François Marcela-Froideval
Encyclopedia
François Marcela-Froideval (born December 10, 1958) is a French
role-playing game
, videogame and comic scenarist.
Froideval had a major influence on the introduction of role-playing games in France, mainly as editor in chief
of the now-defunct Casus Belli role-playing magazine. During this time, he was one of the three authors who established the French term for a "munchkin
", Gros Bill, from the nickname of an overly powergaming
player once in Froideval's group.
He left for the United States
in 1982 to join TSR, Inc.
, where he worked for four years. His writing contributions include several Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules and monster manuals in collaboration with Gary Gygax
, like Oriental Adventures
. Back in France, he focused on translating and publishing TSR games until 1989.
He wrote the scenario of several French videogames, working for Infogrames
(Drakkhen
) and Cryo Interactive
(Dragon Lore
series).
In 1989, he wrote the scenario of the first Black Moon Chronicles
comic album with drawer Olivier Ledroit
. He kept on writing the scenario until the end of the series in 2008.
Froideval dedicated the Black Moon Chronicles series to Gary Gygax in the last album End of Times through these words:
He currently still writes scenarios for Black Moon spin-off series, and other French comic series.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, videogame and comic scenarist.
Froideval had a major influence on the introduction of role-playing games in France, mainly as editor in chief
Editor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
of the now-defunct Casus Belli role-playing magazine. During this time, he was one of the three authors who established the French term for a "munchkin
Munchkin (role-playing games)
In gaming, a Munchkin is a player who plays what is intended to be a non-competitive game in an aggressively competitive manner...
", Gros Bill, from the nickname of an overly powergaming
Powergaming
Powergaming is a style of interacting with games or game-like systems with the aim of maximising progress towards a specific goal, to the exclusion of other considerations such as storytelling, atmosphere and camaraderie...
player once in Froideval's group.
He left for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1982 to join TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, where he worked for four years. His writing contributions include several Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules and monster manuals in collaboration with Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
, like Oriental Adventures
Oriental Adventures
Oriental Adventures is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
. Back in France, he focused on translating and publishing TSR games until 1989.
He wrote the scenario of several French videogames, working for Infogrames
Infogrames
Infogrames Entertainment SA was an international French holding company headquartered in Paris, France. It was the owner of Atari, Inc., headquartered in New York City, U.S. and Atari Europe. It was founded in 1983 by Bruno Bonnell and Christophe Sapet using the proceeds from an introductory...
(Drakkhen
Drakkhen
Drakkhen is a 3D computer role-playing game which was initially developed for the Amiga and Atari ST, and subsequently ported to several other platforms, including MS-DOS and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System....
) and Cryo Interactive
Cryo Interactive
Cryo Interactive Entertainment is a French video game development and publishing company founded in 1992, but existing unofficially since 1989 as a developer group under the name Cryo...
(Dragon Lore
Dragon Lore
Dragon Lore is a point-and-click adventure game released in 1994 by Cryo Interactive for MS-DOS CD-ROM, and later ported to the 3DO game console. The hero plays Werner, a farm boy who must interact with various characters in a fantasy atmosphere, solve puzzles, and fight enemies...
series).
In 1989, he wrote the scenario of the first Black Moon Chronicles
Black Moon Chronicles
The Black Moon Chronicles is an epic dark fantasy French comic series.-Publication history:Written by François Marcela-Froideval, the Black Moon Chronicles is an epic story offset by liberal doses of irreverent humour and the use of colloquial modern French over the archaic language usually found...
comic album with drawer Olivier Ledroit
Olivier Ledroit
Olivier Ledroit is a French comic book artist, perhaps best known for his work on the Black Moon Chronicles series. He has also worked on art designs in the Might and Magic franchise....
. He kept on writing the scenario until the end of the series in 2008.
Froideval dedicated the Black Moon Chronicles series to Gary Gygax in the last album End of Times through these words:
He currently still writes scenarios for Black Moon spin-off series, and other French comic series.
External links
- Francois Froideval at Black Moon ChroniclesBlack Moon ChroniclesThe Black Moon Chronicles is an epic dark fantasy French comic series.-Publication history:Written by François Marcela-Froideval, the Black Moon Chronicles is an epic story offset by liberal doses of irreverent humour and the use of colloquial modern French over the archaic language usually found...
DargaudDargaudLes Éditions Dargaud is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1943 by Georges Dargaud.Initially, Dargaud published novels for women...
website - Francois Froideval at LambiekLambiekLambiek is a comic book store and art gallery in Amsterdam, founded in 1968 by Kees Kousemaker .It has held exhibitions of art by comic creators, including Robert Crumb, Daniel Clowes, Erik Kriek, André Franquin, Tanino Liberatore and Chris Ware...
- Francois Froideval at Bedetheque