Above and BEYONDER

You’re reading GAMES WORLD OF PUZZLES magazine; it’s likely you enjoy playing games. It’s even possible that you’ve occasionally had a great idea for a game. But the reality of trying to get a game from conception to production may have proven too daunting. Not so for Robin McEntire. He has spent four decades creating, developing, and producing a role-playing game called Beyonder.

McEntire’s quest to bring Beyonder to fruition began in college, continued on the night of his honeymoon with his wife Judy, and was added to over time by each of his three sons, Simon, Jacob, and Caleb, as well as friends and others who learned to play the game. All told, the McEntire clan has spent thousands of hours—and dollars—bringing Beyonder into being.

By vocation, McEntire is a computer scientist focused on the application of advanced technology and AI for welldefined business problems. By avocation, he is the Ur-force behind the game Beyonder. McEntire is quick to laugh, but he’s also the type of fellow who frequently appears to be absorbed in thought. There is something of a Tolkienesque character to his nature, which is fitting given that he is an unabashed fan of the beloved fantasy author.

In college, McEntire combined his love of Tolkien’s works