Graphics Magician was a graphics engine for the Apple II by Penguin Software. Created by Mark Pelczarski, it was one of the first graphical engines ever released. The program also had one of the first open contracts, costing nothing but requiring the user to put Mark's name in the credits.
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Development
Pelczarski worked as a high school and college professor in computer science. When he got the Apple II, he decided to see what could be done with the new color display. At first, his small skills were swapped for computer supplies at various shops.
After a few years, he started Penguin Software, and released Graphics Magician to users. The contract for use of the new program was free. In fact, there was no copy protection program to stop anyone from using it. The game maker had to place the programmers, and the company name in the credits.
Graphics Magician was released for the Atari 8-bit computer system, as well as the Commodore 64.
Use
The program did not store pictures directly. It would record the instructions to make a picture. The pictures could be layered based on when it was drawn. There was also an early animation program that allowed a character to appear in different places. This rudimentary animation would be used later in Shockwave and Adobe Flash.
It used joysticks, mouse, and keyboard commands to make art. The strokes would be recorded, and then replayed at the time of command.
A game maker would record a picture, and then name it. When the game needed it, the creator would activate the name. This allowed pictures to be made.
Legacy
Penguin Software released several games on their own. The major use however was from other users. Such games as Dragon's Keep, or the Transylvania series would not be made without the use of the graphical engine.
It was also one of the first animation programs.
In later years Penguin Software released many of Graphic Magician games as Freeware. Also after end of official support of the engine, an enthusiast reconstructed a source code variant of the engine to port these games to modern platforms.