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.

 

[Quasqueton]

Mr. Gygax, I have some questions for you regarding early adventure design. Was there a such concept as “adventure design theory”, or an "adventure design philosphy" at TSR?

When you created such as the Moathouse of The Village of Hommlet and the Caves of Chaos of The Keep on the Borderland, did you use a pattern or formula in any way for determining the challenge levels or treasure rewards? Or did you place monsters and treasure by “feel”? Were there guidelines for module authors for AD&D, or did everyone create by “feel”?

For instance, did you intentionally place enough treasure in those two adventures to let PCs advance up to level 3 (1 gp = 1 xp), or did you place treasure as you thought just fit the scenario? Was the end result (level advancement-wise) as you wanted and designed, or did you not worry about how it worked out (level advancement-wise)?

Also, I know the Tomb of Horrors and the Against the Giants series were originally tournament modules – did you (or anyone) alter them from their tournament style for general publication? I mean, alter the adventure itself (not just artwork or format). Or is its general publication exactly how it appeared in tournament use? (I know the Slavers series was altered and added to for general publication.)

Thank you.

Quasqueton

 

[Col_Pladoh]

And the soon-to-be-archived Part X is here.

So, is Yggsburgh the "Be a Collaborator" deal from Lejends?

No sir

The Town of Yggsbuurgh is part of small-sized campaign setting of an area of some 1,500 square miles. I did it in a year's time, and it is for the C&C RPG. The collaborator portion was in regards to 19 sectors comprising the walled town of 40K plus inhabitants and the five suburban areas with another 5K or so population. With some 16 different designers lending their talents to the base work and copious motes I supplied, eachof the districts/quarters of Yggsburgh will have its own unique feel and personality--even though a couple of the designers have doubled up, and one is doing four of these modules.

About eight of the 25 are finished, and the lot should be completed and turned over by the end of the year. Jon Creffield, the content editor, has turned in three, and wkith the single one I edited, the Trolls now have four. I believe they will release these modules in batches of four, initally as PDFsbeginning sometime this year.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hello Gary

I was reading through some of our old letters from the NIPI days. In there, as well as in the NIPI "Realms of Adventure" newsletter, you mentioned various projects that never came to pass, due to NIPI's funding vanishing.

Which of your unfinished projects (from NIPI or elsewhere, for that matter) would most like to complete?

Also, unrelatedly, how was the Lake Geneva Convention?

Thanks, as always, for spending time to share your thoughts and wisdom with us

Howdy!

Actually, I had just begun to develop the Dangerous Journeys RPG system when New Infinities went under. so that I managed to finish in part. Nothing else from then is still hanging about in the old files

As for unpublished/unfinished stuff I've done since then, there is a fair amount. The Trolls are going to do my King of England - King of France strategy boardgame sometime in a year or so I hope. I have another pair of boardgames that I would like to see published, although the large family "monster hunter" game has a lot of cards and a big board, so... the other is a social class game that is pretty amusing, often funny when played to the hilt. In addition I have several games designed for the PC--mostly historical or semi-historical strategy and/or tactical builders involving some combat and economics. One from 1996 is a MMP contemporary horror stpe that is still about at the cutting edge of available technology. It seems that I demanded way too much back then. That's about all the detail I want to go into here

As for my participation here, welcome! i enjoy the fellowship.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Geoffrey]

Gary, are there any plans to publish Lejendary AsteRogues Fantastical Science RPG?

Also, how closely tied are the rules to the setting? How easily could I use the AsteRogues rules in a different setting (say, a large-scale setting encompassing a different galaxy)?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Gary, are there any plans to publish Lejendary AsteRogues Fantastical Science RPG?

Also, how closely tied are the rules to the setting? How easily could I use the AsteRogues rules in a different setting (say, a large-scale setting encompassing a different galaxy)?

