TSR Q&A with Gary Gygax

This is the multi-year Q&A sessions held by D&D co-creator Gary Gygax here at EN World, beginning in 2002 and running up until his sad pasing in 2008. Gary's username in the thread below is Col_Pladoh, and his first post in this long thread is Post #39.

 

[Larcen]

Hi Gary.

I heard you are going to be at Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester MA later this month. As I live in RI it's only a short jaunt away.

Can you tell me what you are planning for this event? Will it be just a straight book-signing? (Not that that in itself would not be worth the trip. )

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hi Gary.

I heard you are going to be at Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester MA later this month. As I live in RI it's only a short jaunt away.

Can you tell me what you are planning for this event? Will it be just a straight book-signing? (Not that that in itself would not be worth the trip. )

The event will be a discussion of weapons--fantasy and actual ones as on display at the museum. I'll give a brief introduction as to how I became interested in mediaval weaponry before that, then answer questions after. A luncheon follows, then a tour. There will be a book signing following that.

Here's the schedule of events direct from the Good Folks at Higgins Armory Museum

> 10:30-12:00 Talk with you and Jeffrey
> 12:00-1:00 Lunch
> 1:00-2:00 Tour of weapons and armor in the Great Hall
> 2:00-3:00 Demonstration of weapons by our Sword Guild
> 3:00-4:00 Booksigning

Cheers,
Gary

 

[MerricB]

G'day Gary!

Over the years, you presented several systems to create ability scores in Dungeons and Dragons. From the initial "roll 3d6 six times, and assign to ability scores in order" to the later versions in AD&D and Unearthed Arcana...

What method did you actually use in your campaign? (It probably changed, but which was your favourite?)

Cheers and Best Wishes!

 

[Eternalknight]

Heh, and oaky! I enjoy a good beer, and I don't like winter here in Wisconsin. I always thought it would be great to spend six months--October through March in Australia to escape this place Maybe next year...

Cheers,
Gary

Well if you enjoy good beer you will come to the right place

 

[Col_Pladoh]

G'day Gary!

Over the years, you presented several systems to create ability scores in Dungeons and Dragons. From the initial "roll 3d6 six times, and assign to ability scores in order" to the later versions in AD&D and Unearthed Arcana...

What method did you actually use in your campaign? (It probably changed, but which was your favourite?)

Cheers and Best Wishes!

Hola Merric!

As stats became more vital to a long-lived PC, I improved the players' chance to get a viable one quickly, one that they would be happy with.

In my campaign I allowed rolls of 4d6, three highest for the score, and arrangement of scores as the player wished. That enabled the creation of a character the player wished to play, of course.

Ciao,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Well if you enjoy good beer you will come to the right place

The USA has finally begun to brew decent beer and ale again. Over the last decade, mainly based on the success of the Samuel Adams line, quite a number of brews that have real flavor and character can be enjoyed. Still, all the "junk" beer seems to sell well, and even Sam Adams is now making a "light" (read low alcohol) version. Ugh!

Gary

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Uh Gary? Are those Gord the Rogue graphic novels out yet? Well are they? I went into the local store yesterday looking for them. They said they had never heard of them, I said they were trying to keep me from them. They asked me if they were Forgotten Realms comics...so I went into a rage like the Hulk! Except I'm closer to Curly than Lou Ferigno and I hurt myself trying to tip the magazine rack over. Then they threw me out. After all that I still didn't have my Gord the Rogue graphic novels!

 

[Bregh]

Props to Flexor! That was the funniest thing I've read in a long while!

And yeah, big G, what about them Gord graphic novels? Can you drop any names as to the artists/adaptors? And. When. They'll. Be. Out?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Good post there, Flexor

The Gord the Rogue graphic novels are supposed to be secret. I blew that some time back, but what the hell...

Latest word from the publisher is that the series will be announced at the Chicago Comic Con in August. That's likely a sure thing, as I am slated to show up there on Saturday the 9th (I think that's the date) to promo the "Zero Issue" and the coming regular numbers to follow.

The delay has been to assure the artwork is top flight and line up distribution.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[mythusmage]

One day the head of Anheuser Busch, the head of Coors, and the head of Guiness walk into a bar and go to the counter. There the bartender asks them what they'll have.

The head of Anheuser Busch says, "I'll have a Budweiser."

The head of Coors says, "I'll have a Coors."

The head of Guiness says, "I'll have a soda."

A bit surprised the bartender asks him, "Why are you having a soda?"

The CEO of Guiness replies, "Well, since neither of my friends are having a beer, It didn't seem right to have one myself."