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]

Are you thinking of the one by Cicero?

http://www.bartleby.com/9/1/

Hi Colonel!

Noppers. I have stashed somewhere around here around 40 or so of the "Little Leather Library" books, a small portion of the library left to me by my grandfather. One of those small tomes contains the essay, ON FRIENDSHIP, and I am sure it is either Emerson or Thoreau who authored it. I haven't read it in a decade, so I should locate the place I have cached those small volumes and re-read it and several others soo.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Bjorn Doneerson]

To be fair, I mostly took existing material and arranged it so as to form a cosmology for PAD&D, the planes of existence. Then I made up and/or placed creatures from the game milieu into the various planes.

Hmm. What were some of these sources?

As for what didn't get done, all that is now moot. the property belongs to WotC, and they are the ones who will populate all of them now.

But, did you personally hae anything in mind for those things?

I will happily acept you as an acquaintance, and if throught the course of personal interaction friendship develops, then great! Have you ever read the essay ON FRIENDSHIP? I can't recall if it was done by emerson or Thoreau. When I first read it I was stunned--blown away in current parlayance. Well worth looking up and reading, that short piece of truly enlightening literature

Cheerio,
Gary

I'll have to look into that. Thank you for your time.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hmm. What were some of these sources?

But, did you personally hae anything in mind for those things?

I'll have to look into that. Thank you for your time.

In regards your first query, I used the alchemical for the elemental planes, the old concept of the elheral plane, ideas drawn from the Spiritualist writers of the 19th century, along with mythology. For example, Ancient Egyptian religious belief had an upper realm, Pet, and a lower one, the Duat or Tuat, something that combined areas of a material paradise, uncertain realms, and hellish places. Where one's soul ended up depended on how the deceased lived life,

As to the second question, sure I had many things in mind--and that's where they'll stay

The essay is one that is remarkable, for it sheds light on what a very important and rare thing friendship is, what it demands of one. Do read it.

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[MerricB]

G'day, Gary!

More questions!

In OAD&D, rangers gain a damage bonus vs. "giant-class" creatures. What exactly did "giant-class" mean? Or is it just the list of monsters that the ranger did additional damage to, as listed in the PH and expanded in UA?

Do you ever use adventure modules created by other people, or are your games completely the result of your own imagination (as modified by your players, of course! )

Cheers!

 

[Ahzad]

Hi Colonel!

Noppers. I have stashed somewhere around here around 40 or so of the "Little Leather Library" books, a small portion of the library left to me by my grandfather. One of those small tomes contains the essay, ON FRIENDSHIP, and I am sure it is either Emerson or Thoreau who authored it. I haven't read it in a decade, so I should locate the place I have cached those small volumes and re-read it and several others soo.

Cheers,
Gary

Hi Gary, no real questions to ask of you, as the others in the thread have done a fine job at bringing up most of the ones I would thought to ask. I'd just like to say thanks for all the great times I've had over the years with this little game of yours, now I'm passing it along to my own children and their friends and having a blast reliving the game for first time through their eyes.

As for the essay it is by Emerson and it can be found here
http://www.rwe.org/works/Essays-1st_Series_06_Friendship.htm

 

[Col_Pladoh]

G'day, Gary!

More questions!

In OAD&D, rangers gain a damage bonus vs. "giant-class" creatures. What exactly did "giant-class" mean? Or is it just the list of monsters that the ranger did additional damage to, as listed in the PH and expanded in UA?

Do you ever use adventure modules created by other people, or are your games completely the result of your own imagination (as modified by your players, of course! )

Cheers!

G'Day Mate...

...and at this time of year I wish I were Down Under where spring is in progress rather than being here where autum is all too soon introducing winter's gloom

You have it. The list in the PHB, expanded in UA, is that of the "Giant Class" against which rangers were so effective. It seemed a good corellary to clerics and undead. (I am generous to a fault with PCs, of course...)

On many occassions I have my players adventure in other authors' modules--in the past using AD&D, and even currently using the LA game system. This is a good change of pace for all concerned, I think, and it allows me, as the GM, to have a bit of R&R from the creative frontline.

The same is true for getting onto the other side of the screen, if you will, playing a character. It is an excellent thing from my standpoint, getting to play, work against the GM's plottings, and in all stimulating--entertaining and creatively invigorating.

Now if only I could get someone here to run some LA game sessions for me, because I need to get a better player's perspective there

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hi Gary, no real questions to ask of you, as the others in the thread have done a fine job at bringing up most of the ones I would thought to ask. I'd just like to say thanks for all the great times I've had over the years with this little game of yours, now I'm passing it along to my own children and their friends and having a blast reliving the game for first time through their eyes.

As for the essay it is by Emerson and it can be found here
http://www.rwe.org/works/Essays-1st_Series_06_Friendship.htm

That's appreciated, Terry

I've noted over the past few years at GenCon not only pre-gamers being introduced to me by their parents but a fair number of actual RPGers of tender years, some teens in fact, thus brought there as 2nd generation. It would make me feel really ancient, save for the fact that I have sons of my own playing, and a couple of 3rd generation grandchildren that play, so it seems natural to me

Thanks very much for the URL on the Emerson essay too

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Bunping this for two reasons:

1) Tomorrow I'll be gone all day at a mini-con.

2) Sunday I'll clear up email and answer any last queries hereon. I think this thread has pretty well run it's course. but if someone has some burning question they'd like to get in this weekend, I'm game

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Taren Nighteyes]

Thanks for everything!

Gary,

I've been playing D&D since I was 12 - so over 14 years now. I have wonderful memories that will be retold countless times for years - generations - to come. I wait for my son, who is 5, and my daughter, who is 2 1/2, to be old enough to teach and nurture a love for fantasy and games. (My wife plays, and thinks its a blast!)

I have an original small wood grain box (2nd printing), with the 3 books in very good condition, and then supplements I through IV in the same condition. I need to make it to GenCon or some other event and get you to sign them!

(I've got issues 1-7 of the little Dungeoneer "magazine" that was put out for a while, but that isn't TSR stuff - and other old non-TSR stuff - I have been collecting )

Thank you for answering all of these questions. I have been reading the thread every day, eager to discover something "new" and interesting.

Taren Nighteyes

 

[MerricB]

G'day Gary!

Thanks muchly for answering our questions over the past days! (weeks? months? years!)

We're having some very nice Spring days down here - a pity you can't experience them!

I hope there's someone game enough to run you through some LA sessions. I seem to remember playing a character myself some five years ago... ah, the Curse of the DM!

Before you go, a last request/suggestion (though not for answering on this thread!): please give a thought for including in your On A Soapbox column some details from play in the original Temple of Elemental Evil, the "Wonderland" of CG, and the Isle of the Ape.

Especially the latter - you've dropped some nice hints in the published module of the terrible time your players had of it!

Best wishes,
Merric