Nick Pelling

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Nick Pelling (1964-) is a British-born computer programmer, best known for a series of 1980s computer games for the BBC Micro written under the nom-de-plume Orlando M. Pilchard. He was educated at Brentwood School, and has both a BSc in Maths and Philosophy (from Manchester University) and an MBA with Distinction (from Kingston University). He is a leading Voynich Manuscript researcher, and plays top board for Surbiton Chess Club.

[edit] Trivia

• Photographs of Nick Pelling's face taken by Charles Cecil were texture-mapped onto the face of Vernon Blier, the computer hacker killed at the start of Broken Sword 3 by the (fictional) shadowy cabal who had hired him to crack the Voynich Manuscript.

• He was the inventor of the Romford Counter-Gambit against Grob's Attack 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4 d4!? 4.Bxb7 Nd7 5.Bxa8 Qxa8 6.f3 d3!

• Shortest competitive chess-game: B.Connell vs N.Pelling (Addlestone vs Surbiton, 2004) 1.e4 c5 2.c3 Qa5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bd3 g5!!?! 5.Nxg5 c4! 6.Qh5 Nf6! 7.Qxf7+ Kd8 8.Nxh7? Ne5! 0-1

[edit] Games

• Hedgehog (computer game), Atom, Aardvark, 1981
• Invaders (computer game), Atom, Aardvark, 1981
• Atom Galaxians (computer game), Atom, Aardvark, 1981
• Arcadians, BBC B/Acorn Electron, Acornsoft, 1982
• Acornsoft Chess, BBC B/Acorn Electron, Acornsoft, 1983
• Zalaga, BBC B/Acorn Electron, Aardvark, 1983
• Frak!, BBC B/Acorn Electron, Aardvark, 1984
• Bangkok Knights, C64 / Amiga / Atari ST, System 3, 1987 (C64 version only)
• Firetrack, BBC B/Acorn Electron/C64, Electric Dreams, 1987
• Dandy (computer game), C64, Electric Dreams, 1987
• Enduro Racer, C64, Electric Dreams, 1987
• Ghostbusters II (Computer game), C64, Mediagenic, 1988
• 3D Pool, C64 / Amiga / ST, Microprose, 1989
• Loopz, Amiga, Audiogenic, 1990
• Wing Commander, Amiga, Mindscape, 1992

[edit] External Links

Compelling Press, Publishers for Pelling's book about the Voynich Manuscript.