Prisoner 275-85: Dave Newton
Aliases: Unknown
Scars: None Listed
Priors: Co-designer Mythus, Mythus Magic, Mythus Gamemaster's Screen, Ærth Beastiary

Welcome! We've knocked out a wall and added a new addition to the complex. I'm afraid we've grown tired of hounding various gaming celebs and designers for interviews. Last month I issued an executive order to construct the SHADIS HOLDING BLOCK. Our bounty-hunter is scouring the country and bringing back those hard-to-get individuals of the hobby who have been avoiding us. Once they arrive at our facility they an interred until I can get around to questioning them. So join me, Gameweaver and my little bailiff, Shad, as we extract those answers you're dying to hear by means of painful interrogation. Enjoy!

Gameweaver: Let's see, who's first on our list of prisoners? Hmmm....Dave Newton. Now that name rings a bell.

Shad: Never heard of 'em boss. I think the Bounty Hunter made a mistake. Wanna toss him?

GW: Of course not. Bring him in and let's see what we can find out.

SH: Hmmrrff! Waste of time if ya ask me boss.
(Prisoner is escorted into the Interrogation Chamber and is seated.)

SH: Those shackles wouldn't chaff so much if you'd stop resisting.

Newton: Shut up you little runt! If I get my hands on you...

GW: Well! I see why the guards have been writing you up so often. You've been flogged five times and reprimanded seven times since your arrival. And I understand you've been complaining about the rations here. I'm sure three days of fasting has helped you to reevaluate that assessment.

Newton: The food stinks! What are those green things in the gruel?

GW: No time for that now. Would you mind stating your name for the record?

Newton: My name is Dave Newton, and I'm originally from Southern California -- Hawthorne, to be exact.

GW: California eh? Hmmmm... doesn't speak well of you, Mr Newton. Continue please.

Newton: I am 33 years old, married for the second time, with a son by my first marriage. My current wife, Michele, and I live in rural West Georgia, with our Keeshond and 3 computers. In the mundane world, I am an Artificial Intelligence Developer, but the jury might recognize me as a game designer.

Shad: Did you hear that boss? He's a fugitive! Tell me Mr. Newton, just why did you flee Califor....

GW: Shad, please refrain from asking questions. Remember I AM the interrogator here. Now Mr. Newton, you claim you are a game designer. Could you list your prior work in this endeavor?

Newton: I co-authored the Mythus Fantasy Roleplayinq Game System, with its creator, Gary Gygax. So far, I have worked on Mythus, Mythus Magic, the Mythus Gamemaster's Screen, and the Ærth Bestiary.

GW: Gygax? Somehow he has managed to elude our bounty hunter, but I trust he will be dragged h fore me shortly. I don't understand how you leapt from computers to gaming? How did you get into gaming?

Newton: I started gaming in 1981, with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Over the past 13 years, I played and GM'ed a number of the other obligatory game systems. You know, the Arduin system, Call of Cthulhu, Twilight 2000, Shadowrun, Vampire - though I guess you could say I prefer fantasy and cyberpunk best.

GW: So how did that lead to game design??

Newton: When Michele and I decided to move to Georgia in 1988, I thought I'd find a job in the computer industry without too much trouble. But after about three months, I was staring to get a little nervous. I happened to notice that SSI was doing some computer-related gaming stuff, so I sent letters to all the major game companies, looking for contract work. All except two of the replies were rejections. And only one wasn't a form letter. That one was from Gary Gygax. Well, actually it was a rejection too, but only because he didn't need any programming. Instead, he asked me if I'd ever written any adventures or campaign material. Since I had a campaign that I'd been running for about 5 or 6 years, I wrote back.

Then a funny thing happened - he called me one Saturday. He told me that New infinities could always use new material, and urged us to send in something. So Michele and I started working on some stuff to submit, basically re-writing and fleshing out a campaign scenario based on my hand-written adventures. After nearly 18 months, we presented what we'd done. It turned out to be our portfolio, though it was never published. You see, New Infinities went under about the same time the campaign was submitted for evaluation. I can remember being really depressed, because it seemed like we just missed our shot at getting published.

GW: Oh dear, you're not going to cry are you?

Newton: No I'm fine. Anyway, another funny thing happened. I guess he really liked it, because in early 1990, Gary and Gail sent me a copy of a manuscript to review. It was a rough draft of "The Unhallowed", a Supernatural Horror system. It was supposed to be part of a multi-genre system that was then called Dangerous Dimensions (the name was later changed to "Dangerous Journeys" because of the TSR law suit). The system itself contained the core rules of DJ, and I was really impressed. I mean, it looked like a really cool system, and they said they were planning on doing the fantasy portion of it next. And they were offering me the chance of helping to design it!

After I read through It, I told them I was definitely interested, and they sent me a contract. I was cautious at first, because I'd heard all of the nasty rumors started by the snotty posers who were too stupid to read their contracts. But eventually, I decided to gamble on the contract. Beside, this was the chance I'd been waiting for, and despite what I'd heard, I trusted Gary. And you know what? He never failed me. My name's on the cover, though according to the contract I signed, it really didn't have to be. But I made it clear what was important to me, and we worked really hard together for a shared goal. I've never regretted it. After two and a half years and over a million words later, the game premiered July 1992 at DragonCon in Atlanta.

