(re: Pepper’s Adventures in Time) I have all too much to say about Pepper’s Adventures in Time. 🙂 In fact, in my recent Top 20 Adventure Games of All-Time article at AdventureGamers.com (which I would link to if not for the ugly server problems that have us down right now), I named Pepper #19 to the shock of many. I still consider it the greatest educational adventure ever created. It was formerly known as Twisty History before being changed to Pepper’s Adventures in Time, for (as I understand it) trademark reasons.
It was designed and written (brilliantly so) by Lorelei Shannon. After writing my countdown article, I received an e-mail from a reader who demanded that I recognize Josh Mandel as the true creative force behind the game. I e-mailed Josh, hoping to clear this up, and received this, which he gave me permission to quote:
“I think you’ve made a very esoteric and splendid choice. While I helped Lorelei with various aspects of the game, I was honored to do so — I think she deserves every ounce of credit you’ve given her, and I feel no need to share it. It was generous of her to list me as a co-designer on the game, but I always felt that was greatly overstating my impact on the final product. PEPPER’S is a reflection of Lorelei’s spirit and talent far moreso than that of anyone else who touched it, and I thought it was a game of surpassing quality — certainly one of the most unrestrainedly delightful games Sierra ever produced, and woefully underacknowledged.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself. I learned more about the colonial era from this game than I did from an upper-division college history course. I’m glad to see someone talking about the game! 🙂
– Evan
