Difference between revisions of "Tim Follin"

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{{Template: Infobox Composer
+
{{Infobox Composer
−
| Name        = Tim Follin
+
| Name        = Timothy John Follin
−
| Picture    = Tim_Follin_-_1.jpg
+
| Picture    = Tim Follin - 1.jpg
−
| Born        = 1970 (Age 42)
+
| Born        = 1970-12-19 (Age 47)
−
| BirthPlace  = St Helens, Merseyside, England
+
| BirthPlace  = St Helens, Merseyside, England
−
| Nationality = British
+
| Nationality = British
−
| Flag        = UK
+
| Flag        = UK
−
| Alias01     = Timothy Follin
+
| Aliases     = Timothy Follin, Software Creations
−
| Alias02    = Software Creations
+
| Website    = http://baggycat.com/
−
| Website    = blueyonder.co.uk
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
'''''Tim Follin''''' is a British musician who has been renowned for his computer music. He is also the brother of [[Geoff Follin]], another video game musician.
+
'''''Tim Follin''''' is a British composer and sound designer who is one of the most popular video game musicians. He is also the brother of [[Geoff Follin]], another popular video game musician, and [[Mike Follin]].
  
−
Tim did not have prior music training before starting his music career. He attended the Liverpool Sandown Music College at age 15 to start his video game music career Insight Studios. There, he created music and sound for some of their computer games.
+
Tim did not have prior music training before starting his music career. He attended the Liverpool Sandown Music College, but dropped out after a year of studies. Mike gave Tim a brief tutorial on creating music on the Spectrum via machine code, and Tim later wrote the music driver and soundtrack for their first professional game, Subterranean Stryker.
  
−
Later, Tim and his brother moved on to [[Software Creations]] and composed the music to all of their NES games.
+
Tim and Mike were then hired at [[Software Creations]] by co-founder Richard Kay. It was while working at this company where Geoff came along. Tim and Geoff composed the music to a vast majority of their video games, including all of their NES titles. During Software Creations' SNES and Genesis development, the Follins would usually compose the music to the SNES versions while [[Tony Williams]] converted their compositions to the Genesis.
 +
 
 +
Citing a declining work environment, the brothers and 2 other employees left [[Software Creations]] in 1994.
 +
 
 +
The Follins then joined Malibu Interactive. However, this only lasted 18 months due to the company filing for bankruptcy. While 3 games were made by the company, only ''Ultraverse Prime / Microcosm'' got released, with Time Trax and Firearm getting cancelled.
 +
 
 +
After Malibu's bankruptcy, Tim spent the rest of his career as a freelancer.
 +
 
 +
Tim often didn't pay attention to the games he did music for, and as a result, many of the soundtracks were unfitting to the game itself (Pictionary being a prime example). He said that if he were to do game music again, that he'd try to make the music more fitting to the game he worked on. Tim also isn't a big fan of his video game work, with the exception of Ghouls 'n Ghosts. He described his C64 work as nonsense he wasn't particularly happy with. However, he likes the SID chip, saying making music on it was "playing an instrument in its own right". Tim seemed to enjoy his music on SNES and onwards more.
 +
 
 +
Tim said that he isn't much of a gamer and just likes to compose music.
 +
 
 +
Tim's sole game programming credit (not counting music drivers) came with his fourth title, Future Games, where he created one minigame of the several featured.
  
 
Some of Tim's prominent works include Plok, Solstice, Treasure Master, Rock 'N Roll Racing, and many others.
 
Some of Tim's prominent works include Plok, Solstice, Treasure Master, Rock 'N Roll Racing, and many others.
  
 +
Tim's Game Boy / Game Boy Color music was sometimes arranged by [[Andy Brock]]. However, it isn't known if he arranged the music to WWF Warzone on Game Boy.
  
