NationStates Jolt Archive

http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2009/04/rip-dave-arneso.html

He created the tabletop roleplayinggame genre, essentially. He was a great man. OOTS even did an in memorium comic for him.

I tip my hat to thee, Dave.

Damn. All the pioneers are slowly dying off.

Damn. All the pioneers are slowly dying off.

I know, it started with Davy Crockett dying at the Alamo. Sad, sad day that was.

Kills me that A LOT of gamers think everyone is suppose to be in their teens or something.

They have no clue the originators of these games are 'old farts'.

Kills me that A LOT of gamers think everyone is suppose to be in their teens or something.

They have no clue the originators of these games are 'old farts'.

Same with video games....

RIP, Mr. Arneson.

Must've failed his saving throw. :(

And now, a moment of...

*rolls d100*

...silence.

When I read that Dave Arneson died, I will always remeber the overwhelming feeling of not giving a rat's ass.

When I read that Dave Arneson died, I will always remeber the overwhelming feeling of not giving a rat's ass.

And nothing says "not giving a rat's ass" like taking some of your precious time to announce this to the whole world.

:rolleyes:

When I read that Dave Arneson died, I will always remeber the overwhelming feeling of not giving a rat's ass.

Then, why the fuck are you in this thread?

Then, why the fuck are you in this thread?

Boredom?
I don't really care either.

I can't say that I knew/know who he was, but if that's the case he's responsible for a lot of great weekends growing up and even some in my adult life, so thanks, man. Really. Goodbye, and good show. I owe you a lot.

Boredom?
I don't really care either.

Wow. So, a guy essentially drive-by-trolls a thread about a dead person because he lacks a social life or at least a TV set?

I can't say that I knew/know who he was, but if that's the case he's responsible for a lot of great weekends growing up and even some in my adult life, so thanks, man. Really. Goodbye, and good show. I owe you a lot.

He and E. Gary Gygax created Dungeons and Dragons, and from what I've heard he was the one who did a majority of the work.

That sucks to hear...I still got all my old D&D AD&D books. Probably will keep them til I'm dead with all the fun I had with the game

Wow. So, a guy essentially drive-by-trolls a thread about a dead person because he lacks a social life or at least a TV set?

This is NSG, does that possibility surprise you?

This is NSG, does that possibility surprise you?

I shouldn't have to live in a world in which all the good points are terrible ones.

I shouldn't have to live in a world in which all the good points are terrible ones.

There is a solution for that...

You'll be missed :p

*tips hat*

When I read that Dave Arneson died, I will always remeber the overwhelming feeling of not giving a rat's ass.

And yet you post?

And yet you post?

Much like NNLDI, he's an annoying contrarian who just counters whatever people say.

*goes into mourning for 3d6+3 days*

*goes into mourning for 3d6+3 days*

Don't forget to make the System Shock roll to see if you can get over it afterwards.

=( rip

He and E. Gary Gygax created Dungeons and Dragons, and from what I've heard he was the one who did a majority of the work.

We'll never really know who contributed what - largely because the court documents resolving their late 70s to early 80s court cases are confidential, and both parties were banned from talking about the case as part of the settlement.

It seems fair to state that both Arneson and Gygax had a significant role, and that their relationship was complex.

What became D&D was a combination of Arneson's developing Blackmoor fantasy campaign and the Gygax/Perrin medieval tabletop warfare Chainmail rules. It's very hard to say who contributed what, though it seems to have been Arneson who took the initiative in contacting Gygax and presenting his Blackmoor rules knowing that Gygax had similar gaming interests - but from there there was extensive collaborative input at the rules refining and playtesting level.

Arneson tends to get written out of D&D history because he initially only worked at the new TSR for a year (76-77?) before leaving to work independently. His decision to launch several lawsuits over credits and royalties after leaving probably didn't help, but whatever the merit of those court cases, he clearly had a significant impact in game development and deserved equally significant credit.

I have several original small paperback rulebooks of the Chainmail / Blackmoor TSR era, and he gets equal credit on several of those, but he was largely written out by the time AD&D and the 'basic' and 'expert' sets were released.

