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Ranis
2007-10-02, 07:51 AM
I'm giving a presentation on a brief history of D&D, what D&D is, and what D&D is not. Problem is, I need some really solid sources to back me up. I need a book, an article, a website (HAS to be credible), and a periodical. Now, the professor is going to understand if I can't find a periodical for D&D. She'll understand. But if I can get one, that would be superb.

So my question to you all is: Have you ever seen any very good, informative, unbiased articles in magazines like Time, National Geographic, or the like that? At this point, anything would help. The more specific you can be, the better. Thanks!

Also, I'm limited to only two powerpoint slides, so I want to put as many things as I possibly can onto them. Any knowledge any of you have about any D&D book collages, huge pictures of minis and dice, or anything in-between would be immensely helpful.

Alex12
2007-10-02, 08:34 AM
Try wikipedia. I know professors don't like wikipedia, but you don't use it directly. Look at the sources for the wiki entry, and use those. Hope that helps.

Bender
2007-10-02, 08:35 AM
wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_and_dragons) has much more information than you can possibly put in two slides. If you want other sources, it also has lots of references

Ranis
2007-10-02, 08:37 AM
I wanted to put pictures in my slides. It's supposed to be for a visual aid, so I need something visual.

AslanCross
2007-10-02, 08:40 AM
Try digging through Wizards's archives. They might have something there. Issues of D&D-related magazines might carry something as well.

Ashtar
2007-10-02, 08:43 AM
Having to read it, but wouldn't it be good to look up A book which does a 30 year overview of D&D (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_Years_of_Adventure:_A_Celebration_of_Dungeons_% 26_Dragons) ?


An article on the BBC website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3655627.stm)

The TSR Archive (http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/) with the cover of Chainmail (http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd/dd-cm3-7.htm) the book that started it all. And the cover of the book where Dungeons and Dragons (http://home.flash.net/~brenfrow/dd/dd-obox.htm) appears.

Time Magazine - 1977 article (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,919231-5,00.html) - Games people play also has a mention of D&D.

Ranis
2007-10-02, 09:13 AM
Okay, that BBC article and this book are PERFECT. I am in your debt. Now, if I can just get a periodical and a couple of great pictures....

Thinker
2007-10-02, 09:15 AM
Okay, that BBC article and this book are PERFECT. I am in your debt. Now, if I can just get a periodical and a couple of great pictures....

Why not use an issue of Dragon Magazine?

Ashtar
2007-10-02, 09:34 AM
The issue of "great pictures" is always a bit hard. Since you either have pictures of geeky looking men or bad cover art from the early period ( BW / line art / cheapo ).

Would for example a nice picture of the cloth map of the Dark Sun Role playing campaign, with a few dice scattered on top and a couple of books (AD&D) arranged around be of interest? I could provide that if needed.

Yeah - Dragon Magazine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_(magazine)) should be spot on for the periodical. How did I miss that? I've got hundreds at home!

Ranis
2007-10-02, 09:37 AM
Is Dark Sun a campaign setting from AD&D?

Matthew
2007-10-02, 09:41 AM
You should probably look at these two Web Sites:

The Acaeum (http://www.acaeum.com/)
Tome of Treasures (http://www.tomeoftreasures.com/)

You can also find a fair bit of discussion on the subject at these two Forums:

Dragonsfoot (http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/index.php)
Knights and Knaves Alehouse (http://www.knights-n-knaves.com/phpbb/index.php)

RTGoodman
2007-10-02, 09:45 AM
It may seem sort of obvious, but for a description of what D&D is, look at the very first part of the PHB v3.5. Seriously - the entire introduction of the book tells what D&D is, what characters are, what adventures are like, and how the game is played (with what you need, what you can do [that is, everything], the use of miniatures, etc.).

You should really consider using it as well as the 30 Years of Adventure book.

[I say it's obvious, but I've known people who tried to write papers on D&D without ever referencing any of the Core books. Then they slapped themselves when reminded them that the Core books are probably the best source.]

Ashtar
2007-10-02, 09:46 AM
Dark Sun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Sun), the toughest campaign setting! Dealing explicitly with (mass) Genocide, Slavery, Magic which kills nature, Gladiatorial games and all the rest of the fun.

It's my longest running campaign world (played 12 years as DM - from AD&D 2ed to Player's Option to 3.0 (homebrew).

Ranis
2007-10-02, 09:48 AM
Holy Crap, yes, that would be awesome.

Ashtar
2007-10-02, 09:56 AM
I'll get to it when I get home in a couple of hours.

Matthew
2007-10-02, 10:08 AM
You should also check out OD&Ditties and Footprints, which are periodicals available at Dragonsfoot. In particular, there is a lengthy interview with gary Gygax in one of the mid issues of OD&Ditties, which discusses the inception and development of D&D from his point of view on the eve of 3e.

Fhaolan
2007-10-02, 01:38 PM
Dragon magazine, OD&Ditties, and the like might be classified as 'trade papers' rather than 'periodicals' depending on the teacher/professor. I've run into that before. Sometimes the definitions of these terms with respect to research don't quite match common sense. :smallsmile:

You might be wise to check before using any of these.

Ashtar
2007-10-02, 01:57 PM
Please tell me what you want to focus on, I'll gladly do extra shots. I've got tons of books, the only thing that is hard to do is the light. I don't have good enough lights at home, mine are powerful but not soft enough...

