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From: Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: {Game Developer] Obituary: Jim Ward, Dungeons & Dragons designer,
 died at age 72
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2024 14:15:24 -0700
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On 3/22/2024 2:29 AM, kyonshi wrote:
> Source: 
> https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/obituary-jim-ward-dungeons-dragons-designer-died-at-age-72
> 
> Obituary: Jim Ward, Dungeons & Dragons designer, died at age 72
> 
> Ward joined TSR during Dungeons & Dragons' first boom, and worked on 
> several add-ons for the TTRPG, plus his own science-fantasy game, 
> Metamorphosis Alpha.
> 
> Justin Carter, Contributing Editor
> 
> March 19, 2024
> 
> Jim Ward, a longtime game designer for the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop 
> game, passed away on March 18 at 72 years old.
> 
> Born May 23, 1951, Ward began his game career in 1976 with his and Rob 
> Kuntz's Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes rulebook for TSR. That same year, he 
> created Metamorphosis Alpha, TSR's fourth role-playing game ever and its 
> first science-fantasy RPG.
> 
> At TSR, Ward worked on various modules and supplements. This was at the 
> same time D&D was in its first popularity boom, and the Ruins of 
> Adventure supplement he co-made with David Cook, Steve Winter, and Mike 
> Breault was adapted into the 1988 Pool of Radiance video game.
> 
> He'd also work his way up the executive ranks, becoming its creative 
> services VP before exiting in 1996 from disagreements with fellow 
> higher-ups.
> 
> For his work at the time, Ward was inducted into the Academy of 
> Adventure Gaming Arts & Design Hall of Fame in 1989.
> 
> After leaving TSR, Ward designed a collectible card game for Dragon Ball 
> Z by the late Akira Toriyama. He'd later help make similar games for 
> Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, Core Design's Tomb Raider, and the TV 
> series Babylon 5.
> 
> Eventually, he'd go to co-found his own company, Fast Forward 
> Entertainment, with the likes of fellow role-playing designers like 
> Timothy Brown and Lester W. Smith. He'd later join Troll Games as a 
> writer for game supplements like Castles & Crusades.
> 
> "I appreciate everything Jim did to help me out when I was working for 
> Gary Gygax many years ago," wrote Hyperborea writer Jeffrey Talanian. 
> "He was so kind, generous, and patient with me. [...] A pleasure to be 
> around. A sad day, indeed."
> 
> "James leaves behind a legacy that transcends the bounds of time and 
> space, continuing to inspire future generations of writers, gamers, and 
> dreamers," reads his Facebook eulogy. "His spirit will forever dwell in 
> the worlds he brought to life and the hearts of those who knew him.

Damn, another one too early.  I had hoped I might in some distant future 
perhaps meet him or even play in a game of his at some Con (Texas I hear 
he went to.)  But not attending Cons, that's hard to do.

-Justisaur

  ø-ø
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