D&D Cover to Cover, part 2

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
INTRODUCTION

"These rules are as complete as possible within the limitations imposed by the space of three booklets. That is, they cover the major aspects of fantasy campaigns but still remain flexible."

Not only is this a comment on the boundless opportunities and creative potential of the game, that not all possibilities can be covered in print, let alone three booklets, but is also the first specific reference to flexibility in the game.

"As with any other set of miniatures rules they are guidelines to follow…They provide the framework…your time and imagination are about the only limiting factors…"

The inherent flexibility of D&D and the campaign concept is outlined in brief here. Terms which will characterize D&D and its concept are presented in these fragments; guidelines, framework, imagination. These terms refer not only to the malleability of the D&D rules (which are appropriately called guidelines in many places), but also to the creative potential in the campaign concept.

"We advise, however, that a campaign be begun slowly…That way your campaign will build naturally…New details can be added and old “laws” altered so as to provide continually new and different situations. In addition, the players themselves will interact in such a way as to make the campaign variable and unique, and this is quite desirable."

The term campaign is clearly a holdover from the wargaming roots of D&D. The fact that the campaign is a series of related adventures and events necessitates the time investment by the referee. With time, a campaign might indeed encompass large areas of a fantastic world, provided the sessions build upon one another and allow the referee to continually define and flesh out the setting as play progresses. House rules are to be added as the campaign unfolds and develops, and the actions of the players will produce a desirable campaign which is ultimately influenced by its own participants. A referee who built a D&D setting and a collection of house rules through continued sessions might also have a milieu, ala Blackmoor or Greyhawk, to call his own campaign. Such a campaign could host future sessions and new players, but it is suggested here that prospective referees not bite off too much in their world building efforts. This sentiment supports a sand-box approach to early play. So then, although the term campaign is a wargaming holdover, it means so much more in the context of D&D. In wargaming terms, it is a series of battles played out over multiple sessions. In D&D terms, the campaign concept is that, AND the world which grows out of those gaming sessions.

"Read through the entire work in the order presented before you attempt to play."

I wonder how many players honestly ever did this? I know I didn’t. I would assume that if one took the time to read the entire three volume series before sitting down to play, the concept described within might be much easier to grasp. Being a preteen and starting out with Basic D&D (Holmes) excludes me from that small group of early players who perhaps actually followed this advice.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

On By The Book and Cover to Cover

Nearly as soon as I began my re-read of Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure, and The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures, and after deciding to start this long series of posts here at Ye Auld Grog 'n Blog, I came upon this interesting thread over at Finarvyn's OD&D forum.

I have come to the conclusion that the term 'By The Book', the original title of the series, is potentially misleading. There are changes, clarifications and notes between my version, the 6th print, or Original Collector's Edition, and prior printings.

My main thrust here is not to actually direct anyone to play D&D 'By The Book', as it were, the title was just a way to allude to my intention of actually considering the passages within the three volumes, and then commenting upon them.

For these two reasons, the series is being re-titled before it really begins as D&D Cover To Cover, with the added disclaimer that I am using the OCE (6th printing) of D&D.

If anyone would like to FedEx me their Woodgrain First Print, I'd be willing to start over and write this series from that perspective instead!

~Sham, Quixotic Referee

D&D Cover to Cover, part 1

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
FORWARD

At the end of the very first paragraph in the Forward to Men & Magic, Mr. Gygax’s enthusiasm is evident with this sentence:

"Its possibilities go far beyond any previous offerings anywhere!"

A boastful assertion, perhaps? Far beyond any, anywhere? These are the strongest words possible, and ones I believe were carefully considered and chosen by Mr. Gygax. I am certain that no one can dispute these claims, not in 1974, nor in 2008.

"While it is possible to play a single game, unrelated to any other game events past or future, it is the campaign for which these rules are designed."

In my opinion, what Mr. Gygax is saying here is that the rules for fantasy conflict are explained, and that it is possible to use the game for determining the outcome of opposing sides in such a melee. When I first read this sentence, I assumed that it referred to one-offs or one-shot adventures, much like those one might enjoy at a convention. I now believe this statement references D&D’s CHAINMAIL roots. In other words, the mechanics of resolution are presented within, but the thrust of D&D is the ongoing game, the world in which such conflicts occur, the surroundings with which the player characters will interact, the obstacles to be overcome in order to gain experience and wealth, the methods of progression within the setting that reflect success, and how continued play influences the fantastic world within which the characters adventure, this then is the campaign.

"The campaign referee will have to have sufficient time to meet the demands of his players, he will have to devote a number of hours to laying out the maps of his “dungeons” and upper terrain before the affair begins."

The term campaign is further defined here. It is not simply a wargame or table-top miniatures simulation. It is, in fact, what we now consider to be D&D. A predetermined setting, mapped out, and ready to be explored by the player characters. What is not specified is the magnitude of work or time required. Then a one-shot or convention game can be referred to as a campaign? Not quite. I don’t believe the concept of using D&D in such a way had even been considered when this Forward was written. This was Mr. Gygax making a clear distinction between D&D and other wargames. Battle simulation, ala CHAINMAIL, was only one possibility of D&D.

"The longevity of existing campaigns (notably “Blackmoor” in the Twin Cities and “Greyhawk” in Lake Geneva) and the demand for these rules from people outside these campaigns point towards a fantastic future."

Indeed it did. But why? Anyone opening Men & Magic in 1974 would still not be clear on the points Mr. Gygax was making. Is it a wargame, or not? Indeed D&D was written for wargamers. The concept developed by Gygax and Arneson had not, at that time, carved out its own gaming niche. In 1974, it was a wargame, albeit one that was written with the campaign in mind. Within a few years, D&D had certainly created its own gaming genre.

"But those whose imaginations know no bounds will find that these rules are the answer to their prayers."

I cannot argue with this assumption whatsoever. D&D has, for me, assuredly lived up to these expectations. The idea of a campaign, which is the concept of a referee detailing and mapping a fantasy world, and allowing players to explore it with their characters, has undoubtedly provided me with decades of enjoyment. It is a creative outlet which provided endless possibilities like no game before it. What made it reasonable to claim that “Its possibilities go far beyond any previous offerings anywhere!” was this very distinction. I thank Mr. Gygax and Mr. Arneson for publishing this innocent little wargame that changed the gaming world forever.

~Sham, Quixotic Referee