The Fourth Dimension (company)


The Fourth Dimension was a major video game publisher for the BBC Micro, Acorn Electron, Acorn Archimedes and RiscPC between 1989 and 1998. Previously, The Fourth Dimension had been known as Impact Software, which specialised mainly in BBC Micro games. Some of 4D's staff had worked for Superior Software. Notable release included Cyber Chess, Stunt Racer 2000, Galactic Dan and Chocks Away.

History

In 1989, The Fourth Dimension was founded by brothers Mark and Steve Botterill in Sheffield. Originally it was called Impact Software. It released software for Acorn's 8-bit and 32-bit computer ranges.
Following the demise of Acorn and the subsequent contraction of the RISC OS games market, The Fourth Dimension brand and rights to the software back-catalogue was acquired by CJE Micro's.
In 2002, the publisher backed a scheme subsidising the cost of hardware for developers.
In 2004, CJE Micro's sold the rights to the software to APDL, the Archimedes Public Domain Library.

Market focus

Although the Archimedes market was relatively small, it had a fast 32-bit RISC processor with a slim accelerated pipeline that encouraged fast graphics operations. Certain of 4D's games anticipate the 3D, first-person viewpoint style of graphics that was becoming popular on the much larger PC market at the same time. For example, E-type is a car racing game; Chocks Away is an air combat game with a two-player dogfight mode; and Galactic Dan is a primitive 1992 FPS with a pre-Wolfenstein 3D graphics style, combining a 3D Maze look with ray-traced sprites.

List of published games