−
==Music Composition==
+
==Music Development==
−
Follin used drivers written by [[Stephen Ruddy]] for his early music on the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, C64, Game Boy, Game Gear, Master System, NES, and ZX Spectrum. To utilize these drivers, Follin had to take his music and convert it to hexadecimal representations of the notes. For SNES music, Follin used a sound driver written by [[Mike Webb]]. The SNES instruments were from a Korg Wavestation, Korg M1 and Roland U-110.
+
Follin used drivers written by [[Stephen Ruddy]] for his early music on the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, C64, Game Boy, Game Gear, Master System, NES, and ZX Spectrum. To utilize these drivers, Follin had to take his music and convert it to hexadecimal representations of the notes. For SNES music, Follin used a sound driver written by [[Mike Webb]]. The SNES instruments were from either a Korg M1 or Korg Wavestation, and possibly other keyboards.
 +
 
 +
===Commodore 64===
 +
On [[Stage 1 - Agent X II: The Mad Prof's Back]], Follin used [[Ubik's Musik]]. On all other songs, he used a driver designed by him and programmed by Ruddy.
 +
 
 +
===Genesis===
 +
According to Tim, for Time Trax, he used a sound driver written by [[Dean Belfield]], in which he programmed the music in [[assembly]]. Unfortunately, this was the only game he ever composed on the Genesis, so the driver was never used again.
 +
 
 +
===NES===
 +
Tim used a sound driver by [[Stephen Ruddy]]. He programmed the music in hexadecimal on MS-DOS, and then the music was burned onto an NES cart for playback. Tim did all of the instrument design.
 +
 
 +
===SNES===
 +
Tim used a sound driver written by [[Mike Webb]]. Follin used an Ensoniq ASR10 keyboard. He also said that guitars were recorded from actual guitars, and some of the basses as well. Even at this time, Tim still had to write and program the music in hexadecimal. He also wrote on his Ensoniq and converted his sequenced files to the sound engine. He later ended up creating [[MIDI]] files on [[Cakewalk]].
  
 
==Gameography==
 
==Gameography==
−
<br clear="all" />
+
Note: Despite being credited in the game, the audio staff of Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball (SNES) confirmed Tim wasn't involved with the game's music and sound effects, as he had already left Software Creations before the game was developed. Therefore, it has been removed from his gameography.
−
{{Template: Table Header
+
{| class="wikitable"
−
| Color    = FFF0FF
+
! Released
−
| Caption01 = Released
+
! Title
−
| Caption02 = Title
+
! Sample
−
| Caption03 = Sample
+
! Notes
−
}}
+
|-
−
| 1987/??/??
+
| 1987-1?-??
 +
| [[Agent X II: The Mad Prof's Back (C64)]]
 +
|  
 +
|  
 +
|-
 +
| 1987-??-??
 
| [[Agent X II (CPC)]]
 
| [[Agent X II (CPC)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1987/??/??
+
| 1987-??-??
−
| [[Agent X II: The Mad Prof's Back (C64)]]
+
| [[Bubble Bobble (A2)]]
 
|  
 
|  
−
|-
 
−
| 1987/??/??
 
−
| [[Bubble Bobble (APL2)]]
 
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1987/??/??
+
| 1987-??-??
 
| [[Chronos: A Tapestry of Time (ZXS)]]
 
| [[Chronos: A Tapestry of Time (ZXS)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1987/??/??
+
| 1988-01-??
−
| [[Star Paws (C64)]]
+
| [[Scumball (C64)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1988/??/??
+
| 1988-08-??
−
| [[Bionic Commando (AST)]]
+
| [[Psycho Pigs UXB (C64)]]
−
| {{Song-Box|01 - Bionic Commando - AST - The Forest.ogg}}
+
|  
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| 1988-08-??
 +
| [[Raw Recruit (C64)]]
 +
|
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1988/??/??
+
| 1988-0?-??
 
| [[Bionic Commando PAL (C64)]]
 
| [[Bionic Commando PAL (C64)]]
 
| {{Song-Box|10 - Bionic Commando PAL - C64 - Ending.ogg}}
 
| {{Song-Box|10 - Bionic Commando PAL - C64 - Ending.ogg}}
 +
| Original soundtrack by [[Harumi Fujita]] and [[Junko Tamiya]], new songs by Follin.
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1988/??/??
+
| 1988-0?-??
−
| [[Bionic Commando (ZXS)]]
 
−
| {{Song-Box|01 - Bionic Commando - ZXS - The Forest.ogg}}
 
−
|-
 
−
| 1988/??/??
 
