Gary Gygax Q&A: Part XII

[Col_Pladoh]

Here's the next thread in the Q&A session.

I'll take this opportunity to state formally that I will be a GoH at next year's GenCon, number XL

Peter has also invited Len Lakofka, so Stephen Colbert, take note!

Cheers,
Gary

[Col_Pladoh]

I forgot to indicate I wanted email notification to responses to this thread

Cheers,
Gary

[allencon]

Greetings Mr. Gygax!

May this message find you well. I have been an player of Dungeons and Dragons for more than 10 years. Much of what I have observed in the changes through the various editions, materials, and mechanics I have enjoyed and have had many good gamining experiences with others, both as a fellow PC and as a DM. There have also been hick-ups along the way. Certain mechanics could and should be done more thoughtfully, with a closer attention payed toward cross-class equity of powers and abilities, and tools to help players develop a good concept for their character, not what combination of race, skills, spells makes the best number crunching exercise. One concern to me of late has been this tendency to make the DM a robot at the utter mercy of suppliments and dare I say "munchkin-esque" players. Case in point the recent Monster Manual IV insulted not only my expectations of what a monster manual should be, but also my intelligence. Yes as advertized the monsters were "easy" to run, if one enjoyed guessing the hit die type of creatures and hit point break down. They also redundant classed monsters, unmemmorable and made for a generally "underwhelming" experience. This has not been the first instance of this trend. Providing sound mechanics for players to try new options is good. It is what has enabled the game to evolve and thrive. But at times it almost feels like a straight jacket or that as DM's we are being spoon-fed everything. In other words it is as if DM's are no longer encouraged to come up with creative solutions on their own. In some instances when a brave DM peers beyond the margins of text rules, there are the hyper-reactive snapping maws of rules lawyers and other bugbears of free thinking.

My personal taste is that I enjoy the 3E/3.5 mechanic - still it has room for improvement - but I would like to see some sort of return of DM authority, or at least an environment where PCs and DMs can corporately solve problems creatively and imagine fun innovations. Within your enduring gaming experience, have you noticed a similar trend? What do you forsee happening within the current edition that will change this for the better, or not?

[dead]

Hi Gary,

Will there be a map of your Greyhawk city in the new Saga of Old City release?

Thanks

[BOZ]

Originally Posted by Col_Pladoh

I forgot to indicate I wanted email notification to responses to this thread

Cheers,
Gary

that was turned off for awhile - is it back on yet?

[Col_Pladoh]

Originally Posted by allencon

Greetings Mr. Gygax!

May this message find you well. I have been an player of Dungeons and Dragons for more than 10 years. Much of what I have observed in the changes through the various editions, materials, and mechanics I have enjoyed and have had many good gamining experiences with others, both as a fellow PC and as a DM. There have also been hick-ups along the way. Certain mechanics could and should be done more thoughtfully, with a closer attention payed toward cross-class equity of powers and abilities, and tools to help players develop a good concept for their character, not what combination of race, skills, spells makes the best number crunching exercise. One concern to me of late has been this tendency to make the DM a robot at the utter mercy of suppliments and dare I say "munchkin-esque" players. Case in point the recent Monster Manual IV insulted not only my expectations of what a monster manual should be, but also my intelligence. Yes as advertized the monsters were "easy" to run, if one enjoyed guessing the hit die type of creatures and hit point break down. They also redundant classed monsters, unmemmorable and made for a generally "underwhelming" experience. This has not been the first instance of this trend. Providing sound mechanics for players to try new options is good. It is what has enabled the game to evolve and thrive. But at times it almost feels like a straight jacket or that as DM's we are being spoon-fed everything. In other words it is as if DM's are no longer encouraged to come up with creative solutions on their own. In some instances when a brave DM peers beyond the margins of text rules, there are the hyper-reactive snapping maws of rules lawyers and other bugbears of free thinking.

