AtomicPope
Hero
So many other games lacked the long play of D&D and more resembled board game design. D&D has elements of danger, but the danger is based on your involvement. Games like Traveler and WHFRP had too many mechanics where you were just removed from the game, which plays more like a board game than an RPG. There were other games where the advancement was too stagnant and the challenges were not defined (Palladium or WoD) so the campaigns would stall out rather quickly. Another problem is most games lack specific roles to give everyone a unique place at the table. Games like Marvel Super Heroes were fun but completely unbalanced and one character could completely dominate a game. So it wasn't just the time and place, there was a lot more that went into the success of D&D, and why we're always going back to it.
Think of how long we've been playing RPGs and how long it's taken for game designers to build mechanics that foster a particular style of play. It's really a miracle that D&D was able to get it done first with no frame of reference.
Think of how long we've been playing RPGs and how long it's taken for game designers to build mechanics that foster a particular style of play. It's really a miracle that D&D was able to get it done first with no frame of reference.