Dave Arneson has passed on... R.I.P

Discussion in 'RPG Discussion' started by Dale, Apr 8, 2009.

  1. Dale

    Dale Administrator

  2. deogolf

    deogolf Chevalier

    Re: Dave Arneson has passed on... ?

    It would appear that it is the truth, unfortunately.
    The co-founding father has left us. Both of them
    gone in just over year. What a bummer. :(
     
  3. Dale

    Dale Administrator

  4. geekpreacher

    geekpreacher Spellbinder

    So, sad. We're losing the founders of our hobby. We truly are "coming of age" in the saddest possible way. Hopefully, the next generation will not forget the history that has gone before them.

    God Be With You Dave.

    GP
     
  5. shalaban

    shalaban Chevalier

    I have no words to adequate my feelings on this matter. :cry:

    It is now up to another generation of gamers to carry on the legacy.

    I for one will do my best to promote the original spirit of this hobby that was gifted to us by our Elders past.
     
  6. Rhuvein

    Rhuvein Troubadour

    Sad news.

    R.I.P. good sir.

    :(
     
  7. the keeper

    the keeper Spellbinder

    ...And the torch is passed on, that the games may continue. My thoughts & prayers to Dave's family/friends.
     
  8. Dale

    Dale Administrator

    CNN article:
    http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/04/10/obit.david.lance.arneson/index.html

    (CNN) -- David Lance Arneson, who helped trigger the global phenomenon of role-playing games as co-inventor of "Dungeons & Dragons," has died at the age of 61.

    A statement on the game's official Web site, wizards.com, said Arneson died Tuesday evening "after waging one final battle against cancer."

    Arneson "developed many of the fundamental ideas of role playing: that each player controls just one hero, that heroes gain power through adventures, and that personality is as important as combat prowess," the statement said.

    The game's co-creator, Gary Gygax, died last year.

    In 1974, Arneson and Gygax created "Dungeons & Dragons," which allowed players to assume roles in a magical world. They could be fighters or wizards, elves or dwarfs.

    "As characters journey through various lands, they search for hidden treasures while battling menacing monsters with their own brains and brawn," a description on wizards.com says.

    Some games would last days or weeks -- or even longer. "Game campaigns are as limitless as the player's imaginations," wizards.com says.

    What began as a hand-assembled print run of 1,000 games quickly sold out. Young people all over the world started buying up the game. By 1982, sales broke the $20 million mark.

    Arneson filed a series of lawsuits against Gygax insisting he was not being given credit or proper royalties for his work creating the game. The suits were settled.

    "Dungeons and Dragons" spawned video games, novels, a cartoon, and a movie. The franchise saw a surge this decade after "The Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" movies took off.
     

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