American role-playing game designer

Erick A. Wujcik (January 26, 1951 – June 7, 2008) was an American designer of both pen-and-paper and computer role-playing games, and co-founder of Palladium Books.

Contents

• 1 Gaming career
• 2 Illness and death
• 3 Awards and honors
• 4 Bibliography
  • 4.1 Palladium Books
    • 4.1.1 After the Bomb
    • 4.1.2 Beyond the Supernatural
    • 4.1.3 Heroes Unlimited
    • 4.1.4 Martial arts
    • 4.1.5 Mechanoid Invasion
    • 4.1.6 Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game
    • 4.1.7 Revised RECON
    • 4.1.8 Rifts
    • 4.1.9 Robotech
    • 4.1.10 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
    • 4.1.11 The Rifter
• 5 References

Gaming career

Wujcik started off as head of the gaming society at Wayne State University, The Warriors and Warlocks of the Wayne Weregamers Society, also known as the Wayne State Weregamers, where he met and befriended Kevin Siembieda.: 155  By 1980 the Wayne Weregamers became known as the Detroit Gaming Center, when Wujcik, the CDM (Congress of Dungeon Masters) and Siembieda moved the group from the Monteith House, scheduled for demolition, to an off-campus building run by a non-profit; Siembieda became *istant Director for the Center with Wujcik as Director.: 155  Wujcik published the science-fiction adventure Sector 57 (1980) under the Detroit Gaming Center banner.: 268  Wujcik worked as a computer columnist for The Detroit News where he wrote their weekly "Computer Column" from 1979 to 1981. That served to be a springboard for him to co-found Palladium Books with Kevin Siembieda and to work on developing numerous role-playing games and supplements for such settings as Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness, After the Bomb, Rifts, and many others, including Amber Diceless Roleplaying Game and Paranoia.

Siembieda obtained the rights to produce a licensed roleplaying game based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book, but he did not approve of the freelancer's final product so he had Wujcik redesign the game, which was done in five weeks, and it was published as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness (1985).: 158  Wujcik designed Revised Recon (1987), a role-playing game revision of the miniatures warfare game Recon (1982).: 159  Wujcik also designed the Ninjas & Superspies role-playing game in 1988, which built on his long-term interest in *an and involved extensive research on his part.: 159  Wujcik also wrote the RPG After the Bomb for Palladium.: 268  He also freelanced for West End Games, and wrote one of the early adventures for the Paranoia roleplaying game, Clones in Space (1986) and contributed to the Acute Paranoia supplement (1986).: 268 

While working at West End Games, Wujcik discovered that the company held a license for Roger Zelazny's Amber novels, which were among Wujcik's favorites, and he offered to design an Amber RPG game even through West End would not guarantee to publish it.: 268  While playtesting the game, Wujcik found that it worked better without dice, but West End did not agree, so he acquired the RPG rights to Amber.: 269  He began developing the game for R. Talsorian Games in the early 1990s, but encountered creative differences there as well.: 210  Siembieda encouraged Wujcik to set up his own company to publish the game, and Wujcik founded Phage Press, hiring his cousins Lisa and Ron Seymour to deal with the business side of the company.: 269  Amber Diceless Roleplaying was finally published in November 1991 by Phage Press.: 269  Wujcik did not like the m*cripts submitted for the game's supplement Shadow Knight (1993), so he rewrote the book himself.: 269  James Wallis brought his Bugtown game to Phage to be produced, but creative differences with Wujcik led Wallis to pull out of Phage in 1994 and start Hogshead Publishing. In 1996, Wujcik convinced Matt Howarth to re-license the Bugtown rights to him, although Wujcik never actually published a game based on the comic.: 269  Wujcik wrote the book Mystic China for Palladium in 1995.: 270 

Wujcik was also the founder of the gaming convention known as Ambercon. In 1997 he went to work for Sierra Studios and was lead game designer on the game Return to Krondor (1998).: 270  He also served as a game designer at Outrage Entertainment for the game Alter Echo.

Wujcik served as chief editor of Amberzine, a fanzine for the Amber Diceless Roleplaying Game, publishing the work of such notables as Ray Bradbury, Henry Kuttner, and Roger Zelazny. He was also an editorial contractor for the Detroit Historical Museum, and gave seminars on a wide range of topics related to the writing, design and development of role-playing games.

Wujcik wrote the books Rifts China 1 and Rifts China 2. At the end of 2004, Wujcik licensed the rights to Amber Diceless Role-playing to Guardians of Order.: 270 

Beginning in the mid-1990s, Wujcik worked in the electronic game business, on *les from Sierra, THQ, and Ubisoft. From 2004 to 2006, Wujcik was Game Design Studio Manager for UbiSoft China, in Shanghai. Wujcik was also Adjunct *istant Professor of Game Design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University between 2003 and 2008.

