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Gygax on Realism in Game Design
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<blockquote data-quote="GreyICE" data-source="post: 6010190" data-attributes="member: 6684526"><p>I'm not sure that Gygax really felt that way. He referred to AD&D several times as a groundbreaking system that would change everything, calling it something "like nothing that had ever come before," and generally raving about how good it is. Here's a few samples:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">In summation, the “Basic Set” of D&D is aimed at new players,</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">those persons as yet uninitiated to the wonders of fantasy role playing.</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">While it channels these new adventurers towards the ADVANCED</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">game, with its better ordered and more clear rules, it suits such players</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">for play of the Original game just as well. Nearly all of the Original</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">booklets will remain unchanged and in print, only G, D-G, & H will be</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">revised to fit into ADVANCED D&D. The whole of AD&D will be a</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">better, cleaner system aimed at improving the understanding of the role</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">playing game system. The first three books, the main part, will be ready</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">in mid-1978 if all goes as expected. I am certain that you will find them</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">worth the wait! - Dragon Magazine <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=14" target="_blank">#14</a> </span></p><p></p><p></p><p>This next one is from Issue 20, in December 1978 (so you can see the mid-1978 schedule is going real well).</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">Fanatical game hobbyists often express the opinion that DUNGEONS</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">& DRAGONS will continue as an ever-expanding, always improving</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">game system. TSR and I see it a bit differently. Currently</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">D&D is moving in two directions. There is the “Original” game system</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">and the new ADVANCED D&D® system. New participants can</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">move from the “Basic Set” into either form without undue difficulty</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">— especially as playing aid offerings become more numerous, and that</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">is in process now. Americans have somehow come to equate change</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">with improvement. Somehow the school of continuing evolution has</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">conceived that D&D can go on in a state of flux, each new version</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">“new and improved!” From a standpoint of sales, I beam broadly at</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">the very thought of an unending string of new, improved, super,</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">energized, versions of D&D being hyped to the loyal followers of the</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">gaming hobby in general and role playing fantasy games in particular.</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">As a game designer I do not agree, particularly as a gamer who began</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">with chess. The original could benefit from a careful reorganization</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">and expansion to clarify things, and this might be done at some future</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">time. As all of the ADVANCED D&D system is not written yet, it is a</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">bit early for prognostication, but I envision only minor expansions</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">and some rules amending on a gradual, edition to edition, basis. When</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">you have a fine product, it is time to let well enough alone. I do not</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">believe that hobbyists and casual players should be continually barraged</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">with new rules, new systems, and new drains on their purses. Certainly</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">there will be changes, for the game is not perfect; but I do not</span></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><span style="font-size: 12px">believe the game is so imperfect as to require constant improvement.</span></p><p></p><p>This is probably Gygax's clearest mission statement for AD&D ever. Didn't quite work out how he wanted, but, well.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="GreyICE, post: 6010190, member: 6684526"] I'm not sure that Gygax really felt that way. He referred to AD&D several times as a groundbreaking system that would change everything, calling it something "like nothing that had ever come before," and generally raving about how good it is. Here's a few samples: [INDENT][SIZE="3"]In summation, the “Basic Set” of D&D is aimed at new players, those persons as yet uninitiated to the wonders of fantasy role playing. While it channels these new adventurers towards the ADVANCED game, with its better ordered and more clear rules, it suits such players for play of the Original game just as well. Nearly all of the Original booklets will remain unchanged and in print, only G, D-G, & H will be revised to fit into ADVANCED D&D. The whole of AD&D will be a better, cleaner system aimed at improving the understanding of the role playing game system. The first three books, the main part, will be ready in mid-1978 if all goes as expected. I am certain that you will find them worth the wait! - Dragon Magazine [URL=http://www.enworld.org/forum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=14]#14[/URL] [/SIZE][/indent] This next one is from Issue 20, in December 1978 (so you can see the mid-1978 schedule is going real well). [indent][SIZE="3"]Fanatical game hobbyists often express the opinion that DUNGEONS & DRAGONS will continue as an ever-expanding, always improving game system. TSR and I see it a bit differently. Currently D&D is moving in two directions. There is the “Original” game system and the new ADVANCED D&D® system. New participants can move from the “Basic Set” into either form without undue difficulty — especially as playing aid offerings become more numerous, and that is in process now. Americans have somehow come to equate change with improvement. Somehow the school of continuing evolution has conceived that D&D can go on in a state of flux, each new version “new and improved!” From a standpoint of sales, I beam broadly at the very thought of an unending string of new, improved, super, energized, versions of D&D being hyped to the loyal followers of the gaming hobby in general and role playing fantasy games in particular. As a game designer I do not agree, particularly as a gamer who began with chess. The original could benefit from a careful reorganization and expansion to clarify things, and this might be done at some future time. As all of the ADVANCED D&D system is not written yet, it is a bit early for prognostication, but I envision only minor expansions and some rules amending on a gradual, edition to edition, basis. When you have a fine product, it is time to let well enough alone. I do not believe that hobbyists and casual players should be continually barraged with new rules, new systems, and new drains on their purses. Certainly there will be changes, for the game is not perfect; but I do not believe the game is so imperfect as to require constant improvement.[/SIZE][/indent] This is probably Gygax's clearest mission statement for AD&D ever. Didn't quite work out how he wanted, but, well. [/QUOTE]
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