Jane Jensen
Encyclopedia
Jane Jensen is the game designer of the popular and critically acclaimed Gabriel Knight
adventure games and author of the novels Judgement Day and Dante's Equation
.
Jane Jensen was born Jane Elizabeth Smith, the youngest of seven children. She received a BA in Computer Science from Anderson University
in Indiana and worked as a systems programmer for Hewlett-Packard
. Her love of both computers and creative writing eventually led her to the computer gaming industry and Sierra Online
where she worked as a writer on Police Quest III: The Kindred
and EcoQuest: The Search for Cetus
. After co-designing King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
with veteran game designer Roberta Williams
, Jensen designed her first solo game: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
, which was released in 1993. The dark, supernatural mystery was a departure for Sierra but the game was enthusiastically received, with the strength of Jensen's writing, along with the game's horror and gothic sensibilities coming in for particular praise from the gaming press and earning the title Computer Gaming World
's "Adventure Game of the Year" title.
Jensen followed up Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers with two sequels: The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery
in 1995 and Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
in 1999. Somewhat unusually for an adventure game series, each Gabriel Knight title was produced in an entirely different format to the others. Whereas the original was a traditional 2D animated game, the sequels were realised through full motion video
and a custom built 3D engine, respectively. Despite further acclaim for Jensen's design in both cases (The Beast Within was Computer Gaming World's "Game of the Year"), the large expenses associated with making the sequels, coupled with the declining marketability of adventure games (especially within Sierra) meant that a fourth in the series was not commissioned.
In 1996, Jensen published a novelization of the first Gabriel Knight game. A second Gabriel Knight novelization followed in 1998. In 1999, Jensen published her first non-adapted novel, Millennium Rising (later retitled Judgment Day
). Her fourth book, Dante's Equation
was published in 2003. Dante's Equation was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.
Jensen has been involved in designing casual online games at Oberon Media
, notably some mystery/puzzle games called Inspector Parker (2003) and BeTrapped! (2004), a game that intended to mix traditional adventure elements into the milieu of the casual game.
Jensen's most recent project, a mystery adventure game called Gray Matter
, was published by dtp entertainment
in 2010. On April 2, 2008 the game, originally intended to be developed by Hungarian software house Tonuzaba, switched to another developer, French company Wizarbox: as a result, the tentative release was changed and shifted to 2010.
Jensen is currently working as a story consultant on Phoenix Online Studios' adventure game Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller.
Jane Jensen lives in Seattle
with her second husband, composer Robert Holmes
, who composed the music for the Gabriel Knight
series.
Gabriel Knight
Gabriel Knight is a series of adventure games produced by Sierra On-Line in the 1990s. Three games were released in the series: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery and Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned.One compilation was...
adventure games and author of the novels Judgement Day and Dante's Equation
Dante's Equation
Dante's Equation is the title of a novel authored by Jane Jensen and published in 2003. It was nominated for, and received special citation of the Philip K. Dick Award.-Plot summary:...
.
Jane Jensen was born Jane Elizabeth Smith, the youngest of seven children. She received a BA in Computer Science from Anderson University
Anderson University (Indiana)
Anderson University is an accredited private Christian liberal arts university in Anderson, Indiana. The college is affiliated with the Church of God . Anderson University is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and the society. In 2010, U.S...
in Indiana and worked as a systems programmer for Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
. Her love of both computers and creative writing eventually led her to the computer gaming industry and Sierra Online
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
where she worked as a writer on Police Quest III: The Kindred
Police Quest III: The Kindred
Police Quest III: The Kindred is an adventure game produced by Jim Walls for Sierra On-Line, and released in 1991. It is the second sequel to Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel and is part of the Police Quest series.- Gameplay :...
and EcoQuest: The Search for Cetus
EcoQuest
EcoQuest is a series of two educational adventure games developed by Sierra Entertainment. The original concept was developed by Sierra VP of Creative Development, Bill Davis...
. After co-designing King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow is the sixth installment in the King's Quest series of adventure games produced by Sierra Entertainment...
with veteran game designer Roberta Williams
Roberta Williams
Roberta Williams is an American video game designer. She is most famous for her pioneering work in graphical adventure games, particularly the King's Quest series.-Career:...
, Jensen designed her first solo game: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line, Inc....
, which was released in 1993. The dark, supernatural mystery was a departure for Sierra but the game was enthusiastically received, with the strength of Jensen's writing, along with the game's horror and gothic sensibilities coming in for particular praise from the gaming press and earning the title Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
's "Adventure Game of the Year" title.
Jensen followed up Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers with two sequels: The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery
The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery
The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery is a computer adventure game released by Sierra On-Line in 1995. Unlike the first Gabriel Knight game, released in 1993, The Beast Within was produced entirely in full motion video...
in 1995 and Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned is the third and final game in the Gabriel Knight series of adventure games by Sierra Online. The game was designed by Jane Jensen, Gabriel Knight's creator. In a departure from the previous two entries, the score is composed by David...
in 1999. Somewhat unusually for an adventure game series, each Gabriel Knight title was produced in an entirely different format to the others. Whereas the original was a traditional 2D animated game, the sequels were realised through full motion video
Full motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
and a custom built 3D engine, respectively. Despite further acclaim for Jensen's design in both cases (The Beast Within was Computer Gaming World's "Game of the Year"), the large expenses associated with making the sequels, coupled with the declining marketability of adventure games (especially within Sierra) meant that a fourth in the series was not commissioned.
In 1996, Jensen published a novelization of the first Gabriel Knight game. A second Gabriel Knight novelization followed in 1998. In 1999, Jensen published her first non-adapted novel, Millennium Rising (later retitled Judgment Day
Judgment Day (novel)
Judgment Day is a 1935 novel by James T. Farrell. It is the third and longest installment of Farrell's trilogy based on the short, unhappy life of William "Studs" Lonigan.-Plot:...
