Eddie Dombrower
Encyclopedia
Eddie Dombrower is an American
computer game and video game designer, programmer
and producer
. He is best known as the co-creator of the seminal baseball
games Earl Weaver Baseball
and Intellivision World Series Baseball
. He is also recognized for designing the first dance notation
computer software, DOM.
Dombrower studied both dance
and mathematics
at Pomona College
in Claremont, California
. After his graduation he found it frustrating that the new microcomputer
technology had not solved an age-old problem: how choreographers could record their work in written form. He created the DOM system on an Apple II
computer in 1981, which allowed choreographers to use a simple system of codes to enter their work. The resulting dance movements were then performed by a figure on screen.
In 1982 Intellivision
game design director Don Daglow
(also a Pomona College graduate) recruited Dombrower to join Mattel
to work on a new kind of baseball game that for the first time would feature large on-screen animated figures and multiple camera angles. Prior video games all showed a static or scrolling playfield from a single camera angle, and Daglow believed that Dombrower's experience with DOM made him the perfect programmer and animator
to create the game. Dombrower made progress quickly, and Intellivision World Series Baseball
's radically new design created a major market event during the Christmas television advertising season in 1982. Although the title enjoyed limited distribution because of the Video game crash of 1983
, it succeeded in its ambition to prove that video games could mimic television
coverage of sports events, and soon all major sports games followed its stylistic lead.
In 1986 Daglow, then working at Electronic Arts
, sought out Dombrower once again. EA Founder Trip Hawkins
had agreed to back the creation of another revolutionary baseball game, Earl Weaver Baseball
. As they had done at Intellvision, Daglow designed the baseball simulation and overall look, while Dombrower designed the game's sophisticated visual presentation and its underlying technology. In contrast to some celebrity athletes who merely lent their names to projects, Hall of Fame
manager Earl Weaver
worked with the team to design the game's artificial intelligence
. When the game appeared in 1989, it was hailed by Computer Gaming World
as one of the 25 best games of all time, and its success helped pave the way for the creation of the EA Sports
brand and product line. Dombrower also led the development of the sequel, Earl Weaver Baseball II.
Dombrower also developed EWB Baseball
for the iPhone, the spiritual successor to the Earl Weaver series, which was released March 23, 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
computer game and video game designer, programmer
Game programmer
A game programmer is a software engineer, programmer, or computer scientist who primarily develops codebase for video games or related software, such as game development tools. Game programming has many specialized disciplines all of which fall under the umbrella term of "game programmer"...
and producer
Game producer
A video game producer is the person in charge of overseeing development of a video game.The earliest documented use of the term producer in games was by Trip Hawkins, who established the position when he founded Electronic Arts in 1982...
. He is best known as the co-creator of the seminal baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
games Earl Weaver Baseball
Earl Weaver Baseball
Earl Weaver Baseball is a baseball computer game , designed by Don Daglow and Eddie Dombrower and published by Electronic Arts. The artificial intelligence for the computer manager was provided by Baseball Hall of Fame member Earl Weaver, then manager of the Baltimore Orioles...
and Intellivision World Series Baseball
Intellivision World Series Baseball
Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball is a baseball sports game , designed by Don Daglow and Eddie Dombrower and published by Mattel for the Intellivision Entertainment Computer System. IWSB was the first video game of any kind to use multiple camera angles, and the first sports game...
. He is also recognized for designing the first dance notation
Dance notation
Dance notation is the symbolic representation of dance movement. It is analogous to movement notation but can be limited to representing human movement and specific forms of dance such as Tap dance...
computer software, DOM.
Dombrower studied both dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
in Claremont, California
Claremont, California
Claremont is a small affluent college town in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population as of the 2010 census is 34,926. Claremont is known for its seven higher-education institutions, its...
. After his graduation he found it frustrating that the new microcomputer
Microcomputer
A microcomputer is a computer with a microprocessor as its central processing unit. They are physically small compared to mainframe and minicomputers...
technology had not solved an age-old problem: how choreographers could record their work in written form. He created the DOM system on an Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
computer in 1981, which allowed choreographers to use a simple system of codes to enter their work. The resulting dance movements were then performed by a figure on screen.
In 1982 Intellivision
Intellivision
The Intellivision is a video game console released by Mattel in 1979. Development of the console began in 1978, less than a year after the introduction of its main competitor, the Atari 2600. The word intellivision is a portmanteau of "intelligent television"...
game design director Don Daglow
Don Daglow
Don Daglow is an American computer game and video game designer, programmer and producer. He is best known for designing a series of pioneering simulation games and role-playing games, as well as the first computer baseball game and the first graphical MMORPG, all between 1971 and 1995...
(also a Pomona College graduate) recruited Dombrower to join Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
to work on a new kind of baseball game that for the first time would feature large on-screen animated figures and multiple camera angles. Prior video games all showed a static or scrolling playfield from a single camera angle, and Daglow believed that Dombrower's experience with DOM made him the perfect programmer and animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
to create the game. Dombrower made progress quickly, and Intellivision World Series Baseball
Intellivision World Series Baseball
Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball is a baseball sports game , designed by Don Daglow and Eddie Dombrower and published by Mattel for the Intellivision Entertainment Computer System. IWSB was the first video game of any kind to use multiple camera angles, and the first sports game...
's radically new design created a major market event during the Christmas television advertising season in 1982. Although the title enjoyed limited distribution because of the Video game crash of 1983
Video game crash of 1983
The North American video game crash was a serious event that brought an abrupt end to what is considered the second generation of console video gaming in North America. Beginning in 1983, the crash almost destroyed the then-fledgling industry and led to the bankruptcy of several companies producing...
, it succeeded in its ambition to prove that video games could mimic television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
coverage of sports events, and soon all major sports games followed its stylistic lead.
In 1986 Daglow, then working at Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
, sought out Dombrower once again. EA Founder Trip Hawkins
Trip Hawkins
William M. 'Trip' Hawkins III is a Silicon Valley American entrepreneur and founder of Electronic Arts, The 3DO Company and Digital Chocolate....
had agreed to back the creation of another revolutionary baseball game, Earl Weaver Baseball
Earl Weaver Baseball
Earl Weaver Baseball is a baseball computer game , designed by Don Daglow and Eddie Dombrower and published by Electronic Arts. The artificial intelligence for the computer manager was provided by Baseball Hall of Fame member Earl Weaver, then manager of the Baltimore Orioles...
. As they had done at Intellvision, Daglow designed the baseball simulation and overall look, while Dombrower designed the game's sophisticated visual presentation and its underlying technology. In contrast to some celebrity athletes who merely lent their names to projects, Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
manager Earl Weaver
Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...
worked with the team to design the game's artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
. When the game appeared in 1989, it was hailed by Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
as one of the 25 best games of all time, and its success helped pave the way for the creation of the EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
brand and product line. Dombrower also led the development of the sequel, Earl Weaver Baseball II.
Dombrower also developed EWB Baseball
EWB Baseball
EWB Baseball is a baseball computer game designed and published by Eddie Dombrower based on Earl Weaver Baseball for the iPhone and iPod Touch platforms. Earl Weaver has not licensed his name to the product, making the game a spiritual successor to the original...
for the iPhone, the spiritual successor to the Earl Weaver series, which was released March 23, 2009.