Who are your 5 favorite Game Designers?

[Arnwyn]

My five:

1) Ed Greenwood
2) Steven Schend
3) Wolfgang Baur
4) Chris Perkins
5) Bruce Cordell

 

[DaveMage]

For D&D-related products:

1. Gary Gygax
2. Bruce Cordell
3. David "Zeb" Cook
4. Eric Boyd (Faiths & Avatars, Powers & Pantheons)
5. Frank Mentzer

There are several others that I really enjoy, but these are my top 5.

 

[jrients]

Five High Lords of Bygone Days, whose earlier works are now classics

1. Gary Gygax
2. Dave Arneson
3. Tom Moldvay
4. Marc Miller
5. Sandy Peterson

Five New Powers, whose best work perhaps we haven't even seen yet

1. S. John Ross
2. Bruce Baugh
3. Rebecca Borgstrom
4. Gareth-Michael Skarka
5. Ron Edwards

 

[Ghostwind]

1. Matt Forbeck
2. Chris Coyle
3. Mike Mearls
4. Wil Upchurch
5. (Tie) Patrick Kapera and Steve Kenson

Honorable Mention: Darrin Drader, JD Wiker, Scott Bennie, and Steve Peterson.

There are other really outstanding writers/designers, but these are the names that jump to the forefront and are ones I will typically buy sight unseen.

 

[Gothmog]

Anyone got a link so I can see for myself?

Here ya go. These are the only reviews I could find on the net for Synnibar, and oddly enough one was positive. Be warned though, the first review link I posted is pretty darn funny.

http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_4762.html

http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_0372.html

http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_2002.html

I found my copy in a used games bin at a game store for $5. Its worth that much if only to laugh at, but if I would have paid more than $10 for it, I'd feel ripped off, and I'm REALLY lenient as far as how much $ I will spend when I buy RPG books.

 

[Darkness]

Add to my earlier list:

CJ Carella

Kenneth Hite
...
SJ Ross

Bruce Baugh

 

[WillieW]

Douglas Niles
Willie Walsh
Aaron Allston
Sean K Reynolds
Tracy Hickman

Whoo-hoo!

 

[MonsterMash]

Personal Favourites

A five of actual Game Designers:

• Sandy Petersen
• Greg Stafford
• Steve Jackson
• Gary Gygax
• Marc Miller

So far so predictable!

For creators of settings and Modules:

• Bob Bledsaw for the Wilderlands of High Fantasy and City State of the Invincible Overlord.
• Most of the Necromancer Games writers are good, especially Nathan Paul - Grey Citadel
• Jeff Grubb (Al-Qadim)

Other games designers of note:

• John Hill (Boardgames and wargames notably Squad Leader)
• James Earnest (Cheapass games)

 

[Bregh]

1) E. Gary Gygax (Classic D&D, OAD&D, too many classic mods. to list)
2) Tom Moldvay (editor, '81 Basic D&D)
3) Sandy Petersen (CoC)
4) Greg Gordon (for Mayfair's wonderful DC Heroes RPG)
5) Bill Webb and Clark Peterson (Rappan Athuk, d20 edit of Necropolis, Tomb of Abysthor, et al.)

 

[Imhotepthewise]

Roger Moore and Spike Y. Jones deserve some mention.