). Her fourth book, Dante's Equation
Dante's Equation
Dante's Equation is the title of a novel authored by Jane Jensen and published in 2003. It was nominated for, and received special citation of the Philip K. Dick Award.-Plot summary:...
was published in 2003. Dante's Equation was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.
Jensen has been involved in designing casual online games at Oberon Media
Oberon Media
Oberon Media is a multi-platform casual games company, delivering casual games solutions across online, social, mobile/Smartphone, interactive TV and retail categories...
, notably some mystery/puzzle games called Inspector Parker (2003) and BeTrapped! (2004), a game that intended to mix traditional adventure elements into the milieu of the casual game.
Jensen's most recent project, a mystery adventure game called Gray Matter
Gray Matter (video game)
Gray Matter is a point-and-click adventure video game designed by Jane Jensen, renowned for the Sierra Entertainment Gabriel Knight series. The game was developed by WizarBox and published by dtp entertainment for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. It was released on November 2010 in Continental...
, was published by dtp entertainment
Dtp entertainment
dtp entertainment AG is a German video and computer game publisher, founded in 1995 by Thomas Baur. The headquarters are located in Hamburg and dtp today has more than 180 employees. It is one of Germany's leading game publishers. dtp is known for having published a high number of games which were...
in 2010. On April 2, 2008 the game, originally intended to be developed by Hungarian software house Tonuzaba, switched to another developer, French company Wizarbox: as a result, the tentative release was changed and shifted to 2010.
Jensen is currently working as a story consultant on Phoenix Online Studios' adventure game Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller.
Jane Jensen lives in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
with her second husband, composer Robert Holmes
Robert Holmes (composer)
Robert Holmes is a composer, living in the United States of America. Though he was at least partly responsible for the music heard in several other computer games, he is best known for having composed the music for the Gabriel Knight series of adventure games...
, who composed the music for the Gabriel Knight
Gabriel Knight
Gabriel Knight is a series of adventure games produced by Sierra On-Line in the 1990s. Three games were released in the series: Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery and Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned.One compilation was...
series.
Games
- EcoQuest: The Search for Cetus (1991) (writer)
- Police Quest III: The KindredPolice Quest III: The KindredPolice Quest III: The Kindred is an adventure game produced by Jim Walls for Sierra On-Line, and released in 1991. It is the second sequel to Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel and is part of the Police Quest series.- Gameplay :...
(1991) (writer) - The Dagger of Amon RaThe Dagger of Amon RaRoberta Williams' Laura Bow in: The Dagger of Amon Ra is a computer game published by Sierra On-Line in 1992. The game is the second and final installment in the Laura Bow Mysteries line of adventure games, the first of which was The Colonel's Bequest...
(1992) (voice actor) - King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone TomorrowKing's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone TomorrowKing's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow is the sixth installment in the King's Quest series of adventure games produced by Sierra Entertainment...
(1992) (co-designer) - Gabriel Knight: Sins of the FathersGabriel Knight: Sins of the FathersGabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line, Inc....
(1993) (designer, directorGame directorGame director may refer to:* Video game producer, the person in charge of overseeing development of a video game* Technical director, usually a senior technical person within creative group...
, writer) - Pepper's Adventures in TimePepper's Adventures in TimePepper's Adventures in Time is an educational game/adventure game released in 1993 by Sierra On-Line. The project was based on a concept by Sierra VP of Development/Creative Director, Bill Davis, who also designed the game's main characters...
(1993) (designer) - The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight MysteryThe Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight MysteryThe Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery is a computer adventure game released by Sierra On-Line in 1995. Unlike the first Gabriel Knight game, released in 1993, The Beast Within was produced entirely in full motion video...
(1995) (designer, writer) - Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the DamnedGabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the DamnedGabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned is the third and final game in the Gabriel Knight series of adventure games by Sierra Online. The game was designed by Jane Jensen, Gabriel Knight's creator. In a departure from the previous two entries, the score is composed by David...
(1999) (designer, writer) - Inspector Parker (2003) (designer)
- BeTrapped! (2004) (designer)
- Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile (2007) (designer, director)
- Agatha Christie: Peril at End House (2007) (designer, director)
- Women's Murder Club: A Darker Shade Of Grey (2007) (designer, director)
- Dr. Lynch: Grave Secrets (2008) (designer, director)
- Women's Murder Club: Death in Scarlet (2008) (designer, director)
- Agatha Christie: Dead Man's Folly (2009) (director)
- Women's Murder Club: Twice in a Blue Moon (2009) (designer, director)
- Gray MatterGray Matter (video game)Gray Matter is a point-and-click adventure video game designed by Jane Jensen, renowned for the Sierra Entertainment Gabriel Knight series. The game was developed by WizarBox and published by dtp entertainment for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. It was released on November 2010 in Continental...
(2010) (designer, writer) - Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller (2012) (story consultant)
Novels
- Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers (1997)
- The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery (1998)
- Millennium Rising (AKA Judgment Day) (1999)
- Dante's EquationDante's EquationDante's Equation is the title of a novel authored by Jane Jensen and published in 2003. It was nominated for, and received special citation of the Philip K. Dick Award.-Plot summary:...
(2003)
External links
- Jane Jensen's blog
- Jane Jensen interview on adventure games at Adventure Classic Gaming, June 2003
- Jane Jensen interview on adventure games at Aventura y CÍA, March 2002
- Jane Jensen interview with Gamespot UK
- Jane Jensen interview at La Aventura es la Aventura, December 2007
- Jane Jensen interview with AdventureGamers
- Jane Jensen interview about making of Gabriel Knight trilogy, January 2009