Tom Hudson (software developer)
| Tom Hudson | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Computer programmer |
Tom Hudson is an American computer programmer best known for co-creating the 3D modeling and animation package 3D Studio (which became 3D Studio Max, then Autodesk 3ds Max) as well as creating its precursor, CAD-3D for the Atari ST.
History
From 1982 until 1985, Hudson was a technical editor for the Atari 8-bit computer magazine ANALOG Computing.[1] While at ANALOG, he wrote a number of machine language games printed as type-in listings, including Fill 'er Up (based on Qix),[2] Livewire (based on Tempest), and Fire Bug. The last of these was co-written with Kyle Peacock. In 1982, Hudson wrote Buried Bucks (stylized as Buried Buck$), an action game sold commercially by the magazine under the name ANALOG Software.[3] Buried Bucks was re-released by Imagic in 1984 as Chopper Hunt.
In 1984 he wrote a 3D object viewer called Solid States for the Atari 8-bit line, published in ANALOG. The BASIC program let the user enter a series of 3D points, then a series of lines connecting them, and displayed the result as a wireframe.[4][5] The objects themselves were created on graph paper.
Hudson left ANALOG when the Atari ST was introduced in 1985 and developed the paint program DEGAS, published by Batteries Included in 1986. He created an enhanced version, DEGAS Elite, released in 1987.[6]
After DEGAS, Hudson wrote CAD-3D for the Atari ST, published by Antic Software (run by Gary Yost), which was later renamed Cyber Studio. CAD-3D started as a port of Solid States to the Atari ST.[7] Hudson abandoned the Atari ST when expected improvements in the hardware did not occur.[1] Working with Yost, Jack Powell, and Dan Silva, "The Yost Group" developed 3D Studio for MS-DOS-based PCs,[5] published in 1990 by Autodesk.
Software
Atari 8-bit games
- Buried Bucks - later released as Chopper Hunt
- Fill 'Er Up
- Livewire
- Retrofire
- Planetary Defense, with Charles Bachand
- Fire Bug, with Kyle Peacock
- Adventure at Vandenberg AFB - text adventure
- Planetary Defense 2012[8]
Atari 8-bit non-game software
- Solid States
Atari ST
- DEGAS
- DEGAS Elite
- CAD-3D
PC
- 3D Studio (1990) - with Gary Yost, Dan Powell, and others
iOS
- Star Rangers (2010)
References
- 1 2 Hudson, Tom. "The People of ANALOG Computing". Klanky the Robot's ANALOG Computing Compendium.
- ↑ Hudson, Tom (March 1983). "Fill 'Er Up". ANALOG Computing (10): 100.
- ↑ Pappas, Lee. "ANALOG Software". GearRant.
- ↑ Hudson, Tom (1984). "Solid States: A 3-D Object Plotting System". ANALOG Computing.
- 1 2 Baker, Dave (February 25, 2010). "The History of 3D Studio – Tom Hudson interview". CGPress.
- ↑ Bass, Patrick (January 1987). "DEGAS Elite". Antic 5 (9).
- ↑ Doudoroff, Martin. "The Antic Cyber Graphics Software and the Pre-History of Autodesk 3D Studio and Discreet 3ds MAX".
- ↑ Hudson, Tom. "Planetary Defense 2012". Klanky the Robot's ANALOG Computing Compendium.
External links
- klanky.com Tom Hudson's website.