Why is the original red box so special

[diaglo]

the red box was just another poor imitation of the real thing. i had OD&D(1974), 2 versions of Holmes, and Moldvay along with 1edADnD by the time the red box came out.

OD&D(1974) is the only true game. All the other editions are just poor imitations of the real thing.

 

[Jasperak]

To tie into my posts up thread, I find the Mentzer Red Box special because of its marketing and placement. Finding it in my local book store (Walden's I think) was like a blast of fresh air. Not only was this a game that threw off the shackles of predestined stories, but it was also something I could share with friends. We could make our own stories.

I would think that in today's age, selling an experience like D&D would be easy if they would approach it like: this is a game that does not rely on a group of programmers to predetermine your game or story, your game is limited only by your imagination. This is D&D's strongest selling point. By far.

That's why the Red Box is special to me. It was really unlimited in scope, if not in rules.

 

[Jasperak]

the red box was just another poor imitation of the real thing. i had OD&D(1974), 2 versions of Holmes, and Moldvay along with 1edADnD by the time the red box came out.

OD&D(1974) is the only true game. All the other editions are just poor imitations of the real thing.

And this is why we love you

 

[billd91]

I saw the new red box at Geek.Kon this last weekend in Madison. From a distance, thought it was a copy of the old red box everyone's talking about here. Now, I said before that I didn't find the red box special because I started a boxed set before that one, but I still found myself resenting the 4e red box specifically because it looked the same as that classic product. It just doesn't seem right to me to copy the old successful product so closely even if the company owns the IP.

 

[Roland55]

I can't use the standard reason, as the original Red Box is not how I started in this game.

However, I distinctly recall buying it for my newborn son when it first came out. And that, to me, is easily reason enough to remember it fondly.