March 10, 2021 - Monsters in the Dark: The Making of X-COM: UFO Defense, author David L. Craddock's behind-the-scenes chronicle of the making of seminal strategy hit X-COM and the early career of venerable game designer Julian Gollop, reached its funding goal of $12,000 on Kickstarter in the first 24 hours of availability.
The crowdfunding campaign launched on Monday, March 9, and received instant attention from major gaming and technology outlets such as Polygon, Ars Technica, and Kotaku. Kickstarter's staff awarded it "Project We Love" distinction and promoted the book on the platform's front page.
"Interest in Monsters in the Dark surpassed all my expectations," Craddock said. "I wrote the book over seven weeks during the summer of 2020, which happened to be the best time ever to stay inside and write books. I've been so excited to share this story with fans of the X-COM franchise and classic video and computer games, and it's nice to see that the excitement is mutual."
Written in narrative-style prose, Monsters in the Dark is based on interviews with Julian Gollop, his brother and fellow programmer Nick, and several designers and producers with whom Julian Gollop worked on games spanning Islandia, Rebelstar, and Laser Squad, all of which are documented in Craddock's book. Developers from MicroProse UK, the arm of Sid Meier's Civilization publisher MicroProse, played instrumental roles in guiding X-COM to release in March 1994.
Monsters in the Dark has received advance praise from Julian Gollop's peers in the strategy game space, as well as developers from throughout the industry influenced by Gollop's work. Sid Meier's Civilization IV lead designer Soren Johnson called it "An engaging history of not just X-COM, but also of Julian Gollop's path to creating one of the cornerstones of strategy gaming."
"Monsters in the Dark brings back memories of the intricacies and hurdles developers faced back in the earlier days of game development and highlights the incredible journey of an incredible game designer," agreed John Johnson, producer and creative director of Company of Heroes.
"Craddock is able to tease out not only the story of a favorite game, but, more poignantly to me, the story of the beginning of the industry we all love, that we have given our lives to, and that has changed entertainment forever," agreed Seamus Blackley, co-creator of Microsoft Xbox.
The book's Kickstarter will run through the morning of April 8. X-COM fans and gamers eager for more stories about the gaming industry have until then to back the book, which will be available in digital and paperback editions, including a special edition showcasing bonus content.
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About David L. Craddock
David L. Craddock lives with his wife and business partner, Amie Kline-Craddock, in Canton, Ohio. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen trilogy, Monsters in the Dark: The Making of X-COM: UFO Defense, and Heritage, the first book in an epic fantasy series for young adults. Follow him at davidlcraddock.com, facebook.com/davidlcraddock, and @davidlcraddock on Twitter.