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]

Hello Gary,

Since I've been unable to find an answer in this rather humongous thread, can you give all us Gord fan's an update on the proposed Graphic Novels based on the books?


Thanks

Hi Tamsar

Trigee proposes, the publisher disposes...

We had thought the series of comic-book-sized, full-color installments of the first of the Gord the Rogue graphic novels was going to launch in August. However, problems with illustrators and inkers have delayed things.

The current launch date has been moved back all the way to December

That's all I can relate.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Joseph Elric Smith]

Well now I can get it for Christmas
Ken

 

[Plycon]

Hi Gary,

If I remember correctly - you once recommended the Black Company series by Glen Cook in Dragon Magazine. Based on that suggestion I started reading the series and loved it. Thanks for the recommendation!

I'm curious - since you suggested the series, I'm assuming you've kept up with the new books over the last 12 years... how do you like how Cook wrapped things up?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Howdy Plycon,

Glad you enjoyed the "Black Company." I found Glem Cook's writing to be the sort I enjoy. Unfortunately, I did not keep up with the series because of work--many books to read for research and much writing to do. In short, I never got very far in the series. Oh well, something more to put on my list of books to pick up and read... What I am waiting for most eagerly is Vance's "Sequal to Ports of Call."

Cheers,
Gary

 

[grodog]

Hola Gary---

Seen this yet?

Michael's problem -- really his whole party's problem -- is one that pops up now and again in D&D campaigns and in game-related fiction (maybe most infamously in Gary Gygax's Gord the Rogue series, when the celestial is willing to bring only one of three dead party members back to life, even though they are on a mission to save the world). The party tromps through some benighted hell-hole, comes upon an imprisoned celestial creature, braves deadly dangers, traps and guardians to free it, and maybe even loses one or more characters in the process. Rather than showing gratitude, the celestial cops an attitude, grudgingly offers some minimal reward or assistance, then disappears.

See http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/bs/20030720a for the full article.

As author of "Good isn't Stupid" and various other paladins-don't-suck articles from back-in-the-day, what's your take on this guy quoting your Gord solar encounter on the WotC site as the way not to run angels?

I find Jason Nelson's arguments built of straw men, since he merely alludes to the Gord story without providing context, a context which would further support your solar's reaction based on the celestial rules as he outlines them in his article (Gord doesn't support LG faiths/gods/goals and vice-versa; Greyhawk's context of Neutrality vs. the polar alignments; etc.).

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hi Alan,

Indeed, the quote hit my games list yesterday. I am quite indifferent to the author's opinions, believe his perjorative "imfamous" sounds pretty much like like sour grapes, and appreciate the name mention.

As for minions of Good, especially Lawful Good, it seems to me that most people fail to understand that Law if the prime operative word in the consideration of the alignment. They should consider the Mosaic Law for the best example of how rigid and demanding the strict adherants of LG are as the system was devised. Good MUST come from adhering strictly to Law. the corellary is: Law is force. the latter is, of course, a matter of actual fact, while what is good is a subjective thing.

Other than that I really don't have any comment

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Steverooo]

Gary Gygax Q&A, Part IV

Here's the previous one...

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46861

 

[Steverooo]

Continued...

This thread's almost to ten pages, so I started a new one at:

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=57832

 

[Joseph Elric Smith]

Ah just trying to confuse us LOL
ken

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Okay by me

Gary

 

[andargor]

Okay by me

Gary

Welcome back, Gary!

I've posted a little story about how the D&D adventure began in our group (link in my sig), and I was wondering, how did it start for you?

Andargor

 

[SubMensa]

Ok, I'll step up. please excuse me if this has been asked before.

Where did the idea for the tarrasque come from?

Thanks in advance for any insights you may have.

By the way, thank you for the years of entertainment, and indirectly for my love of reading. If it weren't for discovering roleplaying I would definitely be a different person today.

 

[Joseph Elric Smith]

Ok, I'll step up. please excuse me if this has been asked before.

Where did the idea for the tarrasque come from?

Ok I'll ask, do you mean the legend of the tarrasque, from the France, or the terrasque from the various monster manuals?
Ken

 

[Barak]

Mr Gygax

[tacked on appropriate praise for inventing the hobby, as they pretty much all have been used already, rightfully]

I've seen you refer in passing, favorably so, to Arcana Unhearted, by Malhavoc Press, and have also read your comment on it on montecook.com. Since the product itself introduces quite a few "new" views on D&D, I'd be curious as to your take on the one that impressed or intrigued you the most. And while we're on it, how do you view other products by Mr Cook?

Barak, who'll be sure to look you up next time he's in Lake Geneva.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Welcome back, Gary!