Greetings Geoffrey,

Jon Creffield is working on the development of the initial campaign module for the LAR game I wrote, a large space station, but that is now on a back burner because of the work on the Yggsburgh Town and Suburbs Detail Modules. However, I have been polishing the LM's volumes a bit, and Jerry Leonard, the chap that is doing the flags for the project has supplied several useful tables we have included in the mss. Only the Trolls can give an estimate of when the genre expansion for the LA RPG system will be published.

Note that the Lejendary AsteRogues RPG is Fantastical Science, not Science Fiction of hard or even soft sort. It is aimed at play within the solar system and then slow expansion to nearby stars' systems. As it is, the setting is so filled with material that I believe that an active LM and large group could spend 20 years of intense play and by no means exhause the possibilities existing in the basic material.

That said, Jerry Leonard is also working on the development of a SF genre expansion for the LA game system, that a general rules set that will be applicable to many settings, including a couple that I have created. This is likely the sort of game you are seeking rather that a combination of the age of sail with super science.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Geoffrey]

Thanks for the information, Gary. I'm right with you on the "fantastical science" rather than science fiction angle. I'd like to run a massive milieu of entire galaxies chock full of both high magic and high technology, without there necessarily being a clear distinction between the two. I envision galactic dwarven empires, galactic wylf empires, etc., all complete with all the magic and monsters from the LA rules plus starships, robots, etc. Plus, of course, "magical technology" that could never exist in reality. I think the LA rules would be the perfect fit for this type of huge, science-fantasy, intergalactic setting.

Of course, I'm also excited about Castle Yggsburgh. Too bad you don't have 100 hours in the day.

 

[Erekose]

Hi Gary!

I have this vague memory from the mid-1980s when there was word of a new supplement, a 2nd Unearthed Arcana?, for AD&D which would include new classes like the Mountbank (and others which I'm afraid my aging brain can't remember). Presumably this changed and the second edition was developed instead (which to be honest is when I lost interest in RPGs - I've only returned relatively recently).

Any way, I wondered if (a) this was true and (b) if it was how far did you get in the development of the new classes as I'd love to see some new (?) material from you for AD&D.

Sorry for being so vague but we are expecting our 2nd baby any day now and we aren't getting much sleep !

Also, apologies if this has been asked before!!!

 

[Beckett]

The Trolls are going to do my King of England - King of France strategy boardgame sometime in a year or so I hope.

That sounds interesting. Hundred Years War period? Anything you can tell us beyond the name?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Thanks for the information, Gary. I'm right with you on the "fantastical science" rather than science fiction angle. I'd like to run a massive milieu of entire galaxies chock full of both high magic and high technology, without there necessarily being a clear distinction between the two. I envision galactic dwarven empires, galactic wylf empires, etc., all complete with all the magic and monsters from the LA rules plus starships, robots, etc. Plus, of course, "magical technology" that could never exist in reality. I think the LA rules would be the perfect fit for this type of huge, science-fantasy, intergalactic setting.

Of course, I'm also excited about Castle Yggsburgh. Too bad you don't have 100 hours in the day.

Yuppers, I do understand First the Fantastical Science, then the relatively hard SF, and then, using the two genres as bases, a good Science Fantasy can built.

The LAR game does have Psychogenic Ability, wierd space creatures, and talking organic computers as well as super engines that warm astral body cores, alter gravity ans axial tilt, screen oubects and undesired radiation out, screen in desirable radiation and also give forth electroluminesent light, and there are terraforming engines, element converters and compounders as well. All set in a solar system teeming with great powers, lesser ones, malign groups, pirates and slavers inhabiting planets, moons, and the many asteroids on the inner belt and the Trans-Saturnian one as well. Of course there are two more planets, the one furthest out at the verge of the Kupper Belt inhabited by strange menacing aliens with intersteller drive in their ships

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Quasqueton]

Did you miss my questions above, Col_Pladoh, in post #4?

http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=2930451&postcount=4

Quasqueton