Roberts (World 55)
Chris Roberts
(1968 – ; first SF publication, 1986) is not a traditional author, but his stories have brought to life an entire genre of gameplay. For example, the
Wing Commander
series includes computer-based wingmen, but they are not disposable fodder as in games produced earlier. You choose a specific wingman for many of your missions, and the fate of your wingman often influences the course of scenarios that you play. And when a wingman dies, a full military burial in space is observed. Elements of this sort elevate a space shooter into an immersive adventure.
Roberts’ games after the Wing Commander series, including Privateer , Starlancer and Freelancer , continue the storytelling. Today, the upcoming Star Citizen includes a fully-realized backstory and a persistent online environment driven by Roberts’ vision.
Just as importantly, when asked who else backers wanted included in the game, over a quarter of them requested Roberts. We welcome the opportunity to fulfill this commitment to our Kickstarter backers.
Virtual Realities
Rather than selecting a specific element from one of his games, it is worth noting the immersive nature of Roberts’ works. Virtual realities are what Roberts and his team create in their games, and thus what the world Roberts exports in our galaxy.