Editing Fred Ford (programmer) (section)

=== Beginnings and ''Star Control'' ===
Ford attended the [[University of California, Berkeley]].<ref name="polygon4">{{cite web|last1=Campbell|first1=Colin|date=April 16, 2014|title=Toys for Bob and the story behind Skylanders|url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/4/16/5614716/skylanders-story-toys-for-bob-skylanders-swap-force|access-date=March 7, 2016|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> In the early 1980s, Ford began his [[video game industry|game career]] while in college, creating games exclusively for the [[Japanese video game|Japanese market]].<ref name="youtubex">{{cite web|author=Sean Dacanay, Marcus Niehaus|date=July 7, 2020|title=Star Control Creators Paul Reiche & Fred Ford: Extended Interview|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs8RY31Byzg|type=Transcript|access-date=October 21, 2020|website=YouTube|publisher=Ars Technica}} [https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/dfb8c8ea-86c6-46fe-a8e7-c15ac862285amezzanine.txt Alt URL]</ref> Working for a company called Unison World (later Magicsoft), he worked on his first games for a Japanese monochrome handheld, including a bowling game, a bi-plane flight game, and a tank game.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|date=September 2009|title=Finaru Furantier|url=https://issuu.com/roylazarovich/docs/retro_gamer_067|access-date=October 21, 2020|website=Retro Gamer 067|language=en}}</ref> Soon after, he moved onto developing for the [[NEC]] [[PC-6000 series]], the [[MSX]], and [[Fujitsu]] systems, with titles such as ''[[List of MSX games|Pillbox]], Sea Bomber,'' and ''Ground Support.<ref name=":0" />''

Ford was working on an unreleased title, when Magicsoft ran out of money.<ref name=":0" /> This led Ford to transition to more corporate employment.<ref name="Barton20162">{{cite book|author=Matt Barton|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UV7OBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA203|title=Honoring the Code: Conversations with Great Game Designers|date=April 19, 2016|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-4665-6754-2|pages=203–}}</ref> He worked for graphics companies in [[Silicon Valley]], until he realized he missed working in the game industry.<ref name="youtubex" /> Ford told friends he was seeking a designer-artist to collaborate with, and his friends knew [[Paul Reiche III]] was seeking a programmer-engineer.<ref name="GDC201532">{{cite web|author=Fred Ford & Paul Reiche III|date=June 30, 2015|title=Classic Game Postmortem: Star Control|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Napx0MjivCM|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=[[Game Developers Conference]]}}</ref> Ford and Reiche had actually attended college together,<ref name="polygon4"/> and their friends arranged to re-introduce them at a game night hosted by game designer [[Greg Johnson (game designer)|Greg Johnson]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Sean Dacanay, Marcus Niehaus|date=July 7, 2020|title=Star Control Creators Paul Reiche & Fred Ford: Extended Interview|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs8RY31Byzg|type=Transcript|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Ars Technica|quote='''Ford''': I went to the Silicon Valley and I worked for some graphics companies. I did that for a few years, I was in the wilderness and eventually I said, why am I not doing something I like versus something I think I should be doing? And so the company I worked that, there was a couple of mutual friends, two people who grew up with Paul, they knew I wanted to leave and they knew Paul needed a partner and so they introduced us to each other.{{br}} '''Reiche''': Yeah, we were going to a game night, board game night at Greg Johnson's house, and Greg's one of the designers of "Starflight" and "ToeJam & Earl" and "Orly Draw-Me-A-Story" and a ton of great games. Anyway, he had a regular game night at his house and so we sort of had a blind date there and decided, yeah, let's start working on this game.}} [https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/dfb8c8ea-86c6-46fe-a8e7-c15ac862285amezzanine.txt Alt URL]</ref> One of the friends who encouraged the get-together was [[fantasy]] artist [[Erol Otus]]<ref name="SC2team">{{cite web|author=Lee Hutchinson|date=October 26, 2018|title=Video: The people who helped make Star Control 2 did a ton of other stuff|url=https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1e42a2c2-df36-44c3-8c94-b8c7994f7954mezzanine.txt|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=[[Ars Technica]]}}</ref>