My personal taste is that I enjoy the 3E/3.5 mechanic - still it has room for improvement - but I would like to see some sort of return of DM authority, or at least an environment where PCs and DMs can corporately solve problems creatively and imagine fun innovations. Within your enduring gaming experience, have you noticed a similar trend? What do you forsee happening within the current edition that will change this for the better, or not?

Thanks for sharing your take on the current D&D system.

Considering what I have heard about the focus of 4E, your desires are likely to go unfulfilled, as I am led to believe support for earlier versions of the game will also be. Of course this is based on spculative essays regarding the matter...

Cheers,
Gary

[Col_Pladoh]

Originally Posted by dead

Hi Gary,

Will there be a map of your Greyhawk city in the new Saga of Old City release?

Thanks

Heh,

Sadly, no, as a detailed one was never done. I winged it from first a one-page map, then a general four-page version. The vast detailed map that was to be around 4' by 6' when completed was never finished, parts of it languishing somewhere in the basement storage areas here.

Cheers,
Gary

[Col_Pladoh]

Originally Posted by BOZ

that was turned off for awhile - is it back on yet?

It seems that I am getting notices well today

Of course when I initially tried to access the website this AM it was so slow in responding that I went elsewhere until just recently.

Cheers,
Gary

[The Levitator]

Being a relatively new member of this forum, I wanted to take the opportunity to say hey there! I live just down the road from you in Janesville, and started playing D&D in 1979 as part of a school project in my Gifted & Talented program. I haven't had too much exposure to other game systems, but have played 1st ed. through 3.5. Ok, ok, enough of the hero worship.

I really enjoyed your interview on the 2nd D&D movie. Your take on the vancian spellcasting got me thinking. I would love to hear how you feel about the Mana Point style of magic that is increasing in popularity. I haven't used it yet, but it sounds a little bit like how Psionics work. Do you still prefer the Vancian system or do you see promise for a Mana Point system?

[Col_Pladoh]

[quote=The Levitator]
Trying to get a rise out of me, are you?

Being a relatively new member of this forum, I wanted to take the opportunity to say hey there! I live just down the road from you in Janesville, and started playing D&D in 1979 as part of a school project in my Gifted & Talented program. I haven't had too much exposure to other game systems, but have played 1st ed. through 3.5. Ok, ok, enough of the hero worship.

As a matter of fact I kived even nearer when we had a place just off County P between Clinton and Beloit. Back in those days the game group that met at my place consisted of Mike Gray, Jim Ward, Luke Gygax, Sonny Savage, Richard and David Kuntz, and Mitch Preston...at various times. As a matter of fact Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson, founders of Games Workshop came there and played too, also getting bad cases of poison oak helping me clear those vines from the trees arpound the place. Seems I am pretty well immune to that plant's toxin

I really enjoyed your interview on the 2nd D&D movie. Your take on the vancian spellcasting got me thinking. I would love to hear how you feel about the Mana Point style of magic that is increasing in popularity. I haven't used it yet, but it sounds a little bit like how Psionics work. Do you still prefer the Vancian system or do you see promise for a Mana Point system?

For the AD&D game I still prefer far and away the "Vancian" system." It makes players with spell-casting characters plan ahead while keeping their PCs from dominating play.

In my newer skill-bundle-based Lejendary Adventure RPG I have "Activation Energy Points." Using the term manna is so anthro-ethnologist 1930s it turns my stomach

Cheers,
Gary

[Flexor the Mighty!]

How's the CZ stuff coming along Gary? My group finished Dark Chateau and the clues leading to the castle are consuming them with desire to storm it and take its secrets by force!

So needless to say I need a little help over here.

Hope everything is well and you are feeling wonderful.

Aaron

[Col_Pladoh]

Originally Posted by Flexor the Mighty!

How's the CZ stuff coming along Gary? My group finished Dark Chateau and the clues leading to the castle are consuming them with desire to storm it and take its secrets by force!

So needless to say I need a little help over here.

Hope everything is well and you are feeling wonderful.

Aaron

Steve Chenault has my CZ setting level plan and outline with special encounters in hand so as to work up a full schematic of the lot by Monday. The cross connections and secret entrances/exits are many and complex, so he thought a map of the lot essential. I expect it will assist tremendously, and I should have it for review as noted.

