Gary Gygax Dies

Gary Gygax, died on Tuesday and while it has very little to do with topic of this particular blog, I feel compelled to say goodbye.

Gary Gygax died Tuesday. You might not know his name, but I'm certain you are familiar with his legacy. Gary Gygax was a co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons. Some might say he was the father of role playing games. He definately made a mark on an entire generation. Without the framework created by Gygax and his peers we wouldn't have the video game, the online game, the MMO.

Gygax left another legacy as well. One not so easily quantified. Dungeons and Dragons created a generation of critical thinkers and creative problem solvers. Those who played his games learned the importance of teamwork, the ability to see a project through to the end and the dramatic difference between short term problem solving skills and long term problem solving skills. In some ways it was a workforce development tool for the unknowing. Within the context of the game, participants learned many things--the value of negotiation; a keen sense of how our choices reflect our inner moral core. I doubt Gygax and his friends ever considered the soft skills development inherent in the game.

D&D spawned an entire cottage industry. Specialty stores, conventions and publications created jobs and outlets for enthusiasts. My first retail sales experiences were related to D&D, when I'd cover the small game store I frequented in exchange for product instead of a paycheck. The first Magazine I published was focused in part on the cottage game industry of the 90s. The first fundraiser I chaired a game marathon for children's charities.

The game industry have given me some of my fondest memories. A phone call from Tracy Hickman asking if he could attend a little convention we were chairing in Flagstaff. Meeting Peter Atkins, the founder of Wizards of the Coast, on his driving tour across country to introduce Magic: The Card Game at Gen Con effectively creating a whole new game genre. Beta testing the very first set of life action role playing rules for White Wolf. The little experiences that define a lifetime.

Thank you Gary, you will be sorely missed.