Creators of SWCCG - Revision history

Admin: Related: link Kallenbach/Lischke/Pakes/Alread stubs; keep not-founding labels

2026-09-24T02:14:17Z

Related: link Kallenbach/Lischke/Pakes/Alread stubs; keep not-founding labels

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:14, 24 September 2026
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	Former Decipher staffer Mark Tuttle later recalled that SWCCG was "Tom and Rollie's … game" and that he joined as a playtester around the time of ''A New Hope''.<ref name="fantha-tuttle">[https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/guest-interview-mark-tuttle/ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle], Fantha Tracks, 15 March 2018</ref> That interview supports Braunlich/Tesh as core designers; it does '''not''' by itself define Darcy's or Holland's day-to-day design shares.		Former Decipher staffer Mark Tuttle later recalled that SWCCG was "Tom and Rollie's … game" and that he joined as a playtester around the time of ''A New Hope''.<ref name="fantha-tuttle">[https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/guest-interview-mark-tuttle/ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle], Fantha Tracks, 15 March 2018</ref> That interview supports Braunlich/Tesh as core designers; it does '''not''' by itself define Darcy's or Holland's day-to-day design shares.

	~~== Interviews overview ==~~		== Related Decipher people (not listed as SWCCG designers here) ==

	~~Person pages collect interview tables. Key hubs and entry points:~~

	* '''[[Jerry Darcy]]''' — full KendallCast / Corran on the Horn five-episode series (2020–2022; blog + Spotify), including Cloud City / Jabba's Palace; Radio Free Decipher Broadcasts 2, 12, and 13 on YouTube.<ref name="kc-hub">[https://www.kendallcast.ninja/ KendallCast]</ref><ref name="rfd-index">[https://wiki.lotrtcgpc.net/wiki/Radio_Free_Decipher Radio Free Decipher episode index], LOTR-TCG PC wiki</ref>
	* '''[[Tom Braunlich]]''' — Booster Pack #27 (''Star Trek'' CCG) and #28 (''Star Wars'' CCG) on YouTube; RFD Broadcasts 14 and 16 with [[Rollie Tesh]].<ref name="bp28">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXdIdJwnjgc THE BOOSTER PACK #28 — The making of the STAR WARS CCG with Tom Braunlich], YouTube, 24 August 2022</ref>
	* '''[[Rollie Tesh]]''' — RFD Broadcasts 14 and 16 with Braunlich; no modern solo interview located in the 2026 research pass.
	* '''[[Warren Holland]]''' — Ringer 2018 feature; additional RFD / WARS Radio links tracked in research notes (page expansion may lag).
	* '''Master indexes:''' [https://wiki.lotrtcgpc.net/wiki/Radio_Free_Decipher Radio Free Decipher episode index] and [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYLMRQ0b_feBmwx60mQf1kO7fv09DfnrE Player's Council RFD YouTube playlist].

	== Related Decipher people (not listed as ~~founding~~ SWCCG designers here) ==

	The following appear in Decipher / SWCCG history sources but are '''not''' treated as founding SWCCG designers on this page unless a stronger primary credit is found:		The following appear in Decipher / SWCCG history sources but are '''not''' treated as founding SWCCG designers on this page unless a stronger primary credit is found:

