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.

 

[RFisher]

Short answer: To my mind a rules-light system should be [...]

Thanks, Gary. That mirrors my own thoughts on the matter, but you expressed it much better than I have been able to.

 

[John Drake]

Howdy Gary
Glad to hear you had a great Gen Con and all. Now, with all this balley-hoo regarding 4e, it seems to me very odd. I mean, the new versions or "improvements" as it were, have only been a mere 3-4 years a part, hardly long enough for the systems to mature (if possible). Just wondering what you think. I feel it is mainly "management's" desire to push this to put their mark on the game. 2e was a direct result of the POG, 3rd/3.5 was because of Wizard's take over. And now I feel that since Hasbro has taken over Wizards, this is their chance to make the game "theirs". Just my observations, however, nothing more. Thank you Gary, for your keen insights and fantastic postings!

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Thanks -- yep, I'm not thinking of these as hard rules, but rather guidelines to keep in mind as I consider each monster individually.

As for kobolds (and goblins), treating them as 1 HD monsters for attack purposes will give them a whole new dimension...

Yes.

And as we are in agreement here you too must be a gaming genius!

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Thanks, Gary. That mirrors my own thoughts on the matter, but you expressed it much better than I have been able to.

Sure!

That's because I had to ponder the question and go on the record with my considered opinion regarding the meaning of a rules-light RPG system.

So I am addressing another game design genius. It is not a coincidence that all in that category share my opinions

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[haakon1]

And as we are in agreement here you too must be a gaming genius!

Wait, are you claiming to be a gaming genius, Mr. Gygax? That sort of talk will get you banned from Vegas!

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Howdy Gary
Glad to hear you had a great Gen Con and all. Now, with all this balley-hoo regarding 4e, it seems to me very odd. I mean, the new versions or "improvements" as it were, have only been a mere 3-4 years a part, hardly long enough for the systems to mature (if possible). Just wondering what you think. I feel it is mainly "management's" desire to push this to put their mark on the game. 2e was a direct result of the POG, 3rd/3.5 was because of Wizard's take over. And now I feel that since Hasbro has taken over Wizards, this is their chance to make the game "theirs". Just my observations, however, nothing more. Thank you Gary, for your keen insights and fantastic postings!

Three in a row!

It seems a good bet that 3.5E was a pot boiler edition as sales of its predecessor were insufficient.

Your observation that Hasbro is behind the move to 4E is another likely accurate appraisal. After all, the audience for fantasy MMPs such as WoW is a whole magnitude or more larger than that for paper FRPG, and the online connection to the ned version of D&D guarantees a regular and predictable income stream.

At least the current D&D designers have caught up to the rules-light learning curve that O propounded in 1999 with the initial release of the LA game system

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Wait, are you claiming to be a gaming genius, Mr. Gygax? That sort of talk will get you banned from Vegas!

Noppers...I let my work and those that enjoy it speak in that regard. I do enjoy some jesting though

Besides, I have a great antipathy for Las Vegas and its gambling


Gary

 

[Xyxox]

Three in a row!

It seems a good bet that 3.5E was a pot boiler edition as sales of its predecessor were insufficient.

Your observation that Hasbro is behind the move to 4E is another likely accurate appraisal. After all, the audience for fantasy MMPs such as WoW is a whole magnitude or more larger than that for paper FRPG, and the online connection to the ned version of D&D guarantees a regular and predictable income stream.

At least the current D&D designers have caught up to the rules-light learning curve that O propounded in 1999 with the initial release of the LA game system

Cheers,
Gary

My guess is the new version is driven by WotC because Hasbro executives noted that the D&D brand is not making as high a profit level as the corporation demands. Hasbro basically told WotC, "improve your profit margins of that D&D product line. Look at your costs! Your revenue is not growing on a per annum basis like we demand. If profit margins are not in line with our requirements wihtin <insert timeframe here>, we shall have to shelve the product line like we do every toy line that does not meet our expectations for profit margins."

WotC then determined how they would go about achieving the overall margins and figured a reboot was required followed by an online subscription component that will have minimal overhead in order to achieve the overall profit margins the Hasbro executives are demanding. Growth of revenues will be using the D&D insider to drive additional book sales because you purchase the books to unlock functionality on D&D Insider, thus achieving the overall revenue growth rate, or at least that seems to be the theory.

From that perspective, WotC executives are betting the D&D farm on the 4E upgrade and D&D Insider online subscription model. Failure will spell doom for the brand.

 

[gideon_thorne]

Failure will spell doom for the brand.

Thats just more customers for Lejendary Adventure and Castles & Crusades!

 

[Xyxox]

Thats just more customers for Lejendary Adventure and Castles & Crusades!

I am currently planning on giving the new system a go. I can afford the cost of three core manuals and a few months of D&DI. If it rocks my world, great. If it sucks on rocks, I'll abandon it in favor of something else.