Holtzlander Foundation

Gamers for Gamers

Early role-playing[edit]
Tabletop role-playing games have origins in wargaming, which has roots in ancient strategy games, particularly chess and its predecessor Chaturanga.[8] From the late 18th century to the 19th century, chess variants evolved into modern wargames, most notably Kriegsspiel. Over a century later, the miniature wargame Chainmail, released in 1971, eventually became the basis for Dungeons & Dragons.[9][10]
According to RPG designer John Wick, chess can be turned into a role-playing game if chess pieces such as the king, queen, rooks, knights or pawns are given names, and decisions are made based on their motivations. According to Wick, Dungeons & Dragons was a "sophisticated, intricate and complicated combat simulation board game that people were turning into a roleplaying game" just "like giving your rook a motive" in Chess.[11]
The assumption of roles was a central theme in some early 20th century activities such as the game Jury Box, mock trials, model legislatures, and "Theatre Games". In the 1960s, historical reenactment groups such as The Sealed Knot and the Society for Creative Anachronism began to perform "creative history" reenactments introducing fantasy elements, and in the 1970s fantasy wargames were developed, inspired by sword and sorcery fiction, in which each player controlled only a single unit, or "character". The earlier role-playing tradition was combined with the wargames' rule-based character representation to form the first role-playing games.[12][13]
Dungeons & Dragons, developed in 1974 by Dave Arneson and E. Gary Gygax and published by Gygax's company, TSR, was the first commercially available role-playing game, though at the time its first printing was marketed as a niche wargaming product.[14] Gygax expected to sell about 50,000 copies total to a strictly hobbyist market.[15] After establishing itself in boutique stores, it developed a strong, lasting fan base that distinguished itself from the typical wargame player base. By the time of its first major reprinting in 1977, Dungeons & Dragons was refocused as a role-playing game to segregate it from the typical wargame.[14][16]
One of the first original role-playing games was M. A. R. Barker's Empire of the Petal Throne, first published in 1974, the same year as Dungeons & Dragons. It introduced the fictional world of Tékumel, influenced by Indian, Middle-Eastern, Egyptian and Meso-American mythology.[17] It also introduced the game mechanic of critical hits.[18] According to creator Barker, "this simulates the 'lucky hit' on a vital organ."[19] The game influenced Arneson and Gygax, who was so impressed with it that his company TSR published Empire of the Petal Throne in 1975.[17] TSR published Barker's game and setting as a standalone game, rather than as a "supplement" to the original D&D rules.[20]
Another early game was Traveller, designed by Marc Miller and first published in 1977 by Game Designer's Workshop. This was originally intended to be a system for playing generic space-opera-themed science-fiction adventures (in the same sense that Dungeons & Dragons was a system for generic fantasy adventures), but an optional setting called "the Third Imperium" that was detailed in subsequent supplements became strongly identified with the game. The changes in this setting over time, especially those involving "the Fifth Frontier War" as depicted in the Journal of the Travellers Aid Society, arguably constitute the first use of metaplot in a role-playing game.[21]
Mid-1980s to early 90s: diversification of settings and systems[edit]
Up to this stage, each game had tied itself to a particular setting; If a player wanted to play in a science-fiction game and a fantasy game, they had to learn two game systems. Attempts were made in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons to allow cross-genre games using Gamma World (1978) and Boot Hill (1975) rules, but the obscure rules went largely unused. Meanwhile, Call of Cthulhu and Paranoia offered different role-playing experiences, in which the story arc of a group's investigation would lead to death and/or madness, or where comical infighting within a group would be expected and reinforced within the genre conventions of "a darkly humorous future". The Hero System, first introduced in Champions (1981), was also used in Justice, Inc. (1984), Fantasy Hero (1985) and other games. Steve Jackson Games followed with GURPS (the Generic Universal Roleplaying System) in 1986. At the same time, games using the fictional worlds of Star Trek, DC Heroes, the Marvel Universe or The Lord of the Rings expanded the range of possibilities for Table-top gaming. Games such as GURPS and Champions introduced character creation via point-buy systems; later, Vampire: The Masquerade and similar games emphasized storytelling, plot and character development over rules and combat.
Due to the game's success, the term Dungeons & Dragons has sometimes been used as a generic term for fantasy role-playing games. TSR undertook legal action to prevent its trademark from becoming generic.[22] Dungeons & Dragons was a subject of controversy in the 1980s when opponents such as Patricia Pulling claimed it caused negative spiritual and psychological effects. Academic research has discredited these claims.[23] Some educators support role-playing games as a healthy way to hone reading and arithmetic skills.[24] Though role-playing has been generally accepted in society,[25] the subject retains a level of controversy among some religious organizations.[26][27] This belief or attitude is by no means universal among religious organizations; there are faith-based role-playing games on the market[28] and religious role-players who disagree that these games are morally corrupt or occult in nature.[29]
Mid- to late-1990s: decline in popularity[edit]
Competition from role-playing video games and collectible card games led to a decline in the tabletop role-playing game industry. The financially troubled market leader TSR, Inc., which had suffered financial setbacks from overproduction, was eventually purchased by Wizards of the Coast.[30] To better cope with the economics of role-playing games, they introduced a new regime of open gaming, allowing other companies to publish D&D-compatible supplements. Meanwhile, self-defined "Indie role-playing" communities arose on the internet, studying role-playing and developing several forms of role-playing game theory such as GNS theory. More recently, rules innovations have combined with literary techniques to develop games such as Dogs in the Vineyard and Polaris that rely on the contributions of players to enhance moral agency in a process of emergent storytelling.
2000s-present[edit]
In 2000, Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons & Dragons brand manager Ryan Dancey introduced a policy whereby other companies could publish D&D-compatible materials under the Open Gaming License (OGL). He was frustrated that game supplements suffered far more diminished sales over time than the core books required to play the game, then this would spread the cost of supplementing the game and would increase sales of the core books, which could only be published by WotC. The new D&D rules became known as the d20 system, and a System Reference Document was published, containing all the rules needed to write a supplement or run a one-off game, but lacking the character advancement rules necessary for long-term play. The open gaming movement and 3rd/3.5 edition D&D (2000, 2003) enjoyed a great deal of success, and although there was some criticism of the move, a great many d20 System games were released until around 2008.[citation needed]
In January 2012, Wizards of the Coast announced that a new edition of the game, at the time referred to as D&D Next, was under development. In direct contrast to the previous editions of the game, D&D Next was developed partly via a public open playtest.[31] An early build of the new edition debuted at the 2012 Dungeons & Dragons Experience event to about 500 fans.[32] Public playtesting began on 24 May 2012,[33] with the final playtest packet released on 20 September 2013.[34] The 5th edition's Basic Rules, a free PDF containing complete rules for play and a subset of the player and DM content from the core rulebooks, was released on 3 July 2014.[35] In forty years the genre grew from a few hobbyists and boutique publishers to an economically significant part of the games industry. Grass-roots and small business involvement remains substantial while larger projects have attracted several million players worldwide. Toys industry leader Hasbro purchased Wizards of the Coast in 1999 for an estimated $325 million.[36]

