OT: Steve Jackson

[onomastikon]

Anybody remember the good old days of Steve Jackson's boxed games, such as Car Wars or Ogre? I do. Fond memories. Now, more than 30 years later, I live in a foreign country and nobody here has ever heard of them, not surprisingly. Yet my own boy will soon be old enough to play them. Anyone know if they are still available for purchase anywhere? (I lost my copies decades ago...)

On a related note, I could not help wonder why the SJ game "Ogre" and its subsequent expansions was never made into a SP computer game. From my attempts at searching, I come up with nothing. But perhaps you wise people here who know the indie computer market much better than I would have an idea: Do you know of a decent iteration of a game similar to SJ's "Ogre"? Something nice and simple, and hence equally well-employable for an AI.

Thanks much!

[Jack_Trowell]

The site seems down at the current time, but know that Steve jackson is still making games and some of the old ones that you mentionned are still available => http://www.sjgames.com

See also:
Wikipedia on Steve Jackson games: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jackson_Games

Boardgamegeek page for the company: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/19/steve-jackson-games

[Gandalf Parker]

I totally loved Car Wars.
I really thought a MMORPG would work for it if done right. They tried but it didnt pan out

[onomastikon]

Ogre. I'd love to play Ogre. Let Illwinter make Ogre.

[JonBrave]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/6783 (http://http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/6783)
Seems he has made a career move

[Knai]

GURPS is still going strong, and has pretty much always been the center of SJG. It's not a bad game either, though Grey Ghost's Fudge is probably better for younger children.

[Flop]

I totally loved Car Wars.
I really thought a MMORPG would work for it if done right. They tried but it didnt pan out

You're not talking about Darkwind (http://www.dark-wind.com/), are you? I never actually played Car Wars, but a lot of the people playing Darkwind seem to view it as a quite good MMO version of that game.

[Darkfather]

Anybody remember the good old days of Steve Jackson's boxed games, such as Car Wars or Ogre? I do. Fond memories. Now, more than 30 years later, I live in a foreign country and nobody here has ever heard of them, not surprisingly. Yet my own boy will soon be old enough to play them. Anyone know if they are still available for purchase anywhere? (I lost my copies decades ago...)

On a related note, I could not help wonder why the SJ game "Ogre" and its subsequent expansions was never made into a SP computer game. From my attempts at searching, I come up with nothing. But perhaps you wise people here who know the indie computer market much better than I would have an idea: Do you know of a decent iteration of a game similar to SJ's "Ogre"? Something nice and simple, and hence equally well-employable for an AI.

Thanks much!

Ogre and Car Wars were a different era of gaming. They sold for around $5 each when they first hit the shelves and were designed during the lean and mean era of Steve Jackson. In some ways they were a counter point to Avalon Hill which was looking to publish their games at a much higher price point. SJG has now matured as a company and (mostly) works with much higher price point products. I am not sure now how Steve feels about Car Wars or its revival as I have never asked him about it, but he certainly was passionate about it in the early days. I am sure the right offer with the right backing would bring it back.

A Car Wars type autoduel MMO was produced and if I remember did not do well, it was not based on the IP.

Car Wars had a GURPs supplement that is likely still available.

[oldrocker99]

Origin (of ULTIMA fame) and Steve Jackson Games had a deal going in the mid-80s (C=64 days) and OGRE and CAR WARS were released. CAR WARS was a simple arcade game:mad: with none of the delicious complexity and backstory of the PNP game, while OGRE was a bit more successful:rolleyes: as a translation. OGRE did not contain the GEV expansion:doh:; it was the basic map.

It's my supposition (only) that Steve Jackson was so disappointed with CAR WARS that he abandoned computer games; he has been spotted wearing a T-shirt saying (recalling from memory here), "I'm Steve Jackson. The other one [there's a UK game designer with the same name]. I have ideas for a computer game. Talk to me."

I don't think anything came of it; his company is still producing lots of board games, and 16 years ago, made the best collectible card game ever (imho), ILLUMINATI: NEW WORLD ORDER:angel.

[Soyweiser]

Doesn't he make munchkin the card game? That used to be rather popular.

[ghoul31]

The video game was called Autoduel. It was actually an awesome game

[Darkfather]

Origin (of ULTIMA fame) and Steve Jackson Games had a deal going in the mid-80s (C=64 days) and OGRE and CAR WARS were released. CAR WARS was a simple arcade game:mad: with none of the delicious complexity and backstory of the PNP game, while OGRE was a bit more successful:rolleyes: as a translation. OGRE did not contain the GEV expansion:doh:; it was the basic map.

It's my supposition (only) that Steve Jackson was so disappointed with CAR WARS that he abandoned computer games; he has been spotted wearing a T-shirt saying (recalling from memory here), "I'm Steve Jackson. The other one [there's a UK game designer with the same name]. I have ideas for a computer game. Talk to me."

I don't think anything came of it; his company is still producing lots of board games, and 16 years ago, made the best collectible card game ever (imho), ILLUMINATI: NEW WORLD ORDER:angel.

Steve and I were talking about both having the same name and the confusion with Steve Jackson in the UK, and he suggested we each change our name to Gary Gygax, a moniker so original that it would end all confusion...

[Darkfather]

The sad fact is that MMOs cost between 7 and 40 million to produce. Lots of cool MMOs never see the light unless they come attached to a killer IP, and even then it takes a lot of effort to make a good enough game that makes money.