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D&D Co-Creator Dave Arneson Dies of Cancer
epee1221 was one of many readers to send word that Dave Arneson, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, has died of cancer at the age of 61.
"Arneson is often described as an 'unsung hero' in the history of gaming, having been largely eclipsed by his collaborator Gary Gygax. While Gygax was known for developing the rules for Dungeons & Dragons, Arneson's work focused more on the role-playing element. Although the two split up, Arneson continued developing fantasy role-playing content, and later taught game design at Full Sail University."
We discussed Gary Gygax's passing just over a year ago.
,,,and thanks, Dave. Well played. :)
Rest in Peace, and get yourself a good rest. You earn it very well. If you find an Archons though, give them a swiftly kick on the butt for us.
To the family and friends. He did good in his life. And has a name plate on the history of RPG. I mourn the pass of the creators of my main hobby for the last 15 years.
Now, where did I leave that Blackmoore set?
--- "When you gotta do something wrong. You gotta do it right. (Fighter)"
for the game Dave.
Eaten by a grue. What a terrible way to go.
Ok, Dave, roll under your con on a d20.
Dave: Why?
DM: It's a saving throw against cancer.
Dave (rolls die): Hey! It's cocked!
DM: Yeah, it sure is. Sorry.
Only his tendency toward a dazed stupor prevented him from screaming aloud.
I'm glad Gary didn't see D&D 4e. I'm glad Dave didn't see Hasbro's future attempts to kill Blackmoor (you know they will).
As us geeks age those late nights start catching up with ya.
I started playing D&D in 79. It was a part of my life growing up and well into adult hood (and still on rare occasion). I was fortunate to have met both Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson on a few occasions at various conventions throughout the years. Its a shame to see such geek icons pass, but sadly, that is life.
Thank you Dave, and Gods Speed!
Don't rush me, Sonny. You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles.
inb4 failed saving throw!
a cancer shows up.
you roll 2 ... oh ... that's bad. cancer eats you.
I wish there were more people like him creating such life-enriching games for us masses.
You are in a small wooden box, there are no exits. (Yes, I know it was already used for Gygax)
Kinda off topic but I have a friend on IRC who's into this and it sounds really interesting but we can't find a dicebot. Anybody have any tips for people who want to play over IRC.
Mainly he's into white wolf games but it's still more or less related.
Thanks.
Thankful for what he gave us.
Some people are only alive because it's against the law for me to hunt them down and kill them.
...he apparently failed the save about 17 minutes before you were "in"...
My sig can beat up your sig.
See what the 4th edition does to you? First Gary, now this. Be warned!!
No one had a Resurrect spell, huh?
Not making light of the passing of a human being, but that's the first thing that came to mind when I read about it this afternoon.
LK
"Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
did he drop any good loot?
He should have been a cleric, he could have healed himself!
I played first D&D as a kid, then migrated to other games like Robotech, Star Wars, Traveler 2300AD, Rifts, and my all time favorite Skyrealms of Jorune. I have great memories of my friends and me sitting in our basements playing RPGs deep into the night. Here's to that +20 saving throw in the next world.
I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
He's rolling an awful lot of 20's lately...
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
Was a good time for sure, peace.
Life was hell, then I discovered Linux...
For all the OOTS fans, here's a strip in his honor: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0644.html
It breaks my heart to hear someone dying of cancer. I am a geek, but I wish I studied medicine.
Dave, you will be missed. I signed up to slashdot after years and years. Had to create an account. Just to say that.
Dave and Gary made buying stamps fun.
Top that bitches.
I don't play any RPGs. (Slashdot gasps!). But I did mess around a bit with D&D in the 70's as a teenager, and played Rogue a bit in college, so I know how it works.
I was visiting my sister a few years ago, who lives in another country, and my nephew was playing some PS2 game. He was clobbering cacti to prepare for taking on a dinosaur. At one point, I instinctively said, "Watch your hit points!"
He was surprised that I had any knowledge of gaming, and I explained that before folks had PCs, they played D&D, and that all the basic concepts were founded there.
So maybe Gygax and Arneson never made fortunes for themselves, but they paved a way for a gazillion dollar industry that keeps the world amused.
That, my fellow Slashdotters, is immortality.
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
When I heard this early yesterday I immediately thought I ought to post it to /., after all whats more "News for Nerd"-y? than the death of one of the founders of D&D and the entire world of roleplaying games.
Sadly, /. moves in mysterious ways:
# 2009-04-09 18:11:49 Dave Arneson RIP (Games,Role Playing (Games)) (pending)
There are countless thousands, more likely millions who owe and incredible debt to this man, for the creation of a hobby that has likely shaped their lives in some regards. I started with the very first box set, back in 1979, and have been playing D&D in one form or another ever since then. Thanks, Dave for the countless hours of entertainment I have found playing, discussing, and designing roleplaying and related games. You will be missed.
"The first time I got drunk, I got married. The second time I bought a chimpanzee, after that I stayed sober" Arian Seid
I was quite the g33k in high school, but never got into the D&D thang. That said, cancer's a bitch. Nobody should die at 61 from cancer, not in America.
Cancer has taken everyone that I know in my family, and at 22, I've already had melanomas removed. Seriously, if I had a pussy for every recalcitrant little bitch cell that decided it was boss in my family, I'd be wearing a foursome for a hat.
Rest in peace man, and just remember, when the grey goo comes to take over, it ain't got shit on your cells' unconstrained ability to divide. Your (and my, for that matter) genetic code may be the salvation of us all.
Indeed.
You weren't a geek, you were a virgin. There is a difference. While there is a large number of virgins among geeks not all virgins are geeks. The way to tell the difference? We can spell anyone and for that matter geek.
True geeks read books and don't think the lord of the rings could have been a hell of lot of shorter if only Tolkien had used leet speak. (Note the spelling of leet, no numbers involved.)
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
Another of my child-hood icons has fallen to the beast of time, thanks Dave, you've helped to inspire millions and will continue to do so. R.I.P
I think the cancer that killed him was Wizards of the Coast.
gygax did not like 3rd edition much and good dice roll probability 4th edition would not a been his flavor either, as many say they have DUMBED the game down to 3 year olds.
He still played his basic edition and ADnD .
Dave would still go at basic ediotn now and then as well.
now that they are ascended as initiate immortals.....
there seemed to be so many worlds to discover; but the book itself was only a description of the key to a door in the minds of my friends and I. Thanks Dave.
on the day of Gygax's passing:
"May your prismatic spray always bypass your opponent's reflex saving throw."
Here's to Dave.. As a tribute to our greatest enemy, or perhaps our greatest teacher, I will pay Father Time another 48 hours of late-night, passionate, relentless gaming based on one of the most relevant game systems ever developed - Dungeons and Dragons.
Do you mean "Hasbro"?
I have not played DnD, but I've heard a lot of "Hasbro this, Hasbor that" in an MtG contenxt...not sure of the veracity/fanboy angst balance there, but that may be a more accurate way to put it.
I listen to both RIAA and non-RIAA stuff if I like the music, tangential business/politics nonwithstanding.
To Gary Gygax:
"Put the dice away, before I *take* them away."
-- Al Gore