Underrated designers, artists, editors, layout folk, industry pros generally

[howard david ingham]

Bailywolf has a real name

He does, and he's dead good. I'm going to be working with him soon, and I;m looking forward to it.

As for people I think need more props: I want to nominate my good friend Chuck Wendig, whose name appears on a frightening number of WW books, but who almost never gets a namecheck on places like this, despite having written vast amounts of solid, useful, fun RPG stuff.

Also, today is his birthday.

 

[Dave Blewer]

I would like to mention Rob Elliott.

He's the reason every Savage Worlds book since Rippers has looked so bloody good!

I am awed by his layout and graphic design genius

 

[Droogydroog]

Adam Jury. Does layout work (and so much more) for Shadowrun and Battletech, among other things.

 

[blizack]

I'll give a shout to Rick Dakan (All Flesh Must Be Eaten and a buttload of other stuff), though you could argue that's just because I game with the guy every week.

 

[blizack]

David Chart
Rob Schwalb
Steve Kenson
Hal Mangold

Since other people are asking... they've all worked on WFRP2. Well, except maybe Steve Kenson.

 

[Word]

Writers like Howard David "Wood" Ingham and Chuck Wendig are underappreciated by the public, to be sure. These are guys that I despise with such heat that it cooks my liver and dries out my kidneys, because they are better writers than I am, and because they make it look easy. I love their work and seethe with jealousy.

It's hard to dole out praise, though, because you always leave off other writers and artists, and then look like a jerk and feel like a scumbag.

And yet.

The book designers and art directors at White Wolf are in the business of making other people famous, but they get entirely too little attention themselves. I'm talking about, in no particular order, Aileen Miles (she of Changeling: The Lost), matt milberger (he of Scion), Mike Chaney (who's been making WW's new board games like MWUHAHA! look amazing), Brian Glass (he of Exalted), and Craig Grant (he who was behind the beauty of Vampire from Damnation City through to the new Lords Over the Damned). I feel like RPGnetters often say they'd be happy with plain text, but I don't believe it. Book design is a vital part of conveying the atmosphere, themes, and attitudes of a game book from the moment you lay eyes on it. These people are masters at making books that demand to be looked at.

This hobby puts out startlingly complex works of game design, graphic design, and writing, for little exposure, little praise, and less money. Those who bring their A games to the job every day deserve to be loved with money and vittles.

Cheers,
Will

 

[kinnygraham]

Also thought I'd mention Shane Ivey, who according to Dennis Detwiller* is very much a 'makes shit happen' kind of guy and has been involved with the recent DG: Eyes Only, and stuff like Godlike and Wild Talents (Reign also perhaps ?).

*as related in a recent interview on yog-sothoth.com.

 

[CodexArcanum]

Most of mine have already been mentioned, but I'll sing the praises too:

Until REIGN is as popular as D&D, I'll continue to think of Greg Stolze as tragically underrated. His games are awesome, he gives great support to them, and I don't think there's anyone else I'd just gleefully purchase anything from, sight unseen.

Dennis Detwiller just seems like a super talented guy. Computer games, RPGs, artwork. From his work on Godlike, you can tell that he really does his homework when researching a setting too.

Chad Underkoffler probably doesn't get the fame he deserves. PDQ is a simple, easy system that I think is kind of hiding in the shadow of FATE at times, but really stands strong thanks to the brilliant games designed around it.

Benjamin Baugh really is an amazing writer. I know of no one else with his flair for pure geeky awesomeness. He's also one of the nicest guys I talk to online. I guess every few months I'll end up emailing him to chat about my latest game designs and see where he's at on his. I think I could nearly claim him as a game design mentor of mine.

 

[Dwight]

Still, I have a horrid feeling this thread will get a handful of posts, while my thread talking about the possible moribundicity of indie gaming gets 18,000.

I wouldn't necessarily take a lower post count as a bad sign. And I'll give Adam Jury a nod too. He's constantly busy, not even just with Shadowrun and Battletech though he's better known there, and keeps the quality up. Layout as a task in general I think is under-appreciated.

 

[CodexArcanum]

Still, I have a horrid feeling this thread will get a handful of posts, while my thread talking about the possible moribundicity of indie gaming gets 18,000.

I can try to set up some flame wars for you if you'd like more posts. I'll start off by calling someone's pick really stupid and lambasting their work. Then I'll talk about how much better they'd be if they joined the Forge, adopted some indie design elements, incorporated GNS thoughts, and didn't tip Bigfoot when leaving a resturant for pyschics.

If I can just work FATAL into that somehow, I think we can get the entire board to meltdown in a glorious supernova of hate.