14 “Facts” About D&D

On March 31st the morbidly clueless Smithsonian Institution offered us 14 “facts” about Dungeons & Dragons as a puff piece promoting Hasbro’s D&D movie. I can’t think of a funnier way to spend time than looking over these “facts”. Let’s see how many they get right.

1. Gygax was a war game fan first
   I can see how someone might draw that conclusion. There’s an explosion of articles and books these days covering the link between fantasy RPGs and war games. However, after reading and hearing interviews with his sons and collaborators in the games industry, this one rings hollow. Gygax loved all games. Even video games. He read many fantasy and science-fiction novels. How can anyone pick out his “main” hobby?
2. D&D started as an afterthought to Chainmail, an earlier game created by Gygax
   Wrong again. Dungeons & Dragons was the marketing name Gygax gave to the game he saw demoed for him in 1972 by Dave Arneson and Arneson’s gaming group. Rob Kuntz was there and talks about it in Dave Arneson’s True Genius. Also, check out the Secrets of Blackmoor documentary.
3. Using Gygax’s fantasy rules, Arneson created the first D&D prototype, Blackmoor
   Wow, Smithsonian. That’s 0 for 3. Arneson created and ran the Blackmoor campaign for his group. Gygax saw it later and asked Arneson to publish it jointly. This is a common misconception that is perpetuated by volunteers for Gygax’s cult of personality. Tim Kask certainly doesn’t help matters (never underestimate the power of petty hatred). It is true that Arneson handed Greg Svenson a preview copy of the not-yet-published Dungeons & Dragons rule books when Svenson was prepping to run his Tonisborg dungeon. Check out The Lost Dungeons of Tonisborg (a great book, by the way). Arneson was a creative genius but not a gifted teacher or writer. Rather than organize his notes and write down the rules for Blackmoor, it was easier to pass the preview copy.
4. Gygax’s children were among the game’s first test audiences
   I’ll grant that one. Among the first is vague. Gygax’s children came after the Blackmoor Gang but it isn’t hard to be “among the first”.
5. The first publishing run of D&D was assembled in Gygax’s basement
   I have no reason to doubt this. Where else would someone just starting a business assemble them? How is this an interesting enough fact for an article?
6. Gygax and Arneson’s relationship was rocky
   Ain’t that the truth? But then, every RPG fan already knew that. Gygax was a genius but he could not resist the lure of money once it started coming in. Arneson and Rob Kuntz were soon run out of TSR. Again, see Dave Arneson’s True Genius for details.
7. Initially, Gygax and TSR enjoyed huge financial success
   Yes, but again, how is this interesting enough for an article? RPGs are awesome and D&D was the first one published for the public. It was a whole new kind of game. One more versatile than anything that came before.
8. In its heyday, D&D sparked a moral panic
   Yes but this has been public knowledge for decades. In terms of writing an article this is real low hanging fruit. Sorry. I forgot journalists no longer do any research that takes longer than 2 minutes. Although, I have to ask: was there no one who could look at the preview draft of AD&D’s Monster Manual and say, “Gary, why so many devils and demons? Aren’t people going to think devils and demons are a necessary part of each game session?”
9. TSR found itself in real trouble in the 1980s
   The Blume brothers (not mentioned in this portion of the article) did wreck TSR financially. However the article mentions “stagnating sales”. I heard sales were pretty good. They just didn’t keep pace with the big spending of the Blume brothers (and according to some, Gary too).
10. Financial woes led Gary to hire the woman who would eventually push him out of his own company
    Lorraine Williams. True and not known by people who aren’t RPG fans.
11. Efforts to profit from D&D’s popularity spawned products like a successful series of novels
    I think everyone who has heard of D&D knows of the Dragonlance novels. How is this news?
12. The most recent version of the game is the 5th edition, published in 2014. A new edition is on the way.
    We’re at the bottom of the Smithsonian’s list and it’s getting pretty dull. It is on 5th Edition now but another edition on the way? The latest news is the next edition is still a long way off. One true and one untrue statement cancel this one out.
13. Honor Among Thieves isn’t the first time D&D has appeared onscreen
    I keep forgetting how short are most people’s attention span. The 2000 movie was advertised everywhere. The 1980s cartoon show was very public knowledge. This one is true but when you say “fun facts” you’re supposed to deliver something beyond Captain Obvious’ opening line.
14. D&D may be in a new golden age
    May be? They don’t know? You can’t call it a fact if you don’t even know. Smithsonian Magazine not only needs real journalists, they need real editors.

3 wrong, 9 right and 2 N/A. However, most of the ones they got right are so simple and widely known you can tell the person writing this article didn’t care what they were doing. It’s only purpose was to announce the movie to the public. Announcing Hollywood movies in the Smithsonian Magazine? Sure. The Smithsonian hasn’t been about history or academics for some time now. I should avoid puff pieces but being the D&D fan that I am I couldn’t stay away from this one.