Robert Woodhead

Robert J. Woodhead is an entrepreneur, software engineer and former game programmer. He claims that a common thread in his career is "doing weird things with computers".

Robert Woodhead
Born1958/1959 (age 61–62)[1]
OccupationEntrepreneur
Software engineer
Game programmer (formerly)
Known forWizardry
AnimEigo

Programming career

Along with Andrew C. Greenberg, he created the Apple II game Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, one of the first role-playing video games written for a personal computer, as well as several of its sequels.[2][3][4] Woodhead designed the 1982 Apple II arcade game Star Maze, which was programmed by Gordon Eastman and sold through Sir-Tech.[5] He told TODAY magazine in 1983, "I have loads of arcade game ideas, but lack the patience to do the actual coding. I'm sort of a big project person; I like the challenge of a program like Wizardry."[5]

Later, he authored Interferon and Virex,[6] two of the earliest anti-virus applications for the Macintosh, and co-founded AnimEigo, one of the first US anime releasing companies. As a result of this venture, while living in Japan, he married his translator and interpreter, Natsumi Ueki, together with whom he has two children.[7] He also runs a search engine promotion website called SelfPromotion.com.

As a hobby, he builds combat robots, and his children, James Ueki and Alex Ueki, are the 2004 and 2005 Robot Fighting League National Champions in the 30 lb Featherweight class.

Woodhead made a cameo appearance in the 1982 video game Ultima II as an NPC; when the player talked to him he would scream "Copy Protect!", a sarcastic reference to the extensive copy protection methods used in video games of the time. He also has a screen credit in the film Real Genius as their "Hacking Consultant".

Woodhead has created two successful Kickstarter projects, "Bubblegum Crisis Ultimate Edition Blu-Ray Set" ($153,964 pledged on a $75,000 goal),[8] and "BackerSupport" ($326 pledged on a $100 goal).[9]

Woodhead has also served on the Eve Online Council of Stellar Management with an in-game avatar name of Trebor Daehdoow. He was re-elected for 4 terms, serving in his last term as Chairman.

gollark: Flash? Don't use Flash.
gollark: Pinta is like Paint but LINU X.
gollark: Inkscape or Pinta, that is.
gollark: I personally mostly use Inkscape for my very occasional image editation needs.
gollark: oh, those things. Heard of the GNU Image Manipulation Program?

References
  1. Parish, Jeremy. "The Mad Overlord speaks on episode 162". Retronauts. Retrieved 20 September 2018. I'm 59 now
  2. DeMaria, Rusel; Wilson, Johnny L. (2003-12-18). High score!: the illustrated history of electronic games. McGraw-Hill Professional. pp. 154–155. ISBN 978-0-07-223172-4. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  3. Buckler, Grant (9 March 1985). "Small firms find big-time markets". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  4. "Small U.S. game maker caters to global audience". Eugene Register-Guard. 24 September 1995. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  5. Salmons, Jim (August 1982). "Exec Sir-Tech: Wizzing to the Top". SoftTalk. 2 (12): 36.
  6. Kates, William (13 February 1989). "MacIntosh computers' virus cured". The Evening News. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  7. Robert Woodhead at MobyGames
  8. "Bubblegum Crisis Ultimate Edition Blu-Ray Set". Kickstarter. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  9. "BackerSupport - The KickStarter Management & Logistics App". Kickstarter. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014.


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