WotC to Release 1st Edition Premium Core Rulebooks Reprints

Jiggawatts · Jan 21, 2012

Rogue Agent said:
But bravo to WotC for supporting a good cause. Pity they're slighting Arneson.

Unfortunately Arneson will forever be the Roebuck to Gygax's Sears.

Warunsun · Jan 21, 2012

Rogue Agent said:
But bravo to WotC for supporting a good cause. Pity they're slighting Arneson.

I don't think they are slighting Arenson. WOTC did a pretty awesome job of recognizing him compared to the way both Gary himself and TSR, Inc did. I mean Arenson was paid money by WOTC, he was in the D&D movie, and they allowed him to publish Blackmoor material up to his death. All and all not bad for someone that hasn't been involved much in official AD&D since the 1980's. I bet his name will even be in the new premium printing on the new copyright page. You know there will be a forward by some folks and an extra legal page or two. Arneson will likely be recognized there.

seankreynolds · Jan 21, 2012

I think this is a great idea. I still have my 1E core books so I don't really need these, but they'd make a nice gift...

Sammael · Jan 21, 2012

Great idea, too bad WotC are once again ignoring their non-American customer base.

JoeGKushner · Jan 21, 2012

I hope this is the start of more reprints.

I also hope that t's the start of WoTC taking a more keen interest in how to keep older media alive and make money off of it.

It's for a good cause so I'll give the prices a m'eh.

Hopefully we see something similiar done for Dave.

btmcrae · Jan 22, 2012

I am curious what the new book covers will look like. What is being shown appears to be what the first inner page will look like, as there are no book titles on the pic at all. As these books are 3 months out, it is safe to assume that they have arrived/soon will be arriving from the printers, and so the covers should be set. I want to see the covers before ordering.

darjr · Jan 22, 2012

wotcs printers are in the US, I think. so the turn around could be shorter

Saracenus · Jan 22, 2012

Actually the printers are overseas.

Rogue Agent · Jan 22, 2012

Warunsun said:
I don't think they are slighting Arenson.

The publicity blurb reads: "In 1974, the world changed forever when Gary Gygax introduced the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game."

I know WotC has, in the past, done better by Arneson than Gygax and TSR did. But in this particular instance, Arneson is being slighted. Gygax and his "innovative ideas" are being credited for something that can either be (a) credited exclusively to Arneson's originality or (b) both of them as a collective effort (depending on how you choose to interpret the history), but never to Gygax exclusively. (Assuming, of course, that one is paying any attention to the actual facts.)

JohnRTroy · Jan 22, 2012

Rogue Agent said:
The publicity blurb reads: "In 1974, the world changed forever when Gary Gygax introduced the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game."

I know WotC has, in the past, done better by Arneson than Gygax and TSR did. But in this particular instance, Arneson is being slighted. Gygax and his "innovative ideas" are being credited for something that can either be (a) credited exclusively to Arneson's originality or (b) both of them as a collective effort (depending on how you choose to interpret the history), but never to Gygax exclusively. (Assuming, of course, that one is paying any attention to the actual facts.)

Considering they are reprinting the AD&D rules and not the D&D rules, I don't think it's an intentional slight. They did not use the term "created", they used the term "introduced", since Gygax was the one actively publishing it--he published the rules before Arneson was even involved in his short-lived involvement with TSR hobbies. And since this printing is being aimed both for Gygax are a writer and Gygax Memorial Fund, I think mentioning him would have been awkward in this particular instance.

I agree that WoTC has been better in giving credit to Arneson. However, I also think a lot of people overstate Arneson's involvement. You want to know the reason people see Gygax as more important than Arneson?

Gary Did More. Simple as that.

Gygax started GenCon, Gygax with Don Kaye actually founded TSR, he quit his Insurance day job for a risk while Dave remained employed. Gygax was the very prolific writer, contributing not just the OD&D ruleset, but AD&D, Greyhawk, numerous classic modules, and also worked hard in his executive roles.

Plus, he did more after he was gone from TSR--creating two other games, and was more involved with fan interaction in the last decade of his life. Arneson had numerous opportunities post TSR to establish his name. I do not believe his failure to do so was just because "Gygax had the publicity machine".

The primary reason Gygax gets remembered more--he wrote more and those of us who care about the writers and writing remember him.

I agree that Arneson should get credit where it is due. And I think he did get the rights he deserved in his legal battles. But I think people need to stop seeing them as perfect equals. If the fans remember Gygax more than Arneson, it's simply because Gygax did more directly for the development of the D&D game and more people loved and remembered Gygax's writing. At some point, if every time you mention Gygax without Arneson, somebody yells "don't forget Arneson", it comes across as just a little bit petty.