http://www.freeyabb.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=4373&highlight=gygax&mforum=trolllordgames
Still shocked by the news. May he rest in peace.
:bawling:
Fond farewells to the man whose works have help enrich my life.
Godspeed.
I can't think up the words to say right now.
My sincerest condolences to his family and friends.
He was the original DM, an inspired and inspiring creative force who redefined the way people came together and played games. His flair for synthesizing gonzo fantasy, bizarre imagery and traditional archetypes into a coherent, playable and above all enjoyable whole was his mark of genius.
He was one of the greats, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude. May he rest in peace.
...
I'm speechless.
He was one of a kind.
I am stunned.
Dang, that's sad.
I just hope that people remember that as well as a much-loved game designer he was a guy with friends and a family, like everyone else, and that the gaming community can find ways and means to express their condolences without intruding inappropriately on the family's grief. Hopefully in the coming days the guys at Troll Lord will be able to get details on how we can show our appreciation for the man - I'd certainly be up for donating to charity or something for his sake.
I wish I knew what more could be said or done. He gave us a lot. In the end the industry he all but created moved on without him.
If this is not a hoax, this really sucks.
Quote from: WarthurI'd certainly be up for donating to charity or something for his sake.
Or to help his family with funeral expenses. If anyone hears of this, please let us know.
I really feeling like running some old school D&D now. It would be nice if they dedicated 4E to him in the credits.
Pete
Rest in peace man, thanks for all the years of fun.
Wow. I'm stunned. I was just thinking the other day how old he had looked at GenCon but that he still seemed to be gaming away. I'm glad he got such a great honouring at GenCon at least before he went.
Thanks for everything Gary and may your dice always roll hot on the Great Table in the Sky.
God bless you Gary, may you rest in peace.
Can you hear that?
That's the sound of giants passing us by.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Gygax.
:mourn:
Jesus.
The world just got a little darker.
I've got no words. I didn't expect this. This man, along with Dave Arneson, were the ones who created this hobby of ours. And now, he's gone.
Requiescat in pace.
Shitty.
Quote from: Caesar SlaadFond farewells to the man whose works have help enrich my life..
True words. Farewell Gary.
I'm very glad now I got to meet him at the last GenCon. I had a few nice words with him and his wife outside the doors. He looked amazingly like my late father if he had had long hair.
-clash
I am very sad to hear this. I was hoping to meet him someday and thank him in person and shake his hand. May he rest in peace.
My condolences to friends and family.
Seanchai
Quote from: pspahnIf this is not a hoax, this really sucks.
It's the official Troll Lord forums. Those guys a) are as likely to be in the know as anyone in the gaming scene and b) have too much to lose to make jokes about this.
Quote from: walkerpWow. I'm stunned. I was just thinking the other day how old he had looked at GenCon but that he still seemed to be gaming away. I'm glad he got such a great honouring at GenCon at least before he went.
Well said. Looking over at Dragonsfoot, he was still posting away, clearly enjoying sharing the hobby with his fans, through last week. He died with his boots on.
Terrible news! I knew he was in poor health, but its still shocking to hear this today.
Like so many people here, Gary made a lasting impact in my life. I can't imagine the person I would be without AD&D. I grew up playing his game, and I am still playing it. Through his game and Appendix N of the DMG, I discovered some of my favorite authors and found a world of fantasy beyond Tolkien. I have forged lifelong friendships through his game, and had adventures in other realms I never would have had.
R.I.P. Gary, and thanks for everything!
What really shocking and saddening news. Gary's work was something that gave me countless hours of happiness, and he seem like a really nice guy. I had hoped to meet him in person one day, and appreciate that I at least got the chance to chat with him online. :(
My sincerest condolences to his family and friends.
This is very sad. My condolences and my everlasting never enough thanks to Gary for making the world a better place.
man...he was very much like the "cool uncle" i never knew that helped me get through high school, encouraged me to read and learn, and gave me a hobby that would last well into my adult years. :(
my condolences as well...
Quote from: VBWyrdeI am very sad to hear this. I was hoping to meet him someday and thank him in person and shake his hand. May he rest in peace.
I did meet him.
First time I met him was in Milwaukee at Gencon. This was either the one in 2001 or 2002.
The con had a HUGE attendence in numbers that year.
It was late on Saturday, about sometime between 4pm and 6pm. I was in my full Klingon gear - my best looking outfit, in a VERY crowded elevator. Most of the crowd in the elevator were between the ages of 16 and 30. Then I noticed the only other person in the elevator besides me that looked like they were over the age of 30 . Older gray haired man with a beard. His name badge said: GARY GYGAX (Yeah it was an appropriate VIP-type badge)
Everyone on the elevator looked a little stressed and tired. Gygax too.
ME in my best LOW Klingon voice:
"SO, Mr. Gygax, did you ever think your little game would turn into all of this?"
He looked at me and smiled and started to laugh:
"No, I never did.."
He had a big grin from that moment on.
Elevator opened on the Exhibit Hall Floor and I had to get back to arresting people. Glad that I gave him a smile the time I met him.
- Ed C.
I've had a little time to collect my thoughts here...I got to meet Gary at last year's Gen Con (and am so very glad I did), and spoke with him briefly. We had traded correspondence in the couple of years before then, and he was always polite, friendly, and full of enthusiasm. I had my pic taken with him, which is one of my favorite pics of all time:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff102/zacharythefirst/zackwithgygax.jpg)
I really feel like I've lost a family member. If you think about it, if not for him, most of us here that are friends wouldn't know each other if not for Gary. We've lost the All-Father, and I'll miss him terribly. But I know we'll keep that torch going forward.
Quote from: KoltarI did meet him.
First time I met him was in Milwaukee at Gencon. This was either the one in 2001 or 2002.
The con had a HUGE attenmdence in numbers that year.
It was late on Saturday, about sometime between 4pm and 6pm. I was in my full Klingon gear - my best looking outfit, in a VERY crowded elevator. Most of the crowd in the elevator were between the ages of 16 and 30. Then I noticed the only other person in the elevator besides me that looked like they were over the age of 30 . Older gray haired man with a beard. His name badge said: GARY GYGAX (Yeah it was an appropriate VIP-type badge)
Everyone on the elevator looked a little stressed and tired. Gygax too.
ME in my best LOW Klingon voice:
"SO, Mr. Gygax, did you ever think your little game would turn into all of this?"
