Ernest Gary Gygax (July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008)

[Falconer]

Rest in peace, O Great One.

[robertsconley]

The head of troll lord games posted about it

www.freeyabb.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=4373&mforum=trolllordgames

Jolly Blackburn also comments on it

www.kenzerco.com/forums/showpost.php?p=633636&postcount=2

It is a sad day indeed. But the man's work have given me and my friend a lot of joy over the years.

[foster1941]

The end of an era. Even if this hobby of ours survives into future generations it will never be the same for them as it was for those of us who were lucky enough to know (or at least interact online with) the co-father and public face of the game. It'll be interesting to see what kind of coverage this gets in the mainstream press and what (if any) official reaction WotC will have.

[Zulgyan]

d**n, we lost him. Let he enjoy the other life. He has the deserved rest after all his big work in making the BEST gamer ever. He changed the world of hobbies for ever, and gave us so much fun with friends for so many years.

It looks like prophetic that the game has also died with the upcoming new edition.



Sad, sad indeed.

[korgoth]

[Zulgyan]

This is big, really f**king big. So many things will change now.

[Falconer]

There is a thread over on the WotC Boards. Unbelievable what the first response is...

[Zulgyan]

Oh my god. That was such a stupid collection of posts I just closed the window.

[makofan]

Well, that is a sad loss. Gary was as influential on pop culture as anybody in the 20th century.

[geoffrey]

May God bless Gary. I will miss him, and I look forward to the day we will all meet again.

[James Maliszewski]

First Bob Bledsaw, now Gary ...

This is almost too much to bear.

[edsan]

I'm also quite saddened by this. In the back of my mind I always hoped of going to a North American convention and perhaps meet him, even if just to shake his hands and say "Thank you Mr. Gygax."

It feels so odd. Old-school gaming, the kind we know Gary liked is making a comeback. I only discovered the old school online community weeks ago. I'm running a game made in 1975 and it's the BEST fun I ever had GMing.

And now the master, the one who started it all is gone.

I'm going to get everyone that shows up at the Edinburgh Roleplaying Society tomorrow night to have a drink on his honour. None of us would be there if it was not for Gary Gygax's immagination and effort; even those of us that have never played any version of D&D.

[Wothbora]

This is truly a sad day... I'm probably a Librarian because of Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson and D&D. Playing the game as a kid got me into reading, going to the library and researching all kinds of stuff for the worlds the game allowed me to create.

May He Rest in Peace...

[Finarvyn]

I had contact with Gary several times over the years. Met him a few times at game conventions and got to talk about the old days. Exchanged some e-mails, postal letters, and exchanges over message boards. Only a few chances to pick his brain and see what kind of gaming ideas were contained therein. Not nearly enough opportunities.

A sad day, indeed. :-(

[doc]

I just heard the news a couple of hours ago. This is really a sad day for the entire hobby. If it wasn't for Gary Gygax and Dungeons & Dragons there are many close friendships and wonderful experiences that I would never have gotten to have.

Doc

[foster1941]

From the AP:

Gary Gygax, Dungeons & Dragons creator, dies

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AP) -- Gary Gygax, who co-created the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons and helped start the role-playing phenomenon, died Tuesday morning at his home in Lake Geneva. He was 69.

He had been suffering from health problems for several years, including an abdominal aneurysm, said his wife, Gail Gygax.

Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using medieval characters and mythical creatures. The game known for its oddly shaped dice became a hit, particularly among teenage boys, and eventually was turned into video games, books and movies.

Gygax always enjoyed hearing from the game's legion of devoted fans, many of whom would stop by the family's home in Lake Geneva, about 55 miles southwest of Milwaukee, his wife said. Despite his declining health, he hosted weekly games of Dungeons & Dragons as recently as January, she said.

"It really meant a lot to him to hear from people from over the years about how he helped them become a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman, what he gave them," Gygax said. "He really enjoyed that."

Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and carry out their adventures with the help of complicated rules. The quintessential geek pastime, it spawned a wealth of copycat games and later inspired a whole genre of computer games that's still growing in popularity.

Funeral arrangements are pending. Besides his wife, Gygax is survived by six children.

[foster1941]

Announcement/Tribute up at the WotC D&D site.

[coffee]

He'll be missed.

[kesher]

From one of the posts on the WotC thread:

As for the naming of a Deity in his honor, Zagyg (formerly known as "Zagig Yragerne") shall always be the god of Humor, Eccentricity, Occult Lore, and Unpredictability in my campaigns and I'm sure, many others.

Absolutely. I would not be who I am today if it weren't for those bemused prophets, Gygax and Arneson. They dug a trinity of fragmented sacred scrolls out of the cave of the subconscious and presented them, fruitful voids and all, to a world which has never been the same. May we interpret them today and always in Zagyg's honor...

Aaron

[carjack]

Sympathies to his family and all who enjoyed his works. He will definitely be missed.

[Rengate]

This is incredibly sad. I never met him, never had a conversation with him, but my life would be much emptier without his influence. D&D has brought me so much more than entertainment over the last 30 years. I don't think I could begin to list all the ways my life is better because of his creativity. Thanks Gary, for everything!

[calithena]

The obit is the 3rd most viewed and 10th most emailed article on cnn.com right now, despite the primaries and everything. Go look at it and email it to your friends, if you like.

Thanks for everything, Gary.

[mearls]

For some reason, it's comforting to have played OD&D before he passed. For years, I pined for the original boxed set but never was able to get my hands on it until the PDFs came out. It's good to play the game the way that the Godfather himself did. I met him a few times, but only had the chance to speak to him at length once.

This is a really sad day. I have a copy of Village of Hommlett in my bag. I'm working on converting it to 4e for my own use, and I choked up a little looking through it.

Our family of gamers lost its grandfaher today.

[danproctor]

Very sad. Not much else I can say.

[Gynsburghe]

At the risk of being redundant and fairly obvious, this hits home...

If it wasn't for Gygax, I wouldn't have made half the friends I had, probably not met my wife, and certainly not be the person I am today... I'm certain this sentiment is being felt through-out the gaming world.

I wish I had more time to have talked to, and actually meet him. Much of my chatting with Gary was about food (some of you probably don't know this, but he said if he hadn't been so obsessed with writing he would have been a chef). I think of him often while I cook, and I wish I actually could have served the man, who along with a few choice others, really influenced who I am. You will be missed.

Goodbye, Gary...

Dave

[gsvenson]

It is a sad day...

[Deleted]

I'm dumbfounded...I don't even know what to say. I know a large part of my life has been influenced a great deal by Gary & his wonderful imagination. I never had the chance to meet him, but if I could have, I would've just simply shook his hand & said "Thank You". My thoughts are with his wife & children.

And thank you Gary, for everything you've done for me

[Zulgyan]

I tell you guys. DON'T read the sample of play in TU&WA.

It really makes you go sad right now.

[murquhart72]

Well, I'm glad he's not always sick or drained anymore. I watched Futurama so I know exactly what he's doing right now, even if he's not with the same people.
At least I know I'll be gaming with him someday...

[Rhuvein]

Sad, awful news. I'm still reeling from it. Don't feel like posting much. I'll just try to think of the great game and modules of D&D and the joy and happiness of playing ~ thanks to Gary.



[Heartfelt sympathies and condolences to Gail, Alex, Ernie and the rest of the Gygax family]

Game on.