D&D Cover to Cover, part 3

Being a series of articles in which the author reads the indelible words of Gygax and Arneson as presented the Original Collector's Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, published by Tactical Studies Rules. Beginning with Men & Magic, and concluding with The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures, the author will consider those earliest passages, adding elucidations and interpretations along the way for your consideration.

Men & Magic
SCOPE

"…DUNGEONS and DRAGONS will provide a basically complete, nearly endless campaign of all levels of fantastic-medieval wargame play. Actually, the scope need not be restricted to the medieval; it can stretch from the prehistoric to the imagined future, but such expansion is recommended only at such a time as the possibilities in the medieval aspect have been thoroughly explored."

Again, the distinction of D&D as a role-playing game has not yet been established in the industry. This is a wargame, set apart from its brethren by the D&D campaign concept, and its creative potential. It is a “basically complete” framework for such campaigns, which need not be restricted to the medieval. This is an important reference, in that Gygax and Arneson are hinting around at the role-playing concept, while still managing to not go so far to say that no actual, official rules are needed for such an undertaking. When I first read this passage, I assumed that the authors were referring to versions of D&D in other time periods, whether that might mean the wild west, or a high tech future ala Boot Hill or Metamorphosis Alpha, respectively. In reading this now, I take it to mean that the campaign has the potential to actually cover multiple epochs, eras and ages of that same world. I have never before heard of such an effort, where a campaign spans various cultural and societal evolutions, but it's an idea that I myself have been considering with the three major Ages of Solstice. Perhaps that is why I actually read it this way now.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee