I just read that Eric Wujcik died of pancreatic cancer on Saturday. Even though not everyone in the Kool-Aid gang may recognize the name, we have all used his work. Eric Wujcik was the co-founder of Palladium Games, the publishers of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness game, which I think each of us played at least once (except Killer.) I know Wander was a fan of the Rifts game, too, which Wujcik also wrote.
Actually, I'm surprised I beat Wander to the post.
Anywho, rest in peace, and thanks for helping me nerd out with your games. TMNT was one of my favorites.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Rest in Peace, Eric Wujcik.
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5 comments:
Speaking of Pancreatic cancer ... Steve Jobs was diagnosed with that back in 03, and supposedly looked pretty worn out at this last weeks Apple news conference. Some think Apple can't survive without him, just think of the problems that might create.
TMNT - man, that brings back some good memories. I tried to dig up some old pictures I drew with good 'ol MS Paint back in the day of Willy Peter, Joey Waters, Pierre LeMan and the rest of my mutated animal crew, but alas, they're all on a floppy disk and I have no drive to open them up with. FG's picture of Sammy Slydale is stuck on that disk, too, somewhere. My childhood self will miss you, Eric.
As far as pancreatic cancer, my grandmother died from that (yes, the same old pleasant women you all know by "Swan? Swan-ey? He's sleeping." - obviously edited to protect my real identity). The sad part was that no one told her why she was sick. Her half-brother just passed away from the same illness, too.
And to really put you in the dumps, did you hear about Cool Hand Luke himself, Paul Newman, apparently has some form of cancer, too, that he's battling?
Cancer sucks.
I bought a Palladium games t-shirt for which all donations went to Eric directly. Every month I recieve a Palladium update email and they would always include an update on Eric.
I was very sad to hear he passed, but I believe from what I read he was ready. A hugely talented mind gone now though.
Jerry Bruckhiemer bought all film rights to Rifts by the way. I really, really hope he gets a movie made. That game is fantastic.
I think TMNT&OS started my habit of liking games with poor mechanics but wonderful stories (WH40k being the best example).
But, that stands to reason as I'm not so much a gamer as I am a story enthusiast. The game was always just a vehicle with which to experience the story.
And obviously I'm not alone in this orientation, as the games that people remember, and that survive the longest aren't the ones with the best mechanics, they're the ones with the best stories. (Or if they have good mechanics, they also have good stories.) Battletech was a horribly bogged down game, with originally ripped-off visuals, yet to this day it survives the death of its publisher because it is such an enganging story.
It's like Lucas said of special effects: a great effect with no story is a pretty boring thing. The same is true for any game more involved than a board or card game.
So while I feel a little bad saying negative things about a man's work a few days after he died, I at least acknowledge that he was immensely talented in the aspect that speaks to one's sense of wonder and adventure. He was more an artist than an engineer.
Interesting point about mechanics vs. stories. There was many a day when I was more interested in drawing things related to games like TMNT, Battletech, and Warhammer 40K, rather than playing.
I'm curious, though--what's an example of a game you think had good mechanics?
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