He looked at me and smiled and started to laugh:
"No, I never did.."
He had a big grin from that moment on.
Elevator opened on the Exhibit Hall Floor and I had to get back to arresting people. Glad that I gave him a smile the time I met him.
That's a great anecdote. :)
He had been in poor health for a while so it isn't entirely surprising. But still jarring. Condolences to his family in friends, I hope they are able see beyond their grief to look back fondly on memories of a life fully lived.
...by-the-way, just about every RPG we play owes that guy for starting the whole sha'bang. Even my favorite game, even World of Warcraft.
Admittedly Dave Arneson helped birth D&D, and so did that Wesley guy - but the Gaming Industry owes Gygax.
- Ed C.
Terrible news.
It's like when Roddenberry died... the end of an era.
I'm gonna run a game for him tonight. Only my 2nd time DMing, but I think a simple one-off will be within my powers.
'atta girl.
Makes me wonder - will he be doing LARPS now, what with special effects and such being easier, or stick with pencil-and-paper when he runs games?
The age of real D&D is well and truly dead now.
I feel like pulling out the DMG and reading Dragon magazines. The body has passed but his vision will live on.
This is awful news. I remember years back, when Gary first put up his website gygax.com, I wrote him a small note to thank him for all he did for my friends and me growing up. His reply was immediate, warm and friendly, accepting of praise, and full of little historical anecdotes on medieval warfare. He was also chuffed that I mentioned liking his polearms article from the Unearthed Arcana. I treasured that missive and kept it until a Win95 crash wiped my hard drive.
It goes without saying that he will be missed.
I just bought some "new" back issues of Dragon magazine, and tonight seems like a good night to read Gary's editorials.
From CNN and the Associated Press: (http://us.cnn.com/2008/TECH/03/04/obit.gygax.ap/index.html)
QuoteGary Gygax, Dungeons & Dragons creator, dies
Story Highlights
* Gary Gygax created Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson in 1974
* Role-playing game used medieval characters and creatures, many-sided dice
* Idea was turned into video games, books, movies
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AP) -- Gary Gygax, who co-created the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons and helped start the role-playing phenomenon, died Tuesday morning at his home in Lake Geneva. He was 69.
He had been suffering from health problems for several years, including an abdominal aneurysm, said his wife, Gail Gygax.
Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using medieval characters and mythical creatures. The game known for its oddly shaped dice became a hit, particularly among teenage boys, and eventually was turned into video games, books and movies.
Gygax always enjoyed hearing from the game's legion of devoted fans, many of whom would stop by the family's home in Lake Geneva, about 55 miles southwest of Milwaukee, his wife said. Despite his declining health, he hosted weekly games of Dungeons & Dragons as recently as January, she said.
"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, what he gave them," Gygax said. "He really enjoyed that."
Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and carry out their adventures with the help of complicated rules. The quintessential geek pastime, it spawned a wealth of copycat games and later inspired a whole genre of computer games that's still growing in popularity.
Funeral arrangements are pending. Besides his wife, Gygax is survived by six children.
I just found out. I'm shocked.
Colonel Play-doh was one of the first people I talked to when I came online. I found his website and emailed him. I was thrilled when he wrote back. I've talked to him a few times since and he's always been great. He really knew what it meant to treat your fans well.
Godspeed.
Quote from: J ArcaneThe age of real D&D is well and truly dead now.
Never! Remember the final words of the original rules:
Fight on!
My condolences to his family and friends.
Our group's gonna delve into his C&C Mouths of Madness adventure at the weekend - honour the fire.
Quote from: jrientsNever! Remember the final words of the original rules: Fight on!
Well said.
Rest in peace, Gary...:(
:(
Wow. Never got to meet the guy myself... now I kind of wish I had.
Sad to see it happen, but time takes us all.
Well, I am, and at the same time am not, surprised by this:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/03/04/dd-co-creator-gary-gygax-rip/
Wonder how many more current and former D&D'ers lurk out there in the "real world" - truly, the game has touched more than we will ever know.
Wow, I can't believe Gary passed on. Gygax was always that entity hovering over gaming like a deity; even people who didn't like his games acknowledged his contributions and impact on every gamers life.
I really can't believe E.G.G. is gone! I really wanted this post to be some awesome eulogy scripted by myself, but I'm stunned. Gaming is what I am; it's my numero uno hobby and it kept me mostly off the streets and from fully embracing that [in hindsight, silly] street punk lifestyle of sex, drugs, more drugs and loud music. As silly as it may sound to most, I'd probably be dead if I didn't game. Gaming and imagination is what got me through true self-destruction. Gary was always my councilor even though he didn't know it. Big props to you, EGG. You'll always be the Patron Saint of gaming. May Mordenkainen live forever. I think the boys at KenzerCo wrote it best when they wrote the Eulogy For A Gamer all those years ago:
QuoteThe Empty Chair
Eulogy for a Gamer
There is an empty chair,
at the table this day.
A hallowed place where,
a friend once played.
The roll of his dice,
my ears long to hear.
Or perhaps it would suffice,
if he should suddenly appear.
With character sheet in hand,
and a bag of Cheeze-doodles to share.
All his friends would stand,
as he sat in the empty chair.
I hear his voice a-callin',
and it ties my heart in a knot.
For he cries, "Though a comrade has fallen,
You must play for those who cannot."
We conquered worlds on the run,
he and I in the name of fun.
And as others may come and go,
I make both both friend and foe.
But what I long for most,
is our past now long a ghost.
Game on.
-=Grim=-
Let's game like we've never gamed before. Let's pull out all the stops this year. Let's get so many dice hitting the table that Gary can hear them from way up in the clouds.
Seriously. I can't wait for game this Saturday. We're going to kick it like it was 1979...
...erm, sans the AD&D system. I think I'll even make it a dungeon crawl, but since it's Dark eresy it'll be a Space Hulk... filled with Orks. 1979, baby.
-=Grim=-
Vale, Gygax.
Quote from: walkerpLet's game like we've never gamed before. Let's pull out all the stops this year. Let's get so many dice hitting the table that Gary can hear them from way up in the clouds.
Damn right! We're slinging dice and killing orcs and dungeon diving like there's no tomorrow!
I've decided, too, this week, at our gaming table, we're gonna leave out an extra chair.