Reiche and Ford's first collaboration was ''[[Star Control]]'', with Ford focused on [[Game programmer|programming]], and Reiche focused on the [[game design]] and [[fiction]].<ref name="GDC201532"/> Originally called ''Starcon'', the game began as an evolution of the concepts that Reiche first created in ''[[Archon: The Light and the Dark]].''<ref name="Barton20162"/> ''Archon''{{'}}s strategic elements were adapted for ''Star Control'' into a [[Space opera|space]] setting, with one-on-one ship combat inspired by the classic 1962 game ''[[Spacewar!]]''.<ref name="HG101SC">{{cite web|author=Kurt Kalata|date=September 11, 2018|title=Star Control|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/star-control/|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101}}</ref> As Ford and Reiche's workflow as a team was developing, the game took on a more limited scope compared to the sequel.<ref name="GDC201532"/> Upon its release in 1990, ''Star Control'' was voted the "Best Science Fiction Game" by ''[[Video Games and Computer Entertainment]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|date=February 1991|title=VG&CE's Best Games of 1990|publisher=VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, Issue 25}}</ref> Decades later, it is remembered as one of the greatest games of all time. "[A]s a melee or strategic game, it helped define the idea that games can be malleable and dynamic and players can make an experience wholly their own."<ref>{{cite web|author=Polygon Staff|date=November 29, 2017|title=500 Best Games of All Time|url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/29/16693094/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-300-201|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Polygon}}</ref>

The success of their first game led to a more ambitious sequel in ''[[Star Control II]]''. Reiche and Ford aimed to go beyond ship combat to develop a "science fiction adventure role-playing game".<ref name="Barton20162"/> Their goal of creating a dynamic space adventure was largely inspired by ''[[Starflight]],'' created by [[Greg Johnson (game designer)|Greg Johnson]].<ref name="GDC201532"/> A few years earlier, Reiche had been friends with Johnson. During the game's creation, Reiche was inspired to offer creative input for Johnson's expansive science fiction game.<ref name="escapist-2010">{{cite web|last=Hoffman|first=Erin|date=January 19, 2010|title=When the Stars Align|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_237/7041-When-the-Stars-Align|access-date=August 6, 2020|work=[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]|archive-date=December 9, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209022129/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_237/7041-When-the-Stars-Align|url-status=dead}}</ref> This friendship and mutual admiration led Reiche and Ford to hire Johnson for Star Control II. The duo later credited Johnson as one of the game's most significant contributors.<ref name="gamespotinterview">{{cite web|last=Kasavin|first=Greg|date=June 27, 2003|title=Greatest Games of All Time - Star Control II (Interview Feature)|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/starcon22.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305195839/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/starcon22.html|archive-date=March 5, 2005|access-date=August 6, 2020|website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> ''Star Control''{{'}}s story and characters were vastly expanded from the story and characters in the first game.<ref name="Barton20162" /> As Reiche and Ford worked on the first version of the game's dialog,<ref name="GDC201532" /> they recognized they needed help with the writing and art and were forced to enlist the help of friends and family.<ref name="gamespotinterview" /> In addition to Johnson, they recruited long-time friend [[Erol Otus]], who contributed music, text, art, and illustrations for the game's manual, and (later) voice-acting.<ref name="GDC201532" /> Through mutual friends, they acquired the talents of famed [[fantasy]] [[artist]] [[George Barr (artist)|George Barr]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Lee Hutchinson|date=October 26, 2018|title=Video: The people who helped make Star Control 2 did a ton of other stuff|url=https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1e42a2c2-df36-44c3-8c94-b8c7994f7954mezzanine.txt|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Ars Technica}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=GameSpy Staff|date=February 3, 2001|title=Interview with George Barr|url=http://starcontrol.classicgaming.gamespy.com/history/george_barr.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060313095138/http://starcontrol.classicgaming.gamespy.com/history/george_barr.shtml|archive-date=March 13, 2006|access-date=August 6, 2020|website=GameSpy}}</ref> The project eventually ran over schedule, and the budget from publisher [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]] ran out.<ref name="GDC201532" /> During the final months of development, Fred Ford supported the team financially.<ref name="pelit2">{{cite web|author=Pelit|date=March 21, 2006|title=Star Control - Kontrollin aikakirjat|url=https://www.pelit.fi/artikkelit/star-controlbrkontrollin-aikakirjat/|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=[[Pelit]]}}</ref>

