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Which parts of D&D came from Tolkien?
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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 7264973" data-attributes="member: 29398"><p>Er...you're forgetting, I think, that while he was alive JRRT didn't really want anyone messing with his works; and after his death trying to get the movie rights from his estate was nigh impossible...</p><p></p><p>Both "Gary's own words" and Appendix N are parts of the intentional attempts being made at the time to distance D&D from Tolkein to avoid legal headaches.</p><p></p><p>JRRT might not be the end all/be all influence, but he's a bigger influence than you seem to want to allow for. Among college-age types in the late 60's/early 70's Tolkein was huge - the word "fad" is not an inaccurate description - and the original D&D designers fell right into that age bracket. This led to a strange cycle that neither side would willingly admit to:</p><p></p><p>1970-ish - Tolkein fad at its peak, eventually leading to...</p><p>1975-ish - fantasy RPG's - borrowing heavily from JRRT and whatever other sources they can find, emerge and evolve into something playable and take off, soon followed by...</p><p>1979-ish - second Tolkein fad (due to cartoon movie among other things) peaks, leading to...</p><p>1983-ish - fantasy RPG fad at its peak.</p><p></p><p>Also note that 20 years later the two properties again unintentionally move in near-lockstep:</p><p></p><p>2002-ish - second RPG fad at its peak, sparked by release of D&D 3e a few years prior</p><p>2001-2003 - the three Lord of the Rings movies released, sparking a significant spike in Tolkein interest.</p><p></p><p>Lan-"the question is not what influenced the game after it was designed, but before and during that process"-efan</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 7264973, member: 29398"] Er...you're forgetting, I think, that while he was alive JRRT didn't really want anyone messing with his works; and after his death trying to get the movie rights from his estate was nigh impossible... Both "Gary's own words" and Appendix N are parts of the intentional attempts being made at the time to distance D&D from Tolkein to avoid legal headaches. JRRT might not be the end all/be all influence, but he's a bigger influence than you seem to want to allow for. Among college-age types in the late 60's/early 70's Tolkein was huge - the word "fad" is not an inaccurate description - and the original D&D designers fell right into that age bracket. This led to a strange cycle that neither side would willingly admit to: 1970-ish - Tolkein fad at its peak, eventually leading to... 1975-ish - fantasy RPG's - borrowing heavily from JRRT and whatever other sources they can find, emerge and evolve into something playable and take off, soon followed by... 1979-ish - second Tolkein fad (due to cartoon movie among other things) peaks, leading to... 1983-ish - fantasy RPG fad at its peak. Also note that 20 years later the two properties again unintentionally move in near-lockstep: 2002-ish - second RPG fad at its peak, sparked by release of D&D 3e a few years prior 2001-2003 - the three Lord of the Rings movies released, sparking a significant spike in Tolkein interest. Lan-"the question is not what influenced the game after it was designed, but before and during that process"-efan [/QUOTE]
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Which parts of D&D came from Tolkien?
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