Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons: 30 Years and Counting
Dungeons and Dragons, the paper-and-dice fantasy role-playing game enjoyed worldwide, turns 30 this year. Gamers across the globe will celebrate Saturday, Oct. 16, with a game day. Who would have thought this game would go from a fad in the geek subculture to a respected cultural entity in its own right?The game traces its origins to 1970, when war gamer Dave Arneson created a game with medieval adventurers exploring the dungeons of an old castle. Fellow gamer Gary Gygax played it at a convention and developed a series of supplemental rules to add more fantasy elements, such as dwarves, elves, wizards and monsters. Gygax suggested the two work together and create new rules. The project was called The Fantasy Game. It was published in 1974 under the name Dungeons and Dragons. The entire print run sold out within a year. The following year, TSR (Tactical Studies Rules) Hobbies Inc. was created, publishing not only Dungeons and Dragons, but also various supplements. Over the years, the game spawned new versions, streamlining the original concept. The game teachs valuable lessons about storytelling.