John De Margheriti
Encyclopedia
John De Margheriti [born July 1962] is based in Australia and is the CEO of BigWorld Pty Limited and the parent company Micro Forté Pty Limited. He is also the Founder and Chairman of the Academy of Interactive Entertainment
(AIE) , Canberra Technology Park
(CTP), Founder of the Game Developers' Association of Australia (GDAA), Founder of the Australian Game Developers Conference
(AGDC), Founder of the three Canberra Business Parks and is an Honorary Ambassador for Canberra, due to his contribution to Australia's national capital. He is widely seen as a founding 'father' of Australia's video games industry and Australia's most experienced interactive entertainment business executive.
De Margheriti co-created an amateur 8mm sci-fi film after watching the first “Star Wars : Episode 4” film. During the development of his amateur film, he co-developed a robotics system that would enable him to film complex stop-motion animation footage of large scale spaceship models. His need to create scrolling film credits led him to discover computers as a tool. The film involved dozens of actors and as a result, De Margheriti gained his first taste in management working with actors and prop builders. During filming he also met Steve Wang which would later form the basis of a successful, long standing, friendship and business association. During years eleven [11] and twelve [12], De Margheriti experimented with making computer games independently. He wrote his first computer game called “Maze” on a PDP-11
and his peer, Steve Wang developed a computer game called “Caves”, also on a PDP-11 computer.
After college, De Margheriti went on to Study Electrical Engineering at the University of New South Wales [UNSW]. His peer and good friend Steve Wang also went on to study at UNSW in the field of Computer Science. Together they devoted much of their time during University hours to developing computer gamesinterview. They pooled their money to purchase a Commodore PET
. During this time John also met Stephen Lewis and he joined the group, helping make games on the Commodore PET.
Their most memorable game that they developed during university years was made for the Commodore 64
. Whilst working part time at a computer store [Computer 1] in Randwick to put himself through University, De Margheriti met a gentleman [Gerry Gerlach] who was interested in finding a person who could develop a computer game based on the recent Australian win of the Americas Cup 12m Sailing. After an enthusiastic conversation with Gerlach, John approached his friends at the University and pulled together a team including Steve Wang, Stephen Lewis and John Reidy capable of developing the simulation game. The team spent 72 hours straight developing a demo and successfully pitched it to Armchair Entertainment and won a contract to develop the Americas Cup Sailing Simulation game for the Commodore 64 and Amstrad which was ultimately developed and then sold to Electronic Arts
. They named their company Micro Forté as it was the “opposite” of Microsoft [developing games not business systems]. The “Micro” name also signified the use of micro computers and that they were a small group of friends each with a different “Forte” or strength. Soon after starting to develop their first game, Steve and Stephen tactfully told John that his true strength was not programming but managing and winning new projects for the fledgling group. This “truth” ultimately saw De Margheriti become the entrepreneur and strategic visionary for a group of profit and not for profit companies that have offices around the globe.
In addition to the Americas Cup Sailing Simulation, De Margheriti went on to program two other of games for Electronic Arts including Demon Stalkers
and Fireking for the Commodore 64 and IBM PC, which was later released by Sydney based Strategic Studies Group (SSG) http://www.ssg.com.au/
Publisher: Electronic Arts
[EA] and US Gold
Formats: C64/128 and Amstrad
Publisher: Strategic Studies Group
[SSG]
Formats: C64/128 and IBM PC
Released: 1997
Publisher: Emu Multimedia
Formats: Windows 95/98
Released: 1997
Publisher: Emu Multimedia
Format: Board Game
Publisher: Interplay
Formats: Windows 95/98
Publisher: THQ
Formats: PC/CD ROM
Publisher: KWARI Limited
Format: Multiplayer Online Kwari
Then in 1995 De Margheriti came up with the concept of developing a software solution that would somehow group bulletin board services (BBS) together so that many people could play games together. He called this concept Game Net. Game Net was really a precursor to what would later become known as BigWorld Technology
. De Margheriti’s idea was to allow large scale Multi User Dungeons
[MUDs]to be developed where hundreds of people could be playing together in a multiplayer game. He was greatly influenced by an EA friend Danielle/ Dan Bunten who had designed M.U.L.E
, Modem Wars
as well as a famous game called Command HQ
which he often played with Stephen Lewis.
