Loren Wiseman RIP 1951-2017

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Andred of Albans
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Loren Wiseman RIP 1951-2017

Post by Andred of Albans »

Game designer Loren Wiseman died on February 15.

Loren Wiseman co-founded Game Designers' Workshop with Frank Chadwick, Rich Banner, and Marc Miller on June 22, 1973. Wiseman published Eagles (later published by Avalon Hill as Caesar's Legions), his first wargame, through Game Designers' Workshop in 1974. As a partner at GDW, his primary responsibilities were game development - editing and revising game manuscripts and preparing them for publication. During this period he designed the wargame Pharsalus (1977), and wrote the award-winning Twilight: 2000 role-playing adventure Going Home.

Wiseman helped Frank Chadwick, John Harshman, and Marc Miller design Traveller (1977). Wiseman was editor of the Journal of the Travellers Aid Society (24 issues),and its successor Challenge magazine (53 issues).

Wiseman brought on J. Andrew Keith and William H. Keith, Jr. to begin freelancing for GDW in 1978 or 1979, and the three of them set up a lot of the early tone for the Traveller universe. Wiseman took over as the line editor for Twilight: 2000 after the line got going, and did much of the editing, production and development.

When GDW closed in 1995, Wiseman was unemployed for a short time and then worked a succession of part-time jobs, before being offered a job at Steve Jackson Games as Art Director and Traveller Line Editor. Steve Jackson brought on Wiseman to produce the GURPS Traveller (1998) line. He wrote GURPS Traveller and several supporting products, including GURPS Traveller Nobles and The Interstellar Wars.

Wiseman received the Origins Award for Best Role-Playing Adventure for Twilight: 2000 Going Home. He was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame in 2003.
He was honored as a "famous game designer" by being featured as the king of clubs in Flying Buffalo's 2010 Famous Game Designers Playing Card Deck.

Loren Wiseman died of a heart attack on February 15, 2017.
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DMMike
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Re: Loren Wiseman RIP 1951-2017

Post by DMMike »

Aw crap.... Another founder of the hobby gone. :(

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Treebore
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Re: Loren Wiseman RIP 1951-2017

Post by Treebore »

Damn. Yeah, I own a lot of what he worked on, from Twilight 2000 to Traveller (Including GURPS) to TAS, to Challenge magazine.
Since its 20,000 I suggest "Captain Nemo" as his title. Beyond the obvious connection, he is one who sails on his own terms and ignores those he doesn't agree with...confident in his journey and goals.
Sounds obvious to me! -Gm Michael

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Tadhg
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Re: Loren Wiseman RIP 1951-2017

Post by Tadhg »

Too young!

R.I.P.

:(
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