David Allen (game designer)
Encyclopedia
David Allen is a Video Game Designer and Entrepreneur who is most recently known as the creator of Alganon
a fantasy based MMORPG
developed by Quest Online, a company he co-founded in 2006.
, David grew up in Bellevue, Washington
where he actively played on the PLATO
network, beginning of his interest in online gaming and programming. With a background of programming and development on the Windows platform, his first retail creation was Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol
(released 1994) a dungeon-romp built for Windows 3.x. The sequel was a more evolved version of Mordor called Demise
(released 2000). While finishing Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan
Allen created the concept for the MMORPG called Horizons: Empire of Istaria
and founded Artifact Entertainment in 1999 where he proceeded to raise capital and build the game, relocating to Mesa, Arizona
in the process. Allen departed Artifact in July 2001. He founded Pharaoh Productions later in 2001 where he designed a game called Dominion
which was a mix of MMORPG and Diablo (series)
play style, but featuring dynamic content. Allen was unable to secure funding for Pharaoh and closed the company in 2004. He returned to the industry in 2006 relocating to Chandler, Arizona
and co-founding a new company called Quest Online where he created a MMOG called Crusade which was later renamed to Alganon
. Alganon launched in December 2009 with a Social Network
called MyAlganon and an online Library system where players could browse game data including items, quests, and characters.
Allen founded Mercois in April 2010, a company focused on Business Virtualization and Technology consulting services.
Allen has written one book, Visual Basic 4 Network Gaming Adventure Set, published in 1995, which showed readers how to create games in Visual Basic 4. Allen has also written a large number of yet unpublished short stories hosted on his Storybag website.
Alganon
Alganon is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game designed by David Allen, developed by Arizona-based Quest Online. Alganon was previously called "Crusade". Alganon is subscriber-based, requiring an active Internet connection...
a fantasy based MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
developed by Quest Online, a company he co-founded in 2006.
Game Designer, Developer and Entrepreneur
Born in Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, David grew up in Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
where he actively played on the PLATO
PLATO
PLATO was the first generalized computer assisted instruction system, and, by the late 1970s, comprised several thousand terminals worldwide on nearly a dozen different networked mainframe computers...
network, beginning of his interest in online gaming and programming. With a background of programming and development on the Windows platform, his first retail creation was Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol
Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol
Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol is a computer role-playing game released in 1995 for Microsoft Windows. It was game designer David Allen's first release. Mordor inspired a sequel, Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan, released in 2000....
(released 1994) a dungeon-romp built for Windows 3.x. The sequel was a more evolved version of Mordor called Demise
Demise
Demise, in its original meaning, is an Anglo-Norman legal term for a transfer of an estate, especially by lease...
(released 2000). While finishing Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan
Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan
Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan is a medieval fantasy role-playing video game released in 1999 for the personal computer , developed by Artifact Entertainment and published by IPC Software...
Allen created the concept for the MMORPG called Horizons: Empire of Istaria
Horizons: Empire of Istaria
Istaria: Chronicles of the Gifted is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Virtrium and originally released by Artifact Entertainment as Horizons: Empire of Istaria) in Europe on December 5, 2003 and in North America on December 9, 2003...
and founded Artifact Entertainment in 1999 where he proceeded to raise capital and build the game, relocating to Mesa, Arizona
Mesa, Arizona
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
in the process. Allen departed Artifact in July 2001. He founded Pharaoh Productions later in 2001 where he designed a game called Dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
which was a mix of MMORPG and Diablo (series)
Diablo (series)
Diablo is an action role-playing game franchise owned and produced by Blizzard Entertainment. , the series has sold over 18.5 million copies worldwide.-Story:...
play style, but featuring dynamic content. Allen was unable to secure funding for Pharaoh and closed the company in 2004. He returned to the industry in 2006 relocating to Chandler, Arizona
Chandler, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the Census of 2010, there were 236,123 people, 86,924 households, and 60,212 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 73.3% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American, 8.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 8.3%...
and co-founding a new company called Quest Online where he created a MMOG called Crusade which was later renamed to Alganon
Alganon
Alganon is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game designed by David Allen, developed by Arizona-based Quest Online. Alganon was previously called "Crusade". Alganon is subscriber-based, requiring an active Internet connection...
. Alganon launched in December 2009 with a Social Network
Social network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
called MyAlganon and an online Library system where players could browse game data including items, quests, and characters.
Allen founded Mercois in April 2010, a company focused on Business Virtualization and Technology consulting services.
Allen has written one book, Visual Basic 4 Network Gaming Adventure Set, published in 1995, which showed readers how to create games in Visual Basic 4. Allen has also written a large number of yet unpublished short stories hosted on his Storybag website.
Companies Created
- VB Designs (1996)
- Artifact Entertainment (1999)
- Pharaoh Productions (2001)
- Quest Online (2006)
- Mercois (2010)
Games Created
- MordorMordor: The Depths of DejenolMordor: The Depths of Dejenol is a computer role-playing game released in 1995 for Microsoft Windows. It was game designer David Allen's first release. Mordor inspired a sequel, Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan, released in 2000....
(Released 1994) - DemiseDemise: Rise of the Ku'tanDemise: Rise of the Ku'tan is a medieval fantasy role-playing video game released in 1999 for the personal computer , developed by Artifact Entertainment and published by IPC Software...
(Released 2000) - HorizonsHorizons: Empire of IstariaIstaria: Chronicles of the Gifted is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Virtrium and originally released by Artifact Entertainment as Horizons: Empire of Istaria) in Europe on December 5, 2003 and in North America on December 9, 2003...
(Released 2003) - Dominion (Not Released)
- AlganonAlganonAlganon is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game designed by David Allen, developed by Arizona-based Quest Online. Alganon was previously called "Crusade". Alganon is subscriber-based, requiring an active Internet connection...
(Released 2009)
Storybag
David writes short stories as a hobby and created the http://www.storybag.com website where anyone can read the stories he has written.Articles
- RPGVault Interview. "Horizons Interview", February 21, 2000
- RPGVault Interview. "Horizons Partnership Interview", May 11, 2001
- RPGVault Interview. "Dominion Interview", November 21, 2001
- MMORPG Interview. "We chat with the designer of Crusade, a recently announced MMORPG", May 5, 2006
- MMORPG Interview. "Alganon: QOL President David Allen", October 6, 2006
- RPG Vault Interview. "Alganon Status Interview", February 17, 2009
- MMOsite Interview. "The First Viable Alternative to WoW -- Alganon Interview", February 18, 2009
- ZAM Interview. "The Library" feature, April 2, 2009
- Onrpg Interview. "Revealing Facts!", April 22, 2009
- MMORPG Developer Chat "Alganon Developer Chat", May 14, 2009
- MMORPG Interview. "Alganon: QOL President David Allen", October 6, 2009
- MMORPG Interview. "Alganon - Interview with David Allen and Hue Henry by Jason Van Horn", November 7, 2009
- Massively Interview. http://www.massively.com/2009/11/11/alganon-community-interview-your-questions-answered/, November 11, 2009
- MMOGamer Interview. "Alganon Interview with David Allen", November 14, 2009
- TenTonHammer Interview. "Exclusive Interview with Alganon Creator, David Allen", November 19, 2009