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Post by tdenmark on Mar 18, 2024 22:24:52 GMT -6
Another legend has passed on. Farewell, Drawmij. James Ward is responsible for two of my favorite TSR products: Deities & Demigods and Gamma World.
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Post by rredmond on Mar 19, 2024 3:35:17 GMT -6
Sad news.
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Post by jeffb on Mar 19, 2024 3:45:46 GMT -6
Ugh. Dammit. Drawmij himself has been summoned. RIP Jim.
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Post by Finarvyn on Mar 19, 2024 4:17:10 GMT -6
James Ward is responsible for two of my favorite TSR products: Deities & Demigods and Gamma World. He is, and two earlier products than those. Gods, Demigods & Heroes (OD&D Supplement IV) was Jim's work on gods before Deities & Demigods. Metamorphosis Alpha was Jim's post-apocalyptic work before Gamma World. If you haven't checked those out, you are in for a treat.
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Post by Malchor on Mar 19, 2024 6:04:06 GMT -6
Very sad news.
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Post by geoffrey on Mar 19, 2024 7:15:50 GMT -6
I owe him much for his RPG designs, particularly for the AD&D Deities & Demigods Cyclopedia. May he rest in peace.
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Post by DungeonDevil on Mar 19, 2024 12:19:01 GMT -6
Metamorphosis Alpha is indeed a great (much underappreciated) "generation ship"-genre game. Fare thee well, Mr. Ward.
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Post by thegreyelf on Mar 19, 2024 12:56:44 GMT -6
Yeah, this one hit hard. While I wouldn't say he was in my personal circle, Jim was something of a friend as well as a colleague and a mentor. He always gave good advice and was a joy to talk to. We used to bounce ideas off each other every so oftan and we talked a lot about working together one day. I guess one day never came. I'm going to miss him deeply, and it cuts deeper being the weekend of Gary Con. I was really looking forward to seeing him. RIP, Jim. I hope you're once again gaming with Gary, Dave, Janelle, and all the other greats we've lost, now.
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Post by tdenmark on Mar 19, 2024 15:54:35 GMT -6
He is, and two earlier products than those. Gods, Demigods & Heroes (OD&D Supplement IV) was Jim's work on gods before Deities & Demigods. Metamorphosis Alpha was Jim's post-apocalyptic work before Gamma World. If you haven't checked those out, you are in for a treat. I particularly like the Robert E. Howard's Hyborea, and the Elric and the Melnibone Story Line chapters in GD&H. I missed out on Metamorphosis Alpha back in the day, though I got the Goodman Games Deluxe reprint which has a really cool map on the endpapers.
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Post by howandwhy99 on Mar 19, 2024 22:05:48 GMT -6
I loved how he would go straight to what was fun. He had great taste and heart for what is joyous about gaming. He is missed.
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Post by Finarvyn on Mar 20, 2024 4:16:27 GMT -6
Metamorphosis Alpha is indeed a great (much underappreciated) "generation ship"-genre game. Fare thee well, Mr. Ward. A funny story about MA is that Jim named the generation ship the Warden after himself. Like OD&D, where everyone makes their own world and many players of that time named their D&D characters as mutations of their own names, Jim just assumed that everyone would name their own generation ship after themselves in some way and so he was always mystified that all of the players of Metamorphosis Alpha left the ship name Warden.
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Post by retrorob on Mar 20, 2024 14:11:41 GMT -6
RIP
btw news should be amended:
James M Ward (Metamorphosis Alpha) May 23, 1951 – March 18, 2018
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2024 14:47:00 GMT -6
No Joseph Campbell, nonetheless, Kuntz and Ward with their, Deities & Demigods, and before that, Deities, Demigods, & Heroes, introduced a dozen or so pantheons and the components of high-level campaigning to countless gamers.
RIP
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Post by tdenmark on Mar 20, 2024 16:26:12 GMT -6
RIP btw news should be amended: James M Ward (Metamorphosis Alpha) May 23, 1951 – March 18, 2018Wait, what?
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Post by retrorob on Mar 20, 2024 17:21:22 GMT -6
There is a mistake in his date of death in "in memoriam" section on the main page of this board (should be 2024)
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Post by tdenmark on Mar 20, 2024 18:35:51 GMT -6
There is a mistake in his date of death in "in memoriam" section on the main page of this board (should be 2024) Ok. For a minute there I thought you were saying he passed in 2018 and we are just now finding out.
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