july march american game designer author best known creating pioneering role playing game described father 1960s created organization clubs founded con gaming convention helped develop based medieval warfare founded company tactical studies rules inc childhood friend following year expanded included elements fantasy stories loved child year founded dragon magazine based new game began work comprehensive version game called designed numerous game system pre packaged adventures called gave person running game dungeon master rough script ideas run particular gaming scenario worked license product line successful cartoon series leaving issues new majority owner continued create role playing game titles independently beginning multi genre designed gaming system called adventure released involved role playing game conceived hybrid edition original version game conceived married twice children suffered strokes narrowly avoided subsequent heart attack diagnosed abdominal died march early life inspiration born chicago near field july son swiss immigrant spent early childhood chicago involved brawl large group boys father decided family wisconsin mother family settled early 19th century childhood teen years developed love games appreciation fantasy science fiction literature played card games board games chess age friends played sort games eventually came called live action role playing games acting referee father introduced science fiction fantasy pulp novels interest games combined appreciation history eventually led begin playing miniature war games best friend teenagers designed rules toy soldiers large collection figures small simulate explosions dropped high school junior year worked odd jobs moved chicago age attend night classes junior college took classes university_of_chicago following year married marriage produced children luke continued night school classes college dean list urging professors applied university_of_chicago admitted married decided time job insurance instead december game company particularly captured attention ordered blank mapping sheets available employed design games active involved play mail diplomacy games designed variants active hobby writing magazine articles subject learned little wars book play military book later looked innovative ways generate random numbers common sided solid shapes discovered school supply catalog family moved months spend clinton wisconsin following divorce time hollywood head entertainment division home rest life 1960s worked insurance chicago founded grew rapidly especially pre existing clubs aimed promote interest periods provided forum societies enabled form local groups share rules organized person gaming meet basement home event later referred con rented vine covered hold lake geneva convention known con gaming convention short north_america largest annual hobby game gatherings met future creator second con august fond medieval period dark ages particular started playing period found appropriate started rules plastic figure wearing shield armor shield shields half armor half armor rules armor figure armor rules rules weapons created military society called lake geneva tactical studies association headquarters basement shortly founded late october lost job insurance company shoe gave time pursuing interest game development began working editor chief games publisher produced board games early year published simulated medieval era tactical combat originally written hobby shop owner medieval rules originally published book hired produce series games new edition book series collaborated napoleonic naval don ship edition included fantasy supplement rules comprised system warriors monsters non human races drawn works sources included spells affect battle plus missiles fire ball lightning bolt adopted rules fantasy campaign visiting ran fantasy game new rules immediately saw potential role playing games collaborated fantasy game role playing game later basing work modified version campaign aspects system governing magic game inspired dying earth stories fantasy author notably fact magic users game forget spells learned immediately casting study order cast system drew work authors page copy interested parties followed second page amateur edition rules year attempted publish game hill turned offer group started group grown dozen players included people dungeon master game referee groups dozen players left games partner founded publishing company later known inc october men invested venture borrowed life insurance policy order finance start capital publish rules worried companies able publish similar projects convinced acquaintance join december equal partner brought financing enabled publish worked rules battle games including english civil war ancient period warriors mars appeared pre release copies game circulation end year commercial version released january boxed set hand assembled print run copies home sold year year created magazine strategic review editor hired assist transition magazine fantasy periodical dragon writer columnist publisher dragon debuted june commented success years later decided strategic review right vehicle hired magazine editor named new publication produce dragon thought eventually great periodical serve gaming enthusiasts worldwide time great success long lifespan wrote original game designed wild west oriented role playing game boot hill dungeons dragons basic set released variation original geared younger players edited years old specific provision share company unexpectedly died heart attack january share passed wife woman characterized don died dumped tactical studies rules materials porch impossible manage business involved partner relocated dining room basement money buy shares owned wife persuaded allow father buy shares place