Sometimes I wonder just how many people have been involved in creating the vast Star Wars universe we know now. The sheer number of writers, artists, model makers, costume designers, sound editors, CGI artists, game designers, musicians and more is just staggering. Sometime after they move on to other things, we as fans and creators eventually wonder what they're up to now.
Last week, an old RPG name resurfaced in an interview in the first issue of D6 Magazine - Bill Smith. D6 Magazine covers the OpenD6 system. For those who don't know, before the latest incarnation of West End Games closed down, they released D6 under the open gaming license. This magazine supports that effort. Bill Smith was the line editor for WEG's Star Wars The Roleplaying Game and largely responsible for the Second Edition. The interview is very good, and any D6 fan should check it out for some great insight into the development of the game during that time. There is also a good article on the math of the Wild Die.
Bill was also the first editor I worked for, which was a very positive experience. We talked regularly during his time there - out of necessity because email was only beginning to come along, and it wasn't practical to use it for a lot of correspondence. Partly because it wasn't used that way yet, and partly because most of WEG shared a few addresses. Early on it was the GEnie system (pre-internet!). Look in later books and you'll see things like WEGedit@aol.com . Getting back to the point, Bill (and Peter Schweighofer, who became the Star Wars Adventure Journal editor) gave me a lot of great feedback on the phone and at GenCon on my early work.
I find it interesting to see where my former editors, fellow authors and other industry contacts have landed over the years. I thought some of you might like to know as well, so here's a list of where a few of them are now, and what they're up to (or at least their websites). I'm sure you can find more on wookiepedia or elsewhere as well.
Bill Smith - WEG Star Wars Line Editor and Essential Guide author - see the magazine above - billsmithbooks.com
Eric Trautmann - WEG Star Wars author and line editor - moved on to Microsoft Games Studio, and is now a comic book writer for DC and others - EricTrautmann.us
Peter Schweighoffer - WEG Star Wars Adventure Journal editor, Force Unleashed Campaign Guide co-author - Griffon Publishing Studio
Pablo Hidalgo - WEG freelance writer and artist - Lucasfilm Online / starwars.com - The Internet's Pablo Hidalgo
Wayne Humfleet - WEG freelancer - The Mynock's Cave
JD Wiker - d20 Star Wars line, Rebellion Era Campaign Guide co-author - now working in computer games - JD Wiker Fan Club
Owen KC Stephens - d20 Star Wars line, Saga Edition, many others - now cranking out weekly RPG material with Super Genius Games - Super Genius Games
John Jackson Miller - Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide co-author - continues to write in the era with thew newly released Knight Errant novel and comics, plus the totally free Lost Tribe of the Sith ebooks (last chapter just released this week) - farawaypress.com
Daniel Wallace - d20 Star Wars sourcebooks, The Unknown Regions co-author, - continues to write an incredible amount of Star Wars material, including the Jedi Path and the Atlas - geekosity
Jason Fry - d20 Star Wars sourcebooks - author of the up coming Essential Guide to Warfare and the Faith and Fear in Flushing blog (NY Mets) - website
And this list could go on for awhile. I may add to it at a later date, but you get the idea. Looking for someone not listed here? It may be they're still working in RPGs - like Rodney Thompson, Chris Perkins and Bill Slavicseck. Anyway, try wookieepedia first, there is a good chance they have an entry.