Kevin Siembieda
Kevin Siembieda | |
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Born | Kevin Henry Siembieda April 2, 1956 |
Education | College for Creative Studies |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1979–2008 |
Notable work | Heroes Unlimited The Mechanoid Invasion Palladium Fantasy RPG Rifts |
Spouse | Maryann Donald (1985–2004) |
Kevin Siembieda (born April 2, 1956) is an American
Career
Siembieda is a third-generation
Siembieda is the co-founder and president of Palladium Books.[3] He founded the company in April 1981 to publish his fantasy role-playing game, but had insufficient funds to publish any books; the mother of his friend Bill Loebs loaned Siembieda $1,500 to publish his first RPG book, The Mechanoid Invasion (1981).[2]: 156 By 1983 the company was successful enough for Siembieda to rent warehouse space and release his fantasy RPG, the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game[2]: 157 with a loan of $10,000 from his friend Thom Bartold who had also loaned him funds to print the other two books in the Mechanoid Trilogy, Journey and Homeworld in 1982.[citation needed] These were not just loans, but investments, and Siembieda established a system of paying royalties not just to the writers and artists, but also to those who lent him the capital needed to print the books: his investors.[citation needed] The following year, he branched the Palladium system to the superhero genre with Heroes Unlimited.[2]: 157 A freelancer contacted Siembieda about producing a licensed role-playing game based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book, so Siembieda obtained the rights, but was dissatisfied with the supplement the freelancer produced; Erick Wujcik redesigned the game in five weeks, and it was published in 1985 as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness.[2]: 158 Siembieda next obtained the license to publish a game based on the Robotech anime series, so he designed the Robotech role-playing game and published in 1986.[2]: 158–159
Siembieda wrote the RPG
He is also an artist, and has occasionally illustrated Palladium Books products. Siembieda contributed art and cartography to several early Judges Guild products for the Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller lines.[5]
Siembieda's Robotech RPG Tactics Kickstarter[6] is one of the largest failures in tabletop Kickstarter history.[7] The project failed to deliver on its goals and raised over $1.4M. Despite not making its goal and unable to deliver Wave 2, Palladium did not refund money given to the project.[8]
Early illustration credits
Judges Guild
Dungeons & Dragons
- Nevins, Paul & Faust, Bill (October 1979). Verbosh. Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 108]. - Front cover, interior art; maps (with B. Faust)
- Mayeau, Michael E. (1979). Operation Ogre. D&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 109]. - Front cover; interior art (with Gerald Busby and Ed L. Perry)
- Hinnen, Bryan (1979). The Mines of Custalcon. D&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 111]. - Front cover (with Ken Simpson and Rick Houser)
- Karczag, Paul (November 1979). The Maltese Clue. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D). [JG 114]. - Interior art.
- Emigh, Dave (1980). The Sword of Hope. D&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 118]. - Interior art (with Aaron Arocho, Michael D. Reagan and Jennell Jaquays)
- Emigh, D. (1980). Tower of Ulission. D&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 119]. - Interior art (with A. Arocho, Bob Bingham and P. Jaquays)
- Pruehs, Allen V. & Pruehs, Ree Moorhead (1980). Escape from Astigar's Lair. AD&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 124]. - Front cover; interior art (with P. Jaquays)
- Bledsaw, Bob & Hippenhammer, Creighton (1980). City State of the World Emperor. D&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 150]. - Interior art (with P. Jaquays)
- Bledsaw, B.; Hippenhammer, C.; Kraft, Rudy & Miner, Clayton (1980). City State of the World Emperor—Book I: Map Guide. D&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 155]. - Interior art (with P. Jaquays)
- Bledsaw, B.; Hippenhammer, C.; Kraft, R.; Miner, C. & Holmer, Mark (1980). City State of the World Emperor—Book II: Shops. D&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 156]. - Interior art
- Bledsaw, B.; Hippenhammer, C.; Kraft, R.; Miner, C.; Holmer, M. & Hinnen, B. (1980). City State of the World Emperor—Book III: City. D&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 157]. - Interior art (with P. Jaquays)
- Dale, Geoffrey O. (March 1980). The Treasure Vaults of Lindoran. AD&D. [JG 190]. - Front cover (with Bill Hadley); interior art (with P. Jaquays).[9]
- Kraft, R. (1980). Portals of Torsh. AD&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 260]. - Interior art (with Brian Wagner, David Allen, Robert Bledsaw, Jr., and Carol Lind).
