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A 1974 Review of D&D

Posted by michael on from the start-of-an-era dept.

CleverNickName writes "Boing Boing pointed me to this 1974 review of the 'new' Dungeons and Dragons game. Some highlights: D&D was subtitled 'Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargams Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures.' The reviewer concludes, 'In general, the concept and imagination involved is stunning. However, much more work, refinement, and especially regulation and simplification is necessary before the game is managable.'"

21 of 403 comments (clear)

  1. Sheesh. by majestynine · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know Slashdot is renowned for posting news thats weeks or even months old, but *this* is just stupid!

  2. Okay, really now by mattdm · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does it *get* more geeky than a story about D&D sent in by Wil Wheaton? I can't see how it possibly could.

    1. Re:Okay, really now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes, you could be reading it on a Friday night.

    2. Re:Okay, really now by mattdm · · Score: 4, Funny

      Heh. You mean *we* could be reading it on a Friday night.

    3. Re:Okay, really now by merriam · · Score: 5, Funny

      ... and recognize Wil Wheaton by his slashdot nickname.

    4. Re:Okay, really now by jericho4.0 · · Score: 3, Funny
      OMFG!!!! You're right!! This was posted by Will!! And I was going to post something intelligent and thoughtfull. Good God!!! We are all such geeks I can hardly stand it.

      I'm going to go try to get laid now. Good luck to you all.

      --
      "A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing" - Alan Perlis
    5. Re:Okay, really now by orthogonal · · Score: 3, Funny

      Heh. You mean *we* could be reading it [an article about Dungeons & Dragons submitted by Wil Wheaton who portrayed Wesley Crusher on the Star Trek spin-off with the bald French Captain Kirk who wouldn't fight Iraq (or the Germans) because the Prime Directive required him to be a cheese eating surrender monkey] on a Friday night.

      Hey, I just got back from a date.

      With a girl.

      Who wasn't inflatable or mail order.

      Oh shit, there goes my karma.

      --
      Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?
  3. Disaster could have been averted by Sagarian · · Score: 4, Funny

    If the review were more vehemently negative, the celibacy of thousands could have been averted.

    1. Re:Disaster could have been averted by EvilSporkMan · · Score: 5, Funny

      That WAS an aversion of disaster. Think how many more people that'd be in about 10 generations. Way to fight overpopulation!

      --
      -insert a witty something-
    2. Re:Disaster could have been averted by Twirlip+of+the+Mists · · Score: 4, Funny

      No matter what you say, *someone* will disagree.

      That's bullshit.

      --

      I write in my journal
    3. Re:Disaster could have been averted by CleverNickName · · Score: 5, Funny

      No matter what you say, *someone* will disagree.

      That's bullshit.


      No it isn't!
  4. Much more regulation? by Hawthorne01 · · Score: 4, Funny
    However, much more work, refinement, and especially regulation and simplification is necessary before the game is managable.'"

    And 19 years and dozens of rule books later, the quest continues..... :-)

    --
    "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
  5. phone/mail D&D by unsinged+int · · Score: 4, Funny

    The optimum solution seems to be play by phone, or when distances are too great, play by mail.

    Oh I can see this working. "Hey, Fred, did you get my letter I mailed last week? You know, the one where I rolled a 20? I haven't heard from you yet. Did we kill the sucker or not?"

  6. Acolyte Dorn by MoonFacedAssassin · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...the Acolyte Dorn from the village of Thane ventured into the ruins of Takator...</from the article>

    Whoa! Michael Dorn played D&D?? Coincidence that Wil Wheaton posts this story...I think not.

    --
    I am a meat popsicle.
  7. THIS JUST IN!! by josh+crawley · · Score: 4, Funny

    We recently got an email from a guy in Finland that he's going to duplicate a Unix box on commodity hardware! If you would like to give a hand, Send the person, Linus Torvalds an email or post on comp.os.minix ! He really needs your help.

    1. Re:THIS JUST IN!! by op00to · · Score: 3, Funny

      He's insane, Minix is the end-all be-all *nix on my 386!

  8. I remember watching by Zapdos · · Score: 4, Funny

    The strange people who played this all night long in the lounge.. As far as I know they all are still virgins.

    --
    Get a free ipod.
    1. Re:I remember watching by orthogonal · · Score: 3, Funny

      Nope - Met my wife playing D&D - In fact, we first kissed leaving a D&D session - Can tell you the date, place, and who the DM was, but NOT the premise of the campaign
      --
      -- For the Children - RKBA! PGP Key on the servers

      For the Children -- for your children, please, please, never tell them this.

      Let them keep a little dignity, and avoid the therapy.

      --
      Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?
  9. Play By Phone? by Quaoar · · Score: 5, Funny

    How the hell is the DM supposed to physically abuse the players if we did that?!

    --
    I'll form my OWN solar system! With blackjack! And hookers!
    1. Re:Play By Phone? by OblvnDrgn · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, no. You've got it all wrong.

      A good DM mentally and emotionally abuses the players. It's far more satisfying than just hitting them with a rolled up newspaper when they try to twink. You know you're a good "referee" when the very mention of a Ring of Wishing puts fear into their hearts.
      "Yes, please. Make a wish. I'm sure that this one... unlike the last seventeen your party has made... won't horribly backfire at all. Trust me."

  10. Hey, cut this out! by Lethyos · · Score: 3, Funny

    michael, don't you realize that Dungeons & Dragons is a tool of The Devil? Satan uses D&D to warp and manipulate young minds into doing the will of darkness! How dare you use such a popular forum for advocating and informing people of this horror. D&D is nothing but suicide, sex, drugs, and evil! Burn it!

    Oh wait a minute, you mean it's just a game? Sheesh!

    --
    Why bother.