Those seminal games influenced De Margheriti greatly in terms of coming up with the concept of building what is now commonly known as Massively Multiplayer Online Games [MMOGs]. While developing the idea of Game Net, De Margheriti became increasingly more aware of the advent of the Internet particularly after playing Ultima Online
and Meridian 59
, two of the first Massively Multiplayer Online Games [MMOGs]. He realised that these two games were an extension of the multiplayer games he loved and that in the future many developers would want to create massively multiplayer games, and that one day an entire industry would be born. De Margheriti decided to switch his focus away from BBS, and instead he made the decision to build a middleware engine that would help developers deal with the complexities of creating these online games. In 1996 Stephen Lewis and John lodged Patents for a Communication System and Method and in 1999 he lodged an application for funding through AusIndustry’s R&D Start program and received a multimillion dollar grant. This was subsequently matched by venture capital from Allen & Buckeridge, a leading Australian Venture capital firm. The name of “Large Scale Multi Player Universe” (LSMPU) was originally used to describe the server, client and tools middleware system that De Margheriti had in mind. In 2011 the Micro Forte company acquired all the shares from the venture capital company.
[AIE] as a business unit of Micro Forté to work towards solving this problem. The Academy was to focus on developing 3D animation skills, and a course taught by De Margheriti, Steve Wang and other 3D experts was created for a small group of 10 students.
Later on in 1997 it was spun out as a separate non profit organisation called the Academy of Interactive Entertainment Limited [AIE] to assist the greater industry. De Margheriti had realised that Micro Forté’s shortages were not just his shortages; other industry related companies like Beam Software were also suffering a similar fate. The AIE has since grown from a small division of Micro Forté with 10 students, to an independent, nationally accredited, small registered training organisation (RTO) that specialises in education for computer game development and the 3D Digital Content Industry. The AIE now has campuses in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Seattle and has announced a new campus in Lafayette opening in 2011
In December 2005, the GDAA announced without warning that it would hold its own conference, Game Connect
Asia Pacific (GCAP), and so De Margheriti in turn also announced the closing of the privately held (AGDC) to ensure that the GDAA would not have to compete with AGDC. In his AGDC closing talk he hoped that the GDAA could take their new conference, GCAP, to a whole new level for Australia. After many years comments on portals such as tsumea.com.au seem to indicate that the GDAA's GCAP has not achieve the level of desired success with many Australian game developers no longer participating.
(CTP) in 1997, a dedicated large business park to facilitate the growth of the computer game development, 3D animation and other information technology [IT] related industries within Canberra.
De Margheriti continues to foster business growth for start ups, mentor industry rookies and support industry development. He has participated as a guest presenter at many industry conferences; is pro active in seeking government support and assistance for the Australian industry, and features often in industry related media. Since 2005 De Margheriti has focused more on his growing world-wide businesses and is less involved in local industry politics.
. De Margheriti continues to expand BigWorld’s sales and support presence globally.
AIE Site:
Micro Forte Site:
Australian Game Developers conference:
Game Developers Association of Australia:
Christian Game Developers Conference:
Canberra Technology Park:
Academy of Interactive Entertainment
The Academy of Interactive Entertainment is an Australian video games and 3D animation school. Founded in 1996, it was one of the world's first institutions to offer qualifications in these industries. The AIE provides courses covering CGI, animation, video game asset creation and games programming...
(AIE) , Canberra Technology Park
Canberra Technology Park
Canberra Technology Park is located in Watson, a suburb of Canberra, ACT, Australia’s Capital city. The Business Park is set on 57,835.2 square metres and is a renovated two level high school...
(CTP), Founder of the Game Developers' Association of Australia (GDAA), Founder of the Australian Game Developers Conference
Australian Game Developers Conference
The Australian Game Developers Conference is owned by the Academy of Interactive Entertainment Limited and was run by Interactive Entertainment Events , a subsidiary of AIE Ltd....
(AGDC), Founder of the three Canberra Business Parks and is an Honorary Ambassador for Canberra, due to his contribution to Australia's national capital. He is widely seen as a founding 'father' of Australia's video games industry and Australia's most experienced interactive entertainment business executive.
Early years
De Margheriti experimented with CB-Radios and electronics early as a young teenager. During his senior years at Hawker CollegeHawker College
Hawker College is a senior secondary college in the Australian Capital Territory. It caters to students aged 16 to 18 completing their final two years of secondary education, and offers a wide range of curriculum choices....
