David Cook (game designer)
David Cook | |
---|---|
Game designer, writer | |
Spouse | Helen |
Children | Ian |
David "Zeb" Cook is an American
Early life
Cook was born in East Lansing, Michigan, and grew up on a farm in Iowa. His father was a farmer and college professor. In junior high school, Cook played wargames such as Avalon Hill's Blitzkrieg and Afrika Korps: "I was primarily a wargamer, but there wasn't any role-playing available then."[1] In college, he was introduced to the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game through the University of Iowa gaming club.[1]
Cook earned his B.A. in English (with a Theater minor) in 1977.[1] He married his high school sweetheart, Helen, with whom he had one son, Ian.[1] Cook became a high school teacher in Milligan, Nebraska, where his students gave him his nickname of "Zeb". The name derives from his signature, which is dominated by a stroke resembling a 'Z,' as well as from his resemblance to the James Arness character Zeb Macahan in the TV series How the West Was Won.[1]
Career
Cook responded to an ad in Dragon magazine for a game designer position at TSR. After writing a sample module section and completing the designer test that the company then used, Cook became the third full-time game designer hired by TSR.[1] Lawrence Schick was head of design and development at the time and brought Cook on board during a time of substantial growth at TSR.[2]: 11 Cook later became Senior Designer. "Game designing is hard work [...] but everything worth doing is hard work. The important thing is to do it well, and to have fun while you're doing it." Cook created role-playing games, modules, family board games, card games, rulebooks, and party mystery games.[1]
He created the Partyzone mystery game line and The Spy Ring scenario.
After
Cook left TSR in 1994 to work in the field of electronic media.[
In 2013, Cook worked as Content Designer at ZeniMax Online Studios on The Elder Scrolls Online.[12] With the release of the Elsweyr expansion for the game in June 2019, Cook was credited as a Senior Product Owner for Bethesda.Net.[13]
See also
- Amazing Engine
- Crimefighters
- Dwellers of the Forbidden City
- List of Dungeons & Dragons modules
- Scourge of the Slave Lords
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "TSR Profiles". Dragon (#104). Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: TSR, Inc.: 63 December 1985.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-907702-58-7.
- ^ Cook, David (March 1981). "Crimefighters" (PDF). Rollenspiel-almanach.de (47). Dragon.
- ^ * David Cook, "Oriental opens new vistas", Dragon 104:20-21, Dec 1985.
- ISSN 0265-8712.
- ^ The Dragon editors (September 1989). "The Envelope, Please!". Dragon (149): 20–21.
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has generic name (help) - ^ a b c Allen 'Delsyn' Rausch (2005-08-22). "City of Villains A Chat with Zeb Cook (PC)". GameSpy. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
- ^ Haring, Scott; Andrew Hartsock (August 1994). "Pyramid Pick: Planescape". Pyramid. #8. Steve Jackson Games. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
- ISBN 978-1-932442-96-0.
- ^ Jeff Woleslagle; Phil Comeau (2006-05-11). "Stargate Worlds Q&A with David "Zeb" Cook From Cities to Worlds". TenTonHammer.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
- ^ Damon White (2003-06-28). "Winners of Origins Game Awards". GamingReport.com. Archived from the original on 2004-01-20. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
- ^ "Elder Scrolls". edlerscrollsonline.com. 2013.
- ^ "The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr Credits". elderscrollsonline.com. 2022.
External links
- "Bibliography at Pen & Paper". Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
- David "Zeb" Cook at BoardGameGeek
- Interview at Grognardia.com