Marc W. Miller
Encyclopedia
Marc Miller is an award-winning wargame and role-playing game designer and author
.
and Frank Chadwick
circa 1972, was a member of the Illinois State University (Normal, Illinois) Games Club. Banner engineered a grant which funded the printing of blank hex sheets (suitable for making wargame maps). The three (plus new members Loren Wiseman
and John Harshman) began drafting a variety of designs, some derivative of existing games at the time (with generic names like Guerre, Swamp), and some original concepts (Triplanetary).
In 1973, Illinois State University, under a program to fund educational innovation, created SimRAD (Simulation Research, Analysis, and Design), which designed games for implementation in the college classroom. At about the same time, the three decided to publish a massive World War II simulation game (conceived and created Game Designers' Workshop
as their publishing company. As university funding dried up for SimRAD, the three shifted their attention to the commercial sector.
on World War II) and Triplanetary
(Miller’s first science-fiction design). In 1974, the company published five new titles, including Coral Sea (the World War II naval battle) and Chaco (the 1930s war between Bolivia and Paraguay) by Miller. During his tenure at GDW, Miller designed a total of 74 games and products, an average of one every four months. including Imperium
, Traveller
, MegaTraveller, and 2300 AD
.
GDW closed its doors on February 29, 1996. Miller stated in interviews that this closure was voluntary, resulting from burnout after years of producing games very rapidly, a pace that he believed that they could not sustain in the long term. "Everybody was just very happy to move on."
(Lombard Illinois) and the University of Illinois. He served in the United States Army, achieving the rank of Captain. He was awarded the Bronze Star
for his service in Vietnam.
He served on the City of Bloomington Human Relations Commission (1987–2001) and was a founder of the Bloomington-Normal Not In Our Town grass-roots anti-racism movement. He serves as President of the Pratt Music Foundation, a non-profit providing music education scholarships to deserving youth.
He currently lives in Bloomington, Illinois with his wife Darlene. He has two adult children, Staley and Richard.
(six times), and the Game Designers’ Guild Award. He is in the Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame twice: he was inducted as a designer into the Origins Hall of Fame in 1981, and his role-playing game Traveller was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Career Beginnings
Marc Miller, along with Rich BannerRich Banner
Paul Richard "Rich" Banner is an award-winning game designer and graphic artist.-Beginnings:Rich Banner and Frank Chadwick, along with Marc Miller, were members of the Illinois State University Games Club...
and Frank Chadwick
Frank Chadwick
Frank Chadwick is a multiple-award–winning game designer and New York Times Best Selling author.-Beginnings:Frank Chadwick, along with Rich Banner and Marc Miller, were members of the Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal Games Club. They used their club funding to design war games...
circa 1972, was a member of the Illinois State University (Normal, Illinois) Games Club. Banner engineered a grant which funded the printing of blank hex sheets (suitable for making wargame maps). The three (plus new members Loren Wiseman
Loren Wiseman
Loren Wiseman is an award-winning wargame and role-playing game designer, game developer, and editor.-Game Designers' Workshop:Loren Wiseman published Eagles , his first wargame, through Game Designers’ Workshop in 1974...
and John Harshman) began drafting a variety of designs, some derivative of existing games at the time (with generic names like Guerre, Swamp), and some original concepts (Triplanetary).
In 1973, Illinois State University, under a program to fund educational innovation, created SimRAD (Simulation Research, Analysis, and Design), which designed games for implementation in the college classroom. At about the same time, the three decided to publish a massive World War II simulation game (conceived and created Game Designers' Workshop
Game Designers' Workshop
Game Designers' Workshop 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...
as their publishing company. As university funding dried up for SimRAD, the three shifted their attention to the commercial sector.
Game Designers' Workshop
Game Designers' Workshop adopted as its birthdate June 22, 1973. In that year, GDW published Drang Nach Osten (the first of its Europa SeriesEuropa (wargame)
Europa is a series of board wargames planned to cover combat over the entire European Theater of World War II at a scale that represents units as divisions and game turns that represent two weeks of time. The series was launched in 1973, and is still in production as of 2005, with over a dozen...
on World War II) and Triplanetary
Triplanetary
Triplanetary was a science fiction board wargame published by Game Designers' Workshop in 1973. It was a simulation of space combat within the solar system in the early 21st Century. The game was designed by Marc W. Miller as part of a series to be named "The Stars! The Stars!". A second edition of...
(Miller’s first science-fiction design). In 1974, the company published five new titles, including Coral Sea (the World War II naval battle) and Chaco (the 1930s war between Bolivia and Paraguay) by Miller. During his tenure at GDW, Miller designed a total of 74 games and products, an average of one every four months. including Imperium
Imperium (board game)
Imperium is a science fiction board wargame that was published in 1977 by the Conflict Game Company and GDW. It was designed by Marc W. Miller and developed by Frank Chadwick and John Harshman. The game came in a cardboard box illustrated with a space battle on the exterior...
, Traveller
Traveller (role-playing game)
Traveller is a series of related science fiction role-playing games, the first published in 1977 by Game Designers' Workshop and subsequent editions by various companies remaining in print to this day. The game was inspired from such classic science fiction stories as the Dumarest saga series by...
, MegaTraveller, and 2300 AD
2300 AD
2300 AD is a hard science fiction role-playing game created by Game Designers Workshop, originally offered as an alternative to the space opera portrayed by the company's leading science fiction role-playing game, Traveller...
.
GDW closed its doors on February 29, 1996. Miller stated in interviews that this closure was voluntary, resulting from burnout after years of producing games very rapidly, a pace that he believed that they could not sustain in the long term. "Everybody was just very happy to move on."
Post GDW
Marc Miller publishes his own game designs through Far Future Enterprises (FFE) at farfuture.net, and consults about various aspects of the game industry through his Heartland Publishing Services notably on design and production issues. His role-playing games are currently in print through Steve Jackson Games and Mongoose Publishing.Personal History
Marc Miller is a graduate of Glenbard East High SchoolGlenbard East High School
Glenbard East High School, or GEHS, is a public four-year high school located in Lombard, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, in the United States. It is part of Glenbard Township High School District 87.-History:...
(Lombard Illinois) and the University of Illinois. He served in the United States Army, achieving the rank of Captain. He was awarded the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
for his service in Vietnam.
He served on the City of Bloomington Human Relations Commission (1987–2001) and was a founder of the Bloomington-Normal Not In Our Town grass-roots anti-racism movement. He serves as President of the Pratt Music Foundation, a non-profit providing music education scholarships to deserving youth.
He currently lives in Bloomington, Illinois with his wife Darlene. He has two adult children, Staley and Richard.
Awards and recognition
Miller has received every major award for design excellence, including the Origins Award, the prestigious Games 100GAMES 100
The Games 100 is an annual feature of Games magazine, a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles. The Games 100 first appeared in the November/December 1980 issue as an alphabetic list of the 100 games preferred by the editors of the magazine...
(six times), and the Game Designers’ Guild Award. He is in the Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame twice: he was inducted as a designer into the Origins Hall of Fame in 1981, and his role-playing game Traveller was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.