- Hinnen, B. (1980). Spies of Lightelf. D&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 270]. - Interior art (with P. Jaquays)
- Jaquays, P. (1980). Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches. D&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 300]. - Interior art (with P. Jaquays)
- Bledsaw, B. & Adams, Gary (1980). Modron. D&D (5th printing, 2nd ed.). Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 34]. - Interior art (with Pixie Bledsaw, E. L. Perry, and K. Simpson)
- Mayeau, M. E. (1980). The Dragon Crown. D&D (2nd printing, 1st ed.). Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 76]. - Interior art (with P. Jaquays)
- Blake, R. J. (1980). Of Skulls and Scrapfaggot Green. D&D (4th printing, 2nd ed.). Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 80]. - Interior art (with P. Jaquays)
- Kraft, R. (1981). Portals of Irontooth. AD&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 560]. - Interior art (with K. Simpson, Erin McKee, A. Arocho and E. L. Perry)
- Mattson, John (1981). House on Hangman's Hill. AD&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 670]. - Front cover; interior art (with E. McKee, E. L. Perry and K. Simpson)
- Kraft, R. (1981). Portals of Twilight. AD&D. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 770]. - Interior art (with E. McKee, R. Houser, K. Simpson, Paul W. Vinton and the Sorceror's Guild)
RuneQuest
- Kraft, R. (1979). Broken Tree Inn. RuneQuest. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 107]. - Interior art (with P. Jaquays and A. Arocho)
- Nevins, P. & Faust, B. (1980). City of Lei Tabor. RuneQuest. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 310]. - Front cover; interior art (with A. Arocho and B. Faust)
- Kraft, R. (1980). Duck Pond. RuneQuest. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 380]. - Front cover
Traveller
- Nevins, P. & Faust, B. (1979). Dra'k'ne Station. Traveller. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 105]. - Front cover; interior art (with P. Jaquays)
- Sering, Dave (1980). Tancred. Traveller. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 330]. - Interior art (with A. Arocho and Peter Jenkins)
- Harm, Ray; Reagan, M. D. & Hauffe, Dan (1980). Darthanon Queen. Traveller. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 340]. - Interior art (with P. Jenkins)
Universal Fantasy
- Wilson, Charles M. (1981). Masters of Mind. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 690]. - Interior art (with K. Simpson and E. L. Perry)
- Mortimer, Edward R. G.; Mortimer, Diane & Mortimer, John (1982). Prey of Darkness. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 840]. - Front cover; interior art (with R. Houser, P. Jaquays and J. Mortimer)
- Hinnen, B. (1982). Shield Maidens of Sea Rune. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 1010]. - Interior art (with K. Simpson, J. Mortimer and P. W. Vinton)
- Hinnen, B. & Hauffe, D. (1982). Pirates of Hagrost. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 1030]. - Back cover
Judges Guild Journal
- Anshell, Charles; Gooding, Penny, eds. (August–September 1979). "Judges Guild Journal". Judges Guild Journal. No. 16. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 103]
- Anshell, C.; Gooding, P., eds. (October–November 1979). "Judges Guild Journal". Judges Guild Journal. No. 17. [JG 110] - Front cover, interior art.
- Anshell, C.; Gooding, P., eds. (December 1979 – January 1980). "Judges Guild Journal". Judges Guild Journal. No. 18. [JG 121] - Interior art
- Anshell, C.; Gooding, P., eds. (February–March 1980). "Judges Guild Journal". Judges Guild Journal. No. 19. [JG 160] - Front cover, interior art
- Anshell, C.; Bledsaw, Bob, eds. (April–May 1980). "Judges Guild Journal". Judges Guild Journal. No. 20. [JG 200] - Interior art
Dungeoneer Journal
- Anshell, C.; Reagan, Michael D., eds. (October–November 1980). "Dungeoneer Journal". Dungeoneer Journal. No. 23. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 390] - Interior art.
- Anshell, C.; Reagan, M. D., eds. (December 1980 – January 1981). "Dungeoneer Journal". Dungeoneer Journal. No. 24. [JG 450] - Front cover, interior art
- Anshell, C.; Reagan, M. D., eds. (February–March 1981). "Dungeoneer Journal". Dungeoneer Journal. No. 25. [JG 470] - Front cover, interior art
Pegasus
- Reagan, M. D.; Anshell, C., eds. (June–July 1981). "Pegasus". Pegasus. No. 2. Decatur, IL: Judges Guild. [JG 610] - Interior art
- Reagan, M. D.; Anshell, C., eds. (August–September 1981). "Pegasus". Pegasus. No. 3. [JG 620] - Interior art
- Vinton, Paul W.; Mortimer, Edward R. G., eds. (February–March 1982). "Pegasus". Pegasus. No. 6. [JG 870] - Interior art
- Homer, Mark S., ed. (December 1982 – January 1983). "Pegasus". Pegasus. No. 11. [JG 1190] - Interior art
- Maddin, Mike, ed. (February–March 1983). "Pegasus". Pegasus. No. 12. [JG 1210] - Interior art
FASA
- Paley, Bill (1981). William H. Keith, Jr.)
TSR
- ISBN 978-0-394-52271-5. (interior art)
Palladium role-playing games
- The Mechanoid Invasion (April 1981)
- Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game (July 1983)
- Heroes Unlimited (August 1984)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness (September 1985)
- Robotech (November 1986)
- Beyond the Supernatural (October 1987), with Randy McCall
- Robotech II: The Sentinels (September 1988)
- Rifts (August 1990)
- Macross II (July 1993)
- Rifts Chaos Earth (June 2003)
- Dead Reign (November 2008), with Josh Hilden and Joshua Sanford
- SPLICERS RPG (2004) written by Carmen Bellaire with addition text by Kevin Siembiada
- Nightbane (1995) written by CJ Carella, with addition text by Kevin Siembieda
References
- ^ "Likewise, though I am of Polish descent, I am third generation American and can speak virtually none of the Polish language and know little about "traditional" Polish customs." Kevin Siembieda, Rifts Conversion Book, 1991.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-907702-58-7.
- ^ "Palladium Books Personalities: In-House Staff". Westland, MI: Palladium Books. 4 December 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
- ^ Houghton, Z. (July 13, 2009). "Mega-Interview with Kevin Siembieda". RPG Blog II. Mountain View, CA: Google / Blogger. Retrieved January 15, 2010.
- ^ "Judges Guild Booty List". The Acaeum. Chicago, IL: HostForWeb. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
- ^ "RRT Kickstarter".
- ^ "The Top 10 Infamous RPG Kickstarter Fails". RPG.net. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ "RRT Kickstarter is a Disaster". Polygon. 2 March 2018.
- ISSN 0279-6848.
The art by Kevin Siembieda is excellent and adds to the text in several places