Dave Arneson, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, passed away on April 7th at the age of 61.
While Gygax was eventually given much of the credit for the initial creation of D&D, Arneson’s campaign setting Blackmoor would shape the paradigm of D&D worlds, forming the basis of the D&D campaign settings, which have incalculable influence on video game worlds and fantasy novels.
I, and all of us here at Critical Hits, are deeply saddened by his passing. I never met him directly, and in fact the first time I saw him was when he gave a speech at last year’s GenCon during the ENnies. I was particularly struck when he talked about the game he had run at GenCon every year: literally, at every GenCon since the beginning. While not always with the same players, he had been running the same RPG campaign since before the term existed as we know it. This next GenCon (like the one before it) is going to seem all the emptier, especially without the next installment.
Additionally, two of our writers attended Full Sail University where Arneson taught for many years. I heard two stories from them about him. On the very first day of class, he always issued a challenge: if you can beat him in Age of Empires II, you got an automatic “A” for the class. At the time when they were there, he had only been beaten once. Secondly, he ran a campaign at a local game store with anyone who wanted to sign up. (Of course, that waiting list was always long!)
Goodbye, Mr. Arneson. May you continue to inspire all of us to build our own worlds to adventure in.
First Gary and now Dave 🙁
I can’t even measure how much those 2 guys shaped my childhood, hobbies, and interests in life. Some of my earliest memories as a child were playing D&D with my parents and their friends in Hawaii and playing a wizard in Wizardry I on the Apple with my dad and his Air Force buddies in Hawaii.
I would spend the next several years collecting and reading books. I didn’t play D&D all that much as a child, but I bought and read every book I could get my hands on.
I’m not the biggest table-top or pen & paper guy, but I would be an idiot not to realize the tremendous influence these gents had on all role playing games – including video games and massive multiplayer RPG’s on the PC.
Rest in peace… both of you.
Also, here is some info I drudged up… if you are serious about attending, please make sure to verify the info beforehand.
Cards and letters can continue to be sent:
Dave Arneson
1043 Grand Avenue
Box #257
St. Paul, MN
55105
Visitation will be on April 20th
Time: yet to be determined
Address:
Bradshaw Funeral Home
687 Snelling Avenue South
St. Paul, MN 55105
I’ll be rolling some dice this weekend in Dave’s Honor. RIP.
RIP Dave Arneson you changed thousands of lives for the better. Thank you!
P.S. He is not dead, he just left to play D&D with Gary Gygax.
Let it never be said that Rich Burlew doesn’t have a wonderful gift:
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0644.html