Designers & Dragons is a comprehensive picture of the history of the RPG industry. Learn about the colorful history of TSR and the wave of D&D inspired games (and gaming companies) to follow, and dip your toes into wargaming trivia. Whether you're a long-time gamer who greets each mention of a '70s title with "I remember that!" or a new-to-the-hobby sort who wants to know how we got here in the first place, Shannon Appelcline's meticulously researched history won't disappoint.
70s Foreword by: Greg Stafford!
70s Companies covered include: TSR, Flying Buffalo, Games Workshop, GDW, Judges Guild, Metagaming Concepts, Fantasy Games Unlimited, Chaosium, Gamescience, Heritage Models, Grimoire Games, DayStar West Media, and Midkemia Press. PLUS, Ten Things You Might Not Know About Roleplaying in the '70s, and an extensive bibliography and index.
80s Foreword by: Mike Pondsmith!
80s Companies covered include: SPI, Task Force Games, Steve Jackson Games, FASA, Gamelords, ICE, Hero Games, Palladium Books, Leading Edge Games, Bard Games, Yaquinto Publications, Mayfair Games, Avalon Hill, Columbia Games, West End Games, SkyRealms Publishing, DGP, R. Talsorian, Lion Rampant, Pacesetter, New Infinities, Creations Unlimited, and Different Worlds Publications. PLUS, Ten Things You Might Not Know About Roleplaying in the '80s, and an extensive bilbiography and index.
90s Foreword by: Peter Adkison!
90s Companies covered include: White Wolf, Atlas Games, Pagan Publishing, AEG, Phage Press, Dream Pod 9, Wizards of the Coast, Metropolis, Hogshead Publishing, Last Unicorn Games, Kenzer & Company, Grey Ghost Games, Imperium Games, Holistic Design, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Fantasy Flight Games, Guardians of Order, Eden Studios, Margaret Weis Productions, Green Knight Publishing, and Hekaforge. PLUS, Ten Things You Might Not Know About Roleplaying in the '90s, and an extensive bilbiography and index. This volume has about 10,000 new words added vs. the previous edition.
00s Foreword by: Lisa Stevens!
00s Companies covered include: Necromancer Games, Green Ronin Publishing, Troll Lord Games, Issaries, Pelgrane Press, Goodman Games, Privateer Press, Mongoose Publishing, Adept Press, Memento Mori Theatricks, Lumpley Games, Burning Wheel Headquarters, Paizo Publishing, Galileo Games, Atomic Sock Monkey, John Wick Presents, Bully Pulpit Games, Evil Hat Productions, Kobold Press, Cubicle 7 Entertainment, Post Human Studios, Fan Pro, Arc Dream Publishing, RedBrick, and Catalyst Game Labs. PLUS, Ten Things You Might Not Know About Roleplaying in the '00s, and an extensive bilbiography and index.