs have been making very decent games in the visual and audio department... It's the gameplay that lacks...

I could just blame it on crappy management interfering with perfectly good developers, but.... no, actually I *will* blame it on that.

"Dream as if if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." James Dean

But not while you're driving, eh Jimmy...

 

[DeanoC]

they can't handle the true powers of the current gen consoles.

they where king in the 16/32 bit era

Well actually i could argue that the UK devs have been making very decent games in the visual and audio department... It's the gameplay that lacks...

Like GTA3, famed for its stunning graphics over crappy gameplay

 

[London Geezer]

they can't handle the true powers of the current gen consoles.

they where king in the 16/32 bit era

Well actually i could argue that the UK devs have been making very decent games in the visual and audio department... It's the gameplay that lacks...

Like GTA3, famed for its stunning graphics over crappy gameplay

Evil!!!

Seriously, i'm just a bit disappointed that very pretty games like The Getaway, Primal and a lot of other games on every platform were just.. not much fun...

 

[Evil_Cloud]

they can't handle the true powers of the current gen consoles.

they where king in the 16/32 bit era

Well actually i could argue that the UK devs have been making very decent games in the visual and audio department... It's the gameplay that lacks...

Like GTA3, famed for its stunning graphics over crappy gameplay

Evil!!!

Seriously, i'm just a bit disappointed that very pretty games like The Getaway, Primal and a lot of other games on every platform were just.. not much fun...

That's SCEE.

 

[Ty]

Well actually i could argue that the UK devs have been making very decent games in the visual and audio department... It's the gameplay that lacks...

Heh, I've felt that way since the Amiga 500 days. Man, they could turn out INCREDIBLE graphics and sound/music. But I always found the gameplay lacking. Psygnosis is a classic example for me.

 

[LeGreg]

But I always found the gameplay lacking. Psygnosis is a classic example for me.

well at its beginning Psygnosis was DMA (GTA) and Reflections (Driver).

 

[Ty]

well at its beginning Psygnosis was DMA (GTA) and Reflections (Driver).

I thought those came after. I'm thinking back to Shadow of the Beast (I) and even earlier.

DMA created Lemmings (fine game) I thought and Reflections created games like Demolition Derby or Destruction Derby or whatnot with cars that had hitzones and showed the damage accordingly. I also thought that Psygnosis only published those games.

 

[LeGreg]

I thought those came after. I'm thinking back to Shadow of the Beast (I) and even earlier.

SOTB (I, II and III) were reflections games.
Menace, Blood Money, lemmings, Walker were DMA design.

 

[Fox5]

But I always found the gameplay lacking. Psygnosis is a classic example for me.

well at its beginning Psygnosis was DMA (GTA) and Reflections (Driver).

Didn't psygnosis make wiepout way before driver?

 

[ERP]

Until the Sony buyout Psygnosis had almost no internal development.
Back in the early days (read mid to late 80's pre Sony) Psygnosis used a number of external developers.

DMA Designs (famous for Lemmings), what was DMA is now responsible for GTA although none of the creative talent from the lemmings period is left

Reflections which was Martin Edmonson and Paul Howarth (famous for Shadow of the Beast) later destruction derby and driver.

Bizarre Creations, Martin Chudley (Wiz and Liz) currently doing Gotham.

WJS Design (Baal), and not much after although they did still exist under a different name last I checked

Travellers Tails (Micky etc)

 

[Evil_Cloud]

Until the Sony buyout Psygnosis had almost no internal development.
Back in the early days (read mid to late 80's pre Sony) Psygnosis used a number of external developers.

DMA Designs (famous for Lemmings), what was DMA is now responsible for GTA although none of the creative talent from the lemmings period is left

Reflections which was Martin Edmonson and Paul Howarth (famous for Shadow of the Beast) later destruction derby and driver.

Bizarre Creations, Martin Chudley (Wiz and Liz) currently doing Gotham.

WJS Design (Baal), and not much after although they did still exist under a different name last I checked

Travellers Tails (Micky etc)

But then Sony bought them out, and sacked almost everyone right?

 

[ERP]

None of those people worked for psygnosis, they were external developers.


It was one of te mysteries, why did Sony buy psygnosis, since they had limited internal development. It worked out in the shortterm, but then they grew much to fast and hemoraged.