equal partner july officially formed new company controlled originally held ownership new reorganization new partners buy widow pay fees unable contribute fair share costs ownership eventually dropped company leaving minority hired time employee moved house professional home known new version published released later year supplemental rule book new system followed rules compatible result distinct product lines splitting game lines created rift claimed property royalties filed lawsuit result settled march ruling compensation game wrote dungeon masters guide monster manual wrote wrote numerous basic adventure including tomb expedition forgotten temple seven later combined queen spiders long time campaign setting published form world fantasy world setting expanded setting boxed set sales game reached million provided assistance gamma world science fantasy role playing game authored adventure student allegedly disappeared school steam tunnels playing live action version result negative mainstream media attention focused cause son killed son suicide pulling formed organization named attack game company produced defended game segment minutes aired death threats started arriving office hired bodyguard annual sales increased million january new_york_times speculated great game 1980s manner monopoly great depression early 1980s divorced moved clinton wisconsin short time persuaded allow brother purchase shares father gave brothers controlling interest inc increasingly unhappy conservative approach business greater stock ownership brothers effectively took control forced step ceo replaced forced west coast deal potential movie opportunities split inc inc president chairman board directors inc president inc inc later known went hollywood producer licensed cartoon series cbs series led time slot years creations time dimensional fantasy chess variant published dragon august played boards stacked board represents sky middle ground underworld pieces characters monsters inspired setting king dragon griffin hero thief dwarf warrior leaving time hollywood left day day operations fellow board members kevin discovered run financial difficulties time came wisconsin company million debt point hired manage company engineered removal ceo brothers subsequently sold majority shares company time evident williams differing visions future took court bid block sale shares williams lost october board directors removed company president chairman board remained board director contributions company creative efforts sales reached million seeing future left company december pretty boxed running company guys controlling interest thought run company better set manage west_coast deal start new corporation called took long time lot hard work recognized real civilian shall entertainment eventually got cartoon going cbs number projects works heard company severe financial difficulties guys partnered shopping street new_york came discovered number gross areas company bank million half debt eventually got straightened kind got partners kicked office removed ceo partners retribution sold shares tried block court ensuing legal struggle judge ruled lost control company point decided sell leaving authored novels series featuring rogue saga novel artifact evil terms settlement kept rights rogue characters names plays example lost rights work including world names characters material october resigned positions inc settled disputes december immediately leaving helped form company inc worked consultant wrote business plan convinced try business results baker ceo chairman board october company publicly announced design executives formed creative committee single product released baker disappeared promised outside investment million dollars failed come retained rights rogue agreement licensed started writing new novels beginning novels main things keeping new business role playing game work new science fiction themed published announced company newsletter working new fantasy rpg company fantasy master line detail castle city originally envisioned called castle new game called infinite adventures envisioned rpg supported different different genres new investors forced company bankruptcy company dissolved continued write rogue novels published sea death city hawks come endless darkness happy new direction taking world literary declaration old world dead wanting clean break things destroyed version final rogue novel time worked books sequel master game wrote number published short stories 1990s game designers workshop saw opportunity game developing began working called carpenter project planned blitz fiction publication produce computer game like suggested calling game dangerous dimensions changed response threat lawsuit similar authored products dangerous journeys including product released immediately sued copyright infringement suit eventually settled court buying complete rights dangerous journeys system new permanently entire project 1990s wrote novels released publisher later reprinted murders solution death delhi printed lost novel primary author issues entire page magazine began work new computer role playing game called game game system intended support multiple genres releasing game computers work instead designed game inner city games designs approached suggest produce adventures sell game stores largely stopped production severe financial problems result pair fantasy adventures published challenge arms ritual golden eyes introduced investors clark publication setup willing fund clark business plan allow clark publish books forming partnership called able return writing role playing games game published volume set rules players coast able write clarify issues ownership write new books contribute column dragon january dragon june contributed preface