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Post by James Richardson on Nov 8, 2010 6:08:48 GMT -6
According to the Acaeum (and various other places on the web), the pre-publication edition of OD&D was only available at something called Eastercon in 1973.
Now, I'd always assumed that this was a convention in America, but according to Wikipedia, Eastercon is a British convention, and that year it was held in Bristol.
So, was the pre-publication edition of OD&D actually handed out to people at this convention in the UK that year? Did Gygax or some of the others, actually travel to the UK to attend the convention, taking a load of copies of this game with them? Alternatively, was there an alternate Eastercon held in the US?
Thanks!
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Post by harami2000 on Nov 8, 2010 13:09:24 GMT -6
According to the Acaeum (and various other places on the web), the pre-publication edition of OD&D was only available at something called Eastercon in 1973. Don't believe everything you read on the Acaeum.  The original author of that nugget of wisdom stated that the D&D booklets were published in late 1972 and they bought their own set at Equicon (Star Trek convention in Easter 1973). They guessed the wrong end of 1971 for Chainmail, too. Likewise - and co-opted from the above - those "pre-publication box sets" without the labels are mostly, if not all, spares from 1975: the only obvious query to settle from previous discussions along such lines would be whether some books were distributed without boxes if those weren't ready at the same time (to Arneson & co., say). Usual trick with memory and dates, plus people wishing to take the earliest without question. So, was the pre-publication edition of OD&D actually handed out to people at this convention in the UK that year? Did Gygax or some of the others, actually travel to the UK to attend the convention, taking a load of copies of this game with them? That gets a smile. I love alternate history.  |
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Post by harami2000 on Nov 8, 2010 13:13:27 GMT -6
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Post by James Richardson on Nov 8, 2010 15:37:32 GMT -6
The original author of that nugget of wisdom stated that the D&D booklets were published in late 1972 and they bought their own set at Equicon (Star Trek convention in Easter 1973). OK, so it might have actually have been Equicon rather than Eastercon? That makes more sense, assuming Equicon was in the US. But are you also saying that Barbara Haddad was incorrect about something he said there as well? That gets a smile. I love alternate history. Yeah, the only reason I asked is because everywhere mentions Eastercon '73, and if you look up Eastercon on Wikipedia it says it's a UK convention. So, it's going to be an inevitable question. |
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Post by harami2000 on Nov 8, 2010 19:57:19 GMT -6
But are you also saying that Barbara Haddad was incorrect about something he said there as well? Incorrect about everything, actually. Everyone has their off days, I guess. Likewise those later embellished misinterpretations leading to the eventual "pre-pub woodgrain" on the Acaeum listing. Yeah, the only reason I asked is because everywhere mentions Eastercon '73, and if you look up Eastercon on Wikipedia it says it's a UK convention. So, it's going to be an inevitable question. *nods* Been to a few of those. Nonetheless "everywhere" is still wrong, as it is for various "truths" both from and to Wiki' (e.g. S3, S1, MA, etc.). (proto) TSR heading to the UK would've been nice but in reality it was the other way around as Rob recalls well. per:  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2010 9:54:34 GMT -6
Yes, good show, David. I entertained both the Owl and the Weasel during their visit and even had a picture snapped including myself, MAR Barker, Fritz Leiber, EGG, Steve and Ian (which appeared in 40 Years of Gencon, the book).
My pet peeve, like yours, is this supposed consistent history being sculpted from errant assumptions/information which is then spread and driven as fact on various internet fora. People embrace secondary (or worse) sources as truth without verifying them, thus promoting this. A shame; and more folks like yourself should be present and active in doing justice to the truth as it rightfully deserves.
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Post by James Richardson on Nov 9, 2010 13:13:05 GMT -6
I was going to flag the issue up to the Acaeum, but searching through the forum, I see that the issue has already been raised (scroll down about half way). It's a shame. I'd always thought of the Acaeum as being an authority on this sort of thing, so I'm surprised they've included, what turns out to be, an Internet myth. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2010 14:30:13 GMT -6
It's interesting the Stormberg states that I cobbled together an unlabled box for my copy (in the referring link-post there), which is not true; that was not done from remainders but I got one as we finished hand-assembling/-pasting the first print run upon receiving it that day from Graphic Printing (Bud Apple). It was done in an assembly line fashion during the day in EGG's basement on the shipping table that Brian Blume and I would regularly work at in the future (this before EGG's shoe repair equipment was removed). So even though I have talked to Paul about many things, this included, there's a misunderstanding there as well, its seems. Thanks for that link, James.
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