Quote from: WerekoalaWell, I am, and at the same time am not, surprised by this:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/03/04/dd-co-creator-gary-gygax-rip/
Wonder how many more current and former D&D'ers lurk out there in the "real world" - truly, the game has touched more than we will ever know.
I wonder how Colbert will handle it...
I know it's hitting me pretty hard (http://www.d20haven.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=59)...
Dungeon crawl this weekend, fo shizzle. I might even make my cranky old group break out the 1st Edition books again.
I'm grateful to Gary for all the years of joy he brought to me and millions of others.
:(
What shocking news. I mourn for the guy who's legacy has directed my life path and gained me some of the best friends I've ever had. His insanity kept me sane through some of the darkest years of my life and out through the other side. I owe him more than he will ever know, and his inspiration will live on through my son. Rest in peace, EGG.
Quote from: GrimJestaSeriously. I can't wait for game this Saturday. We're going to kick it like it was 1979...
...erm, sans the AD&D system. I think I'll even make it a dungeon crawl, but since it's Dark eresy it'll be a Space Hulk... filled with Orks. 1979, baby.
-=Grim=-
Same here. I'm going to have my Star Wars players explore a huge asteroid that's giving off some strange signals. Not sure what they're going to find in there just yet. . .
Pete
I think this quote from Treebore on the TLG forum says it perfectly:
QuoteI didn't know he has 6 kids. I thought he had millions.
Quote from: Zachary The FirstI think this quote from Treebore on the TLG forum says it perfectly:
QFT
I'm sorry to hear that although I hope there is some comfort for the Gygax family from the posts and comments made here and in other places, both real and virtual.
God, that's terrible news.
Rest in peace, old man.
Well, that's crap.
Still, a life well lived I think. He made a difference to millions, literally changed the world by helping give birth to entire new types of media (rpgs) and game, (rpgs, crpgs, mmorpgs) he had fun along the way and still managed to have a family and a life.
Not bad all told. Not bad at all.
I hope, god is good GM after all...
Thank you for years of fun Gary. It would never happened without you.
:bawling:
I never understood people who teared up and got really upset when some celebrity like Princess Di or JFK jr died. I guess the right "celebrity" hadn't passed away for me yet.
Gary, you are missed. :(
I'm positive he died with the knowledge of just how much joy, pleasure and happiness he gave to countless people -- not just by the game he wrote but through the hobby he helped to create. That makes news of his passing a little less sad for me. But just a little.
R.I.P. Gary
My sons and I will be gaming this weekend. The finest tribute we can give the man is to share the gift he shared with us.
:bawling: Farewell,Mr. GyGax and plenty of possitive random encounters in your next great andventure!:deflated:
White Wolf has a wee memorial up:
"In Memorium E.G.G.
On the morning of March 4, Gary Gygax passed away
Posted: 2008-03-04
We have learned that Gary Gygax has passed away today, after suffering multiple strokes and a near-heart attack. He was 69, and had a prolific body of work with many RPG companies, including a foreword for Relics and Rituals by Sword & Sorcery. We at White Wolf publishing and CCP North America express our sincerest condolences to his family and friends for their loss."
Seanchai
Every adult I have introduced to gaming has said "I wish I had discovered this during my childhood" That's the gift Gary gave us. Like books, movies etc Gary showed us the limitless possibilities of our imagination and what better time than during our childhood. How many people can say they had such influence over so many people all over the world ? Gary is one of that rare breed, a genuine artist, in the best sense of the word. Cheers, brother. I know you'll be hovering above gaming tables as a spirit not a ghost.
Regards,
David R
May he rest in peace. I will always be thankful to him for creating this wonderful hobby.
It is a shame.
I think there is talk about naming an industry award after him. I don't know who is talking to whom or what, but I just want to say that I think it is a great idea.
I really liked that cranky old coot.
Never met him in person, but I owe him for what he's given me.
I'll roll a d20 on the curb.
Quote from: darI think there is talk about naming an industry award after him. I don't know who is talking to whom or what, but I just want to say that I think it is a great idea.
Andrew Hackard and Paul Chapman over on the SJG forums have mentioned this or hinted at this as well. (There is a Gary Gygax thread there as well)
There must have been a lot of phone calls and e-mails going back and forth between the leaders of many game companies this morning.
- Ed C.
It's hard to put into words the sudden sense of loss one can feel for the passing of someone one has never even met. But when I think of the fact that the hobby I love so dearly is due, in great part, to him...!
Still and all...'fight on' is right on, I'm playin' C&C tonight, and I'm thinking this weekend there needs to be a Red Book Dungeon Crawl in Casa Rotwang!.
Would that when I pass, I leave so much behind...
Though I have never met him before, I feel as if I do indeed know Gary Gygax, and deeply mourn his passing. It was Gary's D&D that got me into Role-playing as a kid, and it was partly his willingness to answer an email from a California college student with a dream that enabled me to take the initiative to begin publishing Role-Playing Games myself. Were it not for his advice & example, Basic Action Games may never have existed.
His passing touches us all, and I think also links us together-- whether we are Grognards, Indy Gamers, d20 enthusiasts-- we have all experienced a great loss. Gary, you will be missed,
Good bye and God Bless. Any of us would be damn lucky to leave a legacy like this.
From the Trolls (http://www.freeyabb.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=4378&mforum=trolllordgames) at Troll Lord Games (http://www.trolllord.com/newsite/).
An email address InMemoryOfGaryGygax@gmail.com (mailto:InMemoryOfGaryGygax@gmail.com).
I know nobody will believe me, but I just rolled a d20 for Mr. Gary Gygax and got a natural 20. I'm a sentimental fool like that.
This is what I just sent out to a lot of gamers I know.
You may recall I was talking about having a celebration of some sort on or around April 1st, as that marks 25 years of my roleplaying - and being crap at it. There was talk of a dungeon crawl session with AD&D as being an appropriate celebration.
Well, unfortunately it must also be a wake. Running around the net today is the sad news that Gary Gygax, one of the two adoptive fathers of roleplaying, has died. He died of an heart attack, having an inoperable abdominal aortic aneurysm. He leaves behind a wife, an ex-wife, six children, seven grandchildren and many rpgs.
He said, "I would like the world to remember me as the guy who really enjoyed playing games and sharing his knowledge and his fun pastimes with everybody else."
