A walk round what used to be OCEAN SOFTWARE, 6 Central Street, Manchester

[@mlucifersam]

To find out more about what it was like to work here download my FREE PDF: LOAD DIJ DIJ - 5 years of writing, 253 pages & 180,921 words (1987 to 1990 would be the key chapters to read) GD: tinyurl.com/bddrdutk DB: tinyurl.com/33b72r3d

[@John-lp5xh]

Did you know Tony pomfret

[@mlucifersam]

@@John-lp5xh no, he left before I joined in Feb 1987

[@John-lp5xh]

@@mlucifersam you can find him every day "Tony p I'm just a bloke"

[@paulwilson1555]

Fantastic, a lot of magic was made in those offices, creating many magical and unforgettable moments for millions of gamers to enjoy... Thank you all.

[@michaeljones-ku5qt]

Such good memories good games back in the day I certainly miss them days I enjoyed the speccy more than I do my pc

[@rkayJersey]

At 2:00 is where I wrote Hypersports on the BBC Micro back in 1985

[@joerhorton]

One of my top games of the day! Thank you for writing it, I played it to death at school!

[@mlucifersam]

And where Mike Lamb and Ronnie Fowles, then Dawn Drake sat after you!

[@AndreasWallstrom]

Many thanks for this one Mark! The inserts makes us come closer to actually being there. Mr East (and Anna) only got to the front door, but it was great to be so close to where the action was. If you want to update the video, it would be great to see who was sitting in which room.

[@mlucifersam]

That's what I did didn't I? But I can only go off my memory and the time I was there.

[@AndreasWallstrom]

I mean writing names of the people in the pictures. I don't recognise all faces, and I need to know who they are. ;)

[@mlucifersam]

@@AndreasWallstrom Here you go! I've done as you asked as it was a great idea! It's in the description: A guide to who's who in the vintage photos: 0:42 - Jon O'Brien (Jobbee) 0:46 - Lee Cowley (standing with back to camera), Bill Harbison (standing with back to camera), Martin MacDonald (pointing) 0:50 - Ivan Horn 0:55 - Rocky Ming & Bill Harbison 1:00 - James Higgins 1:10 - Ivan Horn, Andrew Deakin, Zach Townsend 1:16 - Steve 'Jolly' Thompson 1:20 - Ivan Horn, Andrew Deakin (posing for filming, this wasn't their desk) 1:24 - David Blake (leaning against wall), members of BBC TV film crew. Colin Porch very right sitting at his desk. 1:32 - Steve Lavache (Tech guy) 1:38 - Gary Bracey 1:42 - James Higgins (back), Andrew Deakin (in front) 2:19 - Dawn Drake (running into a room), Paul Hughes (trying to stop her), Gary Bracey, James Higgins 2:24 - Mike Lamb, Dawn Drake 2:28 - Paul Owens (back) & Mark R. Jones (Jnr)'s (front) desk 2:30 - Mark R. Jones (Jnr), Simon Butler (sitting at Mark's desk) 2:38 - Allan Shortt & John Palmer's desk 2:44 - Rick Palmer, John Meegan, Jon Dunn, Andrew Sleigh - kitchen entrance is in background 3:27 - David Ward & Tracey Crooks at Ocean's reception desk 3:35 - Carl Pugh receives a 'birthday greeting' while staff look on 3:37 - Gary Biasilo, Paul Hughes, Jenny Beattie, Jane Lowe, Hilary Greenwood, Christmas party 1987 3:40 - David Ward

[@AndreasWallstrom]

Absolutely wonderful, thank you! 🙂

[@mlucifersam]

@@AndreasWallstrom you know me, I aim to please! 😀

[@terriblegamer9267]

Well done to you for doing this video 👍

[@mlucifersam]

Cheers! We do not know how long it’s going to be there for TO make videos like this so best get them done when the opportunity arises

[@Amiga1200Mark]

Jonathan Dunn ... the batman loader music on C64. It will never leave me. Ocean played a big part of my childhood. Got the Nightmoves pack in Feb 91. Sad to see the building like that. I miss Ocean

[@GaryBracey]

Nice one, Mark! Looks like they tarted it up since we were there, but sadly removed the chains from the walls where we kept all the devs locked up until the games were finished. 😉 But seriously, it was 35 years ago and has obviously fallen into serious disrepair. Yeah, I know the old 'Dungeons' weren't aesthetically wonderful but the charm was created by the sheer energy and culture from all the developers who worked there. Not so much the bricks and mortar, it was always about the people, the atmosphere and the camaraderie. I've never experienced the like before or since and always felt privileged to have been part of that. Thanks for the memories, Mark!

