‘City Builder’ Platinum Edition Kickstarter Update #18: Meet Our Team!

As we continue into the second half of our Kickstarter campaign for a "Platinum Edition" of Skirmisher Publishing’s City Builder: A Guide to Designing Communities we would like to introduce you to the members of our team and give you some idea of their capabilities! Following are the people who are helping to write, illustrate, design, and manage this project.

Michael O. Varhola is a writer who has authored or co-authored more than three-dozen books and games, including City Builder, and who has published more than 200 other titles. He is the founder of game company Skirmisher Publishing LLC and editor-in-chief of d-Infinity Online game magazine. He has edited, published, or written for numerous publications that include the New York Times, is a combat veteran who served eight years in the U.S. Army, and lives in the Hill Country north of San Antonio, Texas. He also has an active online presence through Facebook, Twitter, and a variety of other blogs, forums, and sites.

Brenda Cass is a software developer, data scientist, and game developer who has a master’s degree in Information Technology and Data Science and who has been part of General Electric’s prestigious Information Technology Leadership Program. She is a co-owner of Skirmisher Publishing and responsible for the company's technical capabilities, is a co-author of the Swords of Kos Fantasy Campaign Setting, and is currently in development with the Hekaton role-playing game and the Swords of Infinity RPG system and. She manages d-Infinity Online game magazine and the “d-Infinity Live!” channels on Twitch and YouTube.

Amanda Kahl is creator of the bestselling Age of Night series of graphic novels, a freelance illustrator in the tabletop gaming industry, and a contributor to multiple Skirmisher Publishing titles. She also peddles nerdy T-shirts and plays RPGs on several webshows and podcasts, to include “d-Infinity Live!” actual-play games. She lives in the woods of Maine with her family and enjoys gaming, gardening, and adventuring outdoors.

Jim Clunie is co-author of the original edition of City Builder, lead author of the Shadows of a Dying World RPG sourcebook, and a contributor to the Swords of Kos Fantasy Campaign Setting and other Skirmisher Publishing titles. He lives in in Canberra, Australia, where he is an active organized play GM and participant.

Clint Staples is a game developer, writer, and professional miniatures sculptor who has a master’s degree in Medieval History. He is the lead developer for the Ragnarok: Age of Wolves miniatures game and the affiliated Ragnarok: The Great Winter RPG, and is the author of the bestselling Mythos Society Guide to New England. He is a member of the “d-Infinity Live!” actual-play game team and regularly posts musings on the Runequest RPG and other things at d-Infinity Online. When not exploring the wilds around Winnipeg, Canada, he pursues his interest in the Medieval and ancient worlds.

William T. Thrasher is an author, illustrator, and game designer who lives in Frankfort, Kentucky. He has contributed to numerous Skirmisher Publishing projects, including co-authoring and illustrating most of the titles in the company’s popular “100 Oddities” series of system-free sourcebooks and numerous scenarios for the Cthulhu Live horror LARP. When not writing, drawing, or podcasting, he organizes special gaming events with his troupe, Kettle of Fish Productions.

Bob Greyvenstein is an artist and designer who lives in Pretoria, South Africa. He has played a role in several Skirmisher publications, to include doing layout and design for the Platinum Edition of City Builder and the Ragnarok: Age of Wolves miniatures game and providing cover art for the Swords of Kos Fantasy Campaign Setting.

We are all very much enjoying this project and committed to bringing our best efforts to the creation of a beautiful new revised, updated, and expanded Platinum Edition of City Builder! Thanks to everyone who has backed it so far and allowed us to take it to the point it is currently at. This project continues to become a better value for its backers, so please join us if you have not already and help us get out the word about it so that we can take it as far as possible for everyone. 

City Builder contributors mentioned in this update that appear in this picture from the 2018 Skirmisher Leadership Retreat held in Texas Hill Country include Clint Staples (left), Amanda Kahl (center), and Michael O. Varhola (right).