I'm going to celebrate my birthday today (which just happens to be Gygax's birthday, as if I need any more reasons to be depressed) by honoring Mr. Dave Arneson, inventor of role-playing games and co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons.
While Arneson's contributions to the industry may be few, there is no doubt that his greatest contribution was giving that thieving scumbag Gary Gygax his career. You see, the one-time insurance salesman realized Arneson had captured lighting in a bottle with his Blackmoor campaign and quickly did everything in his power to wrest that bottle from Arneson's grasp, which, for a time, he successfully pulled off with the creation of AD&D.
Until the lawsuit, that is. Arneson won, but the public continues to think that Gygax created the game, thanks to him never mentioning Dave's name in regards to D&D. It's like he took a page or two out of Stan Lee's 'Fuck You, Jack Kirby' Playbook. When you run the company and edit the magazine you get to revise history as you see fit.
So, what we're left with now is the few remaining Gygax ass-kissers and coattail riders occasionally shitting on Arneson's name over at Dragonsfoot.org. Classy lot, they are.
Here's to you, Dave Arneson, sole inventor of role-playing games. Some of us know the truth and appreciate your fine work.
No comments:
Post a Comment