Gary Gygax thread

[rusty_shackleford]

Looks neat. I haven’t played the Pathfinder TTRPG outside the CRPG’s

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition, which was the last edition that Gary Gygax influenced,

I suppose it depends on what you mean by influenced, but he would have been working on Lejendary Journeys or with Troll Lord Games at that time.

Lejendary Adventures, the other one was Dangerous Journeys.

LA design was heavily influenced by it originally being designed for an MMO. It's surprisingly rules lite. I think DJ is closer to what Gygax actually wanted. DJ was ended because of T$R lawsuits.

[Acrux]

I think Gary's Q&As came up the other day. Here is a link to all of them for anyone interested.

https://archive.org/details/enword_gary ... nweggqa01/

[rusty_shackleford]

Dangerous Journeys uses the word "witchcræft" and I find it very weird even tho it's based on wiccecræft.

[rusty_shackleford]

I think Gary's Q&As came up the other day. Here is a link to all of them for anyone interested.

https://archive.org/details/enword_gary ... nweggqa01/

https://rpghq.org/gygaxqa.html

He also had a QA on dragonsfoot, I don't have it archived.

[Acrux]

Dangerous Journeys uses the word "witchcræft" and I find it very weird even tho it's based on wiccecræft.

I think it's also where I got the word "agathokakological".

[Acrux]

I think Gary's Q&As came up the other day. Here is a link to all of them for anyone interested.

https://archive.org/details/enword_gary ... nweggqa01/

https://rpghq.org/gygaxqa.html

He also had a QA on dragonsfoot, I don't have it archived.

Oh, great! That page had originally been taken down when these were compiled into a book by the Gygax Foundation. ( )

[rusty_shackleford]

Dangerous Journeys uses the word "witchcræft" and I find it very weird even tho it's based on wiccecræft.

I think it's also where I got the word "agathokakological".

That seems to actually be a word, witchcræft is just using part of the modern english word with part of the OE word.

[rusty_shackleford]

He also had a QA on dragonsfoot, I don't have it archived.

I'd need to write a script to go through all the pages on this subforum, save each page, then stitch them together into a single file:
https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=50

[WhiteShark]

He also had a QA on dragonsfoot, I don't have it archived.

I'd need to write a script to go through all the pages on this subforum, save each page, then stitch them together into a single file:
https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=50

@loregamer

[rusty_shackleford]

LA design was heavily influenced by it originally being designed for an MMO. It's surprisingly rules lite. I think DJ is closer to what Gygax actually wanted. DJ was ended because of T$R lawsuits.

https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/view ... 37#p162337

the fact is that I prefer the La game system to the very complex one i devised for the DJ game.

Again, I don't think he was being entirely honest here — Gary was first and foremost a salesman. LA was designed with video games in mind.

Also, if you want to see what phpbb looks like without all the changes I've made, look no further than dragonsfoot.

[rusty_shackleford]

He also had a QA on dragonsfoot, I don't have it archived.

I'd need to write a script to go through all the pages on this subforum, save each page, then stitch them together into a single file:
https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=50

@loregamer

I'll get around to it eventually, he doesn't need to bother.

[loregamer]

He also had a QA on dragonsfoot, I don't have it archived.

I'd need to write a script to go through all the pages on this subforum, save each page, then stitch them together into a single file:
https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=50

@loregamer

More of a @dolor task akchyually

[Rand]

Dangerous Journeys uses the word "witchcræft" and I find it very weird even tho it's based on wiccecræft.

I think it's also where I got the word "agathokakological".

Wat?
That definitional preface...



Oh, okay. It's a singular usage of the subcomponents. A protologism.



Thank you. I actually learned something new from this.

[rusty_shackleford]

I'd need to write a script to go through all the pages on this subforum, save each page, then stitch them together into a single file:
https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=50

@loregamer

I'll get around to it eventually, he doesn't need to bother.

poked around for a bit, got it saving the individual pages, will need to extract gygax's posts only(he does a good job quoting those that he's answering), and stitch all them together.

