I am a writer and game designer.
I started writing text adventure games for Infocom in 1986. In the 37 years since, I have credits on over 50 published titles as an Indie developer, game designer, producer, studio head, executive at a multi-national publisher, and independent consultant.
Games I have worked on have won both critical acclaim (74 industry awards and nominations, including two Adventure Game of the Year awards), as well as financial success, including a #1 PC game (Unreal2), a #1 console game (Spider-Man3 for PS2 and Wii), two #2 Facebook games (FrontierVille, and Empires & Allies), and the world’s best-selling mobile game (Candy Crush Saga).
I was the President of Legend Entertainment for 15 years, and Zynga’s Chief Creative Officer for External Studios from 2010 to 2014. Since then I have worked as an independent designer, creative director, and writer. I was twice Chairman of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), and am the recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award.
My book, Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games, is used as a textbook by several colleges and university. I am a frequent speaker at worldwide industry conferences and events, and have lectured on game design at MIT, Columbia, George Washington University, and Carnegie Mellon.
My most recent game is the self-published Thaumistry: In Charm’s Way. It’s a new take on the classic text adventure, a funny romp set in modern day New York City, filled with offbeat characters, improbable spells, and well-crafted puzzles.
I have also published The Ritual, a fantasy novel about a talented apprentice to the Guild of Healers who uses the magic of red gold to cure a dying man, only to be cast out and forced on a journey to a new land where the gold is used to power a mysterious – and quite unpleasant – Ritual that confers immortality.
Cheers,
–Bob
The Ritual
Theron is a talented apprentice to the Guild of Healers who uses the magic of red gold to cure a dying man, only to be cast out and forced on a journey to a new land where the gold is used to power a mysterious – and quite unpleasant – Ritual.
Game Design: 2nd Edition
Used as a textbook by many universities, this is a practical guide that covers everything from the fundamentals of game design to the roles of everyone on a successful game development team.
Thaumistry: In Charm’s Way
A new take on the classic text adventure, Thaumistry is a funny romp set in modern day New York City that is filled with offbeat characters, improbable spells, and well-crafted puzzles.
Current User Ratings
Current User Ratings
Current User Ratings
Thaumistry: In Charm’s Way is available for PC, Mac, and Linux either on Steam or on the game’s website. The desktop version of the game is accessible for blind and visually impaired players. You can also play the game on your Android or Apple phone or tablet. It is available from Google Play and from the Apple App Store. (Please note, however, that the mobile versions do not have the accessibility features for blind or visually impaired gamers).
The Ritual, is available either as an ebook or a paperback. You can read the first few chapters of the book here on Amazon.