Jon Freeman (game designer)
Jon Freeman and Jim Connelley founded Automated Simulations in 1978 without planning to build a company. Their first project, Starfleet Orion, existed only so Connelley could write off the cost of his Commodore PET computer. Freeman handled design while Connelley wrote the BASIC code for the two-player game. When the software actually worked, they realized they needed a business entity to publish it. Both men fell into the computer game industry by accident rather than through deliberate career planning.
Automated Simulations became Epyx during the height of the 8-bit home computing era. Freeman designed or co-designed titles like Crush, Crumble and Chomp! and Rescue at Rigel for the publisher. He met Anne Westfall at a computer fair in 1980 while working there. The company grew large enough that Freeman began calling its internal environment office politics. He yearned to leave the organization he helped build because of these tensions. His departure marked the end of his tenure with what was once a small startup.
The Complete Book of Wargames appeared in 1980 under the Fireside imprint from Simon & Schuster. Freeman collaborated with editors from Consumer Guide to produce this volume on wargame history. The text explained notable companies and components while evaluating major wargames available at the time. It also assessed how computer games would influence the traditional hobby field. This publication established Freeman as an authority beyond just programming code.
Free Fall Associates formed in 1981 when Freeman and Anne Westfall left Epyx. They joined game designer Paul Reiche III to create the new studio. Their first release, Tax Dodge, arrived in 1982 but remained obscure to most players. The team focused their efforts on developing titles published by Electronic Arts instead. This partnership allowed them to work independently of the larger corporate structure they had previously endured.
Electronic Arts published Archon: The Light and the Dark for Atari 8-bit computers in the early 1980s. The title received critical acclaim and became one of the earliest successful releases from that publisher. Developers ported the game to other contemporary home systems after its initial launch. A sequel called Archon II: Adept followed shortly thereafter. These titles remain the best-known works produced by Free Fall Associates during their active years.
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Common questions
When did Jon Freeman and Jim Connelley found Automated Simulations?
Jon Freeman and Jim Connelley founded Automated Simulations in 1978 without planning to build a company. Their first project, Starfleet Orion, existed only so Connelley could write off the cost of his Commodore PET computer.
What book did Jon Freeman publish under the Fireside imprint from Simon & Schuster?
The Complete Book of Wargames appeared in 1980 under the Fireside imprint from Simon & Schuster. Freeman collaborated with editors from Consumer Guide to produce this volume on wargame history.
Who did Jon Freeman meet at a computer fair in 1980 while working there?
Jon Freeman met Anne Westfall at a computer fair in 1980 while working there. The two later left Epyx together to form Free Fall Associates in 1981.
Which game did Electronic Arts publish for Atari 8-bit computers in the early 1980s?
Electronic Arts published Archon: The Light and the Dark for Atari 8-bit computers in the early 1980s. The title received critical acclaim and became one of the earliest successful releases from that publisher.
Why did Jon Freeman leave Automated Simulations after it became Epyx?
Jon Freeman yearned to leave the organization he helped build because of internal office politics. His departure marked the end of his tenure with what was once a small startup.