David L. Pulver
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

David L. Pulver (born 2 November 1965 in
Kingston, Ontario Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located on the north-eastern end of Lake Ontario, at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Cataraqui River (south end of the Rideau Canal). The city is midway between Toro ...
) is a
Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
freelance ''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...
writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, p ...
and game designer, author of more than fifty
role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
rulebooks and supplements, including the award-winning '' Transhuman Space''.


Early life and education

Pulver has a
History History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
BA from
Queen's University Queen's or Queens University may refer to: *Queen's University at Kingston, Ontario, Canada *Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK **Queen's University of Belfast (UK Parliament constituency) (1918–1950) **Queen's University of Belfast ...
.


Role-playing game designs

In a 2010 interview, Pulver stated that although he has been doing work for
Steve Jackson Games Steve Jackson Games (SJGames) is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and (until 2019) the gaming magazine ''Pyramid''. History Founded in 1980, six years after the cr ...
(SJG) "ever since I became a freelance writer," he also worked for TSR,
Game Designer's Workshop Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) was a wargame and role-playing game publisher from 1973 to 1996. Many of their games are now carried by other publishers. History Game Designers' Workshop was originally established June 22, 1973. The founding me ...
, West End Games,
Iron Crown Enterprises Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE) is a publishing company that has produced role playing, board, miniature, and collectible card games since 1980. Many of ICE's better-known products were related to J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, but the ''Ro ...
, and White Wolf Publishing, before his significant contribution to the Guardians of Order catalogue. He is a fan of anime and
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
.DiceCast Special Holiday Interview Episod

(by Polymancer Studios). Podcast, includes interview with David Pulver
In 1989 Pulver designed the first version of ''
GURPS Ultra-Tech ''GURPS Ultra-Tech'' is a sourcebook published by Steve Jackson Games (SJG) in 1989 for science fiction role-playing games using third edition ''GURPS'' (''Generic Universal Role-playing System'') rules. Description ''GURPS Ultra-Tech'' is writt ...
'', an equipment guide that could be used with many different (science fiction) worlds. Pulver contributed adventures to several anthologies published for ''GURPS'', and also designed ''
GURPS Psionics ''GURPS Psionics'' is a supplement by David Pulver, published by Steve Jackson Games in 1991 for ''GURPS'' (''Generic Universal Role-Playing System''). Contents This book explains how psionics rules can be added to any GURPS campaign. Psionics ...
'' (1991) followed by '' GURPS Vehicles'' (1993). The latter featured a mathematically complex vehicle-construction system, allowing the creation of vehicles ranging from a stone-age canoe to faster-than-light
starship A starship, starcraft, or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for interstellar travel, traveling between planetary systems. The term is mostly found in science fiction. Reference to a "star-ship" appears as early as 188 ...
. This system was later simplified for ''
GURPS Traveller ''GURPS Traveller'' is a set of table-top role-playing game books by Steve Jackson Games, designed to allow game play in the Third Imperium science-fiction setting from the original '' Traveller'' using the ''GURPS'' rule system. Loren Wiseman ...
'' (especially ''GURPS Traveller: Starships'' and ''GURPS Traveller: Ground Forces'') and '' GURPS World War 2'' (including ''GURPS WW2: Motorpool''). The design rules in '' GURPS Robots'' (1997) and ''
GURPS Mecha ''GURPS Mecha'' is a supplement by David Pulver, published by Steve Jackson Games (SJG) in 1997 for ''GURPS'' (''Generic Universal Role-Playing System''). Contents ''GURPS Mecha'' is a supplement that allows players and gamemasters to design mech ...
'' (1997) are fully compatible with it. Pulver also produced two original game settings for SJG at this time: ''GURPS Reign of Steel'' (1996) and ''GURPS Technomancer'' (1998). In November 1998, fellow Canadian
Mark MacKinnon Mark MacKinnon (born 1974) is a Canadian journalist, currently senior international correspondent for one of Canada's national newspapers, ''The Globe and Mail''. A graduate of Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, he is a seven-time winner of ...
brought Pulver on to Guardians of Order, and Pulver took the lead in extending ''
Big Eyes, Small Mouth ''Big Eyes, Small Mouth'' (''BESM'') is a tabletop role-playing game originally produced by Guardians of Order in 1997 that was designed to simulate the action of anime and manga. The title alludes to the common anime drawing style of character ...
'' from its simple beginnings to become a more complex game, including a skill system and vehicle rules. Pulver also simultaneously worked on more licensed, standalone games, including '' Dominion: Tank Police'' (1999), '' Demon City Shinjuku'' (2000), and '' Tenchi Muyo!'' (2000). With John R. Phythyon, Jr., Pulver also designed the gangster samurai Tri-stat game ''
Ghost Dog ''Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai'' is a 1999 internationally co-produced martial arts crime thriller drama film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. Forest Whitaker stars as the title character, the mysterious "Ghost Dog", a hitman in the e ...
'' (2000), based on the film of the same name. Continuing his interest in science-fiction, he also wrote ''
Centauri Knights ''Big Eyes, Small Mouth'' (''BESM'') is a tabletop role-playing game originally produced by Guardians of Order in 1997 that was designed to simulate the action of anime and manga. The title alludes to the common anime drawing style of character ...
'' (2001), the first original setting from Guardians of Order. Pulver continued to write for Guardians almost to the point when they ceased publication, notably contributing to their anthologies ''Ex Machina'' (2004) and ''Dreaming Cities'' (2005). Meanwhile, Pulver continued his 20-year relationship with Steve Jackson Games. He contributed to ''GURPS Traveller'' and ''GURPS World War 2'' lines, and created '' Transhuman Space'' (2002), a new science fiction setting and game line for '' GURPS''. Pulver assisted
Sean Punch Sean Punch (born July 27, 1967) is a Canadian writer and game designer. He is the author of the fourth edition of the ''GURPS'' role-playing game. Before he turned to writing he was a student of particle physics. History with GURPS After writing ...
with the fourth edition of ''GURPS'' beginning in September 2002, and with releases from 2004 to 2009. His vehicle design rules for the 4th edition of ''GURPS'' were released in ''GURPS Spaceships'' (2007).


