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Sean Patrick Fannon

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Sean Patrick Fannon
Born (1966-01-04) January 4, 1966 (age 58)
Tennessee, United States
Occupation(s)Game Designer, Writer

Sean Patrick Fannon is an American role-playing game designer and writer. He has been working in the gaming industry since 1988, and is best known for his work with the Savage Worlds game system, including his epic fantasy setting, Shaintar, and his conversion of the classic game Rifts. He has also worked as a designer in the video game industry and a consultant in the film industry.[citation needed]

Personal life

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Fannon was born on January 4, 1966, in Tennessee. He began playing role-playing games in 1977.[1][2][3] Before becoming a successful game designer, he worked as a deputy sheriff, airline agent, and armored car driver[citation needed]. He attended West Point from 1984 to 1986[citation needed]. He currently lives in Littleton, Colorado.

Career in role-playing games

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Early works

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Fannon's career in the gaming industry began in 1988,[4] writing freelance articles and reviews for small-press magazines.[5] He then wrote multiple books for Hero Games' Champions RPG, which led to a job as the Continuity Director of the Champions Universe line.[6] He also wrote books for the Shatterzone RPG and the original Star Wars RPG from West End Games and articles for Shadis Magazine, Adventurer's Club Magazine,[7] and TSR's Dragon Magazine.[8]

In 1995, Fannon wrote The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible, an introduction to the role-playing hobby, for Prima Entertainment. A second edition of the book was published by Obsidian Studios in 1999.[9] This book has been cited as a good introductory guide to roleplaying games for people that are not roleplayers.[10][11]

Multimedia company IEI's games division 8th Wonder Games hired Fannon in 1996 to target the role-playing games niche.[12]

Fannon was one of the staff to join new company FASA as it was being put together in 2012, with his role in marketing and promotion.[13]: 379 

DriveThruRPG

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From October 2008 until 2012 Fannon worked as a Marketing and Communications Manager for DriveThruRPG where he managed communications, promotions, marketing, and business development for RPG sites. This included helping to advertise projects like their "Gamers Help Haiti" program,[14] which raised money to donate to Doctors Without Borders during their effort to provide medical support to the people of Haiti following the 2010 Haiti earthquake. This effort raised over $175,000.[15] He also helped DriveThruRPG begin more active support of other charities, leading to them establishing permanent accounts with Hero Initiative, Feeding America, Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders.[16]

Shaintar

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In 2005, Shaintar: Immortal Legends the first book set in Fannon's epic fantasy setting for Pinnacle Entertainment Group's Savage Worlds RPG,[17] was published by Talisman Studios. In 2013, Savage Mojo began publishing the Shaintar line, starting with a successful Kickstarter campaign for Shaintar: Legends Unleashed. Two Shaintar books, Shaintar: Legends Arise and Shaintar: Legends Unleashed, were nominated for Ennie awards in 2014.[18]

Evil Beagle Games

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In 2012, Fannon started his own game company, Evil Beagle Games, with Carinn Seabolt, in Huntsville, Alabama.[3] From 2014 to 2017, Ross Watson joined the company as Managing Director.[19] In 2017, Evil Beagle Games became an LLC, with Sean, Bill Keyes, Leonard Pimental, and Michael Surbrook forming the company. In 2020 Evil Beagle LLC was restructured and expanded,[20] and Jennifer Shinefeld was appointed CEO.[21]

Savage Rifts

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In 2016, Fannon's Evil Beagle Games partnered with Pinnacle Entertainment to produce Savage Rifts, which translated Palladium Books' classic Rifts setting to the Savage Worlds rules.[22][23][24]

His involvement in Savage Rifts was featured in WIRED Magazine[25] and in a WIRED interview.[26]

Video games

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Fannon worked as a designer for Interplay Productions (on a Star Trek adventure game), Vortex Media Arts (multiple titles, including a Tonka activity game), Infogrames Multimedia, 8th Wonder Games (Drachen Zor),[27] and Telepathy Entertainment (Out There).[citation needed]

Honors

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Fannon was the Game Designer Guest of Honor at MomoCon 2013,[28] Gaming Guest of Honor for ConGlomeration in 2014,[29] a featured guest at Cleveland ConCoction,[30] the Gaming Guest of Honor for Con on the Cob in 2016,[31] and 2017,[32] a Celebrity Guest for Tacticon in 2017, a guest at Magic City Con,[33] and a special guest at GenghisCon 2018,[34] and at ChupacabraCon 2017.[35]

Fannon was also part of an academic panel discussion at the 2018 Denver Comic Con with Professor James Fielder, Ph.D. of United States Air Force Academy about Social Sciences in Worlds that Never Were: Using Fantasy and Science Fiction Literature in the Classroom.[36]

Accusations (Alleged)

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On May 1st, 2018 an article was posted to ENWorld.org detailing accusations made against Sean Patrick Fannon by both named and anonymous sources. This article was penned by Christopher Helton. The article details allegations that include behaviors that made women feel uncomfortable and statements and messages that furthered that sentiment. ENworld also advised that Fannons weekly article would no longer be running.[37]

In reaction to these allegations, Fannon detailed his response on an RPG.net forum on May 2nd, 2018. In that response, Fannon exposed the details of his accusers that had until that time been kept anonymous. The moderators of RPG.net redacted those details. [38]

Regarding his response, Fannon started it by lauding the #Metoo movement and it's benefit to society. He then stated that while the movement was a net positive, he also stated that "some see this period as providing fertile ground in which to plant seeds which serve their own destructive agendas".

