Description
Richard Garriott has been many things: video game pioneer; wildly successful entrepreneur; and daring adventurer. In 1997, Garriott, who is known online by the handle "Lord British," forever changed the video game industry when he published Ultima Online, the first massively multiplayer, online role-playing game (MMORPG). Garriott's game, highly successful in its own right, was the originator of a genre that would later spawn such smash hits as World of Warcraft, and it was the first videogame to truly tap into the transformative power of the internet. Garriott made hundreds of millions on Ultima and subsequent games, and spent much of the money funding expeditions to the furthest reaches of the earth -- and outer space.
Drawing upon the two guiding tenets of Garriott's life -- exploration and creation -- his memoir, Explore/Create, follows his many passions to the extraordinary places they have taken him. Garriott brings us on an expedition to Antarctica to hunt for meteorites, and explores the wreckage of the Titanic in a submarine (nearly dying in the process). He becomes one of the first civilians to fly in outer space, and later arranges a zero-G flight for Stephen Hawking, watching the legendary physicist experience weightlessness for the first time. And above all, Garriott introduces us to many of the wondrous and magical things we can find in our own backyards.
A larger-than-life figure, Garriott has been hailed as a "game god" (PC Gamer), as one of "The 6 Most Interesting Men You Can Actually Meet" (Maxim), and was the inspiration for one of the main characters in Ernest Cline's bestselling novel Ready Player One (movie adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg forthcoming). Here, in his own words, is his extraordinary life story.
About the Author
Richard Garriott founded the gaming companies Origin Systems, Destination Games, and most recently Portalarium. His Ultima series has sold millions of copies worldwide. In 2008, Richard rode Soyuz TMA-13 to the International Space Station, becoming the first American second-generation space traveler. He lives in New York City with his wife, Laetitia, and their two children. David Fisher is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including 22 New York Times bestsellers. He has worked with George Burns, Johnnie Cochran, and Terry Bradshaw, among others. He lives in New York City.
Reviews
"Richard Garriott has inspired me to explore and create since I was a teenager. I never would've written Ready Player One if I hadn't grown up playing the games he created as Lord British. This is the book I've been waiting to read for a long, long time." - Ernest Cline, New York Times bestselling author of Ready Player One "Fascinating.... Demystifies an industry and a man so instrumental in it.... A rich compendium of stories from an extraordinary life." - Eurogamer.net "Lively and entertaining.... [Garriott] embeds puzzles and games in the book for those who want to take it beyond the simple experience of reading.... Those looking for glimpses into an adventurous life should be pleased." - Kirkus Reviews "Explore/Create is a chronicle of wonder, and the many wondrous things the future may hold. Richard and I have long shared a passion for space. Perhaps one day our kids will create and play games on a new world!" - Elon Musk, CEO, SpaceX and Tesla Motors "Richard and his partners at Zero-G took me on my first flight into weightlessness. ... I applaud his spirit and have enjoyed the fruits of his labor." - Stephen Hawking "I was so taken by Richard Garriott's game Ultima that I was nearly speechless when I met him at a pizza joint in Chicago. Now finally, Richard has shared his compelling story with the rest of us in Explore/Create." - Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple "Richard and I are both among the first private astronauts, and we have used our unbound power of imagination to take us to new heights. This book will take you on an insider's journey into Richards fascinating mind from creating virtual worlds and characters to exploring the cosmos. Buckle up!" - Anousheh Ansari, 1st Muslim woman to go into space "Garriott's enthusiasm for his passions is evident and... even inspirational." - Booklist Online "Telling. ... Learn [Garriott's] secret to staying creative and gain valuable insight into his crazy-interesting history." - Brit + Co "An entertaining book that describes Garriott's twin passions to explore (not just space but also the deep sea and Antarctica, among other places) and create." - The Space Review
Book Information
ISBN 9780062286666
Author Richard Garriott
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint William Morrow Paperbacks
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Weight(grams) 270g