Work in other media

Steve Jackson and David Pulver coauthored a novella, ''Thera Awakening'', that was distributed with the Interplay
computer game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
''
Stonekeep ''Stonekeep'' is a role-playing video game developed and released by Interplay Productions for the PC in 1995. It is a first-person dungeon crawler game with pre-rendered environments, digitized characters and live-action cinematic sequences. Rep ...
''. This novella describes the backstory and history of the ''Stonekeep'' world and characters and was completed before the game was finished. Pulver was the guest of honor at the 1992 U-Con gaming convention (held annually at the
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
).


Writing credits


GURPS, Third Edition

*''All-Star Jam 2004'' *''
Bio-Tech Biotechnology is the integration of Natural science, natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The te ...
'' *''Cyberpunk Adventures'' (winner of the 1992 Origins Award for ''Best Roleplaying Adventure'') *''Fantasy Adventures'' *''GURPS Lite for Transhuman Space'' *''Mecha'' *''Psionics'' *'' Reign of Steel'' *''Robots'' *''Space Atlas IV'' *''Special Ops, 2nd edition'' *'' Technomancer'' *''Time Travel Adventures'' *'' Transhuman Space'' (winner of the 2003 Grog d'Or Award for ''Best Role-playing Game, Game Line or RPG Setting''.) **''Deep Beyond'' **''The High Frontier'' *''Traveller Alien Races 1'', ''2'', ''3'', and ''4'' *''Traveller: Ground Forces'' *''Traveller Planetary Survey 6: Darkmoon'' *''Traveller: Star Mercs'' *''Traveller: Starships'' * ''Ultra-Tech'' and ''Ultra-Tech II'' * ''Vehicles'' 1st and 2nd editions *''Vehicles Expansion I'' *''Vehicles Expansion II'' *''Vehicles Lite'' *''Y2K''