	* '''Mark Tuttle''' — playtester / rules "net rep" / later Decipher staff (self-description); explicitly not the originating designer.<ref name="fantha-tuttle" />		* '''Mark Tuttle''' — playtester / rules "net rep" / later Decipher staff (self-description); explicitly not the originating designer.<ref name="fantha-tuttle" />
	* ~~'''~~Chuck Kallenbach~~'''~~ — Decipher ~~designer associated with other Decipher games~~ (~~for example~~ Young Jedi / ~~later titles in Radio Free Decipher indexes)~~. An old CardGuide-derived ~~stub on this wiki~~ once ~~listed~~ him among SWCCG designers; that credit is '''not''' corroborated by Wikipedia's SWCCG designer line and is treated as a '''conflict / likely error''' ~~until a primary Decipher credit sheet is cited. A dedicated [[Chuck Kallenbach]] article is planned~~ (~~playtester-to-staff path per TheOneRing interviews; do '''not''' copy CardGuide's "founding SWCCG designer" claim~~).<ref name="tor-ck">[https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2002/05/17/26593-decipher-talks-lotr-part-1-chuck-kallenbach/ Decipher Talks LOTR Part 1: Chuck Kallenbach], TheOneRing.net, 17 May 2002</ref>		* [[Chuck Kallenbach]] — SWCCG premiere playtester who joined Decipher full-time in 1997 (TheOneRing LOTR interview); later Young Jedi / Jedi Knights / LOTR design. An old CardGuide-derived listing once named him among SWCCG ''founding'' designers; that credit is '''not''' corroborated by Wikipedia's SWCCG designer line and is treated as a '''conflict / likely error''' (see his stub).<ref name="tor-kallenbach">[https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2002/05/17/26593-decipher-talks-lotr-part-1-chuck-kallenbach/ Decipher Talks LOTR Part 1: Chuck Kallenbach], TheOneRing.net, 17 May 2002</ref>
	* ~~'''~~Tom Lischke~~'''~~ — ~~appears on~~ Radio Free Decipher with Darcy/Kallenbach on SWCCG topics ~~and~~ later ~~as product~~/~~design staff on related~~ Decipher ~~titles (Jedi Knights~~, LOTR TCG~~). A dedicated~~ [[~~Tom Lischke~~]] ~~article is planned; this overview does~~ '''~~not~~''' ~~list him as a founding~~ SWCCG ~~designer on Wikipedia's four-~~name ~~line~~.<ref name="rfd~~-index~~" />		* [[Tom Lischke]] — Decipher product / game designer; Radio Free Decipher guest with Darcy and Kallenbach on SWCCG topics; later Jedi Knights / LOTR / WARS.<ref name="rfd">[https://wiki.lotrtcgpc.net/wiki/Radio_Free_Decipher Radio Free Decipher episode index], LOTR-TCG PC wiki</ref>
			* [[Justin Pakes]] (also '''Juz Pakes''' in some RFD indexes) — late Decipher SWCCG design guest (Coruscant / Reflections III / Theed per RFD index).<ref name="rfd" />
			* [[Joe Alread]] — late Decipher SWCCG design guest (Tatooine / Theed / Reflections III per RFD index; earlier Open champs appearance).<ref name="rfd" />
	* Other Decipher art, editing, organized-play, and marketing staff — important to the product, but out of scope for "creators" until sourced to SWCCG creation specifically.		* Other Decipher art, editing, organized-play, and marketing staff — important to the product, but out of scope for "creators" until sourced to SWCCG creation specifically.

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	* [[Tom Braunlich]] · [[Rollie Tesh]] · [[Jerry Darcy]] · [[Warren Holland]]		* [[Tom Braunlich]] · [[Rollie Tesh]] · [[Jerry Darcy]] · [[Warren Holland]]
			* [[Chuck Kallenbach]] · [[Tom Lischke]] · [[Justin Pakes]] · [[Joe Alread]] — related later Decipher design staff (not founding designers)
	* [[Decipher]] — publisher hub		* [[Decipher]] — publisher hub
	* [[Star Wars CCG]] — short game intro		* [[Star Wars CCG]] — short game intro
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	* Exact split of design labor among the four Wikipedia-credited designers (especially Holland's "designer" vs. publisher role, and Darcy's Lead Designer start date) remains partly secondary.		* Exact split of design labor among the four Wikipedia-credited designers (especially Holland's "designer" vs. publisher role, and Darcy's Lead Designer start date) remains partly secondary.
	* CardGuide / fandom mirrors that list Chuck Kallenbach (or alternate spellings of Tesh) conflict with Wikipedia; flagged above, not copied as fact.		* CardGuide / fandom mirrors that list Chuck Kallenbach (or alternate spellings of Tesh) conflict with Wikipedia; flagged above, not copied as fact.
	* Dedicated pages for Chuck Kallenbach and Tom Lischke were not yet live when this Interviews overview was added (forthcoming stubs).

