James M. Ward
James M. Ward | |
---|---|
Born | Elkhorn, Wisconsin | May 23, 1951
Died | March 18, 2024 Milwaukee | (aged 72)
Occupation |
|
Genre | Fantasy, role-playing game |
Notable works | Deities & Demigods, Greyhawk Adventures, Pool of Radiance, Metamorphosis Alpha, Gamma World |
James Michael Ward III (May 23, 1951 – March 18, 2024) was an American
Early life and education
Jim Ward was born in
During this time, Ward become interested in wargaming, and was drawn into the
Dungeons & Dragons and TSR
In 1974, Gygax and Don Kaye formed Tactical Studies Rules (TSR) in order to publish Dungeons & Dragons. When sales of the new game took off in 1975, TSR rapidly expanded its product line, and Ward started to design games and write material for them.[7]: 24 In 1976, Ward worked with Rob Kuntz to produce Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes that expanded the original D&D game by introducing gods.[7]: 8 On his own, Ward designed Metamorphosis Alpha (1976), which was the second science-fantasy role-playing game,[c] and published as TSR's fourth role-playing game.[7]: 9
In 1980, Ward left teaching to become a full-time employee of TSR[9] and co-authored Deities & Demigods.[7]: 382 In the early 1980s, Ward and Rose Estes formed an education department at TSR, planning to market classroom modules to teachers.[7]: 14 At the 1983 EastCon convention, Ward ran Kuntz's adventure "The Maze of Xaene" as the D&D tournament module, although that module was never published by TSR.[7]: 240
However, in 1984, TSR faced a financial crunch due to senior mismanagement, and Ward, along with dozens of other employees, was laid off. Ward continued to write products for TSR, which paid him in royalties.[9] In 1986, TSR hired Ward back. Ward wrote Greyhawk Adventures (1988), a hardcover supplement that presented new rules for the Greyhawk setting.[7]: 19
Ward, with
When TSR produced a second edition of AD&D (1989), Ward instituted changes such as removing
Ward can be glimpsed early in the Dragon Strike tutorial video playing the man who is slapped in the face at the king's party.[11]
Ward designed the Spellfire collectible card game.[12] Ward was eventually made the VP for Creative Services.
In 1996, TSR suffered another financial crisis when an unanticipated number of books were returned by booksellers. Ward was ordered to lay off thirty editors and designers, but Ward instead resigned.[9] The financial crisis would shortly result in the company being bought by Wizards of the Coast.[7]: 30
After TSR
Now a freelance designer, Ward created the Dragon Ball Z Collectible Card Game.[12]
Ward then co-founded the d20 company Fast Forward Entertainment with Timothy Brown, Lester Smith, John Danovich, and Sean Everett, and from 2000 to 2005, he was president of the company[7]: 351 t of Fast Forward Entertainment, an independent game development company. Ward wrote Sete-Ka's Dream Quest (2006), an adventure gamebook published by Margaret Weis Productions.[7]: 353 He wrote the Halcyon Blithe novel Dragonfrigate Wizard (Tor, 2006), which he considered one of his better and prouder creations.[12]
Ward then joined
Together with Frank Mentzer, Chris Clark and Tim Klark, Ward co-founded Eldritch Enterprises, which planned to publish a variety of general works as well as new creations for role-playing games.[5]: 234 [13]
Ward wrote for Gygax Magazine beginning in 2013,[14] including a new Metamorphosis Alpha adventure "They All Died at the International Space Station,"[15] which was also released as a standalone product.[16] Ward was co-author of GiantLands by Wonderfilled, which was announced on Kickstarter in 2019 and shipped in 2022.[17][18][19]
Personal life
In 1973, Ward married his high school sweetheart Janean M. Bray,[9] and they had two sons and a daughter together, James, Theon and Breck.[12]
In 2010, Ward was diagnosed with a serious neurological disorder that required treatment at the Mayo Clinic. His friend Tim Kask helped to establish a fund to help Ward offset some of the medical bills.[20]
Ward died on March 18, 2024, at the age of 72.[21]
Legacy
In 1989 Ward was inducted into the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design Hall of Fame.[22]
Selected works
Fiction
- Dragonsword of Lankhmar (TSR, 1986), a pair of gamebooks starring Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser characters.[23]: 367
- Pool of Radiance, with Jane Cooper Hong, (TSR, 1989), a Forgotten Realms novel derived from the Pool of Radiance computer game.
- Anne K. Brown (TSR, 1992), the sequel to Pool of Radiance.[24]
- Pool of Twilight, with Anne K. Brown (TSR, 1993), the third book in the Pool series.[25]
- Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe (Tor Books, 2005).
- Sete-Ka's Dream Quest (Margaret Weis Productions, 2006).
- Dragonfrigate Wizard Halcyon Blithe (Tor Books, 2006).
- Time Twisters Anthology (Daw Books, 2006).
- The Curse of Time (Margaret Weis Productions, 2007).
