Any truth to the rumor? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Any truth to the rumor? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
thorburn
10-06-06, 05:14 PM That Gary Gygax is coming back to fix D&D and everything that's been screwed up since he left.

A group of mine has played all the versions and after a few years we decided to go back to Advanced D&D because everything else just isn't D&D.

Just read a rumor that Gary's taking control of D&D again.

Is that true??? I got $500 ready to buy anything new he puts out for D&D.

Please someone tell me it's true!

Thorburn
Solaris
10-06-06, 05:20 PM Assume not.

If you want to buy Gary's stuff, he's doing supplements for Castles & Crusades, and he has his own game, Lejendary Adventure.
Tiefling_Warlock
10-06-06, 05:21 PM Isn't he dead?
Dhaise
10-06-06, 05:27 PM I hope not.

Gary G's attempts at 'fixing the industry' have been hit and miss since leaving TSR. I think he had lightning in a bottle once, but not anything easily repeatable.
Penguintine
10-06-06, 05:30 PM Gary Gygax is the Steve Jobs of the RPG Industry. When WotC takes him back, then and only then D&D will beat video games.
Tempest Stormwind
10-06-06, 05:43 PM Bah, as far as I'm concerned, Gygax had a few great ideas, but was utterly crippled by the Player Vs DM perspective used when writing adventures and the DMG and the "you are NOT playing YOUR character, you're playing one of MINE" approach used to design the very ruleset it was based on.

If you enjoy his things (and don't get me wrong, he had some good ideas), then check out the afforementioned Castles and Crusades.
J.Augustus Rose II
10-06-06, 05:47 PM Bah, as far as I'm concerned, Gygax had a few great ideas, but was utterly crippled by the Player Vs DM perspective used when writing adventures and the DMG and the "you are NOT playing YOUR character, you're playing one of MINE" approach used to design the very ruleset it was based on.

If you enjoy his things (and don't get me wrong, he had some good ideas), then check out the afforementioned Castles and Crusades.

I agree. He seems very out of date and out of touch at this point.
tuffn00gies
10-06-06, 05:48 PM If you enjoy his things (and don't get me wrong, he had some good ideas), then check out the afforementioned Castles and Crusades.

Or, as I understand it, try Hackmaster.
Tarascon
10-06-06, 06:47 PM It as is foretold in the book of Gygax! All hail the return of the messiah, the second coming of Gary!
The (roll 1d10)
1-2 rebirth
3-4 renaissance
5-6 revelation
7-8 resurrection
8-10 renewal
of the old ways at last!
frasmage
10-06-06, 06:48 PM Isn't he dead?

no but he has been having some health issues
Solaris
10-06-06, 06:54 PM way I understand it, the only way he could "Come back and fix D&D" is to walk into WotC's HQ and shoot himself in the head, I think D&D's future is it's own new path, not th path it used to walk.

In my opinion, D&D's path ended when Gygax left, and Its future is with the people who continue to play that game. I dunno what this thing is that you're all playing. It's a bit like D&D. But the difference is like that between Old Bugs and New Bugs:

http://www.humorgazette.com/images/bugs-new.jpg
Seeker95
10-06-06, 06:58 PM Just read a rumor that Gary's taking control of D&D again.

Is that true???Nope.
Salla
10-06-06, 06:59 PM Strange, 'cause I think of 3rd Edition as fixing all the screwups Gygax made. :)
Dhaise
10-06-06, 07:05 PM For every DnD gygax came up with, there were a pair of boot hills.

What would Gygax 'save' in 3.5?
Class balance? The guy responsible for the 1st edition Cavalier and barbarian?

Settings?
Check out the city state of the invincible overlord for a very detailed, completely nonsensical setting. The map and legend are pure comedy.

Innovative design?
Hi Boot Hill. Hi Linear Adventures. Hi contradictory rules material.

Gary G came up with a fun and novel way to set something up,but not all of his ideas were gold or legendary.
dizfactor
10-06-06, 07:09 PM In many ways, Gary Gygax is to RPGs as John Byrne is to comics. I don't mean that as a compliment, but at least Gygax doesn't seem to be a jerk on the same level as Byrne.
Solaris
10-06-06, 07:14 PM That Gary Gygax is coming back to fix D&D and everything that's been screwed up since he left.