But for all that, he briefly returned to TSR in the mid-80s when Gygax became president of the company. Several Arneson modules were published by TSR, but as part of the Expert D&D line, not AD&D - which does suggest that the rift between the two men wasn't irreperable. When Gygax was forced out of the company shortly thereafter, Arneson also left, and I don't know of any subsequent collaborations between them.


So here's a hearty cheer to the memory of two men who contributed a lot to my life - especially my teenage years a quarter of a century ago.

I tip my hat of disguise to him

We'll never really know who contributed what - largely because the court documents resolving their late 70s to early 80s court cases are confidential, and both parties were banned from talking about the case as part of the settlement.

I was just going on what I could remember from back in the day.

It makes me sad. He was so young... well, all things considering young... cancer took him too soon.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7994444.stm


Role-playing games pioneer dies
Dave Arneson in an undated photo
Arneson taught classes in game design in his later years

Dave Arneson, one of the co-creators of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-play game, has died of cancer at 61 in a hospice in St Paul, Minnesota.

His two-year battle with the disease ended on Tuesday when he passed away peacefully, his daughter said.

Arneson created the game famous for its oddly shaped dice in 1974 along with the late Gary Gygax.

"The biggest thing about my dad's world is he wanted people to have fun in life," said his daughter Malia.

Arneson and Gygax developed D&D using medieval characters and mythical creatures and it was a worldwide hit, particularly among teenage boys.

It eventually was turned into video games, books and films.

Pioneer

"I think we get distracted by the everyday things you have to do in life and we forget to enjoy life and have fun," Malia Weinhagen told the Associated Press.

"But my dad never did. He just wanted people to have fun."

D&D, described by AP as "the quintessential geek pastime", spawned copycat games and later inspired a whole genre of computer games that is still growing in popularity.

"[Arneson] developed many of the fundamental ideas of role-playing: that each player controls just one hero, that heroes gain power through adventures and that personality is as important as combat prowess," said a statement from Wizards of the Coast, which produces D&D.

The company noted that Blackmoor, a game Arneson had been developing before D&D, was the "first-ever role-playing campaign and the prototype for all [role-playing game] campaigns since".

Arneson met Gygax, who died in March of last year, at a games convention in 1969.

He is survived by his daughter and two grandchildren.

Well, I'm not particularly interested by this, but I thought some members of NSG might be, so I decided to post it. Your thoughts? What is your opinion of D&D/roleplaying in general?

Goddamnit. Baldur's Gate 2 is my favorite PC game, well, ever.

Some one rez him

Someone already posted this.

Someone already posted this.

and it has been rezzed.

and it has been rezzed.

Yay, necromancy rules.

I played a lot of Dungeons and Dragons back in the 80s when I was in both high school and college. I'm still nostalgic for such moments. I had a great deal of fun.

I was not particularly socially skilled, and D&D helped me to learn how to socialize and make friends. My best friends from those periods were people I met through roleplaying campaigns.

D&D was also an incredible outlet for the imagination, and I see roleplaying as an artform in itself. After leaving college and regular roleplaying campaigns behind, I continued with artistic hobbies such as miniature figure painting, fantasy fiction writing, and RPG programming.

My experience with D&D and other roleplaying games has been thoroughly positive. I found it very sad that certain Christian groups became antagonistic towards roleplaying games, since they may have killed much of the enjoyment in life that their children would have otherwise had.

Yay, necromancy rules.

not necroed, rezzed. As in resurrection. Don't have to use evil nerco energy for resurrection.

Someone already posted this.

Is there? I can't see one.

not necroed, rezzed. As in resurrection. Don't have to use evil nerco energy for resurrection.

Resurrection/reincarnation effects are part of the necromancy school! *brandish the ADnD 2e PH and whap you*

not necroed, rezzed. As in resurrection. Don't have to use evil nerco energy for resurrection.

Necromancy is the manipulation of life energy. That includes healing and rezzing.

It's not our fault that WotC decided necromancy had to be "anything potentially icky and creepy" and ignore the very definition they printed in their own books for the school.

Is there? I can't see one.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=589702

However, it is indeed not very active.

Much like NNLDI, he's an annoying contrarian who just counters whatever people say.

Not really. Maybe read my posts before you start talking shit.

Not really. Maybe read my posts before you start talking shit.

How about the fact, that when I mention Finland or the Finns, you immediately start bashing it?

How about the fact, that when I mention Finland or the Finns, you immediately start bashing it?

