Leonard Boyarsky
Encyclopedia
Leonard Boyarsky is an American
computer game designer and visual artist
best known for being one of the key designers of the video games Fallout and Diablo III
.
), he worked as freelance artist for Interplay
and Maxis
in 1992.
(Rags to Riches: The Financial Market Simulation and Castles II: Siege and Conquest
) he was hired as art director, lead artist and designer/writer.
His first work was as lead artist in 1995 was Stonekeep
. Two years later, in 1997, he finished his work as art director on Fallout, where he set the recognizable 1950s future graphics style, the humorous Vault Boy Traitcards and also the unusual ending. He also did some polishing on the dialogs for the game. Before leaving Interplay to form Troika Games
with Tim Cain
and Jason D. Anderson, he designed the overall gameplay refinements and main story arc/quests/areas/characters for Fallout 2
in 1998.
, amongst others he was project leader, art director, designer/writer and CEO.
On their first project, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
, which was released 2001, he filled similar positions as in Fallout, doing the art direction, dialog writing/editing and story/quest design. He was the project leader and art director on Troika's last released game in late 2004, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
. He worked also on an untitled post-apocalyptic game which was never released due to financial trouble. Though, a demonstration video of the engine was later released for the public.
As Troika closed down in early 2005, he took a year off due to burnout syndrome. He was later asked by Blizzard Entertainment
to work on the story and RPG elements on Diablo III
.
at Blizzard Entertainment
.
, Boyarsky commented that
After the Fallout IP
was bought by Bethesda
he said (in 2004):
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
computer game designer and visual artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
best known for being one of the key designers of the video games Fallout and Diablo III
Diablo III
Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise...
.
Early life
After he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Illustration (at Cal State Fullerton) and a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art (at Art Center College of DesignArt Center College of Design
Art Center College of Design is a private college located in Pasadena, California, and was cited by BusinessWeek as one of the 60 best design schools in the world. The college’s industrial design program is consistently ranked number one by both DesignIntelligence and U.S...
), he worked as freelance artist for Interplay
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
and Maxis
Maxis
Maxis is an American company founded as an independent video game developer in 1987. It is currently a subsidiary of Electronic Arts . Maxis is the creator of one of the best-selling computer games of all time, The Sims and its first sequel, The Sims 2...
in 1992.
Interplay Entertainment (1992-1998)
After some freelance work for InterplayInterplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
(Rags to Riches: The Financial Market Simulation and Castles II: Siege and Conquest
Castles II: Siege and Conquest
Castles II: Siege and Conquest is a strategy video game developed for the Macintosh, Amiga and DOS by Interplay Entertainment in 1992, designed and developed by Quicksilver Software; the Macintosh version of the game was published by Interplay Entertainment under the MacPlay brand name...
) he was hired as art director, lead artist and designer/writer.
His first work was as lead artist in 1995 was Stonekeep
Stonekeep
Stonekeep is a 1995 computer role-playing game for DOS by Interplay Entertainment. It is a first-person dungeon adventure with pre-rendered environments and live-action cinematic sequences. Five years in production, Stonekeep was ranked #6 in Gamespot's top ten vaporware hall of shame...
. Two years later, in 1997, he finished his work as art director on Fallout, where he set the recognizable 1950s future graphics style, the humorous Vault Boy Traitcards and also the unusual ending. He also did some polishing on the dialogs for the game. Before leaving Interplay to form Troika Games
Troika Games
Troika Games was a video game developer created by the key people behind the first of the critically acclaimed Fallout series of games. The company was focused on role-playing video games between 1998 and 2005, best known for Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura and Vampire: The Masquerade –...
with Tim Cain
Tim Cain
Tim Cain may refer to:* Timothy Cain, major computer game developer for Interplay and Troika Games* Tim Cain, major recording artist for children and one of the founders of the Sons of Champlin* Tim Kaine, Governor of Virginia...
and Jason D. Anderson, he designed the overall gameplay refinements and main story arc/quests/areas/characters for Fallout 2
Fallout 2
Fallout 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay in 1998. The game's story takes place in 2241, 80 years after the events of Fallout...
in 1998.
Troika Games (1998-2005)
Boyarsky had different roles at Troika GamesTroika Games
Troika Games was a video game developer created by the key people behind the first of the critically acclaimed Fallout series of games. The company was focused on role-playing video games between 1998 and 2005, best known for Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura and Vampire: The Masquerade –...
, amongst others he was project leader, art director, designer/writer and CEO.
On their first project, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is a single player / multi-player computer role-playing game developed by Troika Games and published by Sierra Entertainment. It was released in North America and Europe in August 2001 for Microsoft Windows...
, which was released 2001, he filled similar positions as in Fallout, doing the art direction, dialog writing/editing and story/quest design. He was the project leader and art director on Troika's last released game in late 2004, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, abbreviated as Bloodlines or VTMB, is a computer role-playing game for Windows developed by Troika Games in 2004...
. He worked also on an untitled post-apocalyptic game which was never released due to financial trouble. Though, a demonstration video of the engine was later released for the public.
As Troika closed down in early 2005, he took a year off due to burnout syndrome. He was later asked by Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
to work on the story and RPG elements on Diablo III
Diablo III
Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise...
.
Blizzard Entertainment (2006-present)
Boyarsky is currently working as lead world designer on Diablo IIIDiablo III
Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise...
at Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
.
Quotes
When later asked why he left InterplayInterplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
, Boyarsky commented that
After the Fallout IP
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
was bought by Bethesda
Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks, LLC, is an American video game company. A subsidiary of ZeniMax Media, the company was originally based in Bethesda, Maryland and eventually moved to their current location in Rockville, Maryland...
he said (in 2004):
External links
- Developer Profile at No Mutants Allowed Fallout Fan-Site