A group of mine has played all the versions and after a few years we decided to go back to Advanced D&D because everything else just isn't D&D.

That's just it. There's nothing to fix because the old editions are still fine; play them, rather than try to undo 3E. Now, at least, there's a choice. We can play D&D, and the always-delightful "Gary Gygax should shoot himself in the head" 3E fans can play that (or shoot themselves in the head, for all I care).
PhaedrusXY
10-06-06, 08:57 PM WOW! Great thread! :cheer: (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=710012)
CharlieRock
10-06-06, 09:30 PM http://www.trolllord.com/newsite/cnc/index.html
Ikeren
10-06-06, 09:37 PM Wait a second.

DND needs fixing?

Dude, I've totally been like, enjoying this...weird...
Artector
10-06-06, 09:40 PM Wait a second.

DND needs fixing?

Dude, I've totally been like, enjoying this...weird...

I think this captures what I've been thinking pretty well.
Seerow
10-06-06, 09:45 PM Funny, I saw the link to Castles and Crusades, but saw "Troll Lord" and expected some funny joke about the topic creator.
CharlieRock
10-06-06, 09:51 PM I didn't think D&D needs much fixing either. I put up the C&C link because it is the newest game that allows for the older D&D "feel". I still play AD&D and D&D3.x . I like somethings from both .
ImmortalBlueMage
10-06-06, 09:52 PM I don't mean that as a compliment, but at least Gygax doesn't seem to be a jerk on the same level as Byrne.

I beg to differ.

Gygax is a sad, bitter little man. And hey, I don't blame him, he did get shafted by the gaming idustry, I'd be bitter too, but he's been fermenting those sour grapes for long enough now, he really needs to grow up.
Solaris
10-06-06, 09:55 PM I beg to differ.

Gygax is a sad, bitter little man. And hey, I don't blame him, he did get shafted by the gaming idustry, I'd be bitter too, but he's been fermenting those sour grapes for long enough now, he really needs to grow up.

I've always seen him to be a happy, friendly man, on the forums where he posts.
ImmortalBlueMage
10-06-06, 09:59 PM Well anytime he gives an interview about D&D he comes off as a guy who just can't get over himself, or the past.
splat78423
10-06-06, 10:04 PM Is the rumor really true? If George Lucas walked into wotc headquarters and shot himself in the head the sci fi world would be a better place? When gamers say things like that they are just disrespecting themselves.
Mitchell
10-06-06, 11:13 PM Just to be fair, I don't recall Gygax being associated with the City State of the Invincible Overlord.
That was 3rd party material.
Dhaise
10-07-06, 12:12 AM When I met Gygax, he was the epitome of politeness in a cramped, poorly ventilated convention. Even when people razzed him (friends,or colleagues I assumed), he was always polite.

Byrne was the panel member djour a later year at comi con, and couldnt stop being condescending. We all did JB a favor listening to him rant about everyone from marv wolfman to jim shooter.

based on my two encounters,I wouldn't rate them as the same type at all.
UltimateReality
10-07-06, 01:00 AM 90% of this thread deserves a giant:
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/3291/kung20fu20babyvy6.gif
:love: :love: :love:
Bob Loblaw
10-07-06, 09:56 AM With all the D&D stuff that Gygax created, I don't think I want to see it come back.

The original Unearthed Arcana
18/% Strength
Dual classing
Clerics can't heal until they cast 2nd level spells
Paladins can only have 10 magic items
Bards, very strange (can't talk to bards of lower level?)
Racial level limits as a balancing factor
The list goes on

I think, at the time, Dungeons and Dragons was a blast. I enjoyed many of the games I played in (and if I found a good DM, I would play in any edition of the game). Seeing how things have changed, I agree with many of the changes. I'm glad we don't have tables to roll on to determine if we hit a certain AC (these tables had a strange "floating 20" in them). I'm glad that the rules, generally make more sense (Half-elves could be bards, but to be a bard you had to dual-class which half-elves couldn't do). Psionics were randomly determined, you may or may not have them at the start. If you did, you would be more powerful than someone else, with no drawback to this power.

