1: Gary Gygax, for creating the hobby and for helping to popularise it.

2: Dave Arneson, for creating the hobby.

3: Steve Perrin, for designing Runequest and thus by extension BRP, which to my mind is the most enduring of the old school systems - D&D might be older, but D&D 3.X is a very different beast from OD&D, RC D&D, and AD&D 1e and 2e. By contrast, Cthulhu (for example) has barely changed from its original publication.

4: Greg Stafford. He may often need help coming up with systems - Runequest was Steve Perrin, Heroquest/Hero Wars was Robin Laws, Pendragon was heavily based on BRP so really the only original system he's ever made is Prince Valiant - but he is fantastic at coming up with wonderful places and eras to play in. Check out the RQ2 cult supplements if you get a chance and haven't already - they're light years ahead of anything that had come out at the same time.

5: Ken St. Andre. Tunnels and Trolls was important not only to establish that yes, D&D wasn't the only possible design for an RPG, but also to provide a competitor for D&D in the early years, so that TSR couldn't afford to get too lazy.

6: Sandy Petersen, for Cthulhu.

7: Jonathan Tweet. Ars Magica, Over the Edge, D&D 3.X, he's an unsung hero of game design and needs more kudos.

8: Allen Varney. He wasn't the original Paranoia designer, but Paranoia XP was his baby, and it's far and away the best version of the game. The idea of having adjustable elements of the setting and system to allow for different styles is brilliant.

9: Malcolm Craig, of Contested Ground. Independent without being "indie", Malcolm (and Contested Ground as a whole) manage to be approachable, unpretentious, while putting out genuinely interesting games.

10: Robin Laws.

I'm amazed that I'm the only one who's mentioned Mike Pondsmith yet. How the mighty have fallen... or maybe he's just not poplular to people around here.

Quote from: Pierce InverarityI'm amazed that I'm the only one who's mentioned Mike Pondsmith yet. How the mighty have fallen... or maybe he's just not poplular to people around here.

No, Nox mentioned him as well.

Sadly I think Mike Pondsmith has lost touch with gamers.  And anyone who has read Cyberpunk V3 can see that.  I hardly hear anything about that and anything I hear is usually bad.

Quote from: Pierce InverarityI'm amazed that I'm the only one who's mentioned Mike Pondsmith yet. How the mighty have fallen... or maybe he's just not poplular to people around here.

It wouldn't have been possible for me to squeeze him in my top 10. I'd probably put him on my top 30 list, I think. Which is no slight considering the number of designers out there.

I'm kinda surprised that no one else has mentioned the guys who did Phoenix Command, Living Steel and the rest of the LEading Edge games. They did some quality stuff.

Quote from: Pierce InverarityI'm amazed that I'm the only one who's mentioned Mike Pondsmith yet. How the mighty have fallen... or maybe he's just not poplular to people around here.

I clutch Castle Falkenstein to my man breast!

Seanchai

Quote from: Pierce InverarityI'm amazed that I'm the only one who's mentioned Mike Pondsmith yet. How the mighty have fallen... or maybe he's just not poplular to people around here.

I mentioned him.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: SeanchaiI clutch Castle Falkenstein to my man breast!

Seanchai

I never quite know when Seanchai is being ironic.

Just kidding.

Quote from: SeanchaiI clutch Castle Falkenstein to my man breast!

Seanchai

I think this is the reason why he's not on many lists.

The guy who created Tetris is a fantastic designer too, but I dont think of him when someone asks who the best designers are on a forum devoted to P&P Rpgs.

My top 10 RPG designers -- in other words, people who consistently come up with mechanics I enjoyed and game elements that made for kick-assedness.

• Greg Gorden
• Steve Kenson
• Robin D. Laws
• Bill Slavicsek
• John Snead
• Jared Sorensen
• Jonathan Tweet
• John Tynes
• Chad Underkoffler
• John Wick

And my top 10 RPG writers - those who consistently come up with setting and flavour that make me want to play or run right bloody now:

• Rebecca Borgstrom
• Shawn Carman
• Dennis Detwiller
• Chris Dolunt
• Seth Mason
• Mike Pondsmith
• Chris Pramas
• Greg Stolze
• Ray Winninger
• Rich Wulf

Marc. W. Miller
Frank Chadwick

Gary Gygax
Frank Mentzer

Castle Falkenstein is a P&P game.

Are you thinking of Wolfenstein?

Are you just yanking my chain? :confused:

Quote from: stu2000Castle Falkenstein is a P&P game.

Are you thinking of Wolfenstein?

Are you just yanking my chain? :confused:

Huh?

Castle Falkenstien

The GURPS Source book

Or am I misunderstanding what is meant by P&P?

RPGObjects Chuck seemed to indicate that he thought Falkenstein was an electronic game. However--he may have been suggesting only that Falkenstein was just not the type of rpg that would be enjoyed at the site. I'm not sure. I didn't mean to confuse the thread.

Circling back, CF was an outstanding game design, with the rules and setting clearly differentiated in the book. Pondsmith looked at conventions of the time period and built them into the rules. I thought it ws nicely done.

I'll just stand over here . . .

1. Johnathan Tweet. (Ars Magica, Everway, Over The Edge, D&D3.x) Imaginative *and* systematic; certainly one of the best.

2. Dennis Sustarre (Bunnies & Burrows, elements of Paranoia, Swordbearer). As above.

3. Greg Stafford. (Pendragon, HeroQuest) Doesn't understand maths, but sure understands myths.

4. Steve Perrin. (BRP, RuneQuest, Elfquest, SPQR) Solid simulationist designer.

5. Greg Costikyan. (Paranoia, Toon, Star Wars, Violence) Understands the value of humour, narrative flow and competitive gamism.

6. Steve Jackson (The Fantasy Trip, GURPS). Clarity and realism. I like that in a person.

7. George McDonald, Steve Peterson (original Champions and Hero system)

9. Peter C. Fenlon (Rolemaster) Gets the nod over other RM designers and solely responsible for Campaign Law.

9. Mark Rein•Hagan (Ars Magica, World of Darkness, Exalted). Fairly competent, fairly creative.

10. Aaron Allston. (Lands of Mystery for Justice Inc, D&D RC, Champions 5th ed - OK, so he often stands on the shoulders of giants, but nevertheless does great stuff).

Honourable mentions; Robin D. Laws (Rune, HeroQuest, Pantheon) Greg Gordon (for DC Heroes 3rd edition, excellent mechanics), Lee Gold (Lands of Adventure, Land of the Rising Sun, GURPS Japan), and Gary Gygax/Dave Arneson for opening Pandora's box in the first place.