So I suggest that in his spirit and memory, and also for my quarter-century, that on Sunday 30th March, from noon onwards we get together for a few drinks, lots to eat, and I'll GM - I mean, DM an AD&D1e scenario.
The actual 1st April is a Tuesday night, but the true spirit of old-style gaming is taking a whole weekend day to do it :)
As we mourn his death, let us celebrate his life, and GAME ON!
From Penny Arcade:-
(http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2008/20080304.jpg)
I have lost a friend.
just... wow... I've been traveling all day and just got this news. Very very sad indeed.
For the first time I'm actually choked up about the passing of someone I've never personally met, or even had a passing electronic conversation with. His effect on my life was nonetheless profound.
D&D set me on the path that I walk today (and I know I'm not alone in this either).
Thanks Gary.
He made something that has enriched my life and I'm sorry to see him go.
RIP Gary Gygax.
Quote from: Old GeezerI have lost a friend.
Yeah, tough day Old Geezer. (very manly man-hug)
The Founders are passing us by, leaving long shadows that point the way for those who follow them.
I can't believe he's gone. For some reason I thought he would live forever.
Thanks for changing this kid's life, Gary.
Many of my best, oldest friends I met because of Gary Gygax. He made sure I will never want for fun.
Thanks.
Quote from: multipleegosI can't believe he's gone. For some reason I thought he would live forever.
Seriously. 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=-
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 :D
Thanks for all the games!
I've written an obituary for him on my blog (http://weblog.xanga.com/RPGpundit/645486409/item.html).
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) (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10857697050) 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.
Here's what I posted on my blog (http://rpgblog2.blogspot.com/2008/03/yesterday-we-found-out-gary-gygax-has.html) today:
QuoteYesterday, we found out Gary Gygax has left the mortal plane--sailed into the West--and I think we've all had some time to collect our thoughts.
For me, this is a man who was the All-Father of the hobby I loved. His DMG advice reads like a letter from an old friend, and indeed, I wouldn't have many of the friends I count today if not for his wonderful, wonderful hobby.
Nearly every major and minor news outlet, it seems, noted his passing--from CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/03/04/obit.gygax.ap/index.html) to to Yahoo (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080304/ap_en_ot/obit_gygax) to the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/7357492), and everyone in between. Those interested in just sharing memories and talking about Gary with other fans can do so over at the Troll Lords forum (http://www.freeyabb.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=4373&start=180&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=&sid=4f397f4f394143bf289f3af08970cb67&mforum=trolllordgames) (where the news broke; they are as of now allowing guests to post) and The RPG Site (http://www.therpgsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9307).
Myself? I feel like I've lost a family member. I had corresponded with Gary in the years before his death, and he was always courteous, gracious, engaging, insightful, and a gentleman. He took solace and comfort in his faith, and seemed comfortable with his place in the world. I was able to meet him in person last year finally, at Gen Con Indy, and had one of my most favorite photos of all time taken:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff102/zacharythefirst/zackwithgygax.jpg) (http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff102/zacharythefirst/zackwithgygax.jpg)
Now, folks will respond to this in many different ways. Some duly grieve, some make jokes (http://www.woot.com/Blog/BlogEntry.aspx?BlogEntryId=4118) (somehow I think Gary'd approve), some offer their tributes (http://blogs.forbes.com/digitaldownload/2008/03/tributes-to-gar.html) (btw, check out today's Order of the Stick (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0536.html)), and others are still processing it all. For my part, our gaming group will be leaving an extra chair out at this week's session, in memoriam.
But I think Jeff Rients has it right--we need to keep the flame burning (http://jrients.blogspot.com/2008/03/dont-mourn-death-celebrate-life.html). Roll those dice, kick some orc butt, explore deep dungeons, and grab swag like there's no tomorrow. Take what time we need to get there, and certainly its ok to be sad--I know I cried off and on most of yesterday--but Gary loved talking with gamers, loved running games, loved writing for his games. This was a life well-lived, and we should honor that by ensuring ours are filled with as much joy, camaraderie, and passion as we can. And my players had better be ready for an awesome dungeon crawl this week, you can bet on that.
Finally, I think Treebore said it best, over at the Troll Lords forum:
I didn't know he had 6 kids. I thought he had millions.R.I.P., Gary. And I'll be seeing you again some day. Hope you've got a spot at your table. :)
The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/arts/05gygax.html?ref=arts) also had a story about Gygax today:
QuoteGary Gygax, Game Pioneer, Dies at 69
By SETH SCHIESEL
Published: March 5, 2008
Gary Gygax, a pioneer of the imagination who transported a fantasy realm of wizards, goblins and elves onto millions of kitchen tables around the world through the game he helped create, Dungeons & Dragons, died Tuesday at his home in Lake Geneva, Wis. He was 69.
His death was confirmed by his wife, Gail Gygax, who said he had been ailing and had recently suffered an abdominal aneurysm, The Associated Press reported.
As co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, the seminal role-playing game introduced in 1974, Mr. Gygax wielded a cultural influence far broader than his relatively narrow fame among hard-core game enthusiasts.
Before Dungeons & Dragons, a fantasy world was something to be merely read about in the works of authors like J. R. R. Tolkien and Robert Howard. But with Dungeons & Dragons, Mr. Gygax and his collaborator, Dave Arneson, created the first fantasy universe that could actually be inhabited. In that sense, Dungeons & Dragons formed a bridge between the noninteractive world of books and films and the exploding interactive video game industry. It also became a commercial phenomenon, selling an estimated $1 billion in books and equipment. More than 20 million people are estimated to have played the game.
While Dungeons & Dragons became famous for its voluminous rules, Mr. Gygax was always adamant that the game’s most important rule was to have fun and to enjoy the social experience of creating collaborative entertainment. In Dungeons & Dragons, players create an alternate persona, like a dwarven thief or a noble paladin, and go off on imagined adventures under the adjudication of another player called the Dungeon Master.
“The essence of a role-playing game is that it is a group, cooperative experience,” Mr. Gygax said in a telephone interview in 2006. “There is no winning or losing, but rather the value is in the experience of imagining yourself as a character in whatever genre you’re involved in, whether it’s a fantasy game, the Wild West, secret agents or whatever else. You get to sort of vicariously experience those things.”