 
| [[Black Lamp (C64)]]
 
| [[Black Lamp (C64)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1988/??/??
+
| 1988-0?-??
 
| [[Body Slam (C64)]]
 
| [[Body Slam (C64)]]
 
|  
 
|  
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| 1988-??-??
 +
| [[Bionic Commando (AST)]]
 +
| {{Song-Box|01 - Bionic Commando - AST - The Forest.ogg}}
 +
| Original soundtrack by [[Harumi Fujita]] and [[Junko Tamiya]].
 +
|-
 +
| 1988-??-??
 +
| [[Bionic Commando (ZXS)]]
 +
| {{Song-Box|01 - Bionic Commando - ZXS - The Forest.ogg}}
 +
| Original soundtrack by [[Harumi Fujita]] and [[Junko Tamiya]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1988/??/??
+
| 1988-??-??
−
| [[Ghouls 'N' Ghosts (AMI)]]
+
| [[Ghouls 'n Ghosts (AMI)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1988/??/??
+
| 1988-??-??
 
| [[Peter Pack Rat (C64)]]
 
| [[Peter Pack Rat (C64)]]
 
|  
 
|  
−
|-
 
−
| 1988/??/??
 
−
| [[Psycho Pigs UXB (C64)]]
 
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1988/??/??
+
| 1988-??-??
−
| [[Raw Recruit (C64)]]
+
| [[Raw Recruit (ZXS)]]
 
|  
 
|  
−
|-
 
−
| 1988/??/??
 
−
| [[Raw Recruit (ZXS)]]
 
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1988/??/??
+
| 1988-??-??
 
| [[Renegade (AST)]]
 
| [[Renegade (AST)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1988/??/??
+
| 1989-01-??
−
| [[Scumball (C64)]]
+
| [[LED Storm (C64)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1989/09/??
+
| 1989-03-??
 +
| [[World Games (NES)]]
 +
|
 +
| Arranger?
 +
|-
 +
| 1989-09-??
 
| [[Sky Shark (NES)]]
 
| [[Sky Shark (NES)]]
 
| {{Song-Box|01 - Sky Shark - NES - Stage 1.ogg‎ }}
 
| {{Song-Box|01 - Sky Shark - NES - Stage 1.ogg‎ }}
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| 1989-0?-??
 +
| [[Qix (C64)]]
 +
|
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1989/??/??
+
| 1989-0?-??
−
| [[LED Storm (C64)]]
+
| [[Sky Shark (C64)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1989/??/??
+
| 1989-1?-??
−
| [[Ghouls 'N' Ghosts (CPC)]]
+
| [[Ghouls 'n Ghosts (C64)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1989/??/??
+
| 1989-1?-??
−
| [[Qix (C64)]]
+
| [[Magic Johnson's Basketball (C64)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1989/??/??
+
| 1989-??-??
−
| [[Ghouls 'N' Ghosts (C64)]]
+
| [[Ghouls 'n Ghosts (CPC)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1989/??/??
+
| 1989-??-??
 
| [[Renegade (AMI)]]
 
| [[Renegade (AMI)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1990/03/??
+
| 1990-03-??
 
| [[Magic Johnson's Fast Break (NES)]]
 
| [[Magic Johnson's Fast Break (NES)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1990/03/??
+
| 1990-03-??
 
| [[Target: Renegade (NES)]]
 
| [[Target: Renegade (NES)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1990/06/??
+
| 1990-06-??
 
| [[Solstice: The Quest for the Staff of Demons (NES)]] (ソルスティス 三次元迷宮の狂獣)
 
| [[Solstice: The Quest for the Staff of Demons (NES)]] (ソルスティス 三次元迷宮の狂獣)
 +
| {{Song-Box|01 - Solstice - Title Theme.ogg‎ }}
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1990/07/??
+
| 1990-07-??
−
| [[Pictionary: The Game of Video Quick Draw (NES)]]
+
| [[Pictionary (NES)]]
 +
| {{Song-Box|01 - Pictionary - NES - Title.ogg}}
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1990/11/??
+
| 1990-11-??
 
