David Wesely: The Man Who Accidentally Invented RPGs

[Wofano Wotanto]

We did something very much like Clay-O-Rama years before it appeared in all its glory in Dragon 125, right down to the number of legs being the basis for a figure's movement (measured in units of "one unsharpened pencil" IIRC). That was in grade school art class. Never wrote down anything though, so it was a little different every time. Oral traditions at work.

But that was a minis game, and I suppose the first one I ever played now that I think about it.

 

[Wolfpack48]

Anyone play the X-Wing vs Tie Fighter pencil and paper game? You had to position the pencil tip on your ship by the eraser and “shoot” by extending the line out to the fighter on the other side. If the line went through, that ship was toast!

 

[pawsplay]

The difference between playing pretend and an RPG is "the system decides." The system can be literally anything, but there is some formal method whereby potentially conflicting events in the narrative are resolved. It has to be something more formal than social clout; bullying is not a resolution system that decides anything, it simply postpones a proper resolution until the next bully gets involved.

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

The system can be literally anything, but there is some formal method whereby potentially conflicting events in the narrative are resolved. It has to be something more formal than social clout; bullying is not a resolution system that decides anything, it simply postpones a proper resolution until the next bully gets involved.

You mean like rock-paper-scissors or card draws? Those are systems that produce resolutions, and some kids have been using them since time immemorial for deciding whose version of fiction is in effect.

If it didn't produce draws so often tic-tac-toe would probably be viable too, and I know we'd have been flipping coins as kids if A) we'd have had coins in our pockets more often and B) coins weren't as bad an idea as dice when playing outdoors.

 

[pawsplay]

You mean like rock-paper-scissors or card draws? Those are systems that produce resolutions, and some kids have been using them since time immemorial for deciding whose version of fiction is in effect.

Sure, if you have some way of defining the scope of one resolution.

 

[MGibster]

I'm pretty sure every child independently invented RPGs, going back to before recorded history.

I remember my brother and I made our own Amber game based on the stories by Roger Zelazny. We took on the role of royal brothers and sisters as we vied against one another in a teacherous game of intrigue and betrayal. I wonder if they'll ever find where I buried him?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I remember my brother and I made our own Amber game based on the stories by Roger Zelazny. We took on the role of royal brothers and sisters as we vied against one another in a teacherous game of intrigue and betrayal. I wonder if they'll ever find where I buried him?

I hope you didn't make the rookie move of dumping the body in the same shadow you live on.

 

[darjr]

I had the good fortune to meet David a couple of times. Mostly at Gary Con but once here locally. He had endless stories about back in those days. Very cool.

 

[Tonguez]

A: “I shot you!”

B: “No, you didn’t!”

C: “Each of you roll 1d6. Whoever rolls higher is right.”

That’s really all the rules you need for an RPG.

thats a war game not an RPG

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

thats a war game not an RPG

It's an RPG once your neighbor comes over and tells you you're playing it wrong and thus ruining his enjoyment of the game with his brother.