D&D General Extra Credits: The History of D&D Hasbro Refused to Learn

[Incenjucar]

Extra Credits has something of a history best not gotten into here, but suffice it to say that the focus is on entertaining presentation and opinion rather than accuracy and objectivity in general.

 

[Clint_L]

Yep, she sold the company in 1997 to Wizards of the Coast. TSR never declared bankruptcy, at least not that I recall.

The deal with WotC prevented TSR from having to declare legal bankruptcy, but they were completely fiscally insolvent, so in the casual sense of the term...yeah the company was bankrupt. They were tens of millions in debt with no way out, and couldn't even pay their printing bills. Had WotC not bought them, legal bankruptcy was inevitable.

 

[AmandaBarbarian]

Gary and Dave didn't get an idea. David Wesley got an idea and shared it with Dave Arneson, who ran games with that idea for years before running a game for Gary Gygax. Gary got Dave's notes, changed them a bunch with little to no input from Dave, then published that as D&D. It's like perpetuating the myth the Musk invented the Tesla. He didn't.

I have never heard of David Wesley, and I though Dave Arneson was like some side player in Gary's game?!? I have always heard Gygax created the game. In fact my brother played before me and so when I first tried D&D a few years ago I already knew the name Gary Gygax in passing. Is there somewhere I can get all of this lore and back story?

 

[AmandaBarbarian]

I was going to say that the facts in the video were serviceable for the creators overall point but then he said Lorrain Williams declared TSR bankruptcy in 1997. Which is absolutely not correct.

Still it isn’t his main point but dangit that is glaring.

wait who is Lorrain WIlliams? was there a woman involved in the creation of D&D? if so why don't we talk about her more?

 

[billd91]

wait who is Lorrain WIlliams? was there a woman involved in the creation of D&D? if so why don't we talk about her more?

Lorraine had nothing to do with the creation of D&D. She saved TSR from eating itself only to preside over TSR eating itself later.
I'd recommend Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons and Dragons by Ben Riggs. I checked it out from my local library system. It's extremely informative.

 

[AmandaBarbarian]

Lorraine had nothing to do with the creation of D&D. She saved TSR from eating itself only to preside over TSR eating itself later.
I'd recommend Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons and Dragons by Ben Riggs. I checked it out from my local library system. It's extremely informative.

thank you, will that also tell me about the two daves?

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

wait who is Lorrain WIlliams? was there a woman involved in the creation of D&D? if so why don't we talk about her more?

She is talked about a lot, you are just new to the story/ history. I’m sure someone here can point you to a few sources, but I can’t.

PS Lorraine didn’t create D&D, but she was in charge of it for a bit.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

thank you, will that also tell me about the two daves?

Definitely Arneson, not sure about Wesley

PS Dave A and Gary G are general considered to be the creators of D&D, but the history is complex

 

[Burnside]

thank you, will that also tell me about the two daves?

Dave Arneson's Wikipedia entry will give you all the basics on him.

 

[AmandaBarbarian]

Dave Arneson's Wikipedia entry will give you all the basics on him.

yeah I already have hit google and am reading it and a few other things now