In early 2007, Wujcik became the senior game designer/writer for Totally Games. Until his death in June 2008, Wujcik was Senior Game Designer and Writer for Totally Games, located in Marin County, California.

Illness and death

On December 22, 2007, it was announced that Wujcik had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The same day, Kevin Siembieda set up a website for well-wishers to leave Wujcik messages:

Erick Wujcik, age 56, is dying of cancer. Until a few weeks ago, Erick was healthy and doing fine. He was enjoying his work at Totally Games, a videogame company, when he thought he had come down with the flu. When he couldn't shake it, he went to the doctors. The diagnosis was unexpected, to say the least. Pancreatic cancer that had spread to his liver. There was no advance warning. It was a shock. Erick presses forward with the willful exuberance he has exhibited all his life.

In his final months, chemotherapy treatments had failed to eradicate Wujcik's cancer and were halted. He entered hospice care in his home in San Rafael, California.

On June 6, 2008, Kevin Siembieda released an update on Erick's condition:

I'm sorry to report that Erick is quite ill now and suffering from the consequences of a failing liver. His deteriorating condition is not a surprise, but it is unwelcomed. Erick has beat the odds and fooled the doctors – fooled everyone – by lasting as long as he has, but then Erick has always been full of surprises and magic. But even the power of the "Wuj" has its limits, and I fear it won't be long now.

Erick Wujcik died the following day, June 7, 2008.

Awards and honors

In August 2008, the first – and, to date, only – Lifetime Achievement ENnies were given out during the awards ceremony at Gen Con. Along with Dungeons & Dragons creators Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax, Erick Wujcik was recognized for his contributions to the gaming industry. However, being aware of his diagnosis and uncertain of his prognosis, EN World decided to present Wujcik with his award on January 26, 2008, at a gathering of family and friends to celebrate his 57th birthday. Kevin Siembieda later offered remarks in remembrance of Wujcik at the official ceremony.

Wujcik was also inducted into the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design Hall of Fame by the Game Manufacturers *ociation at the 37th Origins Awards on June 25, 2011.

At the beginning of the end credits for Tom Clancy's EndWar, there is a dedication to Wujcik.

Bibliography

Palladium Books

After the Bomb

• Wujcik, E. & Balent, M. (January 1986). After the Bomb: A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Supplement (1st:ed.). ISBN:978-0-916211-15-8.
• Wujcik, E. & Siembieda, K. (October 1986). Road Hogs: A Supplement for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness. ISBN:978-0-916211-20-2.
• Wujcik, E. (June 1988). Mutants Down Under: A Sourcebook Compatible with Heroes Unlimited and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. ISBN:978-0-916211-34-9.
• Wujcik, E. (July 1990). After the Bomb Book Four: Mutants of the Yucatan. ISBN:978-0-916211-44-8.
• Wujcik, E. (July 1990). Adventures in the Yucatan for the After the Bomb Series. ISBN:978-0-916211-45-5.
• Wujcik, E. & Siembieda, K. (December 2001). After the Bomb: A Complete Role-Playing Game (2nd:ed.). ISBN:978-0-916211-15-8. – Coauthor, maps.

Beyond the Supernatural

• McCall, R.; Siembieda, K. & Wujcik, E. (October 1987). Beyond the Supernatural: A Role-Playing Game of Contemporary Horror (1st:ed.). ISBN:978-0-916211-18-9. – "Victim rules" and additional text.
• Siembieda, K.; Long, K.; Wujcik, E. & Garwood, B. (October 1990). Boxed Nightmares: An Adventure Sourcebook for Beyond the Supernatural. ISBN:978-0-916211-41-7. – Additional text and ideas.

Heroes Unlimited

• Long, K.; Siembieda, K.; Sheiring, S.; Marciniszyn, A.; Rosenstein, J.; Wujcik, E.; Gustovich, M. & Donald-Siembieda, A. (May 1992). Villains Unlimited: A Sourcebook for Heroes Unlimited (1st:ed.). ISBN:978-0-916211-49-3. – Additional text.
• Siembieda, K.; Breaux, W., Jr.; Wujcik, E.; Long, K.; Oliver, A. & Trustrum, S. (March 1998). Heroes Unlimited, Revised Second Edition. ISBN:978-1-57457-006-9. – Additional text and concepts.

Martial arts

• Wujcik, E. (May 1983). The Palladium Book of Weapons & **ins. ISBN:978-0-916211-03-5. – Research and compiling.
• Balent, M. (April 1989). The Compendium of Weapons, Armour & Castles. ISBN:978-0-916211-38-7. – Castle floor plans.
• Wujcik, E. (August 1990). Ninjas & Superspies (Rev.:ed.). ISBN:978-0-916211-31-8.
• Wujcik, E. & Siembieda, K. (February 1995). Mystic China. ISBN:978-0-916211-77-6.

