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.

 

[haakon1]

I know that, but the technical terms are all in English. And modern lacrosse has not very much to do with the Indian version (the number of people getting killed during a game plunged dramatically, and there are only 20 players on the field not some hundred to provide some differences).

The English are always dumbing things down. If you ever go to England, check out what they've done to (Asian) Indian food, and Chinese food for that matter, adding peas everywhere!

So clearly technical terms like cut, stick, pick and so on are English nowadays.

Nod. I was just attempting some dry humor.

I would be hesitant to refer to lacrosse as being some part of English imperialism, there were just europeans who thought it would be funny and as far as I know native Indian players are highly respected in this sport and have own teams (Irokese are one example).

Yes, I've heard in international competititions the Iroquois compete as a national team, against Canada, the US, etc. That's pretty cool.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

This is all sounding like a doublecross to me...

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Leontodon]

Sorry for not getting the humor. As a not-native-speaker of English such things sometimes completely fail to work with me (should have seen it because of your smiley).

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Sorry for not getting the humor. As a not-native-speaker of English such things sometimes completely fail to work with me (should have seen it because of your smiley).

No comment on German humor from me, no...

Seriously, two posters exchanging comments on the game of lacross elicited the pun, doublecross.

And now I must repeat the old saw about the difference between Heaven and Hell:

In Heaven...
The Germans schedule events,
The British greet you.
The French cook.
The Italians entertain.

In Hell...
The Italians schedule events,
The French greet you.
The British cook.
The Germans entertain.

Likely most Americans can't tell the difference between the two either...


Gary

 

[Leontodon]

Oh I got your pun Mr. Gygax my post was aimed at my fellow boardmember. But I have to admit mylast post was very obscure and you both had smileys. As for german humor, I think its great, besides the fact that 95% of our comedians are crappy and rely solely on vulgarities .

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Oh I got your pun Mr. Gygax my post was aimed at my fellow boardmember. But I have to admit mylast post was very obscure and you both had smileys. As for german humor, I think its great, besides the fact that 95% of our comedians are crappy and rely solely on vulgarities .

You mean Lenny Bruce and Benny Hill were German?


Gary

 

[SuStel]

This is all sounding like a doublecross to me...

You figure you're gonna net yourself some laughs that way?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

You figure you're gonna net yourself some laughs that way?

Grooaning, sour faces, and a gnashig of teeth are the more desirable results of punting forth a pun

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[grodog]

Hi Gary---

While reading up on some of the gates to other worlds you mentioned in the DMG (Vance's Planet of Adventure, et al), I popped to the sample adventure on a lark, and re-read the following:

Before you are three maps: a large-scale map which shows the village and the surrounding territory, including the fen and monastery, the secret entrance/exit from the place, and lairs of any monsters who happen to dwell in the area; at hand also is a small-scale ( 1 square to 10’ might be in order) map of the ruined monastery which shows building interiors, insets for
upper levels, and a numbered key for descriptions and encounters; lastly, you have the small scale map of the storage chambers and crypts beneath the upper works of the place (refer to the section, THE CAMPAIGN), likewise keyed by numbers for descriptions and encounters. Sa no matter what action the party decides upon, you have the wherewithal to handle the situation. When they come to the area shown on the second map, the one depicting the monastery complex, you set aside map one, and begin a more detailed narrative of what they “see”, possibly referring to the number key from time to time as they explore the place.

The DMG only contains the monastery map, and not the village/wilderness map or the upper works map of the ruined monastery.

Do you recall if the two missing maps were ever drafted and were simply dropped from the DMG for space considerations, or were not completed in time to be published, or what otherwise happened to them? Was this map created specially for the DMG or was it set in Greyhawk or Kalibruhn or elsewhere, back in the day?

The fire opal monastery has always been a favorite of mine. Many many moons ago, I created my own second level of caverns to the dungeons level (at http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/temp/Ruined_Monastery-Caverns.pdf in case anyone's curious), and I changed the background of the monastery to tie it to the then-as-yet-unpublished T2

I hope the winter's not treating you too badly up there?

 

[grodog]

Facebook?

Hi Gary---

Just to confirm, is this you, by chance? I didn't pay a lot of attention to the desc when I signed on, and on a second, closer read, it sure doesn't sound like how you'd describe yourself.... Anyway, I've been informed it may not be you, and figured I should check:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=595431386

Thanks!