adventure return tomb 2000s lent voice cartoons video games later life including providing voice cartoon self episode anthology interest aired performed narration guest dungeon master tomb quest series massively multiplayer online role playing game online worked number releases system open game license included generic adventure module challenge arms fun catalog book joke magic items slayer guide dragons offered lord games write books lord june lord announced fact october announced publishing version adventure originally planned new productions later printed adventure took year produce work early work lord included series hardcover books eventually came called fantasy worlds included look underworld generic game design books usable different settings books series dropped role carried series logo lord published adventures result partnership including adventure intended adventures given word text describing earth clark split manuscript books expanded final books coming words gave line supplement core rules adventures managed publish earth noble kings having financial difficulties led clark ask lord games angel investor publishing new books editor chief lord games series fantasy reference books stroke able commit time effort writing previously beginning extraordinary book names series overseen line lasted years publication builder result agreement lord able publish dozen additional books announced working publish original previously unpublished details volumes project use rules castles bought owned rights changed castle reverse changed nearby city play initials project proved work envisioned time stopped working original home campaign castle dungeons encompassed levels complex passages thousands rooms traps plus plans city encounter areas outside castle city clearly fit proposed volumes decided castle dungeons levels size original best boxes old notes kept careful comprehensive plans details play sessions spot usually quick map played notes monsters treasures traps maps contained detail ensure independent work old notes year old memories happened room decision new piece city challenge old maps original city previously published work city owned create city scratch maintaining look feel original slow process came complete halt april suffered stroke production came halt health team people continue creation background material returned keyboard seven month output reduced hour work days hours day withdraw projects continued work adventure module published time book circumstances work project continued slowly castle line kicked page book page hardcover book contained details original city personalities politics encounters outside city later year published castle dark adventure module written setting helped creation dungeon eventually resulting publication limited edition book published indicated volumes series follow shortly wasn second volume castle upper works appeared lord games revealed rights rogue novels fourth product line lord final publications massive boxes entirely detailing dungeons beneath castle described details castle ground acting teaser volumes concerning actual dungeons follow died march books published months death games new company formed widow pulled licenses lord games took project continues development personal life early age hunted target shooter bow gun avid gun collector times owned variety rifles married wife children later assist play testing children separating march august sixth child alexander born married carpenter second wife august day parents 50th wedding anniversary seven grandchildren described christian life reluctant discuss beliefs citing fears hurt reputation christianity connection moral panic people associated reason having vocal faith went semi retirement suffering strokes april suffered heart attack receiving incorrect medication prevent strokes lifelong cigarette switched strokes late diagnosed abdominal despite reduced workload continued active gaming community regularly contributed discussion forums gaming websites world died morning march home age like world remember guy enjoyed playing games sharing knowledge fun everybody awards honors father role playing games received awards honors tributes related gaming inducted magazine named number list biggest time sfx magazine listed number list pyramid magazine named millennium influential persons realm adventure gaming tied number gamespy influential people gaming numerous names ring alterations strain bacteria named honor dedicated patch fury electronic arts dedicated publish online included new room dungeon doom containing special encounter unique decorations turbine inc included tributes online module released june new area online region graveyard contains memorial marker new unique item voice master improves experience awards avid gamer youth dedicated march episode report commemorated number including comic ultimate game bordering semi tower thanks rules order stick brief tribute cartoon march journey end vault film game contained post closing credits title card paying tribute clip episode anthology interest saying want play years people involved including fans played game production honored famous game designer featured king voice appears bit self code edition core dedicated memory love gaming celebrated gaming convention hosted annually family members fans tribute widow raising funds construct memorial late husband honor establishing nonprofit january plans secure location wisconsin march wisconsin approved application site memorial statue monument include castle turret bust possibly dragon wrapped turret played kid lot actually lot writers know bars late night literary festivals conversation sort corner saying play amazing yes lot answer probably phd thesis realms possible phd write influence 20th century novel
Gary Gygax