Wagner James Au's

woefully under-developed home page.

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 e-mail me.

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Recent articles/essays:

Review of Black & White, from Lionhead and Peter Molyneux (see below):
http://www.salon.com/tech/review/2001/04/10/black_and_white/index.html

Profile of Peter Molyneux, who I call "the Stanley Kubrick of computer game design":
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/05/05/molyneux/index.html

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Au's 11th Hour Essay Advocacy for Proposition L:
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/11/06/propl2/index.html

Au on Napster and the Indie Musician
http://www.angrycoffee.com/af/00/08/index3.html

Au on the Xbox
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/08/29/xbox/

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Salon 2000 Articles:

Review of Shogun-- computer game as interactive Kurosawa film.
http://www.salon.com/tech/review/2000/07/26/shogun/index.html

The demise of Looking Glass, groundbreaking creators of Thief and Ultima Underworld:
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/06/20/dark_glass/index.html

Profile of Peter Molyneux, who I call "the Stanley Kubrick of computer game design".
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/05/05/molyneux/index.html

A crabby post-mortem on the quality of games at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, and the dearth of compelling story in gaming.
http://www.salon.com/tech/log/2000/05/16/e3/index.html

Geek journalism piece on the "open sourcing" of Dungeons and Dragons:
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/03/29/open_dungeon/index.html

An exploration on Nethack, the open source swords-n-sorcery game beloved by hackers since the mid-80's:
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/01/27/nethack/index.html

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Wired 2000 reviews:

Review of Thief II: The Metal Age:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.04/streetcred.html?pg=13

Review of System Shock II:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.02/streetcred.html?pg=3

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Other 2000 pieces:
Hardcore gaming profile and interview of game designer Warren Spector, creator of the acclaimed Deus Ex.
http://www.gameslice.com/features/spector/index.shtml

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1999 Salon Articles:

Review of Thief: The Dark Project
http://www.salon.com./21st/reviews/1999/02/10review.html

Essay on violent first-person shooters, their relation to the Columbine massacre, and the gaming media's treatment of it:
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/1999/05/12/game_violence/index.html

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Other favorites:

1996 Salon Interview with Michelle Yeoh, Hong Kong action super-star:
http://www.salon.com/weekly/yeoh960722.html

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1996 Salon  Essay on Gangsta Philosophers:
http://www.salon.com/media/media2961211.html