''Star Control II'' became one of the best games of all time, according to numerous publications in the 1990s,<ref name=":3">{{plainlist|* {{Cite news|last=Staff|date=August 1994|title=PC Gamer Top 40: The Best Games of All Time|pages=32–42|work=[[PC Gamer|PC Gamer US]], Issue 3}}
* {{Cite news|last=Staff|date=April 1994|title=The PC Gamer Top 50 PC Games of All Time|publisher=[[PC Gamer]], Issue 5|pages=43–56}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Staff|date=November 1996|title=150 Best Games of All Time|pages=64–80|magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]]|url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1996&pub=2&id=148|access-date=March 25, 2016}}
* {{Cite news|last=Staff|date=February 1999|title=The Fifty Best Games of All Time|work=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]], Issue 50}}}}</ref> 2000s,<ref name=":4">{{plainlist|* {{cite web|author=Chris "shaithis" Buecheler|date=September 2000|title=The Gamespy Hall of Fame - Star Control 2|url=http://www.gamespy.com/legacy/halloffame/sc2_a.shtm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010430133458/http://www.gamespy.com/legacy/halloffame/sc2_a.shtm|archive-date=April 30, 2001|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=[[GameSpy]]}}
* {{cite web|author=Greg Kasavin|date=June 27, 2003|title=The Greatest Games of All Time - Star Control 2|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-7.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050814235252/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-7.html|archive-date=August 14, 2005|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Gamespot}}
* {{Cite web|last=Staff|date=November 23, 2005|title=IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time (2003)|url=http://top100.ign.com/2003/51-60.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051123024006/http://top100.ign.com/2003/51-60.html|archive-date=November 23, 2005|access-date=August 6, 2020|website=[[IGN]]}}
* {{Cite web|last=Staff|date=August 2, 2005|title=IGN's Top 100 Games (2005)|url=http://top100.ign.com/2005/011-020.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050802002523/http://top100.ign.com/2005/011-020.html|archive-date=August 2, 2005|access-date=August 6, 2020|website=IGN}}}}</ref> and 2010s.<ref name=":5">{{plainlist|* {{Cite news|last=Staff|date=February 19, 2011|title=The 100 best PC games of all time|language=en|work=PC Gamer|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-100-best-pc-games-of-all-time/5/|url-status=live|access-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219013135/http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/02/16/the-100-best-pc-games-of-all-time/5|archive-date=February 19, 2011}}
* {{cite web|last=Staff|date=December 5, 2015|title=HG101 Presents: The 200 Best Video Games of All Time|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/books/hg101-presents-the-200-best-video-games-of-all-time/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029065018/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/books/hg101-presents-the-200-best-video-games-of-all-time/|archive-date=October 29, 2017|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101}}
* {{Cite news|last=Hamilton|first=Kirk|date=September 19, 2013|title=The Game That "Won" Our Classic PC Games List (If It Had A Winner)|language=en-US|work=[[Kotaku]]|url=http://kotaku.com/the-game-that-won-our-classic-pc-games-list-if-it-ha-1349952997|access-date=August 6, 2020}}}}</ref> It is also ranked among the best games in several specific areas, including: writing,<ref>{{plainlist|* {{cite web|last=Staff|date=March 2, 2000|title=GameSpot's Best 10 Endings|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_bestending/page8.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050219174742/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_bestending/page8.html|archive-date=February 19, 2005|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}
* {{cite web|last=Staff|date=March 1, 2000|title=GameSpot's Ten Best Endings: RC|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_readers_endings/5.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000301230429/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_readers_endings/5.html|archive-date=March 1, 2000|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}}}</ref> world design,<ref>{{plainlist|* {{cite web|title=8 Games That Capture the Infinite Potential of Space|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/games/8-games-that-capture-the-infinite-potential-of-space/|author=Patrick Lindsey|date=January 7, 2015|publisher=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste magazine]]}}
