The Story and Games of Joffa Smith, ZX Spectrum Genius | Kim Justice

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  • čas přidán 5. 12. 2018
  • A celebration of the life and games of Joffa Smith, the brilliant programmer/artist who during his time at Ocean and Special FX created the likes of Green Beret, Hyper Sports, Cobra, Mikie and Firefly. A gifted man, and a master of his craft.
    My Twitter: / kimxxxjustice
    My Patreon: / kimblejustice
    My PayPal: www.paypal.me/kimxxxjustice
    My Facebook: / themegaweeviews
    My 2nd channel: / @kimandsophia8079
    Want more Kim Justice? Why not have a look at these vids?:
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    How IBM "Won" The Computer Wars of the 1980's: • The IBM PC 5150 and XT...
    The Story of Ocean Software: • The Story of Ocean Sof...
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    Sega in 1995: What the F**k is Going On?: • Video
    The Rise and Fall of the Commodore Amiga: • The Rise and Fall of t...
    The Rise and Fall of Peter Molyneux - Part 1: • The Rise and Fall of P...
    #retrogaming #zxspectrum #joffa #oceansoftware #documentary
  • Hry

Komentáře • 97

  • @Kim_Justice
    @Kim_Justice  Před 5 lety +11

    If you liked this then think about having a gander through my social media, and get yourself on my Patreon: www.patreon.com/KimbleJustice

  • @ModernVintageGamer
    @ModernVintageGamer Před 5 lety +40

    this is a wonderful story and tribute to the man. 10/10 would watch again - and probably will

  • @Dmrdecs
    @Dmrdecs Před 5 lety +33

    It’s outrageous how much work goes into these videos. I, for one, am extremely grateful. 👍🏻

  • @SweetStevieAaron
    @SweetStevieAaron Před 2 lety +3

    Mikie on the Speccy was superb. Got me into the arcade and if I didn’t know better, I’d swear Konami had some involvement.

  • @tehf00n
    @tehf00n Před 5 lety +6

    Everytime you say "people won't remember this these days", I remember, then I feel old. Thanks Kim. Thanks a lot !

  • @darrenleddy
    @darrenleddy Před 4 lety +5

    I remember being blown away playing Green Beret having a speccy game scrolling so well. Joffa was an absolute genius. Thanks Kim for such a heart felt video.

    • @lucasoheyze4597
      @lucasoheyze4597 Před 9 měsíci

      Making a zx spectrum game scroll smoothly is NOT a mark of genius.

  • @huntert7650
    @huntert7650 Před 5 lety +12

    Oof, re-uploads can be rough on channel monetization. I don't usually leave comments but I wanna help this video how I can! You did the right thing protecting privacy.
    This is a wonderful tribute to a talented soul who left his mark on so many people. It's clear how much love and respect you have for him.
    As someone from the states who only had Nintendo consoles and IBM PCs, your videos are still incredible to watch and I love learning about the computer and game culture over there. Seriously, even as someone who has no connection to the vast majority of your videos' subject matters, the still suck me in.
    Happy holidays, hopefully my financial situation will clear up soon so I can be a patron again.

  • @glennmain
    @glennmain Před 5 lety +5

    Nearly an hour about Joffa? This is a good thing.

  • @nicholasjralph
    @nicholasjralph Před 5 lety +5

    These videos are amazing, THANK YOU! So touching to learn about this modest man that significantly touched my childhood.

  • @Kim_Justice
    @Kim_Justice  Před 5 lety +29

    If you're wondering why you're seeing this again it's because it had to be re-edited due to privacy reasons.

    • @markh5364
      @markh5364 Před 5 lety +4

      hey Kim, what was wrong with it?

    • @waltherstolzing9719
      @waltherstolzing9719 Před 5 lety +4

      Oh no... I was so fond of my comment that got an acknowledgement from you. (You know, the one about Arnold saying KOKAINUM ... I'm *100% certain* you remember.)

    • @zachreddy
      @zachreddy Před 5 lety +1

      Love your videos. I’m kinda surprised you went to the trouble of re-editing but left in the minor VO repetition at 47:02... great stuff regardless, a lovely tribute to a fascinating individual.

    • @Kim_Justice
      @Kim_Justice  Před 5 lety +7

      KOKAINUM.

