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.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Gary,

What is your opinion on the RPGA?

What's it like working with Steve, Davis, and the rest of the Troll Lords?

What have you heard about Troll Lord's sponsored national campaign, Legends of Erde?


--David

Howdy!

In my estimation the RPGA is still a useful adjunct to WotC, but its service to the majority of gamers is simewhat questionable. From what I know it is now mainly a tournament-running organization in which DMs and players interested in ranking are much involved. this not only narrows the scopr that should be offered, but to my mind sort of makes it an exclusive, not inclusive association.

You know I just _have_ to like Steve, Davis (who looks a lot like my old buuddy Skip), and company. They are great guys!

I keep Steve so busy with my stuff, mss. and emails about this or that change, that he doesn't ahve time to tell me about "other stuff," so this is the first I've heard about national campaign based on Erde.

Gary

 

[LoPaC]

Sorry Im asking another opinion question, but what do you think about d20 Modern? I've heard alot of different things about last minute changes to the gaming system, so I'm just curious what your veiw on the game itself and antything else about it.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Sorry Im asking another opinion question, but what do you think about d20 Modern? I've heard alot of different things about last minute changes to the gaming system, so I'm just curious what your veiw on the game itself and antything else about it.

Heh, and we all know what opinions are usually likened to, eh?

Anyway, I haven't actually tried playing a D20 modern game, but from my gut feeling as a designer, I don't think the systemwill translate well to the genre. now watch some talented guy come up with a kick-ass game and make an ass of me for venturing that

Cheers,
Gary

 

[davidschwartznz]

A valid query, and one that I wish I could answer properly. The fact is that as 3E is actually a different game from AD&D, both Original and 2E, there isn't any way to do so. That is, new D&D is a game unto itself, and in such case the axiom about comparisons being odious seems to apply.

Gary

From your perspective, what makes 3E a different game from AD&D? Is it just the 'd20 system' or are there other elements?

You've suggested that d20 is rules heavy (perhaps it is). But do you think it's more complicated than 2E?

 

[MerricB]

Oh, Great Gygax, who we implore to not let the Black Puddings get our Bags of Holding...

Did you ever run characters through the Vault of the Drow (D3), or is it only a 'literary' creation for the purposes of (nearly) concluding the Great Descent?

Cheers!

 

[Larcen]

Hi Gary,

Glad to see your still answering questions! Sorry about the long message to follow, but an opportunity to question you is too good to pass up!

After reading what you have said about Lejendary Journeys I was interested enough to go check out your website for more info.

First, let me say that the free download, "Weyland Smith & Company", was hilarious. Leave it to you to crank out 59 pages of pure magic and creativity. I especially liked how you included generic, non-specific "rules" right in the body of the funny descriptions for each item. Where do you get the ideas for such great magic items?

However, I was disappointed not to find more information on the LJ game itself, other than the sample Avatars. I was kind of hoping there would be a sort of free "LJ Lite" (a la "GURPS Lite" available at the Steve Jackson site), or an introduction to some of LJ's mechanics, or at least more information on how to read the sample Avatar sheets themselves. At lot of the abbreviations on the sheets were meaningless to me. Can you post a sort of key on how to read the Avatar sheets? I hope I simply didn't miss it somewhere.

On a different topic, here are a few off the wall questions:

What kind of music do you enjoy listening to, and do you use atmospheric music for any of your gaming sessions?

The anniversary of 9/11 is coming around so it's on my mind. Where were you, and what was your reaction, when you first heard of last year's tragedy?

On a lighter note, do you think Al Quaida would loosen up if they gamed more?

Finally, there is a project I have been hoping someone would do for some time now, and quite frankly am surprised no one has thought of it yet. And now that I think of it, YOU are the only person I would trust to do it justice. Here is the idea: A sourcebook for ROLEplaying. No rules. Just roleplaying. In it, there would be complete descriptions of how each and every monster (in whatever game system suits your fancy) talks, acts, parlays, etc. Right down to common words used, voice inflections, and accents. Obviously no one race can be pigeonholed into one stereotype, so I am talking the common mannerisms of average members of each race. For example, unless you read this new book, you would never know that kobolds speak in quick high-pitched voices and repeat themselves over and over again. Or you would not know about the fact that hobgoblins talk in slurred, almost drunken voices and have a habit of belching midsentence and using the word "Dunno" a lot. Hobgoblins also tend to slouch and hunch their shoulders and move their heads back and forth a lot. See what I mean? I am talking hard, fast stuff that the game master can use AT THE GAMING TABLE to make his roleplaying come to life. I think this would be extremely helpful to would be aspiring game masters everywhere, like me! What do you think of this idea?

Anyway, thanks for giving me, my friends, and gamers everyhere a wonderful passtime and hobby like no other.

 

[Eternalknight]

Hey Gary, another question for you.

What do you think of the future of paper based gaming? Where do you see RPG's being in 5, 10 or 50 years? Also, do you ever think we will see a computer game that represents D&D to the full extent? Neverwinter Nights was close, but not quite 100%.

Speaking of computer games, have you played any of the old D&D computer games, such as pool of Radiance and Curse of the Azure Bonds? If so, what did you think of them?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

From your perspective, what makes 3E a different game from AD&D? Is it just the 'd20 system' or are there other elements?

You've suggested that d20 is rules heavy (perhaps it is). But do you think it's more complicated than 2E?

My perspective aside, try playing an AD&D character using 3E rules. All manner of differences, right? The mnechanics and rules of new D&D are radically different from some of their counterparts in AD&D.

"Rules-heavy" means that there are definate mechanics prescribed tor handling virtually all situations and cases thereof likely to arise in game play. 3E is very much that way, and it is carefully designed so that each part of the game is linked to the others, a tight, regulated whole.

Yes indees, I know that 3E is more complicated that AD&D--I never played 2E, although I did play some OAD&D where parts of the 2E system were picked up and included.

Gary

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Aww, jeez, Gary - I asked the same kind of questions back earlier on the thread, and you yelled at me (well, sorta)!

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Oh, Great Gygax, who we implore to not let the Black Puddings get our Bags of Holding...

Now there's a thought dear to my DMly heart! Dave Arneson conceived the black pudding, and I confess it is one of my favorite critters for disconcerting PCs...

Did you ever run characters through the Vault of the Drow (D3), or is it only a 'literary' creation for the purposes of (nearly) concluding the Great Descent?

Cheers!

I never ran any of my PCs through the Vault, but I did DM my personal group, and several play-test groups through the setting, and then DMed with a team of others that module as a tournament at one of the small cons TSR used to hold in Lake Geneva in the Legion Hall here.

Gary