And? What's that got to do with Kyronea saying I constantly disagree with everything?

Heh, My thoughts on DnD... I just got done playing my usual Friday night game. My 10th level wizard confused, tricked, confounded, and then branded a black dragon before rescuing the rest of his party...

Heh, My thoughts on DnD... I just got done playing my usual Friday night game. My 10th level wizard confused, tricked, confounded, and then branded a black dragon before rescuing the rest of his party...

Vaarsuvius still did it better (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0638.html) ;)

He and E. Gary Gygax created Dungeons and Dragons, and from what I've heard he was the one who did a majority of the work.

I dedicate the next evil dragon or nigh invincible golem I defeat to his memory.

Vaarsuvius still did it better (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0638.html) ;)

I am unable to find that strip anything other than profoundly horrifying.

Vaarsuvius still did it better (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0638.html) ;)

V is a hack with a bad attitude and no sense of style. :D

V is a hack with a bad attitude and no sense of style. :D

Be careful - V prepared explosive runes this morning ;)

One wonders if Jack Vance will be next...

Be careful - V prepared explosive runes this morning ;)

One wonders if Jack Vance will be next...

And I prepared detect magical traps :)

I much prefer this RPG: http://www.dyingearth.com/manual.htm

But kudos to Dave for making role-playing games popular.

He failed his saving throw.

I played a lot of Dungeons and Dragons back in the 80s when I was in both high school and college. I'm still nostalgic for such moments. I had a great deal of fun.

I was not particularly socially skilled, and D&D helped me to learn how to socialize and make friends. My best friends from those periods were people I met through roleplaying campaigns.

D&D was also an incredible outlet for the imagination, and I see roleplaying as an artform in itself. After leaving college and regular roleplaying campaigns behind, I continued with artistic hobbies such as miniature figure painting, fantasy fiction writing, and RPG programming.

My experience with D&D and other roleplaying games has been thoroughly positive. I found it very sad that certain Christian groups became antagonistic towards roleplaying games, since they may have killed much of the enjoyment in life that their children would have otherwise had.


Me too. This sad I am sure he is at a table with Gary rolling stats as we speak. Thank you for the countless hours of fun you provided for making this game. We will miss you.

A moment of silence, please. *removes nonexistent hat*

Since you guys got me feeling all nostalgic. Does anyone remember the cartoon Wormy. I loved that comic.

Here is a pretty good archive

http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/haroog/archive/Archive.htm


The other one that was really funny was What's new with Phil and Dixie

http://www.airshipentertainment.com/growfcomic.php?date=20070506


Of the Phil and Dixe this one is my favorite

http://www.airshipentertainment.com/growfcomic.php?date=20070902

Not really. Maybe read my posts before you start talking shit.

I have, actually, all over the place and in plenty of arguments. I've seen you more than once try to contradict and be a contrarian towards everybody and end up being wildly hypocritical from one post to the next, like in that argument with CToaN.

I have, actually, all over the place and in plenty of arguments. I've seen you more than once try to contradict and be a contrarian towards everybody and end up being wildly hypocritical from one post to the next, like in that argument with CToaN.

Actually, if you look back to that argument, I called him boring, but his argument amusing. And I don't always "try to contradict and be a contrarian towards everybody", can you back that up? I just don't agree politically with some posters on NSG.

I much prefer this RPG: http://www.dyingearth.com/manual.htm

But kudos to Dave for making role-playing games popular.

Ummm, he didn't make RPG's popular, he made them. Published RPG's simply did not exist defore D&D.

:(

Necromancy is the manipulation of life energy. That includes healing and rezzing.

It's not our fault that WotC decided necromancy had to be "anything potentially icky and creepy" and ignore the very definition they printed in their own books for the school.

Never played the WotC versions.

Since you guys got me feeling all nostalgic. Does anyone remember the cartoon Wormy. I loved that comic.

Here is a pretty good archive

http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/haroog/archive/Archive.htm


The other one that was really funny was What's new with Phil and Dixie

http://www.airshipentertainment.com/growfcomic.php?date=20070506


Of the Phil and Dixe this one is my favorite

http://www.airshipentertainment.com/growfcomic.php?date=20070902

FRACKING HADES! Thank you for the Wormy archive!!!!