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R.I.P. Gary Gygax


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Ernest Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and co-founder of TSR, Inc., passed away today. Cause of death is unknown, though he did suffer two strokes in 2004 and was diagnosed with an inoperable abdominal aortic aneurysm (a localized dilatation of the abdominal aorta).

Lots of discussion at the Kenzer & Co. and Troll Lord Games board. Jolly R. Blackburn, creator of the Knights of the Dinner Table comic strip, received an e-mail from a mutual friend confirming it today.

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Ernest Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and co-founder of TSR, Inc., passed away today. Cause of death is unknown, though he did suffer two strokes in 2004 and was diagnosed with an inoperable abdominal aortic aneurysm (a localized dilatation of the abdominal aorta).

Lots of discussion at the Kenzer & Co. and Troll Lord Games board. Jolly R. Blackburn, creator of the Knights of the Dinner Table comic strip, received an e-mail from a mutual friend confirming it today.

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Just got a phone call about this a few minutes ago; no matter what you think of D&D as it stands today, the fact remains that EGG and Dave Arneson created the role-playing game as we know it. The one sad thing is I doubt Arneson will get his due when he passes; he is like the Kirby to Gary's Stan Lee :(

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Just got a phone call about this a few minutes ago; no matter what you think of D&D as it stands today, the fact remains that EGG and Dave Arneson created the role-playing game as we know it. The one sad thing is I doubt Arneson will get his due when he passes; he is like the Kirby to Gary's Stan Lee :(

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A few more praises of Mr. Gygax:

Awards:

-Named Strategists Club's "Outstanding Designer & Writer"  for creating D&D

-Named to Origin Game Convention's "Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame"

-Winner of the Origins Award, Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design Hall of Fame Honors (2004)

-Four time winner of Games Day's "Best Games Inventor" (1979–82)

-Named GenCon 2007 (40th Anniversary) Premiere Guest of Honor

-Gary Gygax was tied with J. R. R. Tolkien for #18 on "GameSpy's 30 Most Influential People in Gaming" (Gamespy Magazine, March 2002).

-As of March 13, 2003, Gygax was listed under the entry Dungeons and Dragons in the Oxford English Dictionary.

-A strain of bacteria was named in honor of Gary Gygax, namely "Arthronema gygaxiana sp nov UTCC393".

-Sync Magazine named Gary Gygax #1 on the list of "The 50 Biggest Nerds of All Time".

-SFX Magazine listed him as #37 on the list of the "50 Greatest SF Pioneers".

-In 1999 Pyramid magazine named Gary Gygax as one of The Millennium's Most Influential Persons "at least in the realm of adventure gaming."

Career:

1. 1970–73 – Editor-in-Chief, Guidon Games (publisher of Wargaming rules and wargames)

2. 1973–83 – Partner of TSR and then President of TSR Hobbies, Inc.

3. 1983–85 – President, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Entertainment Corporation (Co-Producer, Dungeons & Dragons animated television show)

4. 1983–85 – Chairman of the Board of Directors of TSR, Inc.; also President (1985)

5. 1986–88 – Chairman of the Board of Directors, New Infinities Productions, Inc.

6. 1988–94 – Creator/author under contract to Omega Helios Limited

7. 1995â€â€2008 – Creator/author under contract to Trigee Enterprises Corporation

8. 1999â€â€2008 – Partner, Hekaforge Productions

You can read the whole Wikipedia article about him HERE.

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A few more praises of Mr. Gygax:

Awards:

-Named Strategists Club's "Outstanding Designer & Writer"  for creating D&D

-Named to Origin Game Convention's "Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame"

-Winner of the Origins Award, Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design Hall of Fame Honors (2004)

-Four time winner of Games Day's "Best Games Inventor" (1979–82)

-Named GenCon 2007 (40th Anniversary) Premiere Guest of Honor

-Gary Gygax was tied with J. R. R. Tolkien for #18 on "GameSpy's 30 Most Influential People in Gaming" (Gamespy Magazine, March 2002).

-As of March 13, 2003, Gygax was listed under the entry Dungeons and Dragons in the Oxford English Dictionary.

-A strain of bacteria was named in honor of Gary Gygax, namely "Arthronema gygaxiana sp nov UTCC393".

-Sync Magazine named Gary Gygax #1 on the list of "The 50 Biggest Nerds of All Time".

-SFX Magazine listed him as #37 on the list of the "50 Greatest SF Pioneers".

-In 1999 Pyramid magazine named Gary Gygax as one of The Millennium's Most Influential Persons "at least in the realm of adventure gaming."

Career:

1. 1970–73 – Editor-in-Chief, Guidon Games (publisher of Wargaming rules and wargames)

2. 1973–83 – Partner of TSR and then President of TSR Hobbies, Inc.

3. 1983–85 – President, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Entertainment Corporation (Co-Producer, Dungeons & Dragons animated television show)

4. 1983–85 – Chairman of the Board of Directors of TSR, Inc.; also President (1985)

5. 1986–88 – Chairman of the Board of Directors, New Infinities Productions, Inc.

6. 1988–94 – Creator/author under contract to Omega Helios Limited

7. 1995â€â€2008 – Creator/author under contract to Trigee Enterprises Corporation

8. 1999â€â€2008 – Partner, Hekaforge Productions

You can read the whole Wikipedia article about him HERE.

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Wow. In all honesty, this news saddens me more than I thought it would - not that I'd thought about it, mind you. I've never even seen a picture of this guy, I knew who he was, and that was all. That was enough, I guess. It's very sad to hear of his passing - his creations gave a lot to a lot of people. He's going to be missed.

This is for those who, like me, only knew the cover of the Players Handbook, and not who was originally behind it:

GG.jpg

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Wow. In all honesty, this news saddens me more than I thought it would - not that I'd thought about it, mind you. I've never even seen a picture of this guy, I knew who he was, and that was all. That was enough, I guess. It's very sad to hear of his passing - his creations gave a lot to a lot of people. He's going to be missed.

This is for those who, like me, only knew the cover of the Players Handbook, and not who was originally behind it:

GG.jpg

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