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Gary Gygax: Dungeons and Dragons creator

Written by and photos by SEAN SCHUETZ

Sunday, 28 August 2005

The "Nerd Revolution" took some of its early steps when a small company called Tactical Studies Rules opened shop in Lake Geneva, Wis., in the late 1960s. This company, commonly known as TSR, is responsible for the 1974 release of a game called Dungeons and Dragons (D&D, to aficionados).

This publishing company was co-founded by the same man who co-wrote the hit game, bringing about a drastic change to the way gamers would play their games, and the way an industry would grow.

The results of his work is more wide spread than many know of, the probability mechanics and mathematic tables he developed for the game, as well as the terminology for many of the variables (Such as "Hit Points"), are still used today. This includes everything from recently written tabletop games, to video games such as the "Final Fantasy series. Even "John Madden" football games utilize the probability mechanics developed during the creation of D&D.

The man is E. Gary Gygax, a Chicago native, born July 27, 1938, who now lives in Lake Geneva. His creation to those unfamiliar is a type of game, (note: the FIRST game of this type,) known as a role-playing game, or RPG (not to be confused with the exploding kind).

These games can be best described as half board game minus the board, and half play without a script. Players create a persona that they are represented by in the game, then use that avatar to wander through a fantasy world, acting out an unfolding story as told to them by a "gamemaster," or narrator. The experience is a lot like being an actor in a TV drama with no idea where the plot is going.

Though Gygax was born in Chicago, he spent every August in Lake Geneva until he was eight, at which point he moved there, and has stayed since. (Anyone who has seen the town knows why, it is a gorgeous area.)

Lumino got the chance to talk to the man at his home in Lake Geneva, along with two of his "playas," brothers Jeff and Brad Burklow, to find out what a creator of this subculture has to say about it, then, and now.

BEGINNINGS

Both Gary and David Arneston created the game, though each had very different roles in its creation.

"It’s a relative matter of who did what. The whole idea of dungeon delving was Dave’s idea. However, I wrote the entire game [system]."

The two met at GenCon II, playing a nautically based war game called, "Don’t Give Up the Ship," during which the two hit it off and continued gaming together. This led to the inevitable inspiration for the two to create D&D, publishing it from TSR, which Gygax was already operating. Unfortunately during the '80s there was a falling out of sorts, after which Gygax left TSR. The two meet now "only at conventions".

(Point of Interest: GenCon is named after the Geneva Convention, as the gaming convention was originally geared toward war gamers.)

INSPIRATION

There is a common misconception that D&D was based on Tolkien mythology. This is not true; the mythology is a combination of the many Gygax has studied over his life, and a few he made up.

"If you look in the back of a first edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons book, you will see an enormous bibliography of sources. I took the magic system from Jack Vance, who is my favorite author."

Also over the years there have been many different speculations on the spiritual nature of the game and whether there is any theology that is favored by the game. Again, the speculation is in error, Gary wanted the game to be as religiously neutral as possible.

"Actually, [the game] is quite secular."

While there was no direct religious influence in the game, there is a lifetime of fantasy appreciation from the man, which was put into the game.

"I have always been a Sci-Fi fan. Hardcore. When I was twelve I spent a summer in Corner Lake, Michigan, with my mother and a friend of hers. I was bored to tears and picked up a pulp magazine like "Starling" or "Pulp Wonder" and could not put it down. I said "THIS IS GREAT!" and have been hooked ever since."

Gary has also been fortunate enough to talk to many of his favorite authors. For some, he even has wacky stories.

"This one time Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke were at a convention in Baltimore, and Isaac asked Arthur, "What do we do if the fans ask who the greatest sci-fi writer is?" So, Arthur responded, "Well, I’ll say it’s you and you say that it’s me." So they agreed, and went on stage. When the question came up, they asked Arthur who the greatest writer was, and he said it was Asimov. Then the fans ask Asimov the same question, and all he says is "Who am I to argue with Arthur C. Clarke?"

PRESENT DAY

Gary had no idea that the game would get the reception that it did.

"I thought that we had an audience of maybe 50k people, the people who were already into war gaming. After two years, late in ’75, I realized that we had a much broader reach."