[rusty_shackleford]

done

https://rpghq.org/gygax-dragonsfoot-qa.html
moved the enworld qa here:
https://rpghq.org/gygax-enworld-qa.html

you can directly link to one of his posts by clicking on the link for each individual post: https://rpghq.org/gygax-dragonsfoot-qa. ... tent217291

[rusty_shackleford]

He had another Q&A at the Troll Lord Games forums:
https://web.archive.org/web/20110102030 ... llordgames
https://web.archive.org/web/20110102014 ... llordgames

I'll need to archive & process that too.

[rusty_shackleford]

https://rpghq.org/gygax-dragonsfoot-qa. ... tent175148

He's right btw.

[UltraFan123]

https://rpghq.org/gygax-dragonsfoot-qa. ... tent175148

He's right btw.

I like how he said that the idea of making a fantasy world were humans aren't the predominant race isn't inherently bad, is just not something he was interested in or felt capable of doing.

As someone who is currently brewing a world just like that, Gygax was right that this is quite the challenge to go through all the speculative evolution and how their different biologies and abilities would result in cultures so alien from those of humans.

EDIT: Grammar.

[WhiteShark]

https://rpghq.org/gygax-dragonsfoot-qa. ... tent175148

He's right btw.

I like how he said that the idea of making a fantasy world were humans aren't the predominant race isn't inherently bad, is just not something he was interested in or felt capable of doing.

As someone who is currently brewing a world just like that, Gygax was right that this is quite the challenge to go through all the speculative evolution and how their different biologies and abilities would result in cultures so alien from those of humans.

EDIT: Grammar.

It's not just a matter of difficulty. The central problem is that we, the people actually playing the game, are humans. If you succeed in creating something truly alien to us, it's just that: alien. No relation. Not relevant to us humans. It's hard to take an interest in something that fundamentally doesn't matter to us on any level.

[UltraFan123]

https://rpghq.org/gygax-dragonsfoot-qa. ... tent175148

He's right btw.

I like how he said that the idea of making a fantasy world were humans aren't the predominant race isn't inherently bad, is just not something he was interested in or felt capable of doing.

As someone who is currently brewing a world just like that, Gygax was right that this is quite the challenge to go through all the speculative evolution and how their different biologies and abilities would result in cultures so alien from those of humans.

EDIT: Grammar.

It's not just a matter of difficulty. The central problem is that we, the people actually playing the game, are humans. If you succeed in creating something truly alien to us, it's just that: alien. No relation. Not relevant to us humans. It's hard to take an interest in something that fundamentally doesn't matter to us on any level.

I agree. That is why in this setting I'm brewing there will still be humans, and the stories I'm planning to tell in this setting will feature human protagonists in the human-controlled lands, the only thing is that these lands will be just a relatively small portion of this world which will be mostly controlled by another sapient species.

The closest thing I can compare this too is to the Overlord light novel setting created by Kugane Maruyama; in the in-story world of this isekai series, the countries created and populated by humans are located in a - quoting the author here - "****** backwater portion of the continent" that is very far removed from the center of the world, a center that is instead controlled by demi-human superpowers who constantly fight each other for dominance.

Having stated that, pretty much all of the Overlord story takes place in the aforementioned "backwater" where humans are the majority, while the demi-human superpowers are just background lore that will most likely never be that relevant. So I reckon that Kugane Maruyama never bothered to create proper lore for these demi-humans. lol

[Irenaeus]

From https://medium.com/@increment/the-ambus ... 29d07f6836

What were the main factors that led to the decline of TSR's financial success and Gygax's loss of control?