Fannon went on to clarify the timeline of an accusation as being during 2015 or 2016, in which he misinterpreted a situation while asking a woman for a hug. He advised that someone informed him "how great her hugs where, and he should get her " To give him a hug.

He furthered his explanation by saying he did ask, and she advised that she didn't know him. After working with her some more, at the end of an event, he asked her if he had "Earned that Hug"

Fannons response continued, with a total word count of roughly 4500, detailing his reactions and assumptions regarding the interactions he had with his accusers.

The response ended with an apology that detailed that he was both sorry and well meaning.

On January 21st, 2019 Engine Publishing posted an online statement advising that due to the allegations from the ENworld article, they would be replacing the foreward for the "Never Unprepared", that was originally penned by Fannon, with a new foreward by Shanna Germain. [39]

Bibliography

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Savage Worlds role-playing books

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  • Savage Worlds
    • Freedom Squadron
      • Freedom Squadron Commando's Manual
      • Freedom Squadron Plans & Operations Manual
    • Accursed
      • Accursed: The Guns of Dagerov
      • Accursed: Ill Omens
    • Savage Rifts
      • Savage Rifts: The Tomorrow Legion Player's Guide
      • Savage Rifts: Game Master's Handbook (Nominated for a 2017 ENnie award for Best Rules.[40][41])
      • Savage Rifts: Savage Foes of North America
      • Savage Rifts: Coalition Field Manual
      • Savage Rifts: Archetypes Set 1
      • Savage Rifts: Archetypes Set 2
      • A Fine Solution 1: Welcome to the World
      • A Fine Solution 2: The Circle of Death
      • A Fine Solution 3: Triangle Triad
      • A Fine Solution 4: Unwanted Heroes
      • A Fine Solution 5: Power Play
    • Shaintar
      • Shaintar: Legends Arise (Nominated for a 2014 ENnie award.[18])
      • Shaintar: Legends Unleashed (Nominated for a 2014 ENnie award.[18])
      • Shaintar Immortal Legends
      • Shaintar Atlas
      • Shaintar Black Lantern Report: Camden
      • Shaintar Black Lantern Report: Mercenary Companies
      • Shaintar Black Lantern Report: Origins of the Society
      • Shaintar: Dwarven Clanhomes
      • Shaintar Adventure: The Burning Heart
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Desert Princes
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Dregordia
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Eastport
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Elvish Nation
      • Shaintar Guidebook: The Freelands
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Galea
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Goblinesh
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Korindia
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Magic & Cosmology (Vol I)
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Malakar Dominion
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Mindoth's Tower
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Nazatir
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Olara
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Prelacy of Camon
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Serenity
      • Shaintar Guidebook: Shaya'Nor
      • Shaintar Guidebook: The Wildlands
      • Shaintar Anthology: Southern Kingdoms
      • Bloody Awful
      • Godstrike Tempest: Shaintar/Suzerain Crossover
      • Flame Down Below
    • Other Savage Worlds works
      • Crossbows, Crafting, and Ka-ZOT!
      • Day in the Life: Gaming the Downtime
      • Dungeonlands: Heroes And Servitors
      • Enascentia: Touch of Flame
      • Nova Praxis: Savage Worlds edition
      • Fire in the Darkness
      • Savagely Useful: Random Magic Items

Other role-playing games

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  • Aaron Allston's Strike Force (revised) (Winner of a 2016 BAMFsie award.[42])
  • Shatterzone: Arsenal
  • Shatterzone: GearTech
  • Champions: Champions Universe, 4th edition
  • Dark Heresy: Creatures Anathema (Winner of a 2009 ENnie award.[43])
  • Edge of the Empire: Suns of Fortune
  • Shards of the Stone: Core
  • Hero 4th edition: High Tech Enemies
  • Hero 4th edition: The Mutant File
  • Series Pitch of the Month: No Crowns
  • Cracken's Rebel Operatives (West End's Star Wars RPG)
  • Star Wars: Age of Rebellion
  • Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Other works

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  • A Better Game With Dice and Chips 2010
  • Bring Dice & Chips: The Holiday Collection 2011
  • The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible
  • The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible, 2nd edition
  • So Yer Wantin' t' Talk Like a Pirate!