When Mr. Gygax (pronounced GUY-gax) first published Dungeons & Dragons under the banner of his company, Tactical Studies Rules, the game appealed mostly to college-age players. But many of those early adopters continued to play into middle age, even as the game also trickled down to a younger audience.
“It initially went to the college-age group, and then it worked its way backward into the high schools and junior high schools as the college-age siblings brought the game home and the younger ones picked it up,” Mr. Gygax said.
Mr. Gygax’s company, renamed TSR, was acquired in 1997 by Wizards of the Coast, which was later acquired by Hasbro, which now publishes the game.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Gygax is survived by six children: three sons, Ernest G. Jr., Lucion Paul and Alexander; and three daughters, Mary Elise, Heidi Jo and Cindy Lee.
These days, pen-and-paper role-playing games have largely been supplanted by online computer games. Dungeons & Dragons itself has been translated into electronic games, including Dungeons & Dragons Online. Mr. Gygax recognized the shift, but he never fully approved. To him, all of the graphics of a computer dulled what he considered one of the major human faculties: the imagination.
“There is no intimacy; it’s not live,” he said of online games. “It’s being translated through a computer, and your imagination is not there the same way it is when you’re actually together with a group of people. It reminds me of one time where I saw some children talking about whether they liked radio or television, and I asked one little boy why he preferred radio, and he said, ‘Because the pictures are so much better.’ ”
That last line is a killer. Bravo!
From Kevin Siembieda (http://forums.palladium-megaverse.com/viewtopic.php?t=86013):
QuoteA Legend Dies . . .
By now, I would imagine most of you have heard that Gary Gygax has passed away. He was 69 years old and had been suffering ill health for the last few years.
I met Gary Gygax (and Dave Arneson) in passing a couple of times over the years, but I can't say that I actually knew the man.
For those of you who might need a reminder, Gary Gygax and David Arneson are the creators of, and masterminds behind, Dungeons & Dragons. Gary also went on to found the TSR Company.
EVERYONE who has ever enjoyed a role-playing game owes a debt of gratitude to Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Without D&D there would never have been a role-playing game industry.
That's right, NO Palladium Books, White Wolf, Steve Jackson Games, Green Ronin or anyone else. No Knights of the Dinner Table, no Shadis Magazine, nor decades of Dragon Magazine. Gary and Dave started it all with their little D&D game and were surprised as anyone when it exploded onto the scene in the 1970s and created a phenomenon that gave birth to an entire new kind of gaming.
I've always respected the creators of D&D, and to the surprise of some, have always given them and D&D their due. I've often had fans give me a strange look when I'd talk fondly about Dungeons and Dragons or defend the game system. Hey, it's not perfect and may not be your cup of tea, but it's darn good. Heck, it's flippin' great! You, me, others may have our gripes about aspects of the rules, but you can not deny that there is something magical (no pun intended) about D&D. How else could it remain as popular for so many decades and enchant so many young minds? And as I've said, there can be no denying that Gary, Dave and D&D created an industry that continues to this day.
They gave birth to an industry that has brought millions and millions of gamers endless hours of fun, and inspired scores of creative individuals to follow in their footsteps.
Ultimately, Dungeons and Dragons motived me and Erick Wujcik and countless others to create their own games, to weave infinite stories and to think outside the box.
Thank you Gary. Thank you Dave. Thank you for giving us the gift of role-playing games and the joy of taking storytelling to a new level in a world where we need heroes and their stories more than ever. May you rest in peace, Mr. Gygax, and continue to spin yarns and play games in the halls of Valhalla and beyond. Your are remembered with love and great fondness.
Artist, Kevin Long summed up my thoughts and feelings quite succintly in an email he sent me this afternoon. "Another great one gone . . ."
And though the headline to this Murmur is "A legend dies . . ." the statement is something of a misnomer. A legend can never die. And Gary Gygax is a legend. And as such, while the man is no longer with us, his legacy -- not just Dungeons and Dragons, but EVERY role-playing game company, role-playing game and RPG player continue what he and his friend, Dave, started.
And so the legend continues, as legends do.
To the multitude of friends, fans and family who loved Mr. Gygax and the wonderful games he brought to us all, you have our deepest sympathy. God Bless. And be proud.
Sincerely,
Kevin Siembieda
Publisher, Writer, Artist, Game Designer and Gygax Fan
Quote from: JohnnyWannabeGary'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.
That's what I said to my woman yesterday.
"Gary Gygax died."
"Who?"
"The guy who wrote those books there."
"Oh. So?"
"Well, it's important because he was a big part in starting it all. Really this guy Dave Wesely started it by accident, he was running a wargaming scenario and everyone started roleplaying, another guy Dave Arneson heard about this and copied it and made his own rules, then Gary Gygax heard about that, and together Arneson and Gygax wrote a roleplaying game. Later they had a falling out, but Gygax went on by himself and produced those books, and it really took off. After their dungeons and their dragons, other people started writing rpgs about cowboys, and travelling in space, and so on."
"How old was he?"
"69."
"That's not bad. Not a long life, but..."
"But a life that touched a lot of others in a happy way. He helped create a game, then worked to create a whole industry of different games, that brought a lot of people together and helped them make friends, helped them be creative, and have a lot of fun. It's especially good because many of the people who made friends this way were pretty nerdy and mightn't have made friends otherwise. He helped bring happiness and friendship to millions."
"They had to make the effort themselves."
"Sure, it's not like he was some kind of introduction agency. But he gave us the tools so we could do the job of having fun with friends."
"Wouldn't someone have invented roleplaying anyway? Kids do it all the time."
"Yeah, probably would have happened eventually. And someone would have climbed Everest eventually, too, but we still give credit to Norgay and Hilary for doing it first."
Me: "Gary Gygax died."
Her: "Who is he?"
Me: "He invented D&D."
Her: "So we have to stop playing! Who´s gonna have all those crazy ideas now?"
Let´s prove her wrong.
Its funny how, in this day and age, we think 69 is "not a long life".
RPGPundit
I just found out.
*heavy sigh*
He and I used to email back and forth a few years ago. I always meant to start that back up.
May God have mercy on his soul.
A light-hearted tribute song from Uncle Monster Face (http://www.unclemonsterface.com/2008/03/05/new-song-tribute-to-gary-gygax/#more-63).
http://www.unclemonsterface.com/MP3s/ThankYouGaryGygax.mp3
Quote from: RPGPunditIts funny how, in this day and age, we think 69 is "not a long life".
