4e Killed Gary Gygax

There seems to be quite a net furor on. Apparently several people, perhaps a gaming group, were at Gen Con wearing t-shirts saying “4e Killed Gary Gygax.” (There are further claims that a company was selling them at Gen Con, but as no one from the thousands of people at the con can quite remember which company it was, that stinks of wishful incorrectness.)

This immediately generated a wave of incorrect rumors that a company called Dragon Root was selling them at the con – they weren’t, but people are happily spreading the misinformation since no one wants truth to get in the way of “revenge porn,” as one ENWorld poster puts it. I’ve been treated to about a hundred forum posts by “offended” people who, claiming two or three more balls than they have in real life, want to “find whoever did it and beat them senseless.” (My ex, following along as I write this story, notes “There seems to be quite a lot of woodwork, doesn’t there!” with her trademark dry wit.)

1. Yes, it’s tasteless, and yes, it’s funny. It’s 2008, get over it. If you live in a flyover state that has a lower than usual irony/postmodern humor quotient, watch a Comedy Central roast or something.

2. 4e didn’t kill Gary, it just makes him roll over in his grave. Bonus Gamespy Interview quote:

GameSpy: Have you had a chance to play or even look at some of the current Dungeons & Dragons games?

Gygax: I’ve looked at them, yes, but I’m not really a fan. The new D&D is too rule intensive. It’s relegated the Dungeon Master to being an entertainer rather than master of the game. It’s done away with the archetypes, focused on nothing but combat and character power, lost the group cooperative aspect, bastardized the class-based system, and resembles a comic-book superheroes game more than a fantasy RPG where a player can play any alignment desired, not just lawful good.

Although I have my doubts about whether this is really a Gary quote, as it doesn’t use the words “fatuous,” “jejeune,” or “scrumdiddlyumptious.”

Anyway, all of you fruits feigning rage since of course YOU were the one who loved Gygax more than ANYONE – give it a rest, you’re passive-aggressively trying to cash in on his name yourself by publicly declaring yourself his biggest fan and posthumous defender. (Hey, Posthumous Defender, that’s a great name for a prestige class!)

All of you with real rage over it – and I say this in love – Jesus, get a grip and out of your parent’s damn basement, or the dark bungalow where you live singly (more common for older adult geeks). I’ve seen twenty people post “what must his FAAAAAAAAAAAMILY think.” Well, you’re not them, so keep it to your fucking self. How about instead, you show some sympathy and consideration to people you know when someone you actually *know* dies.

/PSA over.