TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

Col_Pladoh · Mar 9, 2005

Ourph said:
Hey Gary. I hope all is well with you.

I have been pondering over the question of what makes a "good" RPG player. Not necessarily what makes for a "skilled" RPG player, but what traits someone should have to make gaming with them a good and rewarding experience. There are a few obvious ones and some definite traits which would undoubtedly exclude someone from the ranks of good players, but I'd be interested in your views (and any tales you might have to relate) on what attributes a good player brings to the table.

And Frank, since you're here too, I'd love to hear your opinion as well.

Thanks both!

A most subjective question...

About all I care to venture here is that a good RPGer has the following traits:

Extroverted in regards playing
Knowledge of the genre and his character's role
Playing to have fun with comrades
Pays attention to the GM
Knows and enjoys many things outside of gaming

Cheers,
Gary

Col_Pladoh · Mar 9, 2005

Tav_Behemoth said:
Frank, it's good to see you here! Hope you'll continue to grace us with your wisdom.

Gary, I wanted to ask you about one of the recommended & inspirational authors in Appendix N of the DMG: Fredrick Brown. You didn't list any specific works by him, and the writing I know of his is either light comic SF like Martians, Go Home or mystery novels; neither seems directly relevant to D&D.

Were you thinking of stories Brown wrote in a more sword & sorcery vein, and if so could you give me some pointers where to look for it?

(On a related note, I just got my hands on copies of the Swords Against Darkness anthologies and discovered the Kardios stories by Manly Wade Wellman, which are a more direct D&D inspiration than the John the Balladeer tales he's better known for nowadays. Fun stuff!)

Sorry,

But I refuse to go into the basement and search the stacks there for old Fredic Brown paperbacks

Thinking back some 35 years or so, I seem to recall a book he wrote, a compilation of short stories titled Nightmares & Geezenstacks.

"John the Balladeer"? Ah, you are referring to Wellman's Odd John protagonist

Cheers,
Gary

Frank Mentzer · Mar 9, 2005

Col_Pladoh said:
Extroverted in regards playing
Knowledge of the genre and his character's role
Playing to have fun with comrades
Pays attention to the GM
Knows and enjoys many things outside of gaming

To be sure. By my lights tho I would put the "Fun With Comrades" first, emphasis on the With.

When I started the RPGA I hoped that my new voting system would encourage higher quality play. I felt vindicated while observing an early Master's-level tournament game. An outstanding player portrayed his role, and then deliberately set up another player with a straight line -- saying clearly (to me at least) "Good gaming isn't hogging the action or the DM, Good Gaming is doing your best on a level playing field... there, I did my thing, so here: gimme your best shot, I'll beat you anyhow!" Great stuff. If everyone is having fun, it works. If someone's not, the experience is tainted.

Frank

Semah G Noj · Mar 9, 2005

Frank Mentzer said:
To be sure. By my lights tho I would put the "Fun With Comrades" first, emphasis on the With.

When I started the RPGA I hoped that my new voting system would encourage higher quality play. I felt vindicated while observing an early Master's-level tournament game. An outstanding player portrayed his role, and then deliberately set up another player with a straight line -- saying clearly (to me at least) "Good gaming isn't hogging the action or the DM, Good Gaming is doing your best on a level playing field... there, I did my thing, so here: gimme your best shot, I'll beat you anyhow!" Great stuff. If everyone is having fun, it works. If someone's not, the experience is tainted.

Frank

And here I lived outside of Minnocqua for 2 years and shopped at your lovely bakery roughly once a month and never realized you were THAT Frank Mentzer...

Ourph · Mar 9, 2005

Thanks Gary and Frank. Those are very interesting and thoughtful answers.

Frank Mentzer said:
"Good gaming isn't hogging the action or the DM, Good Gaming is doing your best on a level playing field... there, I did my thing, so here: gimme your best shot, I'll beat you anyhow!"

I couldn't agree more. Being a good sport, IMO, is as important to being a good gamer as anything I can think of. Kudos to the fellow who inspired you to write that.

Gray Mouser · Mar 10, 2005

Colonel,

I recently reread an old write up that Rob Kuntz did on Robilar. In it Rob lists Robilar's race/ethnicity as Oeridian. Did you ever determine which human ethnicity Mordenkainen and Bigby were? I know the gazeteer says that pure racial stock in the Flanaess is pretty rare for humans, but I was just curious.

Gray Mouser

Col_Pladoh · Mar 10, 2005

Gray Mouser said:
Colonel,

I recently reread an old write up that Rob Kuntz did on Robilar. In it Rob lists Robilar's race/ethnicity as Oeridian. Did you ever determine which human ethnicity Mordenkainen and Bigby were? I know the gazeteer says that pure racial stock in the Flanaess is pretty rare for humans, but I was just curious.

Gray Mouser

Actually, no, I never really worried aboiut the ethnic origination of my human PCs. I would assume that Mordenkainen would be mainly of Oeridian stock and that Bigby is from Flan-Suloise background.

Cheers,
Gary

MrFilthyIke · Mar 10, 2005

Semah G Noj said:
And here I lived outside of Minnocqua for 2 years and shopped at your lovely bakery roughly once a month and never realized you were THAT Frank Mentzer...

Life's funny like that. If we knew then what we know now and all that.

Tav_Behemoth · Mar 11, 2005

Col_Pladoh said:
Sorry, But I refuse to go into the basement and search the stacks there for old Fredic Brown paperbacks Thinking back some 35 years or so, I seem to recall a book he wrote, a compilation of short stories titled Nightmares & Geezenstacks.

That's plenty to go on, thanks! What a great title - I can't wait to hunt it down.

If it makes you feel better on those occasions when your basement floods and you have to go sump it out, keep it in mind that the stacks therein are a trove of wondrous treasures which will be cherished by future historians!

Col_Pladoh · Mar 11, 2005

Tav_Behemoth said:
That's plenty to go on, thanks! What a great title - I can't wait to hunt it down.

If it makes you feel better on those occasions when your basement floods and you have to go sump it out, keep it in mind that the stacks therein are a trove of wondrous treasures which will be cherished by future historians!

Heh...

There are books stacked in ther attic, first floor, ground floor, and the basement here. Some belonged to distant cousins, some to close relatives, but the majority are those i have acquired. My wife suggests the lot might be donated to a special library after I shuffle off this mortal coil. I think I should have a large pyramid burial with all my stuff packed inside with me :uhoh:

Jesting, of course.

Cheers,
Gary

TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

Col_Pladoh

Gary Gygax

Col_Pladoh

Gary Gygax

Frank Mentzer

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Semah G Noj

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Ourph

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Gray Mouser

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Gary Gygax

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Tav_Behemoth

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Gary Gygax

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