Gary Gygax Dead at 69

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:45 pm

CNN wrote:MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AP) -- Gary Gygax, who co-created the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons and helped start the role-playing phenomenon, died Tuesday morning at his home in Lake Geneva. He was 69.

He had been suffering from health problems for several years, including an abdominal aneurysm, said his wife, Gail Gygax.

Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using medieval characters and mythical creatures. The game known for its oddly shaped dice became a hit, particularly among teenage boys, and eventually was turned into video games, books and movies.

Gygax always enjoyed hearing from the game's legion of devoted fans, many of whom would stop by the family's home in Lake Geneva, about 55 miles southwest of Milwaukee, his wife said. Despite his declining health, he hosted weekly games of Dungeons & Dragons as recently as January, she said.

"It really meant a lot to him to hear from people from over the years about how he helped them become a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman, what he gave them," Gygax said. "He really enjoyed that."

Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and carry out their adventures with the help of complicated rules. The quintessential geek pastime, it spawned a wealth of copycat games and later inspired a whole genre of computer games that's still growing in popularity.

Funeral arrangements are pending. Besides his wife, Gygax is survived by six children.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:57 pm

It's a sad day.

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:13 pm

Even sadder... even out of the IT Geeks in the office, I'm the only one who knew who he was

Hadrianvs · Post by **Hadrianvs** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:30 pm

I never played D&D, but kudos for scaring the shit out of uptight parents across the country in the 80's. Oh, and for all the games I've played that used some variation of the D&D character creation mechanism.

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:39 pm

RIP Gary. Thanks for helping make a game that inspired so many, brought so much joy and happiness and gave so many hours of pleasure to so many.

You will be missed.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:48 pm

Wether or not he'll be missed he WILL be remembered. Rest in peace, Mr Gygax. You were involved with something that gave great joy to a lot of people and for that, I am thankful.

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:18 am

It was thanks to Gary Gygax that I began table-top gaming in the first place.

My dice rest in silence for him.

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:02 am

Well, he proved that in the end we all roll that natural 1.

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:03 am

B4UTRUST wrote:Well, he proved that in the end we all roll that natural 1.

I fucking knew someone was going to say it. Ass.

(Yeah, I'm annoyed because despite it being in bad taste, I talked myself out of saying it.)

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:08 am

Are you kidding? This is Gary Gygax, father of the RPG industry damn near. He would be the first in line to support that statement and to make the claim that he failed his Fort save.

It's not in poor taste when it's the taste that the deceased themselves would have used!

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:40 am

My RPG junkie status led me to a venue I could happily socialize in without fear, express my wierdness regularly, and even found me the most wonderful and caring woman in my life. I have no idea how my life would have turned out if I hadn't found the old boxed set in my older cousin's closet when he let me rifle through his stuff one summer, but I think I am happier for it.

Rest in peace, Mr. Gygax, because if you have to fail your saving throw vs. Death, sixty nine years is still a good run. Your work and the fun and chaos it created lives on in a thousand ways.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:21 am

There have been tributes circling the web. I've decided to post a couple of the good ones.

Penny Arcade posted this one. It might be the classiest thing they have ever posted.

In Order of the Stick, Roy pretty much says what every gamer worth a d4 is thinking.

Adois Gary. Roll high.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:02 am

Tomb of Horrors, 3.5 edition. I'm running this as a tribute. Rest in peace, Gary Gygax. Many characters shall soon join you.

The Village Idiot · Post by **The Village Idiot** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:28 pm

I fear what my life would be if that man had never been, however, I am eternally grateful he did.

R.I.P. Mr. Gygax

Thanks

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:19 pm

My stats, on my first set of D6, still on loan from my family's monopoly set. Rolled 3d6, in order, no re-rolls.

STR 11
DEX 16
CON 15
INT 8
WIS 11
CHA 13

Guess I'm rolling a rogue. That's a shock.

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:23 am

xkcd also has a tribute to him. Of course, I'd be surprised if there was a webcomic that didn't. He fathered a huge chunk of nerd culture, after all. There aren't many people who can say that they had as much of a cultural impact.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman · Fri Mar 07, 2008 12:32 pm

My only exposure to DnD is playing those SSI gold box computer games, but it was probably the most exciting CRPG experience I had (even better than Ultima V). RIP, Gary Gygax.

LibriumArcana.Games

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