Doug Niles
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Douglas Niles (born December 1, 1954, in
Brookfield, Wisconsin Brookfield is a city in eastern Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. It had a population of 41,464 at the 2020 census. The city is adjacent to the Town of Brookfield and is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. History Brookfield i ...
) is a fantasy author and
game designer Game design is the process of creating and shaping the mechanics, systems, rules, and gameplay of a game. Game design processes apply to board games, card games, dice games, casino games, role-playing games, sports, Wargame (video games), war ga ...
. Niles was one of the creators of the
Dragonlance ''Dragonlance'' is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived ''Dragonlance'' while driving i ...
world and the author of the first three
Forgotten Realms ''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setti ...
novels, the ''
Star Frontiers ''Star Frontiers'' is a science fiction role-playing game produced by TSR from 1982 to 1985. The game offers a space opera action-adventure setting. Description ''Star Frontiers'' is a space opera role-playing game that is set near the cent ...
''
space opera Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes Space warfare in science fiction, space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, i ...
setting and the '' Top Secret S/I'' espionage
role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...
.


Early life and education

Niles was born in
Brookfield, Wisconsin Brookfield is a city in eastern Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. It had a population of 41,464 at the 2020 census. The city is adjacent to the Town of Brookfield and is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. History Brookfield i ...
, a suburb of
Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, and his family moved to
Nashotah Nashotah is a village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,321 at the 2020 census. The village took its name from the nearby Nashotah Lakes. Education Nashotah House, a seminary of The Episcopal Church, is in ...
, a small town to the north, when he was twelve years old. Niles developed an interest in
heroic fantasy Sword and sorcery (S&S), or heroic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Elements of romance, magic, and the supernatural are also often present. Unlike works of ...
, as well as
wargaming A normal wargame is a strategy game in which two or more players command opposing armed forces in a simulation of an armed conflict. Wargaming may be played for recreation, to train military officers in the art of strategic thinking, or to st ...
, and began writing short stories and making short films in high school. Niles attended the
University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh The University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh (UW Oshkosh or UWO) is a public university in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System and offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs to around 13,0 ...
, where he majored in speech and minored in English. While there, he met Chris Schroeder, whom he married three years later. After graduation, Niles began teaching Speech and English at Clinton High School, about 30 miles away from
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Lake Geneva is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located in Walworth County and situated on Geneva Lake, it was home to 8,277 people as of the 2020 census, up from 7,651 at the 2010 census. It is located southwest of Milwaukee and no ...
. “One day, one of my students came up and said she had a note to get out of class that afternoon because she was going to be interviewed by ''
People The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' magazine. Her name was Heidi Gygax. I asked her why ''People'' wanted to interview her, and she told me that her father had invented the ''
Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...
'' game. Well, I had heard of ''D&D'', but didn’t know that the designer lived so close to me. The next day, Heidi brought me a copy of the original '' D&D Basic Set'', and two days later, I got some friends together and played my first game. I was the DM.”


