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.

 

[Treebore]

Well OSRIC may not have Gary's official stamp on it, but it is a "door" for new 1E rules based stuff to be done again, if it holds up to legal scrutiny and WOTC doesn't decide to tie it up in years of court battles. So since it is essentailly 1E in the d20 OGL world it by default has Gary's stamp on it.

 

[gideon_thorne]

There's always Castles and Crusades for viable, in print, source materal for original stylistic gaming and Castle Zagyg being written for it. ^_~`

 

[genshou]

G'day Gary,

I think it is a shame that the agreements you entered into keep you from being able to participate fully with the current incarnations of the game, or even the older, out-of-print materials that were produced by other now-defunct gaming companies. Have you attempted or even considered contacting the current IP holders, in order to re-negotiate terms or otherwise relax the conditions of your agreements?

It would be novel to see your credits on some products from WOTC, especially when it comes to the Greyhawk material, or even to see an all new 'official' Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (as in 1st edition) set of resources surface with your stamp on it.

That would be cooler than cool.

 

[airwalkrr]

G'day Gary,

I think it is a shame that the agreements you entered into keep you from being able to participate fully with the current incarnations of the game, or even the older, out-of-print materials that were produced by other now-defunct gaming companies.

From what I know, Gary did author some Gord the Rogue novels after the fact. Plus, I believe he also collaborated in the Dungeon update of Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure, "Maure Castle." He also recently did some Gord fiction for Dragon. Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this, Gary.

As an aside, how do you pronounce Yggsburgh?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Oh, ok. That's still kind of funny how things worked out, though. Just not quite as much.

Oh, I thought maybe you might have played 3E from time to time seeing as you are who you are, but I can certainly understand why you'd stick with the older editions.

Hmm, maybe you should join my online campaign.
(I'm joking, of course. That game is officially on hiatus until I can get a consistent work schedule. When it gets going again, though... maybe. Heheh.)

Don't worry Gary, there'll be more questions coming your way soon enough, of that I am certain.

Heh,

I did play 3E in playtesting my sons' d20 module the Lost City of Gaxmoor...

As for online play, not a chance. I am lucky to get in a thursday night game here, play boardgames at son Ernie's place on Monday afternoons :\

Cheers,
Gary

 

[smootrk]

From what I know, Gary did author some Gord the Rogue novels after the fact. Plus, I believe he also collaborated in the Dungeon update of Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure, "Maure Castle." He also recently did some Gord fiction for Dragon. Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this, Gary.

As an aside, how do you pronounce Yggsburgh?

I am aware of some of this, but they are endeavors that are clearly not center-stage type products (as far as WotC products or official D&D product lines go).

My real question is whether you (Gary) have tried to have some/all of the restrictions lifted so that you can participate fully with the new incarnations of the game. You definitely seem to be the 'Stan Lee' of TSR/WotC.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

G'day Gary,

I think it is a shame that the agreements you entered into keep you from being able to participate fully with the current incarnations of the game, or even the older, out-of-print materials that were produced by other now-defunct gaming companies. Have you attempted or even considered contacting the current IP holders, in order to re-negotiate terms or otherwise relax the conditions of your agreements?

It would be novel to see your credits on some products from WOTC, especially when it comes to the Greyhawk material, or even to see an all new 'official' Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (as in 1st edition) set of resources surface with your stamp on it.

That's an "Ah Well, water under the old bridge," sort of thing.

As WotC has licensed out AD&D, there's no chance that I'll be creating anything for that game system. However, the C&C game is under the OGL, and i have written some material for it

My main interest is actually the skill-bundle-based, rules light RPG I put together crom c, 1997-2000, the Lejendary Adventure sysyem. I am tinkering with genre expansion material for it currently, aided by several other designers

Cheers,
Gary

 

[haakon1]

Plus the dreadful are often good for a laugh. Or two.

Or a shudder . . . remembering the "Puppets" adventure from post-Gygax TSR's short-lived Greyhawk line.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Well OSRIC may not have Gary's official stamp on it, but it is a "door" for new 1E rules based stuff to be done again, if it holds up to legal scrutiny and WOTC doesn't decide to tie it up in years of court battles. So since it is essentailly 1E in the d20 OGL world it by default has Gary's stamp on it.

That sounds a good deal similar to the C&C game

BTW, I did my best to talk Peter into keeping AD&D alive even as the new D&D game was beind released.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

From what I know, Gary did author some Gord the Rogue novels after the fact. Plus, I believe he also collaborated in the Dungeon update of Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure, "Maure Castle." He also recently did some Gord fiction for Dragon. Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this, Gary.

As an aside, how do you pronounce Yggsburgh?

That's right, and I own the rights to all seven Gord books as well. I was not a collaborator for the update of the MFA module, though. One Gord short story has been run in Dragon magazine, and K.E. Bourgoine and I are working on the precis for a second new tale now.

Yggsburgh is pronounces "EGGS-burg"

Cheers,
E. Gary Gygax