Jonathan Tweet
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Tweet is a game designer who has been involved in the development of the role-playing game
s Ars Magica
, Everway
, Over the Edge
, Talislanta
and the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons
, as well as the Collectible Miniatures Game Dreamblade
.
killed me off... because he didn't want a twelve-year-old in his group". Tweet then formed his own gaming group by recruiting classmates.
, a game centered around wizards in the Middle Ages. In 1992 he designed the game Over the Edge, which involved free-form rules and a subjective approach.
Tweet also helped design the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Tweet, Monte Cook
, and Skip Williams
all contributed to the 3rd edition Players Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide
, and Monster Manual
, and then each designer wrote one of the books based on those contributions. On December 2, 2008 he was one of the lay offs from Wizards of the Coast
.
In 2007, he was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame.
.
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...
s Ars Magica
Ars Magica
Ars Magica is a role-playing game set in Mythic Europe, a quasi-historical version of Europe around AD 1200 with added fantastical elements. The game revolves around wizards and their allies...
, Everway
Everway
Everway is a fantasy role-playing game first published by Wizards of the Coast under their Alter Ego brand in the mid-1990s. Its lead designer was Jonathan Tweet. Marketed as a "Visionary Roleplaying Game", it has often been characterized as an innovative piece with a limited commercial success...
, Over the Edge
Over the Edge (role-playing game)
Over the Edge is a surreal role-playing game of secrets and conspiracies, taking place on the mysterious Island of Al Amarja. It was created by Jonathan Tweet with Robin Laws, and published by Atlas Games...
, Talislanta
Talislanta
Talislanta is a fantasy role-playing game written by Stephen Michael Sechi, with significant stylistic input by artist P.D. Breeding-Black. Initially released in 1987 by Bard Games, the game quickly gained a reputation as an alternative to Dungeons & Dragons that was both much simpler mechanically...
and the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
, as well as the Collectible Miniatures Game Dreamblade
Dreamblade
Dreamblade is a collectible miniatures game created by Wizards of the Coast that debuted on August 9, 2006, the day before Gen Con Indy. The game is a strategy contest that includes an element of chance which comes into play through various die rolls....
.
Early life
Jonathan Tweet started playing D&D in the 1970s, when his father gave him his first Dungeons & Dragons game. He briefly played with a group of college students, although he says, "but the DMDungeon Master
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Dungeon Master is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events...
killed me off... because he didn't want a twelve-year-old in his group". Tweet then formed his own gaming group by recruiting classmates.
Career
In 1987, Tweet designed the game Ars MagicaArs Magica
Ars Magica is a role-playing game set in Mythic Europe, a quasi-historical version of Europe around AD 1200 with added fantastical elements. The game revolves around wizards and their allies...
, a game centered around wizards in the Middle Ages. In 1992 he designed the game Over the Edge, which involved free-form rules and a subjective approach.
Tweet also helped design the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Tweet, Monte Cook
Monte Cook
Monte Cook is a professional table-top role-playing game designer and writer. He is married to Sue Weinlein Cook.-Roleplaying:Cook has been a professional game designer since 1988, working primarily on role-playing games. Much of his early work was for Iron Crown Enterprises as an editor and writer...
, and Skip Williams
Skip Williams
Ralph Williams, almost always referred to as Skip Williams, is an American game designer. He is married to Penny Williams, who is also involved with the games industry...
all contributed to the 3rd edition Players Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide
Dungeon Master's Guide
The Dungeon Master's Guide is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
, and Monster Manual
Monster Manual
The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...
, and then each designer wrote one of the books based on those contributions. On December 2, 2008 he was one of the lay offs from Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
.
In 2007, he was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame.
Views
An atheist since grade school, Tweet has devoted much of his personal website to his views on religion, in particular on the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.