[@mlucifersam]

No nor have I Gary! I’ve never worked anywhere like it though my current job comes a close 2nd some days in respect to how much we laugh. It was eerie being down there again seeing it all quiet and deserted. Was quite moving for me actually but at least it’s still actually! Glad you liked the vid and hope all is well, Mark

[@MrSantiNumi]

Commodore 64 wouldn't have been the same without Ocean Software... 🥰

[@gman1010]

Amazing video. When you think how many careers were started in this building it’s insane

[@ClassicRetroByte]

Hi Mark, Nice to see a better version of this walk around OCEON Software House. Nice to see how you have tied in old pictures with present day footage. BTW I am the guy who fixed the sprites on the scrapped version of Total Recall for you God was it really six years ago. 😉

[@mlucifersam]

Where DOES that time go?! Glad you liked the video, cheers!

[@A37927]

Thank you very much Mark, it is very nice to know what the Ocean facilities were like and to be able to compare between the photos from then and the video recorded visit now. It helps us to imagine and dream about how and where many of our favourite games of the time were programmed, and to give context to the stories told by those of you who were there. Thank you again!

[@mlucifersam]

Glad you liked it. Thanks

[@LaLa-6581]

Fascinating! Thank you so much for this, and thanks also for the then-and-now stills!

[@NULUSIOS]

So devs where in the basement. How nice.

[@sma7530]

I lived in Manchester all my life (early 1970s born here) and only 2 days ago was regretting not visiting them. Thanks for the upload, I'll visit them tonight and have downloaded your guide too

[@AndySmallbone]

Funny when I was working for Amstrad I always assumed Ocean would have proper flash offices after seeing the stands at the shows at Earls Court etc when in reality a bit dingy. Great times though thanks Mark for the upload 👍

[@DeanoFrank]

Oh, the glamour of it all, great days , great software house and great music. Thanks for this video.

[@markusnikella814]

Looks like an old basement, with moisture problems. Didn't look very inviting back then either.. The poor programmers, the boss upstairs, had it much more comfortable there. Doesn't have to sit in such niches and dark corners. Thanks for the report..!

[@Zadster]

Excellent! I don't envy you lot back then, it looks like a pretty damp dark place! It makes the old Team17 offices in Ossett look positively snazzy!

[@TonimanGalvez]

Thank you so much for this amazing video, what a wonderful times to work on Ocean.

[@sebalberico]

Great video! It doesn’t look abandoned or in ruins… so probably some other business operated there recently, do you know what was that?

[@mlucifersam]

They rented the basement out to various small buisnesses but they have almost all moved out now

[@RetroSteveUK]

It was bugging me what that music was. I definitely remember it. Thanks for putting it in the description - Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge. It was the 128k Speccy version I'd have been familiar with.

[@mlucifersam]

I heard Jon Dunn composing it. I was in an office just up from him while he was working on it. It always reminds me of being down there!

[@RetroSteveUK]

@@mlucifersam Lovely memory. Great piece of music, that. Another example of an 8-bit computer tune that sounds & feels like a proper composition.

[@dreamkatcha]

When I was down in the basement about five years ago all those offices were occupied by rent-paying independent businesses. What's happened since? The Friends Meeting House as a whole is still a going concern, mostly operating as a conference venue for hire. It's not an abandoned relic. Maybe they're just refurbishing the lower quarters? Interesting insight nevertheless, thanks. :)

[@mlucifersam]

Yes I went down around 2010 and it was like that then. People had rented specific rooms which all had locks on them.

[@Omegajunior2658]

Very nice. It's a shame that the British video game company Ocean Software went defunct in 1998 after they were bought by a French video game company Infogrames in 1996. It was one of the largest European video game publishers and developer in history. They were best known for making video games for 8-bit consoles, 16-bit consoles, PC, N64, Sony PlayStation 1 and Sega Saturn in the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2009, Ocean Software has now traded as Bandai Namco Entertainment UK after Atari sold their European assets to the Japanese company Bandai Namco Entertainment. However Atari stills retains the rights of some Ocean titles such as Hunchback, Wizball and Mr. Nutz I think. Anyway thanks for the video, mate. Greetings from Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪

[@olliraatikainen6619]

Awesome video, great then/now visualization - thank you so much ❤

[@mlucifersam]

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it

[@HextremePL]

Pang, Lethal Weapon, Worms...

[@BarryLeitch]

Lovely to see, and yet heartbreaking as well.

[@mlucifersam]

Yes it was a bit sad to see but at least it’s only 1 floor. The basement is not beyond repair and could be done up should the opportunity arise

[@MexboroughBuildings]

Fab but sad 😞

[@chanjackie2299]

Great video ! I loved those games !

[@dale76uk]

fantastic 🙂

[@xinelli]

Thanks! Great to see this.

[@chbisio]

Thanks so much for this!

[@kirgahn]

Thanks for showing us around, that was nostalgic!

[@RaceDayReplay]

fascinating

[@michaeljones-ku5qt]

I certainly bet there was a few tears when it all went I bet they had a great time making games there

[@mlucifersam]

@@michaeljones-ku5qt we certainly did have a good time making the games. Only I didn't realise just how good until a few years after I left. Never had another job like it & I'd kill to go back & do it again

[@BrianBeuken]

lotta memories.