De Margheriti co-created an amateur 8mm sci-fi film after watching the first “Star Wars : Episode 4” film. During the development of his amateur film, he co-developed a robotics system that would enable him to film complex stop-motion animation footage of large scale spaceship models. His need to create scrolling film credits led him to discover computers as a tool. The film involved dozens of actors and as a result, De Margheriti gained his first taste in management working with actors and prop builders. During filming he also met Steve Wang which would later form the basis of a successful, long standing, friendship and business association. During years eleven [11] and twelve [12], De Margheriti experimented with making computer games independently. He wrote his first computer game called “Maze” on a PDP-11
PDP-11
The PDP-11 was a series of 16-bit minicomputers sold by Digital Equipment Corporation from 1970 into the 1990s, one of a succession of products in the PDP series. The PDP-11 replaced the PDP-8 in many real-time applications, although both product lines lived in parallel for more than 10 years...
and his peer, Steve Wang developed a computer game called “Caves”, also on a PDP-11 computer.
After college, De Margheriti went on to Study Electrical Engineering at the University of New South Wales [UNSW]. His peer and good friend Steve Wang also went on to study at UNSW in the field of Computer Science. Together they devoted much of their time during University hours to developing computer gamesinterview. They pooled their money to purchase a Commodore PET
Commodore PET
The Commodore PET was a home/personal computer produced from 1977 by Commodore International...
. During this time John also met Stephen Lewis and he joined the group, helping make games on the Commodore PET.
Their most memorable game that they developed during university years was made for the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
. Whilst working part time at a computer store [Computer 1] in Randwick to put himself through University, De Margheriti met a gentleman [Gerry Gerlach] who was interested in finding a person who could develop a computer game based on the recent Australian win of the Americas Cup 12m Sailing. After an enthusiastic conversation with Gerlach, John approached his friends at the University and pulled together a team including Steve Wang, Stephen Lewis and John Reidy capable of developing the simulation game. The team spent 72 hours straight developing a demo and successfully pitched it to Armchair Entertainment and won a contract to develop the Americas Cup Sailing Simulation game for the Commodore 64 and Amstrad which was ultimately developed and then sold to 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...
. They named their company Micro Forté as it was the “opposite” of Microsoft [developing games not business systems]. The “Micro” name also signified the use of micro computers and that they were a small group of friends each with a different “Forte” or strength. Soon after starting to develop their first game, Steve and Stephen tactfully told John that his true strength was not programming but managing and winning new projects for the fledgling group. This “truth” ultimately saw De Margheriti become the entrepreneur and strategic visionary for a group of profit and not for profit companies that have offices around the globe.
In addition to the Americas Cup Sailing Simulation, De Margheriti went on to program two other of games for Electronic Arts including Demon Stalkers
Demon Stalkers
Demon Stalkers is a top-down action game released in 1987 on the Commodore 64 and MS-DOS, based on exploring a series of dungeon mazes and killing monsters during the descent...
and Fireking for the Commodore 64 and IBM PC, which was later released by Sydney based Strategic Studies Group (SSG) http://www.ssg.com.au/
The Official America’s Cup Sailing Simulation
Released: 1986Publisher: 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...
[EA] and US Gold
U.S. Gold
U.S. Gold was a British video game publisher and developer from the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, producing numerous titles on a variety of 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit platforms.-History:...
Formats: C64/128 and Amstrad
Fire King
Released: 1989Publisher: Strategic Studies Group
Strategic Studies Group
Strategic Studies Group, commonly known as SSG, is an Australian software development company that makes primarily strategy wargames.The company was founded by strategy game enthusiasts Ian Trout and Roger Keating. Ian was proprietor of a military books store and Roger had had several of his games...
[SSG]
Formats: C64/128 and IBM PC
Bombs Away
Genre: Children's GameReleased: 1997
Publisher: Emu Multimedia
Formats: Windows 95/98
Roy Morgan’s Ultimate Survey
Genre: Family Board GameReleased: 1997
Publisher: Emu Multimedia
Format: Board Game
Fallout Tactics - Brotherhood of Steel
Released: 2001Publisher: Interplay
Interplay
Interplay may refer to:* Interplay , a 1957 album by jazz musician John Coltrane* Interplay , Jerome Robbins, 1945* Interplay , a 1962 album by jazz musician Bill Evans...
Formats: Windows 95/98
Hot Wheels Bash Arena
Released: 2002 [USA], 2003 [Australia]Publisher: THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
Formats: PC/CD ROM
KWARI
Released: 2007Publisher: KWARI Limited
Format: Multiplayer Online Kwari
Micro Forte Pty Limited
Between 1985 and 1988, De Margheriti turned his focus towards business negotiations and contract development. He co-founded a games development company called Micro Forté Pty Limited; and times were very difficult for the company as the worked tirelessly making games for a new company called Electronic Arts, having very little free time.Then in 1995 De Margheriti came up with the concept of developing a software solution that would somehow group bulletin board services (BBS) together so that many people could play games together. He called this concept Game Net. Game Net was really a precursor to what would later become known as BigWorld Technology
BigWorld
BigWorld is an Australian company formed in 1999 that develop and license a Massively Multiplayer Online Game and Virtual World engine. In 2007, BigWorld was recognized as the industry leader in UK's Develop magazine-Games:...
