A loss among gamers everywhere...
Slice of SciFi reports that Gary Gygax has died at age 69.
The "Dungeons and Dragons" (D&D) co-creator and legengary gaming pioneer E. (Ernest) Gary Gygax has died at the age of 69 from complications arising from past multiple strokes.A gamer all his life, Gygax started out like most kids playing strategy games such as chess and the card game pinochle, as well as others. His love for games found a different outlet in the late 1950's with miniature war games like "Gettysburg." His fascination grew to the point where gaming for him became an art form and then he found and fell in love with science fiction. Thus was born his lifelong quest to develop some of the best genre-related gaming in the industry.
Our best wishes go out to his family and friends.
Comments (4)
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Posted by Tim Zinsky at Tuesday March 04, 2008 at 2:07 PM
© 2008 SF Signal
I never played a d&d game in my life, no one to play it with. I am sorry to hear of his passing.
Posted by General X on Tuesday March 04, 2008 at 2:20 PM
I have all my old first edition AD&D hardbacks right here and I'm looking at them nostagiacally (well, all except the Monster Manual because my brother ruined the first copy and replaced it with a 2nd edition.) I don't think he ever made much money with his creation (although admittedly he had help) but he certainly influenced a huge number of people - myself included.
I remember riding to school on the bus around 1982 and being absolutely fascinated by these plastic polyhedral dice another kid was playing with and I knew right there I had to own some along with the game that went with it. Basic D&D (and Expert D&D) was a fantastic introduction to gaming for me and to something I've always found to be very satisfying.
Posted by Scottsh on Tuesday March 04, 2008 at 8:37 PM
I learned so much about plotting and characterization from playing D&D that I credit Mr. Gygax and the game as being one of the factors that turned me into a writer.
Posted by J Alan Erwine on Wednesday March 05, 2008 at 10:37 AM
I never played the D&D board games, but I must have read 50 D&D books and played tons of their D&D RPG games. I think that the world he created touched many people and his loss will be felt by many.
Posted by scifiaddict on Thursday March 06, 2008 at 12:09 AM