JasonZavoda wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:Tiamat was also in the Official Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Coloring Album.

True, but players of the game in the Coloring Album don't encounter her.

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benjoshua wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread: And while Takhisis is technically not Tiamat, it could be argued that it is essentially Tiamat.

Try telling that to their cultists.

benjoshua wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:I have the sickest sense of humor.  I just saw where the FAA banned all flights of US carriers into Tel Aviv since a Hamas rocket landed nearby their airport.  Apparently Lufthansa has also halted flights into Tel Aviv.  I wonder if Malaysia Airlines will issue a statement too?     

They scheduled a press conference to announce the cancellations, but their spokesman had an unfortunate accident while walking to the podium.

JasonZavoda wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:The way I heard it the first rep mysteriously disappeared on his way to the podium.

Both occurrences happened on the 7th step of the stage. There were 17 journalists present.

Essential reading on the history of TSR, from our own Increment (Jon Peterson):

The Ambush at Sheridan Springs — Medium

Mike B.

Simply fantastic read. I have to claim ignorance on buisness practices and concepts, I chase electrons for a living.

I don't understand the concept behind TSR Hobbies becoming incorporated and finally being able to employ individuals. I understand incorporation of a business in general but the articles reads, "The steadily mounting popularity of Dungeons & Dragons enabled TSR Hobbies to bring Gygax and Blume on board as salaried staff." What were they before that, just shareholders and all profit just went back into the venture?

Later it reads, "Fatefully, in July 1976, TSR Hobbies issued Gygax and Blume options to purchase up to 700 additional shares..." I thought they were TSR Hobbies? Man, I need to go back for the masters in buisness sooner rather than later!  

sauromatian wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:

Badmike wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:Essential reading on the history of TSR, from our own Increment (Jon Peterson):

Does this mean we will eventually see further volumes of PatW?

Let's not get carried away here.

But seriously, the "Ambush" story is one that I've kind of been avoiding, frankly, but it needed to be told to clear up a few points in advance of another project I'm working on. I really didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings with this, but so far, people like Luke have come and said that though it's a painful story he learned something from reading it.

I'm sure once people digest the contents, its implications for some points of our traditional narrative (like, Gary's description of events in the Sacco interview) will raise more questions.

Also, give some thanks to stratochamp and ExTSR, both of whom lent me a hand as I worked on this.

Three quick points:
a) Everyone who gazes at these forums should read Jon's piece. It is illuminative and invaluable.
b) We should all be very grateful that we have a 20th Level Sage in our midst, unearthing these hidden truths.
c) Jon is very generous to have suggested that I deserve a "thanks" for my contribution. I might have contributed one strawberry to the whole pie.

increment wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:the "Ambush" story is one that I've kind of been avoiding

It is an interesting time period. The game itself was in what might be called its classical era (the orange-spine books), after an earlier, formative, golden age (AKA old-school D&D). It was the time of icons that people remember from the time, like the cartoons & Dragonlance novels. Yet it was also already in decline. As you've noted in the article, what you call "the D&D fad" was really 1979-82, closely matching other contemporary trends both within gaming (Rubik's Cube, Pac Man), & without (the end of the '79-'82 recession). Just as Hollywood's first golden age ended with the end of the Depression, the early-'80s gaming boom had its demise written in the cards. TSR was fated to suffer some amount of setback, just as Atari did at the time. The ET video game helped sink Atari, but it too would have seen a decline one way or another.

It is amazing that people who grew up and played D&D in the so called "classical era" feel that it only existed for a brief time and was on the decline by '82. I didn't start playing until '89-90 and went from classic D&D straight to 2nd edition, as it was just released of course but D&D, AD&D still seemed huge. Seems like most of TSR products were released between early 80's and through the 90's. TSR was still releasing product after product, is it just the early success that carried them through and allowed for the revenue to release all of the products which ultimately drove their demise since sales of those products were dismal?