| [[Silver Surfer (NES)]]
 
| [[Silver Surfer (NES)]]
−
|  
+
| {{Song-Box|09 - Silver Surfer - NES - Hi Score.ogg}}
 +
| With [[Geoff Follin]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1990/??/??
+
| 1991-01-??
−
| [[Magic Johnson's Fast Break (C64)]]
+
| [[Qix (NES)]]
 
|  
 
|  
 +
| Music arranged by [[Peter Gosztola]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1991/03/??
+
| 1991-03-??
−
| [[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Taito (NES)]]
+
| [[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Taito (NES)]]
 
|  
 
|  
 +
| With [[Geoff Follin]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1991/03/??
+
| 1991-03-??
 
| [[Kiwi Kraze (NES)]] (New Zealand Story)
 
| [[Kiwi Kraze (NES)]] (New Zealand Story)
 
|  
 
|  
 +
| With [[Geoff Follin]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1991/12/??
+
| 1991-12-??
−
| [[Super Off Road (SNES)]]
+
| [[Super Off Road (SNES)]] (スーパー オフ ロード)
 
|  
 
|  
 +
| With [[Geoff Follin]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1991/12/??
+
| 1991-12-??
 
| [[Treasure Master (NES)]]
 
| [[Treasure Master (NES)]]
 +
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1991/??/??
+
| 1991-??-??
 
| [[Gauntlet III: The Final Quest (AMI)]]
 
| [[Gauntlet III: The Final Quest (AMI)]]
 
|  
 
|  
−
|-
 
−
| 1992/02/??
 
−
| [[Terminator 2: Judgement Day (NES)]] (ターミネーター2：ジャッジメントデイ)
 
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1992/11/??
+
| 1992-11-??
 
| [[The Incredible Crash Dummies (GB)]]
 
| [[The Incredible Crash Dummies (GB)]]
 
|  
 
|  
 +
| With [[Geoff Follin]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1992/??/??
+
| 1992-??-??
 
| [[Gauntlet III: The Final Quest (C64)]]
 
| [[Gauntlet III: The Final Quest (C64)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1993/09/??
+
| 1993-09-??
−
| [[Plok (SNES)]]
+
| [[Plok (SNES)]] (プロック)
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1993/09/??
+
| 1993-09-??
−
| [[Rock 'N' Roll Racing (SNES)]]
+
| [[Rock 'N' Roll Racing (SNES)]] (ロックンロール レーシング)
 
|  
 
|  
 +
| With [[Geoff Follin]] and [[Matthew Cannon]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1993/09/??
+
| 1993-09-??
 
| [[Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (SNES)]]
 
| [[Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (SNES)]]
 
|  
 
|  
 +
| With [[Geoff Follin]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1993/11/12
+
| 1993-11-12
 
| [[Equinox (SNES)]]
 
| [[Equinox (SNES)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1993/??/??
+
| 1993-??-??
 
| [[The Incredible Crash Dummies (SMS)]]
 
| [[The Incredible Crash Dummies (SMS)]]
 
|  
 
|  
 +
| Music arranged by [[Matt Furniss]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1994/??/??
+
| 1994-??-??
 
| [[Rock 'N Roll Racing (GEN)]]
 
| [[Rock 'N Roll Racing (GEN)]]
 
|  
 
|  
 +
| Music arranged by [[Tony Williams]]/[[Sound Images]].
 +
|-
 +
| 1995-08-??
 +
| [[Batman Forever (SNES)]] (バットマン フォーエヴァー)
 +
|
 +
| Music arranged by [[Andy Brock]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1995/08/??
+
| 1998-??-??
−
| [[Batman Forever (SNES)]]
+
| [[Bust-A-Move 3 DX (GB)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 2002/02/22
+
| 2002-02-22
 
| [[Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (PS2)]]
 
| [[Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (PS2)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 2003/10/31
+
| 2003-10-31
−
| [[Ford Racing 2 (PC)]] (With [[Bjorn Lynne]])
+
| [[Ford Racing 2 (W32)]] (With [[Bjorn Lynne]])
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 2004/05/10
+
| 2004-05-10
 
| [[Future Tactics: The Uprising (GC)]]
 
| [[Future Tactics: The Uprising (GC)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 2004/08/24
+
| 2004-08-24
 
