[game_preservation] Arthur C. Clarke dies, aged 90

[bcain at criticalmassinteractive.com]

Thank you for the kind comments, but I do not know anything specific about Mr. Clark's work in video games, nor could I write anything to commemorate his life's work by any means.

I just want to be sure that we do not consider MobyGames as the universal credits list.


Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Armstrong <andrew at aarmstrong.org>

Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:01:48 
To:IGDA Game Preservation SIG <game_preservation at igda.org>
Subject: Re: [game_preservation] Arthur C. Clarke dies, aged 90


Billy, great point - which is why I brought up Gary Gygax as an example counterpoint for having "influence" via. the medium of credits - but this is a much better example!
 
 At the moment, the SIG won't be documenting influential people who are still alive (I know that sounds really bad, sorry), because we don't have a suitable website for this (Wikipedia isn't suitable at all, and Mobygames can't provide the depth needed, and I have no idea how it handles uncredited people), but keep this kind of thing in mind, and we'll come back to it later.
 
 For now and on the current issue, I'm still on the fence a bit about Arthur C. Clarke, but am edging towards adding him since Billy says he's more an influence then the credits presume. If you are influenced by him yourself Billy, and are willing to write a short obituary/biography/influence piece, I'd be happy to sort it onto a memorial page.
 
 Andrew
 
 Billy Cain wrote: 
 
Hey, 
  
Speaking of Gygax, where’s Dave Arneson in MobyGames (pretty poor showing – you’ll see)? 
  
Dave Arneson is currently actually teaching game design at Full Sail, which one could argue is far more broad-reaching for the game industry. 
  
Read more here and read between the lines of “Blackmoor”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Arneson <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Arneson> 
  
So… I would argue that it’s damn hard to use MobyGames as a true sample of who is really doing what in the game industry. 
  
Sincerely, 
 
Billy Cain 
  
 
VP of Development / Geek
 Critical Mass Interactive, Inc
 7427 North Lamar Blvd., Suite #200
 Austin, TX 78752
 (512) 219-1600 voice
 (512) 219-1976 fax
 www.criticalmassinteractive.com <http://www.criticalmassinteractive.com> 
 
  
 
CMI is currently sponsoring:
 - GameCamp!:  <http://www.gamecamp.org> http://www.gamecamp.org
 - Game Education Summit June 10-11, 2008:  <http://www.gameeducationsummit.com/> http://www.gameeducationsummit.com/
 Link our networks:  <http://www.linkedin.com> http://www.linkedin.com
 Our contact info always synched in Outlook: http://www.plaxo.com 
 
 
----------------
 
From: game_preservation-bounces at igda.org <mailto:game_preservation-bounces at igda.org> [mailto:game_preservation-bounces at igda.org <mailto:game_preservation-bounces at igda.org> ] On Behalf Of Andrew Armstrong
 Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 6:32 PM
 To: IGDA Game Preservation SIG
 Subject: Re: [game_preservation] Arthur C. Clarke dies, aged 90 
  
Since the project isn't finalised, I'm going to be asking about much more fringe memorials then this ;-) people die all the time, and you are practically the lead on this project Devin!
 
 You might also be interested to know Gary Gygax was worse for Mobygames credits! Perhaps not a good indicator of influence or whatever, since Gygax surely was more important then 3 "thank you" credits right?
 
 http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,44862/ <http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,44862/> 
 
 If more of Arthur C. Clarke's books were made into games (of one sort or another), or he wrote any game scripts, it might have been worth adding him I think. He wasn't that kind of author however, and his books don't readily make good game material (on the other hand, as concepts for action packed films...).
 
 I am happy to see a rebuttal of this evidence from Devin ;-) since Arthur C. Clarke did have one game made from a book of his (Rendezvous with Rama), which means I'm still on the fence, although I won't add him by myself.
 
 Andrew
 
 Captain Commando wrote: 
Andrew,
 
 While Arthur C Clark is referenced in a few videogames and some of his books have been made into games, he's not really been part of the credits of them:
 
 http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,2889/
 
 Some of these say 'special thanks to' but it seems more like they are saying 'he's been a big influence on us!' rather than 'Arthur C. Clark consulted for our game and told us how to design part of it.' The one reference where he's listed as an actor sounds as if it's an interview, but without the game I can't tell if it's an interview about the book, about the science, or about the game.
 
 So while Clark was an important part of the science and science fiction community I don't think he can really be said to have an influence on game design other than through the narratives of the universes he created. Sadly, I think we have to draw a line there.
 
 -DM
 
 
 
 
On Tue, Mar 18, 2008 at 3:27 PM, Andrew Armstrong <andrew at aarmstrong.org <mailto:andrew at aarmstrong.org> > wrote: 
I was wondering if we wanted to put a memorial page for a great Sci Fi
 author in the memorial project - if we do, say, and I'll put one up.
 
 In any case, I'm sure people here might be interested in knowing he's
 passed away: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7304004.stm <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7304004.stm> 
 
 Andrew
 _______________________________________________
 game_preservation mailing list
 game_preservation at igda.org <mailto:game_preservation at igda.org> 
 http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/game_preservation <http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/game_preservation> 

 
 
 -- 
 The sleep of Reason produces monsters.
 
 "Until next time..."
 Captain Commando   
----------------
   _______________________________________________ game_preservation mailing list game_preservation at igda.org <mailto:game_preservation at igda.org> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/game_preservation <http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/game_preservation>   

 
 __________ NOD32 2958 (20080318) Information __________
 
 This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
 http://www.eset.com <http://www.eset.com> 
----------------
 _______________________________________________ game_preservation mailing list game_preservation at igda.org <mailto:game_preservation at igda.org> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/game_preservation <http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/game_preservation> _______________________________________________
game_preservation mailing list
game_preservation at igda.org
http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/game_preservation