Here are some of the main factors that contributed to the decline of TSR's financial success and Gary Gygax's loss of control of the company he founded:

● The End of the D&D Fad and Overstaffing: After the surge in popularity of Dungeons & Dragons in the late 1970s and early 1980s, TSR experienced a period of rapid growth and overestimated the market's potential. Internal projections proved wildly inaccurate: for instance, TSR projected $75 million in revenue for 1983, but only achieved $26.7 million. This miscalculation led to overstaffing and a need for downsizing when the market for role-playing games contracted.

● Questionable Acquisitions and Financial Mismanagement: TSR's acquisition of companies like Greenfield Needlewomen, a craft firm, did not yield the anticipated returns and led to financial losses. The company was forced to write off the acquisition and take out a $4 million loan. Their first loss and the need for a large loan demonstrated internal mismanagement.

● Internal Conflicts and Lack of Clear Leadership: Despite Gygax's creative leadership, TSR's governance structure remained somewhat ambiguous throughout its history. Although he was a minority shareholder for much of the company’s existence, Gygax held the position of President. Following the death of a partner and the incorporation of TSR Hobbies, the Blume family became majority shareholders. However, the power dynamic between Gygax and the Blume brothers, particularly during their time as a triumvirate, remained unclear and was a source of internal conflict. The "Year of Three Presidents" in 1982, where Gygax, Brian Blume, and Kevin Blume each headed different divisions, exemplified this ambiguity. This lack of clear leadership likely hindered decision-making during a crucial period.

● Gygax's Shift to Entertainment and Loss of Focus on Games: In the early 1980s, Gygax's focus shifted from game development to pursuing opportunities in television and film, driven by the belief that these avenues held greater potential for growth. He delegated game development responsibilities, leading to a decline in his direct creative influence. While TSR achieved some success in the media landscape, such as the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon in 1983, these ventures did not fully materialize as expected and further divided his attention from the core games business. This shift in focus may have contributed to the perception of mismanagement and dissatisfaction among stakeholders.

● The Blume Brothers' Stock Sale and Lorraine Williams' Rise: The Blume brothers, after their removal from executive positions, sought to sell their substantial stake in TSR. Gygax was interested in acquiring their shares to solidify his control but lacked the necessary capital, and TSR's financial situation prevented the company from buying them back. This situation created an opportunity for Lorraine Williams, who had recently joined TSR, to purchase the Blumes' shares with her own funds, a deal made without Gygax's knowledge. This stock purchase gave Williams a controlling interest in TSR, a move that was unknown to Gygax until the board meeting where he was ousted.

● The Ambush at Sheridan Springs: The culmination of these factors led to the pivotal board meeting on October 22, 1985. Gygax, unaware of Williams's acquisition of the Blumes' shares and the shift in the power dynamic, was caught off guard. He was asked to resign and, upon refusal, was ultimately ousted from his positions as President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board. Williams, supported by the other board members, assumed control of TSR, marking a significant turning point in the company's history. This event, often referred to as the "ambush at Sheridan Springs," solidified the decline of TSR's financial success under Gygax's leadership.

These factors, intertwined and compounding over time, created a perfect storm that led to TSR's financial troubles and Gygax's eventual loss of control. The company's inability to maintain the momentum of the D&D fad, coupled with internal conflicts, questionable financial decisions, and the strategic maneuvering of stakeholders, ultimately resulted in a dramatic shift in leadership and a new era for TSR.

[Irenaeus]

Timeline of Events:

► Show Spoiler

October 1973: Gary Gygax and Donald Kaye form the Tactical Studies Rules (TSR) partnership in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Kaye invests $1,000.

January 1974: TSR publishes Dungeons & Dragons as a wargame, selling around 1,000 copies in its first year.

January 31, 1975: Donald Kaye dies. Brian Blume joins the partnership, investing $2,000. Donna Kaye, Donald's widow, becomes an equal partner.

March 6, 1975: Gygax assures game designer David Megarry that TSR will always be run by wargamers and not outside investors.

July 1975: TSR Hobbies incorporates in Wisconsin, aiming to handle mail-order sales and a potential retail store.

