Steve Meretzky
Encyclopedia
Steven Eric Meretzky is an American
computer game developer, with dozens of titles to his credit. He has been involved in almost every aspect of game development, from design
to production
to quality assurance and box design. He is best known for creating some of the famous Infocom
games in the early 1980s, including collaborating with celebrated author Douglas Adams
on the interactive fiction version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
, one of the few games to be certified "platinum" by the Software Publishing Association. Later, he created the Spellcasting
trilogy, the flagship adventure series of Legend Entertainment
.
His keen wit, prose and coding skill made him one of only two interactive fiction
writers (along with Dave Lebling
) admitted to the Science Fiction Writers of America, and in September 1999, PC Gamer
magazine named Meretzky as one of their twenty-five "Game Gods"; those who have made an indelible mark on the history of computer gaming.
. His father was trained as an accountant, but spent a career of 25 years selling automotive hardware. Meretzky's mother was a bookkeeper. He graduated from Yonkers High School
in 1975. He went on to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, where he earned a Bachelor of Science
in construction management
in 1979. After working in the construction industry for two years, in 1981 Meretzky decided pursue a career as a game tester for Infocom
. In 1983, he became a full-time writer (an "Implementor"), scripting Planetfall
and creating the famous cult figure robot sidekick "Floyd".
In 1984, he had his most famous collaboration, with Douglas Adams
on the computer game version of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
, which became one of the bestselling games of the era. Another popular game was Leather Goddesses of Phobos
, whose risque writing pushed the boundaries of the art. In an interview, Meretzky said that he originally just wrote the name on a project board as a joke, but was later asked to actually develop a game to go along with the title.
In A Mind Forever Voyaging
, Meretzky attempted to address social issues, but Infocom
's success was declining, and the 1988 Zork Zero
was one of his last titles there.
In 1994, Meretzky co-founded Boffo Games
, where he was Vice President of Creation, and developed such titles as the story puzzle game Hodj 'n' Podj
and the detective comedy The Space Bar
until the company closed its doors in 1997.
Around the year 2000, Meretzky joined WorldWinner as a game advisor and Principal Game Designer. Meretzky is also a charter member of the Computer Game Developers Association, and a frequent speaker at industry conferences such as GDC
.
Meretzky appears as himself antagonizing rapper MC Frontalot
in the music video for "It Is Pitch Dark." (released on Secrets from the Future
). The song references several of Meretzky's text adventure games, and the video is directed by documentarian Jason Scott Sadofsky
, whose film GET LAMP
is about the genre.
Several years later, Meretzky joined Blue Fang Games
to work on the popular Zoo Tycoon franchise.
He is currently employed as a vice president at social media game developer Playdom.
, Legend Entertainment
Company, Activision
Inc., Boffo Games
Inc., MicroProse
, GameFX, Floodgate Entertainment
, and Tom Snyder Productions.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
computer game developer, with dozens of titles to his credit. He has been involved in almost every aspect of game development, from 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...
to production
Game producer
A video game producer is the person in charge of overseeing development of a video game.The earliest documented use of the term producer in games was by Trip Hawkins, who established the position when he founded Electronic Arts in 1982...
to quality assurance and box design. He is best known for creating some of the famous 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....
games in the early 1980s, including collaborating with celebrated author Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
on the interactive fiction version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (computer game)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is an interactive fiction computer game based on the comedic science fiction series of the same name. It was designed by series creator Douglas Adams and Infocom's Steve Meretzky, and was first released in 1984 for the Apple II, Macintosh, Commodore 64, DOS,...
, one of the few games to be certified "platinum" by the Software Publishing Association. Later, he created the Spellcasting
Spellcasting 101: Sorcerers Get All The Girls
The text adventure game Spellcasting 101: Sorcerers Get All The Girls is the first installment of the Spellcasting series created by Steve Meretzky during his time at Legend Entertainment...
trilogy, the flagship adventure series 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....
.
His keen wit, prose and coding skill made him one of only two interactive fiction
Interactive 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...
writers (along with Dave Lebling
Dave Lebling
P. David Lebling is an interactive fiction game designer and programmer who has worked at various companies, including Infocom and Avid....
) admitted to the Science Fiction Writers of America, and in September 1999, PC Gamer
PC Gamer
PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
magazine named Meretzky as one of their twenty-five "Game Gods"; those who have made an indelible mark on the history of computer gaming.
