Writing and Game Design Columns

ephealy · Post by **ephealy** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 10:18 am

There are a lot of people out there who write about fiction and freelance writing, game design and publishing. They have columns in magazines, blogs and newsletters. I'd like to know two things:
(1) What would you like to know about?

Do you want to know how to design an adventure? Are you interested in world creation? As you an aspiring novelist, or do you want to know what what one must do to make a living (ha) as a freelancer?
(2) Who would you like to hear this advice from?

Who's got the chops, in your book? Name those people whom, if they were writing about a the subjects above, you would pay attention.
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CharlieRock · Post by **CharlieRock** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:38 pm

Besides the Chenault Bros. I think Joe Goodman, Jolly Blackburn (and really Harley Stroh or anyone closely associated with either), Steve Jackson, Scott Haring, Mentzer (duh), David L. Pulver, or Mark MacKinnon would have interesting points of view on gaming.

One thing that I am most interested in at the moment is cartography. Mostly because I am writing up next week's adventure and need map out new sections of our world. That and pantheons. I need a new religion. One that sacrifices helpless NPCs.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 4:46 pm

I would not be interested. Most the people who know what they are talking about have already written something on the subject (like Gary Gygax.)

But, that said, it would be interesting to see something on concept and theme... something usually lacking in this type of discussion, from people like Ken St. Andre, Paul Jaquays, and umm, too bad you could never get Nigel Findley, cause I believe he's not with us anymore (and if he is, yay!)

CharlieRock · Post by **CharlieRock** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 4:57 pm

Oh, yeah. Ken St.Andre and Michael Stackpole. Two other good writer/designers. (my list was far from exhaustive)
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ephealy · Post by **ephealy** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:04 pm

CharlieRock wrote:
One thing that I am most interested in at the moment is cartography.

That would be cool.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:37 pm

One other name, but its been done before: Robin Laws.

I think, though, the best would be to get Steve Jackson (both of them), Ian Livingstone, Ken St Andre, Gary Gygax, Rob Kuntz, Bob Bledsaw, Paul Jaquays, Jim Ward, Greg Stafford... nevermind, this would be too cool, especially if they contributed to a "world-building project" (which ain't gonna happen.)

CharlieRock · Post by **CharlieRock** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:49 pm

serleran wrote:
Steve Jackson (both of them),

Are one of these the guy that wrote the Sorcery! books, and the other of GURPS?

Otherwise I'm lost and don't know who the other one is.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:53 pm

Steve Jackson = UK; think Games Workshop and Warhammer (and other stuff.)

Steve Jackson = US; think GURPS.

CharlieRock · Post by **CharlieRock** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:59 pm

serleran wrote:
Steve Jackson = UK; think Games Workshop and Warhammer (and other stuff.)

Oh, okay.
Steve Jackson(UK) is doing the Sorcery! books for Myriador (a system called Fighting Fantasy). Last I heard anyway.

I did not know he did Warhammer and stuff, too. Thanks.
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Arakor · Post by **Arakor** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:30 pm

CharlieRock wrote:
Oh, okay.
Steve Jackson(UK) is doing the Sorcery! books for Myriador (a system called Fighting Fantasy). Last I heard anyway.

I did not know he did Warhammer and stuff, too. Thanks.

Serlaran is correct. The UK Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, who were responsible for the Fighting Fantasy books, are also the founders of that monolithic wargames producer Games Workshop.

I've got most of the modules (including a signed copy of "Warlock of Firetop Mountain"). My friends and I were involved in the playtest for the FFRPG which was based on the D20 SRD. Unfortunately we ripped into Myriador over a few things (classic one was that they had reduced the total number of skills in the game but left the Rogue's skill points the same so they were able to max out all the skills at first level) and since then we've heard nothing from them.

Their website doesn't seem to have been updated in a couple of years and Alexa.com shows practically zero traffic to their website over the past 12 months, this leads me to believe that Myriador hasn't been doing too well.
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CharlieRock · Post by **CharlieRock** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:32 pm

Arakor wrote:
Serlaran is correct. The UK Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, who were responsible for the Fighting Fantasy books, are also the founders of that monolithic wargames producer Games Workshop.

I've got most of the modules (including a signed copy of "Warlock of Firetop Mountain"). My friends and I were involved in the playtest for the FFRPG which was based on the D20 SRD. Unfortunately we ripped into Myriador over a few things (classic one was that they had reduced the total number of skills in the game but left the Rogue's skill points the same so they were able to max out all the skills at first level) and since then we've heard nothing from them.

Their website doesn't seem to have been updated in a couple of years and Alexa.com shows practically zero traffic to their website over the past 12 months, this leads me to believe that Myriador hasn't been doing too well.

That's too bad. Their Sorcery! books were like a Lone Wolf: Kai Disciple gamebook. I liked those ,but not too many I had have survived the years unscathed.
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grodog · Post by **grodog** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:24 pm

I'll be starting up work on my anthology of dungeon design essays, which will include material from many of those named in this thread. Hopefully I'll have the contents finalized in the spring, and will start looking for publishers soon thereafter
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CharlieRock · Post by **CharlieRock** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:00 pm

grodog wrote:
I'll be starting up work on my anthology of dungeon design essays, which will include material from many of those named in this thread. Hopefully I'll have the contents finalized in the spring, and will start looking for publishers soon thereafter

Let us know so we can go read it, too.
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