Lawrence Schick began his career as a writer at TSR Hobbies in the late 1970s, where he was a game designer and head of the editorial staff. At TSR he was involved in the development and early popularity of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. He wrote and developed numerous role-playing scenarios and magazine articles throughout the 1980s, culminating in the publication of Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games (Prometheus Books, 1991).
In the early 1980s Schick began working as a game designer and project manager for video and computer game companies, a period that included high-profile positions at Coleco and MicroProse. His adaptations of Zaxxonfor Coleco and his original game Airborne Ranger for MicroProse were top-selling games in the ‘80s.
Schick wrote extensive background books for several of his historical computer games, including Task Force: 1942 and Sword of the Samurai. In the early 1990s he became Executive Producer of Consumer Software at fast-growing Magnet Interactive Studios, where he managed development of CD-ROM titles.
At that time Schick also led a troupe of writers who produced live-action role-playing weekends for 50 to 100 players, specializing in historical productions with romantic themes. He continues to be involved in theater-style LARPs as a hobby.
In 1995 Schick joined America Online, Inc., where he founded and ran AOL’s Games Channel. Promoted to Executive Director of Interactive Entertainment, he oversaw games content strategy for all of AOL’s brands, including Netscape and CompuServe, gaining a great deal of experience in publishing for and marketing to the modern consumer. He left AOL in late 1999 to freelance in new media and writing.
In 2007 Schick returned to role-playing games as one of the early designers on what would become Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. He then put his extensive experience with online games to use by joining ZeniMax Online Studios as Loremaster on The Elder Scrolls Online MMO RPG. Now he has returned to Dungeons & Dragons, working as a lead narrative designer on Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3.
Credits:
Lawrence Schick Game Credits
1979
- S2, White Plume Mountain, AD&D scenario module, TSR: design, writing.
- Dungeon Masters Guide, AD&D rules reference, TSR: development, editing.
1980
- Deities & Demigods, AD&D rules reference, TSR: writing, development, editing.
1981
- A4, In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords, AD&D scenario module, TSR: design, writing.
- Fiend Folio, AD&D rules reference, TSR: writing, development, editing.
1982
- Star Frontiers, science fiction RPG, TSR: design, development.
- DA6, Divine Intervention, Traveller scenario module, GDW: design, writing.
- Smurf: Rescue, original game for ColecoVision, Coleco: design, development.
- Smurf: Rescue, original game for Atari 2600, Coleco: design, development.
- Zaxxon, arcade port to ColecoVision, Coleco: adaptation, development.
- Cosmic Avenger, arcade port to ColecoVision, Coleco: adaptation, development.
- Venture, arcade port to ColecoVision, Coleco: adaptation, development.
- Venture, arcade port to Atari 2600, Coleco: adaptation, development.
- Venture, arcade port to Intellivision, Coleco: adaptation, development.
1983
- Tarzan, original game for ColecoVision, Coleco: design, development.
- Zaxxon, arcade port to Atari 2600, Coleco: adaptation, development.
- Zaxxon, arcade port to Intellivision, Coleco: adaptation, development.
- Zaxxon, arcade port to standalone tabletop, Coleco: adaptation, development.
- Mr. Do!,arcade port to ColecoVision, Coleco: adaptation, development.
- Mr. Do!,arcade port to Atari 2600, Coleco: adaptation, development.
1984
- The Dukes of Hazzard, original game for ColecoVision, Coleco: design, development.
- Super Zaxxon, arcade port to ADAM computer, Coleco: adaptation, development.
1986
- Eternity, Inc., DC Heroes scenario module, Mayfair: design, writing.
- Alter Ego, computer RPG, C-64, Activision: development, editing.
1987
- Airborne Ranger, original action game, C-64, MicroProse: design, writing, producer.
- Silent Service, naval game, Amiga, MicroProse: adaptation, producer.
- Silent Service, naval game, IBM PC, MicroProse: adaptation, producer.
1988
- Airborne Ranger, action game, IBM PC, MicroProse: adaptation, producer.
- Airborne Ranger, action game, Amiga, MicroProse: adaptation, producer.
1989
- Sword of the Samurai, action RPG, IBM PC, MicroProse: design, writing, producer.
1991
- Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games, book, Prometheus: writing, editing, art direction.
- Café Casablanca, live-action role-playing game, Cruel Hoax: design, producer.
1992
- Task Force: 1942, naval game, PC, MicroProse: design, writing, producer.
- The King’s Musketeers, live-action role-playing game, Cruel Hoax: design, producer.
1993
- BloodNet, computer adventure RPG, PC, MicroProse: development, producer.
- BloodNet, computer adventure RPG, Amiga, MicroProse: development, producer.
1994
- Wings over Europe, PC CD-ROM game, Discovery: design, writing, producer.
1995
- Icebreaker, strategy action game, 3DO, Panasonic: executive producer.
1995-1999
- AOL Games Channel, general manager and executive director.
2011
- Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, action RPG, PC/consoles, EA: early systems design, narrative design.
2014
- The Elder Scrolls Online, MMO RPG, PC/Mac/Xbox One/PS3, Bethesda/ZeniMax: lead writer and Loremaster.
- The Improved Emperor’s Guide to Tamriel (ZeniMax): co-author.
2015
- Tales of Tamriel—Book I: The Land (Titan Books): co-author.
- Tales of Tamriel—Book II: The Lore (Titan Books): co-author.
2017
- The Elder Scrolls Online Morrowind: Naryu’s Journal (ZeniMax): author
2018
- The Elder Scrolls Online Summerset: The Alinor Codex (ZeniMax): co-author
2023
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Larian Studios): Principal Narrative Designer
