The Dragon Issue 18 was published in September 1978. It is 36 pages long, with a cover price of $1.50. In this issue, we have gamers behaving badly at Origins '78, lots of D&D homebrew rules, and an introduction to the Traveller RPG!
Tim Kask has recently returned from Origins '78, held in Michigan and run by Metro Detroit Gamers (MDG). The rivalry between GenCon and Origins is always simmering below the surface of these Origins reviews, and Kask spends a good chunk of time discussing the venue and organizational problems at the con, while limply praising MDG by saying they "did as good a job as could be expected under the circumstances."
His fiercest criticism was for the exhibitor party at the Marriott:
But Kask does finish by saying, "Lest you think that I didn’t like Origins ‘78, let me assure you that I did, in spite of the bummers." He also wryly notes that anyone who attends cons must have a little bit of a masochistic streak.
Issue #18 is just crammed with content. There are a lot of little articles covering a wide range of topics. The table of contents groups things into five categories: Features, Variants, Reviews, Designers Forum, and Dragon Mirth (the comics). I usually ignore the comics in these retrospectives, but I'll briefly hit the other areas.
We'll start with Variants, which are basically homebrew rules submitted by readers. "The Effective Use of Poison" presents a more sophisticated poison subsystem than the "save or die" approach that was common in D&D at the time. In "Monkish Weapons & Monk vs. Monk Combat" we have (another) attempt to simulate eastern martial arts in a more realistic manner. These subsystems simply don't mesh that well with AD&D's abstract approach to combat. "NPC Statistics" adds the "Ego" and "Greed" attributes to merchants and shopkeepers, to help assess price and quality of work in retail dealings. In "Chamber of the God Game" we have a Russian roulette style puzzle, while "Insanity" presents a workable little system for player madness.
Perhaps the most amusing variant article is "New Spells in D&D," which Tim Kask has subtitled "Cure for an Ailing Campaign or Killer of A Healthy One?" before noting, "The following is an example of how one group handles the research of new spells. They are NOT recommended for general absorption into existing campaigns willy-nilly." I suspect the author may have been a little miffed when he finally saw his article in print!
The "Designers Forum" section also contains variant rules, though in this case by "pro" designers. "Magic: Governed by Laws of Theory" gives a theoretical underpinning to D&D magic based on five laws--Similarity, Contagion, Mana, Obscurity, and Harmony. It's nicely written though a bit abstract. It's a shame the author didn't work through and apply the whole theory to at least one actual spell.
There are two articles related to Boot Hill, one describing town design and the other a set of character origins tables (clearly influenced by Traveller - see below). In an article called "Guidelines for Mixing Campaigns: Androids, Wizards, Several Mutants, and Liberal Doses of Imagination, Well Blended," Jim Ward discusses the combination of game genres. As I've read these early issues of Dragon, it's become obvious how much genre-mixing the TSR folk used to do in their personal gaming. Given this, it's interesting how many of us were real "fantasy purists" back in the 80s.
There is another "From the Sorcerer's Scroll," this one written by Jim Ward and subtitled "GAMMA WORLD: First Report; Setting Up The Campaign." The article explains the various design decisions made for the new Gamma World game, only just released by TSR.
The issue contains six game reviews. Of the games mentioned, Pellic Quest, Alpha Omega, and The Emerald Tablet are largely forgotten today. By contrast, Imperium is fondly remembered, while Cosmic Encounter is a highly celebrated game which remains in print.
But the most important review was for the new science fiction RPG known as Traveller. Traveller was an instant success and went on to become recognized as one of the classic RPGs. Reviewer Tom Wham praises the game thoroughly, noting, "The wait, for those of us who had finally tired of trolls and treasures, was well worth it... TRAVELLER is a unique SF game and probably the best of the role-playing variety. It offers a colorful but consistent future for players to adventure in." This is lavish praise considering that TSR had two science fiction RPGs of their in the market at the time.
The Features section also mentions the new RPG. In "Traveller: The Strategy of Survival," the writer opens with the following lines:
He then gives some tips for navigating Traveller's famous character creation minigame. It's a fun article.
The second feature article is another story by Harry O. Fischer, this one called "The Childhood and Youth of The Gray Mouser." Although written with Fritz Leiber's apparent approval, it's one for hard-core fans only.
Next issue we look at competitive D&D, more Gamma World, and monsters of the Australian mythos!
This article was contributed by M.T. Black as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. M.T. Black is a game designer and DMs Guild Adept. Please follow him on Twitter @mtblack2567 and sign up to his mailing list. We are always on the lookout for freelance columnists! If you have a pitch, please contact us!
Tim Kask has recently returned from Origins '78, held in Michigan and run by Metro Detroit Gamers (MDG). The rivalry between GenCon and Origins is always simmering below the surface of these Origins reviews, and Kask spends a good chunk of time discussing the venue and organizational problems at the con, while limply praising MDG by saying they "did as good a job as could be expected under the circumstances."
