[Beam Software: interview with Greg Barnett]

Beam Software produced a series of groundbreaking games in the 1980s, most notably the seminal games of ‘The Hobbit’, which allowed characters to direct other characters, and ‘The Way of the exploding fist’, one of the first one-on-one fighting games developed for the home computer. Beam was sold to Krome Studios in 2006 which, in turn, ceased operations in 2010. These unedited interviews with some of the key members of Beam Software were filmed at ACMI in April 2006.

After graudating in computer science from Melbourne University, Greg Bennett joined Beam Software in 1982. Inspired by his dual interests in programming and film, Bennett designed and programmed the groundbreaking one-on-one martial arts game ‘The Way of the exploding fist’. He talks about the game industry over the years and the changes, both financial and creative, in relation to his career.