Chris Avellone
Encyclopedia
Chris Avellone is an American video game designer and comic book writer who worked for Interplay
and currently works in Obsidian Entertainment
.
in Alexandria, VA. He went on to study at The College of William & Mary, graduating with a major in English and a minor in fine arts, focused on architecture.
-inspired fantasy
role-playing games. After entering the video game industry through the company Interplay
in 1995, he briefly worked on the development of the 1997 title Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
. In 1997 he took over the development of Descent to Undermountain
, which he later called a disappointment. Avellone contributed to the 1998 game Fallout 2
and continued to work on its franchise.
Interplay acquired the rights to produce a role-playing video game set in the Planescape
campaign setting
of Dungeons & Dragons with the development led by Avellone. The 1999 game Planescape: Torment
removed character death as a motive and also won acclaim for its narrative.
Avellone worked on all the titles of the Icewind Dale fantasy role-playing game series, which were released from 2000 to 2002. As a designer Avellone contributed to the fantasy titles Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
(2001), Champions of Norrath
(2004) and led the design of the cancelled Fallout title Van Buren, after which he resigned from Interplay and joined Obsidian Entertainment
. For the company Avellone worked on the role-playing games Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II (2004) and Neverwinter Nights 2
(2006) and on the action role-playing game
Alpha Protocol
. He also worked as a senior designer on Fallout: New Vegas
.
He worked as the project director and lead creative designer on Dead Money, Old World Blues and Lonesome Road Fallout: New Vegas DLC
.
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
and currently works in Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
.
Early life and education
He is an alumnus of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and TechnologyThomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is a Virginia state-chartered magnet school located within Fairfax County, Virginia, United States...
in Alexandria, VA. He went on to study at The College of William & Mary, graduating with a major in English and a minor in fine arts, focused on architecture.
Career
Working initially as a freelancer in the two years after college, Avellone wrote campaigns for Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
-inspired 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...
role-playing games. After entering the video game industry through the company Interplay
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
in 1995, he briefly worked on the development of the 1997 title Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (video game)
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is a PC Star Trek simulation game that simulates the life of a typical Starfleet cadet. The object in the game is for the player to learn the basics of flying a starship so that the player can eventually become a captain of one's very own ship...
. In 1997 he took over the development of Descent to Undermountain
Descent to Undermountain
Descent to Undermountain is a computer role-playing game created and distributed by Interplay in 1997. It was developed by Chris Avellone, Scott Bennie, John Deiley, Robert Holloway, and Steve Perrin. The game is based on the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, which was published at the...
, which he later called a disappointment. Avellone contributed to the 1998 game Fallout 2
Fallout 2
Fallout 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay in 1998. The game's story takes place in 2241, 80 years after the events of Fallout...
and continued to work on its franchise.
Interplay acquired the rights to produce a role-playing video game set in the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
of Dungeons & Dragons with the development led by Avellone. The 1999 game Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and released on December 12, 1999 by Interplay Entertainment. It takes place in Planescape, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy campaign setting...
removed character death as a motive and also won acclaim for its narrative.
Avellone worked on all the titles of the Icewind Dale fantasy role-playing game series, which were released from 2000 to 2002. As a designer Avellone contributed to the fantasy titles Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is an action role-playing game developed by Snowblind Studios for the PlayStation 2; later released for the Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance. It was re-released on the PlayStation 2 as a Greatest Hits title...
(2001), 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...
(2004) and led the design of the cancelled Fallout title Van Buren, after which he resigned from Interplay and joined Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
. For the company Avellone worked on the role-playing games Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II (2004) and Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It is the sequel to BioWare's Neverwinter Nights, based on the Dungeons & Dragons pencil and paper fantasy role-playing game...
(2006) and on the action role-playing game
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
Alpha Protocol
Alpha Protocol
Alpha Protocol is a third-person espionage role-playing video game, developed by Obsidian Entertainment, their first title for an original IP, and published by Sega. The game revolves around the adventures of field agent Michael Thorton...