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
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	* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080821113824/http://decipher.com/content/2004/st10/sttimeline.html The History of Star Trek CCG: The Timeline] (Kathy McCracken, Decipher; Wayback) — underlying source used by Wikipedia for the 1993 approach narrative		* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080821113824/http://decipher.com/content/2004/st10/sttimeline.html The History of Star Trek CCG: The Timeline] (Kathy McCracken, Decipher; Wayback) — underlying source used by Wikipedia for the 1993 approach narrative
	* [https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/guest-interview-mark-tuttle/ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle] (Fantha Tracks, 2018) — "Tom and Rollie's game"; playtest path into Decipher SWCCG		* [https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/guest-interview-mark-tuttle/ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle] (Fantha Tracks, 2018) — "Tom and Rollie's game"; playtest path into Decipher SWCCG
	* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXdIdJwnjgc Booster Pack #28 — Decipher's Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich] (YouTube, 2022)		* [https://theboosterpack.buzzsprout.com/1692574/episodes/10935581-booster-pack-throwback-28-decipher-s-star-wars-ccg-with-designer-tom-braunlich Booster Pack Throwback — Decipher's Star Wars CCG with designer Tom Braunlich] (2022) — Braunlich/Tesh as designers of Decipher ''Star Trek'' and ''Star Wars'' CCGs
	* [https://theboosterpack.buzzsprout.com/1692574/episodes/10935581-booster-pack-throwback-28-decipher-s-star-wars-ccg-with-designer-tom-braunlich Booster Pack Throwback 28] (~~podcast page~~)
	* [https://wiki.lotrtcgpc.net/wiki/Radio_Free_Decipher Radio Free Decipher episode index] (LOTR-TCG PC wiki) — Decipher contemporary audio; ep. 2 describes Jerry Darcy as Star Wars CCG Lead Game Designer; episodes with Rollie Tesh and Tom Braunlich as "game creators"		* [https://wiki.lotrtcgpc.net/wiki/Radio_Free_Decipher Radio Free Decipher episode index] (LOTR-TCG PC wiki) — Decipher contemporary audio; ep. 2 describes Jerry Darcy as Star Wars CCG Lead Game Designer; episodes with Rollie Tesh and Tom Braunlich as "game creators"
	* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYLMRQ0b_feBmwx60mQf1kO7fv09DfnrE Radio Free Decipher YouTube playlist] (Player's Council)
	* [https://www.kendallcast.ninja/2021/05/jerry-darcy-on-premiere-new-hope-and.html KendallCast: Jerry Darcy on Premiere, A New Hope, and Hoth] (2021) — community interview series labeling Darcy former Decipher Lead Designer for SWCCG		* [https://www.kendallcast.ninja/2021/05/jerry-darcy-on-premiere-new-hope-and.html KendallCast: Jerry Darcy on Premiere, A New Hope, and Hoth] (2021) — community interview series labeling Darcy former Decipher Lead Designer for SWCCG
	* [https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2002/05/17/26593-decipher-talks-lotr-part-1-chuck-kallenbach/ Decipher Talks LOTR Part 1: Chuck Kallenbach] (TheOneRing.net, 2002) — playtester/staff path; not a founding-designer claim for SWCCG
	* [https://www.theringer.com/2018/05/21/star-wars/star-wars-customizable-card-game-player-community The Force Is Strong With This ''Star Wars'' Subculture] (The Ringer, May 2018) — secondary narrative (Braunlich/Tesh approach; Holland/Decipher; PC era). Use cautiously; prefer primary/Wikipedia where they disagree on details		* [https://www.theringer.com/2018/05/21/star-wars/star-wars-customizable-card-game-player-community The Force Is Strong With This ''Star Wars'' Subculture] (The Ringer, May 2018) — secondary narrative (Braunlich/Tesh approach; Holland/Decipher; PC era). Use cautiously; prefer primary/Wikipedia where they disagree on details
	* CardGameDatabase / CardGuide fandom mirrors — sometimes list Braunlich, Tesh, Darcy (Holland omitted) or add Kallenbach; treated as '''secondary / conflicting''', not authoritative over Wikipedia's designer line		* CardGameDatabase / CardGuide fandom mirrors — sometimes list Braunlich, Tesh, Darcy (Holland omitted) or add Kallenbach; treated as '''secondary / conflicting''', not authoritative over Wikipedia's designer line

