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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Snarf Zagyg" data-source="post: 8299987" data-attributes="member: 7023840">The general assumed cohort of playing was that of the creators (Gygax and Arneson) and of the associated groups (Lake Geneva, Minn/St. Paul). I am describing the attitude shift of Gygax as more particularly evidence in his shifting attitudes toward 3PP and the variant rules.  Compare the following passages:We have attempted to furnish an ample framework, and building should be both easy and fun. In this light, we urge you to refrain from writing for rule interpretations or the like unless you are absolutely at a loss, for everything herein is fantastic, and the best way to decide how you would like it to be, and then make it just that way! On the other hand, we are not loath to answer your questions, but why have us do any more of your imagining for you? Write to us and tell about your additions, ideas, and what have you. We could always do with a bit of improvement in our refereeing.I desire variance in interpretation and, as long as I am editor of the TSR line and its magazine, I will do my utmost to see that there is as little trend towards standardization as possible. Each campaign should be a "variant", and there is no "official interpretation" from me or anyone else. If a game of "Dungeons and Beavers" suits a group, all I say is more power to them, for every fine referee runs his own variant of D&D anyway. ... Please inform Ted that I too subscribe to the slogan "D&D is too important to leave to Gary Gygax." Gosh and golly! Whoever said anything else. However, pal, best remember that it is far too good to leave to you or any other individual or little group either! It now belongs to the thousands of players enjoying it worldwide, most of whom will probably never hear of you or your opinions unless you get them into THE STRATEGIC REVIEW. Those two quotes are from 1975 (A&E) and Dungeons & Dragons v3 (Underworld & Wilderness Adventures) in 1974. (Dungeons and Beavers is the Warlock game played at CalTech ... the Beaver is the mascot). Now look at the shift in tone ...Authoring these works means that, in a way, I have set myself up as final arbiter of fantasy role playing in the minds of the majority of D&D adventurers. Well, so be it, I rationalized. Who better than the individual responsible for it all as creator of the ”Fantasy Supplement” in CHAINMAIL, the progenitor of D&D; and as the first proponent of fantasy gaming and a principal in TSR, the company one thinks of when fantasy games are mentioned, the credit and blame rests ultimately here. Some last authority must be established for a very good reason.PHB 1978ADVANCED D&D is more than a framework around which individual DMs construct their respective milieux, it is above all a set of boundaries for all of the "worlds" devised by referees everywhere. These boundaries are broad and spacious, and there are numerous areas where they are so vague and amorphous as to make them nearly nonexistent, but they are there nonetheless.  Dictums are given for the sake of the game only, for if ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is to survive and grow, it must have some degree of uniformity, a familiarity of method and procedure from campaign to campaign within the whole.DMG 1979Not to mention the whole Vacuous Grimoire / Arduin business. Simply put, there was a dramatic switch as Gygax went from the standard hobbyist/collaboration mode (which also included sales) to a purely business model and policing his project.All of which is to say that, like many things that go from hobby to business, one of the first steps is to exclude the hobbyists be engaging in a process of standardization. Hope that answers your questions.</blockquote>

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