Mechanoid Invasion

• Siembieda, K. (April 1981). The Mechanoid Invasion. – Tunnel designs.
• Siembieda, K. & Wujcik, E. (December 1985). The Mechanoids. ISBN:978-0-916211-13-4. – Adventure scenarios.

Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game

• Siembieda, K. & Wujcik, E. (June 1984). The Palladium Role-Playing Game (Rev.:ed.). ISBN:978-0-916211-04-2. – "Gersidi" adventure scenario.
• Siembieda, K. (November 1984). The Palladium Role-Playing Game Book II: Old Ones (1st:ed.). ISBN:978-0-916211-09-7. – "Special thanks" for help with "Place of Magic" adventure scenario and map designs.
• Siembieda, K.; Balent, M. & Wujcik, E. (July 1985). Monsters and Animals (1st:ed.). ISBN:978-0-916211-12-7. – *istant monster designer.
• Siembieda, K.; Jacques, C.; Cartier, R.; McCall, R.; Marciniszyn, A. & Wujcik, E. (May 1987). The Palladium Role-Playing Game Book III: Adventures on the High Seas (1st:ed.). ISBN:978-0-916211-17-2. – Additional text.
• Bartold, T.; Boucher, G. S.; Davies, K.; Gomez, J.; Long, K.; Marciniszyn, A.; Siembieda, K. & Wujcik, E. (October 1989). The Palladium Role-Playing Game Book IV: Adventures in the Northern Wilderness. ISBN:978-0-916211-39-4.
• Siembieda, K. & Wujcik, E. (December 1996). Dragons & Gods: A Sourcebook for the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game, Second Edition. ISBN:978-0-916211-98-1.
• Siembieda, K.; Wujcik, E.; Cartier, R.; Marciniszyn, A.; Jacques, C. & McCall, R. (December 1996). Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game Book III: Adventures on the High Seas (2nd:ed.). ISBN:978-0-916211-17-2. – Contributing author, editor.
• Wujcik, E.; Siembieda, K.; Coffin, B.; Bartold, T.; Marciniszyn, A.; Jacques, C. & Long, K. (February 2003). Wolfen Empire Adventure Sourcebook. ISBN:978-1-57457-063-2.

Revised RECON

• Wujcik, E.; Siembieda, K.; Balent, M. & Siembieda, M. (June 1986). The Revised RECON. ISBN:978-0-916211-19-6. – Revised rules and additional text.
• Wujcik, E. (February 1987). Advanced RECON: Supplemental Rules and Adventures. ISBN:978-0-916211-24-0. – Author, maps.
• Wujcik, E.; Siembieda, K.; Balent, M. & Siembieda, M. (April 1999). Deluxe Revised RECON. ISBN:978-1-57457-023-6. – Lead author, maps.

Rifts

• Siembieda, K.; Nowak, P. & Carella, C. J. (July 1995). Rifts World Book Eight: *an. ISBN:978-0-916211-88-2. – Special consultant.
• Siembieda, K.; Coffin, B.; Breaux, W., Jr.; et:al. (September 2001). Coffin, B. & Siembieda, K (eds.). Rifts Game Master Guide. ISBN:978-1-57457-067-0. – Selected material.
• Siembieda, K.; Coffin, B.; Wujcik, E.; et:al. (February 2002). Rifts Adventure Guide. ISBN:978-1-57457-072-4. – Additional text and "words of wisdom".
• Siembieda, K.; Wujcik, E.; Smith, W.; Dudley, M. & Clark, B. C. (January 2004). Rifts World Book 24: China 1—The Yama Kings. ISBN:978-1-57457-094-6.
• Wujcik, E.; Siembieda, K.; Gleba, C. & Yoho, T. (August 2004). Rifts World Book 25: China 2—Heroes of the Celestial Court. ISBN:978-1-57457-095-3.
• Siembieda, K.; Bellaire, C.; Therrien, S.; Ward, T. & Wujcik, E. (August 2005). Rifts Role-Playing Game, Ultimate Edition. ISBN:978-1-57457-150-9. – Additional text and ideas.

Robotech

• Frater, J.; Siembieda, K. & Wujcik, E. (July 1989). The Robotech Role-Playing Game Book Six: The Return of the Masters. ISBN:978-0-916211-37-0. – "Mecha Su-Dai" combat rules.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

• Wujcik, E. (September 1985). Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness. ISBN:978-0-916211-14-1.
• Wujcik, E. (June 1986). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures!. ISBN:978-0-916211-16-5.
• Wujcik, E. (May 1987). Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Guide to the Universe. ISBN:978-0-916211-25-7.
• Wujcik, E. (April 1989). Transdimensional Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. ISBN:978-0-916211-35-6.

The Rifter

• Wujcik, E. (January 1998). Smith, W (ed.). "The Name Giver". The Rifter: Sourcebook and.

References