The game has changed greatly. While it's far from perfect (and never will be), it certainly doesn't need the creator to come back and fix anything. If people want to play his style of games, there are ways to do that already. The current team has done a great job. Gygax is not a gaming god. He is merely the one who came up with a way to quantify our desire to play make-believe.
Shinryouga
10-07-06, 11:14 AM Saying we need to go back to Gygaxian D&D is like saying we need to go back to the social paradigms of the 1920's. Sure, we have less violence (or do we?), less political corruption (or do we?), and we all get to live in the Leave it to Beaver world. But what happens to all the women and non-white folks? Does the revoking of their civil liberties not matter?

For better or worse, time marches on. Enviroments, be the the social enviroment, or the gaming enviroment, change. They evolve. We can help guide said evolution, but saying we need to roll things back to "the way it used to be" is a level of blind escapism and rejection that I feel has no place in the gaming community I wish to associate with.

Bury your head in the sand if you like, but I think we'd all like it better if we all got along. Play the old versions of the game, heck, I use massive amounts of 2nd edition fluff in my games, even though I'm devoted to 3rd edition mechanics. But the gaming enviroment is evolving, like it or not. Its up to all of us to insure it evolves into what we want.

Lets not forget that for many years, Bugs used to look like this. Sometimes change is good, eh?
http://tesla.liketelevision.com/liketelevision/images/toonfest/lowrez/bugs7212.jpg
Escef
10-07-06, 11:57 AM My opinion of Gygax as a man is that he is a polite, curteous fellow, but opinionated. As a gamer he is merciless and oppositional, but fair (and heaven's forbid, some of his adventures aren't so bad if players are smart enough to retreat, rest, and prepare). As a game designer he helped create something revolutionary, but since then most of his efforts have been hit or miss, but not truely outstanding. As for D&D, Gygax is like a father who disapproves of what his son has done with his life, not realizing that the son has outgrown his father.

As for what I think of D&D, I've played AD&D 1e and 2e, as well as 3e/3.5, and I think d20 D&D is the best version of the game I've ever played.
Seeker95
10-07-06, 12:39 PM Well anytime he gives an interview about D&D he comes off as a guy who just can't get over himself, or the past.Everyone that interviews him asks about him and the past. It comes with the territory of being a founder who is no longer in charge.
Raymond_Luxury_Yacht
10-07-06, 01:51 PM In my opinion, D&D's path ended when Gygax left, and Its future is with the people who continue to play that game. I dunno what this thing is that you're all playing. It's a bit like D&D. But the difference is like that between Old Bugs and New Bugs:

*snip*
Amusingly, you posted a picture of New Bugs and something that isn't Bugs, and was never intended to be.

Old Bugs: http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/550/vr1712awildhareef0.jpg
New Bugs: http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8997/vertbugsrq0.jpg
pauldanielj
10-07-06, 10:05 PM With all the D&D stuff that Gygax created, I don't think I want to see it come back.

The original Unearthed Arcana
18/% Strength
Dual classing
Clerics can't heal until they cast 2nd level spells
Paladins can only have 10 magic items
Bards, very strange (can't talk to bards of lower level?)
Racial level limits as a balancing factor
The list goes on

The game has changed greatly. While it's far from perfect (and never will be), it certainly doesn't need the creator to come back and fix anything.

I second that. GG did amazing work in his day. The old Greyhawk novels like "Artifact of Evil" were the first novels I've ever read, and D&D is the game that introduced me to role-playing. But having played 1st, 2nd, basic, et cetera (as well as innumerable non-D&D RPGs), I can honestly say that I find 3.5 to be not only the best D&D version, but the best RPG I've ever played. When I saw RPGers spending all their money on M:TG back in the mid-nineties I despaired for the future of real RPGs, and when WoTC bought TSR I almost had a heart attack. But looking back, I think WoTC is the best thing that could have happened to D&D.
angryman
10-07-06, 10:25 PM Gary Gygax is a legend but his adventures and rules were ARBITRARY as hell.

