Raph Koster

Raph Koster
Koster in 2017
Born
Raphael Koster

(1971-09-07) September 7, 1971 (age 53)
Long Island, New York, U.S.
OccupationGame designer
Spouse
Kristen Koster
​
(m. 1992)​
ChildrenBen Koster
David Koster

Raphael "Raph" Koster (born September 7, 1971) is an American entrepreneur, game designer, and author of A Theory of Fun for Game Design. Koster is widely recognized for his work as the lead designer of Ultima Online[1] and the creative director behind Star Wars Galaxies.[2] From 2006 until 2013 he worked as the founder and president of Metaplace (previously operating as Areae and acquired by social gaming company Playdom in 2010, which was in turn acquired by Disney) producing a Facebook game platform.

  1. ^ Bainbridge, William Sims (2004). Berkshire Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interactionß. Vol. 2. Berkshire Publishing Group. p. 474. ISBN 0-9743091-2-5. UO set new standards in virtual environment design. Its visionary lead designer, Raph Koster, introduced many innovations [...]
  2. ^ Mulligan, Jessica; Patrovsky, Bridgette (2003). Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide. New Riders. pp. 145–146. ISBN 1-59273-000-0. At the 2002 Game Developer's Conference, an audience member asked the panel on "Building the Next-Generation PW" how he, as a writer, could ensure the integrity of his story in a PW. The reply came from panel member Raph Koster, the creative director on Star Wars Galaxies and former lead designer of UO: "Get over yourselves; the rest of the world is coming. Okay? People value self-expression. Is 'story' going to go away? No. Is careful crafting going to go away? No. Are the professionals engaged in that going to go away? No. Well, except that IP—the concept of intellectual property—may, but that's a whole other side discussion. The thing is that people want to express themselves and they don't really care that 99% of everything is crap, because they are positive that the 1% they made isn't. Okay? And fundamentally, they get ecstatic as soon as five people see it, right?"