Admin: Add Interviews overview; Related people pointers to forthcoming Kallenbach/Lischke (not founding designers)

2026-09-24T02:13:25Z

Add Interviews overview; Related people pointers to forthcoming Kallenbach/Lischke (not founding designers)

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:13, 24 September 2026
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	Former Decipher staffer Mark Tuttle later recalled that SWCCG was "Tom and Rollie's … game" and that he joined as a playtester around the time of ''A New Hope''.<ref name="fantha-tuttle">[https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/guest-interview-mark-tuttle/ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle], Fantha Tracks, 15 March 2018</ref> That interview supports Braunlich/Tesh as core designers; it does '''not''' by itself define Darcy's or Holland's day-to-day design shares.		Former Decipher staffer Mark Tuttle later recalled that SWCCG was "Tom and Rollie's … game" and that he joined as a playtester around the time of ''A New Hope''.<ref name="fantha-tuttle">[https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/guest-interview-mark-tuttle/ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle], Fantha Tracks, 15 March 2018</ref> That interview supports Braunlich/Tesh as core designers; it does '''not''' by itself define Darcy's or Holland's day-to-day design shares.

	== Related Decipher people (not listed as SWCCG designers here) ==		== Interviews overview ==

			Person pages collect interview tables. Key hubs and entry points:

			* '''[[Jerry Darcy]]''' — full KendallCast / Corran on the Horn five-episode series (2020–2022; blog + Spotify), including Cloud City / Jabba's Palace; Radio Free Decipher Broadcasts 2, 12, and 13 on YouTube.<ref name="kc-hub">[https://www.kendallcast.ninja/ KendallCast]</ref><ref name="rfd-index">[https://wiki.lotrtcgpc.net/wiki/Radio_Free_Decipher Radio Free Decipher episode index], LOTR-TCG PC wiki</ref>
			* '''[[Tom Braunlich]]''' — Booster Pack #27 (''Star Trek'' CCG) and #28 (''Star Wars'' CCG) on YouTube; RFD Broadcasts 14 and 16 with [[Rollie Tesh]].<ref name="bp28">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXdIdJwnjgc THE BOOSTER PACK #28 — The making of the STAR WARS CCG with Tom Braunlich], YouTube, 24 August 2022</ref>
			* '''[[Rollie Tesh]]''' — RFD Broadcasts 14 and 16 with Braunlich; no modern solo interview located in the 2026 research pass.
			* '''[[Warren Holland]]''' — Ringer 2018 feature; additional RFD / WARS Radio links tracked in research notes (page expansion may lag).
			* '''Master indexes:''' [https://wiki.lotrtcgpc.net/wiki/Radio_Free_Decipher Radio Free Decipher episode index] and [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYLMRQ0b_feBmwx60mQf1kO7fv09DfnrE Player's Council RFD YouTube playlist].

			== Related Decipher people (not listed as founding SWCCG designers here) ==

	The following appear in Decipher / SWCCG history sources but are '''not''' treated as founding SWCCG designers on this page unless a stronger primary credit is found:		The following appear in Decipher / SWCCG history sources but are '''not''' treated as founding SWCCG designers on this page unless a stronger primary credit is found:

	* '''Mark Tuttle''' — playtester / rules "net rep" / later Decipher staff (self-description); explicitly not the originating designer.<ref name="fantha-tuttle" />		* '''Mark Tuttle''' — playtester / rules "net rep" / later Decipher staff (self-description); explicitly not the originating designer.<ref name="fantha-tuttle" />
	* '''Chuck Kallenbach''' — Decipher designer associated with other Decipher games (for example Young Jedi / later titles in Radio Free Decipher indexes). An old CardGuide-derived stub on this wiki once listed him among SWCCG designers; that credit is '''not''' corroborated by Wikipedia's SWCCG designer line and is treated as a '''conflict / likely error''' until a primary Decipher credit sheet is cited.		* '''Chuck Kallenbach''' — Decipher designer associated with other Decipher games (for example Young Jedi / later titles in Radio Free Decipher indexes). An old CardGuide-derived stub on this wiki once listed him among SWCCG designers; that credit is '''not''' corroborated by Wikipedia's SWCCG designer line and is treated as a '''conflict / likely error''' until a primary Decipher credit sheet is cited. A dedicated [[Chuck Kallenbach]] article is planned (playtester-to-staff path per TheOneRing interviews; do '''not''' copy CardGuide's "founding SWCCG designer" claim).<ref name="tor-ck">[https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2002/05/17/26593-decipher-talks-lotr-part-1-chuck-kallenbach/ Decipher Talks LOTR Part 1: Chuck Kallenbach], TheOneRing.net, 17 May 2002</ref>
			* '''Tom Lischke''' — appears on Radio Free Decipher with Darcy/Kallenbach on SWCCG topics and later as product/design staff on related Decipher titles (Jedi Knights, LOTR TCG). A dedicated [[Tom Lischke]] article is planned; this overview does '''not''' list him as a founding SWCCG designer on Wikipedia's four-name line.<ref name="rfd-index" />
	* Other Decipher art, editing, organized-play, and marketing staff — important to the product, but out of scope for "creators" until sourced to SWCCG creation specifically.		* Other Decipher art, editing, organized-play, and marketing staff — important to the product, but out of scope for "creators" until sourced to SWCCG creation specifically.

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	* Exact split of design labor among the four Wikipedia-credited designers (especially Holland's "designer" vs. publisher role, and Darcy's Lead Designer start date) remains partly secondary.		* Exact split of design labor among the four Wikipedia-credited designers (especially Holland's "designer" vs. publisher role, and Darcy's Lead Designer start date) remains partly secondary.
	* CardGuide / fandom mirrors that list Chuck Kallenbach (or alternate spellings of Tesh) conflict with Wikipedia; flagged above, not copied as fact.		* CardGuide / fandom mirrors that list Chuck Kallenbach (or alternate spellings of Tesh) conflict with Wikipedia; flagged above, not copied as fact.
			* Dedicated pages for Chuck Kallenbach and Tom Lischke were not yet live when this Interviews overview was added (forthcoming stubs).

