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Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 7798272" data-attributes="member: 3285">Rick Loomis, owner of Flying Buffalo Games and publisher of the Tunnels and Trolls RPG and Nuclear War card game, passed away on August 24 after a long struggle with lymphatic cancer -- just seven hours before his birthday. Loomis' impact on the gaming industry is enormous, influencing tabletop gaming, card gaming, play-by-mail, and even solo gamebooks.[ATTACH=full]113567[/ATTACH]Play-By-MailPlaying games with another player at a distance have been in existence for as long as there was communication between two parties. But it wasn't until Flying Buffalo got started that play-by-mail games were moderated by computers, allowing considerably more complex games to be played out.Founder Rick Loomis was frustrated playing games like Diplomacy, particularly with how it related to "fog of war" -- keeping players in the dark about each others' locations. <a href="http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/history.htm" target="_blank">So he made up a new one</a>:While serving in the Army, Loomis came up with his answer to the first problem by removing the requirement for a referee. <a href="https://icv2.com/articles/columns/view/43903/rolling-for-initiative-r-i-p-rick-loomis" target="_blank">Scott Thorne at ICv2 picks up the thread</a>:For the full story of how Loomis pioneered play-by-mail gaming, see "<a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/flying-buffalos-legacy-part-1-play-by-mail.663871/" target="_blank">Flying Buffalo's Legacy - Part 1: Play by Mail</a>".Card GamingNuclear Destruction led to Flying Buffalo acquiring a card game with a similar theme, <a href="http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/history.htm" target="_blank">as told by Loomis himself</a>:In 1999 Pyramid Magazine named Nuclear War one of The Millennium's Best Card Games. The game was also inducted into the Origins Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame.Tabletop Role-Playing GamesFlying Buffalo entered the tabletop role-playing game industry with Ken St. Andre's Tunnels & Trolls --  a more lighthearted take on Dungeons & Dragons that was similar enough to merit a cease-and-desist letter from then owner of D&D, TSR. This forced a change in how the industry approached D&D, launching the phrase "fantasy role-playing game."Tunnels & Trolls is far from Flying Buffalo's only contribution, <a href="https://kryptonradio.com/2019/08/25/legendary-game-pioneer-rick-loomis-passes-from-lymphatic-cancer/" target="_blank">as described by Krypton Radio</a>:And of course, Flying Buffalo introduced the world to Grimtooth's Traps, <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/grimtooths-ultimate-traps-collection" target="_blank">as described by Goodman Games' recent Ultimate Collection Kickstarter</a>:For more details about how Tunnels & Trolls changed the industry, see "<a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/flying-buffalos-legacy-part-2-tunnels-trolls.663891/" target="_blank">Flying Buffalo's Legacy - Part 2: Tunnels & Trolls</a>".Solo GamebooksLoomis also lays claim to the first solo RPG adventure, <a href="http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/bcintro.htm" target="_blank">which predated choose your own adventures</a>:The claim that role-playing elements for a gamebook are distinctly British is disputed by (American company) Flying Buffalo's claim of Buffalo Castle, which was published in 1976 and predated The Warlock of Firetop Mountain by several years. For more details about which came first, see "<a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/flying-buffalos-legacy-part-3-solo-gamebooks.663911/" target="_blank">Flying Buffalo's Legacy - Part 3: Solo Gamebooks</a>".Now What?The debt the industry owes Loomis is massive. If you'd like to do give back, there's two ways you can help.Even with his veteran’s benefits, Loomis' medical bills and funeral costs will likely run in the tens of thousands. To help cover all the costs, <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-gaming-legend-rick-loomis" target="_blank">a GoFundMe campaign was launched</a>:Additionally, <a href="https://bundleofholding.com/presents/Catalyst2019" target="_blank">Allen Varney launched a Bundle of Holding to help</a>:As for the company he founded, Flying Buffalo <a href="https://deluxetunnelsandtrolls.wordpress.com/2019/08/27/we-miss-you-rick-whats-next-for-flying-buffalo/" target="_blank">plans to soldier on</a>:</blockquote>

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