Creators of SWCCG

From SWCCG Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The creators of SWCCG designed Decipher's Star Wars Customizable Card Game, first released in December 1995. Tom Braunlich and Rollie Tesh created its core system. Warren Holland, Decipher's founder, set its direction and approved every card. Jerry Darcy worked out card details and later led its design.[1][2]

Designers

Person SWCCG role
Tom Braunlich Co-designer; created the draw deck as the player's Force[3]
Rollie Tesh Co-designer; ideas behind the game's math, including destiny numbers[4]
Warren Holland Founder and CEO of Decipher; secured the license and reviewed every card[5][2]
Jerry Darcy Card details on Premiere; lead designer from A New Hope to Endor[6]

How the game was made

Braunlich and Tesh, both Pente world champions, pitched Holland a licensed collectible card game in 1993. It became the Star Trek: The Next Generation CCG in 1994.[7][8] Work on Star Wars began right after that launch, before the license was signed.[9] Braunlich and Tesh planned the game at Richard Borg's house in Florida.[9]

The game began as a base each player builds up. The base became the deck, and the deck became the Force a player spends and loses.[10] Holland's interest in Joseph Campbell's hero's journey led to the split into Light Side and Dark Side.[11] Through 1995 the team met most evenings in Braunlich's apartment to rework proposed cards, often until 3 or 4 a.m.[2]

Decipher bought a 70mm print of the films to pull clear frames, and Skywalker Ranch let the team photograph props.[12][5] Darcy and Bill Martinson worked the concepts out in detail, and playtesters such as Chuck Kallenbach tried to break the game before release.[13][14][15]

Later Decipher designers

See also

References

  1. ↑ Star Wars Customizable Card Game, Wikipedia. Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 21:23–23:57. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  3. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 4:40–5:12. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  4. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 10:00–11:03. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 2025 SWCCG Worlds Special, brandon baity (NanashiStudios) (14 June 2026). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  6. ↑ Star Wars CCG – 11/11/20 Holotheatre – Interview: Jerry Darcy, Star Wars CCG (Players Committee) (11 November 2020), 27:11–29:12. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Holotheatre/11 November 2020 transcript.
  7. ↑ Kathy McCracken, The History of Star Trek CCG: The Timeline, Decipher (2004). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  8. ↑ Tom Braunlich, Wikipedia. Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 3:06–4:40. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  10. ↑ Broadcast 14 – Radio Free Decipher (16 April 1999): Rollie Tesh, Tom Braunlich (Part 1), Decipher; posted by Player's Council (aired 16 April 1999), 10:16–12:19. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Radio Free Decipher/Episode 14 transcript.
  11. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 8:55–10:00. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  12. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 17:27–19:43. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Broadcast 14 – Radio Free Decipher (16 April 1999): Rollie Tesh, Tom Braunlich (Part 1), Decipher; posted by Player's Council (aired 16 April 1999), 8:46–10:16. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Radio Free Decipher/Episode 14 transcript.
  14. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 30:31–32:15. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Decipher Talks LOTR Part 1: Chuck Kallenbach, TheOneRing.net (17 May 2002). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  16. ↑ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle, Fantha Tracks (15 March 2018). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  17. ↑ Radio Free Decipher episode index, LOTR-TCG PC wiki. Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
Retrieved from "https://wiki.swccg.com/index.php?title=Creators_of_SWCCG&oldid=147727"