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.

 

[Orius]

You aren't going to have much positive response from the audience for new D&D I fear :\

Well as someone who likes the new rules, I have to say those who'd complain haven't read the rules very well. The very first thing in the PHB (unless they changed it in the revision) is Rule 0: "Check with your Dungeon Master. Your Dungeon Master (DM) may have house rules or campaign standards that vary from the standard rules." As a DM I rather liberally interpret that rule to shoot down all rules lawyer protests.

IMO, I don't think it really matters which rules a group uses, if the DM is competant and fair. By fair I mean not just a DM who goes out of his way to kill PCs off, but also one who tries to make sure they're challenged as well, since it's not fair (or really fun) for the PCs to easy victories all the time.

 

[grodog]

So much for his entry in the 1e Rogue's Gallery, then! ;-p

Heh. Robilar's Rogues Gallery entry doesn't mention him being a ranger, unless you have a different version of the RG than I do, Steve

 

[Jdvn1]

I'm there, dude!

There's that "dude" again! Next thing we know, you'll be rockin' it out with Metallica or something.

Well, Gary, I don't like to ask a lot of questions about the origins of D&D. I like to read the stuff and get its flavor, but I get the impression that that's what everyone asks you. So I like to ask you different stuff, like when I asked you about your favorite cuisine.

Anyway, I have an Origin of D&D question now. Nowadays, there's d20 Modern, d20 Future, et cetera. I don't keep up with all the different varieties. My question is this: How much of this did you think of at the beginning? When you made OAD&D, did you think, "Oh, we could make modern-day or futuristic classes too and have a different setting!"? Did you make plans for that sort of thing or were you trying to keep it fantasy-only?

 

[Beckett]

A question on past adventures; I'm preparing to run Temple of Elemental Evil for my group (the campaign starts this Saturday). In the introduction, you mention a willingness to share the tale of how your group did in the adventure.

Now, I have a pretty good idea how I'm going to handle this monster of a module, but I'd love to hear some stories of how the original group fared (and yes, I know you also say to ask you at a con, but with expenses, I don't think I'll be making it to one anytime soon, so I hoped these forums might suffice).

 

[DeadlyUematsu]

Game designing question here, relevant to AD&D...

Say I wanted to emulate the 'child of destiny' archetype, would it be effective to have such a character start ridiculously weak, but grow quickly in power (shorter needs of experience) and abilities (class features)? On the opposite side, what about a 'veteran hero in decline', someone who is initially very powerful but nary develops in power or ability (greater needs of experience and fewer class features)? Are these viable (if not, effective) ways of going about this?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

They can wag their tongues ad infinitum, it won't sway me from the fact that this game was designed to be played any way a group sees fit. There are no rules, there are only guidelines, and, moreover,
...
Cheers, and many thanks for all the fun I've had playing this wonderful game.

Some gamers want more structure than others. We can't fault that

Thank you for the good words,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

There's that "dude" again! Next thing we know, you'll be rockin' it out with Metallica or something.

I'm down with that...

Well, Gary, I don't like to ask a lot of questions about the origins of D&D. I like to read the stuff and get its flavor, but I get the impression that that's what everyone asks you. So I like to ask you different stuff, like when I asked you about your favorite cuisine.

Heh, and as with questions about my favorite book, the answer was general and lengthy

Anyway, I have an Origin of D&D question now. Nowadays, there's d20 Modern, d20 Future, et cetera. I don't keep up with all the different varieties. My question is this: How much of this did you think of at the beginning? When you made OAD&D, did you think, "Oh, we could make modern-day or futuristic classes too and have a different setting!"? Did you make plans for that sort of thing or were you trying to keep it fantasy-only?

The fact is I wanted to be able to mix genres--not use the A/D&D rules to play other genres, but means of mixing genres. Thus we had fantasy forces comprised of orcs led by an Evil cleric meeting and fighting with a Nazi anti-partizan company, and fought the battle out on a table top. I had PCs sent to the Starship Warden to tangle with Metamorphosis Alpha characters. No need to go on, you get the idea.

Cheers,
Gart

 

[oldschooler]

Anyway, I have an Origin of D&D question now. Nowadays, there's d20 Modern, d20 Future, et cetera. I don't keep up with all the different varieties. My question is this: How much of this did you think of at the beginning? When you made OAD&D, did you think, "Oh, we could make modern-day or futuristic classes too and have a different setting!"? Did you make plans for that sort of thing or were you trying to keep it fantasy-only?

