Mark H. Walker
Encyclopedia
Mark H. Walker is a writer and board
wargame
designer. He has written articles about Information Technology
and computer and video games
for publications including AutoWeek
, PC Gamer
, Computer Gaming World
and Playboy
and websites such as GameSpy
and Science Fiction Weekly.
. He has a Masters degree in Warfighting and International Relations from the Naval War College
.
His first novel, A Craving for Blood (ISBN 1-60145-008-7), was published on October 2, 2006.http://markhwalker.com/acravingforblood.htm
in which a counter can represent a squad
, a vehicle or a person such as a sniper or a commanding officer. The first of these games, Lock 'n Load: Forgotten Heroes: Vietnam was published by Shrapnel Games
in 2003. Lock 'n Load: ANZAC Attack, an expansion pack was released in 2004. Lock ’n Load: Band of Heroes, published in 2006 by Matrix Games
, is set during World War II
. Both Forgotten Heroes and Band of Heroes were voted best boardgame of the year by readers of The Wargamer.
Walker also designed several smaller board wargames for free publication in Armchair General Magazine
.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
wargame
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
designer. He has written articles about Information Technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
and computer and video games
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
for publications including AutoWeek
AutoWeek
AutoWeek is a fortnightly automotive enthusiast publication based in Detroit, Michigan. One of 32 titles published by Crain Communications Inc, its parent company, AutoWeek is unique as the only consumer title among its sister publications....
, PC Gamer
PC Gamer
PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
, Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
and Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
and websites such as GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
and Science Fiction Weekly.
Background
Walker spent over 17 years in the U.S. Navy, reaching the rank of CommanderCommander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
. He has a Masters degree in Warfighting and International Relations from the Naval War College
Naval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
.
Writing
Walker has written or co-authored dozens of computer-related books, including the official game guides for several computer games.His first novel, A Craving for Blood (ISBN 1-60145-008-7), was published on October 2, 2006.http://markhwalker.com/acravingforblood.htm
Game Designs
Walker designed an award-winning series of board wargames called Lock 'n Load. The games are squad-level wargamesTactical wargame
Tactical wargames are a type of wargame that models military conflict at a tactical level, i.e. units range from individual vehicles and squads to platoons or companies. These units are rated based on types and ranges of individual weaponry...
in which a counter can represent a squad
Squad
In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries following the British Army tradition this organization is referred to as a section...
, a vehicle or a person such as a sniper or a commanding officer. The first of these games, Lock 'n Load: Forgotten Heroes: Vietnam was published by Shrapnel Games
Shrapnel Games
Shrapnel Games is an independent American video game publisher that specializes in the strategy and role playing genres, particularly turn-based strategy games. It was founded in 1999 by Tim Brooks in Cary, North Carolina...
in 2003. Lock 'n Load: ANZAC Attack, an expansion pack was released in 2004. Lock ’n Load: Band of Heroes, published in 2006 by Matrix Games
Matrix Games
Matrix Games is a publisher of computer games, specifically strategy games and wargames. They are based out of Staten Island, New York.Their focus is primarily but not exclusively on war games and turn-based strategy...
, is set during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Both Forgotten Heroes and Band of Heroes were voted best boardgame of the year by readers of The Wargamer.
Walker also designed several smaller board wargames for free publication in Armchair General Magazine
Armchair General Magazine
Armchair General Magazine covers first and foremost military history but defines itself by putting the emphasis on involving the reader and features tactical situations which can be resolved by sending solutions to the magazine's staff...
.