I'll talk about Dave's gaming compared to Gary's gaming, but I flatly refuse to speak about the lawsuit, etc.

I'm cutting off at 1977 -- actually it's 1976, to correct myself.

1976 is when Strategic Review magazine was cancelled and turned into "The Dragon" and "Little Wars."  At that point D&D became no longer "a strange variant of miniatures wargaming," which is the story I'm telling.

Did you encounter the WRG "Ancients" edition with a fantasy appendix? How about other early fantasy wargame experiments? Other campaigns inspired by some word of the Arneson and Gygax games, but with their own rules?

You may discount this, but I intend to read your book in order to learn more about these guys as people. Not just names that are famous in gaming circles but who they actually were. So as long as your chapters include the truth about them and how they played, then I'll be a satisfied customer.

Quote from: jeff37923;791585You may discount this, but I intend to read your book in order to learn more about these guys as people. Not just names that are famous in gaming circles but who they actually were. So as long as your chapters include the truth about them and how they played, then I'll be a satisfied customer.

+1.

Though I agree with Armchair and Spinach as well, I'd definitely like insight on how the specific cultural environment of the times, in your opinion, affected the game, if you have any thoughts on the matter.

Do you have a chapter where you explained how you come into playing wargames and RPGs and how you begin to play with Gary Gyagax, Dave Anerson and their buddies ?

How have you organized your book ? thematically or chronologically ?

I am not really sure who you are, so I am largely unaware of what your book is about.

Can you give me a quick synopsis of your background and what you're writing about?

Quote from: ZWEIHÄNDER;791850I am not really sure who you are, so I am largely unaware of what your book is about.

Can you give me a quick synopsis of your background and what you're writing about?

He used to be part of Gary and Dave's regular game groups up until around the time OD&D was published, it's an oral history of his memories of the pre-publication days of the hobby.

Quote from: yabaziou;791640Do you have a chapter where you explained how you come into playing wargames and RPGs and how you begin to play with Gary Gyagax, Dave Anerson and their buddies ?

Similar to this, I would be interested in knowing how new players were recruited for the game, what the 'pitch' was for people to give it a go and what the rough conversion rate was. I'm interested in how easy or hard it was to get players for a new concept and how quickly they 'got' it.

Quote from: Old Geezer;791582I'll talk about Dave's gaming compared to Gary's gaming, but I flatly refuse to speak about the lawsuit, etc.

I actually have little/no interest about the lawsuit, but why won't you speak about it?

My interest in Dave vs. Gary is 99% about them as GMs. My hope is that after reading your book, I get some bits to help me become a better DM.

Quote from: Old Geezer;791582At that point D&D became no longer "a strange variant of miniatures wargaming," which is the story I'm telling.

Interesting. How did you come to the decision to cut off at this time? You certainly were involved in the years afterward.

Quote from: Old Geezer;791582I'll talk about Dave's gaming compared to Gary's gaming, but I flatly refuse to speak about the lawsuit, etc.

I'm cutting off at 1977 -- actually it's 1976, to correct myself.

1976 is when Strategic Review magazine was cancelled and turned into "The Dragon" and "Little Wars."  At that point D&D became no longer "a strange variant of miniatures wargaming," which is the story I'm telling.

This may be addressed elsewhere in the thread, but I think you're doing people a disservice by not covering the explosion itself - that's a big chunk people will be fascinated by and want to know what happened as seen from an "insider".

I'm very curious about Don Kaye since his untimely death being averted seems one of the biggest paths not taken in the development of TSR as a company and I know very little about him.

To quote my chapter:

GARY AND DAVE
   It's not really possible to talk much about the "old days" of D&D without somebody bringing up the whole "Gary Gygax vs Dave Arneson" issue.  I have no sympathy for those who wish to indulge their curiosity.  Those with an honest interest in history will find more reliable sources.
   I have two things to say.
   As part of the first lawsuit, I gave a deposition.  My conclusion was that
"Dungeons and Dragons is a creation of both Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax.  If either of those two had not been involved, Dungeons and Dragons would not exist."  I stood by it then, and I stand by it now.  That is the plain, simple truth as I see it.
   My second thing to say is to reprise what I said when I was interviewed for "Dungeons and Dragons:  A Documentary."  And I quote:
   "As far as I'm concerned, unless we are talking about Dave Arneson's original Blackmoor group of some ten or fifteen guys, and Gary Gygax' original Greyhawk group plus maybe two or three years of TSR people, outside of that fairly small circle of individuals, the rest of the world needs to open itself a big ol' can of Shut The Fuck Up."
   I stand by those words as well.  Those with some ghoulish interest in reviving possible conflicts between two of my friends who have both passed away will have to find their schadenfreude elsewhere.

Old Geezer,

I would like to hear about your experiences with female gamers in the early years and observations regarding the shift in dynamic towards inclusiveness in the hobby.

Thanks!

Quote from: ZWEIHÄNDER;791976Old Geezer,

I would like to hear about your experiences with female gamers in the early years and observations regarding the shift in dynamic towards inclusiveness in the hobby.

Thanks!

Speaking for myself, I've seen just the opposite shift. Girls and women seem a lot scarcer among players today than in the 1970s.

Quote from: Old Geezer;791972Those with some ghoulish interest in reviving possible conflicts between two of my friends who have both passed away will have to find their schadenfreude elsewhere.

It might be interesting for you to address the lawsuit from the position of being able to discuss how it affected everyone in the circle who knew both parties, and who were friends with both. AKA, were people able to keep friendships or did things erupt like an ugly divorce that tore apart friendships? And were there ever any reconciliations?

Your deposition fits what's I've heard. DA + GG = D&D, and D&D did not develop without the influence of one upon the other.

But I wonder if their is a way to discuss the social / personal aspects of the conflict without appealing to "ghoulish interest", especially since you can discuss it even handed as you were friend to both. Maybe there are rumors that you feel you can set straight?