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Thread: Brief History of Tolkien RPGs

  1. #1
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    Brief History of Tolkien RPGs

    A Brief History of Tolkien roleplaying games

    http://sacnoths.blogspot.com/2008/11...kien-rpgs.html

  2. #2
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    Very interesting read.

    Thanks for providing it, Jem'Hadar!

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    Yes, it is an interesting read. I find his argument that Tolkien had to have some influence on the original D&D quite convincing. If you had never heard of D&D but had read the LOTR trilogy & then picked up a D&D Players Handbook, you would definitely see the similarities.

    I can also see the influence of the LOTR movies on recent versions of D&D & other fantasy RPGs, esp. when it comes to imagery. In some fantasy RPG books that came out after the LOTR movies, I can see the influence of the movies in the way elves, dwarves & orcs are depicted in these RPG books, for example.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jem'hadar View Post
    Yes, it is an interesting read. I find his argument that Tolkien had to have some influence on the original D&D quite convincing. If you had never heard of D&D but had read the LOTR trilogy & then picked up a D&D Players Handbook, you would definitely see the similarities.

    I can also see the influence of the LOTR movies on recent versions of D&D & other fantasy RPGs, esp. when it comes to imagery. In some fantasy RPG books that came out after the LOTR movies, I can see the influence of the movies in the way elves, dwarves & orcs are depicted in these RPG books, for example.
    It inspired I think the shift on elves in the 4th edition.
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    Yes, it is an interesting read. I find his argument that Tolkien had to have some influence on the original D&D quite convincing. If you had never heard of D&D but had read the LOTR trilogy & then picked up a D&D Players Handbook, you would definitely see the similarities.
    Some of which aren't even that subtle! (Eladrin anyone? I mean, seriously. They, what? switched two letters around?)

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Jem'hadar View Post
    Yes, it is an interesting read. I find his argument that Tolkien had to have some influence on the original D&D quite convincing.
    I'm really hoping this is an ironic understatement.
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Tatterdemalion King View Post
    I'm really hoping this is an ironic understatement.
    Normally, I would have intended my statement to be ironic, but I understand that Gary Gygax once denied Tolkien had any influence, or very little influence, on D&D.

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    Bahaha, well it's bad form to speak ill of the dead, so expletive deleted It's clearly influenced
    Ta Muchly

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    Even if it wasn't conscious, it was influenced. There's no way there are so many blatant similarities. I mean, I know Tolkien based his stuff off of myths (where they would have had to have gotten their influence, if not from Tolkien), but still.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Jem'hadar View Post
    Normally, I would have intended my statement to be ironic, but I understand that Gary Gygax once denied Tolkien had any influence, or very little influence, on D&D.
    Well, Greyhawk and reports from Gary's game definitely have more of a Lankhmar/Dying Earth feel to them, but LotR was probably the template for thousands of D&D games since Gygax wrote it. Plus... you know. It's got Elves.
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