TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

Col_Pladoh · Sep 3, 2005

Anson Caralya said:
That sounds like an interesting bit of roleplaying!

I've seen adventures that balance short-cuts open to evil/greedy PC's and rewards for valorous actions of good PC's for single encounters - e.g. the opportunity to steal an item (and benefit from its use) while its owner is unaware, versus later being in good standing with that owner and able to ask for a useful favor - but usually they don't span the overall adventure. I think writing "alternative victory conditions" gets complicated quickly if each (or even several) encounter along the way have the potential for significantly different outcomes. Trying to do much more than leave that type of balance in the DM's hands might be more trouble than it's worth.

Indeed, such ethical issues are difficult to make rules with which to ajudicate.

With the LA game system it is relatively easy in regards writing adventure material, however, as there are clear guidelines as to awarding Merits (XPs) or taking them away. In addition there are points of Repute, Dark Repute, and Disrepute. Finally, The GM is always able to set up additions to random rolls to enhance chances of success, award penalties to lower such chances if the PC has been misbehaving.

Cheers,
Gary

haakon1 · Sep 4, 2005

Col_Pladoh said:
Actually, in my play-testing I used Norse/Teutonic deities for the religious affiliations of the various temples and such in the town. (that's because WotC is the owner of the Greyhawk deities, of course...)

Fine with me . . . in my Greyhawk campaign, I use the Norse deities for the Suel, the Greek deities for the Baklunish, the American Indian pantheon + the Sumerian pantheon (i.e., old obscure gods) for the Flannae, and the traditional Greyhawk pantheon for the Oeridians. With some little tweaks like Obad-Hai still being Flannae . . .

My Friendly Local Gaming Store (FLGS) doesn't have Yggsburgh yet, but they said they will get it as soon as possible, because "Anything Gygax writes, we buy it."

haakon1 · Sep 4, 2005

Col_Pladoh said:
As TLG has expended considerable effort in developing their own world Setting, Erde, I an not sure they would be interested in licensing the WoG--cost and potential return analysis would need to be carefully considered, especially since the setting has been so altered by WotC and Living Greyhawk.

Whistling happily . . .

What'll PROBABLY happen is that you and Erik Mona (Mr. Dungeon Magazine and Mr. Current Greyhawk) will sit down. You will show him the error of his ways in accepting some of the not-so-good changes to WOG made the 2nd Edition era. He will show you that his own adds to the WOG were much more intelligent. You will tell him but 3.5 e is wrong for this that and the other reason. He will go off with Monte Cook and Rob and whoever, and come up with 4 e, which will be the synthesis of 3 e-ness (rules that work the same way across everything) and AD&D ness (not so rule bogged down that it becomes boring).

You'll be totally healthy, and with Rob and Erik and maybe even Dave Arneson for a little on Blackmoor, you'll create a Renaissance of WOG. With WOG rules that are compatible with: OD&D, AD&D, 2nd Edition, 3.5 e, the new 4th Edition you just made in my fantasy, LA, Castles & Crusades, Hackmaster, Gamma World, Star Wars, GURPS, etc.

I'm holding my breathe, because that's going to happen any day now!

haakon1 · Sep 4, 2005

Red Shirts and ToH

Years ago, on the Greyhawk AOL board, Roger Moore told a story of some guys at TSR (probably in the 2nd Edition era) playing through the Tomb of Horrors with a team of kobolds -- not kobolds with character levels, but plain old AD&D 1-4 hp kobolds. Needless to say, the death toll was high, but I believe Roger said his kobold survived? Perhaps his eleventh kobold or something.

Anyhow, if a kobold can survive it, it MUST be easy.

Col_Pladoh · Sep 4, 2005

haakon1 said:
...

My Friendly Local Gaming Store (FLGS) doesn't have Yggsburgh yet, but they said they will get it as soon as possible, because "Anything Gygax writes, we buy it."

Well Dang!

That's heartening. the next step is to have all the customers say the same thing :lol:

Cheers,
Gary

Col_Pladoh · Sep 4, 2005

haakon1 said:
Whistling happily . . .

What'll PROBABLY happen is that you and Erik Mona (Mr. Dungeon Magazine and Mr. Current Greyhawk) will sit down. You will show him the error of his ways in accepting some of the not-so-good changes to WOG made the 2nd Edition era. He will show you that his own adds to the WOG were much more intelligent. You will tell him but 3.5 e is wrong for this that and the other reason. He will go off with Monte Cook and Rob and whoever, and come up with 4 e, which will be the synthesis of 3 e-ness (rules that work the same way across everything) and AD&D ness (not so rule bogged down that it becomes boring).

You'll be totally healthy, and with Rob and Erik and maybe even Dave Arneson for a little on Blackmoor, you'll create a Renaissance of WOG. With WOG rules that are compatible with: OD&D, AD&D, 2nd Edition, 3.5 e, the new 4th Edition you just made in my fantasy, LA, Castles & Crusades, Hackmaster, Gamma World, Star Wars, GURPS, etc.

I'm holding my breathe, because that's going to happen any day now!

Like sure...

Erik Mona is a good fellow, but his view of the perfect RPR and world setting is likely not much similar to mine.

As for Rob, he will need to have his D&D tales completed, and have fnished the Castle Zagyg dungeons with me before he casts an eye towards the WoG :uhoh:

Cheers,
Gary

BOZ · Sep 5, 2005

Erik Mona is likely forced to either accept a lot of the changes that have happened, or not write greyhawk at all. given the choice, it seems he accepted the limitations. i remember back in the old days of 2E, he was definitely an advocate of skipping the From the Ashes changes and such.

jwright · Sep 5, 2005

CZ Setting?

Gary,

Is Castle Zagyg set in a particular world? (I will order it when I get other C&C and LA stuff - when I finally get paid lol!)

"Maddog" Wright

Col_Pladoh · Sep 5, 2005

BOZ said:
Erik Mona is likely forced to either accept a lot of the changes that have happened, or not write greyhawk at all. given the choice, it seems he accepted the limitations. i remember back in the old days of 2E, he was definitely an advocate of skipping the From the Ashes changes and such.

I suspect you are correct in that assessment, Boz

Cheers,
Gary

Col_Pladoh · Sep 5, 2005

jwright said:
Gary,

Is Castle Zagyg set in a particular world? (I will order it when I get other C&C and LA stuff - when I finally get paid lol!)

"Maddog" Wright

The area of Yggsburgh, "The Eastmark," is a generic setting. The Trolls will say where it might be well-placed on Erde. For the LA game's Learth I suggest somewhere on the borderland between a Tenoric Pantheon state and that of a state with another pantheon recognized--Olympian likely. The location needs to be one where rivers flow west.

It will fit into the Oerth's Flanmaess too, most likely :lol:

Cheers,
Gary

TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

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Gary Gygax

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Gary Gygax

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Gary Gygax

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