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]

O Mighty Gygax, who we implore not to sentence us to eternity in Rob Kuntz's "El Raja Key"...

Right! Perhaps the Isle of the Ape is more fitting...

Would it be fair to say that a role-playing game (or indeed, any game) in your hands is never a "finished product" - that you're always tinkering with the rules, to make it suit your needs better?



Cheers!

Yes, that characterization is fairly apt. However, it needs to be modified by the inclusion of additions and changes instigated by dedicated players; so the "your" in "your needs" might better read "the needs of the game in the eyes of the participants."

Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

To get to what I believe is the essence of the matter, as you state yourself, I've snipped all but one paragraph, Colonel

In essence, what I'm saying is that 3e can be played using those archetypes that were a main part of 1e. I also, see, though, that the use of these archetypes are not as strongly reinforced or encouraged in 3e. So, younger players will not be familiar with those archetypes, and will be less likely to use them (assuming they become familiar with them through some other medium, like reading fantasy fiction).

That is so. Indeed, much of 3E can be played differently than what the corre rules focus on. As you note, participants new to D&D will not likely do that for lack of familarity. However, even the veteran DM wil have some difficulty sticking to archetypes if the players are desirous of not so doing. They are no longer a game base, an integral part of the system.

Ciao,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

The strictures noted above are, IMO, valiant attempts to prevenr blatent power gaming. However, tha actual game assumes something quite different, and that means there exists in the system mechanics that mitigate against long-term campaign play.

Gary

 

[Larcen]

Gary, here is a quickie:

Why "Col_Pladoh" ?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Gary, here is a quickie:

Why "Col_Pladoh" ?

A fair enough question, Larcen

I am usually not given to using some nickname, but as it is de rigeur on many websites I pondered a bit and came up with "Col_Pladoh" for the following reasons:

I liked to play colonel Mustard as a boy when CLUE was a regular game in my group of comrades.

I am a member of the OH of Kentucky Colonels.

I have sometimes been spoken of in terms similar to those used for the great Greek philosophers.

So...

...to poke fun at all, and mainly myself, I decided that "Col_Pladoh" was an appropriate name to use

Who can take me, and the whole subject of RPGs, too seriously when seeing that nic?

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Geoffrey]

Gary, in the original 1974 D&D rules, does every monster get only one attack per round, and is the damage always 1-6? (With the clearly stated exceptions, of course, of giants and ogres) I'm mostly wondering about dragons and other fearsome creatures. Do they really deal out only as much melee damage as an orc with a sword?

Second question: Which of your FRPGs (D&D, AD&D, DJ: Mythus, and LA) cost you the most in terms of sweat? I would guess DJ, since it is obviously the result of a mountain of research.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Gary, in the original 1974 D&D rules, does every monster get only one attack per round, and is the damage always 1-6? (With the clearly stated exceptions, of course, of giants and ogres) I'm mostly wondering about dragons and other fearsome creatures. Do they really deal out only as much melee damage as an orc with a sword?

Yes, but don't forget that most of the feasrsome creatures concerned had as principal attack forms something other than melee sort--breath weapon, missile, draining touch, etc.

In truth, a man or orc with a sword is pretty deadly, that such an attack might well cut someone in half, deal deadly harm--albeit not usually in terms of the D&D game, granted

Second question: Which of your FRPGs (D&D, AD&D, DJ: Mythus, and LA) cost you the most in terms of sweat? I would guess DJ, since it is obviously the result of a mountain of research.

That's difficult to answer in logical manner, as you muct remember that when I write D&D, there wxisted a huge base of knowledge garnered from reading authored fantasy, muth and lejend, history too. Also that I had the CHAINMAIL game to work from, but that itself took time and effort, play testing to develop. That said, the sheer blocks of time needed to write the AD&D and DJ/MYTHUS games were about the same, but the added research needed for the latter did amount to a lot of time. Finally, LA was based on my entire experience in RPGs, and designing for computer applications--a couple of years spent thus.

I do believe I spent the most pure research time on the MYTHUS material, and that A/D&D and the LA game are the systems I have spent the most writing time on

Hope that sufficies,
Gary

 

[Henry]

One more question, Gary, if you will:

I purchased from you back in 1999 the Lejendary Rules limited edition that came out at Gencon. Compared to the regular rules, are there many changes between the two? If so, is there a "conversion document" available with said changes (either on hekaforge site or elsewhere)?

 

[andargor]

Hello Gary,

I was just browsing the forums, and spotted this thread. Thanks for stopping by!

Just to echo some thoughts expressed earlier...

I started gaming in 1977 with the Blue Book (I was 10, damn those dice would wear out fast). BTW, who were the characters on the cover? (I dimly remember an archer and a mage, and the red dragon of course, we still have the book somewhere...)

D&D has definitely changed my life. Asked to explain what it was, I usually said something like "a mix of theater, improv and imagination". I truly do believe that children playing an RPG will develop superior creativity and social skills. I'm a computer engineer currently, but I've always kept that intuitive/creative side and person skills, and I thank RPGs for that.

The other major impact the game has had is that I'm still in touch with the original group after 25 years. After career moves, families, etc, we still manage to play every two weeks.

Some of us are in different cities. No problem, we hook up the webcam and fire up NetMeeting. Some people will balk at this, but when you play with people that have 25 years of experience, you really feel as if they're right next to you.

We're playing 3E now, and yes we use archetypes. Although I did see some signs of corruption... Mage such and such takes a level of fighter to boost his hp or get a feat...

But generally, even if you are the min/maxer type (which didn't exist in OD&D), sticking with an archetype usually yields to a better character. The rules appear to promote power via multi-classing, but my experience has not shown this. I usually play the "pure" fighter or mage, and funnily enough, I end up saving the party more times than not... Specialists will always beat generalists in their specialty (if that makes sense)

I do agree that the current rules do not guide new players towards good role playing. After all, when you use archetypes, you worry less about mechanics, and more about how you are going to play. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I felt that the D&D Basic Set vs AD&D tried to provide simpler rules for beginners so they learn what role playing is about before moving on to a more complex system? If so, it should become so again...

Anyway, sorry for the pell mell comments and questions. It's just nice to have you here. Brings back memories of the old Dragon magazine, the other RPGs I used to play (Gamma World, Cthulu, Boot Hill) and even my first wargames (Blitzkrieg, Tobruk, Panzer Leader, original Squad Leader).

Keep up the good work, and if you need testers for your MMPOROPG (whatever that is LOL) or any GreyHawk stuff (we played that setting for a few years), just give a shout!

Andargor

 

[Col_Pladoh]

One more question, Gary, if you will:

I purchased from you back in 1999 the Lejendary Rules limited edition that came out at Gencon. Compared to the regular rules, are there many changes between the two? If so, is there a "conversion document" available with said changes (either on hekaforge site or elsewhere)?

What? You plan on playing the game with a collector's edition book? Gasp!

Yes, there are any number of typos cleaned up, corrections, and even a few additions made to the LEJENDARY RULES FOR ALL PLAYERS book in standard edition, second printing. These, and all sorts of "official" additional material can be found posted for download at:

www.lejendary.com

A link from there will take you to a UK website that has even more such material available. Sorry, but I can't recall the URL.

As someone noted here, I do tend to create a bit of new work, and as usual with dedicated gamers, the LA crowd is likewise pretty creative too...

Cheerio,
Gary