On Tuesday March 4th 2008 Gary Gygax passed at the age of 69.

Some have remembered him as the father of role-playing games. Those some are correct, he was.


The first dungeon, basement, dork of us all created what has now been known as GenCon 0. 20 people he put in the basement to try out some games he had written and developed. This took place in 1967. GenCon celebrated that event the next year on the same date. If you don't know what GenCon is stop reading this now and never look back.


If you clicked on this knowing who Gygax was and wondered what I had to say about it then you are pretty close, even though you are not supposed to be reading this far.

The reason he is the father of RPGs and not Tolkien or even his partner Don Kaye is due to consistency. Tolkien gave us some of the most memorable stories ever that became the basis of RPG story telling. Kaye helped Gygax build the foundations that would allow the most imaginative people out there better live their dreams and fantasies. Gygax adopted these young ideas, got them through the angsty teen years, and put them through College. They have since grown up and had kids of their own who are having their own kids that are even more socially acceptable than decades ago when this all first started. LoTR (again if you don't know this one and are still reading it is your presence that wakes me in a cold sweat at night) is now main stream. You can argue because it is a great story telling. I will tell you it is because visionaries like Peter Jackson have a twenty sided die hidden on thier person most times of the week.

Gygax will be missed greatly. Like any father he wasn't always right (see Isle of the Ape) but he nurtured us and took care of us the best he knew how (see The Temple of Elemental Evil). For a moment here you might say that I am still poking fun but in the end I have great respect and admiration for his works. I will miss him.

As one small side note from a dork gamer to the "real" world. Should a scoff or a snicker come out of you at any part of the news of his passing, or the mention of D&D remember this:

Despite your accomplishments it is a fairly good chance that 4.7 million people won't remember you so fondly when you are gone. That number is only growing too.


Thanks Dad.


Alex

My Chi is remembered by only three at all times.