The Geek Legend Passes

[thebotulism]

I'm sure we've all heard or have read something about the passing of Gary Gygax. I was just wondering if others, besides myself still play D&D. How did you get started with it, and do you have a memorable character?

**Below is a copy of what I posted with my thoughts on Gary Gygax's death from the podcast that I am in. (shameless plug:: www.themagicgeek.com)**


It all began in High School. The prospect of becoming a great Knight in shining armor along with a Runed Magical Sword floated through my mind. That day during a free period at school a friend brought over his “Player’s Handbook” for 2nd edition Dungeon and Dragons. I gazed at the wonders this book had inside it. At first thinking of becoming a great Arcane master, a wizard, I soon became infatuated with the Fighter. My other friend was a Wizard. That was our first campaign. Hacking and slashing our way through Goblins and Giant Toads, eventually progressing to the point where we Traversed into space with pirates!

It was a game that might have never happened, but I am glad that it did. I wanted to join my friends in their Dungeons and Dragons game, but due to one my friends having an Asshole of a boyfriend I was denied into the game. For years I yearned to roll dice and smite evil.

It wasn’t until after leaving High School that I got into true gaming. I joined my first True Dungeons and Dragons game, this time playing my most memorable character. This was because it was the Beginning of the newest incarnation of Dungeons and Dragons, Third Edition. Funny as it was, his name was Jim. He was a Forgotten Realms character and is the reason to this day that I absolutely love Clerics. Back in the day when a Harm spell took a Foe to 1d4 Hit Points.

Dungeons and Dragons re-ignited my passion for gaming yet again. I felt awash in passion, it was just like when I first discovered the wonders of the Nintendo Entertainment System, then later the Personal Computer. D&D flooded my mind with High Fantasy dreams and Ideas. It still does to this day.

The explosion of D&D is one of the real reasons that I not only have my Current job, but also some of my best friends that I am proud to roll my d20 with on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Sundays. Though I am still in the process of evolving into a power gamer, I still want to play several concepts that are floating in my mind, they just require Evil games.

So, you can call me a Geek or a Nerd, but where would you be without Dungeons and Dragons. There are hundreds, if not thousands of us out there that would be somewhere else had it not been for the Inspiration and Creativity of Dungeons and Dragons. To the individuals shaped and modeled from D&D I salute you, To Gary Gygax, I salute you. Gamers everywhere will always remember you Gary. Good Game Gary, Good Game.

[Dr Strangematter]

OK I'm not going to write a book on it like I usually do but basically it goes :

I was introduced to D&D in elementary school at about age 10 (23 years ago) by a friends brother at his birthday party.

That night , 12 of us unknowingly created a bond that would last to this day. For quite sometime we played as much as possible in the evenings , on weekends etc... As we grew older and a little more distant , and even to different towns , we all grew in to our own, very different identities - VERY different! We were , high school/college football players , wrestlers , metal heads , a hippie , business owners, military lifers , factory worker - all very different - but we still got together to game when ever it is possible - maybe a few times a year - still do. Still very good friends +5.

Kinda sounds like a book or something huh ? heheh


Thanks and RIP Mr. Gygax!

(I still have my 1st set of dice covered in white crayon bits)

[rozone]

I used to play it back in middle school but I lost my character sheets so I had to stop

[Mitch]

Until recently ( like 8 months ago) I still played. I went through all the iterations of the game from Basic to 3.5. I loved it; it was an outlet for my creativity and a way for my friends and I to hang out. I played long after they had all quit (mostly by the end of High-School). In college I discovered White Wolf Studios and played 1st and second editions of their games. When I came back during the summers a few of the old players gave it a shot and enjoyed it. As I got older I thought that D&D could not satisfy the role-player in me; until I decided to run a very strict campaign. Traps became dangerous again, their was no need for home made monsters with 1000 hps to deal with the PCs because the rules kept them low. So a lot more of the game was decided by their actions and interactions with NPCs. I still love the game and know that once I find a group of gammers around my age I'll be back in business.

Thank you Mr Gygax for a fantastic system a great game that brought me so many hours of joy.