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.

 

[Mark CMG]

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

Where would you likely try to spread the ads?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Where would you likely try to spread the ads?

As I am not in charge of an advertising department with a hefty budget, I have no real idea/ That sort of decision must be based on a thorough knowledge of the demographics of prosepective players, where they spend their money, etc. I would not spend much on computer banner ads, though, that I assure you. TV is a prime vehicle, Sadly, comib books have faded to a non-factor.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Hi Gary. I was wondering if you'd gotten the chance to finish reading "The Peshawar Lancers" yet, and what your opinion of it was.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hi Gary. I was wondering if you'd gotten the chance to finish reading "The Peshawar Lancers" yet, and what your opinion of it was.

Ho Colonel,

Yes indeed, I finished reading the Peshwar Lancers some time ago. I read it fast, as I enjoyed it. However, after completing it and reflecting a bit ths states that the author had survive made me wonder. The USA was a growing worls power arrounf the end of the 19th century. It had a fine battle fleet and a huge merchant navy. It could well have moved a moog many of the citizens south into the Carribean Islands, Mexico, and Central America. Having Russia of all nations survove the mini-ice age and the USA not pull through is absolutely preposterous.

Italy and Greece would also likely have been able to squeek through, not become vassals of the "Sick Old Man of Europe," Turkey. the Turks would have been the main target of Tsarist Russian migration to a warmer clime.

Japan, with a building fleet, might well have gotten through the disaster, of course.

Ah well, ain't historical might-have-beens fun?!


Gary

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Ho Colonel,

Yes indeed, I finished reading the Peshwar Lancers some time ago. I read it fast, as I enjoyed it. However, after completing it and reflecting a bit ths states that the author had survive made me wonder. The USA was a growing worls power arrounf the end of the 19th century. It had a fine battle fleet and a huge merchant navy. It could well have moved a moog many of the citizens south into the Carribean Islands, Mexico, and Central America. Having Russia of all nations survove the mini-ice age and the USA not pull through is absolutely preposterous.

Italy and Greece would also likely have been able to squeek through, not become vassals of the "Sick Old Man of Europe," Turkey. the Turks would have been the main target of Tsarist Russian migration to a warmer clime.

Japan, with a building fleet, might well have gotten through the disaster, of course.

Ah well, ain't historical might-have-beens fun?!


Gary

I see what you're saying, but Stirling did mention that the cometary fragments did devastate the eastern US. This wiped out the largest population concentrations outright, and killed off even more as the mini-ice age gripped the world. Thus there wouldn't have been anyone with the vision and leadership skills - and the wherewithal to use them - like Disraeli in the UK. I think Stirling was clearly subscribing to the "great man" theory of history, witnessed in the visions of Disraeli by the Russian seeress. Without Disraeli - himself killed by the mobs that were left behind - the British Empire would also have fallen. Perhaps an alternate alternate history, set a bit later, could have seen a US ascendant under the leadership of Teddy Roosevelt.

Speaking of Russia, Stirling had the Russian Empire based out of Samarkand, which implies a lot about its size and population, as well as just how ferocious that regime had to be to gather and retain power. Japan apparently is a world power, merged with China, though Stirling has, sadly enough, not pursued that concept. The only thing close to a sequel he's done is a novella in an alternate history anthology, which details the trip to Texas made by the father of the protagonist of "The Peshawar Lancers." I've only been able to read a bit of it, what's available online, but I think there are some fairly oblique references to Robert E. Howard in it - there is a mention of Bear Creek, for example, and some of the "tribes" mentioned seem reminiscent of Howard's names for some of the Hyborian Pict tribes he wrote about.

 

[Hardboiled]

Bloody server has refused my regular registration two days in a row, today after I had straightened it out yesterday. When I requested a new password an hour ago i was assured an email was on the way, then I re-requested one about half an hour ago. As no email was forthcoming, I am now registered with the noted handle.

Colonel Hardison, a;; I can say is: How did Teddy Roosevelt and all the political leaders in Washington DC happen to be wiped out by meteors? Somehow the whole USA being trashed because the East Coast was hit by some of the meteors seems an easy way to make the surviving UK the cock of the walk.

That said, it was an enjoyable read. Now i am going to order 1945.

Cheers,
EGG

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Colonel Hardison, a;; I can say is: How did Teddy Roosevelt and all the political leaders in Washington DC happen to be wiped out by meteors? Somehow the whole USA being trashed because the East Coast was hit by some of the meteors seems an easy way to make the surviving UK the cock of the walk.

Well, sure, that's the point. I mean, Stirling wanted a world where the British Raj became the leader of the world, so he had to eliminate potential rivals. The leaders of the US may not have perished en masse, but likely the ones that were left were overwhelmed, just as in the UK. The main difference, as I mentioned above, is that Stirling had Disraeli be the one leader left with the vision and clarity to listen to his advisors and act upon the advice. Even that vision wasn't enough to save himself. Apparently whatever leadership was left in the US was even less successful in organizing an effort to survive. It's a literary conceit.

 

[Hardboiled]

Well, sure, that's the point. I mean, Stirling wanted a world where the British Raj became the leader of the world, so he had to eliminate potential rivals. The leaders of the US may not have perished en masse, but likely the ones that were left were overwhelmed, just as in the UK. The main difference, as I mentioned above, is that Stirling had Disraeli be the one leader left with the vision and clarity to listen to his advisors and act upon the advice. Even that vision wasn't enough to save himself. Apparently whatever leadership was left in the US was even less successful in organizing an effort to survive. It's a literary conceit.

Poor Col Pladoh is yet to be recognized by this *^(%!#+ server

Literary conceit or not, I believe that the rational was weak and rather spoiled the read for me because of the improbability of the large and vigorous USA, an industrial powerhouse with excellent transportation, not surviving, and the degenerate Russian and Turkish states somehow remaining as powers.

As is currently said regarding such matters, weak...


Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Ah...

Finally!

I have the old account back online here

Cheerio,
Gary a/k/a Hardboiled (EGG)

 

[ghul]

Ah...

Finally!

I have the old account back online here

Cheerio,
Gary a/k/a Hardboiled (EGG)

Shucks! I was hoping they would next eliminate your ability to be Hardboiled, just to see if your next handle would be SunnySideUp.

--Ghul