Career

A few years later, one of the players in Niles' ''D&D'' campaign went to work for ''
Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
'' magazine. According to Niles, “One day, he told me that TSR was hiring editors, and I applied for a job. I took the editing test, which consisted of a 14 page manuscript I was supposed to mark up. I only found three things to change. . . and flunked the test. But TSR was also hiring game designers, and so, armed with a half-written novel and some notes from my campaign, I applied for a design job. I went through five interviews, and gradually convinced them that I could do the job.” Niles was hired by TSR in January 1982, as a
game designer Game design is the process of creating and shaping the mechanics, systems, rules, and gameplay of a game. Game design processes apply to board games, card games, dice games, casino games, role-playing games, sports, Wargame (video games), war ga ...
. “For the first few weeks I reviewed and critiqued outside submissions, and I wasn’t too good at it. I kept pestering my boss, Al Hammack, for a design assignment, and finally he gave me an old brief for a novice-level module, '' Cult of the Reptile God'', and told me to write it. I completed it in four weeks, and it was published. I don’t know whether they liked it because it was good, or because I did it in only four weeks.” Niles worked on more than just ''D&D'' for TSR, “In the summer of 1982, I designed my first game, the '' Knight Hawks'' rules for the ''
Star Frontiers ''Star Frontiers'' is a science fiction role-playing game produced by TSR from 1982 to 1985. The game offers a space opera action-adventure setting. Description ''Star Frontiers'' is a space opera role-playing game that is set near the cent ...
'' game, with much help from my editor,
Steve Winter Steve Winter (born December 8, 1957) is an American game designer who worked on numerous products for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, which was originally published by TSR and later Wizards of the Coast. Early life Winter ...
.” Niles produced several modules for the ''D&D'' game, including ''X3 Curse of Xanathon'', ''B5 Horror on the Hill'', ''CM1 Test of the Warlords'', and ''H1 Bloodstone Pass'', and Dragonlance modules ''DL2 Dragons of Flame'', ''DL6 Dragons of Ice'', ''DL9 Dragons of Deceit'', and ''DL11 Dragons of Glory''. Niles is the designer of 1985's '' World War II: European Theatre of Operations'', a grand strategic game. Niles worked on the '' Battlesystem'' Supplement, ''Star Frontiers'' modules ''SF4 Mission to Alcazzar'' and ''SFKH1 Dramune Run'', ''
Indiana Jones ''Indiana Jones'' is an American media franchise consisting of five films and a prequel television series, along with games, comics, and tie-in novels, that depicts the adventures of Indiana Jones (character), Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, ...
'' module '' IJ2 Raiders of the Lost Ark'', the ''World War II'' Game, the ''Sirocco'' Strategy Game (with Zeb Cook), and the Endless Quest books ''EQ #26 Tarzan and the Well of Slaves'' and ''Super EQ #3 Escape From Castle Quarras'' for TSR.
Tracy Hickman Tracy Raye Hickman (born November 26, 1955) is an American fantasy author and designer of games and virtual reality (VR) experiences. He co-authored the original ''Dragonlance'' novels with Margaret Weis as well as numerous other books. He also ...
had gotten Harold Johnson,
Jeff Grubb Jeff Grubb (born August 27, 1957) is an author of novels, short stories, and comics, as well as a computer and role-playing game designer in the fantasy genre. Grubb worked on the ''Dragonlance'' campaign setting under Tracy Hickman, and the ' ...
, Carl Smith, and
Larry Elmore Larry Elmore (born August 5, 1948) is an American fantasy artist whose work includes creating illustrations for video games, comics, magazines, and fantasy books. His list of work includes illustrations for ''Dungeons & Dragons'', ''Dragonlance'', ...
in on the idea of
Dragonlance ''Dragonlance'' is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived ''Dragonlance'' while driving i ...
before
Margaret Weis Margaret Edith Weis (; born March 16, 1948) is an American fantasy and science fiction author of dozens of novels and short stories. At TSR, Inc., she teamed with Tracy Hickman to create the ''Dragonlance'' role-playing game (RPG) world. She is f ...
and Niles joined them. Niles authored the rulebook '' Dungeoneer's Survival Guide'' (1986). Niles was already working on a trilogy of novels with a Celtic theme to be published by TSR, Ltd., which he then modified to become the first novels set in the
Forgotten Realms ''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setti ...
, starting with '' Darkwalker on Moonshae'' (1987). Niles also co-authored '' The City of Greyhawk'' boxed set with
Carl Sargent Carl Lynwood Sargent (11 December 1952 – 12 September 2018) was a British parapsychologist and author of several roleplaying game-based products and novels, who used the pen name Keith Martin to write '' Fighting Fantasy'' gamebooks. Early li ...
, for which he designed the 96-page booklet ''Greyhawk: Gem of the Flanaess''. Niles and Paul Lidberg designed the board game '' A Line in the Sand'' (1991), which focused on the
Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
between the US and Iraq; it was one of the projects originating from TSR West, and was published the day the US started bombing because
Flint Dille Flint Dille is an American screenwriter, game designer and novelist. He is best known for his animated work on ''Transformers'', ''G.I. Joe'', '' An American Tail: Fievel Goes West'', and his game-writing, '' The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape fro ...
convinced the company president to move quickly. Niles has written numerous novels, mainly for the Dragonlance series. Niles is one of the most prolific Dragonlance authors, and in addition to '' Wizard's Conclave'', his Dragonlance titles include The Icewall Trilogy (''The Messenger'', ''The Golden Orb'', ''
Winterheim ''Winterheim'' is a fantasy novel by Douglas Niles, set in the world of Dragonlance, and based on the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. It is the third novel in the "Icewall" trilogy. It was published in paperback in January 2003. Plot s ...
''), ''Emperor of Ansalon'', ''The Dragons'', ''The Puppet King'', ''Fistandantilus Reborn'', '' Flint the King'' (with Mary Kirchoff), and ''The Last Thane''. He contributed nine novels to the Forgotten Realms line, including the Moonshae trilogy and two further trilogies in the Forgotten Realms. He has won both the H.G. Wells award and the Origins award for his work in developing adventure games. In 1990, he left TSR to write fantasy fiction. Niles has written two World War II alternate history novels, '' Fox on the Rhine'' and '' Fox at the Front'' (co-authored with Michael Dobson). Released in hardcover by
Forge A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to the ...
, a division of
TOR Tor, TOR or ToR may refer to: Places * Toronto, Canada ** Toronto Raptors * Tor, Pallars, a village in Spain * Tor, former name of Sloviansk, Ukraine, a city * Mount Tor, Tasmania, Australia, an extinct volcano * Tor Bay, Devon, England * Tor ...
, "Fox" has been both a main selection of the Military Book Club and a Featured selection of the
Science Fiction Book Club Bookspan LLC is a New York–based online bookseller, founded in 2000. Bookspan began as a joint endeavor by Bertelsmann and Time Warner. Bertelsmann took over control in 2007, and a year later, sold its interest to Najafi Companies, an Arizon ...
. Niles and Dobson also later wrote the World War II alternate history novel ''MacArthur's War''. Niles has created two fantasy worlds in books published by Ace Fantasy. The Watershed Trilogy (''A Breach in the Watershed'', ''Darkenheight'', ''The War of Three Waters'') was completed in the late 1990s, and it features a continent divided by mountains into three distinct basins: watersheds of pure, normal water; of magical liquid (Aura); and of vile, poisonous Darkblood. ''Circle at Center'', ''Worldfall'', and ''The Goddess Worldweaver'' form the Seven Circles Trilogy, which details a cosmos in which historical characters from Earth can be drawn into the realms of magic, through sorcery both deadly and erotic. Niles has designed dozens of games for TSR, Inc. and SPI, including award-winning boardgames based on
Tom Clancy Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military science, military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of ...
's novels ''
The Hunt for Red October ''The Hunt for Red October'' is the debut novel by American author Tom Clancy, first published on October 1, 1984, by the Naval Institute Press. It depicts Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius as he seemingly goes rogue with his country's cutt ...
'' and ''
Red Storm Rising ''Red Storm Rising'' is a war novel, written by Tom Clancy and Larry Bond, and released on August 7, 1986. Set in the mid-1980s, it features a Third World War between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Warsaw Pact forces, and is notab ...
'', and has also created numerous historical military boardgames, including the massive games ''European Theatre of Operations'' and ''Pacific Theatre of Operations''.