When that's done I'll be passing along a level map or two to use as a general template or for a specific level, and generally overseeing and developing the work for each of the many levels.

things are moving along well, but in my estimation it will be in the spring of next year before the completed modules begin rolling off the production line. Before those hit I believe many of the Yggsburgh Town Detail modules should be available in pdf format.

All that is informal, me proposing, the Trolls disposing.

Grudgingly, I'll admit to feeling pretty chipper, doing more work than I want to, even passed on Wednesday's boardgaming session to work on the last piece of CZ "bible" material to get it into Steve's hands yesterday.

Cheers,
Gary

[Ron]

Gary,

I was reading the late AD&D releases, such as the Dungeoneer and Wilderness Survival Guides and Manual of Planes and they they did have a different quality from the earlier AD&D releases, especially Manual of Planes. Was you involved with those projects? I believe MoP was released after you left TSR but is it based in your notes or something?

[rossik]

hi mr gygax!

..i didnt notice the 11 part was ended...eheehsorry.

what do u think about giving classes to dragons?

doesnt it seems a little stranger?

a dragon thief??? :\

(im gonna cut and paste the last question of mine, if u dont mind! )

"thanks guys!

that helped a lot!

oh, one more thing:
risking to go too far (sorry for that!!), whats the chance of getting an autograph from mr gygax? is the only way getting into gen con kinnda of event?

there is nothing like a fan club here, in brazil... "

[Steverooo]

Originally Posted by Col_Pladoh

I forgot to indicate I wanted email notification to responses to this thread

Cheers,
Gary

Notifications to older threads are probably out...

Chance of unsubscribing

[Col_Pladoh]

Originally Posted by Ron

Gary,

I was reading the late AD&D releases, such as the Dungeoneer and Wilderness Survival Guides and Manual of Planes and they they did have a different quality from the earlier AD&D releases, especially Manual of Planes. Was you involved with those projects? I believe MoP was released after you left TSR but is it based in your notes or something?

Pardon me, but no, I had nothing to do with those books

I would not have approved of those splat books, as they encouraged power gaming and were a bad investment for D&Ders IMO, did little to makee the game better.

Cheers,
Gary

[Col_Pladoh]

Originally Posted by rossik

hi mr gygax!

..i didnt notice the 11 part was ended...eheehsorry.

what do u think about giving classes to dragons?

doesnt it seems a little stranger?

a dragon thief??? :\

(im gonna cut and paste the last question of mine, if u dont mind! )

"thanks guys!

that helped a lot!

oh, one more thing:
risking to go too far (sorry for that!!), whats the chance of getting an autograph from mr gygax? is the only way getting into gen con kinnda of event?

there is nothing like a fan club here, in brazil... "

Frankly, I find the concept of dragons as player characters of occassional human-like appearance to be absolutely out of place. No more need be said on this topic

I am always hponored to give autographs, and I do them by mail when the individual sends an addrssed return envelope with postage paid. No other form of mail return is acceptable beacuse of the difficulties of going to the post office here.

Cheers,
Gary

[Col_Pladoh]

Originally Posted by Steverooo

Notifications to older threads are probably out...

Chance of unsubscribing

Quite so.

Cheers,
Gary

[Geoffrey]

Gary, I myself prefer for all player characters/avatars to be human. I am wondering what (if anything in particular) made you change your mind about monster player characters between 1974 (when you wrote in the OD&D rules that players could play just about anything, even balrogs) and 1979 (when you wrote in the DMG that players playing monsters is not a good idea).

[Col_Pladoh]

Originally Posted by Geoffrey

Gary, I myself prefer for all player characters/avatars to be human. I am wondering what (if anything in particular) made you change your mind about monster player characters between 1974 (when you wrote in the OD&D rules that players could play just about anything, even balrogs) and 1979 (when you wrote in the DMG that players playing monsters is not a good idea).

Would you believe three decades of experience?


Gary