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
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	* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080821113824/http://decipher.com/content/2004/st10/sttimeline.html The History of Star Trek CCG: The Timeline] (Kathy McCracken, Decipher; Wayback) — underlying source used by Wikipedia for the 1993 approach narrative		* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080821113824/http://decipher.com/content/2004/st10/sttimeline.html The History of Star Trek CCG: The Timeline] (Kathy McCracken, Decipher; Wayback) — underlying source used by Wikipedia for the 1993 approach narrative
	* [https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/guest-interview-mark-tuttle/ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle] (Fantha Tracks, 2018) — "Tom and Rollie's game"; playtest path into Decipher SWCCG		* [https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/guest-interview-mark-tuttle/ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle] (Fantha Tracks, 2018) — "Tom and Rollie's game"; playtest path into Decipher SWCCG
	* [https://theboosterpack.buzzsprout.com/1692574/episodes/10935581-booster-pack-throwback-28-decipher-s-star-wars-ccg-with-designer-tom-braunlich Booster Pack Throwback ~~— Decipher's Star Wars CCG with designer Tom Braunlich~~] (~~2022~~) ~~— Braunlich/Tesh as designers of Decipher ''Star Trek'' and ''Star Wars'' CCGs~~		* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXdIdJwnjgc Booster Pack #28 — Decipher's Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich] (YouTube, 2022)
			* [https://theboosterpack.buzzsprout.com/1692574/episodes/10935581-booster-pack-throwback-28-decipher-s-star-wars-ccg-with-designer-tom-braunlich Booster Pack Throwback 28] (podcast page)
	* [https://wiki.lotrtcgpc.net/wiki/Radio_Free_Decipher Radio Free Decipher episode index] (LOTR-TCG PC wiki) — Decipher contemporary audio; ep. 2 describes Jerry Darcy as Star Wars CCG Lead Game Designer; episodes with Rollie Tesh and Tom Braunlich as "game creators"		* [https://wiki.lotrtcgpc.net/wiki/Radio_Free_Decipher Radio Free Decipher episode index] (LOTR-TCG PC wiki) — Decipher contemporary audio; ep. 2 describes Jerry Darcy as Star Wars CCG Lead Game Designer; episodes with Rollie Tesh and Tom Braunlich as "game creators"
			* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYLMRQ0b_feBmwx60mQf1kO7fv09DfnrE Radio Free Decipher YouTube playlist] (Player's Council)
	* [https://www.kendallcast.ninja/2021/05/jerry-darcy-on-premiere-new-hope-and.html KendallCast: Jerry Darcy on Premiere, A New Hope, and Hoth] (2021) — community interview series labeling Darcy former Decipher Lead Designer for SWCCG		* [https://www.kendallcast.ninja/2021/05/jerry-darcy-on-premiere-new-hope-and.html KendallCast: Jerry Darcy on Premiere, A New Hope, and Hoth] (2021) — community interview series labeling Darcy former Decipher Lead Designer for SWCCG
			* [https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2002/05/17/26593-decipher-talks-lotr-part-1-chuck-kallenbach/ Decipher Talks LOTR Part 1: Chuck Kallenbach] (TheOneRing.net, 2002) — playtester/staff path; not a founding-designer claim for SWCCG
	* [https://www.theringer.com/2018/05/21/star-wars/star-wars-customizable-card-game-player-community The Force Is Strong With This ''Star Wars'' Subculture] (The Ringer, May 2018) — secondary narrative (Braunlich/Tesh approach; Holland/Decipher; PC era). Use cautiously; prefer primary/Wikipedia where they disagree on details		* [https://www.theringer.com/2018/05/21/star-wars/star-wars-customizable-card-game-player-community The Force Is Strong With This ''Star Wars'' Subculture] (The Ringer, May 2018) — secondary narrative (Braunlich/Tesh approach; Holland/Decipher; PC era). Use cautiously; prefer primary/Wikipedia where they disagree on details
	* CardGameDatabase / CardGuide fandom mirrors — sometimes list Braunlich, Tesh, Darcy (Holland omitted) or add Kallenbach; treated as '''secondary / conflicting''', not authoritative over Wikipedia's designer line		* CardGameDatabase / CardGuide fandom mirrors — sometimes list Braunlich, Tesh, Darcy (Holland omitted) or add Kallenbach; treated as '''secondary / conflicting''', not authoritative over Wikipedia's designer line

Admin: fix stray }} on Note line

2026-09-23T23:21:39Z

fix stray }} on Note line

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:21, 23 September 2026
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	'''Note:''' This page covers verified Decipher-era creators of the printed ''Star Wars'' Customizable Card Game (1995–2001). It does '''not''' invent unpublished agreements or titles. For post-2001 stewardship see [[History of the Players Committee]].}}		'''Note:''' This page covers verified Decipher-era creators of the printed ''Star Wars'' Customizable Card Game (1995–2001). It does '''not''' invent unpublished agreements or titles. For post-2001 stewardship see [[History of the Players Committee]].

	The '''creators of SWCCG''' are the people secondary sources credit with designing and launching Decipher's ''Star Wars'' Customizable Card Game (often abbreviated SWCCG / SW:CCG), first released in December 1995.<ref name="wp-swccg">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Customizable_Card_Game Star Wars Customizable Card Game], Wikipedia (designer credit line and history)</ref>		The '''creators of SWCCG''' are the people secondary sources credit with designing and launching Decipher's ''Star Wars'' Customizable Card Game (often abbreviated SWCCG / SW:CCG), first released in December 1995.<ref name="wp-swccg">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Customizable_Card_Game Star Wars Customizable Card Game], Wikipedia (designer credit line and history)</ref>

Admin: new: sourced Decipher-era creators overview

2026-09-23T23:19:30Z

new: sourced Decipher-era creators overview

New page

'''Note:''' This page covers verified Decipher-era creators of the printed ''Star Wars'' Customizable Card Game (1995–2001). It does '''not''' invent unpublished agreements or titles. For post-2001 stewardship see [[History of the Players Committee]].}}

The '''creators of SWCCG''' are the people secondary sources credit with designing and launching Decipher's ''Star Wars'' Customizable Card Game (often abbreviated SWCCG / SW:CCG), first released in December 1995.<ref name="wp-swccg">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Customizable_Card_Game Star Wars Customizable Card Game], Wikipedia (designer credit line and history)</ref>

This wiki is a '''fan encyclopedia'''. It is not Decipher and not the [[Players Committee]].

