Metagaming Concepts
Encyclopedia
Metagaming Concepts was a publisher of board games from 1975 to 1983 owned by Howard Thompson. Metagaming created and popularized the microgame
format. It specialized in science fiction
wargames
; titles included Ogre
, G.E.V., Godsfire, Stellar Conquest
and WarpWar
. The company also published the role-playing
system The Fantasy Trip
and the The Space Gamer
magazine. In its later years, Metagaming introduced more fantasy
titles into its lineup, and also began to publish games with historical themes, including Hitler's War
.
Game designer Steve Jackson
got his start at Metagaming and retained the rights to Ogre, G.E.V., and The Space Gamer when he founded Steve Jackson Games
. Among the other Metagaming designers were Lynn Willis
and Keith Gross. Ben Ostrander, who was later the publisher of Mojo Press
, served as the art director
for most of the company's titles.
Metagaming published two magazines: The Space Gamer
and Interplay. The former was started in 1975 dedicated to science fiction gaming and later expanded is scope to include fantasy gaming. It was sold to Steve Jackson in 1980. The latter magazine, Interplay, was a house organ
, intended to be published six times a year. It ran for eight issues before the end of the company. The first issue of Interplay was dated May/June 1981, and the eighth was dated September/October 1982.
Games Research Group, Inc., which was initially part of Metagaming, was created as a separate entity on 1-Jan-1982 by Howard Thompson. The Games Research Group, Inc. copyright appears on several Metagaming-released products, such as the counters of Dragons of the Underearth.
After going out of business, Howard Thompson disappeared from the gaming
hobby, leaving most of Metagaming's intellectual property
in limbo.
Microgame
A microgame is a board game or wargame packaged in a small set. Microgames enjoyed popularity during the 1980s...
format. It specialized in science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
wargames
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
; titles included Ogre
Ogre (game)
Ogre is a board wargame first released in 1977 as the first Metagaming Concepts Microgame, designed by Steve Jackson.Its basic premise is that it is an asymmetric-forces gameset in the late 21st century....
, G.E.V., Godsfire, Stellar Conquest
Stellar Conquest
Stellar Conquest is a board game designed by Howard Thompson that has achieved minor cult status since its initial release in 1974. This science fiction game, originally rejected by the Avalon Hill Company in 1973, and published the following year as the first title from Metagaming Concepts, was...
and WarpWar
WarpWar
WarpWar was the fourth microgame published by games company Metagaming Concepts in 1977.WarpWar was designed by Metagaming president Howard Thompson....
. The company also published the role-playing
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...
system The Fantasy Trip
The Fantasy Trip
The Fantasy Trip is a role-playing game that was designed by Steve Jackson and was published by Metagaming Concepts.It was developed from Metagaming's Melee and Wizard MicroGames, also designed by Steve Jackson, which provided the basic combat and magic rules...
and the The Space Gamer
The Space Gamer
The Space Gamer was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the late 70s through the mid-80s...
magazine. In its later years, Metagaming introduced more fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
titles into its lineup, and also began to publish games with historical themes, including Hitler's War
Hitler's War (game)
Hitler's War is a strategic level World War II war game.It covers the war in Europe, for 2 or 3 players ....
.
Game designer Steve Jackson
Steve Jackson (US)
Steve Jackson is an American game designer. After working for many years at Metagaming Concepts designing such games as Ogre and The Fantasy Trip, he left to found Steve Jackson Games in the early 1980s...
got his start at Metagaming and retained the rights to Ogre, G.E.V., and The Space Gamer when he founded Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
. Among the other Metagaming designers were Lynn Willis
Lynn Willis
Lynn Willis is a wargame and role-playing game designer who has done work for Metagaming Concepts, Game Designers' Workshop, and Chaosium.Willis began by designing science fiction wargames for Metagaming, starting with the Godsfire in 1976. He also designed the microgames Olympica and Holy War...
and Keith Gross. Ben Ostrander, who was later the publisher of Mojo Press
Mojo Press
Mojo Press is a now-defunct small press which primarily published science fiction, horror, and western books and graphic novels between 1994-1999.-History:...
, served as the art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
for most of the company's titles.
Metagaming published two magazines: The Space Gamer
The Space Gamer
The Space Gamer was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the late 70s through the mid-80s...
and Interplay. The former was started in 1975 dedicated to science fiction gaming and later expanded is scope to include fantasy gaming. It was sold to Steve Jackson in 1980. The latter magazine, Interplay, was a house organ
House organ
A house organ is a magazine or periodical published by a company for its customers or its employees...
, intended to be published six times a year. It ran for eight issues before the end of the company. The first issue of Interplay was dated May/June 1981, and the eighth was dated September/October 1982.
Games Research Group, Inc., which was initially part of Metagaming, was created as a separate entity on 1-Jan-1982 by Howard Thompson. The Games Research Group, Inc. copyright appears on several Metagaming-released products, such as the counters of Dragons of the Underearth.
After going out of business, Howard Thompson disappeared from the gaming
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
hobby, leaving most of Metagaming's intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
in limbo.
External links
- List of titles published by Metagaming
- Images of some Metagaming microgames
- Interplay magazine index