"This room contains a hidden amulet." If PCs don't find it, 10 levels later they will all be slain by the CR 24 guardian (that the amulet can instantly banish, not that they know that)

Or the non-sequencial, random trap rooms! >_<

Gary, you're a mad genius! :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
thorburn 10-06-06, 05:14 PM	That Gary Gygax is coming back to fix D&D and everything that's been screwed up since he left. A group of mine has played all the versions and after a few years we decided to go back to Advanced D&D because everything else just isn't D&D. Just read a rumor that Gary's taking control of D&D again. Is that true??? I got $500 ready to buy anything new he puts out for D&D. Please someone tell me it's true! Thorburn
Solaris 10-06-06, 05:20 PM	Assume not. If you want to buy Gary's stuff, he's doing supplements for Castles & Crusades, and he has his own game, Lejendary Adventure.
Tiefling_Warlock 10-06-06, 05:21 PM	Isn't he dead?
Dhaise 10-06-06, 05:27 PM	I hope not. Gary G's attempts at 'fixing the industry' have been hit and miss since leaving TSR. I think he had lightning in a bottle once, but not anything easily repeatable.
Penguintine 10-06-06, 05:30 PM	Gary Gygax is the Steve Jobs of the RPG Industry. When WotC takes him back, then and only then D&D will beat video games.
Tempest Stormwind 10-06-06, 05:43 PM	Bah, as far as I'm concerned, Gygax had a few great ideas, but was utterly crippled by the Player Vs DM perspective used when writing adventures and the DMG and the "you are NOT playing YOUR character, you're playing one of MINE" approach used to design the very ruleset it was based on. If you enjoy his things (and don't get me wrong, he had some good ideas), then check out the afforementioned Castles and Crusades.
J.Augustus Rose II 10-06-06, 05:47 PM	Bah, as far as I'm concerned, Gygax had a few great ideas, but was utterly crippled by the Player Vs DM perspective used when writing adventures and the DMG and the "you are NOT playing YOUR character, you're playing one of MINE" approach used to design the very ruleset it was based on. If you enjoy his things (and don't get me wrong, he had some good ideas), then check out the afforementioned Castles and Crusades. I agree. He seems very out of date and out of touch at this point.
tuffn00gies 10-06-06, 05:48 PM	If you enjoy his things (and don't get me wrong, he had some good ideas), then check out the afforementioned Castles and Crusades. Or, as I understand it, try Hackmaster.
Tarascon 10-06-06, 06:47 PM	It as is foretold in the book of Gygax! All hail the return of the messiah, the second coming of Gary! The (roll 1d10) 1-2 rebirth 3-4 renaissance 5-6 revelation 7-8 resurrection 8-10 renewal of the old ways at last!
frasmage 10-06-06, 06:48 PM	Isn't he dead? no but he has been having some health issues
Solaris 10-06-06, 06:54 PM	way I understand it, the only way he could "Come back and fix D&D" is to walk into WotC's HQ and shoot himself in the head, I think D&D's future is it's own new path, not th path it used to walk. In my opinion, D&D's path ended when Gygax left, and Its future is with the people who continue to play that game. I dunno what this thing is that you're all playing. It's a bit like D&D. But the difference is like that between Old Bugs and New Bugs: http://www.humorgazette.com/images/bugs-new.jpg
Seeker95 10-06-06, 06:58 PM	Just read a rumor that Gary's taking control of D&D again. Is that true???Nope.
Salla 10-06-06, 06:59 PM	Strange, 'cause I think of 3rd Edition as fixing all the screwups Gygax made. :)
Dhaise 10-06-06, 07:05 PM	For every DnD gygax came up with, there were a pair of boot hills. What would Gygax 'save' in 3.5? Class balance? The guy responsible for the 1st edition Cavalier and barbarian? Settings? Check out the city state of the invincible overlord for a very detailed, completely nonsensical setting. The map and legend are pure comedy. Innovative design? Hi Boot Hill. Hi Linear Adventures. Hi contradictory rules material. Gary G came up with a fun and novel way to set something up,but not all of his ideas were gold or legendary.
dizfactor 10-06-06, 07:09 PM	In many ways, Gary Gygax is to RPGs as John Byrne is to comics. I don't mean that as a compliment, but at least Gygax doesn't seem to be a jerk on the same level as Byrne.