| [[Starsky & Hutch (GC)]]
 
| [[Starsky & Hutch (GC)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 2004/10/29
+
| 2004-10-29
−
| [[Ford Racing 3 (PC)]] (With [[Muddy Funkers]] and [[Paul Stroud]])
+
| [[Ford Racing 3 (W32)]]
 +
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 2004/10/29
+
| 2004-10-29
−
| [[Ford Racing 3 (PS2)]] (With [[Muddy Funkers]] and [[Paul Stroud]])
+
| [[Ford Racing 3 (PS2)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 2004/10/29
+
| 2004-10-29
−
| [[Ford Racing 3 (XBOX)]] (With [[Muddy Funkers]] and [[Paul Stroud]])
+
| [[Ford Racing 3 (XBOX)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 2005/12/07
+
| 2005-12-07
 
| [[Ford Racing 3 (DS)]]
 
| [[Ford Racing 3 (DS)]]
 +
|
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 2006/05/23
+
| 2006-05-23
 
| [[Lemmings (PSP)]]
 
| [[Lemmings (PSP)]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| Unreleased
 +
| [[Firearm (SNES)]]
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| Unreleased
 +
| [[South Park (GBC)]]
 +
|
 +
| Arranged by [[Andy Brock]].
 +
|-
 +
| Unreleased
 +
| [[Time Trax (GEN)]]
 +
|
 
|  
 
|  
 
|}
 
|}
−
 
  
 
==Picture Gallery==
 
==Picture Gallery==
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
−
File:Tim Follin - 1.jpg|Unknown source.
+
Tim Follin - 3.gif|Your Sinclair, August 1987.
−
File:Tim Follin - 2.jpg|Playing a Lute; Unknown source.
+
Tim Follin - 2.jpg|Playing a Lute; Unknown source.
−
File:Tim Follin - 3.gif|Tim circa 1987; Unknown source.
+
Tim Follin - 4.jpg|Edge, April 1994.
−
File:Tim Follin - 4.jpg|Unknown source.
+
Tim Follin - 1.jpg|Unknown source. Small excerpt sent by someone to composers.c64.org on July 13, 2000.
 +
Tim_Follin_-_5.jpg|Tim during the development of '''Solstice (NES)'''.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
−
 
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
−
* [http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,56818/ mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,56818/] - Mobygames.
+
* [https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,56818/ mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,56818/] - MobyGames.
−
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Follin en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Follin] - Wikipedia.
+
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Follin en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Follin] - Wikipedia.
−
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQkicZOG-Z4 youtube.com/watch?v=bQkicZOG-Z4] - Video Interview.
+
* [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-follin-82969020/ linkedin.com/in/tim-follin-82969020/] - LinkedIn.
−
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=894_PNqBkx4 youtube.com/watch?v=894_PNqBkx4] - Interview about [[Solstice (NES)]].
+
* [https://vimeo.com/user21326665 vimeo.com/user21326665] - Vimeo.
 +
* [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOxd-q5A0YbDh0IyZu5tdHQ youtube.com/channel/UCOxd-q5A0YbDh0IyZu5tdHQ] - YouTube.
 +
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=894_PNqBkx4 youtube.com/watch?v=894_PNqBkx4] - Video Interview about [[Solstice (NES)]] from 1990.
 +
* [https://csdb.dk/release/?id=8763 csdb.dk/release/?id=8763] - C64 Disk Interview from December 1990.
 +
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20021118161113/http://www.mono211.com/follindrome/interview1.html web.archive.org/web/20021118161113/http://www.mono211.com/follindrome/interview1.html] - Interview from 1998.
 +
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20021223070706/http://c64audio.valuehost.co.uk/edge/czone_follin.htm web.archive.org/web/20021223070706/http://c64audio.valuehost.co.uk/edge/czone_follin.htm] - Interview from Commodore Zone in 1998.
 +
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20030224044627/http://www.kdvs.org/6581SID/timfollin.html web.archive.org/web/20030224044627/http://www.kdvs.org/6581SID/timfollin.html] - Interview from March 4, 2000.
 +
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQkicZOG-Z4 youtube.com/watch?v=bQkicZOG-Z4] - Video Interview from 2007.
  