    • @davidspencer7254
      @davidspencer7254 Před 5 lety +3

      Didn't think Lee Fogarty was mentioned

  • @scottbreon9448
    @scottbreon9448 Před 5 lety +10

    I don't care if this is a re-upload. I still smashed that like button. Wish I could have done it over and over again. I grew up in North America, so the Speccy wasn't really a thing here. We did have the Timex Sinclair TS2068 and the Timex Sinclair TC2048 Spectrum "compatible" computers, but sadly, they had compatibility issues with the vast majority of Spectrum titles. Thank The tech Gods for emulation

  • @jimdigriz2923
    @jimdigriz2923 Před 5 lety +2

    Love this channel, brings back so many memories of fun (and crap) games of my childhood. Thanks a lot KJ, this is better by far than most of whats classed as entertainment these days.

  • @nodarkthings
    @nodarkthings Před 8 měsíci

    These videos from Kim always give me a warm, nostalgic glow.

  • @LautaroArino
    @LautaroArino Před 3 lety +1

    You are among the best history tellers on the web imo. This was lovely.

  • @pmacuk67
    @pmacuk67 Před 5 lety +2

    Green Beret was one of the best spectrum games EVER ... I did not know this guy's name til seeing this video... He seemed a troubled soul... Very sad how this story ended :(

  • @tomkrawec
    @tomkrawec Před 5 lety +1

    I watched this before it was re-edited. It was great, and I am sure it still is. Top work.

  • @indahpratiwi4308
    @indahpratiwi4308 Před 5 lety +1

    Great video, thank you for making this

  • @Asobitech
    @Asobitech Před rokem

    Rewatching this video, and it really is one of my favourites., What an absolute legend he was.
    Thank you for doing the research and going into so much detail over Joffa's body of work.

  • @chumpyman
    @chumpyman Před 4 lety +1

    Under appreciated, under ratted and under valued video. Amazing and well done. Love you Kim.

  • @McAlby
    @McAlby Před 4 lety

    Great video, thanks. I learned many things about his late works that I didn't know. I still remember the time when he was ill and all the comments in the forums. But I really didn't expect to hear my Light Corridor track at the end of the video! Always remembered, RIP Joffa.

  • @Sr19769p
    @Sr19769p Před měsícem

    Incredible research. Thanks for the nostalgia.
    👍

  • @TheBroz
    @TheBroz Před 4 lety +1

    With the Spectrum Next finally arriving now it's still heartbreaking that he never had the opportunity to get involved with something that would have been right up his alley.

  • @RUOK2000
    @RUOK2000 Před 5 lety +1

    As a Master System lad in the 80s and 90s I only started collecting 8 bits in my 20s. These docs are great for me to see what I should be picking up and for learning more about the history. Good shit!

  • @richardgray2453
    @richardgray2453 Před 5 lety

    this video made me laugh, smile and cry.beautiful work.

  • @stockicide
    @stockicide Před 5 lety

    Wonderful video, as always.

  • @steveparkes
    @steveparkes Před 5 lety +2

    A late comment to put the "Is it finished?" type posts on WoS and other forums in context. From about 2002(ish) it was just something that got frequently added as a meme. Generally on the very first post saying you're working on something new. Some of these came from WoS, some from C.S.S and others from the RetroRemakes and TigSource forums and might look impolite in the current climate. It was a way of giving a thumbs up on systems that didn't have one :)
    Joffa helped me with a few assembly questions during development of a game I was writing just over 10 years ago. A top bloke.

    • @moagnor
      @moagnor Před 5 lety +2

      Is it finished?

  • @gavinrothery8825
    @gavinrothery8825 Před 5 lety +1

    Beautiful work

  • @davedogge2280
    @davedogge2280 Před 5 lety +4

    Paco Menéndez was an extremely talented developer from Spain. It is said that he didn't get on with management very well (understandable). He ended up working in an IT department (government I think) doing very mundane work, a complete waste of talent in that situation. He died too soon, some say he took his own life in 1999.

  • @aeneas237
    @aeneas237 Před 3 lety +1

    I’m sure the connection has been made before, but these devs remind me of all the British synth pop pioneers who were making music in their bedsits at the same time. Also, I’ve been watching your content all day and I’m not a gamer in any way. Your work as a historian of culture is top tier.

    • @Inksmudger
      @Inksmudger Před 2 lety

      And then you have geniuses like Tim Follin who are somehow both!