Solaris 10-06-06, 07:14 PM	That Gary Gygax is coming back to fix D&D and everything that's been screwed up since he left. A group of mine has played all the versions and after a few years we decided to go back to Advanced D&D because everything else just isn't D&D. That's just it. There's nothing to fix because the old editions are still fine; play them, rather than try to undo 3E. Now, at least, there's a choice. We can play D&D, and the always-delightful "Gary Gygax should shoot himself in the head" 3E fans can play that (or shoot themselves in the head, for all I care).
PhaedrusXY 10-06-06, 08:57 PM	WOW! Great thread! :cheer: (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=710012)
CharlieRock 10-06-06, 09:30 PM	http://www.trolllord.com/newsite/cnc/index.html
Ikeren 10-06-06, 09:37 PM	Wait a second. DND needs fixing? Dude, I've totally been like, enjoying this...weird...
Artector 10-06-06, 09:40 PM	Wait a second. DND needs fixing? Dude, I've totally been like, enjoying this...weird... I think this captures what I've been thinking pretty well.
Seerow 10-06-06, 09:45 PM	Funny, I saw the link to Castles and Crusades, but saw "Troll Lord" and expected some funny joke about the topic creator.
CharlieRock 10-06-06, 09:51 PM	I didn't think D&D needs much fixing either. I put up the C&C link because it is the newest game that allows for the older D&D "feel". I still play AD&D and D&D3.x . I like somethings from both .
ImmortalBlueMage 10-06-06, 09:52 PM	I don't mean that as a compliment, but at least Gygax doesn't seem to be a jerk on the same level as Byrne. I beg to differ. Gygax is a sad, bitter little man. And hey, I don't blame him, he did get shafted by the gaming idustry, I'd be bitter too, but he's been fermenting those sour grapes for long enough now, he really needs to grow up.
Solaris 10-06-06, 09:55 PM	I beg to differ. Gygax is a sad, bitter little man. And hey, I don't blame him, he did get shafted by the gaming idustry, I'd be bitter too, but he's been fermenting those sour grapes for long enough now, he really needs to grow up. I've always seen him to be a happy, friendly man, on the forums where he posts.
ImmortalBlueMage 10-06-06, 09:59 PM	Well anytime he gives an interview about D&D he comes off as a guy who just can't get over himself, or the past.
splat78423 10-06-06, 10:04 PM	Is the rumor really true? If George Lucas walked into wotc headquarters and shot himself in the head the sci fi world would be a better place? When gamers say things like that they are just disrespecting themselves.
Mitchell 10-06-06, 11:13 PM	Just to be fair, I don't recall Gygax being associated with the City State of the Invincible Overlord. That was 3rd party material.
Dhaise 10-07-06, 12:12 AM	When I met Gygax, he was the epitome of politeness in a cramped, poorly ventilated convention. Even when people razzed him (friends,or colleagues I assumed), he was always polite. Byrne was the panel member djour a later year at comi con, and couldnt stop being condescending. We all did JB a favor listening to him rant about everyone from marv wolfman to jim shooter. based on my two encounters,I wouldn't rate them as the same type at all.
UltimateReality 10-07-06, 01:00 AM	90% of this thread deserves a giant: http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/3291/kung20fu20babyvy6.gif :love: :love: :love:
Bob Loblaw 10-07-06, 09:56 AM	With all the D&D stuff that Gygax created, I don't think I want to see it come back. The original Unearthed Arcana 18/% Strength Dual classing Clerics can't heal until they cast 2nd level spells Paladins can only have 10 magic items Bards, very strange (can't talk to bards of lower level?) Racial level limits as a balancing factor The list goes on I think, at the time, Dungeons and Dragons was a blast. I enjoyed many of the games I played in (and if I found a good DM, I would play in any edition of the game). Seeing how things have changed, I agree with many of the changes. I'm glad we don't have tables to roll on to determine if we hit a certain AC (these tables had a strange "floating 20" in them). I'm glad that the rules, generally make more sense (Half-elves could be bards, but to be a bard you had to dual-class which half-elves couldn't do). Psionics were randomly determined, you may or may not have them at the start. If you did, you would be more powerful than someone else, with no drawback to this power. The game has changed greatly. While it's far from perfect (and never will be), it certainly doesn't need the creator to come back and fix anything. If people want to play his style of games, there are ways to do that already. The current team has done a great job. Gygax is not a gaming god. He is merely the one who came up with a way to quantify our desire to play make-believe.
