TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

T

The_Magician

First Post

• Jun 8, 2005

• #3,601

Thanks for the help, guys. =)

 

log in or register to remove this ad

Mark

CreativeMountainGames.com

• Jun 9, 2005

• #3,602

Perhaps a thought or two on the passing of David C. Sutherland III when you can, Papa G.?

 

Col_Pladoh

Gary Gygax

• Jun 9, 2005

• #3,603

Mark said:

Perhaps a thought or two on the passing of David C. Sutherland III when you can, Papa G.?

Click to expand...

Yes, although I had generally wished to remain silent. Paul Stromberg's excellent eulogy says much, and I have sent it to my lists, psoted it on the www.lejendary.com boards.

My son Luke emailed me when he got his copy of the notice, recalling how he and Dave, at Ernie's instigation, used to play rough-house when he was a very small lad. I have many fond memories of Dave, personal, gaming, and business related.

I mentioned elsewhere how much I loved his making fun of me in cartoons, sitting at my desk with a whip in one hand and my finger on the panic button. Most of my Empire of the Petal Throne gaming memories include Dave Sutherland.

Although we were not in touch for the last years, I prayed nightly for him ever since I learned of his critical illness. Ah well, man is an exhalation...

That's about all I have to say.

Regards,
Gary

 

P

Paul J. Stormberg

Explorer

• Jun 9, 2005

• #3,604

Howdy Gary,

Col_Pladoh said:

I mentioned elsewhere how much I loved his making fun of me in cartoons, sitting at my desk with a whip in one hand and my finger on the panic button.

Click to expand...

You mean this one Gary? These images come from The Strategic Preview: T.S.R. Jobbies, Nos. 3 and 5:

The Commander in Grief himself:

The whole TSR crew circa 1976:

Dave also created Shlump Da Orc, his alter ego editor of The Stretegic Preview:

Dave loved to draw cartoons.


Futures Bright,

Paul

 

Last edited: Jun 9, 2005

G

gideon_thorne

First Post

• Jun 9, 2005

• #3,605

Paul J. Stormberg said:

Dave loved to draw cartoons.

Click to expand...

*chuckles* This is seriously cool.

 

Col_Pladoh

Gary Gygax

• Jun 9, 2005

• #3,606

A thousand thanks, Paul!

I have long lost those old Strategic Previews, and it is so kind of you to post those exerpts here for all to see

As an aside, you must have my "Ultimist Class" April Fools joke too. what a hoot that I received several enthusiastic letters from young power gamers who wanted more information for their Ultimist PCs...

Thanks also for the copy of your eulogy to Dave. I have spread it around wherever it was appropriate.

I'll hoist a pint to Dave and Shlump too this evening as we work on completing some game module work in liew of actually playing

Ciao,
Gary

 

Henry

Autoexreginated

• Jun 9, 2005

• #3,607

Gary being carried, desk & all, to Origins II, is hilarious. Who was supposed to be the Elf?

 

Col_Pladoh

Gary Gygax

• Jun 9, 2005

• #3,608

Henry said:

Gary being carried, desk & all, to Origins II, is hilarious. Who was supposed to be the Elf?

Click to expand...

As far as I can recall, that figure was just a generic one, not representing any of the guys that worked there in the old house at 723 Williams Street.

As an aside, that place got so it was really crowded, so we moved off to the Main and Broad location that's now called the Landmark Center here in Lake Geneva. Brian insisted on using the basement (that ran under the next door building) as a warehouse. There had been 12 lanes of bowling alleys there, and I wanted to have it a weekend convention center. Ah well, bitter old memories compounded by Dave's passing :\

Gary

 

ColonelHardisson

What? Me Worry?

• Jun 9, 2005

• #3,609

Dave's art was pretty ubiquitous in the very early days of D&D, or so it seems to me. In a number of ways, it defined a certain "feel" for the game. Gary, how important to you was art back then, when it came to getting the D&D game together? Do you have any favorite pieces from that time period - namely, the early to mid 70s? Any that you feel exemplify what you were going for with the game?

 

Col_Pladoh

Gary Gygax

• Jun 9, 2005

• #3,610

ColonelHardisson said:

Dave's art was pretty ubiquitous in the very early days of D&D, or so it seems to me. In a number of ways, it defined a certain "feel" for the game. Gary, how important to you was art back then, when it came to getting the D&D game together? Do you have any favorite pieces from that time period - namely, the early to mid 70s? Any that you feel exemplify what you were going for with the game?

Click to expand...

Heh...

An art critic I ain't

What I wanted was cover art that would attract attention to the product, interior illos that were useful to the DM or otherwise attractive/amusing to the reader.

My favorite artist of the time period in question was Dave Trampier. I was always after him to quit re-working his stuff, for he was seldom satisfied with a fine rendition, would keep on and often get a less attractive end result.

Anyway, I surely to wish Tramp would pick up his brishes and palet again.

Cheers,
Gary