TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

This is the multi-year Q&A sessions held by D&D co-creator Gary Gygax here at EN World, beginning in 2002 and running up until his sad pasing in 2008. Gary's username in the thread below is Col_Pladoh, and his first post in this long thread is Post #39.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Orpheus?

Nice try, but I think not. his playing and singing were so marvelous that they had a magical effect, but there were no spells per se. involved.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[haakon1]

What a wonderful era of internet technology, I cant believe I'm involved discussion about D&D, Greyhawk and Kalevala with Gary Gygax himself answering questions and as one participants of the discussion. Cool.

It's quite amazing, isn't it. Thanks, Gary. And more importantly, thanks to another of the guest stars on the Futurama episode "Anthology of Interest", without whom none of this would be possible. I speak not of the lovely and talented Nichelle Nichols, but of the lovely and talented Al Gore, inventor of the internet and once-and-future Vice President to the Clintons.

 

[tylerthehobo]

Hi, Gary,

I'm sure it's been asked before, but how did you (and TSR) feel about the slew of D&D-inspired video-games that came out in the early 80s? (Tunnels of Doom, Ultima, Wizardry, etc.) Not from a legal perspective - I'm assuming you can't comment on that - but from a perspective of how your game was impacting other media. Did you see that a positive "hey we got something here" kind of thing? Or was it something less expected?

Best,

Tyler the Hobo

 

[airwalkrr]

As for mortals in conflict with true deities, I'd say they have the same chance a fly has against a fly swatter

LOL So I guess no one ever tangled with deities in your campaigns. Did you know of anyone that did? What exactly do you see the role of deities in a fantasy RPG being? Are they plot elements? Supporting characters? Ambience?

 

[MutieMoe]

For a while I have wondered that althought Finnish roleplaying scene is very productive in creating articles and interviews few look back to history of the hobby and persons that started this all, at least to my knowledge in various finnish language media, fanzines, community websites and magazines there has not yet been any interviews of the most well known person in the hobby, Gary Gygax.

How should I contact you if I would like to do an interview through e-mail for example?
Would you be willing to answer some questions I have prepared?

Jonas Mustonen

jonas.mustonen(at)kolumbus.fi

 

[John Drake]

Hiya, Gary!
While we seem to be on the topic of the divine, here's another query: now, I realise as you stated previously that BECMI D&D was Frank's baby and all, but how come there was never really any inclusion of a pantheon of gods in that setting like in Greyhawk? Personally, it never bothered me at the time (nor does it now ) but it's something I've been curious about in recent years, as I've considered running an AD&D 1e campaign there and saw that only immortals are presented as a pantheon, so to speak. Thanks, as always Gary!

 

[tylerthehobo]

Hiya, Gary!
While we seem to be on the topic of the divine, here's another query: now, I realise as you stated previously that BECMI D&D was Frank's baby and all, but how come there was never really any inclusion of a pantheon of gods in that setting like in Greyhawk? Personally, it never bothered me at the time (nor does it now ) but it's something I've been curious about in recent years, as I've considered running an AD&D 1e campaign there and saw that only immortals are presented as a pantheon, so to speak. Thanks, as always Gary!

(FWIW there were gods and a very loose pantheon in the Gazetteer series in the late 80s, but yeah, I always found it odd that characters were clerics of a nonexistent pantheon.)

 

[SuStel]

As for mortals in conflict with true deities, I'd say they have the same chance a fly has against a fly swatter

Oh, you mean constant missing and the fly dying of old age while it buzzes around your head?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hi, Gary,

I'm sure it's been asked before, but how did you (and TSR) feel about the slew of D&D-inspired video-games that came out in the early 80s? (Tunnels of Doom, Ultima, Wizardry, etc.) Not from a legal perspective - I'm assuming you can't comment on that - but from a perspective of how your game was impacting other media. Did you see that a positive "hey we got something here" kind of thing? Or was it something less expected?

Best,

Tyler the Hobo

I can speak only for myself.

When those games came out I wondered why TSR had not developed their own, named it D&D, and dominated the marketplace. I had urged the company to do computer games, but those types chosen and developed were not popular.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

LOL So I guess no one ever tangled with deities in your campaigns. Did you know of anyone that did? What exactly do you see the role of deities in a fantasy RPG being? Are they plot elements? Supporting characters? Ambience?

Only plot emelemts as are the gods in Greek epics. They are necessary for ecclesiastics, excellent arch-villians and ultimate rescuers.

Cheers,
Gary