Grandia (video game)
In March 1999, Game Art's Japanese publisher ESP Software showcased a PlayStation version of "Grandia" at that year's Tokyo Game Show expo, along with confirmation that the game would be released in English for the first time in North America by Sony Computer Entertainment America. Working Designs, which had previously worked with Game Arts on bringing their "Lunar" games to the region, had expressed interest in publishing the game, but were ultimately unable to secure the rights. New features for the PlayStation version included support for the system's DualShock analog control sticks and vibration function, as well as compatibility with Sony's Japanese-only PocketStation peripheral, which allows players to download game data on a portable device for use in a special mini-game. Although the company had expressed interest in bringing the game to the PlayStation as early as 1998, technical problems originally prevented the title from being ported to the system. Game Arts was later able to release the game with a slight loss in frame rate and a marginal decrease in video effects the following June. The North American version was originally announced by Sony as a summer release during the 1999 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, but was pushed back to the following October. "Grandia" was later released for the PlayStation in Europe in 2000 by Ubisoft.
Eric Goldberg (game designer)
For Simulations Publications, Incorporated (SPI), Eric Goldberg designed "Commando", a man-to-man tactical combat game featuring character creation and skills. Goldberg also designed "DragonQuest" (1980), SPI's biggest roleplaying game and perhaps its first true roleplaying game. Goldberg also contributed to Chaosium's "Thieves' World" (1981). Goldberg and his long-time friend and SPI co-worker Greg Costikyan approached Dan Gelber about turning Gelber's RPG design called 'Paranoia' from a game he ran for his local group into a professional product. Gelber gave Goldberg and Costikyan his notes and they turned those ideas into a complete manuscript. During his time working at SPI, Goldberg also designed "Eric Goldberg's KURSK" which was subsequently published in 1980. This project was the 2nd Edition of SPI's original "KURSK" game (1971). In 1983, Goldberg took a job at West End Games as the new Vice President of Research & Development. Gelber, Costikyan, and Goldberg licensed "Paranoia" to West End Games, and Ken Rolston helped rewrite the rules before it was published in 1984. Goldberg designed "Tales of the Arabian Nights" (1985), a paragraph-based storytelling board game.