Wellness Wednesday – 5 Mental Benefits of Board Games
Posted on August 3, 2022 by Christy Edwards

Community members are ditching phones, tablets, computers, and TV screens in favor of the comfort of tabletop board games, at least occasionally. In an age of hyperconnectivity, unplugging for a couple of hours seems like a revolutionary way to explore, connect, and discover. Sales of board games and puzzles have shot up over the past few years as friends, neighbors, and families discover (or rediscover) the mental and social benefits – and, sometimes, friendly rifts – that come with competitive and cooperative gameplay.Check out five mental wellness benefits of playing board games


Make Connections


Modern work, school, and extracurricular schedules can pose a challenge to spending time with even the most important people in our lives. A long lunch with friends, family dinner night, or coffee date with a neighbor sometimes won’t happen for weeks at a time. However, kids don’t wait for dinner parties and formal meetups to socialize. They do it by playing! Spending time around a tabletop game doesn’t have to be a high-frills event that requires a lot of planning. Just lay out the game and start having fun.


Build Memory, Logic, and Reasoning


Speaking to the power of play in child development, many popular board games can help kids, teens, and young adults with problem solving, decision making, deferring gratification, and dealing with mistakes. Chess, Chutes and Ladders, Settlers of Catan, Monopoly, Clue, mancala, and memory match games foster the ability to concentrate and focus for a period of time.


Boost Brainpower


Many classic games like chess, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, and Pictionary challenge creative and analytical thought processes, giving both sides of the brain something to do. Even the simple act of learning the rules and playing a new game can help your mind grow stronger, according to Central Connecticut State University.


Protect Against Dementia


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 5.8 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, including around 200,000 under the age of 65. A 2013 study found risk of dementia was 15 percent lower in board game players vs. non-players over a 20 year period, concluding that stimulating leisure activities are considered possible protective factors against dementia and cognitive decline.


Reduce Stress


While your heart may race when you’re about to spade an ace or your blood pressure rises in reaction to a competitive opponent, a 2017 study suggests playing board games can help lower stress and increase feelings of calmness. Many table gamers say they play to unwind and relax. Of course, many board games lead to bouts of laughter that stimulate endorphins. The simple act of having fun can help boost serotonin, relieve symptoms of anxiety, and increase enthusiasm in other areas of your life.