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Ernest Gary Gygax
July 27, 1938 - March 4, 2008
The man credited with bringing about the role-playing game phenomenon died yesterday.
It's hard to accurately represent how much of an impact this man's work (the Dungeons & Dragons game, and role-playing games in general) had on my life. I have spent and incredible number of hours playing various RPGs, especially AD&D -- playing, designing/running adventures, rolling up characters, trying to figure out how to overcome the latest obstacle the Dungeon Master has thrown at us... and mostly, enjoying the time spent with good friends (not to mention freaking out the servers at 3:00 a.m. at Denny's when we'd sit there trying to plot things out). That is one reason why I never got into the online gaming phenomenon -- it doesn't give me the interaction that the "pencil and paper" version does.
And I shudder to think how much money I've spent on game-related stuff over the years -- books, magazines, computer programs, maps, professional modules, entry fees into gaming competitions, etc, spread over almost 30 years... but when I consider some of the friendships I've developed as a result, the monetary cost seems insignificant.
I'm sure there will be marathon gaming sessions around the world this weekend in honor of his passing. Anybody else feel like playing? ::S::
Oh, and Penny Arcade had a very cute picture, here.
Mr. Gygax, I have no idea what world you have gone on to, but I do know that because of you countless worlds have been created, valiant heroes and dastardly villians have been born and sometimes died (and sometimes that didn't stop them ::G::), and millions of people have learned to tap into their imaginations and their own creative genius. Strangers who might otherwise have never met became friends, and lives were changed. I'm sure there were those who found their changes were not always good, but I suspect there was more good than bad.
Fare thee well, sir, and thank you. Where ever you are now, may you always have "initiative" ::S::
July 27, 1938 - March 4, 2008
The man credited with bringing about the role-playing game phenomenon died yesterday.
It's hard to accurately represent how much of an impact this man's work (the Dungeons & Dragons game, and role-playing games in general) had on my life. I have spent and incredible number of hours playing various RPGs, especially AD&D -- playing, designing/running adventures, rolling up characters, trying to figure out how to overcome the latest obstacle the Dungeon Master has thrown at us... and mostly, enjoying the time spent with good friends (not to mention freaking out the servers at 3:00 a.m. at Denny's when we'd sit there trying to plot things out). That is one reason why I never got into the online gaming phenomenon -- it doesn't give me the interaction that the "pencil and paper" version does.
And I shudder to think how much money I've spent on game-related stuff over the years -- books, magazines, computer programs, maps, professional modules, entry fees into gaming competitions, etc, spread over almost 30 years... but when I consider some of the friendships I've developed as a result, the monetary cost seems insignificant.
I'm sure there will be marathon gaming sessions around the world this weekend in honor of his passing. Anybody else feel like playing? ::S::
Oh, and Penny Arcade had a very cute picture, here.
Mr. Gygax, I have no idea what world you have gone on to, but I do know that because of you countless worlds have been created, valiant heroes and dastardly villians have been born and sometimes died (and sometimes that didn't stop them ::G::), and millions of people have learned to tap into their imaginations and their own creative genius. Strangers who might otherwise have never met became friends, and lives were changed. I'm sure there were those who found their changes were not always good, but I suspect there was more good than bad.
Fare thee well, sir, and thank you. Where ever you are now, may you always have "initiative" ::S::
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