I just found out that Erick Wujcik passed away yesterday.
Last year when we were putting together Green Ronin’s Hobby Games: the 100 Best, I did not hesitate to jump on the opportunity to write and essay for the book on Erick’s Amber Diceless Roleplaying. Erick was one of the first game designers outside of the tight circle of people involved in the Minnesota gaming scene to really take time to dig into roleplaying games, game theory, game design, and the art of gamemastering with me. He made time for me in during GenCon as easily as during a 100 person regional con. He certainly had a large effect on me, even when I didn’t agree with all of his positions. He was an undeniable force, a tinkerer, an idea man, and a wicked GM. After I moved out of the midwest and he moved more and more away from publishing we lost touch.
When I learned that Erick had agreed to write an essay on Ogre for the same book I was really pleased. I hoped this would be an opportunity to get back in touch. Erick had just returned from time abroad in China and I was positively tickled that I’d written an essay praising his work without knowing he was writing an essay praising the work of another. I hoped we might actually find an excuse to cross paths again.
Instead, in December 2007, I learned that Erick was suffering from pancreatic and liver cancers. I was so pleased to see that his time, though short, was spent as fully as possible and in the company of friends, such as at his 57th birthday party in January where around 150 people showed up.
Even knowing that it was coming, I’m rather deflated to learn of his death. My thoughts are with those he loved and who loved him.
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That’s terribly sad. He was one hell of a creator.
That’s terribly sad. He was one hell of a creator.
That’s terribly sad. He was one hell of a creator.
That’s terribly sad. He was one hell of a creator.
That is sad news. His work brought me and many of my friends great joy.
That is sad news. His work brought me and many of my friends great joy.
That is sad news. His work brought me and many of my friends great joy.
That is sad news. His work brought me and many of my friends great joy.
I was sad to see the news, but we’d heard through the grapevine that he’d taken a turn for the worst. I’m glad he got as much time as he did to see and talk to friends.
I was sad to see the news, but we’d heard through the grapevine that he’d taken a turn for the worst. I’m glad he got as much time as he did to see and talk to friends.
I was sad to see the news, but we’d heard through the grapevine that he’d taken a turn for the worst. I’m glad he got as much time as he did to see and talk to friends.
I was sad to see the news, but we’d heard through the grapevine that he’d taken a turn for the worst. I’m glad he got as much time as he did to see and talk to friends.
I hadn’t heard he was ill and this is sad news indeed. I’m sorry for your loss and for that of all of us.
I hadn’t heard he was ill and this is sad news indeed. I’m sorry for your loss and for that of all of us.
I hadn’t heard he was ill and this is sad news indeed. I’m sorry for your loss and for that of all of us.
I hadn’t heard he was ill and this is sad news indeed. I’m sorry for your loss and for that of all of us.
That’s a hard one. I didn’t know him but it sounds like I need to read his book as I GM a diceless game of RP.
Do give them a look. He was ahead of his time there — it took me about a decade to get to the point where I understood that I could run Amber DRPG, and that it wasn’t such a scary system.
That’s a hard one. I didn’t know him but it sounds like I need to read his book as I GM a diceless game of RP.
Do give them a look. He was ahead of his time there — it took me about a decade to get to the point where I understood that I could run Amber DRPG, and that it wasn’t such a scary system.
Do give them a look. He was ahead of his time there — it took me about a decade to get to the point where I understood that I could run Amber DRPG, and that it wasn’t such a scary system.
That’s a hard one. I didn’t know him but it sounds like I need to read his book as I GM a diceless game of RP.
That’s a hard one. I didn’t know him but it sounds like I need to read his book as I GM a diceless game of RP.
Do give them a look. He was ahead of his time there — it took me about a decade to get to the point where I understood that I could run Amber DRPG, and that it wasn’t such a scary system.
Damn…
I still remember meeting him at GenCon a few months after Amber DRPG was published. I have early issues of Amberzine that he signed. I’ll treasure them always now.
Damn…
I still remember meeting him at GenCon a few months after Amber DRPG was published. I have early issues of Amberzine that he signed. I’ll treasure them always now.
Damn…
I still remember meeting him at GenCon a few months after Amber DRPG was published. I have early issues of Amberzine that he signed. I’ll treasure them always now.
Damn…
I still remember meeting him at GenCon a few months after Amber DRPG was published. I have early issues of Amberzine that he signed. I’ll treasure them always now.