Shinryouga 10-07-06, 11:14 AM	Saying we need to go back to Gygaxian D&D is like saying we need to go back to the social paradigms of the 1920's. Sure, we have less violence (or do we?), less political corruption (or do we?), and we all get to live in the Leave it to Beaver world. But what happens to all the women and non-white folks? Does the revoking of their civil liberties not matter? For better or worse, time marches on. Enviroments, be the the social enviroment, or the gaming enviroment, change. They evolve. We can help guide said evolution, but saying we need to roll things back to "the way it used to be" is a level of blind escapism and rejection that I feel has no place in the gaming community I wish to associate with. Bury your head in the sand if you like, but I think we'd all like it better if we all got along. Play the old versions of the game, heck, I use massive amounts of 2nd edition fluff in my games, even though I'm devoted to 3rd edition mechanics. But the gaming enviroment is evolving, like it or not. Its up to all of us to insure it evolves into what we want. Lets not forget that for many years, Bugs used to look like this. Sometimes change is good, eh? http://tesla.liketelevision.com/liketelevision/images/toonfest/lowrez/bugs7212.jpg
Escef 10-07-06, 11:57 AM	My opinion of Gygax as a man is that he is a polite, curteous fellow, but opinionated. As a gamer he is merciless and oppositional, but fair (and heaven's forbid, some of his adventures aren't so bad if players are smart enough to retreat, rest, and prepare). As a game designer he helped create something revolutionary, but since then most of his efforts have been hit or miss, but not truely outstanding. As for D&D, Gygax is like a father who disapproves of what his son has done with his life, not realizing that the son has outgrown his father. As for what I think of D&D, I've played AD&D 1e and 2e, as well as 3e/3.5, and I think d20 D&D is the best version of the game I've ever played.
Seeker95 10-07-06, 12:39 PM	Well anytime he gives an interview about D&D he comes off as a guy who just can't get over himself, or the past.Everyone that interviews him asks about him and the past. It comes with the territory of being a founder who is no longer in charge.
Raymond_Luxury_Yacht 10-07-06, 01:51 PM	In my opinion, D&D's path ended when Gygax left, and Its future is with the people who continue to play that game. I dunno what this thing is that you're all playing. It's a bit like D&D. But the difference is like that between Old Bugs and New Bugs: snip Amusingly, you posted a picture of New Bugs and something that isn't Bugs, and was never intended to be. Old Bugs: http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/550/vr1712awildhareef0.jpg New Bugs: http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8997/vertbugsrq0.jpg
pauldanielj 10-07-06, 10:05 PM	With all the D&D stuff that Gygax created, I don't think I want to see it come back. The original Unearthed Arcana 18/% Strength Dual classing Clerics can't heal until they cast 2nd level spells Paladins can only have 10 magic items Bards, very strange (can't talk to bards of lower level?) Racial level limits as a balancing factor The list goes on The game has changed greatly. While it's far from perfect (and never will be), it certainly doesn't need the creator to come back and fix anything. I second that. GG did amazing work in his day. The old Greyhawk novels like "Artifact of Evil" were the first novels I've ever read, and D&D is the game that introduced me to role-playing. But having played 1st, 2nd, basic, et cetera (as well as innumerable non-D&D RPGs), I can honestly say that I find 3.5 to be not only the best D&D version, but the best RPG I've ever played. When I saw RPGers spending all their money on M:TG back in the mid-nineties I despaired for the future of real RPGs, and when WoTC bought TSR I almost had a heart attack. But looking back, I think WoTC is the best thing that could have happened to D&D.
angryman 10-07-06, 10:25 PM	Gary Gygax is a legend but his adventures and rules were ARBITRARY as hell. "This room contains a hidden amulet." If PCs don't find it, 10 levels later they will all be slain by the CR 24 guardian (that the amulet can instantly banish, not that they know that) Or the non-sequencial, random trap rooms! >_< Gary, you're a mad genius! :D