Squaring the Circle

Squaring the Circle

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Happy 40th Anniversary to Dungeons & Dragons


Dungeons & Dragons was born in 1974.
It has been estimated that about 5 million people play Dungeons & Dragons today.

Below is my personal tribute to the best game ever created.

The table top game has gone through 13 versions over the years:
1974 Dungeons & Dragons (original white box)
1977 Dungeons & Dragons (Basic set, 2nd version, blue box)
1977 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1st edition)
1981 Dungeons & Dragons (Expert set, 3rd version, light blue box)
1983 Dungeons & Dragons (Companion set, 4th version, teal box)
1989 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition
1991 Dungeons & Dragons (Rules Cyclopedia, 5th version)
1995 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2.5 (Revised player's options, DM options)
2000 Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition
2003 Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 revision
2008 Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition
2010 Dungeons & Dragons Essentials
2014 Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (estimated release)

Spawning Various Campaign Settings:
Birthright
Blackmoor
Council of Wyrms
Dark Sun
Diablo II
Dragon Fist
Dragonlance
Eberron
Forgotten Realms
Ghostwalk
Greyhawk
Jakandor
Kingdoms of Kalamar
Lankhmar
Mystara
Nentir Vale
Pelinore
Planescape
Ravenloft
Rokugan (Legends of the Five Rings)
Spelljammer
Thunder Rift
Underdark
Warcraft
Wilderlands of High Fantasy

And Board Games:
1975 Dungeon!
1980 Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game
1984 Quest for the Dungeonmaster
1986 Dragons of Glory
1988 Dragon Lance
1988 Mertwig's Maze
1989 The New Dungeon
1989 The New Dungeon Miniatures and Game Supplement
1990 Magestones
1991 Greyhawk Wars
1991 The New Easy to Master Dungeons & Dragons
1992 Dragon Quest
1992 The Classic Dungeon
1993 DragonStrike
1994 First Quest
1995 Intriduction to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
2000 Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game
2001 Clue Dungeons & Dragons
2002 Dungeons & Dragons: The Fantasy Adventure Board Game
2004 Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game
2006 Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game
2010 Castle Ravenloft Board Game
2011 Wrath of Ashardalon
2011 Conquest of Nerath
2011 The Legend of Drizzt Board Game
2012 Lords of Waterdeep
2012 Dungeon Command

And Computer Games:
1975 dnd (on PLATO)
1975 Dungeon (on PDP-10)
1980 Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game
1981 Dungeons & Dragons Computer Fantasy Game
1982 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Cartridge (for Intellivision)
1982 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain (Intellivision)
1982 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin (Intellivision)
1988 Pool of Radiance (PC, NES)
1988 Heroes of the Lance (PC, NES, Sega)
1989 Curse of the Azure Bonds (PC)
1989 Dragons of Flame (PC, NES)
1989 Hillsfar (PC, NES)
1989 War of the Lance (PC)
1990 Secret of the Silver Blades (PC)
1990 Dragonstrike (PC, NES)
1990 Champions of Krynn (PC)
1990 Eye of the Beholder (PC, Sega CD, SNES, GBA, Amiga)
1991 Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon (PC, Amiga)
1991 Shadow Sorcerer (PC)
1991 Pools of Darkness (PC)
1991 Death Knights of Krynn (PC)
1991 Neverwinter Nights (AOL)
1991 Gateway to the Savage Frontier (PC)
1992 Order of the Griffon (TurboGrafx 16)
1992 Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun (Sega CD)
1992 The Dark Queen of Krynn (PC)
1992 Treasures of the Savage Frontier (MS-DOS, Amiga)
1992 Spelljammer: Pirates of Realmspace (MS-DOS)
1993 Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor (MS-DOS, Sega CD, SNES)
1993 Fantasy Empires (MS-DOS)
1993 Forgotten Realms: Unlimited Adventures (MS-DOS, Mac)
1993 Dark Sun: Shattered Lands (MS-DOS)
1993 Stronghold (MS-DOS)
1993 Dungeon Hack (MS-DOS)
1993 Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom (Arcade, Sega Saturn)
1994 Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager (MS-DOS)
1994 Slayer (3DO)
1994 Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession (MS-DOS)
1994 Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse (MS-DOS)
1994 Menzoberranzan (MS-DOS)
1995 Ravenloft: Stone Prophet (MS-DOS)
1996 Deathkeep (PC, 3DO)
1996 Dark Sun Online: Crimson Sands (PC)
1996 Blood & Magic (PC)
1996 Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara (Arcade, Sega Saturn)
1996 Birthright: The Gorgon's Alliance (PC)
1997 Iron & Blood: Warriors of Ravenloft (PC, Playstation)
1997 Descent to Undermountain (PC)
1998 Baldur's Gate (PC, Mac)
1999 Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast (PC, Mac)
1999 Planescape: Torment (PC)
2000 Icewind Dale (PC, Mac)
2000 Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (PC, Mac)
2001 Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter (PC)
2001 Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal (PC, Mac)
2001 Icewind Dale: Trials of the Luremaster (PC)
2001 Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Dranor (PC)
2001 Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, GBA)
2002 Icewind Dale II (PC)
2002 Neverwinter Nights (PC, Mac, Linux)
2003 Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide (PC, Mac, Linux)
2003 Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes (Xbox)
2003 The Temple of Elemental Evil (PC)
2003 Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark (PC, Mac, Linux)
2004 Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II (PS2, Xbox)
2004 Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone (PC, PS2, Xbox)
2004 Neverwinter Nights: Mobile (Mobile Phone)
2004 Neverwinter Nights: Shadowguard (PC, Mac, Linux)
2004 Neverwinter Nights: Witch's Wake (PC, Mac, Linux)
2004 Neverwinter Nights: Kingmaker (PC, Mac, Linux)
2005 Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard (PC)
2005 Neverwinter Nights: Pirates of the Sword Coast (PC, Mac, Linux)
2006 Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach (PC)
2006 Neverwinter Nights: Infinite Dungeons (PC, Mac, Linux)
2006 Neverwinter Nights: Wyvern Crown of Cormyr (PC, Mac, Linux)
2006 Neverwinter Nights 2 (PC, Mac)
2007 Dungeons & Dragons Tactics (PSP)
2007 Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer (PC)
2008 Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir (PC)
2009 Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate (PC)
2011 Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
2011 Heroes of Neverwinter (Facebook)
2013 Neverwinter (PC)

As well as a Saturday morning cartoon and 5 movies:
2000 Dungeons & Dragons
2003 Scourge of Worlds: A Dungeons & Dragons Adventure (DVD choose your own adventure)
2005 Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God
2008 Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight
2011 Dungeons & Dragons: The Book of Vile Darkness

Several Magazines:
Dragon (currently at issue 430)
Dungeon (currently at issue 222)
The Strategic Review
Imagine
Polyhedron
Living Greyhawk Journal
Oerth Journal
Knowledge Arcana

Plus novels, comic books, miniatures, beach towels, toys, action figures, bumper stickers, keychains, etc, etc, etc.

Happy 40th Anniversary Dungeons & Dragons