Biography
Meretzky was raised in Yonkers, New YorkYonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
. His father was trained as an accountant, but spent a career of 25 years selling automotive hardware. Meretzky's mother was a bookkeeper. He graduated from Yonkers High School
Yonkers High School
Yonkers High School is located in Yonkers, New York and offers the International Baccalaureate program of studies.Yonkers High School is ranked the 41st best American High School by U.S. News and World Report.-External links:* *...
in 1975. He went on to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, where he earned a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in construction management
Construction management
Construction Project Management is the overall planning, coordination and control of a project from inception to completion aimed at meeting a client’s requirements in order to produce a functionally and financially viable project that will be complete mingement is project management that applies...
in 1979. After working in the construction industry for two years, in 1981 Meretzky decided pursue a career as a game tester 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....
. In 1983, he became a full-time writer (an "Implementor"), scripting Planetfall
Planetfall
Planetfall is a science fiction interactive fiction computer game written by Steve Meretzky, and the eighth title published by Infocom in 1983. Like most Infocom games, thanks to the portable Z-machine, it was released for several platforms simultaneously. The original release included versions...
and creating the famous cult figure robot sidekick "Floyd".
In 1984, he had his most famous collaboration, with Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
on the computer game version of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (computer game)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is an interactive fiction computer game based on the comedic science fiction series of the same name. It was designed by series creator Douglas Adams and Infocom's Steve Meretzky, and was first released in 1984 for the Apple II, Macintosh, Commodore 64, DOS,...
, which became one of the bestselling games of the era. Another popular game was Leather Goddesses of Phobos
Leather Goddesses of Phobos
Leather Goddesses of Phobos is an interactive fiction computer game written by Steve Meretzky and published by Infocom in 1986. Like many other Infocom titles, it was released for the IBM PC , Atari 8-bit, Amiga, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, Atari ST and Commodore 64 computers...
, whose risque writing pushed the boundaries of the art. In an interview, Meretzky said that he originally just wrote the name on a project board as a joke, but was later asked to actually develop a game to go along with the title.
In A Mind Forever Voyaging
A Mind Forever Voyaging
A Mind Forever Voyaging is an interactive fiction game designed and implemented by Steve Meretzky and published by Infocom in 1985...
, Meretzky attempted to address social issues, but 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....
's success was declining, and the 1988 Zork Zero
Zork Zero
Zork Zero: The Revenge of Megaboz is an interactive fiction computer game, written by Steve Meretzky over nearly 18 months and published by Infocom in 1988, with an original retail price of $59.95...
was one of his last titles there.
In 1994, Meretzky co-founded Boffo Games
Boffo Games
Boffo Games was a short-lived computer games developer founded in 1994 by Steve Meretzky, Mike Dornbrook, and Leo DaCosta. The logo was designed by Gayle Syska, formerly of Infocom. Only two games, Hodj 'n' Podj and The Space Bar, were produced by Boffo before the studio closed its doors in 1997...
, where he was Vice President of Creation, and developed such titles as the story puzzle game Hodj 'n' Podj
Hodj 'n' Podj
Hodj 'n' Podj is a video game released in 1995 designed by video game veteran Steven Meretzky. The game is a collection of reworked puzzle games such as Battleship, Poker, Slots, Cryptograms, and Memory loosely tied together with an overarching goal to save two princesses.Boffo's first game, it was...
and the detective comedy The Space Bar
The Space Bar
The Space Bar is an adventure game co-developed by Boffo Games and published by Rocket Science Games and SegaSoft in 1997. The game featured a 3-D environment which allowed the player to rotate , and a humorous cast of aliens in the framework of a mystery...
until the company closed its doors in 1997.
Around the year 2000, Meretzky joined WorldWinner as a game advisor and Principal Game Designer. Meretzky is also a charter member of the Computer Game Developers Association, and a frequent speaker at industry conferences such as GDC
GDC
GDC may refer to:*Gadolinium-doped ceria, a ceramic electrolyte used in solid oxide fuel cells*Game Developers Conference, a popular annual video game conference*General Development Corporation*General Dental Council*Gross Dealer Concession...
.
Meretzky appears as himself antagonizing rapper MC Frontalot
MC Frontalot
Damian Hess , better known by stage name MC Frontalot, is a Brooklyn-based hip hop musician and self-proclaimed "world's 579th greatest rapper". He is best known in nerdcore hip hop and video game culture, for naming the nerdcore subgenre, and performing at Penny Arcades annual Penny Arcade Expo...
in the music video for "It Is Pitch Dark." (released on Secrets from the Future
Secrets from the Future
Secrets from the Future is the second studio album from nerdcore hip hop artist MC Frontalot. It was released on tour and through his website on April 6, 2007....
). The song references several of Meretzky's text adventure games, and the video is directed by documentarian Jason Scott Sadofsky
Jason Scott Sadofsky
Jason Scott Sadofsky , more commonly known as Jason Scott, is an American archivist and historian of technology. He is the creator, owner and maintainer of textfiles.com, a web site which...
