In your opinions, who, that is alive today, is the best living RPG game designer?

RPGPundit

Well I'm no expert but I guess Id have to put in first place Jonathan Tweet because of Ars Magica, Everway, Over the Edge and D&D 3rd edition. Cursiously these aren'tactually  my favourite games but they were clearly all significant signposts in roleplaying game design and if nothing else they show off the guys versatility. Even his micro game "Omega World" just oozes quality.

I'd also mention Greg Costikyan for WEG D6 Star Wars and Paranoia and Greg Stafford for Pendragon and Paranoia (yes I know he's done a lot more but Inever got into Runequest).

Probably Stafford. Maybe Clash.

I'd have a hard time picking between Tweet or Stafford, through Sandy Petersen would also make my shortlist.

define "best"

Quote from: jdurall;352411I'd have a hard time picking between Tweet or Stafford, through Sandy Petersen would also make my shortlist.

You've hit on my top three.  Interestingly, the three occupy different positions on a continuum of sorts. Stafford is a great conceptual designer, but not of mechanics; Petersen is a great designer of game mechanics, but not so much conceptually; Tweet occupies a niche between the two, probably in large part from playing the former two's games.

I'm tempted to sneak James Wallis in there, too, but I see him more as a promoter of others' great ideas.

!i!

There are a lot I like. I'm partial to Greg Stafford and Sandy Petersen both because of Chaosium games I loved and because I met them a lot of times back in the '90s - and chatting with them was very insightful.

I always liked the editorial guidelines that Steve Jackson developed and was consistently able to guarantee for GURPS: a game whose supplements I read over and over out of sheer interest, even when not playing with them.

Talking about GURPS: David Pulver.

Talking about D&D: David Cook. The man behind Planescape is up there with the best by default. And, talking about Planescape, Monte Cook and Colin McComb (I include the PC game "Torment", here).

And Frank Chadwich. I know more about Chadwick wargames and miniature games than about RPGs, but his designer notes should be collected in some text about how design games.

Anybody got a designer whose name on the front means you'll buy the book without bothering to flip through it?  I got two guys like that, but only one of them is alive: S. John Ross.

Quote from: jrients;352478Anybody got a designer whose name on the front means you'll buy the book without bothering to flip through it?  I got two guys like that, but only one of them is alive: S. John Ross.

He's actually a fun Gm to play under too, and I love his approach to design in many ways. I just wish he had a clone army to finish his works faster..


I'm not sure who I'd put as my favorites. I really appreciate Stafford, Tweet, and Peterson.

A lot depends on the era too. Currently I'd put Cynthia Celeste Miller up there, and Clash Bowley for "Currently producing", I believe Jonathon Tweet is as well, so that will be my three, unless Stafford or Peterson are still working on stuff, then it will get more complicated. I do think S. John Ross deserves a lot of accolades, his Star Trek stuff was fantastic. (Narrators book specifically.)   I really need a list of like ten, but ah well.

There are a lot of good people out there working on stuff. I know some of the little favorites of mine that I think are good are largely ignored by the larger world. Part of it is the author's own lack of focus sometimes.

Quote from: Silverlion;352482He's actually a fun Gm to play under too, and I love his approach to design in many ways. I just wish he had a clone army to finish his works faster..


I'm not sure who I'd put as my favorites. I really appreciate Stafford, Tweet, and Peterson.

A lot depends on the era too. Currently I'd put Cynthia Celeste Miller up there, and Clash Bowley for "Currently producing", I believe Jonathon Tweet is as well, so that will be my three, unless Stafford or Peterson are still working on stuff, then it will get more complicated. I do think S. John Ross deserves a lot of accolades, his Star Trek stuff was fantastic. (Narrators book specifically.)   I really need a list of like ten, but ah well.

There are a lot of good people out there working on stuff. I know some of the little favorites of mine that I think are good are largely ignored by the larger world. Part of it is the author's own lack of focus sometimes.

My current favorite designer...Greg Stolze.

The best designer alive today?

Probably Kevin Siembieda. His Palladium Fantasy rules, I think, have had a much bigger impact on modern RPG design then most people think. Plus, the rules for Armor in the game are unsurpassed even today. He only really ever designed one thing, but it's lasted him a good 25 years.

Quote from: Soylent Green;352391Greg Costikyan for WEG D6 Star Wars

This game is still awesome. His GM advice in it is fantastic.

Quote from: Soylent Green;352391Well I'm no expert but I guess Id have to put in first place Jonathan Tweet because of Ars Magica, Everway, Over the Edge and D&D 3rd edition. Cursiously these aren'tactually  my favourite games but they were clearly all significant signposts in roleplaying game design and if nothing else they show off the guys versatility. Even his micro game "Omega World" just oozes quality.

He's good. But I'm still kind of peaved about Talislanta 3rd edition.

Quote from: RPGPundit;352387In your opinions, who, that is alive today, is the best living RPG game designer?

RPGPundit

Monte Cook. Even his shit tastes like candy.

Steve Long.  Marc A. Vezina.

Quote from: pawsplay;352537Monte Cook. Even his shit tastes like candy.

I would diss Monte for pushing the whole "system mastery" bullshit, but at least he's admitted that they presented 3rd edition in a poor manner by not making it more obvious to neophytes that the rules were guidelines rather than hard-and-fast "this is how the universe works" shit some people take it for.

That, and he's a fairly nice guy.

As for designers, I don't have many favorites.  But if I had to choose someone who's work I find intriguing and puts out high-quality stuff, it would have to be Luke Crane, since he's very consistent.

There are plenty of other designers that I like, but none of them really impress anything on me.