Friday, July 27, 2012
White Box Poll
In the interest of determining the popularity/knowledge of the White Box set of books, I have added a poll on the sidebar. I've made it so that more than one item may be checked. Since the books were published 38 years ago, and since that means quite a number of players were born since their creation, I'm curious as to just how widespread the box set is, and how much of a direct influence it still has.
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Just wondering: why do you mention the "Blackmoor" supplement in the poll, but not "Greyhawk"?
ReplyDeleteThe box set I was given last week did not include a copy of Greyhawk ... so I will not be commenting on it.
ReplyDelete... That explains why, in your series on thief abilities, you didn't mention magic locks.
ReplyDeleteBecause the Player's Handbook doesn't mention them.
ReplyDeleteRight. AD&D ditched the thief ability to open magically-sealed portals or containers mentioned in Greyhawk. Because Gygax decided thieves weren't pathetic enough, I guess.
ReplyDeletePerhaps he only desired to better separate the spheres of influence between the classes, as I described in this post, which I know you've read because you linked it here ... the "once" you agreed with me (your words).
ReplyDeleteDon't forget it isn't about balance for Gygax. A reading of Dying Earth helps here.
ReplyDeleteI didn't say "balance," Matt, I said SEPARATE. And instead of being all superior with your reading suggestions, why don't you enlighten us poor sods by saying in a paragraph or two what the fuck Dying Earth has to do with this?
ReplyDeleteDon't even know why I published your empty comment.
While I have an original "White Box" plus a bunch of supplements, I must confess to not really having looked at them at all seriously except for "Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes".
ReplyDeleteFor the enlightenment of all, here is what I have:
Vol. 1 -- Men & Magic
Vol. 2 -- Monsters & Tresure
Vol. 3 -- The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures
Supplement I -- Greyhawk
Supplement II -- Blackmoor
Supplement III -- Eldritch Wizardry
Supplement IV -- Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes
Swords & Spells -- (for
Large-Scale Battles)
And, of course -- Chainmail
All of the above are in stapled digest size except for Chainmail (digest size, but spiral bound).
The first three (basic books) are all credited to Gygax & Arneson.
The Supplements are credited thusly:
I -- Gygax & Kuntz
II -- Dave Arneson
III -- Gygax & Blume
IV -- Kuntz & Ward
Swords & Spells -- Gygax
Chainmail -- Gygax & Perren
-- Jeff
Time and game has really moved on past the white box/Chainmail.
ReplyDeleteSure, some of the really old gamers in the area still have their copies, well worn and battered but they are most just pulled out for show than to actually play it anymore.
Some young gamers even get their hands on a copy when one of the old grey beards die and their estates get sold/gifted/auctioned off to the club in the area. So it is a matter of pride to say they have a copy.
Then again, everyone goes and looks through it and... it gets boxed back up and put on a shelf, not to be used.
So, yeah. Heard of it, seen it, leafed through it, never had an inclination to play it. Guess I got too used to later RPGs that have since greatly expanded on concepts laid down originally in that book.
So it really is more of a historical curiosity and shelf decoration than something someone will actually actively run and get players to show up for more than a few sessions or a convention game at best. Almost a historical re-enactment...