Rick Krebs
Encyclopedia
Richard S. "Rick" Krebs is a role-playing game
and simulation game designer.
His initial game design was in the early 1960s when he created simulation games using toothpicks, American plastic bricks, cardboard chits, bingo chips and the box-like design of his bed quilt (buildings). The periods covered by these rules began with medieval & fantasy knights, through gangster wars, and continued into modern warfare. His mother frequently commented that Rick used to get in trouble with the neighborhood kids, as he was always changing or making up new rules. Briefly, putting aside his toys and games, Krebs trained as a social/cultural/intellectual historian, and received a B.A.
from Albright College
in 1971. His senior thesis was on the biographer/journalist/historian, Burton J. Hendrick
.
's Gangbusters
, a historical role-playing game set in the 1920s.
Krebs's professional involvement in the industry goes back to a fantasy fanzine
Phanta Carta, and the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
game, where he contributed to and is credited in the Preface to the 1979 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide
. He also wrote the articles, "D&D meets the Electronic Age" and "Non-player character
s Have Feelings Too" for Dragon
magazine.
Founded and operated the original Gamer's Guild game store from 1977 to 1982. During this time created the Krebikoff Gambit for use in the Cosmic Encounter
board game, designed a simplified rule set for space gaming with miniature figures, and rules for English Civil War military miniatures.
In the mid 1990s, he worked on the play-by-mail game
ElderLords (based on his D&D campaign), promoted and designed adventures for the computer game Eamon adventures
, created and programmed Radio Horse Racing, a computerized horse racing simulation , created the 'rainbow doozi' cyber creaturatons and refined several artificial intelligence computer games. Maintained a correspondence with Gary Gygax
from 1975 until Mr Gygax's death in 2008. Created and produced "Foam Wars" gaming system.
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...
and simulation game designer.
His initial game design was in the early 1960s when he created simulation games using toothpicks, American plastic bricks, cardboard chits, bingo chips and the box-like design of his bed quilt (buildings). The periods covered by these rules began with medieval & fantasy knights, through gangster wars, and continued into modern warfare. His mother frequently commented that Rick used to get in trouble with the neighborhood kids, as he was always changing or making up new rules. Briefly, putting aside his toys and games, Krebs trained as a social/cultural/intellectual historian, and received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Albright College
Albright College
Albright College is a private, co-ed, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1856 and is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States.-Overview:...
in 1971. His senior thesis was on the biographer/journalist/historian, Burton J. Hendrick
Burton J. Hendrick
Burton Jesse Hendrick born in New Haven, Connecticut. While attending Yale University, Hendrick was editor of both The Yale Courant and The Yale Literary Magazine. He received his BA in 1895 and his master's in 1897 from Yale. After completing his degree work, Hendrick became editor of the New...
.
Game career
Rick Krebs is the original game designer for 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....
's Gangbusters
Gangbusters (role-playing game)
Gangbusters was a historical roleplaying game designed by Rick Krebs with Mark Acres assisting in its development. The game was published by TSR, Inc. Two editions of the game were published. The first edition of the game was published in 1982.Gangbusters is a game about crime in the United States...
, a historical role-playing game set in the 1920s.
Krebs's professional involvement in the industry goes back to a fantasy fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
Phanta Carta, and the first edition Advanced 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...
game, where he contributed to and is credited in the Preface to the 1979 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 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...
. He also wrote the articles, "D&D meets the Electronic Age" and "Non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
s Have Feelings Too" for Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine.
Founded and operated the original Gamer's Guild game store from 1977 to 1982. During this time created the Krebikoff Gambit for use in the Cosmic Encounter
Cosmic Encounter
Cosmic Encounter is a science fiction-themed strategy board game, designed by "Future Pastimes" and originally published by Eon Games in 1977...
board game, designed a simplified rule set for space gaming with miniature figures, and rules for English Civil War military miniatures.
In the mid 1990s, he worked on the play-by-mail game
Play-by-mail game
Play-by-mail games, sometimes known as "Play-by-post", are games, of any type, played through postal mail or e-mail. One example, chess, has been played by mail for centuries . Another example, Diplomacy, has been played by mail since the 1960s, starting with a printed newsletter written by John...
ElderLords (based on his D&D campaign), promoted and designed adventures for the computer game Eamon adventures
Eamon (computer game)
Eamon, sometimes known by the longer title The Wonderful World of Eamon, is a computer adventure game created by Donald Brown and released for the Apple II in 1980. The game is a text adventure similar to other early titles like Adventure or Zork , though with many role-playing elements not...
, created and programmed Radio Horse Racing, a computerized horse racing simulation , created the 'rainbow doozi' cyber creaturatons and refined several artificial intelligence computer games. Maintained a correspondence 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....
from 1975 until Mr Gygax's death in 2008. Created and produced "Foam Wars" gaming system.
Sources
- RPG Encyclopedia (G)
- Swan, Rick. The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games (St Martin Press, 1990).