Finding Dungeons and Dragons in the 1974 and 1975 time period led to what would become one of my favorite hobbies of all time: Tabletop Roleplaying Games. Or as was often more aptly referred to back in the late ’70s and early ’80s as Fantasy Roleplaying Games (FRPGs). Having played Chainmail and already into historical ancient and medieval miniatures, this now brought to the life the chance to creat magical stories and events around them. To bring my own – similar to Tolkien and C.S. Lewis – fantasy worlds to life with me and my friends, was a whole new use of imagination and level of gaming.
These three books (in their boxed set w/reference sheets), “Men & Magic“, “Monsters & Treasure“, and “The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures“, were the most amazing and ingenious production of in the gaming hobby that I had ever witnessed up to that point in time. It changed everything and brought about a whole new way to game and create continuous levels of fun and engaging materials, as it gave that “nerd” in you the freedom and approval and validation to do something you always wanted to do – slay dragons and evil monsters, and be a magnificent hero – albeit in a fantasy world all your own.
This was and is DUNGEONS & DRAGONS – Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargames Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures.
Thank you, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and all the great people of Tactical Studies Rules (TSR), you all made a wondeful difference in my life, that would and continues to be part of my life to this day.
Only having been introduced to Dungeons & Dragons in the last year or so, I am amazed to see how long it has been around. Shows what an amazing game it really is.