GURPS , Fourth Edition

*''GURPS Mass Combat'' (2009) *''GURPS Banestorm: Abydos'' (2008) *'' GURPS Basic Set 4th edition'' *''
GURPS Bio-Tech ''GURPS Bio-Tech'' is a GURPS, the Generic Universal Role Playing Game, sourcebook that covers the implementation of biotechnology in the game. The first edition of the book was written for GURPS Third Edition, while the second edition of GURPS ...
2nd edition'' *''GURPS Spaceships'' (2007) *''
GURPS Ultra-Tech ''GURPS Ultra-Tech'' is a sourcebook published by Steve Jackson Games (SJG) in 1989 for science fiction role-playing games using third edition ''GURPS'' (''Generic Universal Role-playing System'') rules. Description ''GURPS Ultra-Tech'' is writt ...
4th edition''


Other game systems

*''Aliens and Artifacts'' *''
The Authority Role-Playing Game ''The Authority Role-Playing Game'' is a role-playing game published by Guardians of Order in 2004. Description ''The Authority Role-Playing Game'' is based on Warren Ellis's '' The Authority'' comic book. The game uses ''Silver Age Sentinels'' ...
'' *''
Big Eyes, Small Mouth ''Big Eyes, Small Mouth'' (''BESM'') is a tabletop role-playing game originally produced by Guardians of Order in 1997 that was designed to simulate the action of anime and manga. The title alludes to the common anime drawing style of character ...
'' **''BESM Dungeon'' **''Big Eyes, Small Mouth'' (main rulebook) 2nd edition and 3rd editions **''Big Robots, Cool Starships'' **''Centauri Knights'' **''Hot Rods and Gun Bunnies'' *''Bubblegum Crisis: Before and After'' *AD&D 2nd Edition ** '' The Complete Druid's Handbook'' ** ''
The Glory of Rome ''The Glory of Rome'' is an accessory for the ''Dungeons & Dragons, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Contents ''The Glory of Rome'' lays out guidelines for moving the ''AD&D'' game to the Roman Empire. In terms of charac ...
'' *''Cybor Gladiators'' * d20 System **''BESM d20 Role-playing Game'' **''Centauri Knights d20'' **''d20 Mecha'' **''d20 Military Vehicles'' *''Demon City Shinjuku Role-playing Game and Resource Book'' *''Dominion Tank Police Role-playing Game and Resource Book'' *''Dreaming Cities'' *''Escape from Monster Island'' *'' Ex Machina'' *'' Gamer's Handbook of the Marvel Universe 1992 Character Updates'' *'' Ghost Dog Role-Playing Game and Resource Book'' *'' Indiana Jones and the Rising Sun'' *''
Tenchi Muyo is a Japanese anime, light novel and manga franchise. The original series began with a six-episode OVA called created by Masaki Kajishima and directed by Hiroki Hayashi, and released in Japan on September 25, 1992. The series was releas ...
Role-playing Game and Resource Book'' *''
Tri-Stat dX Guardians of Order was a Canadian company founded in 1996 by Mark C. MacKinnon in Guelph, Ontario. The company's business output consisted of role-playing games (RPGs). Their first game is the anime inspired '' Big Eyes, Small Mouth''. In 2006 Gu ...
'' core role-playing system


References


External links

* *
List of David L. Pulver's books at Google Books


* ttp://www.warehouse23.com/search.cgi?keywords=david+pulver List of David Pulver's books available as books from www.warehouse23.com* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pulver, David L. 1965 births Living people Canadian game designers Dungeons & Dragons game designers GURPS writers Queen's University at Kingston alumni Writers from Kingston, Ontario