  
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[[Category:Composers]]
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[[Category: Composers]]

Revision as of 11:01, 16 September 2020

Timothy John Follin
Tim Follin - 1.jpg
Born 1970-12-19 (Age 47)
Birth Place St Helens, Merseyside, England
Nationality British   UK.svg
Aliases Timothy Follin, Software Creations
Website http://baggycat.com/

Tim Follin is a British composer and sound designer who is one of the most popular video game musicians. He is also the brother of Geoff Follin, another popular video game musician, and Mike Follin.

Tim did not have prior music training before starting his music career. He attended the Liverpool Sandown Music College, but dropped out after a year of studies. Mike gave Tim a brief tutorial on creating music on the Spectrum via machine code, and Tim later wrote the music driver and soundtrack for their first professional game, Subterranean Stryker.

Tim and Mike were then hired at Software Creations by co-founder Richard Kay. It was while working at this company where Geoff came along. Tim and Geoff composed the music to a vast majority of their video games, including all of their NES titles. During Software Creations' SNES and Genesis development, the Follins would usually compose the music to the SNES versions while Tony Williams converted their compositions to the Genesis.

Citing a declining work environment, the brothers and 2 other employees left Software Creations in 1994.

The Follins then joined Malibu Interactive. However, this only lasted 18 months due to the company filing for bankruptcy. While 3 games were made by the company, only Ultraverse Prime / Microcosm got released, with Time Trax and Firearm getting cancelled.

After Malibu's bankruptcy, Tim spent the rest of his career as a freelancer.

Tim often didn't pay attention to the games he did music for, and as a result, many of the soundtracks were unfitting to the game itself (Pictionary being a prime example). He said that if he were to do game music again, that he'd try to make the music more fitting to the game he worked on. Tim also isn't a big fan of his video game work, with the exception of Ghouls 'n Ghosts. He described his C64 work as nonsense he wasn't particularly happy with. However, he likes the SID chip, saying making music on it was "playing an instrument in its own right". Tim seemed to enjoy his music on SNES and onwards more.

Tim said that he isn't much of a gamer and just likes to compose music.

Tim's sole game programming credit (not counting music drivers) came with his fourth title, Future Games, where he created one minigame of the several featured.

Some of Tim's prominent works include Plok, Solstice, Treasure Master, Rock 'N Roll Racing, and many others.

Tim's Game Boy / Game Boy Color music was sometimes arranged by Andy Brock. However, it isn't known if he arranged the music to WWF Warzone on Game Boy.

Music Development

Follin used drivers written by Stephen Ruddy for his early music on the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, C64, Game Boy, Game Gear, Master System, NES, and ZX Spectrum. To utilize these drivers, Follin had to take his music and convert it to hexadecimal representations of the notes. For SNES music, Follin used a sound driver written by Mike Webb. The SNES instruments were from either a Korg M1 or Korg Wavestation, and possibly other keyboards.

Commodore 64

On Stage 1 - Agent X II: The Mad Prof's Back, Follin used Ubik's Musik. On all other songs, he used a driver designed by him and programmed by Ruddy.

Genesis

According to Tim, for Time Trax, he used a sound driver written by Dean Belfield, in which he programmed the music in assembly. Unfortunately, this was the only game he ever composed on the Genesis, so the driver was never used again.

NES

Tim used a sound driver by Stephen Ruddy. He programmed the music in hexadecimal on MS-DOS, and then the music was burned onto an NES cart for playback. Tim did all of the instrument design.

SNES

Tim used a sound driver written by Mike Webb. Follin used an Ensoniq ASR10 keyboard. He also said that guitars were recorded from actual guitars, and some of the basses as well. Even at this time, Tim still had to write and program the music in hexadecimal. He also wrote on his Ensoniq and converted his sequenced files to the sound engine. He later ended up creating MIDI files on Cakewalk.

Gameography

Note: Despite being credited in the game, the audio staff of Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball (SNES) confirmed Tim wasn't involved with the game's music and sound effects, as he had already left Software Creations before the game was developed. Therefore, it has been removed from his gameography.

