Bill Bridges (game designer)
Encyclopedia
Bill Bridges is a role-playing game
developer and author
. He was one of the primary White Wolf
original developer (along with many others who contributed) to Werewolf: The Apocalypse
from 1992 to 1995. He was extremely influential in turning the idea that werewolves could be something besides cursed humans, and instead be spiritual warriors defending the environment from inevitable impending doom. This idea has since been echoed in some of popular contemporary novel series in werewolves can breed new werewolves in addition to creating new ones by biting them. While previous examples of this exist, his contributions help broaden the idea of what a werewolf could be or entail as accepted by the reading audience. He was a part of the original Mage: The Ascension
design team. He has numerous writing credits encompassing most of the second edition World of Darkness
games, and helped design the Werewolf collectible card game
, Rage
.
After years with White Wolf, he joined Holistic Design
(HDI) where he co-created Fading Suns
with Andrew Greenberg
. Bridge's most measurable contributions to the game were his "Alustro's Journals" a series of Marco Polo
style travel logs featuring the travels of the pilgrim Alustro and his companions as they moved from one area to another. He was also the primary author of the War in the Heaven's series which revealed the secrets of the Symbiots and the Vau
respectively. Minor literary similarities can be seen between the pro-environmental Symbiots and the 'defenders of Gaia' among the Garou in Werewolf the Apocalypse. Another common theme includes the deeper mysteries implied in the setting over the battle of fate and free will (in Fading Suns this manifest through the proxy war the Ananaki fight through Vau influence whereas in Werewolf: The Apocalypse it shows itself through the conflict between arch-spirits Wyrm, Weaver and Wyld.
His work for other companies include writing for Chaosium
, and development for the Star Trek: The Next Generation
and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
role-playing games for Last Unicorn Games
. He has also worked on computer games, notably Emperor of the Fading Suns
for Segasoft
(based on the Fading Suns RPG), co-writing scripts for Viacom's "interactive horror movie" Dracula Unleashed
, and more Star Trek
work on Starfleet Academy
for Interplay
.
Bridges moved back to White Wolf in 2002, replacing Jess Heinig as the developer for the revised edition of Mage: The Ascension
, seeing the game he created through to its conclusion in the Time of Judgment
. For the new World of Darkness, he worked on the new core rules and was a designer, author and developer on Mage: The Awakening
. He later moved on line edit Promethean: The Created
, which has won several awards.
Bridges also co-chairs the content committee for the biannual myth based academic conference
and performance festival, Mythic Journeys
. His published novels include The Silver Crown and The Last Battle, both of which are set in the Werewolf: The Apocalypse
setting.
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
developer and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. He was one of the primary White Wolf
White Wolf
White Wolf is a publisher of role-playing games, notably the World of Darkness.White Wolf may also refer to:*White Wolf , a location in Yosemite National Park*White Wolf , a Canadian heavy metal band...
original developer (along with many others who contributed) to Werewolf: The Apocalypse
Werewolf: The Apocalypse
Werewolf: The Apocalypse is a role-playing game and series of novels from the now defunct World of Darkness line by White Wolf. In the game, players take the role of werewolves known as Garou , as well as other lycanthropes: warriors who are locked in a two-front war against both the spiritual...
from 1992 to 1995. He was extremely influential in turning the idea that werewolves could be something besides cursed humans, and instead be spiritual warriors defending the environment from inevitable impending doom. This idea has since been echoed in some of popular contemporary novel series in werewolves can breed new werewolves in addition to creating new ones by biting them. While previous examples of this exist, his contributions help broaden the idea of what a werewolf could be or entail as accepted by the reading audience. He was a part of the original Mage: The Ascension
Mage: The Ascension
Mage: The Ascension is a role-playing game based in the World of Darkness, and was published by White Wolf Game Studio. The characters portrayed in the game are referred to as mages, and are capable of feats of magic...
design team. He has numerous writing credits encompassing most of the second edition World of Darkness
World of Darkness
"World of Darkness" is the name given to three related but distinct fictional universes created as settings for supernatural horror themed role-playing games. It is also the name of roleplaying games in the second and third settings...
games, and helped design the Werewolf collectible card game
Collectible card game
thumb|Players and their decksA collectible card game , also called a trading card game or customizable card game, is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards...
, Rage
Rage (card game)
Rage is a collectible card game originally published by White Wolf in 1995 based on the roleplaying game, Werewolf: The Apocalypse. The game is based around packs of werewolves battling each other and various evil monsters while trying to save the world....
.
After years with White Wolf, he joined Holistic Design
Holistic Design, Inc.
Holistic Design, Inc. is an American game company that was founded in the early 1990s. Only one of the original partners is still with the company, Ken Lightner, though the other current partners bring a broad array of game design skills to the firm, most notably Bill Bridges, Andrew Greenberg and...
(HDI) where he co-created Fading Suns
Fading Suns
Fading Suns is a science fiction space opera role-playing game published by Holistic Design. The setting was also used for a PC game , a live action role-playing game , and for a space combat miniature game .- Game setting :The action is set in a future medieval-analogue empire built on the remains...
with Andrew Greenberg
Andrew Greenberg
Andrew Greenberg is a game designer of both pen-and-paper role-playing games and computer games. He was one of White Wolf's original developers on Vampire: The Masquerade , particularly the famous supplement Chicago by Night which many credit with setting the tone for the Vampire books that...
