I hear ya. I haven't felt this torn up about the death of someone I wasn't personally acquainted with since Robert Anton Wilson died.

Quote from: GrimJestaSeriously. This shit's been bothering me all day. Like some have said in this very thread, I never understood how people could get broken up over celebrities or sports stars passing until today.

-=Grim=-

This news has been like a scratch I can't itch. All day.

I want to thank Gary for his awesome contribution to my life. D&D intoduced me to this great hobby and has given me more fun in my life than any other part of it.

I went back to the "Gary Gygax Facts" thread I started a few years back on rpg.net and re-read it. The thread gave Gary a couple of chuckles and I'm happy I could make him laugh a couple times for the 20 years of thrills and laughter he gave me.

I'm gonna miss Uncle Gary

Thanks for all the games!

I've written an obituary for him on my blog.

RPGPundit

Quote from: multipleegosFor some reason I thought he would live forever.

As a lich!

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0536.html

One of God's own prototypes.

He left a full life and a worldwide phenomenon which has given millions of people something intelligent, imaginative and entertaining. There aren't too many people who could say that.

Quote from: MelanOne of God's own prototypes.

He left a full life and a worldwide phenomenon which has given millions of people something intelligent, imaginative and entertaining. There aren't too many people who could say that.

The repercussions of which continue to expand into more and more new media.

The guy literally changed the world.

RPGPundit

He always seemed like a nice enough guy at conventions and I'm glad that over time the voices that spoke unkindly of him largely faded leaving fond memories of him in the hobby he played such a large role in creating by the time that he passed on.  The reason I got into role-playing was that I read an article about Gary Gygax in a People Magazine that was laying around about the time that the game started getting popular and asked for a copy of the game to see what it was all about (which is why I taught myself how to play rather than learning from someone else).

Speaking from what I know of his writings and public interactions with the fans, he was remarkable in that he mellowed into an increasingly gracious man as the years went by. This despite the events which took him away from his original creation and could have led to lasting bitterness. He didn't die wealthy in material things, but his wealth was of a type most of us will never know, that of being loved by and inspiring millions, which he realised but never made him less than humble.

Quote from: GrimJestaSeriously. This shit's been bothering me all day. Like some have said in this very thread, I never understood how people could get broken up over celebrities or sports stars passing until today.

-=Grim=-

This isn't the same for me as it is for some of you.
 The one for me was Roddenberry.

In 1991 he died, the day after I wore a dark suit and tie to my college classes. While I was doing office hours for campus group (The U.C. Film Society) I was unusually quiet compared to usual and I read the campus nespaper and did homework.
Some guy paused by our office door and satarted be ing an asshole and saying crap about TREK & G.R. I ignored him. Dave, who was also in the office  promptly got up and got into that guy's face and pushed him further into the hall. I heard a bit of yelling...then Dave walked back into the office.

Found out later that Dave was never really a fan of Star Trek or Roddenberry, just ge thought the other guy was rude and disrespectful of me showing respect for someone who died. Dave was the sort of a guy who liked horror and action movies....but he'd watch Sci-fi if hhis friends were to be social.

D&D may not have been my game - but I would very much understand a gamer wearing a black suit and tie yesterday or today - and other such gestures. The Gaming industry does owe Mr. Gygax much - hopefully some will realize this.

- Ed C.

The Facebook Group Ernest Gary Gygax ( July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) has over 800 people in it now, and many comments posted.

BBC News ran item about Gary - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7278927.stm

Quote from: BBCDungeons and Dragons creator dies
Gary Gygax, co-creator of the first role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, has died at the age of 69.

Gygax, who developed the game in 1974 with Dave Arneson, had been suffering from health problems for several years.

Famous for its mythical creatures and odd-shaped dice, Dungeons and Dragons was an instant success that spawned a slew of video games, books and films.

Gygax was also a author who wrote numerous fantasy books, including the Greyhawk series of adventure novels.

He died on Tuesday at his home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, leaving a wife and six children.

Skills and abilities

Ernest Gary Gygax grew up in Chicago, moving to Lake Geneva at the age of eight.

His father, a Swiss immigrant, read fantasy books that got his son hooked on the genre, according to Gygax's widow Gail.

Gygax was working as an insurance underwriter in the 1960s when he began playing war-themed board games.

It was these that inspired him and Arneson to develop Dungeons and Dragons, in which players create fictional characters by rolling dice that determine their skills and abilities.

An estimated 20 million people worldwide have played the game, with more than $1bn (£505m) spent on equipment and books.

"I thought we would sell about 50,000 copies," Gygax told the BBC News website in 2004.

Gygax and Arneson sold their rights to Dungeons and Dragons in the 1990s, when the game's popularity began to wane.

According to his widow, though, he hosted weekly games as recently as January.

"It really meant a lot to him to hear from people from over the years about how he helped them become a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman," she said.

It's difficult to find the words.

I have enormous respect for Mr. Gygax and what he accomplished. Like many, he changed my life in so many ways, even though we never met in person.

Sadly, I think he is one of many who will be appreciated much more now that he has passed away. He did take an unfair beating in public spaces in the 90s and a lot of people have tried to undersell the legacy he left us all.

RIP, Gary. And thank you sincerely for everything.

:bawling: Well, I have a lump in my throat though I didn't even know the guy.
But I can remember my first rollicking games of D&D. All I can say is MASSIVE RESPECT to his memory. I intend to sink a few beers in his name and play a few old school games of D&D in his honour!

When I was in 7th grade, I was a decent student, but I had terrible, terrible hand-writing.  I also didn't take criticism well and there were many scenes of tears and temper tantrums when I got my report card or after parent-teacher conference.

Years later, I asked my dad what had happened to that, how come my handwriting had gotten better.  He said, "Don't you remember?  You spent so much time drawing those super-detailed maps and labelling them and they were extremely neat and legible and I told you to just write your essays and homework assignments like that."

And it was true.  I had at some point stopped writing in my terrible cursive and started printing everything as I had done with my maps and the handwriting problem went away.

Just one more little gift from Mr. Gygax.  Thanks again!

Gary's work brought me and countless others lots of joy. Not many people can say that. He touched a lot of people through his work. He opened up doors to new worlds. He encouraged people to be creative and use their imaginations. He gave nerds a great social outlet. Those who followed his example created games and worlds of their own for others to enjoy. And on and on it goes. May Gary's last adventure be his greatest. I wish his family and friends well in this difficult time.