August 1, 1975: Gygax and Brian Blume sign a stock agreement for TSR Hobbies, awarding Gygax 150 shares and Blume 100.

September 1, 1975: Melvin Blume, Brian's father, invests $20,000 in TSR Hobbies for 200 shares. Brian simultaneously buys 140 shares for $14,000, giving the Blume family a controlling interest.

September 26, 1975: TSR Hobbies acquires the assets of the Tactical Studies Rules partnership.

Late 1975: TSR Hobbies hires employees, including family members of both Gygax and Blume. Employees are given the opportunity to purchase small amounts of equity.

July 1976: Gygax and Brian Blume receive options to purchase up to 700 additional shares each at $100 per share.

Late 1976: Kevin Blume joins TSR to help with finances and hiring.

1976-1979: Gygax gradually increases his stake to around a third of the company. Brian Blume holds slightly more, while Melvin Blume's stake decreases to under 10%. Gygax remains President throughout this period.

1977-1979: The Advanced Dungeons & Dragons product line is released in stages, significantly boosting TSR's sales and profile.

May 1979: William Niebling joins TSR as Vice President and receives an option to purchase 500 shares at $125 each.

July 1979: The James Dallas Egbert III disappearance brings Dungeons & Dragons into the national spotlight, marking the beginning of the D&D fad.

November 4, 1980: Kevin Blume joins the TSR Board of Directors.

September 1981: Melvin Blume transfers his 200 shares to Kevin, making him the third-largest shareholder.

1981-1982: TSR experiences a boom period, with sales skyrocketing. They acquire Simulation Publications, Inc. (SPI) and Amazing Stories magazine.

January 1982: TSR projects sales of $45 million for the year. The board sets a par value for TSR stock at $3,000 per share.

July 1982: TSR Hobbies reorganizes into four separate companies: TSR Inc., TSR Entertainment Corporation, TSR Ventures, and TSR Worldwide Ltd. Kevin Blume becomes President of TSR, Inc., while Gygax heads the Entertainment Corporation.

1982: TSR's growth slows significantly, falling short of projections. The Dungeons & Dragons fad begins to wane.

June 1983: TSR reports $26.7 million in revenue, far below its $75 million projection. They post their first loss due to the write-off of the unprofitable Greenfield Needlewomen acquisition.

June 24, 1983: TSR implements layoffs to cut costs and secure a $4 million loan from the American National Bank.

October 1984: Gygax reveals that there is still no studio attached to a potential Dungeons & Dragons movie.

Early 1985: Gygax secures interest from the Forman group (FSRB) to invest in TSR. The board abolishes the preemptive right for existing shareholders to purchase new stock pro rata.

March 18, 1985: Gygax exercises his option for 700 shares, giving him and his son Ernie a controlling interest in TSR. The Forman deal is abandoned.

March 29, 1985: Gygax is appointed President and CEO of TSR, Inc.

April 1, 1985: Lorraine Williams joins TSR as Vice President, with her employment contingent on significant stock purchases.

April 9, 1985: The American National Bank blocks TSR's attempt to buy back the Blumes' shares, citing the company's poor financial health.

April 16, 1985: During a board meeting recess, Gygax and the Blumes have a private discussion about the sale of the Blumes’ shares. The exact nature of this discussion is disputed.

May 6, 1985: Brian and Kevin Blume sign a severance agreement with TSR.

October 8, 1985: The Blumes and Lorraine Williams agree to a deal where Williams will purchase all of the Blumes' TSR stock for $350 per share, totaling $591,500.

October 22, 1985: At a board meeting, the Blumes exercise their option for 700 shares using funds provided by Williams. Williams becomes the largest shareholder with 1,690 shares. The board forces Gygax to resign and appoints Williams as President and CEO.

November 5, 1985: Gygax attempts to buy back a portion of the Blumes’ shares but is unsuccessful as the shares are already held in escrow.

1986: Gygax engages in a legal battle to regain control of TSR but loses the case.