References

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  1. ^ "Q&A with Sean Patrick Fannon". Geek-pride.co.uk. Mar 18, 2013. Retrieved Feb 27, 2019.
  2. ^ "Interrogation Droid: Sean Patrick Fannon". d20 Radio. Nov 12, 2015. Retrieved Feb 27, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "After 40 years, popularity of tabletop gaming rises despite high-tech competition". Times Free Press. Jul 29, 2013. Retrieved Feb 27, 2019.
  4. ^ Julie and Marx (April 26, 2016). G114 – Writer and Game Designer Sean Patrick Fannon (POD cast). GenreTainment.
  5. ^ Uri Lifshitz and Eran Aviram (March 19, 2018). Savage Worlds: Freedom Squadron, with Sean Patrick Fannon (episode 20) (POD cast). On the Shoulders of Dwarves.
  6. ^ "Announcing the ConGlomeration 2012 Gaming Guests of Honor Sean Patrick Fannon and Carinn Seabolt".
  7. ^ "The Spark Before the Flame - RPGnet RPG Game Index". index.rpg.net. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
  8. ^ Fannon, Sean Patrick (December 1993). "Minion Matters". Dragon 200. Lake Geneva WI: TSR, Inc.
  9. ^ Fannon, Sean Patrick (December 1999). The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible 2nd Edition. Obsidian Studios Inc. ISBN 978-0967442907.
  10. ^ Lancaster, Kurt (October 1999). Warlocks and Warpdrive: Contemporary Fantasy Entertainments With Interactive and Virtual Environments. McFarland Publishing. pp. 35, 48. ISBN 978-0786406340.
  11. ^ van Vuuren, Gerhardus (2005). Planning a Let's Pretend Game, Games of make-believe: role playing games as devising theatre. Pietermaritzburg.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ^ Tillett, L Scott. "Firm toying with new video games division", Triangle Business Journal; Raleigh Vol. 12, Iss. 5, (Oct 04, 1996): 4.
  13. ^ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '00s. Evil Hat Productions. p. 379. ISBN 978-1-61317-087-8.
  14. ^ "Gamers Helping Haiti Offers $1400 Worth Of Stuff for $20 Donation | The Escapist". www.escapistmagazine.com. 23 January 2010. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
  15. ^ "DriveThruRPG.com". www.drivethrurpg.com. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
  16. ^ "Origins 2012 Coverage: Interview with Sean Patrick Fannon and Matt McElroy of DriveThruRPG.com". DieHard GameFan. Jun 13, 2012. Retrieved Feb 27, 2019.
  17. ^ "AICN Tabletop Shaintar".
  18. ^ a b c "ENnie Awards: 2014 ENnie Awards Winners".
  19. ^ "Major Evil Beagle News". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
  20. ^ "Home". evilbeaglegames.com.
  21. ^ "About the Beagle -". www.evilbeaglegames.com. Archived from the original on 2014-06-06.
  22. ^ "Pinnacle Entertainment Group, About". Archived from the original on 2016-11-16.
  23. ^ Bryant, Peter Blix (Producer, Host) (April 25, 2016). Mythwits [Savage Rifts] (Television/Web series). Studio187, Nerd Rage News.
  24. ^ "Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Savage Rifts". 17 March 2021.
  25. ^ AUTHOR: GEEK'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY (6 May 2017). "The Bonkers Role-Playing World of Rifts Just Got Even Bigger". Wired.
  26. ^ Bryant, Peter Blix (Producer, Host) (May 5, 2017). Geek's Guide to the Galaxy - A Science Fiction Podcast [254. Sean Patrick Fannon on the Rifts Role-Playing Game] (WIRED Podcast series). WIRED Magazine.
  27. ^ Hedstrom, Kate (July 22, 1997). "8th Wonder's RPG Toolkit". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 9, 1999. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  28. ^ "MomoCon 2013".
  29. ^ "Conglomeration 2014 guest announcement".
  30. ^ Sangiacomo, Michael (12 May 2014). "Cleveland Concoction brings sci-fi, tv and gamers to Cleveland convention". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  31. ^ "Gaming Guest of Honor – Sean Patrick Fannon". Archived from the original on 2017-01-01.
  32. ^ "Special Gaming Guest of Honor – Sean Patrick Fannon". Archived from the original on 2017-10-10.
  33. ^ CROMWELL, SYDNEY (23 May 2017). "Magic City Con to fill 2 levels of Wynfrey Hotel". HooverSun.com. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  34. ^ "2018 Honorary Guests".
  35. ^ "Sean Patrick Fannon, ChupacabraCon 2017".
  36. ^ "DENVER COMIC CON 2018 SCHEDULE".
  37. ^ "Harassment Policies: New Allegations Show More Work To Be Done". EN World D&D & Tabletop RPG News & Reviews. 2018-05-01. Retrieved 2024-11-01.
  38. ^ "Sean Patrick Fannon called out for multiple cases of sexual harassment". RPGnet Forums. 2018-05-01. Retrieved 2024-11-01.
  39. ^ "New foreword author for Never Unprepared: Shanna Germain – Engine Publishing". Retrieved 2024-11-01.
  40. ^ "ENnie Awards: 2017 ENnie Nominations". Archived from the original on 2017-11-04. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  41. ^ Hall, Charlie (5 July 2017). "The best tabletop RPGs of 2017". Polygon. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  42. ^ "The Bamfsies".
  43. ^ "ENnie Awards: 2009 Noms and Winners".
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Personal sites

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Commercial and professional sites

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Interviews

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