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.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Ah, so there was a plan to map and detail the rest of Oerth as well? That might well explain my dim recollection of hearing of "Oriental" lands for the World of Greyhawk setting around the time that Oriental Adventures was being published. When said book was released, I was surprised that the setting information included within it seemed to be self-contained and without any connection to Oerth or indeed any other fantasy setting.

'Tis a pity you were never afforded the opportunity to produce more material to flesh out Oerth fully.

That does remind me that there was an "Endless Quest" book that came out in the mid-80s that was set in Nippon/Nippon Dominion. Gary, was Nippon/Nippon Dominion your creation, and what was the difference between the two?

 

[Valiant]

Dear Gary,

What was/is your all time favorite AD&D Module?

 

[Reynard]

I feel kind of wierd doing this, Gary, but I was hoping you might give me your opinion on this essay I wrote.

Much appreciated.

 

[Geoffrey]

Gary, how much (if any) input did you have on the 1981 Basic (edited by Tom Moldvay) and Expert (edited by David Cook with Steve Marsh) D&D rulebooks?

Were you pleased with these 1981 rulebooks, or do you think they lack some of the "magic" of the earlier rulebooks?

Whose idea was it to publish these books, thus replacing the older D&D Basic rulebook edited by Dr. Holmes?

 

[haakon1]

Old School Bard

Hi Gary -- I'm wondering about "old school" bards, the kind described in the Appendix of the AD&D PHB, where you had to progress through thief and fighter levels before beginning as a bard. Have you seen anyone develop a character in that fashion?

I always thought it would be interesting, but I never saw anyone do it.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Ah, so there was a plan to map and detail the rest of Oerth as well? That might well explain my dim recollection of hearing of "Oriental" lands for the World of Greyhawk setting around the time that Oriental Adventures was being published. When said book was released, I was surprised that the setting information included within it seemed to be self-contained and without any connection to Oerth or indeed any other fantasy setting.

'Tis a pity you were never afforded the opportunity to produce more material to flesh out Oerth fully.

Yes indeed, and I planned to invite Len Lakofka and Francois Froideval to assist me in the design of the whole planet Oerth. Zeb Cook tossed out Francois' OA material in favor of his own, IMO quite inferior, material. Sadly, I was too invoved in saving TSR from bancruptcy at the time to correct that ill-advised decision, so there was indeed no link to the WoG setting.

There were a whole slew of AD&D projects I planned, including the revised edition. Such is life :\

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

That does remind me that there was an "Endless Quest" book that came out in the mid-80s that was set in Nippon/Nippon Dominion. Gary, was Nippon/Nippon Dominion your creation, and what was the difference between the two?

Actually, I had nothing to do with the EQ books, those were iverseen by Kevin Blume.

I do know that he prdered huge reprint runs about the time the line was going into steep decline, so that there were millions of unsold copies of the series in the TSR warehouse that had to be duped for scrap paper prices.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Dear Gary,

What was/is your all time favorite AD&D Module?

The one that I was playing and the group were having a lot of fun with at the time. That includes modules that I did not write.

For me picking favorites is rather like deciding which child is your favorite.

I did enjoy DMing the G series a lot and the T1 and environs modules.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

I feel kind of wierd doing this, Gary, but I was hoping you might give me your opinion on this essay I wrote.

Much appreciated.

A well written piece, although I am not so sure I can agree with your assessment of the roles of Game Master and player. The GM's "power" comes only if he properly entertains the player group, and conversely the player group must likewise entertain the GM for that role to be continued at all. That means there must be a great deal of camaradery between all participants.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[JRR_Talking]

Hi Gary

Apologies for any insult you, and others, make take from this but, as we all eventually hit -10 hp, do you intend to have anything RPG related on your headstone?

Myself i was thinking, and inspired by Spike Milligan, to have something like "I told you it was trapped'" on mine?

Regards, and long life.

John