Gary Gygax, Dungeons & Dragons creator, dies

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AP) -- Gary Gygax, who co-created the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons and helped start the role-playing phenomenon, died Tuesday morning at his home in Lake Geneva. He was 69.

He had been suffering from health problems for several years, including an abdominal aneurysm, said his wife, Gail Gygax.

Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using medieval characters and mythical creatures. The game known for its oddly shaped dice became a hit, particularly among teenage boys, and eventually was turned into video games, books and movies.

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[Ed]

The flags will be at half mast in Geeksville today, for sure. Are they going to bury him, or just cram him into his locker and force the door shut one last time?

Sorry, I really shouldn't make light of it, but D&G was one of those things that just completely passed me by, and all the kids who were into it I found deeply annoying on a personal level

I'd probably get along fine with them now, though - if they could bring themselves to forgive me for all the wedgies, that is

[starktheground]

Haha. Ed, you bully! I actually played D&D when I was a preteen, with my older brother and his friends. I never really liked it though, just went along to hang out with my bro and the big kids!!

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

It's been only my best friend and I for the last 12 years. We went to online gaming 4 years ago when I moved further away. I was never "hardcore" with a bunch of other geeks, but it was always fascinating and provided some fun times. I play Neverwinter Nights weekly now. Looking to start Neverwinter Nights 2 as soon as I can get the necessary computer upgrades. Not a fan of the Everquest or WoW franchises, mainly because of the monthly fees. Figured there might be a bloke or two here that messed with the game.

[Ed]

At least the game's still alive for you, and the guy will be remembered for something that gave a lot of people pleasure. Not a bad legacy

[bintarab]

I actually played D&D when I was a preteen, with my older brother and his friends. I never really liked it though, just went along to hang out with my bro and the big kids!!

Yeah, I played with my little brother and his friends until I started getting killed too easily, then I made it known that I had outgrown the hack-and-slash mentality to which they were all still shackled -- but then I hung around in the background listening in on their campaigns and thinking, "Oh I can't believe they can't figure that out -- it's SO obvious." And from my safe and smug perch, I would draw their characters in scenes they encountered, making sure to depict my brother's friends as stupid Conan types -- you know, all brawn but dim in the eyes ("a few clowns short of a circus" as my friend would say).

My middle-aged brother -- now father of two girls -- still has marathon D&D sessions with friends and spends days beforehand preparing for his Dungeon Master role.

I bet that for every commercially successful D&D style game (computer or other), there are another 5 that tank. I don't know what makes one a hit and another not except for word-of-mouth, so I suppose the marketing is a big deal, eh? And perhaps high fees is counterintuitive to that. But I think D&D got away with ugly drawings and dull monsters because it was a novel idea at the time; now I expect it takes much more, especially if computer-based.

~bint

[Ed]

Yeah, when you put it like that, I bet the old style game took a lot more imagination to bring it to life than a computer rendered game does. The graphics are so good now, it's almost like you're there.

[rsmccoy]

I loved it because it was like an interactive book. We had basic story lines that we changed through our actions. I could visualize the action. If done right, and not just hack and slash, it was also like a dynamic chess game with riddles and puzzles. OF course we were playing at age 13 back in the late 70's, so our computer games were mostly mainframe and prettt weak. I played and Xbox version of Oblivion, and it has some of the quests that you have to think to solve but most are hack and slash. Wicked graphics, I felt myself bobbing and ducking.

He will be missed, he gave a lot of kids hours of entertainment.

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

Co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons dies at 61

MINNEAPOLIS – Dave Arneson, one of the co-creators of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy game and a pioneer of role-playing entertainment, died after a two-year battle with cancer, his family said Thursday. He was 61.

Arneson's daughter, Malia Weinhagen of Maplewood, said her father died peacefully Tuesday in hospice care in St. Paul.

Arneson and Gary Gygax developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using medieval characters and mythical creatures. The game known for its oddly shaped dice became a hit, particularly among teenage boys. It eventually was turned into video games, books and movies. Gygax died in March 2008.

Read entire story here.