, whose film GET LAMP
Get Lamp
GET LAMP is a two-disc documentary about interactive fiction filmed by computer historian Jason Scott of textfiles.com...
is about the genre.
Several years later, Meretzky joined Blue Fang Games
Blue Fang Games
Blue Fang Games, often shortened to Blue Fang, is a computer game developer .Blue Fang is noted for the popular Zoo Tycoon series.-Games:*Zoo Tycoon **Zoo Tycoon: Dinosaur Digs **Zoo Tycoon: Marine Mania...
to work on the popular Zoo Tycoon franchise.
He is currently employed as a vice president at social media game developer Playdom.
Works
Meretzky has been credited on games developed by: InfocomInfocom
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....
, Legend Entertainment
Legend Entertainment
Legend Entertainment was an American developer of computer games, best known for their complex, distinctive adventure titles throughout the 1990s....
Company, Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
Inc., Boffo Games
Boffo Games
Boffo Games was a short-lived computer games developer founded in 1994 by Steve Meretzky, Mike Dornbrook, and Leo DaCosta. The logo was designed by Gayle Syska, formerly of Infocom. Only two games, Hodj 'n' Podj and The Space Bar, were produced by Boffo before the studio closed its doors in 1997...
Inc., MicroProse
MicroProse
MicroProse was a video game publisher and developer, founded by Wild Bill Stealey and Sid Meier in 1982 as Microprose Software. In 1993, the company became a subsidiary of Spectrum HoloByte and has remained a subsidiary or brand name under several other corporations since...
, GameFX, Floodgate Entertainment
Floodgate Entertainment
Floodgate Entertainment is a Boston-based video game developer, founded by Paul Neurath in 2000. Many of the company's employees are former Looking Glass Studios employees....
, and Tom Snyder Productions.
Lead designer
In the following titles, Meretzky was sole or lead designer / creative director.Infocom
- PlanetfallPlanetfallPlanetfall is a science fiction interactive fiction computer game written by Steve Meretzky, and the eighth title published by Infocom in 1983. Like most Infocom games, thanks to the portable Z-machine, it was released for several platforms simultaneously. The original release included versions...
(1983) - SorcererSorcerer (computer game)Sorcerer is an interactive fiction computer game written by Steve Meretzky and released by Infocom in 1984. It is the second game in the magic-themed "Enchanter trilogy", preceded by Enchanter and followed by Spellbreaker...
(1984) - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (computer game)The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is an interactive fiction computer game based on the comedic science fiction series of the same name. It was designed by series creator Douglas Adams and Infocom's Steve Meretzky, and was first released in 1984 for the Apple II, Macintosh, Commodore 64, DOS,...
(1984) - A Mind Forever VoyagingA Mind Forever VoyagingA Mind Forever Voyaging is an interactive fiction game designed and implemented by Steve Meretzky and published by Infocom in 1985...
(1985) - Leather Goddesses of PhobosLeather Goddesses of PhobosLeather Goddesses of Phobos is an interactive fiction computer game written by Steve Meretzky and published by Infocom in 1986. Like many other Infocom titles, it was released for the IBM PC , Atari 8-bit, Amiga, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, Atari ST and Commodore 64 computers...
(1986) - StationfallStationfallStationfall is an interactive fiction computer game written by Steve Meretzky and released by Infocom in 1987. Like the majority of Infocom's works, it was released simultaneously for several popular computer platforms of the time, such as the Commodore 64, Apple II, and PC. The game is a sequel to...
(1987), Infocom - Zork Zero: The Revenge of MegabozZork ZeroZork Zero: The Revenge of Megaboz is an interactive fiction computer game, written by Steve Meretzky over nearly 18 months and published by Infocom in 1988, with an original retail price of $59.95...
(1988) - Lane Mastodon vs. the Blubbermen (1988)
Activision
- Leather Goddesses of Phobos 2: Gas Pump Girls Meet the Pulsating Inconvenience from Planet X!Leather Goddesses of Phobos 2: Gas Pump Girls Meet the Pulsating Inconvenience from Planet X!Leather Goddesses of Phobos 2: Gas Pump Girls Meet the Pulsating Inconvenience from Planet X! is a graphic adventure game written by Steve Meretzky and published by Activision in 1992 under the Infocom label...
(1992), (under the "Infocom" label)
Legend Entertainment
- Spellcasting 101: Sorcerers Get All The GirlsSpellcasting 101: Sorcerers Get All The GirlsThe text adventure game Spellcasting 101: Sorcerers Get All The Girls is the first installment of the Spellcasting series created by Steve Meretzky during his time at Legend Entertainment...
(1990) - Spellcasting 201: The Sorcerer's ApplianceSpellcasting 201: The Sorcerer's ApplianceThe text adventure game Spellcasting 201: The Sorcerer's Appliance is the second instalment of the Spellcasting series created by Steve Meretzky during his time at Legend Entertainment...
