Thursday, January 19, 2012

WotC Fails to Credit D&D Co-Creator.


While I was thrilled to see AD&D 1st Edition being brought back into print, even if just as a limited print run, exclusively to a US audience, I was rather dismayed at how the announcement was phrased:

1st Edition Premium Player's Handbook
In 1974, the world changed forever when Gary Gygax introduced the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The legacy of his innovative ideas and the extensive reach of his powerful influence can be seen in virtually every facet of gaming today.
To help honor his work and his memory, we created limited-edition reprints of the original 1st Edition core rulebooks: the Monster Manual, Player's Handbook, and Dungeon Master's Guide. These premium versions of the original AD&D rulebooks have been lovingly reprinted with the original art and content, but feature an attractive new cover design commemorating this re-release. Available in limited quantities as a hobby channel exclusive in North America.
Your purchase of this monumental book helps support the Gygax Memorial Fund—established to immortalize the “Father of Roleplaying Games” with a memorial statue in Lake Geneva, WI.
Item Details
Item Code: 02410000
Release Date: April 17, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 112
Price: $34.95
ISBN: 978-0-7869-6243-3
 I think using this money to support the Gygax Memorial Fund is a great idea and a worthy cause. However, what happened to the other guy? Does he not deserve even to be mentioned even in the announcement? "the world changed forever when Gary Gygax introduced the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game"? "his innovative ideas and the extensive reach of his powerful influence can be seen in virtually every facet of gaming today?" Wasn't there another guy contributing with a couple of fairly essential ideas to this game as well? I'm not saying they have to build a statue of Dave or anything, but they could at least remember to give him credit for the game he was essential to help making 3 years after his passing. 

Thanks to the person who brought this to my attention. You know who you are.

-Havard

11 comments:

  1. I noticed that as well. Bad oversight on their part.

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  2. We need Blackmoor 5e for the dave Arneson statue :)

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  3. It's well documented that 1E AD&D was Gary's attempt to create a "separate" game system from the one he co-created with Dave Arneson. Do WotC need to pander to Gary's ego now that he's gone, or can they be more realistic and say that AD&D was based on OD&D and that Dave ought to get some credit for it?
    In fairness, the AD&D books don't mention Dave Arneson in the credits as far as I'm aware, so I don't know if it is appropriate to rewrite the credits to include Dave.

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  4. It's the one blip in the otherwise very welcome announcement I picked up on too.

    I guess it's up to us to keep pushing for recognition for all things Arneson. In many ways I think he was the real father of the game.

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  5. 'lovingly reprinted' ?

    How exactly does one do that? Do I want to know?

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  6. I'm holding my breath for the BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia reprint for the Dave Arneson tribute.

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  7. Gygax was AD&D. Arneson was D&D. Two different games.

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  8. Dan is correct. If they were re-releasing Basic D&D, I would expect Mr. A's name to appear. AD&D was solely Gygax, I thought.

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  9. Ummmm... just noticed something in your blog-roll to the right.

    Rob Kunt's Archives???

    Shouldn't that be Rob Kuntz's?

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  10. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has blogged about this.

    Unfortunately, it gets worse. WotC's solicitation document (click here) actually says "Gary Gygax, creator of Dungeons & Dragons..."

    Yes, AD&D was Gary's and if they had said "creator of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons," I wouldn't have a problem. They didn't have to mention Dave, but they shouldn't make it look like Gary was the only creator.

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