Sam Manthorpe

p_a_ · **on:** December 31, 2009, 09:26:51 am

Hi there, I'm Mark

I would like to write an article about C-64 version of The Detective Game (what a great game it is...) - does anybody know how to contact the main programmer, Sam Manthorpe?

headkaze · **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2009, 10:18:53 am

I would have loved to have gotten in touch with Sam during the making of our DS remake. We are not even sure if his surname is "Manthorpe" or "Monthorpe" as it has been spelled differently on the Net. If you get a hold of him please let us know.

EDIT: Okay I just checked and it *is* Manthorpe with an 'a'

So we got it right thankfully. Just checked his other game "Out on a Limb" and it clearly shows an 'a' not an 'o'.

Still would love to hear from him if you manage to get a hold of him.

sverx · **Reply #2 on:** December 31, 2009, 10:30:15 am

This topic brings his name and it's in the RBP forum so I guess if he ever gets to see DetectiveDS then maybe he'll pass here and drop a message... uh?

p_a_ · **Reply #3 on:** December 31, 2009, 10:46:25 am

I hope you're right. I assume that you also don't have a clue who hides behind the mysterious name "magnificent seven" (the plot of The Detective Game was "cunningly devised" by them).

headkaze · **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2009, 10:53:40 am

Quote from: p_a_ on December 31, 2009, 10:46:25 am

I hope you're right. I assume that you also don't have a clue who hides behind the mysterious name "magnificent seven" (the plot of The Detective Game was "cunningly devised" by them).

Yes I think it's quite a mystery.. would love to know more about it myself!

I've been looking on eBay for the original game in it's packaging and hopefully with instructions. Perhaps more would be revealed in there?

p_a_ · **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2009, 11:56:47 am

Hm... could that be him?

http://www.123people.co.uk/s/sam+manthorpe

headkaze · **Reply #6 on:** December 31, 2009, 12:40:37 pm

Quote from: p_a_ on December 31, 2009, 11:56:47 am

Hm... could that be him?

http://www.123people.co.uk/s/sam+manthorpe

I'm not sure. I tried a few e-mails I found on the web but all of them bounced back.

sverx · **Reply #7 on:** December 31, 2009, 02:00:29 pm

There's a LinkedIn account of a guy of that name working in the computer software industry and living in the SF bay area...

headkaze · **Reply #8 on:** December 31, 2009, 02:53:06 pm

Quote from: sverx on December 31, 2009, 02:00:29 pm

There's a LinkedIn account of a guy of that name working in the computer software industry and living in the SF bay area...

Saw that aswell.. Sam did grow up in the UK though. A guy called Paul Rogers on Lemon 64 wrote "Friend I was at school with Sam Manthorpe wrote, Out on a Limb, The Last Detective (AKA "The Detective Game") and some head bouncing game the name of which eludes me". He's from Norwich in the UK so we can assume that is where Sam is from. The "head bouncing" game he wrote btw is called Hyber Blob

flash · **Reply #9 on:** December 31, 2009, 02:58:04 pm

Good ol' Norwich!!!

I should look in the Norwich Phone directory for S. Manthorpe...

headkaze · **Reply #10 on:** December 31, 2009, 03:05:02 pm

Quote from: Flash on December 31, 2009, 02:58:04 pm

Good ol' Norwich!!!

I should look in the Norwich Phone directory for S. Manthorpe...

Just tried and unfortunately nothing under "S"

http://www.thephonebook.bt.com/publisha.content/en/search/residential/search.publisha?Surname=Manthorpe&Location=Norwich&x=14&y=8

The mystery continues...

flash · **Reply #11 on:** December 31, 2009, 03:09:42 pm

In Norfolk, the county that Norwich is in, we have,

S Manthorpe
Tel: (01508) 470325 - Text Number
68 Alan Av, Newton Flotman, Norwich, NR15 1RF

S.J Manthorpe
Tel: (01493) 441131 - Text Number
21 Horsley Dv, Gorleston, NR31 7RD

Sadly, both are a fair way out of Norwich itself for him to attend a Norwich School,

headkaze · **Reply #12 on:** December 31, 2009, 03:14:27 pm

Hmm still worth a try though I guess? I would have thought Sam would have found us by now though.. surely he's Google'd himself before? We're currently No.2 for "The Detective Game"... I'm sure he will pop in sometime.

flash · **Reply #13 on:** December 31, 2009, 03:14:58 pm

Or, if he has been at the Elixer of Life again (Gin),
http://books.google.com/books?id=hnpbAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA217&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U0F4M0GdHZtHlduWqPFGgUbphZ4Aw&ci=19%2C13%2C809%2C1210&edge=0

progers · **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2010, 08:54:14 pm

Hi all, so you know Sam works all over the world, currently in Prague I believe, and if ever in the UK more than likely ends up in East Sussex where his folks live and where we both went to school!
Anyway, got a request from Mark regarding contacting him and now have sent him his details - think he was quite surprised that people remember his games, although they were all bloody good I though .. anyone remember hyber blob and the bouncing heads?!

