A Brief History of Dice [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Brief History of Dice [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Turlock
03-03-07, 10:00 AM Greetings,

Not even sure if this is the correct forum to post this in as I'm an infrequent visitor to these boards. I tried to find an "email the author" link for this article so I could just send this to him but had no luck.

Anyways, this is just a quick correction to the article "A Brief History of Dice" in the D&D Alumni section. In the article, author Steve Wunter states, The 1974 "Blue Box" edition of D&D came with a full set of (badly made) polyhedral dice.

Actually, the "Blue Box" edition came out sometime around 1977-78. The box set that came out in 1974 is commonly referred to as the "Original White Box" set.

Yeah, this may be nitpicking, however, as someone who's been playing D&D since 1974 (I bought my "White Box" set in 1975), and has always been interested in the history of D&D, I thought it proper to let the author know.

Again, my apologies if this is not the appropriate forum for this post. Any feedback as to where this post belongs is welcomed. Thanks.

<Just Another Old School Gamer>
Arrowhen
03-03-07, 12:10 PM Actually, the "Blue Box" edition came out sometime around 1977-78. The box set that came out in 1974 is commonly referred to as the "Original White Box" set.

Yeah, this may be nitpicking, however, as someone who's been playing D&D since 1974 (I bought my "White Box" set in 1975), and has always been interested in the history of D&D, I thought it proper to let the author know.

As long as we're nit-picking, the box set that came out in '74 wasn't white. The first three printings came in a faux wood-grain box with the artwork on an adhesive label. It wasn't until the fourth printing in Nov. 1975 that it was packaged in a white box with the artwork printed directly on it.

http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/original.html
mearrin69
03-03-07, 12:16 PM Well, I don't know if this is the right forum or not but...thanks for starting the thread. Arrowhen's link finally let me find out where my 'mystery rulebook' is from: 2nd edition, 2nd printing. I was wondering. Too bad some jerk filled in bits of it with colored pens :) I traded something pretty good for it back in 5th grade. Probably a coupla twinkies or something!
M
Arrowhen
03-03-07, 01:19 PM I started with the 12 printing of the basic set, myself.

Figures. I got screwed out of the Erol Otus artwork and the free copy of Keep on the Borderlands. :D
Turlock
03-03-07, 11:22 PM the box set that came out in '74 wasn't white. The first three printings came in a faux wood-grain box with the artwork on an adhesive label.

Yep....I remember wanting to purchase the original 1st printing wood grain with the white sticker of the warrior on the rearing horse. Unfortunately, I was only 10 years old at the time and, back in 1974, $10 was alot of scratch for a 4th grade kid to have. However, I lawn mowed and snow shovelled my way to being able to afford the 4th printing. I probably could've had the money in time for the 2nd or 3rd printings but I was also spending it on gaming miniatures as well as candy and Slurpees from the 7-Eleven on the corner. Back then, of course, I really didn't care what printing I had as long as I eventually had it. I was not in any hurry as my older cousin DID have the 1st printing boxed rules so we played using that. I wasn't a collector....I was (and still am) a player. In retrospect, I guess it would've been nice to get the first printing but what 10 year old would have ever thought D&D would become what it has.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Turlock 03-03-07, 10:00 AM	Greetings, Not even sure if this is the correct forum to post this in as I'm an infrequent visitor to these boards. I tried to find an "email the author" link for this article so I could just send this to him but had no luck. Anyways, this is just a quick correction to the article "A Brief History of Dice" in the D&D Alumni section. In the article, author Steve Wunter states, The 1974 "Blue Box" edition of D&D came with a full set of (badly made) polyhedral dice. Actually, the "Blue Box" edition came out sometime around 1977-78. The box set that came out in 1974 is commonly referred to as the "Original White Box" set. Yeah, this may be nitpicking, however, as someone who's been playing D&D since 1974 (I bought my "White Box" set in 1975), and has always been interested in the history of D&D, I thought it proper to let the author know. Again, my apologies if this is not the appropriate forum for this post. Any feedback as to where this post belongs is welcomed. Thanks. <Just Another Old School Gamer>
Arrowhen 03-03-07, 12:10 PM	Actually, the "Blue Box" edition came out sometime around 1977-78. The box set that came out in 1974 is commonly referred to as the "Original White Box" set. Yeah, this may be nitpicking, however, as someone who's been playing D&D since 1974 (I bought my "White Box" set in 1975), and has always been interested in the history of D&D, I thought it proper to let the author know. As long as we're nit-picking, the box set that came out in '74 wasn't white. The first three printings came in a faux wood-grain box with the artwork on an adhesive label. It wasn't until the fourth printing in Nov. 1975 that it was packaged in a white box with the artwork printed directly on it. http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/original.html
mearrin69 03-03-07, 12:16 PM	Well, I don't know if this is the right forum or not but...thanks for starting the thread. Arrowhen's link finally let me find out where my 'mystery rulebook' is from: 2nd edition, 2nd printing. I was wondering. Too bad some jerk filled in bits of it with colored pens :) I traded something pretty good for it back in 5th grade. Probably a coupla twinkies or something! M
Arrowhen 03-03-07, 01:19 PM	I started with the 12 printing of the basic set, myself. Figures. I got screwed out of the Erol Otus artwork and the free copy of Keep on the Borderlands. :D
Turlock 03-03-07, 11:22 PM	the box set that came out in '74 wasn't white. The first three printings came in a faux wood-grain box with the artwork on an adhesive label. Yep....I remember wanting to purchase the original 1st printing wood grain with the white sticker of the warrior on the rearing horse. Unfortunately, I was only 10 years old at the time and, back in 1974, $10 was alot of scratch for a 4th grade kid to have. However, I lawn mowed and snow shovelled my way to being able to afford the 4th printing. I probably could've had the money in time for the 2nd or 3rd printings but I was also spending it on gaming miniatures as well as candy and Slurpees from the 7-Eleven on the corner. Back then, of course, I really didn't care what printing I had as long as I eventually had it. I was not in any hurry as my older cousin DID have the 1st printing boxed rules so we played using that. I wasn't a collector....I was (and still am) a player. In retrospect, I guess it would've been nice to get the first printing but what 10 year old would have ever thought D&D would become what it has.