02.04
I have often regretted that I didn’t get to know Gary Gygax better before he died in 2008. Although I have some issues with his gaming philosophy, you can’t help but respect him. He was one of those onetime giants, like Michael Jackson or Eminem, who was already fading into the past when I was just starting to get into the world of roleplaying. (I don’t know if Jackson or Eminem roleplayed, I’m just mentioning them for a point of comparison. -_- )
I’ve already made my feelings about Gygax and his partner Arneson known in this video. The news that there may soon be a statue of Gary Gygax in Lake Geneva fills me with interest. Some gamers I know suggested that the statue could straddle the harbor of Lake Geneva like the ancient Colossus of Rhodes. Ancient Greek bronzeworking and construction techniques may not have been advanced enough to let the statue actually stand with one foot on either side of the harbor and have ships pass between its legs — that part may be a modern conjecture — but modern metalworking technology would make it easy to create such a structure. In an ideal situation, technology is about bringing us closer to the products of our imagination.
But admittedly, this might be impossible in the current economic climate (although I think constructing a giant bronze statue would actually provide lots of jobs). One smaller-scale option, which I find more personally interesting, would be a lifesize statue of Gygax sitting at a gaming table in a park, eternally playing D&D (1st edition, of course). This isn’t a bad second choice, but I would suggest going one further — what about constructing an automatic D&D-playing statue, similar to the famous Mechanical Turk of the late 18th century? At the time, this statue/robot fooled millions with its ability to play chess with human opponents. It is now believed that the Turk was merely a hollow (but still impressive) mechanical shell with a dwarven chess-player concealed in the cabinet.
The Gygax statue could operate on similar principles, since even today it is difficult to imagine a computer which could perform all the functions of a human DM. DMs could climb inside the statue and, by manipulating Gygax’s hands from within, simulate the rolling of dice and all other game functions. This would give DMs a true thrill — the opportunity to actually BECOME Gygax, seeing the world through his eyes as it were, blasphemous as this may seem. The idea makes me think of one of my favorite movies, “Being John Malkovich.” Some people might say that it is cheating to have an automaton-DM pretending to be a real one, but in the famous Greek temples of Alexandria there were numerous mechanical idols which were accepted by the believers. Sure, these sorts of things are “tricks,” but they may actually make people believe *more* in the game instead of less, and that’s always a good thing.
At any rate I am looking forward to what the statue planners have in mind for Gygax’s memorial and I hope that they will consider these proposals!! Although Gygax was apparently not the best Dungeon Master ever, his mark on roleplaying is indelible. Unfortunately I can probably not make it to GaryCon this year but I will be watching over the interwebs to see what develops. ^^
you would have been in diapers. you should read the real history of D&D, Gygax couldn’t run a company so D&D nearly died 4 times during his life.
He gained something of a Prima donna reputation by the early 80s and regularly brow beat anyone who dared to question him on his holy rules. you can download and read his articles on the -old- TSR magazines to see how much of a jerk he was becoming towards the end.
We can thank him for making rock solid law around copyrights and RPGs however. He sued almost anyone who tried to put out an RPG even remotely like D&D. He lost all of the cases of course. No one can copyright a game system, only the fictional parts of a game world can have reserved rights. In many ways, his litigiousness planted the seeds for World of Warcrak and Evercrack
BTW D&D wasn’t even the first RPG, nor the first popular one with players. It was just the first one to hit the addled consciousness of middle america. Most people under 35 simply never learned about the vast landscape of RPGs before the InterWebs took over.
This letter is in response to the confusion that has been brought to our attention by many people between the difference from “Gygax Family Memorial” and “Gygax Memorial Fund”. This letter can be printed, copied for internet use and published by either for availability to anyone in whole in its original format.
“Gygax Family Memorial” and “Gygax Memorial Fund” are two (2) separate non-profit organizations, not affiliated with each other, honoring father and husband, E. Gary Gygax.
Established in 2009, “Gygax Family Memorial” dba “Gary Con”, is owned by Gary’s daughter, M. Elise’ Gygax-Cousino, and operated by Lucion P. Gygax, M. Elise Gygax-Cousino and Bill Cousino with contributions from siblings; Ernest G. Gygax, Heidi J. Gygax and Cindy (Gygax) Shu, and our friends and fellow gamers. Alexander H. Gygax has been asked to be a participant, but so far has declined.
Established 2010 “Gygax Memorial Fund” is operated by Gary’s widow Gail Gygax, with assistance from board members Jody Mikkelsen and Jim Ward.
“Gygax Family Memorial”, and “Gygax Memorial Fund”, common interest is that they want to see a monument placed in Lake Geneva to honor their father and late husband, E. Gary Gygax.
At no time has “Gygax Family Memorial”, “Gary Con”, the children or people involved in such, supported or conducted business with “Gygax Memorial Fund”. Only at such time that the City of Lake Geneva has approved a sight, and construction started for a monument by “Gygax Memorial Fund” will “Gygax Family Memorial” contribute any funds collected by their original monument proposal presented at Gary Con I in March of 2009.
In regards to “Gary Con”, “Gygax Family Memorial” dba “Gary Con” is a gaming convention honoring Gary Gygax . This is the opportunity for all the children of Gary
Gygax to give back to the gaming community and the fans of his works. All of the proceeds received through donations, convention registration, and fund raisers, go directly to support future “Gary Con” conventions at this time. When, and if, there is progress on a monument, any available funds remaining will go towards the monument. If “Gygax Family Memorial” does not see any timely progression towards a monument, fund raising efforts will start again towards our original monument proposal presented at “Gary Con I”.