Stephen Emond’s attempt to crowdfund his Ultimate Ultima Collector’s Guide proved so successful (achieving almost 300% of his stated funding goal) that it attracted the attention of the operators of RocketHub proper, who made a point of sitting down with him in an interview.

The Ultima community is a vibrant, motivated, and passionate group of gamers and game-lovers. Since 1981, the Ultima series has generated dozens of games and peripheral products. Now, Stephen Emond is working to document and describe every bit of the series – and he has already galvanized nearly 300% of his project goal. So I had to learn more.

And if I may say so, Stephen’s passionate defence of gaming and the gaming industry is really…should be required reading for anyone who thinks gaming is a silly diversion and a sign of immaturity:

Movies, TV, music, literature, art, etc all share one important defining characteristic, they are all passive forms of entertainment. Without question each medium has fantastic examples that succeed in reaching the hearts and minds of the audience. Even in those cases though the audience is just that, an audience. Video games on the other hand offer a truly interactive experience. You aren’t just being TOLD a story, you are actively participating in one. The choices you make will affect the outcome of these virtual worlds. I think that’s what really drew me to gaming in the first place, the nearly limitless possibility that I had an active role in.

The game industry topped $60 Billion in 2009, significantly ahead of both the movie & music industries. Yet despite this incredible growth and its considerable advances over the years, the industry still doesn’t receive the same recognition in society as its older and more widely accepted counterparts. Great efforts have been taken to preserve the legacy of other forms of entertainment, but not so with gaming.

Congratulations, Stephen!