Gary Gygax has passed away.
http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/03/report-gary-gyg.html
He is, and will continue to be, known best as the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, three little books that became a whole new world of gaming. Like many fans, however, “I would like the world to remember me as the guy who really enjoyed playing games and sharing his knowledge and his fun pastimes with everybody else.”*
I don’t have many personal memories of Gary Gygax. I barely remember a time when I was very young and we stopped to see some friends during one of our summer convention roadtrips. It was late, dark already in fact, when we arrived. All I can remember is the meeting outside, and I’m not sure who was there, or even if he was there, but I seem to remember it was him and Tom Wham.
However, despite the one thing he’s remembered for, Gary did much more. In the ’60s he was involved in the International Federation of Wargamers, which my dad was also involved in. It’s during that time that a set of medieval miniatures rules took shape that my dad’s game company “Guidon Games” published as Chainmail, which sparked D&D. He also served as the miniatures editor for Panzerfaust magazine when my dad took it over from Don Greenwood (and possibly before then, I don’t know), as well as designing Alexander the Great which was reprinted by Avalon Hill, and several sets of miniatures rules, published by both my dad and Gary’s own company “Tactical Studies Rules” (TSR).
He of course kept active after D&D and TSR, but I’m not as aware of it, as it doesn’t impinge on my personal history and interests as much.
An old interview, republished: http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/03/04/dungeons-dragons-cre.html
Q. Thanks for taking the time for the interview, not to mention for creating Dungeons & Dragons.
A. Welcome, and my pleasure to oblige.
Thank you very much, Gary. For everything.
*From GameSpy: http://uk.pc.gamespy.com/articles/538/538817p3.html
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