RPGPundit
That just shows you how much medical technology , practices and care have improved in the past 70 years.
In 1925 or 1935, someone making it to the age of 69 was likely thought of as quite old and quite an amazing achievement.
Gygax helped to give birth and nurture a type of game and way of gaming that has given countless hours of fun and happinbess to thousands of people now. (maybe millions if you counr spinoffs) .
I think he might smile at that thought.
- Ed C.
Quote from: KoltarI did meet him.
First time I met him was in Milwaukee at Gencon. This was either the one in 2001 or 2002.
The con had a HUGE attendence in numbers that year.
It was late on Saturday, about sometime between 4pm and 6pm. I was in my full Klingon gear - my best looking outfit, in a VERY crowded elevator. Most of the crowd in the elevator were between the ages of 16 and 30. Then I noticed the only other person in the elevator besides me that looked like they were over the age of 30 . Older gray haired man with a beard. His name badge said: GARY GYGAX (Yeah it was an appropriate VIP-type badge)
Everyone on the elevator looked a little stressed and tired. Gygax too.
ME in my best LOW Klingon voice:
"SO, Mr. Gygax, did you ever think your little game would turn into all of this?"
He looked at me and smiled and started to laugh:
"No, I never did.."
He had a big grin from that moment on.
Elevator opened on the Exhibit Hall Floor and I had to get back to arresting people. Glad that I gave him a smile the time I met him.
- Ed C.
What a wonderful story. I suspect you made his day that time. Thanks for sharing that.
Quote from: RPGPunditIts funny how, in this day and age, we think 69 is "not a long life".
RPGPundit
My father is 83. He's gainfully employed, goes to the gym, and has a quasi-active social life. Maybe he's an exception; I dunno..:)
All I know is that I intend to live waaaaay beyond 69...:cool:
That being said, it's not the years, but the mileage. And Gary Gygax had great mileage. :)
My eyes watered for most of last night, didn't think the news would affect me that deeply.
Here's a clip of Gary's guest appearance on Futrama (http://ccinsider.comedycentral.com/cc_insider/2008/03/rip-gary-gygax.html). :)
I also miss playing miniatures games with him. He was tenacious and devious on the battlefield, and when he was the referee, you could be sure the scenario was never a bog-standard "meeting engagement".
Like Swiss Pikemen trying to cross a narrow bridge while under partial fire from Turkish archers....
Old Geezer - I'm truly sorry for your loss. Many of us lost someone who indirectly influenced us, often in a major way. You lost a friend. My condolences.
Funeral Arrangement Information (http://www.d20haven.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=59) is starting to filter in...
Quote from: Old GeezerI also miss playing miniatures games with him. He was tenacious and devious on the battlefield, and when he was the referee, you could be sure the scenario was never a bog-standard "meeting engagement".
Like Swiss Pikemen trying to cross a narrow bridge while under partial fire from Turkish archers....
Geezer,
Remember the good times, just remember the good games and good times.
- Ed C.
The last and only time I saw Mr. Gygax in person was at GenCon the year they released the AD&D Dungeonmasters Guide. He was signing copies and the line of drooling fans was huge.
I'm sad to hear he has passed but it is a little easier to bear knowing that he got to spend a good portion of his life doing what he truly loved and had such a positive influence on so many people. There aren't that many people who can say that. He will certainly be missed.
I don't know if anyone else has made a similar comment, but Gary Gygax dying feels, to me as a Catholic, like the Pope's passing.
My wife didn't really understand how I felt about his death, till I said the name 'Jerry Garcia'.
I'm not making a comparison at all. It's just that my wife really understood how I felt after that, she spent a time trailing after the 'Dead'.
San Francisco Chronicle has a decent column related to Gary Gygax:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/06/DDSCVE5B2.DTL
One cool paragraph of that :
QuoteBut, in 1974, when D&D was invented, and later in the 1970s, when Advanced Dungeons & Dragons became immensely popular, it was a unique form of entertainment made by intelligent outcasts for intelligent outcasts who previously had little or no foothold in popular culture. As much as Gene Roddenberry and George Lucas, Gygax helped muscle fantasy into the mainstream.
- Ed C.
Quote from: darMy wife didn't really understand how I felt about his death, till I said the name 'Jerry Garcia'.
I'm not making a comparison at all. It's just that my wife really understood how I felt after that, she spent a time trailing after the 'Dead'.
It's a good comparison. my wife heard the news and was as touched as she would be at the death of anyone. but to me it was surreal and personal. You guys would understand, but not everyone out there would until you draw a comparison to a beloved figure or icon.
I can't imagine how Old Geezer feels about this loss. I only exchanged a couple of e-mails with Gary Gygax, many years ago, and I am saddened by the loss. I am grateful for the e-mail exchange I had and it left me feeling good about being able to express my appreciation for D&D and the hobby, while gaining some insight about the hobby from one of the men that started it all.
My next D&D game should have a huge bag of valueable sugar guarded by six Giant Killer Bees, in his memory.
Quote from: joewolzI don't know if anyone else has made a similar comment, but Gary Gygax dying feels, to me as a Catholic, like the Pope's passing.
Jews have this tradition of when they visit someone's grave, putting a small stone on it to mark their visit, show they've been there.
I imagine Gygax's grave will have all these d20s on it in years to come.
Quote from: PaladinCAI can't imagine how Old Geezer feels about this loss.
Blessed.
Because I heard in mid February that Gary was "in failing health". I Emailed him to let him know he was in my thoughts and prayers.
I received back a brief note of thanks. The brevity let me know how grave it was -- Gary never used one word when 150 would do.
But I made contact with him, and he knew how I felt.
That eases the pain more than I can say.
This sort of shit pisses me off:
http://www.chimera.info/2008/03/06/a-guy-who-made-a-game-the-end/ (http://www.chimera.info/2008/03/06/a-guy-who-made-a-game-the-end/)
Yeah, you don't have to grieve with us. But that's not needed.
EDIT: But here's (http://blog.kumapageworks.org/blog/?p=227) an excellent rebuttal.
Guy is too busy not giving a damn by blogging bitterly about it. Film at eleven.
It´s an self proclaimed "indie gamer". Nuff said.
I read the first few sentences, and scrolled down.
I saw "nerd shame" somewhere there.
Why is it, that these indie folks bring up nerd-shame so often?