Personal life

Niles resides in Delavan, in the Wisconsin countryside, with his wife Christine and his son David. His daughter, Allison, served overseas as part of
Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...
. His hobbies include hiking, bicycling, playing the guitar, and spending time with his friends and family.


Bibliography


Nonfiction

* ''A Noble Cause: American Battlefield Victories in Vietnam'' ( 2015 )


Novels

* ''Horror on the Hill'' (1983) * ''Tarzan and the Well of Slaves'' (1985) * ''Winds of Change'' (1992) * '' The Rod of Seven Parts'' (1996) * ''The Odyssey of Gilthanas'' (1999) (with Steve Miller) * '' War of the Worlds: New Millennium'' (2005) * ''MacArthur's War: A Novel of the Invasion of Japan'' (2007) (with Michael Dobson) * Top Secret/S.I. Administrators Guide TSR, Inc 1987


Series


="Fox" series

= * '' Fox on the Rhine'' (2000) (with Michael Dobson) * '' Fox at the Front'' (2003) (with Michael Dobson)


=Watershed

= * ''A Breach in the Watershed'' (1995) * ''Darkenheight'' (1996) * '' War of Three Waters'' (1997)


=Chaos War

= * ''Seeds of Chaos'' (1998) * ''Chaos Spawn'' (1999)


=Seven Circles

= * ''Circle at Center'' (2000) * ''World Fall'' (2001) * ''The Goddess Worldweaver'' (2003)


Series contributed


=Dragonlance

= * '' Dragons of Glory'' (1986) with
Margaret Weis Margaret Edith Weis (; born March 16, 1948) is an American fantasy and science fiction author of dozens of novels and short stories. At TSR, Inc., she teamed with Tracy Hickman to create the ''Dragonlance'' role-playing game (RPG) world. She is f ...
* ''Lords of Doom'' (1986) * '' Dragons of Triumph'' (1986)


=Forgotten Realms : The Moonshae Trilogy

= * '' Darkwalker on Moonshae'' (1987) * '' Black Wizards'' (1988) * ''Darkwell'' (1989)


=Forgotten Realms : Maztica Trilogy

= * ''Ironhelm'' (1990) * ''Viperhand'' (1990) * ''Feathered Dragon'' (1991)


=Dragonlance : Preludes II

= * ''Flint, the King'' (1990)


=Dragonlance : Elven Nations

= * ''The Kinslayer Wars'' (1991)


=Forgotten Realms : Druidhome

= * ''Prophet of Moonshae'' (1992) * ''The Coral Kingdom'' (1992) * ''The Druid Queen'' (1993)


=Dragonlance : Villains

= * ''Emperor of Ansalon'' (1993)


=Dragonlance : Lost Histories

= * ''The Kagonesti'' (1995) * ''The Dragons'' (1996)


=First Quest

= * ''Pawns Prevail'' (1995) * '' Suitors Duel'' (1995) * ''Immortal Game'' (1996)


=Dragonlance : Lost Legends

= * ''Fistandantilus Reborn'' (1997)


=Dragonlance : Chaos War

= * ''The Last Thane'' (1998) * ''The Puppet King'' (1999)


=Dragonlance : Icewall

= * ''The Messenger'' (2001) * ''The Golden Orb'' (2001) * ''Winterheim'' (2003)


=Dragonlance : Age of Mortals

= * ''Wizards' Conclave'' (2004)


=Dragonlance : Rise of Solamnia

= * ''Lord Of The Rose'' (2005) * ''The Crown and Sword'' (2006) * ''The Measure and the Truth'' (2007)


=Dragonlance : Dwarf Home

= * ''The Secret of Pax Tharkas'' (2007) * ''Heir of Kayolin'' (2008) * ''The Fate of Thorbardin'' (2009)


Top Secret/S.I.

* Administrators Guide Orion (1987) Game Design


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Niles, Douglas 1954 births 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American novelists American fantasy writers American male novelists Dungeons & Dragons game designers Living people People from Delavan, Wisconsin