Not to interupt the Colonel, but my reading of the original booklets indicated that "D&D" was to be a general RPG (hence the inclusion of John Carter of Mars). Fantasy was just a fun starting point before referees started going nuts with the flying saucers and WWII squads, etc.. Do correct me if I'm being misleading!

 

[Col_Pladoh]

A question on past adventures; I'm preparing to run Temple of Elemental Evil for my group (the campaign starts this Saturday). In the introduction, you mention a willingness to share the tale of how your group did in the adventure.

Now, I have a pretty good idea how I'm going to handle this monster of a module, but I'd love to hear some stories of how the original group fared (and yes, I know you also say to ask you at a con, but with expenses, I don't think I'll be making it to one anytime soon, so I hoped these forums might suffice).

Whoa!

You ask that in direct contravention of what I request in the book...

Fortunately, after more than two decaded have passed since I penned that, most of the details have been forgotten. Were it otherwise, I would be castigating you for expecting me to write a long essay to satisfy your curiosity. Here's what I recall immediately:

After a lot of adventuring fun in Hommlet, and a foray into Nulb, the team went into the ToEE, explored, fought, withdrew, and came back again repeatedly. Robilar went in alone, smashed some magically shut gates with a pillar, and freed Zuggtmoy. Scenario over.

If you would like more details, see me in person at a con when there's a group reminiscing over a few pints of ale. I'm sure I can thus recall a few more details and repeating them will then not be a demand on time and effort

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Game designing question here, relevant to AD&D...

Say I wanted to emulate the 'child of destiny' archetype, would it be effective to have such a character start ridiculously weak, but grow quickly in power (shorter needs of experience) and abilities (class features)? On the opposite side, what about a 'veteran hero in decline', someone who is initially very powerful but nary develops in power or ability (greater needs of experience and fewer class features)? Are these viable (if not, effective) ways of going about this?

Seems to me those are character development questions relevant to a novel, not to the design of a game...

In writing a novel, you need not worry about any "class", simply establish the matter in your background exposition and ongoing revealition of details of the environment, cast of characters, and through dialog mainly insight into their personality, morals, ethics, and motives. comments and character recollections are used in this and sketching out the past history of leading figures in the story.

Finally, the take you have the promising child and fading hero themes is well in hand.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Ferox4]

Some gamers want more structure than others. We can't fault that

Agreed. By all means, make the game yours.

Cheers

 

[Vargo]

Game designing question here, relevant to AD&D...

Say I wanted to emulate the 'child of destiny' archetype, would it be effective to have such a character start ridiculously weak, but grow quickly in power (shorter needs of experience) and abilities (class features)? On the opposite side, what about a 'veteran hero in decline', someone who is initially very powerful but nary develops in power or ability (greater needs of experience and fewer class features)? Are these viable (if not, effective) ways of going about this?

I'm going to throw an answer out there from another RPG (Mekton Zeta, if anybody is curious) - their solution was that some "rookie" characters started off with only a basic level of skill, but they got 2x the experience, while others started off at roughly 4th-6th level (that would be my guess - the system was skill based) but gained experience normally. You could do something similar...

 

[SuStel]

Missing players

Hi, Gary! Thanks for answering my previous question about detail and materials. You only missed one part: if another referee took up your prepared notes for a game, how much sense would they make to him?

I have another question for you, this one relating to the early games in the '70s. How did you deal with "missing" players? That is, did adventuring parties typically leave the dungeon at the end of every game session, or did they decide to stop the game in the middle of the adventure, to resume it the next time the game was on? If the latter, how did you handle characters for those players who couldn't make it to the game? Since you've told us that you often had a score of people crammed into your basement to play D&D, such a solution must have caused a lot of problems.

When I suggest to players that the party will want to leave the dungeon before we wrap up the game for the evening, I usually get bewildered looks. Such an attitude is apparently not the trend among gamers today.

How did you handle this back then? How do you handle it now?

 

[weasel fierce]

Cheers, and I hope this thread isnt completely dead.

