The publication of the Dungeon Masters Guide in 1979 completed the rules for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. This event was heralded in the pages of Dragon by numerous articles and essays by people associated with the project, most importantly Gary Gygax, its chief designer. If the letters to the editor that appeared in the following months are any indication, not every Dungeons & Dragons player greeted this news with pleasure. Indeed, there seems to have been some anxiety on the part of some D&D players, who felt that Gygax was not simply "abandoning" his first RPG, but also belittling its players. From the vantage point of the present, these concerns remind me a bit of those voiced by players of other editions of D&D upon learning of a new edition of the game on the horizon. I guess some things never change!
In the case of AD&D's arrival, it's clear that Gygax's use of "non-game" and similar terms to describe OD&D raised some hackles, as evidenced by letters to the editor in the pages of Dragon. In one case (issue #30, October 1979), such a letter prompted the following response from one of the editors of Dragon (either Tim Kask or Gary Jaquet). The response is fascinating, not just because of its obvious intent assuage concerns about AD&D, but also what it says about the state of the hobby at the time.
"From the vantage point of the present, these concerns remind me a bit of those voiced by players of other editions of D&D upon learning of a new edition of the game on the horizon. I guess some things never change! "
ReplyDeleteAnd here we thought that 'firing the old players' was unique to WotC's approach to the game. :)
You know, I well remember my towering rage and righteous indignation when 2nd edition came out. Seems pretty silly now in retrospect!
ReplyDeleteSame!
DeleteI can't say I've ever seen the "Gay Gygax" typo before.
ReplyDeleteYes, the more things change the more they remain the same. This piece indicates that the complaining has been constant since the 70s. There is one gem in there though that runs counter to practices that have evolved since 3e such as "session zero" and "extensive character backgrounds". See the part about how "pre game briefings will no longer be necessary." I'm always happy to turn back the clock and comply with that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all these posts about the early days. My best friend and I cut our teeth on Moldvay until I bought the PHB and he got all three books at Christmas (he always got _everything_ on his list). For us, AD&D was just more options and well...just more. Just like how the Dragon articles just gave us more gaming material. For us there was no difference; it was all the same game.
ReplyDeleteEven today, that's my attitude. I guess I have an "Ed Wood" perspective of gaming. It's not about the rules, it's about the adventure.
That reads like a Kask piece. Your note that some things never change rings so true. Every time I dig into one of the zines or the letters section of _Dragon_ I see how we seem to be having the same arguments 40 years later.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I feel that Kask was often more...intemperate.
DeleteIn hindsight, I still think TSR trying to maintain 2 editions of D&D in parallel was not the smartest move.
ReplyDeleteIt was a great move. It presented a way for beginners to get into the game on their own.
DeleteI find interesting that his main point is being able to "sit down and be competitive".
ReplyDeleteI expect it's that strong wargaming ethos of the early hobby. Cf. Gygax's extensive notes at the end of the PHB about 'playing AD&D well.'
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