D&D General When We Were Wizards: Review of the Completed Podcast!

[billd91]

Though note that he wasn't majority shareholder, and quite a few folks were part owners at the time.

Majority, no. But there were agreements about always being offered the opportunity to match if anyone bought more of the outstanding shares or to potentially buy up what might be offered for sale. So he would always be given the opportunity to have an element of control - until he miscalculated intentions.

 

[MGibster]

I finally finished the series. Holy cow! I had no idea TSR offered Gygax a sweetheart deal to settle his suit out of court. He would have gotten the AD&D trademark and $500,000 in royalties annually for five years, but his own hubris prevented him from taking the deal. Gygax must have truly believed his argument that D&D belonged to him and not TSR. Never mind the contract he signed with TSR when he was running the show, never mind how he told the other creators that signing rights over to TSR was no big deal because he was doing it, he truly thought he had a case. I would love to find out what discussing Gygax had with his lawyer over this, but that's most likely beyond historical inquiry.

What a ride though. Gygax started from very modest means and suddenly rocketed to success with D&D. Many of the mistakes he made were the same mistakes others in similar positions have made. I kept think of MC Hammer who hired family members and friends for "jobs" and they eventually bled him dry financially. The same thing was happening to TSR even through they were making money hand over fist. I'm not going to condemn Gygax for not being able to run a company, he probably did better than I would, but, man, the dude has multitudes.

I'd really like to know when Williams decided to she was going to take TSR and if it had anything to do with how Gygax treated her. Until and unless Williams ever breaks her silence, there's probably a lot to the story we'll never know. I'd love to hear her input though.

 

[Clint_L]

I agree - I would love to hear more of her side! But it's probably wise of Lorraine Williams to keep quiet, given the way that a certain segment of the internet would inevitably react to anything she says. She's old and long retired - she doesn't need that.

 

[Warren]

Imagine a world where Gygax gets control of AD&D. He fails and so does TSR. Yikes.

It's too bad Lorraine is maintaining her silence. It's understandable, but with Dave and Gary both gone, we don't have many original sources left.

 

[MGibster]

I agree - I would love to hear more of her side! But it's probably wise of Lorraine Williams to keep quiet, given the way that a certain segment of the internet would inevitably react to anything she says. She's old and long retired - she doesn't need that.

Even before the internet, she was the villain of the story. The evil outsider who stole TSR from it's righteous creator, Gary Gygax, and while I do think Williams' legacy deserves to be reassessed, there's some truth to that. The way she took over involved more than a little skullduggery on her part. But then if Gary hadn't been jerking the Blumes around for the better part of the year in regards to their share, hadn't insulted Williams, and maybe kept an eye on the business instead of chasing Hollywood dreams he wouldn't have found himself so vulnerable.

You might think Williams would welcome the opportunity to tell her side of the story, but it's been almost thirty years, and if she wanted to talk about it she certainly had ample opportunity.

I had never realized Dangerous Journeys was a property he developed while working at TSR. It was always always presented to me that TSR were being a bunch of meanies who sued him over a game that was completely unrelated...but those were the terms of the contract Gary signed when he controlled TSR.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I suspect Lorraine Williams might be more open to speaking to someone with the understanding that it will come out after she's gone. We'll see.

 

[Warren]

Even before the internet, she was the villain of the story.

I'd argue her reputation has only improved in recent years. Much more information is out there, and her side of the story would only help her case, IMO.

 

[billd91]

I'd argue her reputation has only improved in recent years. Much more information is out there, and her side of the story would only help her case, IMO.

But that assumes there's a case that needs to be put forth at all. What should she care about the feelings of a bunch of nerds carrying on and fighting issues from the last century? The misinformation spread around by the Gary loyalists and rumormongering gamers is taking up less and less of the hobby's mindshare all the time anyway. So why bother? Her side of the story might matter to some of us looking for a broader perspective on the game's history - but it's largely an academic question with little practical use or application.

Plus, you see what backlash brews up in the community - particularly nowadays. That's not exactly an attractive inducement to jump in afresh with her perspective. She'd get doxxed and receive death threats for sure just for popping her head out in public.

 

[MGibster]

I'd argue her reputation has only improved in recent years. Much more information is out there, and her side of the story would only help her case, IMO.

I would have to agree. Gygax worked very hard to establish himself as the face of D&D, but it also reinforced by him being the primary defending of D&D during the Satanic Panic years by being heard and seen on national television and radio. Until fairly recently, Williams rarely got credit for preventing TSR's demise (both before and after Gary was ejected), but she sure got full credit for the destruction of the company. She was the villainess who killed Arthur and ruined the dream of Camelot. I think we've mostly moved on from the Gary worship and are in a better position to reflect upon the past in a more detached manner.

But that assumes there's a case that needs to be put forth at all. What should she care about the feelings of a bunch of nerds carrying on and fighting issues from the last century?

It appears she made her decision many years ago and has no intention of changing her mind. Which is perfectly within her rights. She certainly doesn't owe any of us anything.

Her side of the story might matter to some of us looking for a broader perspective on the game's history - but it's largely an academic question with little practical use or application.

If history doesn't matter, I guess it's true. But the story of where we are in gaming today starts with TSR.

 

[Warren]

In lieu of Williams I'd love to hear more from Adkison. He appears to be the hero that saved D&D for the modern age. At the time it felt like TSR was selling out to the new elephant in the room, but WOTC certainly revived D&D, and saved TSR when perhaps nobody else would have.