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.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

As a matter of fact I had nothing to do with 2E, other than to have been the creator of the game from which it derived, so I can not be of any assistance.

Ah, okay. There is a brief mention of them in the AD&D 1e DMG (I just got my D&D start with 2e, but I have some 1e books ), and they seem to be have been a feature in early Greyhawk, which is what lead me to believe you had a hand in their making.

Sorry for the confusion, but many thanks for your time!

Jon

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Ah, okay. There is a brief mention of them in the AD&D 1e DMG (I just got my D&D start with 2e, but I have some 1e books ), and they seem to be have been a feature in early Greyhawk, which is what lead me to believe you had a hand in their making.

Sorry for the confusion, but many thanks for your time!

Jon

No problem at all

It might have been Schick that came up with the Wind Dukes etc.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[RFisher]

There is a "basic" version of the current D&D game out there, and it's for sale at toy stores and general retailers - at least online. I haven't seen it in the wild, but then I haven't looked that closely either.

I've seen it in the wild. Though more often at Half Price Books than at my FLGS or the brief RPG section in the bookstores.

Most computer gamers want instant gratification, and theyget that by playing anytime they wish, for as long as desired, with friends if they like, and fast game rewards fo that their PCs gain all manner of goodies and umpteenth level in short order.

With the current game's philosophy of "taking the DM out of the equation", you end up with all the disadvantages of a CRPG without the benefits of the computer. Sure, all of us know how to put the DM back into the equation, but mentorless newbies are left to discover that by chance. So, even if they did the marketing that the hobby needs, how many would find the appeal that the face-to-face game holds over the CRPG?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

As a matter of fact...

If I were directing an advertsing campaign aimed at bringing new young gamers into the paper RPG hobby, I would spread the ads around so as to target a broader audience than just the computer gaming one.

The trick is to recruit more persons interested in being the GM than those satisfied merely with playing a paper RPG. That way one bets a lot more bang for the advertising buck. the main problem is figuring our how to pull off that trick.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Hey Gary,

A situation came up in the AD&D game last night. A human bard died due to a bouncing lightning bolt . The party decided to reincarnate him and he got lucky enough to roll Ogre Magi. How do I handle this? Does he retain his (14) bard levels? His hit dice? Or does he become an ogre mage straight from the monster manual? I tend to think the latter, but I thought I'd ask the master for his input. I really don't want to screw him over TOO badly.

Thanks.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hey Gary,

A situation came up in the AD&D game last night. A human bard died due to a bouncing lightning bolt . The party decided to reincarnate him and he got lucky enough to roll Ogre Magi. How do I handle this? Does he retain his (14) bard levels? His hit dice? Or does he become an ogre mage straight from the monster manual? I tend to think the latter, but I thought I'd ask the master for his input. I really don't want to screw him over TOO badly.

Thanks.

What a nasty break for a bard...

I would rule that the newly incarnated ogre mage was strictly that, an orge mage. However, as time progressed, that individual would begin to feel conflicted with past memories of being a human bard being recalled. I would periodically make checks to see if the orge mage would bury those memories or manage to develop them sufficiently to actually add some portion of bardic abilities to his repertorie of agre mage capacities.

Terry Kuntz's fighter, Terik, had subdued and had in service an ogre. In an encounter that character was bitten by a werebear and in time became an ogre werebear. A series of checks discovered that the ogre became TN in alignment becaise of the different natures involved.

FWIW,
Gary

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Thanks Gary, that's about what I thought.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

It is not a dictum but a common sense method of handling matters of this sort.

I reckon that means tour common sense and mine are similar

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[John Drake]

Howdy Gary!
Ok, just curious here about campaign settings in general. Now, first off, let me just say the World of Greyhawk is my favourite setting, so thank you for making it! I really like how everything is laid out so one gets an idea as to how the world is, but have enough freedom to do what ever it is one wants to do with it. My question is then, how do you feel or think about such settings as Forgotten Realms (which I also happen to enjoy, albeit differently) which are so detailed and have countless sourcebooks and the like and did you ever look at the box set detailing the City of Greyhawk (by Doug Niles, iirc)? Just curious as to your perspective on the topic. Thanks for your time Gary!

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Howdy Gary!
Ok, just curious here about campaign settings in general. Now, first off, let me just say the World of Greyhawk is my favourite setting, so thank you for making it! I really like how everything is laid out so one gets an idea as to how the world is, but have enough freedom to do what ever it is one wants to do with it. My question is then, how do you feel or think about such settings as Forgotten Realms (which I also happen to enjoy, albeit differently) which are so detailed and have countless sourcebooks and the like and did you ever look at the box set detailing the City of Greyhawk (by Doug Niles, iirc)? Just curious as to your perspective on the topic. Thanks for your time Gary!

Howdy,

As a matter of fact I have been too busy creating game material to spend time perusing other designers' work. I can say that detailed world settings are not at all my cup of tea, for I believe that they constrain the GM's innovation and creativity. A detailed city is another matter. That sort of information assists the GM in creating interesting adventures.

That's about all I can offer.

Cheerio,
Gary