GW: So you rolled up your sleeves and actually helped the Grand Master design this thing huh? What part of the game are you most proud of?

Newton: I'd have to say the Mythus Magick system. It was probably the part Gary and I worked most closely together on. Originally, he sent me a number of casting descriptions and this long list of casting names broken down by likely area (Sorcery, Spellsongs, etc.). No description, no notes, just names. For a long time I sort of just looked at them and said to myself, 'neat -- I wonder what they do', and went back to work on the other chapters. Then when I finally figured out that I had the latitude to make up what I wanted, I just started writing. When I thought I had done enough on a group, I sent them to Gary, and he picked it up from there.

GW: Is there anything about DJ you would have handled differently?

Newton: Well, our biggest complaint so far has been complexity. Given the penchant we both have for being wordy, I might have toned it down a bit. But still, there are a lot of people that want that level of detail. And it's much easier to throw rules out than it is to add them after the game's been released. Also, I would probably have inserted more casting and creatures In the first book, but that's an editor's job.

GW: Is there anything you've written that causes you to cringe in shame?

Newton: No, not yet. You'll have to get back to me on that one. Given the proper material and/or deadline, though, I'm sure it's just a matter of time (chuckles).

GW: Give me a brief history of Mythus from conception to publication?

Newton: Like I said before, the concept of Dangerous Journeys as a multi-genre roleplaying game was always Gary's, I was just lucky enough to help shape the fantasy system. I started by re-reading the Unhallowed rules and marking the sections that didn't fit within a fantasy framework. With a revised outline from Gary, I started filling in the new sections and adding what I thought needed to be there. For each chapter, section and subsection I wrote several paragraphs of text that helped me understand what I'd be covering.

From there I just started writing, beginning with the basic game, Mythus Prime. When I'd finished those chapters, I sent them to Gary for additions and editing. At the same time, Gary was compiling material for additional chapters, and we each passed the information along as we worked.

The magick system was one of the last sections we tackled and it was one of the most enjoyable. I guess the reason was that I'd been working with Gary long enough to realize I could speak up about things I felt should be done differently. Anyway, he kept saying that we needed more castings, even though we had already fleshed out around 500-600 of them. So finally, I just sat down on my back deck with a couple of beers and a composition book. I put myself into this mindset where I asked myself: if I could do anything with magick what would I want to do. I did this for each type of magick, Alchemy to WitchCraft - and it ready helped. Because the magick system in Mythus reasons that castings operate from effect to cause, I didn't have to worry about the statistical part of it until later.

We batted the castings around for months, and by the time I said 'enough!', there were about 1200 in my final draft. Of course, Gary took that and added nearly 300 more... Believe it or not, the result - Mythus Magick - was originally envisioned as a single chapter!

GW: Are there any Dangerous Journeys surprises in store for us ?

Newton: Since DJ is owned by Omega Helios Ltd., I'm not completely sure what's in the works. And unfortunately, I can't pass along what I do know because of its proprietary nature. I suspect the Grand Master has a few tricks up his sleeve that none of us could predict.

GW: Don't get tight lipped on me now Mr. Newton. Now how about projects outside of DJ?

Newton: First of all, I plan on doing a lot more for DJ, as the projects come along. I owe everything to Gary and I'll write material for him as long as he'll have me. I've been itching to do something pertaining to time and/or probability travel, to I hope that isn't too far in the future (pun intended).

But there are other projects I would like to pursue beyond DJ, one of which is a novel I've been kicking around for a while. And though I don't have any offers yet, Michele and I are always talking with other companies in the industry. We'd love to work with the folks at White Wolf and Wizards of the Coast. We are really impressed with the quality of their products, and we admire the creative spirit we've seen there. We also place a high value on things like vision and teamwork, and I think they have a great deal of both.

Something else I'd really like to be involved in is the growing area of virtual reality. Since I work in the Artificial Intelligence field, its one of those cool things I'm familiar with, but I haven't had a chance to try doing. I spend quite a bit of time programming knowledge base systems and such, but so far it's mostly been business-related.

GW: What are your thoughts on the hobby as a whole?

Newton: I think it's wonderful getting a chance to meet all the established people in the industry. And I really have a great deal of hope for the future of roleplaying games, and games in general. There is so much new talent out there, too -- all the seasoned gamers aspiring to do what I've done. Since I work with technology, I see so much potential just waiting to be tapped. And as long as we have the current masters around to guide us, people like Gygax, Rein-Hagen at White Wolf, Adkinson at Wizards of the Coast -- the gaming industry has a long, interesting future.

GW: I think that will do it for now Mr. Newton. Shad, please escort Mr. Newton off the compound.

Newton: You mean I can go?

GW: For now Mr Newton, for now. But, we'll be watching and I warn you. If you insist on continuing to dabble in game design we are going to pull you back in for an update.

SHAD: Boss, you're not letting him go? Ask him about the jagged scars. And are you forgetting he threatened me?

GW: That will do for now SHAD. We know where to find Mr. Newton if we need him.