  • @rinner2801
    @rinner2801 Před 2 lety

    I worked for a few years in an underground game development dungeon. Even at the worst of times it still smelled far better than a D&D convention ;)

  • @starwars9191
    @starwars9191 Před 5 lety

    Brilliant insight, I had no idea and very sad RIP

  • @mrtiff99
    @mrtiff99 Před 5 lety +1

    Thanks Kim. Great video as per usual. 3:05 "Learning Box" god that rings a bell, can't think where or how. Off to google to find out

  • @davedogge2280
    @davedogge2280 Před 5 lety +1

    I saw a photo of this legend once. I was C64 but respect where respect is due

  • @xenomorphman3380
    @xenomorphman3380 Před rokem

    Definitely an amazing tribute to an awesome guy

  • @stewsretroreviews
    @stewsretroreviews Před 3 lety

    Great tribute to a speccy legend here and gone way to soon.
    Remember loving Ping Pong, and the music was amazing for a speccy game, also remember Cobra and thought, no other micro will beat them detailed and colourful graphics , a classic and is one of my favourite games on the Spectrum. Lastly Fire fly was also something special, and another great tune too. Quality games thats all I can say. Nice one Joffa🕹

  • @derekchapman5167
    @derekchapman5167 Před 2 měsíci

    Great video/film!

  • @BuzzaB77
    @BuzzaB77 Před 5 lety +4

    Can't remember my comment but I'll hit like again don't worry

  • @Mark-pr7ug
    @Mark-pr7ug Před měsícem

    Cool documentary 👍
    Have you done a vid covering the guy who coded Chase HQ for the ZX & CPC?

  • @zenksren8206
    @zenksren8206 Před 2 lety +1

    An Xbox prototype build of Momma Can I Mow the Lawn was recently dumped and posted on Hidden Palace

  • @nickcartwright7567
    @nickcartwright7567 Před 3 lety

    love your videos . would love to see one on the whole uk gaming scene upto the ps1.

  • @guerrillagames7279
    @guerrillagames7279 Před 3 lety

    I used to get a lift to work with him now again! Such a sad loss

  • @Bannerman1903
    @Bannerman1903 Před 5 lety +1

    Quality documentary

  • @mickyjgreen
    @mickyjgreen Před 3 lety

    The gambit levels of spiderman & xmen are an incredible memory for me. So tough though

  • @3rdman216
    @3rdman216 Před 4 lety

    great video

  • @sircliff323
    @sircliff323 Před 5 lety

    your videos are 10/10

  • @PooperScooperTrooper
    @PooperScooperTrooper Před 3 lety

    That was...quite moving.

  • @JohnEpi
    @JohnEpi Před 4 lety

    i guess you really did him Justice !

  • @dogbadger
    @dogbadger Před 3 lety

    9:12 - This is what gets missed in the Spectrum/Commodore thing - the C64 was almost like a games console with a keyboard added - a great advantage in creating typical arcade style games, however this could limit variety and inventiveness of the system's library. The spectrum on the other had was a pure computer - difficult to program - particularly arcade style games - but attracting the most skilled programmers and also almost forcing creativity and diversity which is reflected in it's library of games.

  • @Imgema
    @Imgema Před 5 lety +1

    Can i make a request? A video about Traveller's Tale's Jon Burton would be nice. He also shares some info of his games in the channel "Game Hut".

  • @BananaTV1978
    @BananaTV1978 Před 4 lety

    Yeah, what an absolute shame he didn't get to see the Next! He'd have been in his element!

  • @kee1haul
    @kee1haul Před 3 lety

    Does anyone have links to his website or CZcams?

  • @jamesbrough3464
    @jamesbrough3464 Před 4 lety

    Your videos are really really fab. Thank you

  • @qwerty260000
    @qwerty260000 Před 5 lety

    When are you going to do the story of Yar's Revenge?

  • @nickmalcom6360
    @nickmalcom6360 Před 4 lety

    corection: the game boy doesn't have an ay sound chip. the sound chip on the game boy was custom made by sharp and is part of the z80.
    eddit: easter egg discovered and revelled by Jaupha confirms it has scream of death.

  • @leontrotzky778
    @leontrotzky778 Před rokem

    Um... He might have invented something sound related, but it certainly wasn't multichannel music. Even Wham The Music Box! from 1985 had that feature, not to mention some other games. Odin games, for example, like Robin of the Wood and Nodes of Yesod, had digitized music, multichannel and all.

