Looking for Gygax quote

[Bohemian Ear Spoon]

So I can't remember if this was published or in an interview, and honestly I believe he has paraphrased himself on more than one occasion. But the quote I am looking for has him going on about how during the beginning he would be drawing up new levels and maps for his Greyhawk campaign as fast as he could for the multiple games he was running.

Much help appreciated. If anyone wants to post other great quotes, I love to hear what our immortal founder has to say on similar subjects.

 

[Filcher]

I recall something like this, too. (But maybe it was Arneson?) Where he was feverishly making the dungeon just a step ahead of the explorers ....

 

[Doug McCrae]

This is from his introduction to Mayfair Games 1987 version of the City-State of the Invincible Overlord, originally published by Judges Guild in the 70s.

The 10,000 or so Gamemasters around in 1977 were hard pressed to keep pace with the demands of their players. The game was brand new, a totally unique experience. Enthusiasts devoured everything done and ravened for yet more.

I recall churning out dungeon level after dungeon level in 1973 and 1974, sacrificing sleep, let alone other pursuits, in order to have fresh territory for my burgeoning body of Players to adventure in. By 1975, I was doing detailed outdoor scenarios between pages of manuscript for the Greyhawk supplement. That city had by then, I must say, grown from a single-page sketch-map to a four-page city map ... but without too many details. Like most DMs then, I preferred to do a lot of instant creativity ("winging-it" in the vernacular), or else just didn't have the time or energy to spend the hours and hours needed to do a truly detailed town. Gamemasters were chained to production of material by their Players, and the people at TSR were likewise running to keep up with the demands for new product by the DMs and Players alike. Judges Guild perceived the need and stepped in to fill the void.

 

[grodog]

This quotation may be helpful, as well:

Much of what is now taken as standard and hanckneyed in the D&D game was all new back in 1972 and 1973. Working feverishly to keep ahead of the eager players, I created levels of the Greyhawk Castle dungeons at a rate of one a week.

 

[Bohemian Ear Spoon]

This is from his introduction to Mayfair Games 1987 version of the City-State of the Invincible Overlord, originally published by Judges Guild in the 70s.

This quotation may be helpful, as well:

Wow, thanks Doug for that quote, which I hadn't read before. And Grodog, thanks for the win - Of course, the Soapbox Letters! In fact it was even the classic telling of Obmi and his boots. The entire introductory paragraph is exactly the quote I was looking for.

 

[ghul]

Here is a quote from EGG's preface to Castle Zagyg: The Upper Works:

<snip>
The work began with a single dungeon level in the late autumn of 1972, with the first exploration party being composed of characters created by my eldest son, Ernie, and my eldest daughter Elise. The very next day they adventured again accompanied by Rob Kuntz, eventually my co-game master, and his brother Terry, as well as my friend Don Kaye. As play was so intense I went to work immediately that night to create a second level, and to those two I added a new deeper level every few days. By the beginning of 1973 there was a map of the ruins of the upper works of the castle and eight levels beneath them. When summer came, the whole complex consisted of 13 levels of dungeons.
<snip>

 

[Bohemian Earspoon]

This thread brings back really fond memories! I'm going to have to duel the OP for use of the name, though. The loser has to call himself "Barry." (hop to 5:45 of this vid.)

YouTube- The Tick vs the Tick - Part 2

 

[grodog]

And Grodog, thanks for the win - Of course, the Soapbox Letters! In fact it was even the classic telling of Obmi and his boots. The entire introductory paragraph is exactly the quote I was looking for.

Glad to help. If you're interested, I have a summary of the Up on a Soapbox columns on my site, along with other Castle Greyhawk research materials.