First, let me start out with the predictable : Thanks for creating the RPG as we know it. Im sure some people played make-believe before D&D, but the guilt of all our skipped classes, loss of sleep, collection of obscure books and aching feet from stepping on dice or toy soldiers, must rest squarely on your shoulders


I do however have a few questions, that I hope you may be of assistance with.


Im curious as to, in the early D&D games, how much character and personality did the players put into the PC's ? How much did they differ in personality, or was the PC mainly a mechanical way to interact with hte game ?

How much involvement did you have with the creation of the Moldway/Cook or Mentzer D&D rules ? Im personally a big fan of Mentzer's D&D, and still play it from time to time. My players tend to be fans of a bit more character detail though, so its mostly AD&D 1 (with some elements of 2nd edition)

In AD&D, I wonder about the bard's connection to druids. Where did the inspiration for this come from ?

Likewise the Rangers use of magic user spells, as opposed to more nature based magic. Was the ranger originally intended as something else than the foresting, robin hood type ?

Do you have a webpage or similar, where the changes you have made to oD&D could be found ? Im sure there's a lot of people who would love to have a shot at "gygaxian" D&D

Did you ever have players who wanted to play their character as a different class than what they had picked ? How did you handle such situations ?

Do you ever use alternate means of earning XP, such as story or objective goals (i.e. party earns 1000 xp for reaching the heart of the dungeon, where the artifact lies or some such) or rewards for good roleplaying ? How much of the earned XP do you recommend coming from such sources, as opposed to killing and looting XP (traditionally the main source of experience points)



Cheers and best of wishes from a Dane in Oregon

 

[Jdvn1]

I'm down with that...

Diggity.

Heh, and as with questions about my favorite book, the answer was general and lengthy

That's why we like them! Good way to pass the time.

The fact is I wanted to be able to mix genres--not use the A/D&D rules to play other genres, but means of mixing genres. Thus we had fantasy forces comprised of orcs led by an Evil cleric meeting and fighting with a Nazi anti-partizan company, and fought the battle out on a table top. I had PCs sent to the Starship Warden to tangle with Metamorphosis Alpha characters. No need to go on, you get the idea.

Cheers,
Gart

First of all, that's a seriously cool idea and I need to use that.

Second of all, Gart is a name I need to use for my next PC.

 

[oldschooler]

OH-erth, orth, erth or oith? How do you usually pronounce many Greyhawk terms? I usually concider the "O" to be silent (Oeridian being pronounced er-RID-eean). But then, I didn't create the world, I just like to use it

 

[warlord]

Mr. Gygax did you invent the RPG?

 

[Sir Elton]

Hi Gary,

It's nice to see you back. I'm forging ahead, expanding from the usual Sword and Sorcery genre and experimenting with some new forms. I found that Sword and Sorcery is boring if one plays in it all the time.

To compare, I think the usual D&D, some of the stuff you did, as hamburgers or hot dogs. Great to have as a staple diet; but not good to eat all the time. So, I'm experimenting with new genre crossovers. Still fantasy, but with some important elements of science fiction added in.

My current project, which has to do with Atlantis, deals with these new genre crossovers. I imagined a highly knowledgeable society. One that deals in science and technology, aned to show it, I decided that psionics will be king. However, opposition to my vision is really destroying the game's original intent. I may be radical, but I am only following what my imagination and logic dictates.

Gary, I am very thankful for what you have opened for me. It has expanded my imagination to new heights. And while I have my detractors for my vision of fantasy, I'm grateful for you producing the Dungeons and Dragons game. I am very grateful that my grandparents bought me a copy of the D&D Red Box. I had doubts about finding a low cost outlet for my creativity, and you provided one.

D&D is truely a game "where anything you want to happen, does happen."

 

[Beckett]

If you would like more details, see me in person at a con when there's a group reminiscing over a few pints of ale. I'm sure I can thus recall a few more details and repeating them will then not be a demand on time and effort

Cheers,
Gary

Fair enough. In retrospect, considering the size of the module, I guess even a partial recap would be a lengthier story than I had first thought.

I guess I will have to eventually budget in a con, and Gary's bar tab

 

[Joseph Elric Smith]

I didn't know that Gary designed any weapons. I think the Rocket propelled grenade was invented quiet a while ago
ken

Mr. Gygax did you invent the RPG?