Behind the Scenes with Jonathan M Thompson, - Writer, game developer and owner of Battlefield Press
http://www.battlefieldpress.com
Jonathan currently resides in Shreveport, LA and has been playing RPG’s since his induction at the tender age of 8- for approximately 30 years.
Rhonda: What got you interested in playing this type of game system?
J.Thompson: I’m not really sure, was asked that question recently too. I just know that when I was 8 years old I was looking around for something to read in the schools library and discovered these guys playing D&D. This was the first time I have seen this sort of thing and I was instantly hooked. It was the beginning of a lifelong obsession with RPGs.
How has gaming changed since you first began gaming into the industry of what it is now? –
J.Thompson: There are more choices for people now, not only in terms of system but in genre as well. When games like Traveller and GURPS started hitting the market you were able to play non Fantasy games, and in the case of GURPS you could really mix and match your genres. I think that choice is a pretty powerful change for the industry.
What is your favorite RPG or system? –
J.Thompson: That’s really a tough question to answer. I have several I love to play, and I play in all of them at some point. That could just be writing new material or it could be actually sitting down to play the game. A few I love are d20, Mutants & Masterminds 3e, Savage Worlds, Earthdawn, the original FASA Star Trek RPG, Battletech, Doctor Who Adventures in Time and Space and Dragon Age. This is by no means an exhaustive list, I guess to say I don’t really have a favorite.
What do you think about RPG's based on fiction and/or fiction based on RPG's (or even movies)-
J.Thompson: This is what we call licensed RPGs. Where you take a book and/or movie and get the rights to build an RPG out of it. I would have to say I am a fan, considering the number of games I own that are tie-in and additionally the number of games I have written that tie-in to existing fiction.
As for fiction based on a game, that is nice too...especially if you are someone that has some trouble grasping some world concepts. Then the fiction allows you to see what "they meant by that," or "oh that’s how that works," or "that’s what that looks like."
It seems like with LOTR movies, that fantasy has reached an acceptable popularity that the genre has not had in the past. What is your take on this? ---
J.Thompson: It has allowed the genre to become more "mainstream." This means that even those who are not fans of the genre have some idea of what you are talking about and can now use them as a frame of reference. Thanks to Batman, Thor, Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, etc. the super hero genre has also reached main stream. These are events I am happy about, because it makes us "more acceptable" to the general public. It seems suddenly that "geek" is "chic". Indeed!
What are some of your fantasy authors/books?
J.Thompson: Dave Chalker, Terry Prachett and Raymond Fiest
When you play- do you prefer home brew or modules?--
J.Thompson: It depends on the group, and what my schedule is like. I prefer writing my own material, but have spent time in the past relying on pre written material just because I haven’t had the time to prep.
What do you think about online gaming and has it helped or hurt the industry in general? –
J.Thompson: I’m not really a big MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) player; I have several installed that I don’t play. I am not against them per se, but generally if I am going to game I want to call up Bob and Fred and see if they are available to game. I work in the RPG (Role Playing Game) Industry so there is hardly ever a time when I am not involved in something to do with the TTRPG(Table Top Role Playing Game) part of gaming.
Has it helped or hurt...I don’t really have an opinion on it. I can certainly see its charm, because if your buddies are not able to play at least you can go online and play.
I do have one thought on it though; I think that people who play MMOs over the TTRPG versions are missing out on the critical element of RPGs... and that is the social interaction with your friends and family.
How would you compare the process of writing an RPG as opposed to writing a novel?
J.Thompson: They are two different types of writing.
RPGs are more technical in nature. You are not really trying to tell a story when writing an RPG, even though the whole idea is for you to tell a story using the rules.
In a novel, you are really writing a story arc, where you are developing the characters and situations. It’s not as interactive as RPGs.
Which for me makes game design easier, but I am still plugging away at the attempt to finish at least one novel in which I am happy with the outcome.
What was your inspiration for Gaslight- A Victorian Fantasy
J.Thompson: I wanted a world where the stuff of Victorian literature all happened, and at once. And those events were an influence on the way the world progressed. So add that to the album Imaginos by Blue Oyster Cult and you have the world of Gaslight.
How long did it take you to research the information for this before you were ready to publish?
J.Thompson: Well, I am a fan of the Victorian period, and its literature so not really that long. However, the game ended up being rewritten at least four times before it went to press just so we could mesh it together and it be the game we wanted, but due to this rewriting process, we ended up with a period of four years between concept and final release.
The newest thing we are publishing is called Eldritch Skies, its a Lovecraftian Science Fiction RPG using the Cinematic Unisystem rules and written by the talented John Snead. There is no link yet as the book has not been released (but scheduled in PDF for the end of March).
To check out this game and Victorian Gaslight, please check out Battlefield Press,
http://www.battlefieldpress.com
Thanks so much for spending the afternoon with me, Jonathan, and allowing me to interview you.
Best of luck to you in the future!
~~RhondaKoti