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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.'"

5 of 403 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I have no D&D experience... by elmegil · · Score: 3, Informative
    A lot depends on the referee / game master.

    A lot? Try everything. D&D gives you a framework, and consistent rules for engagement so you don't think you're at the GM's whims, but without someone who

    • has imagination
    • is organized
    • is able to keep a group of unruly nerds in line
    the game is still unplayable. This was proven to me time and again in a group of us with rotating gamemasters a long while back. Only one GM was worth playing with....
    --
    7 November 2006: The day Americans realized corruption and incompetence weren't addressing 11 September 2001
  2. Re:I have no D&D experience... by Stonehand · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's all about the collaborative storytelling. Basically, you need imaginations, creativity, improvisational skills (especially for the gamemaster; players won't necessarily do what you anticipate...) and dedication (because creating a plausible, detailed setting and reasonable non-cookie-cutter missions takes a LOT of time and effort on the part of the GM).

    With CRPGs, you normally drastically cut down on the personality and interaction aspect -- you're normally restricted to preplotted conversation trees or keyword systems, for instance -- that make pencil-and-paper RPGs shine.

    It's not about the dice. It's not about the system, although choice of system will affect style -- e.g. players in the Middle Earth RPG system need to be extremely careful since healing's far harder to get than, say, AD&D-type systems.

    --
    Only the dead have seen the end of war.
  3. And some minor advice... by Kozz · · Score: 3, Informative

    Should you decide to play, have fun with it and keep an open mind.

    That having been said, you should:

    • Don't ever get too attached to any of the characters you play. They tend to die, unless you've got a DM that never kills any characters, in which case there's no risk and it's a boring game.
    • Always play while "straight". I'm talking about mental capacity here, not sexual preference. Put away the weed, the beer, whatever. But of course, the Mountain Dew and Doritos are fine. Seriously though, the game is much more fun when you and your friends can concentrate fully on the game, be alert, and be creative. I've played a game where all it took was one or two beers before some people became just lost interest or stopped trying.
    • What happens in the game is just that -- a game. However your character may interact with your friends' characters, keep it all in the game. I've seen minor pissing-matches between friends after D&D sessions, and it's a damned shame.

    Oh yeah, get some dice. A nice big set of "matching" dice may look nice, but the favorites become those sets that are a hodge-podge of dice bought here and there. ;)

    --
    I only post comments when someone on the internet is wrong.
  4. Re:My poor memory by Ex-MislTech · · Score: 4, Informative

    That was the Basic Set, I still have it .

    A dragon seen thru a doorway, sitting
    on a trasure pile, and a scared mage
    with his mouth hanging open with a wand
    in his hand .

    Hehe, forgot about the archer ...

    It was light blue , and so was the box,
    and came with a few cheap dice too .

    Here is a picture ...

    http://www.acaeum.com/DDIndexes/SetPages/SetScan s/ Basic2Rule.html

    Ex-MislTech

    --
    google "32 trillion offshore needs IRS attention"
  5. About the reviewer, Arnold Hendrick by Allen+Varney · · Score: 5, Informative

    Jeez, I was the one who submitted this story to Boing Boing. I never thought Slashdot would go for it. I keep missing so many Karma opportunities....

    What I said in the Boing Boing submission that Wil didn't repeat here is, the 1974 review is by a gamer named Arnold Hendrick. Hendrick went on to run Heritage Miniatures and to design some cool boardgames for Heritage's short-lived Dwarfstar game line. Later Hendrick went into computer games, working for Microprose and others; he helped design or develop many of Sid Meier's best-known titles. Hendrick's best-known work as sole designer is probably the 1992 Microprose fantasy game Darklands. Here's his MobyGames rap sheet and a Darklands FAQ.

    What I learn from this: Be bold! Despite all qualms, submit to Slashdot!