(1991) - Spellcasting 301: Spring BreakSpellcasting 301: Spring BreakThe text adventure game Spellcasting 301: Spring Break is the third and last installment of the Spellcasting series created by Steve Meretzky during his time at Legend Entertainment...
(1992) - Superhero League of HobokenSuperhero League of HobokenSuperhero League of Hoboken is a computer game from Legend Entertainment, designed by interactive fiction designer Steve Meretzky. The game combines the adventure and RPG styles of play and the superhero, comedy and post-apocalypse genres....
(1994)
Boffo Games
- Hodj 'n' PodjHodj 'n' PodjHodj 'n' Podj is a video game released in 1995 designed by video game veteran Steven Meretzky. The game is a collection of reworked puzzle games such as Battleship, Poker, Slots, Cryptograms, and Memory loosely tied together with an overarching goal to save two princesses.Boffo's first game, it was...
(1995), Virgin Interactive Entertainment - The Space BarThe Space BarThe Space Bar is an adventure game co-developed by Boffo Games and published by Rocket Science Games and SegaSoft in 1997. The game featured a 3-D environment which allowed the player to rotate , and a humorous cast of aliens in the framework of a mystery...
(1997), Rocket Science GamesRocket Science GamesRocket Science Games was a video game developer that created games for consoles and computers from 1993 to 1997. The company was responsible for games such as Obsidian, Rocket Jockey, and Loadstar.-History:...
, SegaSoftSegaSoftSegaSoft, originally headquartered in Redwood City, California and later San Francisco, was a joint venture by Sega and CSK, created to develop and publish single and multiplayer games for the PC, primarily in the North American marketplace. SegaSoft was founded in 1995 and lasted until 2000, when...
WorldWinner
- Word Cubes (2001)
- SwapIt! (2003)
- Skillgammon (2004)
- Haunted Mine (2004)
- Paint Buckets (2005)
- ...more than 25 more...
Other titles
For these titles, Meretzky had a lesser role, such as in an advisory capacity:- Frederik Pohl's GatewayGateway (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....
(1992), Legend Entertainment Company - Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender BenderRex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender BenderRex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender is a "point-and-click" style graphic animated adventure developed and published by Microprose in November of 1992.The game is the first graphical adventure game developed by Microprose...
(1992), MicroProse - Eric the UnreadyEric the UnreadyEric 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...
(1993), Legend Entertainment Company - Sinistar UnleashedSinistar UnleashedSinistar Unleashed is an arcade videogame developed by GameFX Thechnology and published by THQ for the PC in 1999. The game is a pseudo-sequel to the 1982 arcade game, and so the original developers were not involved in its production....
(1999), THQ Inc. - Cubis 2Cubis 2Cubis 2 is a puzzle video game that was released in 2004 by FreshGames. In Cubis 2, the player shoots different colored cubes into cubes that are already placed on the isometric game table. Once three of the same color are matched in a row or are stacked, the cubes disappear and the player earns...
(2004), FreshGames LLC.
Books
- Steve Meretzky's Spellcasting 301: Spring Break: The Official Hint Book from Legend Entertainment Company, 1993, Compute, ISBN 0-87455-286-9 (as S. Eric Meretzky)
- Zork: The Forces of Krill (A What-Do-I-Do-Now Book, Zork #1), 1983, Tor Books, ISBN 0-8125-7975-5
- Zork: The Malifestro Quest (A What-Do-I-Do-Now Book, Zork #2), 1983, Tor Books, ISBN 0-8125-7980-1
- Zork: The Cavern of Doom (A What-Do-I-Do-Now Book, Zork #3), 1983, Tor Books, ISBN 0-8125-7985-2
- Zork: Conquest at Quendor (A What-Do-I-Do-Now Book, Zork #4), 1984, Tor Books, ISBN 0-8125-5989-4
Articles
- "Humor in Game Design", 1997, Proceedings of Computer Game Developers Conference
- "Interview: Steve Meretzky", Richard Rouse IIIRichard Rouse IIIRichard Rouse III is an American video game designer and writer best known as the designer of The Suffering games and the author of Game Design: Theory & Practice.-Life and career:...
, "Game Design: Theory & PracticeGame Design: Theory and PracticeGame Design: Theory and Practice is a book on game design by Richard Rouse III, published by Wordware Publishing in 2002. A revised and expanded version was published in 2005.-Overview:...
", 2000 - "Building Character: An Analysis of Character Creation", 2001, Gamasutra
- "Interactive Storytelling", Free Audio File, iTunes U, MIT, Comparative media Studies, Media Industries & Systems, Spring 2006, Week 6: Interactive Storytelling