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<blockquote data-quote="Jehosephat" data-source="post: 1338579" data-attributes="member: 14128"><p>IMO, this is like asking is Joe Montana a better QB than Fran Tarkenton or Y.A. Tittle.&nbsp; There's just no good way to do it.&nbsp; Several people could have done it, but the important thing is that no one did.&nbsp; My understanding is that Ed Greenwood and M.A.R. Barker both had distinct and detailed fantasy worlds prior to their introduction to D&amp;D.&nbsp; Yet they just had their worlds.&nbsp; Chainmail was similar to what many had been doing to different degrees (and in different settings), but what makes Chainmail so special was that it included sections on fantasy as well as man to man single combat.&nbsp; Many people have their idea of who the top designers in the industry are today, but I dare say that all or most of those people cut their teeth on D&amp;D.&nbsp; The knowledge and experience that those people brought to the table was based on the existence of Dungeons &amp; Dragons&nbsp; I can't imagine that what Gary and Dave was unique, it was very likely to be going on all across America (maybe even the world).&nbsp; However, they seemed to be the ones with the foresight to actually do something about it.&nbsp; Would there have ever been a modern detective story without Edgar Allen Poe?&nbsp; Probably.&nbsp; But you know what? I'm sure glad Edgar decided to give writing a go.&nbsp; I feel the same way about Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.</p></blockquote><p></p>

[QUOTE="Jehosephat, post: 1338579, member: 14128"] IMO, this is like asking is Joe Montana a better QB than Fran Tarkenton or Y.A. Tittle. There's just no good way to do it. Several people could have done it, but the important thing is that no one did. My understanding is that Ed Greenwood and M.A.R. Barker both had distinct and detailed fantasy worlds prior to their introduction to D&D. Yet they just had their worlds. Chainmail was similar to what many had been doing to different degrees (and in different settings), but what makes Chainmail so special was that it included sections on fantasy as well as man to man single combat. Many people have their idea of who the top designers in the industry are today, but I dare say that all or most of those people cut their teeth on D&D. The knowledge and experience that those people brought to the table was based on the existence of Dungeons & Dragons I can't imagine that what Gary and Dave was unique, it was very likely to be going on all across America (maybe even the world). However, they seemed to be the ones with the foresight to actually do something about it. Would there have ever been a modern detective story without Edgar Allen Poe? Probably. But you know what? I'm sure glad Edgar decided to give writing a go. I feel the same way about Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. [/QUOTE]

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