Neil Rennison is the co-founder of Tin Man Games and one of the people responsible for bringing gamebooks into the digital age. I had the privilege of interviewing Neil last year and he has had a busy time since then. Now we can find out what Neil has been up to.
Who you are and how you got into gamebooks/solo adventures/RPGs/art.
Neil Rennison, one of the co-founders of Tin Man Games.
How you got into gamebooks/solo adventures: This explains it well enough... http://tinmangames.com.au/ blog/?p=147
How you got into RPGs: I went on a three week French exchange programme to Paris around the age of 12 (late 80s) and stayed with the family of a french pen-pal who was into D&D. So my first ever tabletop role-playing game experience was in a language I barely knew! It was awesome. I came back to the UK and rushed out and bought the D&D Red Box. Two years later Orlandes was born as my own AD&D campaign setting. 20 years later An Assassin in Orlandes was released!
How you got into art: Always been into drawing and painting. I studied Fine Art A-level before going into a Product Design Visualisation degree. There I learned 3D modelling which took me into the games industry building massive 3D envrionments for lots of games (mostly racing). From there I started my own indie dev company, Tin Man Games, and went back to what I loved...gamebooks.
What you have done since April 2012?
Released a Judge Dredd digital gamebook. Signed a licensing contract for Fighting Fantasy and gone on to release two digital FF gamebooks. Had lunch at Ian Livingstone's house. Been to book signings with Ian and Steve Jackson. Exhibited at PAX East (Boston), UK Games Expo and MCM Expo. Signed up lots of new licenses and gamebook properties. Oh, and became a father for the second time - I have a son!
What you plan on doing now related to gamebooks/solos/RPGs/art?
Work, work, work. We have so many amazing digital gamebooks to release over the coming year including around 5 new Fighting Fantasy titles, 4 Gamebook Adventures titles, some of Herbie Brennan's catalogue as well as some exciting new IP such as Zach Weinersmith's Trial of the Clone, which is narrated on the app by Wil Wheaton!
What you think the future of gamebooks/solos/RPGs/art is?
Digital is looking more and more the direction to go in and hopefully we're riding the front of that wave!
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Oooh I wish the story of my first tabletop RP experience involved a trip to France! LOL Alas, it does not.
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