- Play some OD&D or 1st edition AD&D, or one of the other games Gary created.
- Adapt one of his modules to whatever fantasy system you are using nowadays. B2 The Keep on the Borderlands is a particularly good choice for "serious" role-players, if you focus on all the intrigues surrounding the various factions of humanoids in the Caves of Chaos.
- Name your next pet Gary, Gygax, or Mordenkainen. (I am not taking any responsibilty if you name your next kid Gygax or Mordenkainen. You're on your own on that one.)
- Build that Dragonchess set you've been meaning to construct ever since you read about it in issue #100 of Dragon.
- Players: Specialize in an oddball polearm, swear "by Gygax's beard", play a cleric of Zagig.
- DMs: drop the Ring of Gaxx into your setting, sprinkle some scrolls of Mordenkainen-brand spells about your dungeon, use a rust monster or a bulette.
- Write that module or game or whatever that you've been meaning to get around to. Submit it for publication or publish it yourself.
- Keep a sharp eye out for the next weird little game that might become a breakout hit, spawning cartoons, films, comic books, novels and countless imitators.
- Tell the hobgoblins "It's okay, Gary sent us!"
- Crack open your 1st edition DMG and just luxuriate in the unmistakeable Gygax prose.
- Send a letter or e-mail to another game designer thanking them before it's too late.
- Introduce someone else to the fun that is this crazy little hobby.
- Game like there's no tomorrow.
There's A Very Simple Explanation for All This (reader participation time)
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Game day yesterday. Got to use the Compendium (get yours today!) for the
first time since it arrived in the mail, which was fun and convenient...
...th...
My friend Marty used to favor the gaming group with live readings of Gygaxian prose ... I could go for one of those right now.
ReplyDeleteJeff: On Zack's Favorite Person List
ReplyDeleteThe 1981 Basic D&D + Keep on the Borderlands game I am going to be running this Saturday has just been designated a double memorial.
ReplyDeleteThe first piece of Gygax prose I ever laid my eyes on was an article in the first issue of my first subscription to Avalon Hill's _The General_ magazine. E.Gary wrote a very nice strategy article on the AH game Stalingrad. Yep, he did those hex-and-chit games as well, and wrote about them very well...
ReplyDeleteA good list, Jeff. Thanks. I've been feeling pretty blue. Honestly, I'm still feeling pretty blue, but this helps.
ReplyDeleteGood list! D&D had wandered off into the periphery of my radar screen for some time until I ran across your blog and your Cinder notes. Since that time, I'd been doing a lot of work and research to see if I could muster up starting a new campaign. It reminded me of just how important EGG was in my life at a surprisingly appropriate time.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeleteJust Beautiful.
-Zulgyan
Thanks Jeff, that's a wonderful list of memorial activities.
ReplyDeleteMarch 4th should become E.G.G. day for us RPG geeks.
I shall dedicate my next game to the man
Great List! I am going to run Dungeonland for my group this weekend in his honor
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