Neal Hallford
Encyclopedia
William Neal Hallford is an American game designer, book author, screenwriter, and independent film director. He is best known for his work on the fantasy role-playing games Betrayal at Krondor
, Dungeon Siege
, and Champions of Norrath
.
On October 9, 1995, Hallford was in a train wreck aboard Amtrak's Sunset Limited
, westbound from Miami to Los Angeles. Unknown perpetrator or perpetrators signing themselves the "Sons of the Gestapo" left four notes on the site claiming responsibility, two of which were found by Hallford. Since that time, Hallford has appeared in two television specials about the event, When Trains Crash: Blood on the Tracks and Derail: America's Worst Train Wrecks, which were broadcast in the US, UK and Canada.
Betrayal at Krondor
Betrayal at Krondor is a DOS-based computer role-playing game developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line in 1993. Betrayal at Krondor takes place largely in Midkemia, the fantasy world developed by Raymond E. Feist in his Riftwar novels...
, Dungeon Siege
Dungeon Siege
Dungeon Siege is a computer role-playing game developed by Gas Powered Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Chris Taylor showed Dungeon Siege years in production for the first time at E3 2000...
, and Champions of Norrath
Champions of Norrath
Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest is an online-capable action role-playing game for the PlayStation 2, set in the EverQuest universe. It is playable with one single player or cooperative for up to four players. However, with a Network Adapter, players can take the game online with others...
.
On October 9, 1995, Hallford was in a train wreck aboard Amtrak's Sunset Limited
1995 Palo Verde derailment
The 1995 Palo Verde derailment took place on October 9, 1995, when Amtrak's Sunset Limited derailed near Palo Verde, Arizona on Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. The two locomotives and eight of the twelve cars derailed, four of them falling 30 feet off a trestle bridge into a dry river bed....
, westbound from Miami to Los Angeles. Unknown perpetrator or perpetrators signing themselves the "Sons of the Gestapo" left four notes on the site claiming responsibility, two of which were found by Hallford. Since that time, Hallford has appeared in two television specials about the event, When Trains Crash: Blood on the Tracks and Derail: America's Worst Train Wrecks, which were broadcast in the US, UK and Canada.
Games
- Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan (1990) - New World ComputingNew World ComputingNew World Computing, Inc. was an American computer game developer and publisher founded in 1984 by Jon Van Caneghem, his wife, Michaela Van Caneghem, and Mark Caldwell. It was best known for its work on the Might and Magic computer role-playing game series and its spin-offs, especially Heroes of...
- Might and Magic III: Isles of TerraMight and Magic III: Isles of TerraMight and Magic III: Isles of Terra is the third game in the role-playing game series Might and Magic. Released in 1991, it is the predecessor to Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen and the sequel to Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World....
(1992) - New World ComputingNew World ComputingNew World Computing, Inc. was an American computer game developer and publisher founded in 1984 by Jon Van Caneghem, his wife, Michaela Van Caneghem, and Mark Caldwell. It was best known for its work on the Might and Magic computer role-playing game series and its spin-offs, especially Heroes of... - Planet's Edge: The Point of No ReturnPlanet's EdgePlanet's Edge is a space science fiction role-playing video game developed by New World Computing with Neal Hallford as the lead designer. The game's plot centers on investigating the sudden disappearance of planet Earth, by venturing out into the universe from a moon base...
(1992) - New World ComputingNew World ComputingNew World Computing, Inc. was an American computer game developer and publisher founded in 1984 by Jon Van Caneghem, his wife, Michaela Van Caneghem, and Mark Caldwell. It was best known for its work on the Might and Magic computer role-playing game series and its spin-offs, especially Heroes of... - Betrayal at KrondorBetrayal at KrondorBetrayal at Krondor is a DOS-based computer role-playing game developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line in 1993. Betrayal at Krondor takes place largely in Midkemia, the fantasy world developed by Raymond E. Feist in his Riftwar novels...
(1993) - DynamixDynamixDynamix, Inc. was an American developer of computer games from 1984 to 2001, best known for their flight simulator, Red Baron, the Front Page Sports series, Betrayal at Krondor, and their online multiplayer game, Tribes.-History:... - Return to KrondorReturn to KrondorReturn to Krondor is a computer role-playing game set in Raymond Feist's fictional fantasy setting of Midkemia. A sequel to 1993's Betrayal at Krondor, it was released for Windows 95 on the PC in time for the 1998 Christmas season...
