Interview: Richard Daken

Graveyard Greg: Who are you?

Unknown Stranger: I'm Richard "Rick" "Ricko" "Rich" Dakan, game writing whor&um freelance writer.

GG: Nice to meet you. Name your writing credits--past and present

Rich Dakan: I've done a bunch o' stuff. My first book was Dark Kingdom of Jade for Wraith. I did some Kult stuff, some Mutant Chronicles stuff, and then 5 of the first 6 books for Conspiracy X (including all the aliens). I've done some Deadlands stuff, some Star Trek stuff, some Babylon 5 Wars stuff, some Marvel stuff, some stuff stuff and of course stuff for Stuff: the Stuffing.

GG: What's with the shaved head? Not that that's a bad thing...

Dakan: I actually shaved my head at DragonCon three years ago so I could cover it with temporary tattoos promoting the ill fated Starshield game I designed for Tracy Hickman. I liked it so much I kept it. Nor real tattoos planned, although I get it covered in mehendi designs from time to time.

GG: How'd you get started in this crazy business?

Dakan: Well, my friend of Mark Friedman and I were on our way to Gen Con five years or so back and he knew Jen Hartshorn from the net. She was in charge of the new Wraith game White Wolf was releasing that year. We had an idea for a book based around Asia, she grooved on it and we got the job. Mark when on to make a real living with computers and I decided to stick with this biz. Now I do it full time.

GG: Favorite snack at 3am?

Dakan: Either peanut butter cookies or a Gaden Paddy 12" sandwich from Subway. Actually, first one, then the other.

GG: How was your Origins and GenCon experience?

Dakan: Origins went well. I used to live in Columbus so it's always weird to go back. Gen Con went great, lots of cool stuff out and I finally scored my a copy of 7th Sea, which I've really been wanting ever since I heard about it.

GG: Let's play word association. I'll give you five words, and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind: "D&D 3rd Edition"

Dakan: Jonathan Tweet's house rules. With Jonathan (of Ars Magica Fame) working on it, I'm pretty sure it will be cool, especially since he shaved his head and joined the fashionable crowd&

GG: You wrote some stuff in Children o' the Atom with a friend, am I right? You two were hanging with each other at Origins and GenCon. Who is he?

Dakan: That guy? Oh he's nobod&Is that a gun cocking? Oh THAT Guy! He's Jack Emmert. We've done a bunch of writing together. We met in Grad school and hit it off right away. Our minds think a lot alike, especially when it comes to writing games. We're currently working on a big new mini's game for RalPartha/FASA called Final Realm

GG: What was the highlight of GenCon, in your opinion?

Dakan: I got to hear Tracy Hickman sing "Knight of Solamnia" to the tune of some Bee Gees song which was, well, interesting&

GG: When the Y2K Bug destroys most of civilization, what will you be doing?

Dakan: Throwin' my weight around. This is the moment I've been training for, when civilization collapses and only the big, strong, and bald have the power to rule the world!

GG: I know that's the truth!

You've been given the OK to do a game! What kind of game would it be, and how would it stand out among all the other games?

Dakan: Well I have been given a game to do, the aforementioned Final Realm. It's going to be great. We've already got a really cool line of figures started and the ideas Chris Bledsoe has for the world are awesome. But if I had my own little game to do all by myself it would have to be, without a doubt, The Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG. It would be different because it would have Buffy. It would stand out because it had Buffy. If I was lucky, I'd get to meet Buffy. Actually more than her, I want to meet Joss Whedon, the show's creator. I'm really impressed with what he's done&

GG: Who is the one person you'd like to work with on a project?

Dakan: I really enjoyed working with Tracy Hickman on Starshield but alas that never came to be anything. I'd love to work with him again on something.

GG: Don't count Starshield out yet, bub. I have a good feeling we'll be seeing it again.

Boxers or Briefs?

Dakan: Actually I wear those in between things - part boxer, part brief and all comfort

GG: Now it's time for the question we've all been waiting for-- The Celebrity Deathmatch Question! Todays contestants are John Goff of Deadlands notoriety, Darrell Hardy of the new Twilight Imperium RPG, and Gary Gygax, the Gawdfather of Gaming. Who would win, and how?

Dakan: Well we all know and fear Gary's Legendary prowess. Thinking fast, Darrell whips out a copy of the silver boxed 25th anniversary D&D which stops the rampaging Gary in his tracks as he is overcome by nostalgia. Darrell's in a bind though. He knows if he lowers the box it will break the spell and Gary will be all over him with signed copies of Chainmail&Seizing the opportunity, John Goff wades in with his five bound, special edition, signed by Shane himself, genuine leatherbound collector's copy of Deadlands and clocks them both over the head, leaving him the only man standing&

GG: What is in the future for you?

Dakan: Aside from Final Realm I'm working on a sequel for a game I have coming out in October called All Flesh Must be Eaten, the Zombie RPG. I'm doing a sourcebook called The Replacement Eaters, all about Hong Kong action zombies.

GG: It's time to say goodbye. Any parting words for the readers out there?

Dakan: Don't give into the hair conspiracy! Shave now before it's too late!