Paul

Sokurah · **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2010, 08:57:58 pm

Hey, progress. That's great. I'm sure HK is looking forward to hearing from him.
There's a few persons I'd like to get in contact with myself, but I can't find them. Oh, well...perhaps one day.

Oh, and I've never seen as many persons online before, as now.

flash · **Reply #16 on:** January 06, 2010, 09:03:02 pm

Hyper Blob, Classic!

headkaze · **Reply #17 on:** January 06, 2010, 09:22:11 pm

Hi Paul and thanks for the info! It was actually me that messaged you about contacting Sam, so I'm not sure if it's okay to give his e-mail to Mark?

I will drop him an e-mail soon, I just wanted to get a few questions together about The Detective Game .. have to remember them all as there were a few mysteries I never got to solve during the remake!

p_a_ · **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2010, 06:19:24 pm

Headkaze, I've also contacted Paul Rogers on lemon64

Anyway, I've managed to contact Sam earlier - wrote to him via Facebook and that was him

I was going to ask him, if I can give his contact details here, but I was going to do that after all the questions about his 8-bit career (I didn't want to scare him off or something like that). Anyway, when my interview's done, I'll maybe write down all the questions and answers here. Maybe you'll do the same thing with yours, Headkaze?

flash · **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2010, 07:21:57 pm

Sam may not have done many C64 games, but what he did do is wonderful and has that (dare I say it?) X-Factor

I loved 'Out on a Limb' the most, but I have always been a sucker for a good platform based game.

I would love the hear Sam's replies from you guys.

Lobo · **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2010, 07:24:42 pm

That would be sweet, to hear from him. Like I've said about 99453321.5 times so far, The Detective is one helluva murder mystery game, if not the best in genre across the platforms (for me at least). To hear what the author have to say about it would be quite splendid!

Sokurah · **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2010, 10:02:31 pm

Quote from: Flash on January 06, 2010, 09:03:02 pm

Hyper Blob, Classic!

Didn't know that game - thanks for the heads-up. Looks like balls though.

flash · **Reply #22 on:** January 07, 2010, 10:05:38 pm

It is a great game even though it looks a bit like 'Jack Attack' it isn't.

Well worth playing mate (NO MORE remakes - no matter how much you like it! Horace Sunday and UXB on Sat PLEASE)

Sokurah · **Reply #23 on:** January 07, 2010, 10:18:52 pm

Quote from: Flash on January 07, 2010, 10:05:38 pm

Well worth playing mate (NO MORE remakes - no matter how much you like it! Horace Sunday and UXB on Sat PLEASE)

That's not a big problem. I gotta tell you, that except for a couple of things I'd still like to do (especially a particular platformer, and my wip's of course) I'm getting pretty damn tired of remakes. I'd like to do something original soon or I'll lose all interrest in programming. :-/

flash · **Reply #24 on:** January 07, 2010, 10:25:30 pm

You better not let me down on the Horace front.. Or, I, Or, hmm, I will.., er, somethingh....

I have to admit that making a game that is new to you is a lot of fun - really nice to do stuff the way you want! And, by god! I bet you could come up with something wonderful!!

Anyway, we are derailing another topic! Again! (seems to be the norm around these parts!

)

Lobo · **Reply #25 on:** January 07, 2010, 11:02:50 pm

That seems to be norm whenever you post.

Oh, wait, there goes Manthorpe! Over there, Sam!

headkaze · **Reply #26 on:** January 08, 2010, 12:41:29 pm

I'm happy to say I got a reply from Sam. He's flattered (and a little flabbergasted) that we did a remake of The Detective Game. Unfortunately he can't remember enough about the game details to answer any of my specific questions about the game. He does still have the source in his parents attic so he might try to dig it up sometime. Not sure if that means we get to take a peek or not.

Anyway I look forward to seeing his replies to the interview

sverx · **Reply #27 on:** January 08, 2010, 01:29:17 pm

Quote from: headkaze on January 08, 2010, 12:41:29 pm

I'm happy to say I got a reply from Sam. He's flattered (and a little flabbergasted) that we did a remake of The Detective Game.

Eheheh

Cool!

p_a_ · **Reply #28 on:** January 08, 2010, 02:19:45 pm

I'll post the whole interview by the time I run out of questions:) But by far he told me many interesting stories:)

Lobo · **Reply #29 on:** January 08, 2010, 07:43:54 pm

Quote from: sverx on January 08, 2010, 01:29:17 pm

Eheheh Cool!

Bloody Cool, I say, bloody!