David L. Craddock - Stay Awhile and Listen: Book II - Heaven, Hell, and Secret Cow Levels

Praise for Stay Awhile and Listen

A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the storied history and development of Diablo and the early days of Blizzard Entertainment. Dr. Ray Muzyka , co-founder of BioWare

Stay Awhile and Listen shows that there was a potent mixture of talent , opportunity , and personality that drove the meteoric rise of Blizzard Entertainment from its earliest days. Julian Gollop , creator of X-COM: UFO Defense

David Craddock's Stay Awhile and Listen masterfully retells the tale of the game development Camelot created by the founders of Blizzard Entertainment. David's book offers a rare glimpse into the mystery of how such a company is built , and tells the story in a playful style worthy of the playful products Blizzard is known for. -Richard "Lord British" Garriott , creator of Ultima

Stay Awhile and Listen is a rare and intriguing look into the people and experiences behind some of my favorite video games of all time. Randy Pitchford , co-founder of Gearbox Software

For gamers that also happen to have a love of technology and a passion for computers and programming , the book works double-dutynot only recounting the stories of late-night inspiration gaming sessions , but of the struggles of day-to-day development tasks. For others , it provides insight and perspective into an industry that can be as mysterious as the catacombs below Tristram. Bakuenryu! gaming blog

Stay Awhile and Listen weaves the words of the creators of Diablo into a compelling narrative and opens a window into the strange and wild world of the games biz. Reading this tale reminded me why I decided to leave the games business , and why I had to get back in. Glenn Wichman , co-creator of Rogue

As the company that ushered American gamers into the age of the Internet , Blizzard has a history worth knowing. Steven Kent , author of The Ultimate History of Video Games

If you are a fan of any of the incredible works Blizzard has published , this series is a must-have. GamingTrend.com

Stay Awhile and Listen flows almost like a documentary film. During the narrative parts , it's easy to imagine a group of young developers hunched in front of faintly glowing screens. During the quotations , you can picture the older and wiser industry veterans sitting in front of a camera and explaining those early days with smiles on their faces. Slashdot.org

David Craddock's Stay Awhile and Listen is able to enchant any reader with its short and clearly written passages , genuine and involving storytelling , and an abundance of facts and information straight from the source. DiabloFans.com

Stay Awhile and Listen is an entertaining , detail-packed , and well written book that reads like a really fun novel. The writing is breezy and draws a reader in , like a bunch of friends sitting around and listening to a good story. Writer's Digest Self-Published e-Book Awards

Stay Awhile and Listen tells how passion , maxed-out credit cards , and sleepless nights spawned a gaming phenomenon and unearths the game design secrets that made Diablo an enduring classic. Tristan Donovan , author of Replay: The History of Video Games

Craddock takes his time introducing each person , and by the time he explains their contribution , I felt like I knew them as human beings , not as developerswhat they were like as kids , where they came from , and what their aspirations were. Venture Beat

Framing a fast-paced narrative around personal anecdotes shared by the developers responsible for shaping the foundation of the WarCraft and Diablo franchises , David L. Craddock establishes a fireside chat-type atmosphere to tell a tale as engaging as it is informative. Lorne Lanning , co-creator of the Oddworld series

Not only does Stay Awhile and Listen give us insight into one of the industry's biggest juggernauts , it also sheds light on the harsh reality of game development in a way that feels like a novel rather than a quote filled biography. Video Game Writers

Stay Awhile and Listen succeeds in evoking the sense of excitement , possibility and camaraderie game developers enjoyed in the game industry's early years. Awesome Out of 10

Craddock presents his prose in the form of freely flowing text interwoven with quotes from a plethora of people related to Condor Games and Blizzard Entertainment. Readers gain insight into the thought processes that were going through the developers' heads. -Gamnesia.com

Stay Awhile and Listen:

Book II

Heaven, Hell,

and

Secret Cow Levels

By David L. Craddock

Copyright

Stay Awhile and Listen: Book II Heaven, Hell, and Secret Cow Levels

Text copyright 2019 David L. Craddock

Editing services provided by Andrew W. Magrath and Amie C. E. Kline

Cover copyright Lili Ibrahim

All images copyright their respective owners

Most of the items and products in this book , including characters depicted on the cover , may be covered by various copyrights , trademarks , and logotypes. Their use herein is for identification purposes only. All rights are reserved by their respective owners.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means , electronic or mechanical , including , but not limited to , photocopying , recording , or by any information storage and retrieval system without the express written permission of the publisher , except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Published in the United States of America.

ASIN: B07ZQQRWS9

Digital Monument Press , LLC

www.dmpressbooks.com

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Inside Out

Chapter 2: Wild West

Chapter 3: Kicking and Screaming

Chapter 4: Bases

Chapter 5: Orcs in Space

Chapter 6: Cowboy Development

Chapter 7: Hubris or Fear

Chapter 8: A Business-Like Approach to Showers

Chapter 9: Lay of the Land

Chapter 10: Full Disclosure

Chapter 11: Shifts

Chapter 12: Settling In

Chapter 13: In Dave We Trust

Chapter 14: Solidarity

Chapter 15: Ghosts and Ashes

Chapter 16: Blood and Fire

Chapter 17: Vantage Points

Chapter 18: Hell Unleashed

Chapter 19: Battles and Battle.net

Chapter 20: Separate Ways

Chapter 21: The Seventy-Percenters

Chapter 22: X Factors

Chapter 23: Shadows on the Wall

Chapter 24: Axes and Cyclones

Chapter 25: Bluffing

Chapter 26: The Bosses

Chapter 27: The End of Everything

Epilogue

Side Quests

Acknowledgments

Notes and Citations

About the Author

To Amie Christine

My pretty moon , my partner , my heart , my flip.

Thank you for everything.

To Ben Boos (2011) and Alan Ackerman (2018)

"My duty here is done."

About the Author

David L. Craddock lives with his wife, Amie KlineCraddock, in Canton, Ohio. He is the author of several books including the bestselling Stay Awhile and Listen trilogy, Arcade Perfect , and the critically acclaimed Gairden Chronicles series of epic fantasy novels for young adults. Follow David online at davidlcraddock.com, facebook.com/davidlcraddock, and @davidlcraddock on Twitter. Stay up-to-date on Davids latest releases by signing up for his newsletter.

If you enjoy Stay Awhile and Listen: Book II , please consider leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads .

Introduction: Wait Awhile and Listen

B LIZZARD NORTH AND Blizzard Entertainment published Diablo in late 1996 or early 1997, depending on when boxed copies landed on store shelves in your area. Nearly four-and-a-half years later, Diablo II followed suit. Eleven years and eleven months after that, Diablo III appeared.