. Bridge's most measurable contributions to the game were his "Alustro's Journals" a series of Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
style travel logs featuring the travels of the pilgrim Alustro and his companions as they moved from one area to another. He was also the primary author of the War in the Heaven's series which revealed the secrets of the Symbiots and the Vau
Vau
VAU or Vau can mean:*V Australia, an Australian airline company, part of the Virgin conglomerate*Vau, Óbidos, a village in Óbidos, Portugal municipality*waw , a letter in several Semitic alphabets...
respectively. Minor literary similarities can be seen between the pro-environmental Symbiots and the 'defenders of Gaia' among the Garou in Werewolf the Apocalypse. Another common theme includes the deeper mysteries implied in the setting over the battle of fate and free will (in Fading Suns this manifest through the proxy war the Ananaki fight through Vau influence whereas in Werewolf: The Apocalypse it shows itself through the conflict between arch-spirits Wyrm, Weaver and Wyld.
His work for other companies include writing for Chaosium
Chaosium
Chaosium is one of the longer lived publishers of role-playing games still in existence. Founded by Greg Stafford, its first game was actually a wargame, White Bear and Red Moon, which later mutated into Dragon Pass and its sequel, Nomad Gods...
, and development for the Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
role-playing games for Last Unicorn Games
Last Unicorn Games
Last Unicorn Games was a games publisher that was eventually absorbed by Wizards of the Coast.Last Unicorn developed the collectible card games Dune and Heresy: Kingdom Come as well as the 2000 role-playing game Dune: Chronicles of the Imperium...
. He has also worked on computer games, notably Emperor of the Fading Suns
Emperor of the Fading Suns
Emperor of the Fading Suns is a science fiction "grand-scale" space strategy computer game made by Holistic Design in 1996. This game was based on Holistic's in-house role playing game Fading Suns. The game had a wide array of units and a complex back-story but was rushed to market and released...
for Segasoft
SegaSoft
SegaSoft, originally headquartered in Redwood City, California and later San Francisco, was a joint venture by Sega and CSK, created to develop and publish single and multiplayer games for the PC, primarily in the North American marketplace. SegaSoft was founded in 1995 and lasted until 2000, when...
(based on the Fading Suns RPG), co-writing scripts for Viacom's "interactive horror movie" Dracula Unleashed
Dracula Unleashed
Dracula Unleashed is a 1993 video game created by ICOM Simulations and published by Viacom for the Sega CD and DOS platforms.It was one of the earliest titles to make heavy use of full-motion video as an integral part of the gameplay...
, and more Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
work on Starfleet Academy
Starfleet Academy
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet Academy is where the future's recruits to Starfleet will be trained. It was created in the year 2161, when the United Federation of Planets was founded...
for Interplay
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
.
Bridges moved back to White Wolf in 2002, replacing Jess Heinig as the developer for the revised edition of Mage: The Ascension
Mage: The Ascension
Mage: The Ascension is a role-playing game based in the World of Darkness, and was published by White Wolf Game Studio. The characters portrayed in the game are referred to as mages, and are capable of feats of magic...
, seeing the game he created through to its conclusion in the Time of Judgment
Time of Judgment
Time of Judgment is a series of roleplaying game scenario books for the World of Darkness settings of White Wolf Game Studio. These scenarios are presented as the semi-canonical endings of the original World of Darkness, as preparation for the new version of the setting...
. For the new World of Darkness, he worked on the new core rules and was a designer, author and developer on Mage: The Awakening
Mage: The Awakening
Mage: The Awakening is a role-playing game developed by White Wolf, Inc. and based in their World of Darkness setting. The characters portrayed in this game are individuals able to bend or break the commonly-accepted rules of reality to perform subtle or outlandish acts of magic. These characters...
. He later moved on line edit Promethean: The Created
Promethean: The Created
Promethean: The Created is a role-playing game published by White Wolf, set in the new World of Darkness.The game is inspired by the classic tales of Frankenstein's monster, the Golem and other such simulacra. The characters are individuals created by first dismembering and reassembling human...
, which has won several awards.
Bridges also co-chairs the content committee for the biannual myth based academic conference
Academic conference
An academic conference or symposium is a conference for researchers to present and discuss their work. Together with academic or scientific journals, conferences provide an important channel for exchange of information between researchers.-Overview:Conferences are usually composed of various...
and performance festival, Mythic Journeys
Mythic Journeys
Mythic Journeys is a performance festival and conference festival held annually in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded in 2004, it began as a celebration of the works of Joseph Campbell and has expanded into a celebration of the role of myth and storytelling in the modern world.Put on by the...
. His published novels include The Silver Crown and The Last Battle, both of which are set in the Werewolf: The Apocalypse
Werewolf: The Apocalypse
Werewolf: The Apocalypse is a role-playing game and series of novels from the now defunct World of Darkness line by White Wolf. In the game, players take the role of werewolves known as Garou , as well as other lycanthropes: warriors who are locked in a two-front war against both the spiritual...
setting.