Ron Edwards calso constantly talked about such stuff when we talked.
I dunno, don´t see much nerd shame or self loathing going on. O wait, it´s on Story Games, riight?
Damn, no need to bring in this partisan bickering, but someone insisted on it.
BTW, one could actually write a dsimissive article, which would actually further the debate and remembrance of Gary´s work. Criticism is good.
Snyder wrote a few not very successful indie rpgs. So a significant part of his identity and reason for writing is to establish something New! and Different! from "trad gaming". He thus cannot be sad about the death of Gygax any more than Luther could have been sad about the death of the Pope; maybe he was, but he couldn't let himself be.
And in his response, Kuma speaks truth when he says - as I read it - that as a social creative hobby, there are worse things to have part of your identity wrapped up in.
Settembrini, this "nerd-shame" stuff is just an extension of that American cultural thing of, "what happened in high school defines my entire life."
Quote from: Kyle AaronHe thus cannot be sad about the death of Gygax any more than Luther could have been sad about the death of the Pope; maybe he was, but he couldn't let himself be.
He grew up around a funeral home. That does have an effect on people's attitude towards death of others. It has to or you start drinking.
P.S. Yes, apparently funeral directors do have/had(?) a high rate of alcoholism. I know a couple of guys from highschool that become funeral directors at they were warned very sternly about that during training.
Sure. But he had the same indifference and/or scorn towards Gygax and "trad" games before the old fellah dropped off. The death's just another excuse to express it.
"Like, totally, I don't care, dude. Who was he? No-one."
A bit like when that cocksmock Kiero on rpg.net, cocksmock because he'd said, "I don't consider myself a gamer", pretended not to know who Monte Cook was - despite having discussed his work just a day or two ago. It's a conspicuous show of indifference such as you get... well, in high school.
"Geek shame? How can I have that when I don't consider myself a geek?" There's no shame greater than when you claim you're not even that thing. The guy writes rpgs and has a blog discussing their design. That's geeky as all fuck.
Quote from: blakkieHe grew up around a funeral home. That does have an effect on people's attitude towards death of others.
I've heard that being a member of a strange subculture like that can really mess with your perspective.
Quote from: Kyle AaronSure. But he had the same indifference and/or scorn towards Gygax and "trad" games before the old fellah dropped off. The death's just another excuse to express it.
So the same thing as RPGPundit's thread here then. Well no problem.... *cough*
Quote"Like, totally, I don't care, dude. Who was he? No-one."
I didn't see "Who was he?" I saw "He hasn't been directly relavent to me since 1989." (that's a paraphrase)
Quote from: Kyle AaronSure. But he had the same indifference and/or scorn towards Gygax and "trad" games before the old fellah dropped off. The death's just another excuse to express it.
"Like, totally, I don't care, dude. Who was he? No-one."
I'm not sure I agree 100% with your take on what he was saying. My take was the purpose wasn't to say that Gygax didn't do anything so much as to say that ultimately Gygax wasn't responsible for your life - you were.
There actually is a good point buried in there, despite any slants and prejudices of the author, about not getting too wrapped up in a subculture and/or about owning up to the control of your own destiny.
That said, I do empathize for people who feel bad about his passing. Grief is different for everyone and should be respected (I, personally, don't feel too much about it as I tend not to get too upset when celebrities I like die because I don't really know them).
Quote from: Kyle AaronThe guy writes rpgs and has a blog discussing their design. That's geeky as all fuck.
But he doesn't, you know, hang out and play with other geeks. He's just a normal, cool guy who writes about RPGs all by his lonesome at his computer at night. Nothing geeky about that at all.
;)
Quotehttp://www.chimera.info/2008/03/06/a-guy-who-made-a-game-the-end/
What a miserable little dick spittle.
This is what I'm talking about when I talk about the gamer self-hatred, people. Yanno that thing everyone on the internet swears up and down doesn't exist every time I bring it up?
Yeah, but who the fuck ever said Gygax was responsible for their life?
It's just been, this person created a game which helped bring out these good things in me. That's like being sad that some old schoolteacher or rabbi you had died. Someone saw something in you and helped you bring it out. Now they're gone, so you miss them.
Snyder's preaching to losers who just don't exist outside his fertile imagination dreaming back to high school days when some jock stole his lunch. He's just envious of Gygax's effect on people. Just look at an earlier entry (http://www.chimera.info/2008/01/09/the-weight-of-design/) on his blog.
Currently, I've got a number of fun and compelling ideas, but I can't square them with my goal — getting people to enjoy actual play. It's not that I can't design a game at this moment. It's not even that I can't create something fun to play. I can do those things.
The question is which one should I do? Which one do I think will make the most important kind of play happen at people's tables? Important to me, that is. Whom do I design for? Whom do I identify with? Whom do I want to entertain and engage the most? What stories do I want you to play?
He wants his own written words to affect the lives of others, to make them play in the "most important way". Which is what Gygax did, with all those years of Dragon columns where he told people what was and wasn't "real" D&D. And people listened. Do they listen to Steve Jackson? Or Mike Mearls? If not, then they certainly won't listen to Snyder.
But he wishes they would.
This is just plain old everyday grumpy envy we're talking about here. I've seen this shit many times before, even in something as mundane as a commercial kitchen. Some famous chef dies, and you can spot the overly ambitious and anxious chefs - they're the ones who say, "yeah? who cares, man, who was he anyway?"
Quote from: Kyle AaronSettembrini, this "nerd-shame" stuff is just an extension of that American cultural thing of, "what happened in high school defines my entire life."
[aside]
The amount of knowledge and insight you have about American culture is inversely proportional to the amount of knowledge and insight you have about gaming culture. Why don't you stop embarrassing yourself on this score and stick to your strengths.
[/aside]
Quote from: jeff37923[aside]
The amount of knowledge and insight you have about American culture is inversely proportional to the amount of knowledge and insight you have about gaming culture. Why don't you stop embarrassing yourself on this score and stick to your strengths.
[/aside]
Who says he has that much insight into gaming culture either?
Quote from: J ArcaneWho says he has that much insight into gaming culture either?
I give him props for cheetoism and a few of his articles on his Gaming Circle site aren't half bad.
Quote from: J ArcaneThis is what I'm talking about when I talk about the gamer self-hatred, people. Yanno that thing everyone on the internet swears up and down doesn't exist every time I bring it up?
