Richard Garfield vs. Gary Gygax

[marketingman]

Lorriane was also respoable for all those Buck Rodgers Games that no one ever bought but always made it on to the production schedule.

She was reported to say to the Spellfire designer I do not care if you need 13 weeks to develop this you have 6 just do it.

I also heard that she took a lot of her own money out to keep the payroll going.
to the amazement of the disgners left by that time.

 

[derverdammte]

If it was that easy, I would never have to worry about another essay every again. Just to see how correct your google was. I've just gone to google and typed in Gary Gygax. The first link had nothing, nor did the second, nor the first few. Actually the first full page of links had very little that corresponded to anything sparxmith was referring to. So please next time, instead of being rude, have something that is beneficial to the topic at hand.

You have failed at the internet. Clicking on the link I posted above, the very first link is this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A683688 -- which would have immediately disabused him of his notion that Gygax ran the company into the ground, not to mention giving a fairly good notion of exactly what his significance to the hobby is. To wit:

In 1985, the Blumes used their majority to reorganize the company. Gygax was nominally president but the Blumes controlled the actual operations. Under the Blumes, primarily Kevin Blume, TSR ran up larger and larger debts (amounting to $15 million). Gygax managed to get the entire TSR board to oust Kevin Blume for mismanagement.

Again, this was the very first result in the google search I posted. Amazing, this internet concept. Learn to use a search engine before you make accusations next time. gg nextmap

 

[trollwad]

For example, the guy at this table, opposite the camera, is 22 and has earned a grand total of $330,000 in prizes playing Magic competitively.

Man, I have the wrong hobby! Seriously, what is magic the gathering like? I know it is some kind of card game with a cult following in the late 90s, but Ive really never seen anyone play.

 

[Henry]

Regarding Gary's popularity:

A point-by-point will help me keep from missing anything.

1. Gary G. and Dave Arneson co-created the core concepts of what we know as D&D, but Gary is attributed with sole authorship of the 1974 edition of the game. Dave is called by many "Father of Roleplaying" because of his taking the 1969 Chainmail rules and adapting them to a one-man per character dungeon crawl, involving role-play of said characters. Gary collaborated with him, and with his own rules revisions released the 1974 original.
2. Gary's circumstances regarding his leaving TSR were hidden by years of legal injunctions and disclosure agreements. The full story only came out years later. Between 1981-1985 he gained and lost controlling interest in the company at least twice, if I understand the facts. The departure was sudden and very unfriendly. That alone built up a bit of a "legend", if you will.
3. Gary has been an outspoken proponent of RPG's for years now, and the original D&D in particular. When someone in the press needed a pro-D&D quote for the majority of the 80's and the early 90's, chances are it was a quote from Gary you read.
4. For everyone who was introduced to D&D from 1974 to 1985, the most popular years of D&D in history, even including NOW, Gary was the voice of D&D. We grew up listening to Gary's advice on DM'ing, on new game rules, on the way to do things.
5. Add to this that Gary is an absolutely cool guy to meet and share time with in person - I've done it twice, all too briefly, at conventions. He's friendly, he's a fellow gamer, and he's a unique guy who's LIVED his life. Have you ever had a world-wise grandfather or uncle, somebody who's traveled, who has met famous people, seen and done many neat things, etc.? That's the fun of talking to Gary.

Hopefully, this has given a little more perspective on the issue.

 

[trollwad]

I can't stand Gygax, hes arrogant and self-righteous.

Have you ever met him? Exchanged emails with him? Read a large body of his writing (just a few stray quotes)?

 

[billd91]

As far as why there's so much Gygax-worship around gamers, I have a certain theory that probably explains some of it. Gamers are often social misfits and attaching themselves to Gygax like remoras attach themselves to a shark allows them to feel more important. Also, gamers are often fanboys in the worst sense of the term who, as another thread alluded to, would seek out a transcript of their heroes' farts if they heard of it being out there.

Gygax can be a pretty cool guy from time to time and also a total hole. Just like pretty much everybody else. He's kind of like the Elvis of gamers, credited for being the first, when really he's part of a group of like-minded contemporaries who collectively created and grew a pretty decent hobby. He draws a similar kind of unquestioning adoration from many, a certain number of unquestioning detractors, and a group in the middle who respect his contributions but don't engage in hero-workship.

By the way, searching on "gary gygax" on Google leads to derverdammte's link as the 14th link down the screen. Not the first. Doing research is one thing (as if THIS site wasn't a legitimate source to go to for conducting that research) being obnoxious about it is another.

 

[SteelDraco]

Someone who plays Magic? Some minor card player? You're talking about a man with a PhD in combinatorial mathematics, who created the framework for a game that is likely the most complex ever created, yet still playable by a total beginner.

Heh. You've never played Rolemaster, have you?

Ugh. Never again. Never, never, never. Death first.

 

[talinthas]

rolemaster is a game? seemed more like a graduate level course in illogical mathematics and fractured statistics to me...

 

[marketingman]

rolemaster is a game? seemed more like a graduate level course in illogical mathematics and fractured statistics to me...

Yes but that is why it is fun with Chartmaster.

 

[Ottergame]

Not true. For the whole sad story of how Lorraine Williams gained control of TSR check the very extensive Gygax interview in OD&DITIES Issue #10. Of course since this is Gygax's telling there's some understandable bias, but it's still by far the most detailed account of the 'behind the scenes' drama at TSR that I know of.

I think Gygax twists some things around, there's a bunch of stuff I've read that he's written only to find a second version of events from people who worked with him and around him.