. De Margheriti’s idea was to allow large scale Multi User Dungeons
MUD
A MUD , pronounced , is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, with the term usually referring to text-based instances of these. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat...
[MUDs]to be developed where hundreds of people could be playing together in a multiplayer game. He was greatly influenced by an EA friend Danielle/ Dan Bunten who had designed M.U.L.E
M.U.L.E.
M.U.L.E. is a seminal multiplayer video game by Ozark Softscape. It was published in 1983 by Electronic Arts. It was originally written for the Atari 400/800, and was later ported to the Commodore 64, the Nintendo Entertainment System and the IBM PC Jr. Japanese versions also exist for the...
, Modem Wars
Modem Wars
Modem Wars is a 1988 Real-Time Tactics game developed by Ozark Softscape and published by Electronic Arts for the IBM PC and Commodore 64 platforms.-Summary:The first multi-computer online game...
as well as a famous game called Command HQ
Command HQ
Command HQ is a real-time strategy world domination game. It was released in 1990 by MicroPlay software and was created by acclaimed designer Dan Bunten...
which he often played with Stephen Lewis.
Those seminal games influenced De Margheriti greatly in terms of coming up with the concept of building what is now commonly known as Massively Multiplayer Online Games [MMOGs]. While developing the idea of Game Net, De Margheriti became increasingly more aware of the advent of the Internet particularly after playing Ultima Online
Ultima Online
Ultima Online is a graphical massively multiplayer online role-playing game , released on September 24, 1997, by Origin Systems. It was instrumental to the development of the genre, and is still running today...
and Meridian 59
Meridian 59
Meridian 59, abbreviated M59, is an online computer role-playing game first published by the now defunct 3DO Company. First launched online in an early form on December 15, 1995 and released commercially on September 27, 1996 with a flat-rate monthly subscription, Meridian 59 is often credited as...
, two of the first Massively Multiplayer Online Games [MMOGs]. He realised that these two games were an extension of the multiplayer games he loved and that in the future many developers would want to create massively multiplayer games, and that one day an entire industry would be born. De Margheriti decided to switch his focus away from BBS, and instead he made the decision to build a middleware engine that would help developers deal with the complexities of creating these online games. In 1996 Stephen Lewis and John lodged Patents for a Communication System and Method and in 1999 he lodged an application for funding through AusIndustry’s R&D Start program and received a multimillion dollar grant. This was subsequently matched by venture capital from Allen & Buckeridge, a leading Australian Venture capital firm. The name of “Large Scale Multi Player Universe” (LSMPU) was originally used to describe the server, client and tools middleware system that De Margheriti had in mind. In 2011 the Micro Forte company acquired all the shares from the venture capital company.
The Academy of Interactive Entertainment
In 1996, during Micro Forté’s expansion years, there was a need for the hiring of 3D animators and artists. At that time there was a clear lack of knowledge in that area and little or no available talent. De Margheriti decided to establish the Academy of Interactive EntertainmentAcademy of Interactive Entertainment
The Academy of Interactive Entertainment is an Australian video games and 3D animation school. Founded in 1996, it was one of the world's first institutions to offer qualifications in these industries. The AIE provides courses covering CGI, animation, video game asset creation and games programming...
[AIE] as a business unit of Micro Forté to work towards solving this problem. The Academy was to focus on developing 3D animation skills, and a course taught by De Margheriti, Steve Wang and other 3D experts was created for a small group of 10 students.
Later on in 1997 it was spun out as a separate non profit organisation called the Academy of Interactive Entertainment Limited [AIE] to assist the greater industry. De Margheriti had realised that Micro Forté’s shortages were not just his shortages; other industry related companies like Beam Software were also suffering a similar fate. The AIE has since grown from a small division of Micro Forté with 10 students, to an independent, nationally accredited, small registered training organisation (RTO) that specialises in education for computer game development and the 3D Digital Content Industry. The AIE now has campuses in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Seattle and has announced a new campus in Lafayette opening in 2011
The Australian Game Developers Conference [AGDC]
In 1999 De Margheriti realised that to really help the Australian games industry grow, not only for Micro Forté’s needs, but to solve the problem that the Nation had, a wider support infrastructure was needed for the Australian industry. He established, personally funded and launched the inaugural Australian Game Developer’s Conference [AGDC] to foster the growth and collective presence of the Australian Games Industry. The AGDC at its peak had over 1,200 delegates and brought in numerous international speakers and publishers. The conference also brought much needed capital to the Australian games industry.In December 2005, the GDAA announced without warning that it would hold its own conference, Game Connect
Game Connect
GAME CONNECT: ASIA PACIFIC is Australia’s annual game development conference and networking event for the Asia Pacific Games Industry and is administered by the Game Developers’ Association of Australia....