I've posted a little story about how the D&D adventure began in our group (link in my sig), and I was wondering, how did it start for you?

Andargor

Hi Andargor

Heh, and my experience is from the other end, so to speak. I do relate fully to your mentiuon of chess and board wargames, and I do still love such games.Operation Overlord is my board favorite wargame. I love to play chess, shogi, and many variant chess games. Sadly for me, I get little opportunity to do any of that. I've managed to remain active in RPGs, though, and my current LA game campaign is about seven years old now, with regular weekly meetings here at my house on Thursday evenings.

Now to my first D&D sessionion:

It was in the late fall of 1972 when I completed a map of some castle ruins, noted ways down to the dungeon level (singular), and invited my 11-year-old son Ernie and nine-year-old daughter Elise to create characters and adventure. This they did, and around 9 PM (sound familiar?) they had to come back from such imaginary derring-do, put their index card character sheets aside, and get ready for bed. They had had a marvelous time and wanted to keep playing.

After they went upstairs I stayed in my study and went to work on a second dungeon level. The next day they played, and with their PCs were two new ones, that of Rob Kuntz and Don Kaye's Murlynd. After that it was a race for me to get more levels done as the player group grew and got more able in their delving.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Ok, I'll step up. please excuse me if this has been asked before.

Where did the idea for the tarrasque come from?

Thanks in advance for any insights you may have.

By the way, thank you for the years of entertainment, and indirectly for my love of reading. If it weren't for discovering roleplaying I would definitely be a different person today.

Howdy!

The question has been asked before, although I am not certain if it was on this multi-part thread. anyway...

The tarrasque is a fablous monster from French legend, and it was French author Francois Marcela Froideval who called the beast to my attention, did up the stats for it. I thought the game needed at least one near-undestructable creature from myth, so it made the book

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Ok I'll ask, do you mean the legend of the tarrasque, from the France, or the terrasque from the various monster manuals?
Ken

Heh, Ken

I covered both of those bases.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Mr Gygax

[tacked on appropriate praise for inventing the hobby, as they pretty much all have been used already, rightfully]

I've seen you refer in passing, favorably so, to Arcana Unhearted, by Malhavoc Press, and have also read your comment on it on montecook.com. Since the product itself introduces quite a few "new" views on D&D, I'd be curious as to your take on the one that impressed or intrigued you the most. And while we're on it, how do you view other products by Mr Cook?

Barak, who'll be sure to look you up next time he's in Lake Geneva.

Howdy Barak!

Well, as one who read the draft mss. for the PGB and DMG before they went to print, bot have only played the new system for a few score hours, I was most impressed with Monte's bold departure from the 3E system wherever he thought such variance would produce a more compellig and exciting campaign. From a designer's standpoint the Arcana Unearthed material strick me as innovative in what difference in feel and stule of play it would engender--virtually a whole new game using the same general framework as 3E.

As for the Good Mr. Cook's other work, as I don't play 3E regularly I don't feel qualified to critique it. That so many avid gamers hold his material in esteem speaks sufficiently, no?

Cheers,
Gary

P.S. Added by Edit:

Sorry I forgot to extend an invitation regarding stopping by. Please do Email me, and I can give you directions to my place. We play every Thursday evening from around 6:30 until 10:30. Auditors are fine, and the crew doesn't mind having a casual addition to the party either.

 

[PowerWordDumb]

Sorry I forgot to extend an invitation regarding stopping by. Please do Email me, and I can give you directions to my place. We play every Thursday evening from around 6:30 until 10:30. Auditors are fine, and the crew doesn't mind having a casual addition to the party either.

Wow! Extending an open invitation for a fan to drop by and play with the legendary master himself?!?

Yet another reason for me to continue to believe - going on 23 years now - that our beloved Gary is the absolute hands-down coolest of the cool.

Some day I too will have to venture over to Lake Geneva. My own personal pilgrimmage to Mecca, if you will.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Wow! Extending an open invitation for a fan to drop by and play with the legendary master himself?!?

Yet another reason for me to continue to believe - going on 23 years now - that our beloved Gary is the absolute hands-down coolest of the cool.

Some day I too will have to venture over to Lake Geneva. My own personal pilgrimmage to Mecca, if you will.

Heh,

Well thanks, but I am just passing things along.

If you can, get ahold of one of Leo Edward's adventure books for boys. the "Jerry Todd" series is the easiest to find copies of. Leo was born in Illinois but lived and wrote in Wisconsin. In his books he extends an invitation to readers to stop by his house, meet him and his wife, and have lemonade and cookies I never made it there, but I surely enjoyed the novels and really liked the spirit of the invitation the author displayed. So I am just passing things along now.

Cheers,
Gary