\/\/illy Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7278927.stmDungeons and Dragons creator diesGary Gygax, co-creator of the first role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, has died at the age of 69. Gygax, who developed the game in 1974 with Dave Arneson, had been suffering from health problems for several years. Famous for its mythical creatures and odd-shaped dice, Dungeons and Dragons was an instant success that spawned a slew of video games, books and films. Gygax was also a author who wrote numerous fantasy books, including the Greyhawk series of adventure novels. He died on Tuesday at his home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, leaving a wife and six children. Skills and abilitiesErnest Gary Gygax grew up in Chicago, moving to Lake Geneva at the age of eight. His father, a Swiss immigrant, read fantasy books that got his son hooked on the genre, according to Gygax's widow Gail. Gygax was working as an insurance underwriter in the 1960s when he began playing war-themed board games. It was these that inspired him and Arneson to develop Dungeons and Dragons, in which players create fictional characters by rolling dice that determine their skills and abilities. An estimated 20 million people worldwide have played the game, with more than $1bn (£505m) spent on equipment and books."I thought we would sell about 50,000 copies," Gygax told the BBC News website in 2004. Gygax and Arneson sold their rights to Dungeons and Dragons in the 1990s, when the game's popularity began to wane. According to his widow, though, he hosted weekly games as recently as January. "It really meant a lot to him to hear from people from over the years about how he helped them become a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman," she said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phishtaper Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 fwiw, Lake Geneva is the Muskoka of Chicago. it's the home of the original Playboy mansion / resort - now called the Grand Geneva Resort. it's a stunning place - designed by students of Frank Lloyd Wright (based on his drawings). we went to a wedding there a few years ago. i never played D&D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 I guess he just didn't roll high enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcO Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 I saw a nerd weeping softly to himself in a high-pitched whimper on the bus this morning. Now I know why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phishtaper Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 I saw a nerd weeping softly to himself in a high-pitched whimper on the bus this morning. Now I know why. dont assume it was because of this. could just be a daily self-reflection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 I wish my name was Gygax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freeker Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 Your name is Gaygax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 or Gygay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanada Kev Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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