You can put me on your list of people who don't deny.
I actually played Dust Devils. The playing card resolution mechanic was cute but clunky.
Why, exactly, is this guy trying to appear cooler by dissing everyone else? Is it because he's a Forge rat?
Poor guy. He made a few splashes in the indie pond and is now wondering why people like a dead guy's stuff more than his. :rolleyes:
Edit: I have left a comment on his blog, a well-reasoned, calm, and composed refutation of his entire post. Alas, my comment is under moderation. :D
Quote from: J ArcaneWhat a miserable little dick spittle.
This is what I'm talking about when I talk about the gamer self-hatred, people. Yanno that thing everyone on the internet swears up and down doesn't exist every time I bring it up?
It's just classic geeky self-loathing, all grown up. He just doesn't realize that most of the rest of the hobby are normal people and quite happy with their activity/lifestyle. Sure there are some weirdos who identify their whole world with their activity, but they exist in every sub-culture and an outpouring of gratitude and sorrow for the passing of the person who brought it to us is not an example of that.
Quote from: walkerpIt's just classic geeky self-loathing, all grown up. He just doesn't realize that most of the rest of the hobby are normal people and quite happy with their activity/lifestyle. Sure there are some weirdos who identify their whole world with their activity, but they exist in every sub-culture and an outpouring of gratitude and sorrow for the passing of the person who brought it to us is not an example of that.
Indeed. It's kind of sad when a person feels the need to write an inverted obituary of this kind.
The loss of Gary Gygax obviously
was important to him, if only as the metric of his personal shame and denial.
Still, life goes on. For some of us at least. :(
Quote from: walkerpIt's just classic geeky self-loathing, all grown up. He just doesn't realize that most of the rest of the hobby are normal people and quite happy with their activity/lifestyle. Sure there are some weirdos who identify their whole world with their activity, but they exist in every sub-culture and an outpouring of gratitude and sorrow for the passing of the person who brought it to us is not an example of that.
Very unfortunate. I don't see how its at all different for gaming fans to mourn Gary, or how it perpetuates any stereotypes to the public at-large. Nor would I care.
I certainly don't think we should demand everyone mourn Gary, but you also don't expect people to start saying who they don't care someone's dead during a memorial. People can feel how they want, but it'd be nice to have the common goddamn courtesy to observe some basic measures of respect for departed. That's a grade-A self-identified Asperger's move.
Someone's so obsessed with his obsession with certain RPGs as his lifestyle that he must dismiss other people's interest in other RPGs as an obsession with RPGs as lifestyle.
And people still think Freud has nothing to teach us. See Laplanche/Pontalis, The Language of Psychoanalysis, s.v. "Projection."
Dude, I totally got that. :D
Quote from: Pierce InveraritySomeone's so obsessed with his obsession with certain RPGs as his lifestyle that he must dismiss other people's interest in other RPGs as an obsession with RPGs as lifestyle.
And people still think Freud has nothing to teach us. See Laplanche/Pontalis, The Language of Psychoanalysis, s.v. "Projection."
Quote from: Zachary The First(I)t'd be nice to have the common goddamn courtesy to observe some basic measures of respect for departed. That's a grade-A self-identified Asperger's move.
And if it's
not clinical, then it's just being a jackass.
Those of you that posted comments under his blog get mad props from me. You guys were eloquent, dignified, and intelligent: the latter I expect, but the first two from RPGsite members? Freaked me out. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Nice retorts though.
-=Grim=-
Which post in this thread had linkage to what you guys are referring to ?
Y 'all got me damn curious.
- Ed C.
I find it ironic that the supposed "point" of that guys article was to dismiss "gamer culture". On his blog about GAMING... Gary was instrumental in there even being a hobby for him to blog about.
If you really don't care about something, why would you blog about it? I guess if you know it's going to piss someone off you are doing so to provoke and get attention.
And who did he think he would piss off the most with that? Gamers. Christ on a crutch! He hates gamer culture so much but there is no fucking point to his blog without it. Are "normal" folks stopping by every day to read his insights into RPG design? There's a guy with his head so far up the ass of gaming culture he can't tell it's his own ass.
Quote from: KoltarWhich post in this thread had linkage to what you guys are referring to ?
Y 'all got me damn curious.
- Ed C.
Here's the link. http://www.chimera.info/2008/03/06/a-guy-who-made-a-game-the-end/ (http://www.chimera.info/2008/03/06/a-guy-who-made-a-game-the-end/)
Don't look Koltar, it's like one of those gruesome accident scenes. No good will come by gawking at it. He might even think the enormous number of hits he's getting is a good thing.
The damning thing is -- the general public has pretty much a similar reaction when cultural icons die. You see it with pop stars, famous sportsmen, writers and other assorted celebrities. The behaviour is pretty much identical; it occupies peoples' thoughts, and it impacts some of them worse than others. There wasn't a remarkable difference - the only reasons Matt jumped were his own little hangups about his hobby.
What surprised me a bit is how Gary and the game form he had co-created were discussed in the dreaded "mainstream press" as -- perfectly normal, and maybe even somewhat interesting and wholesome. Yup. The obituaries were respectful, rather accurate, and remarkably free of mocking. There doesn't need to be a shame, because there is nothing to be ashamed of. Gaming still produces colossal wastes of skin, but so do sports and music.
And let's be rational: it isn't even a wide Story Games majority beating the "obsessed geeks" drum, it is one guy on the Internet with an unhealthy fixation on game theories that don't work but make people feel bitter and used-up.
It is all right.
Interesting note: One of the people I play with was on a trip to Vietnam and heard about Gary's passing via a Hong Kong newspaper. It was just a tiny clip but it was mentioned.
Fuck this guy.
Whats happening is just what he wants- attention.
"Look at me I'm the rebel, I'm controversial, discuss me, look at my stuff".
theres no such thing as bad publicity.
If he really didn't care he wouldn't have gone through the trouble of posting anything. he's whoring for hits using shock value.
I gave into temptation - I clicked on the link
My gawd!
I'm not even a major fan of D&D -I've only played in a few games of it over the years and I have more respect for Gygax than that guy does.
- Ed C.
Good read, this thread. Some posts brought tears to my eyes. Thank you.
I'll have to sift through it tonight after the game.
I have a couple of Gygax stories maybe I can add content as well.