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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MNblockhead" data-source="post: 7800204" data-attributes="member: 6796661">I think a lot of Gygax's--and therefore D&D's--success was due to Gygax's skill at networking and organizing communities around the hobbies he loved. He was doing this for years before D&D.  Really, I think that maybe Gen Con had more to do with D&D's success than the quality of the rules themselves. There were others who had quickly grokked the concept of RPGs and came up with their own systems, but Gary built up the network, community, and distribution that allowed D&D to benefit from its first-mover status. Gary also appeared to be better at presenting and selling his ideas. He was gregarious, was a good public speaker, and represented the game well in nearly all the video and written interviews I've seen.  I really can't see Arneson on TV defending D&D on 20/20 during the Satanic panic. Now, while I've met Gary in person, I've never met Arneson (even though I grew up in Arneson territory), so maybe I'm way off base, but Arneson never struck me as particularly charismatic. From everything I've seen and read, I don't think Arneson could ever have made a success of out D&D without Gary. But that isn't to discount the fact that Gary likely would not have had that eureka moment to give focus to his drive and talents if were not for Arneson. Later in life, both men seemed have gotten over old wounds and relearned to appreciate one another. I don't find it is fruitful for Kuntz to cut down one in favor of another.</blockquote>

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