. He also worked as a senior designer on Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas is a first person action role-playing video game in the Fallout series developed by Obsidian Entertainment, and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game is based in a post-apocalyptic environment in and around Las Vegas, Nevada...
.
He worked as the project director and lead creative designer on Dead Money, Old World Blues and Lonesome Road Fallout: New Vegas DLC
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
.
Notable game credits
- Star Trek: Starfleet AcademyStar Trek: Starfleet Academy (video game)Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is a PC Star Trek simulation game that simulates the life of a typical Starfleet cadet. The object in the game is for the player to learn the basics of flying a starship so that the player can eventually become a captain of one's very own ship...
(1997) - Fallout 2Fallout 2Fallout 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay in 1998. The game's story takes place in 2241, 80 years after the events of Fallout...
(1998) - Descent to UndermountainDescent to UndermountainDescent to Undermountain is a computer role-playing game created and distributed by Interplay in 1997. It was developed by Chris Avellone, Scott Bennie, John Deiley, Robert Holloway, and Steve Perrin. The game is based on the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, which was published at the...
(1998) - Planescape: TormentPlanescape: TormentPlanescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and released on December 12, 1999 by Interplay Entertainment. It takes place in Planescape, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy campaign setting...
(1999) - Icewind DaleIcewind DaleIcewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment. Released on June 30, 2000, it takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition...
(2000) - Icewind Dale: Heart of WinterIcewind Dale: Heart of WinterIcewind Dale: Heart of Winter is an official expansion pack to the computer role-playing game Icewind Dale developed by Black Isle Studios. It introduced many changes and additions to the original game, and included an all-new campaign...
(2001) - Baldur's Gate: Dark AllianceBaldur's Gate: Dark AllianceBaldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is an action role-playing game developed by Snowblind Studios for the PlayStation 2; later released for the Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance. It was re-released on the PlayStation 2 as a Greatest Hits title...
(2001) - Icewind Dale IIIcewind Dale IIIcewind Dale II is a role-playing video game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment, released on August 27, 2002. Like its 2000 predecessor Icewind Dale, the game is set in the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting in the Icewind Dale region...
(2002) - Van Buren (Fallout 3) (2003 - canceled)
- Lionheart: Legacy of the CrusaderLionheart: Legacy of the CrusaderLionheart: Legacy of the Crusader is an action role-playing game, developed for the PC by Reflexive Entertainment, and released on August 13, 2003. The game is viewed from a 3/4 isometric camera angle...
(2003) - 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) - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith LordsStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith LordsStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords is a role playing video game released for the Xbox and Microsoft Windows. The Xbox version of this sequel to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was released on December 6, 2004, while the Windows version was released on February 8, 2005...
(2004/2005) - Neverwinter Nights 2Neverwinter Nights 2Neverwinter Nights 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It is the sequel to BioWare's Neverwinter Nights, based on the Dungeons & Dragons pencil and paper fantasy role-playing game...
(2006) - Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the BetrayerNeverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the BetrayerNeverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It is an expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights 2. It was released in Autumn 2007 for the PC in North America, Europe, and Australia...
(2007) - Alpha ProtocolAlpha ProtocolAlpha Protocol is a third-person espionage role-playing video game, developed by Obsidian Entertainment, their first title for an original IP, and published by Sega. The game revolves around the adventures of field agent Michael Thorton...
(2010) - Fallout: New VegasFallout: New VegasFallout: New Vegas is a first person action role-playing video game in the Fallout series developed by Obsidian Entertainment, and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game is based in a post-apocalyptic environment in and around Las Vegas, Nevada...
(2010)
Star Wars comics
- Unseen, Unheard (2005)
- Heroes on Both Sides (2006)
- Impregnable (2007)
- Old Scores (2007)
- Graduation Day (2007)
Fallout comics
- All Roads (2010, part of the Fallout: New VegasFallout: New VegasFallout: New Vegas is a first person action role-playing video game in the Fallout series developed by Obsidian Entertainment, and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game is based in a post-apocalyptic environment in and around Las Vegas, Nevada...
collector's edition)