(1998) - Sierra Online Inc.Sierra EntertainmentSierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams... - Dungeon SiegeDungeon SiegeDungeon Siege is a computer role-playing game developed by Gas Powered Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Chris Taylor showed Dungeon Siege years in production for the first time at E3 2000...
(2002) - Microsoft Game StudiosMicrosoft Game StudiosMicrosoft 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... - Lords of EverquestLords of EverQuestLords of EverQuest is a 3D fantasy Real-Time Strategy game released in December 2003. It was developed by the short-lived startup company Rapid Eye Entertainment and published by Sony Online Entertainment...
(2003) - Sony Online EntertainmentSony Online EntertainmentSony Online Entertainment is a game development and game publishing division of Sony that is best known for creating massively multiplayer online games, including EverQuest, EverQuest II, The Matrix Online, PlanetSide, Star Wars Galaxies, Free Realms, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, DC Universe... - Champions of NorrathChampions of NorrathChampions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest is an online-capable action role-playing game for the PlayStation 2, set in the EverQuest universe. It is playable with one single player or cooperative for up to four players. However, with a Network Adapter, players can take the game online with others...
(2004) - Sony Online EntertainmentSony Online EntertainmentSony Online Entertainment is a game development and game publishing division of Sony that is best known for creating massively multiplayer online games, including EverQuest, EverQuest II, The Matrix Online, PlanetSide, Star Wars Galaxies, Free Realms, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, DC Universe... - Dungeon Siege IIDungeon Siege IIDungeon Siege II is a computer role-playing game and is the sequel to 2002's popular Dungeon Siege. It was developed by Gas Powered Games and released on August 16, 2005, one year delayed from original projections. The story is a continuation of the Dungeon Siege storyline...
(2005) - Microsoft Game StudiosMicrosoft Game StudiosMicrosoft 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... - Neopets: Petpet Adventures: The Wand of WishingNeopets: Petpet Adventures: The Wand of WishingNeopets: Petpet Adventures: The Wand of Wishing, released on March 14, 2006, is a single-player PlayStation Portable action/adventure game based on the popular Neopets universe.-Gameplay:...
(2006) - Sony Computer Entertainment America - Supreme Commander - (2007) - Electronic ArtsElectronic ArtsElectronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
- Golden AxeGolden AxeGolden Axe is a side-scrolling beat 'em up and hack & slash arcade video game released in 1989 by Sega for the System 16-B arcade hardware. It is the first game in the Golden Axe series....
- (2007) SegaSega, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
Books
- Krondor: the BetrayalKrondor: The BetrayalKrondor: The Betrayal is a fantasy novel by Raymond E. Feist. It is the first novel in the The Riftwar Legacy and was first published in November 1998. It is a novelization of the computer game Betrayal at Krondor.-Plot introduction:...
(1999) (co-author of original story with Raymond E. FeistRaymond E. FeistRaymond Elias Feist is an American author who primarily writes fantasy fiction. He is best known for The Riftwar Cycle series of novels and short stories. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over 15 million copies.- Biography :Raymond E...
and John Cutter) - Swords & Circuitry: A Designer's Guide to Computer Role-Playing Games (2001) (with Jana Hallford)
Films
- Beauty and the Beast: 20 Years of Remembering (2007) — an online documentary about the CBS television series, Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast (TV series)Beauty and the Beast is an American drama series which first aired on CBS in 1987. Creator Ron Koslow's updated version of the fairy tale has a double focus: the relationship between Vincent , a mythic, noble man-beast, and his Catherine , a savvy assistant District attorney in New York; and a...
, produced and directed by Neal Hallford's production company, Swords & Circuitry Studios
"Uncharted Regions" radio dramas
- Shadow of the Bulldog Man (1984) - KTOW Radio
- Calls Waiting (1987) - KTOW Radio
- The October Harvest (1989) - KTOW Radio
External links
- Neal Hallford's personal website
- Neal Hallford at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...