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Gygax on Realism in Game Design
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<blockquote data-quote="Iosue" data-source="post: 6011106" data-attributes="member: 6680772"><p>Yes, this. The 1e books differ from later editions not just in editorial tone and presentation, there's a vein of very conscious comedy running throughout that totally undermines the idea of D&D as a high-minded Serious Thing. A good deal of the artwork is literally humorous cartoons. And I think it's there in Gygax's writing. When I read Gygax's words about using earseekers to discourage listening at doors, I didn't read that as completely straight advice to new DMs for adopting an adversarial attitude towards players, I read it as a rather self-deprecating passage commiserating with other DMs reading the books: "Man, players will really screw up your plans, won't they? It's a constant idea arms race."</p><p></p><p>You see the same kind of "piss-take" attitude in the potion miscibility table, the wandering harlot table, and other places.</p><p></p><p></p><p>It surprises me not at all that Gygax was raving about AD&D in pre-publication publicity. I just don't think that necessarily was a full and accurate presentation of his views on design. But I think your quotes support my position more than they contradict it. The Basic Set remains as a largely cleaned up presentation of the Original game (including Gygax's encouragement to change and modify the game to fit one's own group), while the Advanced line provides a place to satisfy other gamers' hunger for more and more rules.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I enjoy all kinds of D&D, from B/X to 4e, but I also agree with S'mon and Celebrim that looking back at AD&D has given me a better appreciation for it. A lot of folks hate Vancian magic*, and while I never hated it, I can't say I particularly loved it, either. But now I think the 1e AD&D Magic-user is tremendously flavorful. And while, no, it is not designed so that it remains in full balance with the rest of the party from Levels 1 to 30, it has a different kind of balance, and one that leaves open the option for solo play, something very much a part of 70s and 80s D&D.</p><p></p><p>*I should note that I'm thinking of Vancian magic in the AD&D/BD&D sense, rather than the overpowered/under-limited 3.x version.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Iosue, post: 6011106, member: 6680772"] Yes, this. The 1e books differ from later editions not just in editorial tone and presentation, there's a vein of very conscious comedy running throughout that totally undermines the idea of D&D as a high-minded Serious Thing. A good deal of the artwork is literally humorous cartoons. And I think it's there in Gygax's writing. When I read Gygax's words about using earseekers to discourage listening at doors, I didn't read that as completely straight advice to new DMs for adopting an adversarial attitude towards players, I read it as a rather self-deprecating passage commiserating with other DMs reading the books: "Man, players will really screw up your plans, won't they? It's a constant idea arms race." You see the same kind of "piss-take" attitude in the potion miscibility table, the wandering harlot table, and other places. It surprises me not at all that Gygax was raving about AD&D in pre-publication publicity. I just don't think that necessarily was a full and accurate presentation of his views on design. But I think your quotes support my position more than they contradict it. The Basic Set remains as a largely cleaned up presentation of the Original game (including Gygax's encouragement to change and modify the game to fit one's own group), while the Advanced line provides a place to satisfy other gamers' hunger for more and more rules. I enjoy all kinds of D&D, from B/X to 4e, but I also agree with S'mon and Celebrim that looking back at AD&D has given me a better appreciation for it. A lot of folks hate Vancian magic*, and while I never hated it, I can't say I particularly loved it, either. But now I think the 1e AD&D Magic-user is tremendously flavorful. And while, no, it is not designed so that it remains in full balance with the rest of the party from Levels 1 to 30, it has a different kind of balance, and one that leaves open the option for solo play, something very much a part of 70s and 80s D&D. *I should note that I'm thinking of Vancian magic in the AD&D/BD&D sense, rather than the overpowered/under-limited 3.x version. [/QUOTE]
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