h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Good job. Having spent significant portions of my youth playing D&D, this is all interesting stuff.

I browsed through a copy of "Dragon" magazine recently (the D&D magazine published by TSR and its successors) and the editorial was written by Gygax. Another example of things going full circle.

"White Dwarf" (UK roleplaying magazine in the old days, before Games Workshop turned it over to in-house products only) had a cartoon strip about a goblin called Gobbledigook - I remember an episode where he beats up a strange little man called Gaxy Gygar....

I picked up the Swords and Sorcery D20 supplement last week and the foreword is written by Gygax. Bizarrely, because of the 'D20 Gaming License', he confessed in it that he couldn't write the name of the game he created! I found it rather sad actually. A bit like Mr Lamborgini selling his own name I suppose.

Like your article.

I too spent a lot of my time in the 80's and early 90's participating with RPG's.

I had often wondered where Gary Gygax went. I think I've seen some Fantasy Novels (correct me if i'm wrong) with his name on the cover.

Sadly, everyone I know who participated in these games no longer does. It is a pity to see the book and dice version of RPG's seem to have been taken completely over by the PC.
One benefit of the book version was in the interactivity of the players involved. Working together for common goals, and learning how to compromise, and solve complex issues brought about by the game.
Evidently the use of such skills is obviously lacking when one sits alone in front of their computer.

But I guess I have no right to complain, as I sit here typing this, alone in my office, in front of a computer.

Arneson ran a Blackmoor game at a convention, and I was able to get in. Most of the time available was spent assembling characters. The mages (including me) got stomped. I didn't get the feeling that there was much fantasy in him, it seemed like a wargame, instead. My friends, who actually owned the Blackmoor supplements and adored them (I had just the original set), were sure I was nuts.

Later in my life I saw the rules for chainmail, and in retrospect, that probably where Gygax and Arneson reaaly were coming from. Don't know why anyone would do Chainmail today, as you can do the real thing by joining the Society for Creative Anacronism.