Robert "Bob" Bates (b. December 11 1953) is an American computer games designer. His first published game designs were the two text adventures The Riddle of the Crown Jewels and The Quest for Excalibur for Infocom. A third game was never finished because Infocom was closed in 1989. Soon after the end of Infocom, Bates and Mike Verdu founded Legend Entertainment to produce games in the Infocom tradition. Games designed by Bates for Legend include: Timequest, the Gateway series, Eric the Unready, Companions of Xanth, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon and the company's final game The Awakening.

Bates is also the author of two books on game design and development: Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games and The Game Developer's Market Guide.

External links

---

• Bob Bates' official site
• Bob Bates' Rap Sheet at MobyGames
• Interview with Bob Bates at Adventure Classic Gaming (2001)
• Infocom Authors - Bob Bates

More on [ Bob Bates ]

Yahoo! Shopping: Most Popular Video Games

Nintendo DS
Tue, 29 Mar 2005 19:47:05 -0800
$139.99 - $299.98 from 11 stores. User rating:4.3 out of 5. After dominating the handheld video game market for over a decade with the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance, Nintendo diverges from its winning brand with the Nintendo DS. First announced in spring of 2004 and scheduled to launch near the end of that same year, the Nintendo DS is based on an unusual design that suggests possibilities of innovative player interfaces and new styles of gameplay. The most prominent feature of the DS, or "Dual Screen," is its two backlit display screens. The rectangular Nintendo DS is about the same size and shape as a contemporary PDA. It has a clamshell design, with a conventional display screen above, centered on the inside of the lid, and a touchsensitive screen, which can be used for both display and control, on the bottom of the unit. The two screens are aligned, one directly above the other, when the Nintendo DS is opened for use. Both screens are about three inches measured diagonally, comparable in size to the screen on a Game Boy Advance. Games for the Nintendo DS are stored and sold on DS cartridges, which are similar in size to the flash memory cards used in digital cameras and PDAs; considerably smaller than Nintendo's previous handheld media formats. The DS is backwardcompatible, however, and can also play the sinlgeplayer modes of nearly all existing GBA games. The device features two separate cartridge slots to accommodate the two media formats. Game Boy cartridges fit in a slot on the front of the handheld, and Nintendo DS cartridges go in a slot on the back. The control buttons of the Nintendo DS are somewhat similar to those of a Super NES. A crossshaped Dpad is to the left of the bottom screen and four action buttons "A," "B," "X," and "Y" are arranged in a diamond to the right. In games that support the distinguishing dual screen design, the bottom display may also be a primary means of control. The touchsensitive screen can be used with a precision stylus that comes with the handheld, or simply with the player's fingers and thumbs. The Nintendo DS also has two shoulder buttons. The overall performance power of the Nintendo DS has been equated to that of the Nintendo 64 console. The handheld is designed to produce audio, video, and 3D rendering of speed and quality comparable to the late1990s console. The DS supports both IEEE 802.11 and a proprietary format of wireless connectivity, allowing two or more players to join in multiplayer DS games without a physical "link cable" connection. The handheld also features a headphone jack (unlike its GBA SP predecessor) and microphone input for voicerecognition functions. A builtin, rechargeable battery provides an estimated 10 hours of gameplay. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide
ESPN Game Station
Tue, 29 Mar 2005 19:47:05 -0800
$179.99 from 1 store. User rating:3.3 out of 5.
Halo 2
Tue, 29 Mar 2005 19:47:06 -0800
$19.99 - $54.95 from 25 stores. User rating:4.7 out of 5. The sequel to developer Bungie's best-selling Xbox launch title returns for more first-person shooting action against a host of new alien races. Players once again assume the role of a genetically engineered soldier known as the Master Chief as he battles the remaining forces of the Covenant for control of the galaxy. The Master Chief will now be able to acquire new weapons from fallen enemies and explore the planetary landscapes from inside more than double the number of vehicles found in the original. In addition, Halo 2 features both a single-player campaign playable across multiple difficulty settings as well as online competition using the Xbox Live broadband service. No matter which mode is selected, players won't be alone in the conflict: allied forces will once again join in the battles and skirmishes to help repel enemy forces. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

GamePro.com / Xbox


Velocity Vector Video Game News

APOCALYX 3D Engine

Hack Wars Open Beta

Click Copter

The Antique Chronicles

New job board for indie game developers: www.indiegamejobs.com

Armado


Puzzle & Word Games - Best Software Downloads

Magic Balls 3.5
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:12:13 -0000
A brilliant logical puzzle not for an age but for all times!
Free games 1.0.1
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:45:19 -0000
The free game to train your memory in a easy way, with differents levels.
Magic Lines 3.5
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:11:14 -0000
An engaging brand-new version of the beloved Lines game with nice 3D effects.

Subscribe to Video_Games RSS feed