Andre Norton's Quag Keep (1978) is the first novel based on D&D (or any RPG, for that matter) and the first novel to use the Greyhawk setting. It employs a story idea (what would become a trope) of gamers transported into the fantasy world of the game they are playing. Some elements feel very D&D, such as an overt alignment system of Law and Chaos and the city of Greyhawk. Others, like a wereboar berserker and a swamp-dwelling lizard man as player characters, seem beyond the scope of what D&D was at the time (at least the officially published version). Andre wrote Quag Keep after being invited to play with Gary Gygax in his personal campaign in 1976. A novel idea… on THACO Thursday!!
3 notes
·
View notes
"Spring"
Inktober 52
0 notes
The Starship Warden from James M. Ward's Metamorphosis Alpha RPG is a "generation ship", meant to be lived in by generations of humanity as it journeyed through the empty vastness. More than just a city in space, it had urban areas in addition to various biomes and functional systems to sustain life spread across multiple levels. Generations of players have experienced the fun… on Map Monday aka Dungeon Day!!
2 notes
·
View notes
"Raccoon"
Inktober 52
0 notes
Continuing the tributes to James M. Ward in light of his recent passing, his "dungeon in space" RPG Metamorphosis Alpha was the first sci-fi RPG in 1976 (Traveller followed in 1977). Ward's generation ship setting was inspired by Brian Aldiss's 1958 novel Non-Stop (also published as Starship), and he went on to work on other well-known RPG products like Gamma World (also sci-fi) and Deities & Demigods. Game on… on Sci-Fi Saturday!!
4 notes
·
View notes
Munich Underground Series
3K notes
·
View notes
Citroen BX Dualatron
472 notes
·
View notes
1K notes
·
View notes
This THAC0 Thursday absolutely has to be dedicated to James M. Ward, whose recent passing surprised and saddened the RPG community. Among many accomplishments in the industry, James created Metamorphosis Alpha (the first published science fiction RPG) which was released from TSR in 1976. He wrote the game after urging Gary Gygax to make a sci-fi version of D&D, to which Gary replied "I don't have time, but why don't you do it?" Challenge accepted! He was also instrumental in the creation of Gamma World, which many think of as the planet-based Metamorphosis Alpha. James M. Ward: An RPG legend gone, an RPG legend remembered… on THAC0 Thursday!!
22 notes
·
View notes
Cyborg Superman vs Azrael's Batman
Battle for the '90s
Artwork by Marcelo Millicay
15 notes
·
View notes
The new NECA - Dungeons and Dragons - 7" Scale Figure - 50th Anniversary Warduke on Blister Card (also notice green flame) is out now and showed up at my house today… on Warduke Wednesday!!
2 notes
·
View notes
"Flight"
Inktober 52
1 note
·
View note
Sound designer Ben Burtt came up with many amazing and creative sound effects for Star Wars, including the lightsaber, R2-D2's beeps and boops, TIE fighters, and Vader's breathing. He accidentally discovered that striking a guy wire for a radio tower produced very distinct sounds he could use for various blasters. A sound entry… on Sci-Fi Saturday!!
1 note
·
View note
Before TSR published a Dungeons & Dragons character sheet the fan community stepped in, with the first fan-created sheet appearing in Stephen Tihor's Haven Herald fanzine in May 1975 and Alarums & Excursions publishing Jack Harness's character sheet in July. Soon after Wee Warriors released the first commercially available D&D character sheets with the Character Archaic, which was distributed but not published by TSR. In 1977, TSR finally published its first character sheets. Important record keeping… on THAC0 Thursday!!
39 notes
·
View notes
There's nothing soft about Warduke… on Warduke Wednesday!!
Credit deviantart user ianjmiller
1 note
·
View note
How can you not love this guy? Ergo from Krull.
1 note
·
View note