Released Title Sample Notes
1987-1?-?? Agent X II: The Mad Prof's Back (C64)
1987-??-?? Agent X II (CPC)
1987-??-?? Bubble Bobble (A2)
1987-??-?? Chronos: A Tapestry of Time (ZXS)
1988-01-?? Scumball (C64)
1988-08-?? Psycho Pigs UXB (C64)
1988-08-?? Raw Recruit (C64)
1988-0?-?? Bionic Commando PAL (C64)
Original soundtrack by Harumi Fujita and Junko Tamiya, new songs by Follin.
1988-0?-?? Black Lamp (C64)
1988-0?-?? Body Slam (C64)
1988-??-?? Bionic Commando (AST)
Original soundtrack by Harumi Fujita and Junko Tamiya.
1988-??-?? Bionic Commando (ZXS)
Original soundtrack by Harumi Fujita and Junko Tamiya.
1988-??-?? Ghouls 'n Ghosts (AMI)
1988-??-?? Peter Pack Rat (C64)
1988-??-?? Raw Recruit (ZXS)
1988-??-?? Renegade (AST)
1989-01-?? LED Storm (C64)
1989-03-?? World Games (NES) Arranger?
1989-09-?? Sky Shark (NES)
1989-0?-?? Qix (C64)
1989-0?-?? Sky Shark (C64)
1989-1?-?? Ghouls 'n Ghosts (C64)
1989-1?-?? Magic Johnson's Basketball (C64)
1989-??-?? Ghouls 'n Ghosts (CPC)
1989-??-?? Renegade (AMI)
1990-03-?? Magic Johnson's Fast Break (NES)
1990-03-?? Target: Renegade (NES)
1990-06-?? Solstice: The Quest for the Staff of Demons (NES) (ソルスティス 三次元迷宮の狂獣)
1990-07-?? Pictionary (NES)
1990-11-?? Silver Surfer (NES)
With Geoff Follin.
1991-01-?? Qix (NES) Music arranged by Peter Gosztola.
1991-03-?? Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Taito (NES) With Geoff Follin.
1991-03-?? Kiwi Kraze (NES) (New Zealand Story) With Geoff Follin.
1991-12-?? Super Off Road (SNES) (スーパー オフ ロード) With Geoff Follin.
1991-12-?? Treasure Master (NES)
1991-??-?? Gauntlet III: The Final Quest (AMI)
1992-11-?? The Incredible Crash Dummies (GB) With Geoff Follin.
1992-??-?? Gauntlet III: The Final Quest (C64)
1993-09-?? Plok (SNES) (プロック)
1993-09-?? Rock 'N' Roll Racing (SNES) (ロックンロール レーシング) With Geoff Follin and Matthew Cannon.
1993-09-?? Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (SNES) With Geoff Follin.
1993-11-12 Equinox (SNES)
1993-??-?? The Incredible Crash Dummies (SMS) Music arranged by Matt Furniss.
1994-??-?? Rock 'N Roll Racing (GEN) Music arranged by Tony Williams/Sound Images.
1995-08-?? Batman Forever (SNES) (バットマン フォーエヴァー) Music arranged by Andy Brock.
1998-??-?? Bust-A-Move 3 DX (GB)
2002-02-22 Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (PS2)
2003-10-31 Ford Racing 2 (W32) (With Bjorn Lynne)
2004-05-10 Future Tactics: The Uprising (GC)
2004-08-24 Starsky & Hutch (GC)
2004-10-29 Ford Racing 3 (W32)
2004-10-29 Ford Racing 3 (PS2)
2004-10-29 Ford Racing 3 (XBOX)
2005-12-07 Ford Racing 3 (DS)
2006-05-23 Lemmings (PSP)
Unreleased Firearm (SNES)
Unreleased South Park (GBC) Arranged by Andy Brock.
Unreleased Time Trax (GEN)

Picture Gallery

  • Your Sinclair, August 1987.

  • Playing a Lute; Unknown source.

  • Edge, April 1994.

  • Unknown source. Small excerpt sent by someone to composers.c64.org on July 13, 2000.

  • Tim during the development of Solstice (NES).

Links

Retrieved from "https://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Tim_Follin&oldid=123334"