Asia Pacific (GCAP), and so De Margheriti in turn also announced the closing of the privately held (AGDC) to ensure that the GDAA would not have to compete with AGDC. In his AGDC closing talk he hoped that the GDAA could take their new conference, GCAP, to a whole new level for Australia. After many years comments on portals such as tsumea.com.au seem to indicate that the GDAA's GCAP has not achieve the level of desired success with many Australian game developers no longer participating.
The Game Developers Association of Australia [GDAA]
It was at the inaugural Australian Game Developers Conference (AGDC) that De Margheriti, along with Adam Lancman and others, formed the local industry representative body titled the Game Developers Association of Australia [GDAA] in order to increase the profile of the Australian games industry both domestically and internationally. De Margheriti acted as Treasurer until late 2005 when he resigned from the Board to focus his energies on expanding BigWorld Pty Limited. De Margheriti is credited with creating and personally funding the GDAA (determining its aims and objectives, board composition, voting rights, constitution, web pages and accounting needs) as well as choosing its first President and Board. The AIE funded the Australian Game Developers Conference and donated most if not all its profits made from AGDC to the GDAA.Association of Christian Entertainment
De Margheriti is also a founding member of the Association of Christian Entertainment.Canberra Technology Park [CTP]
De Margheriti is passionate about encouraging entrepreneurial activity in his local community and to this end, he established Canberra Technology ParkCanberra Technology Park
Canberra Technology Park is located in Watson, a suburb of Canberra, ACT, Australia’s Capital city. The Business Park is set on 57,835.2 square metres and is a renovated two level high school...
(CTP) in 1997, a dedicated large business park to facilitate the growth of the computer game development, 3D animation and other information technology [IT] related industries within Canberra.
Honorary Ambassador for Canberra
In November 2000, Mr Gary Humphries the current Chief Minister at the time, appointed De Margheriti Honorary Ambassador for Canberra - Australia’s National Capital, in recognition of his personal contribution in assisting Canberra to develop a significant business base.De Margheriti continues to foster business growth for start ups, mentor industry rookies and support industry development. He has participated as a guest presenter at many industry conferences; is pro active in seeking government support and assistance for the Australian industry, and features often in industry related media. Since 2005 De Margheriti has focused more on his growing world-wide businesses and is less involved in local industry politics.
Canberra Business Parks [CBP]
More recently [2005] De Margheriti took over the site management of the Capital Region Enterprise and Employment Development Association [CREEDA] Business Centres [Downer, Narrabundah and Erindale] that had gone into liquidation, with an obvious view to negotiate a long term lease on the sites. De Margheriti's main motivation in taking over the defunct sites was to restore an important business incubator function in Australia’s capital city, Canberra. The sites were successfully re-branded as Canberra Business Parks (CBP) and in May 2008, De Margheriti largely donated the CBP name [and associated brands] and business, which were now a formidable profitable business [almost operating at full capacity] to the ACT Government and the local business community.Bigworld Pty Limited
After being heavily involved in the computer game development industry through his own games studios, not for profit organizations and associations for over 20 years, De Margheriti saw an opportunity within the online game market for a definitive MMOG middleware solution. His studios shifted their focus into developing the multi award winning BigWorld Technology which he later [2002] spun out into a middleware company - BigWorld Pty LimitedBigWorld
BigWorld is an Australian company formed in 1999 that develop and license a Massively Multiplayer Online Game and Virtual World engine. In 2007, BigWorld was recognized as the industry leader in UK's Develop magazine-Games:...
. De Margheriti continues to expand BigWorld’s sales and support presence globally.
External links
BigWorld site:- http://www.bigworldtech.com/company/team.php
- http://www.bigworldtech.com/index/index.php
AIE Site:
- http://www.aie.edu.au/about/aie_people.php
- http://www.aie.edu.au/
Micro Forte Site:
- http://www.microforte.com.au/
Australian Game Developers conference:
- http://www.agdc.com.au/
Game Developers Association of Australia:
- http://www.gdaa.com.au/
Christian Game Developers Conference:
- http://cgdc.org/
Canberra Technology Park:
- http://www.canberratechpark.com/