Contact
- Website: http://www.ihobo.com
One-Line Bio
Inveterate game designer, philosopher and author
Biography
Chris Bateman is Managing Director of International Hobo, the leading consultancy in the field of game design and narrative services. He has worked in game design and writing for over a decade, originally with tabletop role-playing games and boardgames, and later in computer entertainment after completing a Masters degree in Artificial Intelligence/Cognitive Science.
He was the lead game designer and writer for such games as Discworld Noir, Ghost Master, Heretic Kingdoms: The Inquisition and Play with Fire, as well as having two novels published, and working on more than twenty other videogames for major publishers, as either game designer, writer or both.
Chris has been closely involved with the International Game Developers Association for many years, and helped found both the North West UK chapter and the IGDA Game Writers' Special Interest Group, for which he served on the Executive Panel for five years. In 2007, the IGDA honoured him with a prestigious MVP Award.
In 2004, International Hobo published its groundbreaking DGD1 audience model, based on research into the psychology of game players. Despite its flaws and limitations, the model has received universal acclaim, and has been cited in numerous academic and government reports. A book about this research entitled 21st Century Game Design discusses the application of play styles to the game design process, and is out now.
Game Writing: Narrative Skills for Videogames, written by the IGDA Game Writers' SIG and edited by Chris, is also out now. It features two chapters written by Chris, and another two by additional members of International Hobo. The remaining eight chapters are by other acclaimed game writers, connected by being members of the Game Writers' SIG. The book was republished three times within a year of publication, and remains a popular and acclaimed title.
His keen interest in philosophy has not yet lead to a book on this subject, but he is actively seeking a publisher for his philosophical work.
