Tom Hudson

He began his career as a technical editor and programmer for Atari 8-bit computer magazine ANALOG Computing, where he wrote video games and utilities as type-in programs, including his first 3D rendering program, and tutorial columns for Atari BASIC and 6502 assembly language. He developed the software for the magazine's custom bulletin board system which ran on Atari 8-bit hardware. After the release of the Atari ST in 1985, he left ANALOG to create the bitmap paint program DEGAS, published by Batteries Included, and an enhanced version, Degas Elite.

Hudson drew the sample images for DEGAS and created the animated short, "Cornerstone", that shipped with 3D Studio.

Early life Tom Hudson was born in Springfield, Missouri and received a bachelor's degree from Southwest Missouri State University. While at ANALOG, he wrote a series of machine language games printed as type-in programs, including Fill 'er Up (based on Qix), Livewire! (based on Tempest), Retrofire!, Planetary Defense (co-written with Charles Bachand), and Fire Bug (co-written with Kyle Peacock). All games were accompanied by the assembly language source code. From issues 13 through 40, Hudson wrote a 6502 tutorial column called "Boot Camp." He also wrote a machine language monitor called HBUG, published in issue 18, for use by readers of the column. Buried Bucks was licensed to Imagic which enhanced and re-released it in 1984 as Chopper Hunt. The objects themselves are created on graph paper.

Hudson wrote the software for the ANALOG Telecommunications System, a subscription-only bulletin board system, which launched in May 1985. The system ran on multiple Atari 8-bit computers. ANALOG staffer Charles Bachand developed hardware allowing them to access the same hard drive.

Atari ST and beyond Tom Hudson started writing a paint program for the new Atari 520ST while he was at ANALOG. He showed it to editor Michael Deschenes, who wasn't interested, so he kept developing it in his spare time.

After DEGAS, Hudson wrote the 3D modeller CAD-3D for the Atari ST. It was published in 1986 by Antic Software, which was run by Gary Yost. CAD-3D started as a port of Solid States to the Atari ST. It was later renamed Cyber Studio and became the center of a suite of add-ons.

Hudson abandoned the Atari ST when expected improvements in the hardware did not occur. and is no longer available.

In 2012, Hudson enhanced his Atari 8-bit Planetary Defense game to take advantage of modern emulators. Planetary Defense 2012 was announced in the AtariAge forums on September 2, 2012.

Software Atari 8-bit games Buried Bucks (1982), later released as Chopper Hunt Harvey Wallbanger (1982), with Charles Bachand Fill 'Er Up (1983) Livewire! (1983) Retrofire! (1983) Planetary Defense (1983), with Charles Bachand Fire Bug (1984), with Kyle Peacock Adventure at Vandenberg AFB (1985), text adventure Planetary Defense 2012

Atari ST DEGAS (1985) DEGAS Elite (1986) CAD-3D (1986)

MS-DOS 3D Studio (1990), with Gary Yost, Dan Silva, Jack Powell, and others

iOS Star Rangers (2010)