Role-playing games
- Metamorphosis Alpha (TSR, 1976),[23]: 273 one of the first science fiction role-playing games.[5]: 109
- Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes, with Robert J. Kuntz (TSR, 1976), one of the first four rules supplements to the original edition of Dungeons & Dragons.[5]: 109
- post-apocalypticsubgenre.
- Yondalla.
- : 101
- Metamorphosis Alpha 4th Edition (Mudpuppy Games, 2006).
- Towers of Adventure (Troll Lord Games, 2008), a digest box set for the Castles & Crusades game.[27]
- Tainted Lands (Troll Lord Games, 2010), a dark horror themed box set expansion for the Castles & Crusades game.
- Beneath the Dome (Troll Lord Games, 2013), a serial adventure for the Castles & Crusades game.
- Gods and Monsters (Troll Lord Games, 2014), a book on gods and monsters from various mythologies for the Castles & Crusades game.
- 77 Worlds RPG (http://Firesidecreations.com , 2014), a science fiction post apocalyptic role-playing game and campaign setting using the Ward Card System (WCS). The 77 Lost Worlds RPG is part of the Apocalyptic Space series of RPGs.
- The Starship Warden (Troll Lord Games, 2021)
Television
Other
- Dragon Ball Z Collectible Card Game.
- Westeros GAME OF THRONES Miniatures rules (2007).
- Astrobirdz Concept card game, RPG, board game, coin game, YA novels.
- My Precious Presents card game
- Dragon Lairds board game, created by Ward and Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd.[28]
- In 2008, Ward became the Managing Editor of and a contributor to The Crusader magazine published by Troll Lord Games.[29]
Notes
- Lord of the Rings) spelled backwards.
- ^ Drawmij would later become a fictional character who appeared in some commercial TSR products set in Greyhawk.
- ^ The first science fiction role-playing game, Starfaring, was published by Flying Buffalo in August 1976. Although the forward of Metamorphosis Alpha is dated July 1976, TSR didn't actually release the game until later in the year.[8]
References
- ^ Carter, Justin (March 20, 2024). "Obituary: Jim Ward, Dungeons & Dragons designer, died at age 72". Game Developer. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Carter, Chase (March 19, 2024). "Early D&D designer and co-author of Deities & Demigods James M. Ward has passed away". Dicebreaker. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ James M. Ward at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database.
- ^ a b c "James "Jim" Ward III Obituary". Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Homes. March 20, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4516-4052-6.
- ^ "Q&A with James M. Ward". Dragons Foot. January 25, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
I was in a dungeon and the group needed a magic item I owned that was back at the inn where I lived. My character name was Bombidell spelled backward. So at a whim Gary let me create that spell and use that spell and I did indeed save the day.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-907702-58-7.
- ISBN 9780262048224.
- ^ a b c d "Jim Ward". Eldritchent.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- ^ Moore, Roger E.; Brown, Anne (September 1989). "The Envelope, Please!". Dragon. No. 149. pp. 20–21.
- ^ Moore, Roger E. (October 1993). "Editorial". Dragon. No. 198. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: TSR, Inc. p. 14.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-932442-96-0.
- ^ "Q&A with Frank Mentzer, Part 2, p. 82". Dragonsfoot Forums. dragonsfoot.com. November 5, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
- ^ Hinojosa, David (April 22, 2013). "Dragon Magazine Resurrected: A Review of 'Gygax Magazine' #1". The Gaming Gang. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ "Gygax magazine #3". Solarian. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ "Metamorphosis Alpha Archive". www.tsrarchive.com. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ Wincen, Kim (November 6, 2022). "GiantLands – The Beginning". A gentleman with opinions. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ "Giantlands (Limited Edition) - RPG from Wonderfilled". Noble Knight Games. Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ Tenkar, Eric (February 1, 2022). "Giantlands - Reviewish - Book 1, Part 1 - Damn It Tenkar, Where Are the Rules?". Tenkar's Tavern. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ Friends of Starship Warden: "the James M. Ward Relief Fund". Archived from the original on November 25, 2010.
- ^ Griepp, Milton (March 19, 2024). "RIP James M. (Jim) Ward". ICV2. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ "The 1989 Origins Awards". The Game Manufacturers Association. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012.
- ^ ISBN 0-87975-653-5.
- ^ "WARD, James & BROWN, Anne K. Pools of darkness". Kliatt Young Adult Paperback Book Guide. Vol. 28, no. 3. Kliatt. May 1992. p. 7.
- ^ "WARD, James & BROWN, Anne K. Pools of twilight". Kliatt Young Adult Paperback Book Guide. Vol. 26, no. 4. Kliatt. May 1994. pp. 20–21.
- ^ "Dragon Magazine #42" (PDF). Dragon. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
- ISBN 978-1-929474-19-6.
- ISBN 978-1-931567-60-2.
- ^ "The Crusader". The Crusader. 4 (8). Troll Lord Games. March 2008.
External links
- James M. Ward at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- "Games listing at Pen-paper.net". Archived from the original on December 15, 2008. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
- Games listing at Boardgamegeek.com
- James M Ward on Patreon