== Verified credits (do not invent roles) ==

Wikipedia's SWCCG article lists the game's '''designers''' as [[Tom Braunlich]], [[Rollie Tesh]], [[Warren Holland]], and [[Jerry Darcy]].<ref name="wp-swccg" /> That is the credit line this overview follows.

{| class="wikitable"
! Person
! Sourced SWCCG-related role
! Notes / confidence
|-
| [[Tom Braunlich]]
| Credited '''designer''' of SWCCG; co-originator (with Tesh) of Decipher's licensed-CCG approach; prior designer of ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' CCG
| High — Wikipedia SWCCG + Tom Braunlich + Decipher, Inc.; ''Designers & Dragons'' Virginian-Pilot launch coverage cited via Wikipedia; designer interview podcasts
|-
| [[Rollie Tesh]]
| Credited '''designer''' of SWCCG; co-originator with Braunlich; former ''Pente'' world champion with Braunlich
| High — same designer line; Decipher history narrative; contemporary Decipher Radio Free Decipher guests as "game creators"
|-
| [[Jerry Darcy]]
| Credited '''designer''' of SWCCG; later described in fan interviews as Decipher '''Lead Designer''' for SWCCG expansions
| High for "designer"; Medium for exact internal title chronology — KendallCast / community interviews call him Lead Designer; primary Decipher org chart not yet located on this wiki
|-
| [[Warren Holland]]
| Credited '''designer''' on Wikipedia's SWCCG line; '''founder / CEO''' of [[Decipher|Decipher, Inc.]]; publicly announced the Players' Committee handoff (January 2002)
| High for founder/CEO and PC announcement; Medium for how much "designer" means day-to-day design vs. publisher/executive credit — Wikipedia lists him among designers; narrative sources emphasize Braunlich/Tesh as the design pair who approached Decipher
|}

== How the game started (sourced narrative) ==

After ''Magic: The Gathering'' popularized collectible card games, designers '''Tom Braunlich''' and '''Rollie Tesh''' (both former ''Pente'' world champions) conceptualized a media-license CCG and approached Decipher in November 1993.<ref name="wp-decipher">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decipher,_Inc. Decipher, Inc.], Wikipedia (history; cites Kathy McCracken / Decipher ''Star Trek'' timeline)</ref><ref name="wp-braunlich">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Braunlich Tom Braunlich], Wikipedia (career; ''Designers & Dragons'' Decipher timeline; Virginian-Pilot)</ref> Decipher (founded by '''Warren Holland''' in 1983) released ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' CCG in 1994, then acquired a Lucasfilm license and released ''Star Wars'' CCG in December 1995.<ref name="wp-decipher" /><ref name="wp-swccg" />

Former Decipher staffer Mark Tuttle later recalled that SWCCG was "Tom and Rollie's … game" and that he joined as a playtester around the time of ''A New Hope''.<ref name="fantha-tuttle">[https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/guest-interview-mark-tuttle/ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle], Fantha Tracks, 15 March 2018</ref> That interview supports Braunlich/Tesh as core designers; it does '''not''' by itself define Darcy's or Holland's day-to-day design shares.

== Related Decipher people (not listed as SWCCG designers here) ==

The following appear in Decipher / SWCCG history sources but are '''not''' treated as founding SWCCG designers on this page unless a stronger primary credit is found:

* '''Mark Tuttle''' — playtester / rules "net rep" / later Decipher staff (self-description); explicitly not the originating designer.<ref name="fantha-tuttle" />
* '''Chuck Kallenbach''' — Decipher designer associated with other Decipher games (for example Young Jedi / later titles in Radio Free Decipher indexes). An old CardGuide-derived stub on this wiki once listed him among SWCCG designers; that credit is '''not''' corroborated by Wikipedia's SWCCG designer line and is treated as a '''conflict / likely error''' until a primary Decipher credit sheet is cited.
* Other Decipher art, editing, organized-play, and marketing staff — important to the product, but out of scope for "creators" until sourced to SWCCG creation specifically.

