Jordan Weisman Makes Stuff Up

Our guest this week is the legend Jordan Weisman. Creator of BattleTech, Crimson Skies and the world's first alternate reality game, he's now working on Adventure Forge, a platform to help non-engineers make videogames. We talk buying D&D from Gary Gygax, at Gary's house!, the secret to entrepreneurship and creating the "Bungie bubble" this week!

[00:07:00] Interview Introduction: Jordan Weisman’s Career Highlights
Alex introduces Jordan Weisman’s career and his influential work in gaming and alternate reality games (ARGs).

[00:10:00] The Origins of WizKids and Collectible Miniatures
Jordan talks about founding WizKids and the success of HeroClix.

[00:15:00] Early Gaming Experiences and Inspiration for Shadowrun
Jordan discusses how his early exposure to Mesoamerican culture and tabletop games influenced the creation of Shadowrun.

[00:26:00] Adventure Forge: A Platform for Game Creation
Jordan introduces Adventure Forge, a platform for user-generated content (UGC) in video games.

[00:34:00] The Rise of MechWarrior and Working with Activision
Discussion about the development of MechWarrior 2 and the challenges faced with Activision.

[00:44:00] Disney, Star Wars, and Interactive Experiences
Jordan talks about his work on interactive systems for Disney, including the development of a system that allows actors to recognize guests.

[00:59:00] Alternate Reality Games and Storytelling
Jordan explains his ideas for alternate reality games (ARGs) and the concept of discovery-based storytelling.

[01:08:00] The Making of "I Love Bees" and Pitching to Spielberg
Jordan recounts how the ARG I Love Bees came to life and his meetings with Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy.

Jordan's kickstarter campaign - check it out! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jordanweisman/sea-of-legends-open-world-crpg

Thank you for listening to our podcast all about videogames and the amazing people who bring them to life!
Hosted by Alexander Seropian and Aaron Marroquin
Find us at www.thefourthcurtain.com
Come join the conversation at https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfe
Videos available at https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtain
Follow us on twitter: @fourthcurtain
Edited and mastered at https://noise-floor.com
Featuring the music track Liberation by 505