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The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people
When a beloved friend, family member, hero, or role model dies, we feel the pain of that loss and grieve in many different ways. Part of that grieving and healing process is often entails those left behind constructing some sort of tribute to the dearly departed. Sometimes this comes in the form of a shrine of flowers, sometimes it's the establishment of a charity, and sometimes it's creating an in-game memorial that thousands if not millions of people will see over the course of years. So while death and illness are depressing topics to dwell upon, I find the many MMO tributes that studios and even gamers have erected to be inspiring and a celebration of individual players' lives. With the help of my fellow Massively staffers, I researched 10 wonderful in-game tributes that serve to honor the lives of fellow gamers.
The Game Archaeologist and the dragon of the deep dungeon
The Game Archaeologist is a lazy adventurer-slash-professor who dons his trademark cap for a weekly expedition through some of the most famous MMOs of the past few decades. Each month, he chooses a different title in order to examine its highlights, talk with its developers, and invite its fans to share their experiences. Part of the holy mission of the Game Archaeologist is to ferret out the roots of history that ultimately led to MMORPGs as we know them today. Another part of the mission is to root out ferrets, as my claw-scarred arms can attest. Some of that history is fairly recent, but today we're going to travel back -- way back -- to a time before many of you were born. Including me, as a matter of fact. The year is 1974. The world is hip-deep in the throes of shag carpeting, driftwood furniture and the strains of Grand Funk Railroad. It truly seemed like nothing would ever be cool or non-earth-toned again. At this, the lowest moment in all of history, game designers Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson took the concept of miniature wargaming, merged it with a fantasy motif, and sold it under the name Dungeons & Dragons. Geeks everywhere had a reason to rejoice, and through this roleplaying game the foundations for MMOs were laid. Let's take a brief survey through D&D, giving special emphasis to how this great-granddaddy of RPGs passed down a legacy that we enjoy in our modern online titles. Also, there will be popcorn.
The Daily Quest: Dave Arneson rolls a 20
D&D co-creator Dave Arneson passed away earlier this week. While you might not have played D&D, know that he and the late Gary Gygax were the pioneers of this genre of games. I would not be surprised to hear from Blizzard on this in the upcoming days. On a personal note, I ran into him around the age of 10 while in a St. Paul, Minnesota comic book store (Schinders, for those of you wondering). I was looking at Magic cards mainly, but he was browsing around and came over and talked with me when he saw I had turned my attention to one of the D&D 2e books. The clerk later told me as I was checking out who he was. Mystic Chicanery gives a good step-by-step guide on how to make voice overs for WoW movies. Teeth And Claws has a nice discussion looking at a feral raiding spec for patch 3.1. Derevka of Tales of a Priest has a very good rundown of the Acutioneer add-on. We've covered it a few times as well. Our own Matticus has thoughts... about Val'Anyr and "stuff." Click here to submit a link to TDQ
Metamorial: Game writers remember Dave Arneson
Somewhere between co-creating Dungeons & Dragons and teaching at Full Sail College, Dave Arneson left an indelible mark on the gaming landscape. Every time we roll for initiative or challenge the dungeon master's ability to adapt, Arneson's guiding hand can be felt. We've gathered sentiments shared by our colleagues around the internet for you here, and encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments section below, about the man that helped move role-playing into the limelight of gaming.Ars Technica: "Get out your classic rule books. Invite some friends over. Keep a chair empty for a fallen friend, and play for a few hours. Not online, in person. Order a pizza ... Remember Dave Arneson, a man who wasn't satisfied with the game when his parents brought home an Avalon Hill title. When he began changing the rules, he began changing the world."
D&D co-creator Dave Arneson dead at 61
After a long battle with cancer, Dungeons and Dragons co-creator Dave Arneson passed away in his sleep late Tuesday night. The sad news came from an e-mail from Arneson's family, which includes details on where to send condolences, as well as the time and location for his visitation. We extend our deepest sympathies to Arneson's family and loved ones as they cope with the loss of this truly remarkable man.Even if you've never hurled icosahedrons with a group of fantasy-obsessed friends, Arneson, along with D&D co-creator Gary Gygax (who sadly passed away last year), is responsible for the evolution of the RPG format as we know it today. Though the influential hobby's creators have passed away, their legacy will live on through the skittering of dice across tables worldwide. Rest in peace, Mr. Arneson.
D&D co-creator Dave Arneson in hospice care [update 2]
[Update 2: Joystiq has learned that Mr. Arneson passed away on Tuesday, April 7. Our condolences to his friends and family.]Dave Arneson, half of the duo -- the other half being Gary Gygax -- that created influential tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons, passed away earlier today is still alive "in a hospice where he is being cared for at this time," according to Grognardia. Updating the original post regarding Mr. Arneson, Grognardia says, "I am both glad to hear that Dave is not dead, as I was led to believe, and rather mortified at my having posted this information before it had been confirmed by a second source. I had no reason to doubt my original source, given his close proximity to Dave, but apparently I should have." He's not the only one who feels this way, trust us. The rest of the original post we wrote remains as it was, below.Known recently for his teaching at Full Sail College in Florida as well as his fantasy RPG Blackmoor, Arneson had been struggling with his health ever since a stroke in 2002. According to The Escapist, Arneson's health worsened last week and he was admitted to the hospital. Unfortunately this morning, things took a turn for the worse. We here at Joystiq extend our deepest condolences to those affected by Dave Arneson's passing, especially his loved ones.[Thanks, Jeremiah]