== See also ==

* [[Tom Braunlich]] · [[Rollie Tesh]] · [[Jerry Darcy]] · [[Warren Holland]]
* [[Decipher]] — publisher hub
* [[Star Wars CCG]] — short game intro
* [[Premiere Limited]] — first printed set (December 1995)
* [[History of the Players Committee]] · [[Players Committee]]
* [[Main Page]]

== Gaps and uncertainties ==

* '''Primary Decipher credit panels''' (Premiere rulebook / box / booster legal lines naming designers) are not yet transcribed on this wiki. Prefer those if recovered from archive.org.
* '''BoardGameGeek''' designer pages were not successfully fetched during this research pass (HTTP 403 / API unauthorized from the authoring host). Re-check BGG bios when accessible.
* '''Wookieepedia''' SWCCG page was not retrieved (HTTP 403) during this pass; Wikipedia + Decipher press/IA + interviews are the working base.
* Exact split of design labor among the four Wikipedia-credited designers (especially Holland's "designer" vs. publisher role, and Darcy's Lead Designer start date) remains partly secondary.
* CardGuide / fandom mirrors that list Chuck Kallenbach (or alternate spellings of Tesh) conflict with Wikipedia; flagged above, not copied as fact.

== Sources ==

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Customizable_Card_Game Star Wars Customizable Card Game] (Wikipedia) — designer credit; 1995–2001 publication span; Players' Committee note
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Braunlich Tom Braunlich] (Wikipedia) — ''Pente''; approach to Decipher with Tesh; ST:TNG CCG; SWCCG; cites ''Designers & Dragons'' and Virginian-Pilot
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decipher,_Inc. Decipher, Inc.] (Wikipedia) — Holland founder; Braunlich/Tesh 1993 approach; SWCCG release; PC donation/handoff summary
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080821113824/http://decipher.com/content/2004/st10/sttimeline.html The History of Star Trek CCG: The Timeline] (Kathy McCracken, Decipher; Wayback) — underlying source used by Wikipedia for the 1993 approach narrative
* [https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/guest-interview-mark-tuttle/ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle] (Fantha Tracks, 2018) — "Tom and Rollie's game"; playtest path into Decipher SWCCG
* [https://theboosterpack.buzzsprout.com/1692574/episodes/10935581-booster-pack-throwback-28-decipher-s-star-wars-ccg-with-designer-tom-braunlich Booster Pack Throwback — Decipher's Star Wars CCG with designer Tom Braunlich] (2022) — Braunlich/Tesh as designers of Decipher ''Star Trek'' and ''Star Wars'' CCGs
* [https://wiki.lotrtcgpc.net/wiki/Radio_Free_Decipher Radio Free Decipher episode index] (LOTR-TCG PC wiki) — Decipher contemporary audio; ep. 2 describes Jerry Darcy as Star Wars CCG Lead Game Designer; episodes with Rollie Tesh and Tom Braunlich as "game creators"
* [https://www.kendallcast.ninja/2021/05/jerry-darcy-on-premiere-new-hope-and.html KendallCast: Jerry Darcy on Premiere, A New Hope, and Hoth] (2021) — community interview series labeling Darcy former Decipher Lead Designer for SWCCG
* [https://www.theringer.com/2018/05/21/star-wars/star-wars-customizable-card-game-player-community The Force Is Strong With This ''Star Wars'' Subculture] (The Ringer, May 2018) — secondary narrative (Braunlich/Tesh approach; Holland/Decipher; PC era). Use cautiously; prefer primary/Wikipedia where they disagree on details
* CardGameDatabase / CardGuide fandom mirrors — sometimes list Braunlich, Tesh, Darcy (Holland omitted) or add Kallenbach; treated as '''secondary / conflicting''', not authoritative over Wikipedia's designer line

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