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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MerricB" data-source="post: 5277249" data-attributes="member: 3586">A few notes...Original Basic Set - J. Eric HolmesCreated as an introduction to original Dungeons & Dragons. Holmes contacted TSR and offered to write the product for them. Despite the misgivings of Tim Kask, Gary Gygax was enthusiastic and gave the go-ahead, and we got the first Basic D&D as a result. After the manuscript was submitted, Gary Gygax inserted several AD&D references into the game, giving future scholars of early D&D food for much arguing over whether it was a Basic set for AD&D or OD&D! (<a href="http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=23223&start=270" target="_blank">source on Dragonsfoot</a>)First 3.5E Basic Game - Black Dragon editionUnusually for the 3E-era basic games, this edition actually has character creation rules. Designed by Jon Tweet, the major flaw of the game is the limited selection of monsters: there are seven, limited by the miniature selection. The game had basic rules for integrating D&D Minis boosters, but I don't know if anyone used them. (<a href="http://merricb.multiply.com/journal/item/51" target="_blank">My overview</a>)"The Basic Game is a huge step for us because the Basic Game is a product designed to bring role-playing to people who aren't already familiar with the concept. I think most people know what fantasy is; those people, who aren't in our market, the twelve year-old kid, know Lord of the Rings. They know what a game is. I don't think that person understands the idea of a game where you have a character that gets better over time or a game where you can do anything that you want instead of moving a piece into a square and only having a couple of options. I don't think he knows what those funny dice are all about. I don't think he understands the idea that you aren't trying to win after a couple of hours. All those concepts are so simple to us because we're very comfortable with them, but to the new player who is not familiar with it, (those concepts) are all kind of weird. [Its] not what they think of when they think of a game."The Basic Game is a really cool product because it hides all of those concepts in a box that looks like a board game. Here again, you're a twelve year-old kid and you're interested in fantasy and you play games and you've heard of D&D, you go out and buy this box and open up this game and inside you see a game that has miniatures - you're used to figures, and these are like figures that you get in other games, but these are much cooler. It has maps that are board-like with tiles that you can use to put together dungeons in different ways. That's a lot like a board for a board game, so that's something that you are used to. It starts off with simple scenarios that introduce ideas. In the first scenario, you get to move in and fight some things and it is very much like a board game, you move to a certain space and you do a certain thing. The next stuff that you do introduces the idea that you can do stuff on a freeform basis. The next thing that you do introduces the idea that you get something, a piece of treasure or something, that you are going to be able to use whenever you want and you keep track of it. From there, we go to the idea that your character is going to grow and develop and become better. Basic Game is going to prove to be an excellent acquisition tool." - Charles Ryan Second 3.5E Basic Game - Blue Dragon editionNo character generation rules in this edition, alas! And only 12 miniatures rather than 16. Inflation bites!Cheers!</blockquote>

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