Tag Archives: Jonathan Tweet

5 role-playing products that shaped how I play Dungeons & Dragons 1978-2000

Posted on February 29, 2016 by David Hartlage

Tomb of Horrors (1978) In the early days, I enjoyed plenty of time to create my own adventures, so I had little interest in playing the published ones. But I still drew inspiration from them. Nothing inspired like Tomb of … Continue reading →

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5 role-playing products that shaped how I play Dungeons & Dragons 1977-1978

Posted on February 22, 2016 by David Hartlage

Holmes Basic Set (1977) The blue box of the 1977 Holmes Basic Set introduced me to D&D. To ninty-nine percent of Dungeons & Dragons players, the edition that introduced them to the game stands as their most important. Why should … Continue reading →

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The dungeon comes alive in the mythic underworld

Posted on November 18, 2015 by David Hartlage

In 1974, dungeons tried to kill you. More than just the creatures inside, the walls and stone wanted your life. Dungeons changed when you looked away. (See page 8 of the original, brown book, The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures.) Doors … Continue reading →

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Once subversive, the Arduin Grimoire’s influence reaches today’s games

Posted on June 24, 2015 by David Hartlage

When creators dream up imaginary worlds, they can go in two directions. They can build their world from a curated set of ideas, and then fit these pieces together into a logical and consistent manner. In a fantasy gaming, these … Continue reading →

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Hitting the to-hit sweet spot

Posted on January 31, 2013 by David Hartlage

(This post continues a discussion I started in “What does D&D have to do with ironclad ships?”) Through the evolution of Dungeons & Dragons, the game uses two mechanics to determine an attack’s damage output: to-hit rolls and damage rolls. … Continue reading →

Posted in Role-playing game design, Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment