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.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Another question: Have you ever read The Thief of Llarn? It actually contains a "role-playing game" of sorts inside it, and when I read the earlier this year, I was wondering if it had any influence.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Another question: Have you ever read The Thief of Llarn? It actually contains a "role-playing game" of sorts inside it, and when I read the earlier this year, I was wondering if it had any influence.

Indeed, Gar Fox and his wife Linda became friends of ine, and IIRR the Thief of Llarn bears his autograph. O emjoyed Gar's S&S writing, but the game mentioned in the book was not influential--the games "refereed" by my older neighbor James "Slim Jim" Rasch in which his younger brother John and I played when we were age nine were the greatest influence...unrealized for some time.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[HolyGrenadeFrenzy]

Ever read "The Archer" trilogy by Cornwell? It centers around a search for the Holy Grail.

Howdy right back atcha! Not yet but I put it on order today and I will go check the used bookstores just in case. The Once and Future King by T.H. White and The PENDRAGON CYCLE trilogy by Stephan R. Lawhead are my last King Arthur reads. I have been told that The Archer's Tale by Cornwell and subsequent novels was something I might appriciate by a book store manager back in early 2000 yet I haven't picked it up yet.....That will change now that the first second opinion to mention it was you. Not that I wouldn't have gotten around to it eventually but frankly I had forgotten about it until you ask me if I had ever read it.

I go through books quickly so it shouldn't take very long. Admittedly, I stop and reread books I like well immidiately after I finish them however. It is a tradition I started after reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Persig back in 1989. The reason I picked it up in the first place was not was not because it was so highly recommended however. It was because of the many people whom told me how great it was I had not met one that had finished it and I was curious how a book could be so highly recommended as to have never be finished by over one hundred people recommending it to me(Yeah I kept track, go figure)........So I read it in a day. Called in sick to work the next day to read it again......

I am very glad I did both of those things. I don't feel guilty for putting a book down and not picking it back up, either. Yet on rare occasions I find something worth mentioning and rereading.

I have only kept track of books read in one year once, 1991, as a new years resolution I felt I could keep. It spurred me to read at a slightly increased rate yet was more than I expected to read and have often wished I had kept track of other years as well.

Did you like it? The book by Cornwell that is?

I will let you know what I think if you like?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Many of the RPGers are bibliophiles--more the fellowship factor

I enjoyed the Cornwell Trilogy a good deal, but my favorite by that author is the Shapre's series.

Someone kust sent me anothe Bonfigleoni book to read--odd but interesting his style ans treatment of the subject matter.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[haakon1]

In OAD&D the m0u gets a slightly better save vs such attacks, and there are a fair number of items that help protect against fire, many of which are not unreasonable for a 4th-5th level one to possess...

Cheers,
Gary

I use random determination for magic item treasure piles about 80-90% of the time. I tend to modify it a bit by rejecting items I don't like for some reason and an occassional push towards an item I want to give, but mostly I'm table-driven.

Do you recommend random determination or active DM selection to give the people what they need? I've seen DM's do both, and I tend to like the random method better as a player, so it's more what you earned rather than a hand-out.

I also do have one magic shop in my campaign in the central city (Thornward in Bissel), with a randomly determined and strictly limited inventory that changes but slowly. Pretty much like the used game collection at an FLGS. Usually, PC's end up selling "useless" gear or something they have two of, and buying potions or other low-level magic (+2 longspear for Horseshoes of Speed and some potions). The magic shop's usual terms are 80% of value selling to them, 100% of value to buy, and you have to wait several days at least for a customer if you want to sell something that's not a quick turnaround item (a Potion of CLW or Scroll of Fireball is cash on the barrelhead, since they are always in demand). This also is a good way for the PC's to get rid of "evil" items, as the Church of Rao buys them to study them and learn ways to counter them . . .

 

[HolyGrenadeFrenzy]

Many of the RPGers are bibliophiles--more the fellowship factor

I enjoyed the Cornwell Trilogy a good deal, but my favorite by that author is the Shapre's series.

Someone kust sent me anothe Bonfigleoni book to read--odd but interesting his style ans treatment of the subject matter.

Cheers,
Gary

For some odd reason that name brings the works of Umberto Eco to my mind. And a joke that I understand about being sent for things! Thanks for that!

Cheers, HGF

 

[Marshal Lucky]

Would you beloieve The Magnificent Seven?

Oh well, I suppose not


Gary

That was a good ripoff of The Seven Samurai

 

[Marshal Lucky]

Which 13th Warrior were you watching?

The assembly scene in 13th Warrior is entirely unlike the assembly of the warriors in The Seven Samurai, the "discord in village" and "wandering gunslinger has fling with local girl" are cliches of the first order, the leader in Beowulf is positively chatty through much of the movie, and in the final battle there are vast differences (in point of fact the only real similarity is the small amount of slow motion) for example, there are no traps (something you felt important to highlight) in the final battle in 13th Warrior.

The whole village in 13th Warrior was a trap with sharpened stakes and timbers arrayed to keep the horsemen at bay. Just like the village in a famous Kurosawa film I could name.

 

[HolyGrenadeFrenzy]

Does anyone else know the name was originally The Eaters of the Dead?
The settled on The 13th Warrior after filming because of the thoughts about attraction.
A Canada set area for filming.

 

[Particle_Man]

The whole village in 13th Warrior was a trap with sharpened stakes and timbers arrayed to keep the horsemen at bay. Just like the village in a famous Kurosawa film I could name.

That sounds a lot less like a movie-ripoff thing and a lot more like a real-life how to protect a village vs. calvary invaders thing.

Do you have any evidence (aside from perceived similarities that no one else on this thread has yet agreed with as being enough evidence to be convincing) that 13th Warrior's director was inspired by Seven Samurai? It's not like the director would have a reason to hide it, as he could just say it was a homage. Was there an interview given? Or has any film critic made in print or on TV this connection that you are making?