  • @user-vg5rv5xf4u
    @user-vg5rv5xf4u Před 3 lety

    Joffa 🙌

  • @antster1983
    @antster1983 Před 3 lety

    Anyone find it funny that a lot of people you would associate with Ocean, a Manchester-based studio, are actually from Merseyside? Both David Ward and Jon Woods were from the Wirral, while Paul Finnegan and Gary Bracey were from Liverpool itself.

    • @lucasoheyze4597
      @lucasoheyze4597 Před 3 lety +1

      No.

    • @antster1983
      @antster1983 Před 3 lety

      @@lucasoheyze4597 Well, maybe funny was the wrong word. They chose to make Manchester their home because there were enough publishers based in Liverpool, like Bug Byte, Imagine and Software Projects.

    • @nickgodfrey1148
      @nickgodfrey1148 Před 3 lety

      @@lucasoheyze4597 😆

    • @medes5597
      @medes5597 Před 11 měsíci

      ​@@antster1983and because real estate for a company was way cheaper in Manchester than Liverpool at the time. Definitely not the case now but Liverpool had a bit of a resurgence at the time.

  • @shaunharvey6333
    @shaunharvey6333 Před 4 lety

    The post about Mikie is true, you do get a Goblin or something..

  • @CondemnedToBeMe
    @CondemnedToBeMe Před 2 lety

    👍👍👍

  • @eugeneperstube
    @eugeneperstube Před 4 lety

    The best platformer on ZX, is, undoubtedly, Soldier of Fortune. There're few NES, or even SNES titles as good.

  • @hairychris444
    @hairychris444 Před 5 lety

    12:05 - Sinclairs & the Square Albert.... Early 90s student life for me!
    EDIT: plus I remember Green Beret at the time. Awesome game.

  • @karlwalker1771
    @karlwalker1771 Před 3 lety

    This video still makes me laugh as they are all Cagers and not one RIDES A MOTORCYCLE LOL
    Love you videos but just wanted to point out THE FACT LOL:)

  • @jpnz0000
    @jpnz0000 Před 10 měsíci

    Hey, starting at 50:33 in this playback, segments of my video [czcams.com/video/3lZFRAB_sAQ/video.html] are being used without credit - props to Jof

  • @slyfrailzz
    @slyfrailzz Před 5 lety

    Noice

  • @chriscraven9335
    @chriscraven9335 Před 4 lety

    I know a challenger to the boring vanilla ass name Johnathan Smith: an old boss of mine named David Jones

    • @lucasoheyze4597
      @lucasoheyze4597 Před 9 měsíci

      Which is David Bowie's real name, and also the shit one out of The Monkees

  • @lucasoheyze4597
    @lucasoheyze4597 Před 3 měsíci

    Looked at dispassionately, this Joffa guy's work was absolutely mid.

  • @the__GOON
    @the__GOON Před 5 lety

    if this genius was involved with the Sinclair ZX Spectrum Vega, shame on him.

    • @bootmii98
      @bootmii98 Před 4 lety

      he died in 2010

    • @medes5597
      @medes5597 Před 11 měsíci +1

      He'd been dead six years when it was announced, so...

  • @ZZKJ396
    @ZZKJ396 Před 5 lety

    Sorry cant agree with the basic premis of this, he was responsible for a tonne of mediocre boring licensed shovelware IMHO. A thoroughly nice guy though, which is more important.

  • @kailomonkey
    @kailomonkey Před 5 lety

    Oh this is a re-edit of an old video? No wonder I both clicked on it and watched it to the end... No offence intended but I just don't enjoy your more recent videos.

    • @Kim_Justice
      @Kim_Justice  Před 5 lety +14

      The original vid came out 2 weeks ago...

    • @waltherstolzing9719
      @waltherstolzing9719 Před 5 lety

      @@Kim_Justice Yeah but that's an eternity in the world of tech, you know.

    • @weavehole
      @weavehole Před 5 lety

      .... lol

    • @emilyz4104
      @emilyz4104 Před 5 lety +1

      @@Kim_Justice Flawless Victory.

  • @lucasoheyze4597
    @lucasoheyze4597 Před 2 lety

    Genius? These games were all okay, but nothing special really.