Mike Pondsmith
Encyclopedia
Michael Alyn Pondsmith is a roleplaying game
and video game designer.
He is best known for his work with R. Talsorian Games
, where he developed most role-playing game
lines from the company's beginning (around 1985) to the present: Mekton (later Mekton II and Mekton Zeta), Cyberpunk (later Cyberpunk 2020 and Cyberpunk V3), Cybergeneration, Teenagers from Outer Space, Castle Falkenstein, Dream Park.
Other roleplaying game
work includes the Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms
boxed set (1988) for TSR, Inc.
.
He worked with Microsoft Game Studios
or related companies on mostly Xbox
video games including MechCommander 2
, The Matrix Online
, and Crimson Skies
.
In 2006 he was inducted into the Origins Award
s Hall of fame
, along with Jolly R. Blackburn
, Rodger MacGowan, Dennis Mize (posthumously), Aaron Allston
, and the game Star Fleet Battles
.
He has a wife, Lisa, and a son, Cody.
He is currently working as a teacher at Digipen Institute of Technology
where he teaches game design
classes.
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...
and video game designer.
He is best known for his work with R. Talsorian Games
R. Talsorian Games
R. Talsorian Games, based in Renton, WA , is a publisher of role-playing game books and accessories. Their titles include the Cyberpunk 2020 series and for anime-related titles such as Dragonball Z. Their major product line today is the Fuzion system.The company's chairman is Mike Pondsmith,...
, where he developed most role-playing game
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...
lines from the company's beginning (around 1985) to the present: Mekton (later Mekton II and Mekton Zeta), Cyberpunk (later Cyberpunk 2020 and Cyberpunk V3), Cybergeneration, Teenagers from Outer Space, Castle Falkenstein, Dream Park.
Other roleplaying game
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...
work includes the Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms
Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms
Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms is an accessory for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Contents:Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms details a Forgotten Realms campaign setting for use with Oriental Adventures, which describes the eastern land of Kara-Tur and its geography, population,...
boxed set (1988) for TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
.
He worked with Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
or related companies on mostly Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
video games including MechCommander 2
MechCommander 2
MechCommander 2 is a real-time tactics video game based on the BattleTech/MechWarrior franchise, developed by FASA Interactive and distributed by Microsoft. It is a sequel to MechCommander....
, The Matrix Online
The Matrix Online
The Matrix Online was a massively multiplayer online game developed by Monolith Productions created by Richard Carroll. It was the official continuation of the storyline of the Matrix series of films. The game began closed beta-testing in June 2004 which was then opened for people who pre-ordered...
, and Crimson Skies
Crimson Skies
Crimson Skies is a media franchise and fictional universe created by Jordan Weisman and Dave McCoy. The series' intellectual property is currently owned by Microsoft Game Studios , although Weisman's new company, Smith & Tinker Inc., has announced that it has licensed the electronic entertainment...
.
In 2006 he was inducted into the Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
s Hall of fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
, along with Jolly R. Blackburn
Knights of the Dinner Table
Knights of the Dinner Table is a comic book/strip created by Jolly R. Blackburn and published by Kenzer & Company. It primarily focuses on a group of role playing gamers and their actions at the gaming table, which often result in unfortunate, but humorous consequences in the game...
, Rodger MacGowan, Dennis Mize (posthumously), Aaron Allston
Aaron Allston
Aaron Allston is an American game designer and novelist of many science fiction books, notably Star Wars novels. His works as a game designer include game supplements for several role-playing games, several of which served to establish the basis for products and subsequent development of TSR's...
, and the game Star Fleet Battles
Star Fleet Battles
Star Fleet Battles is a tactical board wargame set in an offshoot of the Star Trek setting called the Star Fleet Universe. Originally created in 1979 by Stephen V. Cole,...
.
He has a wife, Lisa, and a son, Cody.
He is currently working as a teacher at Digipen Institute of Technology
DigiPen Institute of Technology
DigiPen Institute of Technology is a college located in Redmond, Washington which has a focus on computer science, computer engineering, and art with emphasis in creating video games.- History :...
where he teaches game design
Game design
Game design, a subset of game development, is the process of designing the content and rules of a game in the pre-production stage and design of gameplay, environment, storyline, and characters during production stage. The term is also used to describe both the game design embodied in a game as...
classes.
See also
- Cyberpunk 2020Cyberpunk 2020Cyberpunk 2020 is a cyberpunk role-playing game written by Mike Pondsmith and published by R. Talsorian Games.- Overview :This role-playing game is based on the works of William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, and other authors of the "Mirrorshades group"...
- CybergenerationCybergenerationCyberGeneration is a follow-up to the R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk 2020 role-playing game. CyberGeneration was originally published as a supplement for Cyberpunk, but later re-released as a fully featured game in its own right under the title CyberGeneration Revolution 2.0. It is set in the year 2027,...
- Castle FalkensteinCastle Falkenstein (role-playing game)Castle Falkenstein is a steampunk-themed fantasy role-playing game designed by Mike Pondsmith and originally published by R. Talsorian Games. A GURPS version and several supplements were later published by Steve Jackson Games. The game is named for a legendary unbuilt castle in the Bavarian Alps...
- Dream ParkDream ParkDream Park was originally a novel set in a sort of futuristic amusement park of the same name.The books describe a futuristic form of live action role-playing games , although the term was not in use when the original novel was published. The novels inspired many LARP groups, notably the...
- Mekton and Mekton ZetaMektonMekton is a role-playing game which centers on the conventions of mecha anime and science fiction...
- Teenagers from Outer SpaceTeenagers from Outer Space (role-playing game)Teenagers from Outer Space is a rules-light comedy role-playing game written by Michael A. Pondsmith and published by R. Talsorian Games. It was inspired by gag anime such as Urusei Yatsura and Ranma ½. The game was first released in 1987, when anime was still mostly an underground sensation. The...
