I've been skimming through "30 Years of Adventure: A Celebration of Dungeons & Dragons". Having not actually read it in full, I may have just missed the answers to these questions.

1. They do mention TSR's dire financial straits in '96-'97. But they don't say what caused them. Competition from CCGs? Poor performance of games like Ravenloft and Dark Sun? Player dissapointment with the 2nd edition?

2. Why did Gary Gygax decide to limit/prohibit level advancement in various classes for demihumans? Game balance, maybe, since demihumans have racial abilities humans don't?

1. Spread themselves really thin, poor management, putting out a lot of product but not necessarily a lot of product that sold well.

2. Yes, game balance. See in the dark, level cap. There might be more to it, but that's what I recall OTOH.

Oh, and how is the book? I'd like to get it, but haven't yet.

Very good, and interesting. Not to mention beautifully illustrated with past artwork from the game. I would recommend buying it from amazon; I got a NM copy for half the original price. BTW, there's also a new book out called "40 Years of Gencon", and another called "Sorceress" something-or-other, about playing AD&D from a woman's perspective. Have not seen or read either, however.

EDIT: Why/how was Gygax forced out of TSR?

Wasn't Mr Gygax just voted out by the Board ??

Then went onto produce Dangerous Journeys [with GDW, I think].

Then rejoined TSR/etc, in some non-active role.

I didn't pick up 40 Years of Gencon at Gencon because I figure copies will show up on Ebay for less down the road.

As to the "D&D from the girl perspective" book, no offense to the author or female gamers, but it seemed to be another WotC walley-grabbing ploy, at least when I skimmed it. Much like the "D&D for Dummies" book. (If you're going to spend that much on a book to learn about D&D, why not just buy the PHB? If you want to know the miscellaneous ephemera, just go online. *shrug*)

"Spread to thin"....yeah, that sounds right. I never played Planescape or Spelljammer, so I can't comment on those. But I was less than impressed by Ravenloft and Dark Sun. IMO, TSR would have been better off concentrating on their bread and butter; Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance and Dragon Magazine.

BTW, Eidolon (or anyone else who may know), could you expand on the "poor management" part? Or were you referring to that within the context of publishing bad products?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSR,_Inc.

That has most of what I recall reading about. I used to remember more about it, but a lot of what you can find that goes into much detail is hearsay and them vs. us type recollections. Most of the pertinent stuff to your question starts at "Williams Ownership".

edit: fixed link

Actually, all of the many DnD settings did quite well on their own, the problem is that your production costs become absurd when you are selling 2 million copies of 10 different games, instead of 2 million copies of 1 game.

That combined with having a huge heaping ton of their products suddenly shipped back to them by distributors is what drove TSR under.

Thanks for the link. Does anyone know what a "latchook rug kit" is? Or what Williams is doing now? After TSR's fall, I would imagine she would have difficulties finding employment.

Latch hook is a hobby/craft thing, where you have a grid of plastic that you poke yarn through with this little tool thing. You poke little different color pieces of yarn into the grid in patterns and make pictures, and when you're done you have a fuzzy picture. Made of yarn. It's kinda neat I suppose. (My sister used to do them. Yes, I learned how, I admit it. )

No idea what Williams would be doing now. Never really cared enough to find out. *shrug*

1. Alot of it has allegedly been attributed to the woman (cant think oif her name) who was running the company at the time. She apperently hated D&D or something like that.

2. I assume it was an attempt at balance> I hated the "races as classes" deal also. The level limits didnt make much sense, since most races live longer than humans. One would assume they would have more time on their hands. I personally dont get level limits period.

I found the relevant information; it's on pages 214-219. Synopsis: the details of TSR's contract with Random House turned what was a single glowing ember into a huge conflagration. They were polite enough not to mention Williams by name.

The racial level limits, and the way multi/dual classing worked, were two of my biggest beefs with 2nd Edition.

Humans: live less long, and are known for their zeal for life, drive to succeed, and near-limitless energy when it comes to snatching up short term goals. I know! We'll fix it so they can be one class, and then, as time passes, slowly change to another class! And during that time of transition, they'll suck donkey balls and just have to be friggin' patient.

Metahumans: live a really long time, and are (in many racial cases) renowned for looking at the bigger picture. We'll fix it so they live for hundreds and hundreds of years, and then let them have more than one class at a time (in exchange for sucking at all of them, compared to a human who dedicates himself to that profession). In the short term, though, they'll really kick ass!

It was completely ass-backwards. I long felt that simpy changing it around, so demihumans could dual-class and humans could multiclass (and no one had any stupid ass level limits) would fix things.

That reminds me. Now that I have finished knitting Aust's gloves of dexterity,its time to make a new batch of rings of protection.