Posted 12.02.10
Revised 02.18.2015
Since I started gaming around 1978 or '79, I never had a chance to play OD&D. I started with Holmes Basic and went rather quickly into AD&D.
With that said, Gary Gygax has always been my primary influence. I looked up to the man from reading the AD&D books and all his articles in The Dragon. And I was always (and am still) keenly interested in his ORIGINAL Castle Greyhawk. (If anyone every publishes his notes for that, I'll buy a copy.) I also credit AD&D for getting me into reading. The first book I every read (without being forced by school) was The Hobbit followed by The Lord of the Rings. Then I moved on to the Elric series by Moorcock. (Oh yes, tell me I didn't get teased, while in school, for reading an author with the last name of Moorcock.) I am sorry I never got to meet Gary Gygax in person. I exchange a number of e-mails with him in the years before he passed. I cannot say I agreed with him on everything, but I respected his opinion, and I continue to miss his presence on Dragonsfoot. I feel I owe the man a lot of who I am today. He and his works played a large part in turning me into a reader and writer.
The second major gaming influence to me is Robilar himself -- Mr. Rob Kuntz. Again, I read a lot of bits and pieces about him and his famous character Robilar in The Dragon, modules published by TSR, and various other publications I came across - as I gamed thru my adolescence. I have been intrigued by the dungeon levels he contributed to Castle Greyhawk and how Gary Gygax himself made him the co-DM of Castle Greyhawk. A high honor indeed for such a young fellow back then. Mr Kuntz is one hell of an adventure designer in his own right. (Dare I say he has built on the skills of a master and, perhaps exceeded the master?) In fact, if anyone embodies the tradition and philosophy of old school game design, it is Mr. Kuntz hand down.
The End.
With that said, Gary Gygax has always been my primary influence. I looked up to the man from reading the AD&D books and all his articles in The Dragon. And I was always (and am still) keenly interested in his ORIGINAL Castle Greyhawk. (If anyone every publishes his notes for that, I'll buy a copy.) I also credit AD&D for getting me into reading. The first book I every read (without being forced by school) was The Hobbit followed by The Lord of the Rings. Then I moved on to the Elric series by Moorcock. (Oh yes, tell me I didn't get teased, while in school, for reading an author with the last name of Moorcock.) I am sorry I never got to meet Gary Gygax in person. I exchange a number of e-mails with him in the years before he passed. I cannot say I agreed with him on everything, but I respected his opinion, and I continue to miss his presence on Dragonsfoot. I feel I owe the man a lot of who I am today. He and his works played a large part in turning me into a reader and writer.
The second major gaming influence to me is Robilar himself -- Mr. Rob Kuntz. Again, I read a lot of bits and pieces about him and his famous character Robilar in The Dragon, modules published by TSR, and various other publications I came across - as I gamed thru my adolescence. I have been intrigued by the dungeon levels he contributed to Castle Greyhawk and how Gary Gygax himself made him the co-DM of Castle Greyhawk. A high honor indeed for such a young fellow back then. Mr Kuntz is one hell of an adventure designer in his own right. (Dare I say he has built on the skills of a master and, perhaps exceeded the master?) In fact, if anyone embodies the tradition and philosophy of old school game design, it is Mr. Kuntz hand down.
The End.
This is not the end.
