12 Responses

1. Mark Silver

   March 4th, 2008 at 5:08 pm

   1

   Wow, Steve. Thanks for finding this- I might not have seen it. I spent so much time of my geeky childhood playing D&D- Gary Gygax is such a familiar name, and yet one I haven’t thought of in probably 20-25 years…

   Definitely- thanks for the memories Gary- and I hope the adventure you’re on now is the best yet.

2. david

   March 4th, 2008 at 5:45 pm

   2

   “Brought joy to a lot of misfits”–if that were my eulogy I think I would be exceptionally happy.

3. Chuck

   March 4th, 2008 at 7:50 pm

   3

   Just found out shortly before reading this . . . and I can’t explain why, but it’s really shaking me up. I think like has been mentioned, even though I don’t play D & D much now it was a huge part of my life growing up as a misfit. Happy trails, Gary.

4. Steve

   March 4th, 2008 at 8:34 pm

   4

   @Chuck,

   I know, I called a few of old D&D buddies and left messages. I haven’t played D&D in at least 15 years but it still hit hard. I have a huge collection of vintage stuff, and I took it out tonight and showed it to my 5-year-old son and I explained to him that the guy who invented many of the concepts he knows from video games died today. I showed him the maps of Greyhawk and Dragonlance and he asked me how you played the game. I told him that you played it entirely in your imagination. He smiled the biggest smile I’ve ever seen and then he asked me if I’d teach him someday. No doubt, I will. Long live the geekdom!

5. Ben

   March 4th, 2008 at 8:51 pm

   5

   Seeing Gary Gygax’s name took me back two decades ago when the only enthusiams I had at high school were chasing girls and playing D & D at lunchtime and after school. Thinking about those days has brought back some bittersweet memories.

6. Kelvin

   March 5th, 2008 at 1:12 am

   6

   I’ve never played D&D but we’ve all played games that evolved from it. This man is a pioneer.

7. Jalaj

   March 5th, 2008 at 2:54 am

   7

   Pray his soul rests in happiness and peace.

8. Rick Cockrum

   March 5th, 2008 at 6:07 pm

   8

   I heard about this while I was driving. I immediately called my wife.

   We spent hours upon hours playing in the early 80s. We haven’t played in years, but I still have my dice, books, and character sheets for my favorite characters. I wouldn’t give them up for anything. They’re some of those memories that you don’t lose, not because of playing the game per se, but because of the worlds of imagination you build up, the relationships you develop with the people you play, and the effect that role playing has on your day to day personality.

   You learn a lot about being you playing a game.

9. Bats in the Belfry

   March 9th, 2008 at 6:19 am

   9

   Gary was a great guy. I was fortunate enough to have met Gary and Gail a few times when I was a child. My aunt and her husband were close friends. They were very nice and even gave me a few trolls (still in the packaging) with the solve your own story books.

   He is very loved and missed.

10. Caroline Middlebrook

    March 18th, 2008 at 4:32 pm

    10

    I’ve never played any of the traditional board RPGs but I’ve been a fan of the online spinoffs like Everquest for many years. I imagine my little gaming career would have been quite different if Gary hadn’t been around.

11. Tony

    May 24th, 2008 at 9:45 am

    11

    Wow, yeah, seeing Gary’s name here does bring back memories. Was a misfit too. D & D let me and my fellow misfits see a world of wonder and awe thru our dreamers’ eyes. My childhood would not have been the same without The Game. Some of my oldest friends are D&D buddies…

    Happy Journey Gary. You are well remembered even here in the Philippines.

12. randy bragg

    December 7th, 2008 at 3:08 pm

    12

    Keep on rocking…