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..:D
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..:D
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.
My answer depends on how you define "best."
Pure mechanics? Monte Cook
Perfecting a single game through several editions? Greg Stafford
Project development? Peter Taylor
Quote from: Peregrin;352570I 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.
The thing is, I have no interest in playing Monte Cook's WoD, but I want to read it, just to see what he did.
Marc W. Miller (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_W._Miller).
Greg Stafford or Steve Kenson. They both have this near magical ability to create stuff I just gotta try out. Gentlemen and genii, is my impression.
Kevin Siembieda, for introducing a whole lot of people to RPGs, keeping the adventuring spirit of gaming during the TSR 90s, and a whole lot more.
Monte Cook?
Kevin Siembedia?
No. Just NO.
Quote from: Melan;352893Kevin Siembieda, for introducing a whole lot of people to RPGs, keeping the adventuring spirit of gaming during the TSR 90s, and a whole lot more.
Well, he made at least two RPGs that have been a lot of fun for me--Rifts and Palladium Fantasy. He worked on another, TMNT, along with Erick Wujcik. Not a bad record, I'd say.
Nobody.
Quote from: pawsplay;352533He's good. But I'm still kind of peaved about Talislanta 3rd edition.
Why?
For me, the best games designer alive has to be John Wick. He not only has designed some of the best games Ive ever read, played and run, but he has a passion for each game he has created and his GMing advice (which forms a large part of his games) is unsurpassed...
Fluff? Kenneth Hite for gritty, conspiratorial, occult, hidden-history-of-the-world scenarios. Kevin Siembieda for over-the-top, comic-book bang-pow-zowie stuff.
Crunch? Umm, not sure. Maybe the people behind FATE (Fred Hicks) and Savage Worlds (Shane Lacy Hensley), two of my current favorite systems. Mike Mearls has my respect, even though I do not dig the crunch behind Iron Heroes or D&D 4e. And of course, the pioneers (Stafford, Perrin, Turney, Petersen, St. Andre, etc.).
Living?
My name does NOT belong on this list! It's an unintended insult to some truly awesome designers. I'm just starting to learn this craft, and I generally steal ideas from people with actual creativity. I ask, seriously, that my name not be brought up in this thread. Thank you, Dan and Tim, for the intended compliment, but when I met Mr. Gygax at GenCon the year of his death, I didn't even mention that I was a game designer, because I'm not one in comparison to him.
Thank you!
-clash
Harry Rowland.
Quote from: flyingmice;352987My name does NOT belong on this list! It's an unintended insult to some truly awesome designers. I'm just starting to learn this craft, and I generally steal ideas from people with actual creativity. I ask, seriously, that my name not be brought up in this thread. Thank you, Dan and Tim, for the intended compliment, but when I met Mr. Gygax at GenCon the year of his death, I didn't even mention that I was a game designer, because I'm not one in comparison to him.
Thank you!
-clash
Bah. I disagree. It's not always about being an "artist" sometimes it is about long term consistency and continued hard work.
I would say Greg Stafford, but luckily there is no shortage of great designers.
Quote from: Lawbag;352982Living?
Oops. :o
Well,
most of them. Cross out Arneson and Gygax, and there you go.
In fact, never mind, I'll edit the post.
Roleplaying only:
Marc W. Miller
Richard Garfield, Steve Jackson,...and Sean Punch.
- Ed C.
Lick bottom, lick bottom, yum-yum!
!i!
Steve Jackson even if you include GURPS, TFT, Car Wars and all the Microgames cement him in my mind as the best living game designer.
Quote from: Xanther;353104Steve Jackson even if you include GURPS, TFT, Car Wars and all the Microgames cement him in my mind as the best living game designer.
...as much as I try to dislike it - don't forget MUNCHKIN.
- Ed C.
Both Frank Mentzer are still alive Dave Cook, and at least deserve honorable mention.
I definitely think Monte Cook is up there.
Marc Miller, Greg Stafford, Steve Perrin, Sandy Petersen
Marc Miller
Monte Cook
David Pulver
Frank Chadwick
James Raul.
He never published anything. I played one game he ran; he used his house stuff, making changes based on the players and their characters. Everyone loved it.
I was assured by the people what brung me that his games are always like that, and that he has nothing in print. Which, when you get down to it, is as close to a 100% player satisfaction rate as I can imagine.
If you want to insist on published designers, I have no idea. I've got no way of finding out what designers have the best ratio of pleased-to-displeased, which strikes me as the only sane standard for "best-ness".
Quote from: The Butcher;353018Oops. :o
Well, most of them. Cross out Arneson and Gygax, and there you go.
In fact, never mind, I'll edit the post.
Those two are legends enough to really still be alive...
Quote from: Mistwell;353112Both Frank Mentzer are still alive Dave Cook, and at least deserve honorable mention.
Seconded: Frank Mentzer
Aaron Allston.
He no longer designs games, but he's still alive.
Also a big fan of Scott Bennie, and Jeff Grubb.
Quote from: JRR;353367Seconded: Frank Mentzer
Nice to see the
Cyborg Commando fans representing :p
I think I would probably have to say Jonathan Tweet.
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;353741I think I would probably have to say Jonathan Tweet.
This is completely and 100% accurate.
In my fever dream days I argue that Tweet is the most influential game designer, but rationally speaking I can't back that up with much. Still and all, his lineage includes D&D 3rd and 4th, World of Darkness, and you could argue that Stolze and Laws are his proteges.
Quote from: Settembrini;352989Harry Rowland.
I think I know this name as a wargame designer. Does his do RPGs, too?