A little question concerning Gray Matter

[MethodGit]

Are the company Gray Matter, the guys behind the current PC smash Return To Castle Wolfenstein, really the same people who made the Amiga classic Fiendish Freddy's Big Top 'O Fun? ;)

Maybe there's an info page about them somewhere, dunno.

[Kodoichi]

The same question came into my mind a while ago too.
Grey Matter also did the Amiga-game Road Raider.

[Twistin'Ghost]

I certainly hope it's not the same people (who I believe were also involved with Amiga Technocop, but I may be mistaken). What the world needs now is yet another developer cranking out yet more FPS games. I just don't understand the neverending interest in this crap!

[TikTok]

Are the company Gray Matter, the guys behind the current PC smash Return To Castle Wolfenstein, really the same people

The game only came out in this country yesterday, therefore it can hardly be called a 'smash' quite yet. It really bugs me when stores put the newest games (or videos, or whatever) at the "number one" slot on their shelves despite that fact they only arrived that day :mad.
</rant> ;)

[sgt_chimp]

Maybe pre-orders placed it at the top of the charts?

[Muzkat]

I have seen RTCW. Its a very atmospheric game with beautiful graphics, music and sound, but it just falls short slightly in terms of content- the story is pretty weak, and the action is not as intense or hardcore as you would expect from such a release. The whole WW2/nazi thing is conveyed very well though, aprt from the nazis speaking in accented english rather than german.

Gamespot gave it a 9.2.

BTW, I don't think Gray Matter made Technocop. I've forgotten who did...

[CodyJarrett]

Gray Matter Interactive Studios, who have developed Castle Wolfenstein are not the same as the Amiga Gray Matter company.

GMIS ( http://www.gmistudios.com ) are based in California and were created from old employees of xatrix entertainment.

Gray Matter was a Toronto based developer, headed by Chris Gray. The graphics guy seems to have been Nick Gray, so there was probably a family connection there, as well as the origin of the Gray Matter company name. They also did Fiendish Freddy's Big Top O'Fun, The Ultimate Ride/Superbike Simulator, Cyber Empires, Motor Massacre, Road Raider.

The question is, who did the Amiga version of Techncop - Gray Matter or Imagexcel? And who were Imagexcel? They also seem to have done a game called Quantantine on the PC.

Technocop says:

GREMLIN GRAPHICS LTD.
PRESENTS TECHNOCOP
COPYRIGHT 1988
BY IMAGEXCEL
LICENSED IN CONJUNCTION WITH
GRAY MATTER
GAME DESIGN BY IMAGEXCEL
PROGRAMMING: KEVIN HOARE
ART WORK : DENNIS TURNER
GRAPHICS : NICK GRAY
MAPS DESIGN: ROB ANDERSON

[MethodGit]

Originally posted by CodyJarrett
GMIS ( http://www.gmistudios.com ) are based in California and were created from old employees of xatrix entertainment.

Are Xatrix Entertainment not around anymore then??? AFAIK they only made two PC games, Redneck Rampage (1997) & Kingpin (1999).

[CodyJarrett]

They decided to change the company on the day that Kingpin was published.

[MethodGit]

What, so you mean, the company decided to divide itself on the day that Kingpin got released in stores? What motivated them into that idea? Lack of morale working together? Production costs? Arguments over arrangements?

I don't think Xatrix did very badly, did they?

[CodyJarrett]

I'm not sure why they decided to change...

[steztheskinhead]

Hi
Just thought I'd mention that I've got a "Mint" Boxed copy of "Fiendish Freddies Big Top O Fun" :D

[Drake1009]

mmmmm mint...

[steztheskinhead]

Yea Peppermint! :D well maybe not but it is in Excellant nick! :cheese