October 1986: Gygax resigns from all positions at TSR.

Cast of Characters:
Gary Gygax: Co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, co-founder of TSR, and President of TSR Hobbies. Known for his design talent and leadership in the wargaming community. Lost control of TSR in 1985 after a series of financial missteps and a power struggle with the Blume family.

Donald Kaye: Co-founder of TSR who provided the initial capital for the company. Died in 1975.

Brian Blume: Co-founder of TSR who joined the partnership after Kaye's death. Along with his brother Kevin and father Melvin, held a significant share of TSR stock. Served as Vice President and later President of TSR Ventures.

Kevin Blume: Joined TSR in 1976 to handle finances and later became President of TSR, Inc. Played a key role in the company's financial decisions and the events leading to Gygax's ousting.

Melvin Blume: Brian and Kevin's father, who made a substantial early investment in TSR. Transferred his shares to Kevin in 1981.

Lorraine Williams: Joined TSR in 1985 as Vice President and quickly rose to become President and CEO after buying the Blumes' shares. Came from a wealthy family and leveraged her financial resources to gain control of the company.

William Niebling: Joined TSR in 1979 as Vice President. Was opposed to some of the Blumes' financial dealings.

Willard Martens: TSR board secretary and a Vice President of finance. Remained neutral during the power struggle between Gygax and the Blumes.

James Huber and Wesley Sommers: Independent directors appointed to TSR's board in 1984. Played a crucial role in the events that led to Gygax's resignation and Williams's appointment as CEO.

Podcast about it:
https://vocaroo.com/1cksKuDpgVLI

[UltraFan123]

Timeline of Events:

► Show Spoiler

October 1973: Gary Gygax and Donald Kaye form the Tactical Studies Rules (TSR) partnership in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Kaye invests $1,000.

January 1974: TSR publishes Dungeons & Dragons as a wargame, selling around 1,000 copies in its first year.

January 31, 1975: Donald Kaye dies. Brian Blume joins the partnership, investing $2,000. Donna Kaye, Donald's widow, becomes an equal partner.

March 6, 1975: Gygax assures game designer David Megarry that TSR will always be run by wargamers and not outside investors.

July 1975: TSR Hobbies incorporates in Wisconsin, aiming to handle mail-order sales and a potential retail store.

August 1, 1975: Gygax and Brian Blume sign a stock agreement for TSR Hobbies, awarding Gygax 150 shares and Blume 100.

September 1, 1975: Melvin Blume, Brian's father, invests $20,000 in TSR Hobbies for 200 shares. Brian simultaneously buys 140 shares for $14,000, giving the Blume family a controlling interest.

September 26, 1975: TSR Hobbies acquires the assets of the Tactical Studies Rules partnership.

Late 1975: TSR Hobbies hires employees, including family members of both Gygax and Blume. Employees are given the opportunity to purchase small amounts of equity.

July 1976: Gygax and Brian Blume receive options to purchase up to 700 additional shares each at $100 per share.

Late 1976: Kevin Blume joins TSR to help with finances and hiring.

1976-1979: Gygax gradually increases his stake to around a third of the company. Brian Blume holds slightly more, while Melvin Blume's stake decreases to under 10%. Gygax remains President throughout this period.

1977-1979: The Advanced Dungeons & Dragons product line is released in stages, significantly boosting TSR's sales and profile.

May 1979: William Niebling joins TSR as Vice President and receives an option to purchase 500 shares at $125 each.

July 1979: The James Dallas Egbert III disappearance brings Dungeons & Dragons into the national spotlight, marking the beginning of the D&D fad.

November 4, 1980: Kevin Blume joins the TSR Board of Directors.

September 1981: Melvin Blume transfers his 200 shares to Kevin, making him the third-largest shareholder.

1981-1982: TSR experiences a boom period, with sales skyrocketing. They acquire Simulation Publications, Inc. (SPI) and Amazing Stories magazine.