* {{cite web|last=Staff|date=October 18, 2000|title=GameSpot's Top 10 Gameworlds|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_readers_worlds/p2_01.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050228215510/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_readers_worlds/p2_01.html|archive-date=February 28, 2005|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}
* {{cite web|author=Jeff Drake|date=November 10, 2019|title=The 10 Biggest Open World Games|url=https://gamerant.com/open-world-games-biggest-maps/|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Game Rant}}}}</ref> character design,<ref>{{plainlist|* {{cite web|author=GameSpot Staff|date=October 13, 1999|title=The Ten Best Computer Game Villains - The Ur Quan|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains/page11.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020823223224/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains/page11.html|archive-date=August 23, 2002|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}
* {{cite web|author=GameSpot Staff|date=October 12, 1999|title=Reader's Choice: Best Villains - Villains 5-1|url=https://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains_rc/page8.html/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991012071819/https://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains_rc/page8.html/|archive-date=October 12, 1999|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}}}</ref> and music.<ref>{{plainlist|* {{cite web |author=Brad Stabler |author2=John Twells |author3=Miles Bowe |author4=Scott Wilson |author5=Tom Lea |date=April 18, 2015|title=The 100 best video game soundtracks of all time|url=https://www.factmag.com/2015/04/28/the-100-greatest-video-game-soundtracks-best-ost/|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=[[Fact (UK magazine)|FACT]]}}
* {{cite web|last=GameSpot Staff|date=October 13, 1999|title=The Ten Best Game Soundtracks|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_music/page9.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030406171219/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_music/page9.html|archive-date=April 6, 2003|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}
* {{cite web|last=GameSpot Staff|date=September 1, 1999|title=The Ten Best Game Soundtracks: RC|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_soundtrack/page7.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991012094815/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_soundtrack/page7.html|archive-date=October 12, 1999|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameSpot}}}}</ref> The game also influenced other titles, most notably the open-ended gameplay of [[Tim Cain]]'s [[Fallout (video game)|''Fallout'']],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cain|first=Tim|author-link=Tim Cain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pLrGxQEACAAJ|title=The CRPG Book: A Guide to Computer Role-Playing Games|date=September 2019|publisher=Bitmap Books|isbn=978-1-9993533-0-8|editor-last=Pepe|editor-first=Felipe|language=en|quote=Since its release in 1992, Star Control 2 has been considered one of the best computer game ever developed, and for me, it remains my favorite CRPG of all time. You can see its influence in the open-endedness of Fallout and Arcanum, and I will always remember this game fondly.}} [https://crpgbook.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/crpg-book-preview-2-1.pdf Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200315234922/https://crpgbook.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/crpg-book-preview-2-1.pdf |date=March 15, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Cain|first=Tim |author-link=Tim Cain|date=January 19, 2015|title=1992 – Star Control 2|url=https://crpgbook.wordpress.com/review-index/1992-star-control-2/|access-date=August 6, 2020|website=The CRPG Book Project|language=en}}</ref> the world design of [[Mass Effect (video game)|''Mass Effect'']],<ref>{{cite web|author=John Gaudiosi|date=November 20, 2007|title=Critically Acclaimed Mass Effect Powered by Unreal Engine 3|url=https://www.unrealengine.com/ko/blog/mass-effect?lang=ko|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=Unrealengine.com}}</ref> and the story events of ''[[Stellaris (video game)|Stellaris]]''.<ref>{{cite web|author=Alex Hamilton|date=June 11, 2016|title=Stellaris Interview|url=https://www.gamegrin.com/articles/stellaris-interview/|access-date=August 6, 2020|publisher=GameGrin}}</ref>