His fiercest criticism was for the exhibitor party at the Marriott:
"One other low point stands out in my mind, in stark relief. It’s fortunate that this event was not open to the general public. I’m referring to the party at the Marriott Hotel on Friday night for the exhibitors, workers, etc. It started off as a nice party and ended up a disgusting spectacle. If the Marriott ever allows another wargaming-related event within its confines, I’d be very surprised. More than a few attendees left in disgust after watching some of the “captains” of our industry make drunken fools of themselves. As anyone that knows me can attest, I like to party with the best of them, and I’m certainly no teetotaler, but I left the party early. I stopped back sometime later and it was even worse."
But Kask does finish by saying, "Lest you think that I didn’t like Origins ‘78, let me assure you that I did, in spite of the bummers." He also wryly notes that anyone who attends cons must have a little bit of a masochistic streak.
Issue #18 is just crammed with content. There are a lot of little articles covering a wide range of topics. The table of contents groups things into five categories: Features, Variants, Reviews, Designers Forum, and Dragon Mirth (the comics). I usually ignore the comics in these retrospectives, but I'll briefly hit the other areas.
We'll start with Variants, which are basically homebrew rules submitted by readers. "The Effective Use of Poison" presents a more sophisticated poison subsystem than the "save or die" approach that was common in D&D at the time. In "Monkish Weapons & Monk vs. Monk Combat" we have (another) attempt to simulate eastern martial arts in a more realistic manner. These subsystems simply don't mesh that well with AD&D's abstract approach to combat. "NPC Statistics" adds the "Ego" and "Greed" attributes to merchants and shopkeepers, to help assess price and quality of work in retail dealings. In "Chamber of the God Game" we have a Russian roulette style puzzle, while "Insanity" presents a workable little system for player madness.
Perhaps the most amusing variant article is "New Spells in D&D," which Tim Kask has subtitled "Cure for an Ailing Campaign or Killer of A Healthy One?" before noting, "The following is an example of how one group handles the research of new spells. They are NOT recommended for general absorption into existing campaigns willy-nilly." I suspect the author may have been a little miffed when he finally saw his article in print!
The "Designers Forum" section also contains variant rules, though in this case by "pro" designers. "Magic: Governed by Laws of Theory" gives a theoretical underpinning to D&D magic based on five laws--Similarity, Contagion, Mana, Obscurity, and Harmony. It's nicely written though a bit abstract. It's a shame the author didn't work through and apply the whole theory to at least one actual spell.
There are two articles related to Boot Hill, one describing town design and the other a set of character origins tables (clearly influenced by Traveller - see below). In an article called "Guidelines for Mixing Campaigns: Androids, Wizards, Several Mutants, and Liberal Doses of Imagination, Well Blended," Jim Ward discusses the combination of game genres. As I've read these early issues of Dragon, it's become obvious how much genre-mixing the TSR folk used to do in their personal gaming. Given this, it's interesting how many of us were real "fantasy purists" back in the 80s.
There is another "From the Sorcerer's Scroll," this one written by Jim Ward and subtitled "GAMMA WORLD: First Report; Setting Up The Campaign." The article explains the various design decisions made for the new Gamma World game, only just released by TSR.
The issue contains six game reviews. Of the games mentioned, Pellic Quest, Alpha Omega, and The Emerald Tablet are largely forgotten today. By contrast, Imperium is fondly remembered, while Cosmic Encounter is a highly celebrated game which remains in print.
But the most important review was for the new science fiction RPG known as Traveller. Traveller was an instant success and went on to become recognized as one of the classic RPGs. Reviewer Tom Wham praises the game thoroughly, noting, "The wait, for those of us who had finally tired of trolls and treasures, was well worth it... TRAVELLER is a unique SF game and probably the best of the role-playing variety. It offers a colorful but consistent future for players to adventure in." This is lavish praise considering that TSR had two science fiction RPGs of their in the market at the time.
The Features section also mentions the new RPG. In "Traveller: The Strategy of Survival," the writer opens with the following lines:
"Recently, while attending a good sized gaming convention sponsored by the local wargaming club, I took advantage of the opportunity to observe the TRAVELLER phenomenon first hand. A full fledged campaign version was announced to the crowd. With a roar of approval, a throng of players squeezed themselves into the playing area, some leaving wide-eyed opponents still staring at now vacated wargames."
He then gives some tips for navigating Traveller's famous character creation minigame. It's a fun article.
The second feature article is another story by Harry O. Fischer, this one called "The Childhood and Youth of The Gray Mouser." Although written with Fritz Leiber's apparent approval, it's one for hard-core fans only.
Next issue we look at competitive D&D, more Gamma World, and monsters of the Australian mythos!
This article was contributed by M.T. Black as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. M.T. Black is a game designer and DMs Guild Adept. Please follow him on Twitter @mtblack2567 and sign up to his mailing list. We are always on the lookout for freelance columnists! If you have a pitch, please contact us!
