First Edition D&D and Gygaxian Rules

 I was reading an article from B/X Blackrazor, and realized something.  But first some background.

I have begun to notice a certain obsession from many people, blogs, youtube channels... an obsession over 1e D&D and Gary Gygax.  The idea being one of two, either

• A. The way that people played back in the day (pre-1e) is the true way to play
  
• B. Gygax/1e is the true way to play
  

 This, then connects from a recent, as of writing, video from Matt Colville (Say what you will, but he makes interesting videos) where he proffered the explanation, gleaned from  the book The Elusive Shift, that there was no true way that people played the game, at least in the 70s, until 1e came out.

 In some ways I am forced to agree, such as how after 1e was released it did result in a more unified play-style.  However, I must argue, if only from conjecture and second-hand observation as I was not there, that there was indeed a set way in which the game was played by its original creators and those close to them (this being Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson and associates) which was not disseminated properly or clearly, thus resulting in the mass of confusion regarding how to play the game in the 70s.

We can know this from a few main sources, those being:

• The game Diplomacy (1954), though relatively minor of a piece
• The game of Braunstein and similar endeavors, from which undoubtedly D&D sprung
• Gary Gygax's own statements on how he ran his home game
  

 I must start backwards for full effect.  Gygax's statement, to paraphrase, was that he "made up" the rules.  Quite a shocking statement, indicative of sentiments shared by story-gamers, and worse, that of a weak mind.  Indicative maybe but far from definitive.  On the first point, the man was far from a story-gamer, any account will return as much information.  On the second point, while he may have lacked business acumen or indeed knowledge of game design, he made up for greatly with imagination and an incredibly store of knowledge regarding all things medieval, including seemingly pointless minutiae.

In short, the rules which Gygax operated by were not ones that were written down, but rather they were based on taking a character's actions and following them to their logical conclusion, all the while drawing on a great well of knowledge of all things fantasy and medieval.

So it was the same way the Dave Arneson ran his game, and the way that those in the early days of the game who learned from these two (or who were of similar character) ran their games.

This all can be clearly evidenced by both the bulk of AD&D 1e being composed of rules that were "made up," and by The First Fantasy Campaign being largely composed of the same, rules which were written in an attempt to capture the vast imagination at play within these games.

This approach to running the game, as it were, held by Gygax and Arneson both, originated from the Braunstein-style of war-gaming which was developed shortly (if a decade can be short) before the publication of OD&D.  In these war-games, the players given characters by the referee, these characters were given goals and placed in a setting, and from there, the only way to accomplish those goals was to negotiate with the other players, with the referee only being present to confirm any decisions made by the players.  

This, in turn, originated from Diplomacy, again a decade before, where, because of how the game was set up, the only way to win was to negotiate, usually involving deception, and either conquer your opponents or reach a truce with them.

Finally, the way D&D was played can be summed up simply, as it is the same way, indeed the only way, you win in Diplomacy, by talking to the other players. 

Not An Obsession

So, after this explanation I must revise my earlier statement.  It is not an obsession, but rather a certain intense fascination which many, myself included, feel towards the rules of 1e and much of what Gary Gygax authored.

For example, I think that Oriental Adventures is the peak of setting material, because it oozes with flavor.

But, more so than anything regarding these rules, of 1e, Gygax, Oriental Adventures, it is the fact that they were written to reflect an experience that was already ongoing, rather than in an attempt to create an experience, which, I think, draws people to them.

The experience created the rules.  Then, it is no wonder that these rules should be highly regarded, not because they are good, though some are, but because they are, above all, honest.