The Freelancer Name Game

[Ghostwind]

The OGL/d20 system has been great in that it has allowed some good freelance game designers to become recognized for their hard work and imagination. While there are literally boatloads of freelancers who write for the d20 system, a few standout because of the quality of their work, a consistent output, and/or associating themselves with one or two publishers.

Without going to your gaming shelf and cheating, who stands out as a really good freelancer who is consistently delivering the goods? (For this question, Monte doesn't count because he is a publisher and not really a freelancer anymore.)

Here are some off the top of my head (I'll let you all add more to the list) --
* Steve Kenson: Green Ronin (Mutants & Masterminds and both the Shaman's and Witches Handbook)
* Wil Upchurch: Midnight and his other work for Fantasy Flight Games
* James Maliszewski: Path series and many others from Fantasy Flight Games (he's a constant contributor)
* Mike Mearls: His work with AEG (specifically Mercenaries, Magic, Empire)
* Patrick Kapera: Spycraft stuff (AEG)

Your turn now...

 

[Davelozzi]

Agreed about Kensom, Mearls, and Kapera, except that I don't believe that Patrick Kapera is really a freelancer. I'm pretty sure he's a full-time AEG employee.

Also, I was very impressed by Aaron Loeb's work in Book of the Righteous, although I haven't anything else by him so I can't really judge beyond that. Although I'm looking forward to his work on the 'Hordes of Gehenna' section in the Book of Fiends.

Edit: No offense intended to Wil and James. I'm familiar with Wil through the boards here but not through his published work, and I'm not familiar with James at all, at least not off the top of my head.

 

[francisca]

Mearls and Upchurch always get a look from me when I see a book with their name on it. I honestly can't name another freelancer though.

Well, I guess if you count the guys who used to work for WotC, I guess I recognize their names when I see them.

 

[Ghostwind]

I believe Patrick was a freelancer when he wrote the first Spycraft book but has since moved on to become part of AEG's staff (at least for the time being).

Another freelancer that I neglected to mention but is on my 'instant buy' list is Chris Aylott (Atlas Games).

 

[Henry]

I know another freelancer, but not for his writing: Claudio Pozas.

Claudio may not agree, but Claudio (and people like Clark Peterson and Bill Webb, who don't count by your defintion) is what the OGL is all about: Someone who gets to work in a field they love, because they don't have to reinvent the wheel in order to do so.

Claudio has had his art attached to some very influential works, especially a lot from Fantasy Flight, and his earlier four-color style with more traditional fantasy elements shaped the look of d20 in many ways, at a time a year or two ago when the style dominating d20 was "spikey goth" to coin a phrase.

I'll quit gushing about him now.

 

[Crothian]

Patrick Younts. Well, he's now on Monngoose's staff but close enough.

 

[diaglo]

E.Gary Gygax -- truly an inspirational freelancer. his Necropolis is wonderful.

 

[diaglo]

I like Ed Cha too. and he deserves his own post.

 

[howandwhy99]

I really like Robin Laws' work. He did the Laws of Good Gamemastering and Penumbra's Seven Strongholds. I can't recall anything else.

He might be on board over at Atlas Games, though.

 

[Ghostwind]

Gee, I no sooner mention Mearls and suddenly he's no longer a freelancer....