March 4, 2008
Gary Gygax, Co-Creator of Dungeons & Dragons, Dies
Laughing Squid broke the news that game designer Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons (1974)/co-founder of Tactical Studies Rules, died today at the ripe age of 69. According to LS, his death was announced on the Troll Lord Games forum. Steve (AKA the High Lord, Coburg the Undying, he who sits on the elephants back of the Castle and Crusade Society) had this to say on the forums:
It is almost too much to get my mind about. But I've just had news that our dear Dungeon Master has passed away. Ernie called this morning, he thought we should let the fans know. He's just sent an email out.Gary was in his home when he gathered himself up to cross the great divide.
He was a very dear friend of mine. And I will miss him so.
God Speed My Friend.
Very sad news, indeed. And please forgive us for the glaring lack of D&D puns, hit-point references, or whatever; we really don't know much about this popular and controversial game. (Save for the animated cartoon, which was AWESOME if only for Sheila alone.) We were forbidden to play it as a kid because it was, it seems, the work of Satan. Or so we were told. Alas.
Photo: Alan De Smet
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he was on futurama as part of Al Gore's gang of rangers or whatever. which was funny b/c tipper used to be critical of D and D.
Actually, Gary was 69.
This is incredibly sad news for us geeks and gamers. Adn here I was just last night downloaded the old animated show because I hadn't seen it in a while... We will be playing tonight, and we will play Basic tonight in his honor. *raises mug of mead* Godspeed, Dungeon Master.
Yes, it's sad that he passed...but at least he lived long enough to see the impact he had on pop culture (you can trace a direct line from D&D through Arnold Schwarzeneggar barbarian movies to things like Second Life).
As a bored, lonely, and slightly obsessive geek boy growing up in rural Virginia, Dungeons and Dragons gave me a whole new world to fantasize about, and I can still remember how much fun it was to read the Dungeon Master's Guide, the bestiaries, and all the other D&D books that TSR put out. And, interestingly enough, in my collection of old role playing stuff, I still have a copy of one of TSR's original guides to tabletop miniature battles for modern militaries. In the days before video games really took off, D&D provided millions of teenage boys with an excuse to get together, engage in some imaginative play, eat pizza, and drink a lot of Mountain Dew.
This is like telling 80s' New Wave fans that Morrissey died.
Oh man, my mom said I couldn't play because this game was Satan's work, too. When I used to visit my dad on weekends, he and my uncles would play D&D while listening to Racer X and Juda's Priest. And I just had to sit there and watch because "you know your mom will kill me if she finds out I let you play."
And that's my D&D memory.
I propose a 21-sided-dice salute.