Michael Cranford

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Michael Cranford is best known as the designer of The Bard's Tale and The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight computer role-playing games published by Interplay Productions in the 80s. He also programmed the Apple version of Donkey Kong, the Commodore 64 version of Super Zaxxon, as well as Maze Master (a spiritual predecessor of The Bard's Tale). His last computer game was Centauri Alliance for Brøderbund in 1990.

He left the video game industry to pursue a career more in line with his religious beliefs, and thus was not involved in the creation of the The Bard's Tale III.

He was also an early contributor to Computer Gaming World, at one point reviewing The Demon's Forge which was itself written by the founder of Interplay Productions, Brian Fargo.

He was a professor of biblical studies for eight years at Biola University and Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California, gaining his Master of Divinity Degree from Biola and a Masters Degree in Religion from the University of Southern California. He studied architecture at the University of California at Berkeley, he holds a degree in philosophy from the University of California, and has recently completed a Ph.D. in Social Ethics from the University of Southern California, with a focus on ethics and technology.

He is currently Chief Technology Officer of Ninth Degree, Inc. in Dana Point, California.

His publications include:

Cranford, Michael, “Drug Testing and the Obligation to Prevent Harm,” in Laura P. Hartman and Joe DesJardines (eds.), Business Ethics: Decision-Making for Personal Integrity and Social Responsibility (Boston: McGraw Hill, 2007), 301-307.

Cranford, Michael, “Drug Testing and the Right to Privacy: Arguing the Ethics of Workplace Drug Testing,” Journal of Business Ethics 17 (December 1998): 1805-1815. (Reprinted in Beauchamp & Bowie, eds., Ethical Theory and Business [6th & 7th editions.; New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001], 294-302.)

Cranford, Michael, “The Social Trajectory of Virtual Reality: Substantive Ethics in a World Without Constraints,” Technology in Society 18 (1996): 79-92.


[edit] See also

[edit] External links

  • Sundoulos - a web site on theology founded by Michael Cranford.
  • Ninth Degree - Michael Cranford is founder and senior developer of this web site design firm.
  • The Bard's Tale Compendium - more information about Michael Cranford's popular game series.