Bob Bates
Encyclopedia
Robert Bates better known as Bob Bates, is an American
computer games designer. Starting as a designer in the 1980s for Infocom
, he was later co-founder of Legend Entertainment
, designing games such as Timequest
and Eric the Unready
. Bates has twice been the chairperson of the International Game Developers Association
, and has written books about game design and development, such as Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games (2001). He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the IGDA, and in 2010, was selected by the International Game Developers Association as Person of the Year.
titles Sherlock: The Riddle of the Crown Jewels
and Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur
for Infocom
. A third game was never finished because Infocom was closed in 1989. Soon after the end of Infocom, Bates and Mike Verdu founded Legend Entertainment
to produce games in the Infocom tradition. Games designed by Bates for Legend include: Timequest
, Eric the Unready
, and John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles
. He also contributed design and writing to other company games, including the Gateway
series and the company's final game Unreal II: The Awakening
.
In the course of his career since 1986, he has written, designed, produced, or overseen more than 39 games that have sold over 6 million units and won over 60 industry awards, including two Adventure Game of the Year awards. He has worked on #1 titles for both the PC (Unreal 2) and for consoles (Spider-Man 3
). He is twice past-Chair of the IGDA, and serves on the advisory boards of GDC Europe and George Mason University
's undergraduate degree program in Game Design.
On September 1, 2009, Bates resigned his position as Chairman of the IGDA to continue his career as an independent game designer, writer, and producer. In early 2011, Bates was hired by Zynga
, to write for games such as FrontierVille
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
computer games designer. Starting as a designer in the 1980s for Infocom
Infocom
Infocom was a software company, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that produced numerous works of interactive fiction. They also produced one notable business application, a relational database called Cornerstone....
, he was later co-founder of Legend Entertainment
Legend Entertainment
Legend Entertainment was an American developer of computer games, best known for their complex, distinctive adventure titles throughout the 1990s....
, designing games such as Timequest
Timequest
Timequest is an interactive fiction game released by Legend Entertainment, and written by Bob Bates.-Plot:In the year 2090 AD, the use of time machines is regulated by officers of the Temporal Corps...
and Eric the Unready
Eric the Unready
Eric the Unready is an adventure game from Legend Entertainment. Eric the Unready is a parody of the fantasy genre in general, though it parodies numerous other topics as well, ranging from Star Trek to Zork. The game engine uses an interactive fiction interface, although unlike most IF games, a...
. Bates has twice been the chairperson of the International Game Developers Association
International Game Developers Association
International Game Developers Association is the professional society for over 10,000 video and computer game developers worldwide.It is incorporated in the United States as a non-profit organization....
, and has written books about game design and development, such as Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games (2001). He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the IGDA, and in 2010, was selected by the International Game Developers Association as Person of the Year.
Overview
His first published game designs were the two interactive fictionInteractive fiction
Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as video games. In common usage, the term refers to text...
titles Sherlock: The Riddle of the Crown Jewels
Sherlock: The Riddle of the Crown Jewels
Sherlock: The Riddle of the Crown Jewels is an interactive fiction computer game designed by Bob Bates and published by Infocom in 1988. Like most titles Infocom produced, the use of ZIL made it possible to release the game simultaneously for many popular computer platforms, including the Apple II,...
and Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur
Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur
Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur is an interactive fiction computer game written by Bob Bates and published by Infocom in 1989. Typically for an Infocom title, it was released for many popular computer platforms of the time, such as the Macintosh, PC, and the Apple II series...
for Infocom
Infocom
Infocom was a software company, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that produced numerous works of interactive fiction. They also produced one notable business application, a relational database called Cornerstone....
. A third game was never finished because Infocom was closed in 1989. Soon after the end of Infocom, Bates and Mike Verdu founded Legend Entertainment
Legend Entertainment
Legend Entertainment was an American developer of computer games, best known for their complex, distinctive adventure titles throughout the 1990s....
to produce games in the Infocom tradition. Games designed by Bates for Legend include: Timequest
Timequest
Timequest is an interactive fiction game released by Legend Entertainment, and written by Bob Bates.-Plot:In the year 2090 AD, the use of time machines is regulated by officers of the Temporal Corps...
, Eric the Unready
Eric the Unready
Eric the Unready is an adventure game from Legend Entertainment. Eric the Unready is a parody of the fantasy genre in general, though it parodies numerous other topics as well, ranging from Star Trek to Zork. The game engine uses an interactive fiction interface, although unlike most IF games, a...
, and John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles
John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles
John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles: An Adventure in Terror is a 1998 computer adventure game developed by Legend Entertainment and Red Orb Entertainment, and published by Mindscape....
. He also contributed design and writing to other company games, including the Gateway
Gateway (computer game)
Gateway and Gateway II , are interactive fiction games released by Legend Entertainment, and written by Glen Dahlgren and Mike Verdu. They are based on Frederik Pohl's Heechee universe....
series and the company's final game Unreal II: The Awakening
Unreal II: The Awakening
Unreal II: The Awakening is a first-person shooter video game, designed initially only for a single-player campaign. The game is part of the Unreal series. It was developed by the now defunct Legend Entertainment, published by Atari and released on February 4, 2003 for Microsoft Windows...
.
In the course of his career since 1986, he has written, designed, produced, or overseen more than 39 games that have sold over 6 million units and won over 60 industry awards, including two Adventure Game of the Year awards. He has worked on #1 titles for both the PC (Unreal 2) and for consoles (Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3 (video game)
Spider-Man 3 is an action game loosely based on the Spider-Man 3 film and released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions were developed by Treyarch, the PC version by Beenox while...
). He is twice past-Chair of the IGDA, and serves on the advisory boards of GDC Europe and George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
's undergraduate degree program in Game Design.
On September 1, 2009, Bates resigned his position as Chairman of the IGDA to continue his career as an independent game designer, writer, and producer. In early 2011, Bates was hired by Zynga
Zynga
Zynga is a social network game developer located in San Francisco, United States. The company develops browser-based games that work both stand-alone and as application widgets on social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace....
, to write for games such as FrontierVille
FrontierVille
The Pioneer Trail, formerly known as FrontierVille is a simulation, role-playing video game available for play on social networking sites such as Facebook. It is developed by Zynga and was launched on June 9, 2010...
.
External links
- Bob Bates.com - official website
- Bob Bates' Rap Sheet 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...
- Interview with Bob Bates at Adventure Classic Gaming (2001)
- Infocom Authors - Bob Bates
- Interview with Bob Bates with emphasis on his adventures and storytelling (2005)