My name is Dean Belfield. I started programming at the tender age of 12, developing simple games and utilities in BASIC, then assembly language, on the Sinclair ZX81.
My first professional quality game was created on the Sinclair Spectrum before I hit 16 and, whilst this was not published, formed part of the portfolio that helped me find employment after leaving college.
I’ve been fortunate to have worked during the fledgling years of the home computer revolution working for Software Creations, Malibu Comics and Time Warner Interactive.
By sheer fortune, I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the best retro computer systems of the ’80s; the Sinclair Spectrum, then Amstrad CPC, Nintendo Gameboy, NES and Sega MegaCD finally ending up developing on the original Sony Playstation.
After a fun few years working in the games industry I decided to move on, working at Barcrest briefly (a subsidiary of IGT), then onto developing bespoke GPS tracking solutions for heavy plant gear, which was tremendous fun.
My career then led me into the world of digital outdoor signage, where I spent 13 years developing cutting edge solutions for various well known names in the retail sector, including Clear Channel, WHSmith, The Post Office, Westfield and Intu.
I’m currently working for SureCloud as a technical architect¹, enjoy repairing and blogging about retro computers in my spare time, and am happily married with three fantastic children and a cat.
Gameography
A selection of games I’ve worked on in my short career as a professional games developer.
- VIS: Spectrum (unreleased)
- LED Storm: Amstrad
- Ghouls n Ghosts: Amstrad
- Sly Spy (Secret Agent): Spectum / Amstrad
- Gauntlet III: The FInal Quest: Spectrum / Amstrad
- Solar Invasion: Spectrum + Magnum Lightgun
- The Incredible Crash Dummies: Gameboy
- Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends: NES
- Time Trax: Sega Megadrive (Music Driver)
- Firearm: Sega Mega-CD (unreleased)
- Pitball: Playstation
Personal Projects
A selection of projects I’ve worked on in recent years in my spare time.
- BBC BASIC for the Spectrum Next
- BBC BASIC for the Cerberus 2080 and 2100
- Agon Quark firmware including (you guessed it) BBC BASIC for eZ80
- The BSX (my homebrew Z80 computer)
- Pi-Composite (composite output on the Raspberry Pico)
- The Follin Archive (archive of source code for Tim and Geoff Follin’s AY and SID music)
NB
- Any opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.