# Gary Gygax dies ~ 69



## Pyan (Mar 4, 2008)

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.

The Associated Press: Dungeons & Dragons Co-Creator Dies at 69


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## chopper (Mar 4, 2008)

*Re: Gary Gygax dies at 69....*

I can still remember being bought the red "starter edition" box of D&D. quite a revelation way back then.

a sad day.

s


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## Wiggum (Mar 4, 2008)

*Re: Gary Gygax dies at 69....*

It's been 5-6 years since I've played a regular D&D game, but a lot of my youth was spent in many a dungeon and town.

Sad to hear.

:salute


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## Durandal (Mar 5, 2008)

*Re: Gary Gygax dies at 69....*

A sad day, to be sure. What a great character he was -- always involved with gaming and gamers, always creating new stories and settings.

Gaming -- and, arguably, fantasy fiction -- wouldn't be where it is today without Gary.

R.I.P.


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## Overread (Mar 5, 2008)

*Re: Gary Gygax dies at 69....*

yes this is a very sad event. True he helped start a revolution in the gaming world - now look where we are today because of him.


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## iansales (Mar 5, 2008)

*Re: Gary Gygax dies at 69....*

I first played *D&D* back in 1980, and played it on and off for about decade after. I was more of a fan of GDW's *Traveller* than I was *D&D*'s cod high fantasy, but it was Gygax's RPG that got me into the hobby. 

Much later, I picked up copies of his *Dangerous Journeys* RPG, and even read his trilogy of novels set in its universe - *The Anubis Murders*, *The Samarkand Solution* and *Death in Delhi*. He was never a great writer, but I did find the world he'd designed for the game interesting. It was a shame the game never came to anything.


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## lathark (Mar 5, 2008)

*Re: Gary Gygax dies at 69....*

It's always sad when one of the front-runner leaves.  I remember my first box set.

He'll be missed.


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## Ice fyre (Mar 5, 2008)

*Re: Gary Gygax dies at 69....*

I've played D+D a fair few times and I feel a great sadness at this, I just found out today on the BBC news he passed on Tuesday. It appears he was gaming up till the last. The world of Fantasy Roleplaying has lost one of its founders and a great personality. How sad.


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## Brian G Turner (Mar 5, 2008)

*Gary Gygax dies*

Gary Gygax, co-founder of Dungeons & Dragons, has died aged 69:
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Dungeons and Dragons creator dies



> Gary Gygax, co-creator of the first role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, has died at the age of 69.
> 
> Gygax, who developed the game in 1974 with Dave Arneson, had been suffering from health problems for several years.
> 
> ...


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## Ragnar (Mar 5, 2008)

*Re: Gary Gygax dies at 69....*

Damn shame. His contribution to the gaming world was phenomenal - I certainly wouldn't have had half as much fun if it wasn't for him. RIP.

Here's one of my favourite YouTube clips to honour his memory...

YouTube - Boots of Escaping


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## Foxbat (Mar 6, 2008)

*Re: Gary Gygax dies*

Although my bag was more the boardgames of Avalon Hill at the time, I still remember the impact D&D had when it first arrived on the scene (so many many years ago). 

A man that left his imprint on the world in many ways.....may he rest in peace.


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## Lacedaemonian (Mar 6, 2008)

Note:  moved thread to SFF News and merged with another thread carrying the same news story.  

My earliest memories of fantasy were of the older lads in my street playing D&D.  Even though I did not play it captured my imagination.  69 is quite a young age by todays standards.  A great loss.


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## Dr.Jackson (Mar 9, 2008)

Sad news indeed, everybody has their time, but it is always a big shock when someone who has had a major impact on culture dies at such an early age.
 I played D&D for a number of years, even competing on a national level. The range of people it attracted amazed me at first, including all female teams (I thought, like a lot of people, that it was just guys that did D&D), young and old enjoyed it. 
 It's a bit unfortunate, even with celeb names such as Vin Diesel enjoying RPGing, that those who do are still, to some degree, labled (rolls d4 to determine outcome) 'geeks' or 'nerds' by the uninformed.

 I'm sure that despite his physical passing, he will live on in spirit whenever a fighter wields his +2 Sword or some eejit runs at a party of Orcs, armed with naught but a baked potato. As long as people play, his legacy will remain.


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## Majimaune (Mar 10, 2008)

I'll think of him every time I play D&D


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## Grimward (Mar 14, 2008)

Picked up my box set in 1978; it was an unfortunate casualty of my college years.  Haven't played since losing it, but still think it was great for the imagination.  May his damage rolls in the next life never be '00'.


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