Editing Odin Computer Graphics (section)

==History==
Odin was started by Paul McKenna and Mark Butler in 1984 as '''Thor'''<ref name="computinghistory.org.uk">{{Cite web|url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/33088/Odin-Computer-Graphics/|title = Odin Computer Graphics - Company - Computing History}}</ref> which released several titles including ''Jack and the Beanstalk'' which reached number 2 in the ZX Spectrum charts in August 1984.<ref name='pcw334'>{{cite magazine |title=Charts|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|issue=34|publisher=Sunshine Publications|date=23 August 1984|page=50|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/page.php?issue_id=2820&page=50|access-date=7 April 2025}}</ref>  Butler left ''Thor'' in early 1985, and McKenna (managing director and owner) thought it appropriate to form a sister company, '''Odin Computer Graphics''' although the Thor name would still be used on later titles such as ''The Arc of Yesod'' and ''I.C.U.P.S''.<ref name='crash23'>{{cite magazine |title=Merely Mangram|magazine=Crash|issue=23|publisher=Newsfield|date=21 November 1985|page=18|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/page.php?issue_id=990&page=18|access-date=21 March 2025}}</ref><ref name='crash32'>{{cite magazine |title=Telecomsoft Treats|magazine=Crash|issue=32|publisher=Newsfield|date=28 August 1986|page=98|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/page.php?issue_id=999&page=98|access-date=21 March 2025}}</ref>  

The new company consisted of Managing Director Paul McKenna; programmers Steve Wetherill, Robbie Tinman, Marc Dawson (now Wilding), Keith Robinson, George Barnes, Tommy Laningan, Derrick Rowson, and Stefan Walker; artists Paul Salmon, Stuart Fotheringham, and Colin Grunes; and musician Keith Tinman.<ref name="planet"/> Bernie Duggs and musician [[Fred Gray (composer)|Fred Gray]] are also credited.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0002412|title=Hypaball - World of Spectrum|website=www.worldofspectrum.org|accessdate=15 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekpub.cgi?regexp=%5EFred+Gray$&loadpics=1|title=Fred Gray - World of Spectrum|website=www.worldofspectrum.org|accessdate=15 December 2017}}</ref> Fotheringham and Dawson had previously worked for [[Software Projects]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/retro-gamer/20200709/283364769336700 |title=I feel a special attachment to Matthew Smith. All the trouble he got into kind of boiled down to me Chris Cannon |via=PressReader |access-date=2023-09-14}}</ref> Some other staff members had previously worked for [[Imagine Software]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.crashonline.org.uk/20/odin.htm |title = CRASH 20 - Odin}}</ref>

In 1986, Odin signed a publishing, marketing and distribution deal with [[Telecomsoft]], the software division of [[British Telecom]].<ref name='pcw270286'>{{cite magazine |title=British Telecom Takes On Odin|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|issue=9|publisher=Sunshine Publications|date=27 February 1986|page=4|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/page.php?issue_id=2897&page=4|access-date=21 March 2025}}</ref> While Odin's later games, like ''[[Heartland (computer game)|Heartland]]'', were well received, some later titles failed to live up to expected BT standards.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}} During this period, the warehouse area attached to the Odin studio was used by Telecomsoft as a distribution warehouse and to store thousands of copies of games on their [[Telecomsoft#Firebird|Firebird]], Rainbird and [[Beyond Software|Beyond]] labels.

Odin made a very deliberate attempt to ensure they were mistaken for [[Ultimate Play the Game]], one of the most critically acclaimed game developers of the 1980s.<ref name="planet">{{cite web | url = http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/industry/publishers/odin_interviews.htm| title = Odin Interview| accessdate = 2007-01-15 }}</ref> As well as establishing a very similar name (Odin Computer Graphics vs. Ashby Computer Graphics), many of their games were heavily inspired by Ultimate's output (Odin's ''Nodes of Yesod'' certainly owes a considerable debt to Ultimate's ''[[Underwurlde]]'').<ref name="computinghistory.org.uk"/> 

In 1987, Odin finally closed their doors,<ref name="computinghistory.org.uk"/> mainly due to an inability to expand the size of their teams while maintaining the quality that had put the company on the map in the first place. Although they delivered more than all the necessary titles to fulfil their contract, Telecomsoft deemed several of them to be not worthy of release.<ref name="computinghistory.org.uk"/> By this time many of Odin's core programmers and artists had already left. Several ex-Odin staff initially joined [[Denton Designs]], another Liverpool-based games developer, before going their separate ways.

In 2005, Paul McKenna reformed Odin Computer Graphics Ltd, to develop and produce new titles and convert ''Nodes of Yesod'', ''Arc of Yesod'', ''Heartland'' and ''Robin of the Wood'' on the Mobile Phone formats.

In 2010, Odin Computer Graphics, Ltd. in conjunction with Uztek Games, Inc. released ''Nodes of Yesod'' for the [[iPhone]]. A web browser version built with [[Adobe Flash]] was also released in the same year.