The game caught subcultural fire; spurring new role playing games to be developed and the new subculture grew to what it is today, a thriving billion-dollar industry. However, in the last few years, fantasy has taken wing in the hearts and minds of Americans, notability through the Peter Jackson films of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. However, Gary has another fiction in mind for this resurgence.

"The films have absolutely brought new interest to the genre, along with the Harry Potter books. I love the Harry Potter books."

Beyond the resurgence of fantasy, pop culture honors Gygax constantly. The Weezer song "In the Garage," the Marcy Playground song "Cloak of Elvenkind," and the TV show "Freaks and Geeks" all honor Gygax and his creation. So what does he say?

"Well, you know, I love it. D&D has become pop culture."

Ahhhh, but what about the D&D movie a few years ago? David Arneston had a cameo, so why not Gygax?

[Gary crosses himself in horror] "I want nothing to do with that film."

As much props as has been given, there have been the critics too. As many may remember, in the mid 80’s, many Christian groups alleged that D&D led to devil worship, suicide, and violence. Ironically, those critics threatened Gary with violence themselves; he even had to have a bodyguard for a while.

"Absolutely ridiculous. I scoffed at those people for their ignorance and lack of faith that people can distinguish reality from fantasy. This is playing "Lets pretend", we all did that once. When we were kids, we called it cops and robbers."

Though the modern day has shown a renewed concern, due to a new version of these games known as LARPing (Live Action Role Playing). The concern arises in that the game is not played over a kitchen table, in the mind’s eye of the players, it is real, and they literally act out their games in costume, knives, swords, and all. However, touching other people is strictly forbidden, thus eliminating real danger. However, many do not perceive it this way, and the old daemons of criticism are returning.

"You know, when we played cowboys and Indians, we had toy guns and war clubs, and we dressed up like cowboys. It’s the same.

"There was this case of a writer, who wrote an incredibly elaborate sci-fi universe. He wrote himself in as a character, and became delusionally involved into the story. When he was finally confronted by a psychiatrist, he was asked "Don’t you think you are a little too involved in this? This is all make believe."

The problem here was that his fantasy was not a shared reality, just his. Role-playing requires other people, becoming a shared fantasy/reality. When you bring other people into your fantasy, you just can’t go too far. Otherwise, the other players just start laughing at you."

An interesting thing about these games is that a person is allowed to play around with archetypes, behaviors, and sides of themselves that usually they would never consider acting on. A player’s character can be a reflection of themselves, or a side that no one knows about. But it’s not that way for everyone. Some (Gygax among them) just like to play the game.

"No, I just saw it as a form of vicarious adventuring."

"Yeah, but you were a war gamer, you were never into acting, that has a lot to do with your perspective." Jeff Burklow chimes in.

"Yeah, for instance if I played a thief character, that does not mean I want to BE a thief in life, but it is interesting to play around with in the game. For that matter, no one could ever actually be a wizard in life, but it is still fun to play one." Gary returns.

So what DOES Gary play?

"I usually am the game master [the story’s narrator], but when I play, I like to play a character named Olaf, which is a Cleric [a healer or priest]."

Many requests were received for this question, so Gary was asked, what does he think of the changes that have been made to his rules by TSR after his leaving? Though he has been used as a consultant, the company ignored his advice.

"I don’t like third edition, it’s rules heavy. They lost the concept of the archetype. It overstresses combat. And, it makes the gamemaster superfluous, you might as well play video games."

Recent health problems have left Gary with one regret.

"I can’t get out to the conventions and hobby shops as much as I used to. That makes it hard to talk to the large amount of players out there."

THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

Gary is not only known for his work in the inception of TSR and the creation of D&D, but has also written eleven novels to date, continued developing game systems after his fallout with TSR, most notably the recent "Legendary Adventures" game system, and beyond that he also is writing a series of books, "The Gygaxian World Builders."

These books are not a game system but an instructional, and reference guide for people to use in the writing of their own game systems. After reviewing one of the later series, it should be noted that the set of books are not just for RPG players, they are also extremely helpful for use by fiction writers trying to create their own believable fantasy world.

Gygax is still writing, still creating, still doing his thing. He has a few new things coming out, and that have just recently come out. Much of his work can be found at www.trolllord.com.