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Jane JensenAmerican game designer
Date of Birth: 28.01.1963
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Content:
- Jane Jensen: A Trailblazing Game Designer and Novelist
- Entry into the Gaming Industry
- The "Gabriel Knight" Series
- Novels and Writing
- Later Works
- Personal Life
Jane Jensen: A Trailblazing Game Designer and Novelist
Early Life and EducationJane Elizabeth Smith was born on January 28, 1963, in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. She pursued a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science at Anderson University in Indiana and later worked as a systems programmer for Hewlett-Packard.
Entry into the Gaming Industry
Jensen's passion for computers, literature, and storytelling led her to the gaming industry. Joining Sierra Online as a writer, she worked on games such as "Police Quest III: The Kindred" and "EcoQuest: The Search for Cetus."
The "Gabriel Knight" Series
After collaborating with Roberta Williams on "King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow," Jensen embarked on her first solo project, "Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers" (1993). This dark supernatural adventure was critically acclaimed for Jensen's compelling writing, earning it "Adventure Game of the Year" from Computer Gaming World. Two sequels followed: "Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within" (1995) and "Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned" (1999), each featuring a distinct format.
Novels and Writing
Alongside her gaming endeavors, Jensen ventured into novel writing. She published the first "Gabriel Knight" novel in 1996 and a second game adaptation in 1998. Her original novel, "Millennium Rising" (later renamed "Judgment Day"), was released in 1999. In 2003, she penned "Dante's Equation," which was nominated for a Philip K. Dick Award.
Later Works
Jensen designed several casual online games for Oberon Media, including "Inspector Parker" (2003) and "BeTrapped!" (2004). Notably, she created "Gray Matter" (2010), a psychological adventure game that garnered critical praise. Currently, she serves as a consultant for Phoenix Online Studios and is working on a new adventure game, "Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller."
Personal Life
Jane Jensen resides in Seattle with her second husband, composer Robert Holmes, who provided the music for the "Gabriel Knight" series. She continues to be an influential voice in the video game and writing communities.