January 1982: TSR projects sales of $45 million for the year. The board sets a par value for TSR stock at $3,000 per share.

July 1982: TSR Hobbies reorganizes into four separate companies: TSR Inc., TSR Entertainment Corporation, TSR Ventures, and TSR Worldwide Ltd. Kevin Blume becomes President of TSR, Inc., while Gygax heads the Entertainment Corporation.

1982: TSR's growth slows significantly, falling short of projections. The Dungeons & Dragons fad begins to wane.

June 1983: TSR reports $26.7 million in revenue, far below its $75 million projection. They post their first loss due to the write-off of the unprofitable Greenfield Needlewomen acquisition.

June 24, 1983: TSR implements layoffs to cut costs and secure a $4 million loan from the American National Bank.

October 1984: Gygax reveals that there is still no studio attached to a potential Dungeons & Dragons movie.

Early 1985: Gygax secures interest from the Forman group (FSRB) to invest in TSR. The board abolishes the preemptive right for existing shareholders to purchase new stock pro rata.

March 18, 1985: Gygax exercises his option for 700 shares, giving him and his son Ernie a controlling interest in TSR. The Forman deal is abandoned.

March 29, 1985: Gygax is appointed President and CEO of TSR, Inc.

April 1, 1985: Lorraine Williams joins TSR as Vice President, with her employment contingent on significant stock purchases.

April 9, 1985: The American National Bank blocks TSR's attempt to buy back the Blumes' shares, citing the company's poor financial health.

April 16, 1985: During a board meeting recess, Gygax and the Blumes have a private discussion about the sale of the Blumes’ shares. The exact nature of this discussion is disputed.

May 6, 1985: Brian and Kevin Blume sign a severance agreement with TSR.

October 8, 1985: The Blumes and Lorraine Williams agree to a deal where Williams will purchase all of the Blumes' TSR stock for $350 per share, totaling $591,500.

October 22, 1985: At a board meeting, the Blumes exercise their option for 700 shares using funds provided by Williams. Williams becomes the largest shareholder with 1,690 shares. The board forces Gygax to resign and appoints Williams as President and CEO.

November 5, 1985: Gygax attempts to buy back a portion of the Blumes’ shares but is unsuccessful as the shares are already held in escrow.

1986: Gygax engages in a legal battle to regain control of TSR but loses the case.

October 1986: Gygax resigns from all positions at TSR.

Cast of Characters:
Gary Gygax: Co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, co-founder of TSR, and President of TSR Hobbies. Known for his design talent and leadership in the wargaming community. Lost control of TSR in 1985 after a series of financial missteps and a power struggle with the Blume family.

Donald Kaye: Co-founder of TSR who provided the initial capital for the company. Died in 1975.

Brian Blume: Co-founder of TSR who joined the partnership after Kaye's death. Along with his brother Kevin and father Melvin, held a significant share of TSR stock. Served as Vice President and later President of TSR Ventures.

Kevin Blume: Joined TSR in 1976 to handle finances and later became President of TSR, Inc. Played a key role in the company's financial decisions and the events leading to Gygax's ousting.

Melvin Blume: Brian and Kevin's father, who made a substantial early investment in TSR. Transferred his shares to Kevin in 1981.

Lorraine Williams: Joined TSR in 1985 as Vice President and quickly rose to become President and CEO after buying the Blumes' shares. Came from a wealthy family and leveraged her financial resources to gain control of the company.

William Niebling: Joined TSR in 1979 as Vice President. Was opposed to some of the Blumes' financial dealings.

Willard Martens: TSR board secretary and a Vice President of finance. Remained neutral during the power struggle between Gygax and the Blumes.

James Huber and Wesley Sommers: Independent directors appointed to TSR's board in 1984. Played a crucial role in the events that led to Gygax's resignation and Williams's appointment as CEO.

The fact that Donald - the first real supported that Gygax had - passed away merely two years after the creation of DnD is lowkey very sad.