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9021/rpgbookssy6.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rpgbookssy6.jpg)

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/4999/dieshotoy3.th.jpg (http://img233.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dieshotoy3.jpg)

Crow
2007-10-02, 03:15 PM
Dear god whatever you do, don't show pictures of actual players. :smallbiggrin:

Ashtar
2007-10-02, 03:53 PM
Well, I've got two girls in my group, so it isn't that bad. And one of my ex-players won the "Mr. Gay" contest at my university. As long as you get no shots of the DM (me), you should be okay.

Ranis
2007-10-02, 04:58 PM
Ashtar, you are an absolute saint. Could you do another, this time with 3.5 books and a gridmap? I must find some way to repay you. This is far, far better than anything a Google Image search yielded.

Green Bean
2007-10-02, 05:04 PM
And one of my ex-players won the "Mr. Gay" contest at my university.

Okay, I know there's quite a story behind that.

Ashtar
2007-10-02, 05:13 PM
Let me get that damn gridmap out...

It's on it's way.

Edit -- Yeah quite a story, but not for this thread, I guess...

Ranis
2007-10-02, 05:23 PM
Hocrap Ashtar, can that other one have minis on it too? If not, that's totally cool, you've done far too much as it is. Thanks again.

Ashtar
2007-10-02, 05:33 PM
Pictures are en cours, coming off the camera now. I don't have minis now at hand (they stayed with my ex... =( ) But I took out the original D&D black box counters to have something to show.

Pikkies coming in like 2-3 minutes tops. I've shot 44, need to select 2-3 that are good, process them and upload.

Ashtar
2007-10-02, 05:53 PM
Sorry, it's late here so I don't have time to re-cut the pikkies. If you want any one in higher resolution, I've got the original files that are 2x as big.

The 3.5 Books on a dungeon map
http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/8620/35bookswx3.th.jpg (http://img184.imageshack.us/my.php?image=35bookswx3.jpg)

3.5 on a battlegrid.
http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/8884/battlegridoo3.th.jpg (http://img184.imageshack.us/my.php?image=battlegridoo3.jpg)

Bugbears, Orcs and Wolf on dungeon grid.
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/4340/battlemapministf4.th.jpg (http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=battlemapministf4.jpg)

D&D Black box (sorry for the background, if needed I'll clean up and reshoot it).
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/7465/ddlv0.th.jpg (http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ddlv0.jpg) Edit: The character sheet on the map is my first character ever created ^^, something like 16 years ago.

Map with paper minis on.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/724/dungeonmapij0.th.jpg (http://img232.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dungeonmapij0.jpg)

Zanzer's Dungeon (The D&D boxed set battle map).
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/9282/zanzerdungeonmq9.th.jpg (http://img406.imageshack.us/my.php?image=zanzerdungeonmq9.jpg)

Quietus
2007-10-02, 06:22 PM
Just to throw my objective two cents in - the canvas map makes a much better backdrop than a grid-based dungeon. Easier to get into from the point of view of an outsider, and the image of "A world" is much more pleasant than the image of "A grid with a dungeon under it". If you prefer the grid map, however, that Zanzer's Dungeon one looks much better.

Also, I do agree that minis, if possible, would be a fantastic addition. The current D&D books make a better picture than the older ones, though I think the best option (In my humble opinion, of course), would be to have an image like the first one you put up, with the world map as the dominant portion in the middle, using the 3.5 books in the foreground, and other books with interesting images in the background, to provide a visual border at the top of the picture. If you can get minis on the map, so much the better.

Ranis
2007-10-02, 08:11 PM
You...you are an absolute saint. I will most definitely find uses for these in my presentation. I owe you big time. Just name it.

No funny stuff, now.

Y'Draesk
2007-10-02, 08:31 PM
I don't know if your report can utilize any information or source such as this:

http://www.theescapist.com/index.htm

But it is a great source. I have utilized it often as a reference source for others who were unfamiliar with RPG's and gaming, yet had plenty of bias against it due to rumors and myths.

Hope it helps!

Zavia/GenX
2007-10-02, 11:09 PM
GameSpy did a 30th year anniversary about d&d with its history, interviews and stuff.

For pics, consider GenCon and other gaming convention pictures of ppl D&Ding. For decorative pics, go thru the d&d site for their artwork, like their galleries.

Also, do post your presentation notes and slides when ur done and tell us how it went ya?

Skjaldbakka
2007-10-02, 11:44 PM
Also, I'm limited to only two powerpoint slides, so I want to put as many things as I possibly can onto them.

Generally speaking, it is undesirable to crowd your powerpoint presentation with too much material. I am assuming this is for a class?

Mojo_Rat
2007-10-03, 12:29 AM
I think from a non gamer perspective that first Picture involving the dakrsun map and the older books was really nice It almost looked like an old advertising layout :)

Im curious where the little paper stand up monster icons are from. They look like something my friend had for marvel super heroes back in the day.

Ashtar
2007-10-03, 07:38 AM
They come from the D&D box with the red dragon on it.

Ranis
2007-10-03, 07:45 AM
Generally speaking, it is undesirable to crowd your powerpoint presentation with too much material. I am assuming this is for a class?

Yes, it is for a class. The pictures that Ashtar took for me are perfect; they represented what I was looking for. I didn't mean too cram too much in, just enough for a good representation.

Quietus
2007-10-03, 10:12 PM
GameSpy did a 30th year anniversary about d&d with its history, interviews and stuff.

For pics, consider GenCon and other gaming convention pictures of ppl D&Ding. For decorative pics, go thru the d&d site for their artwork, like their galleries.

Also, do post your presentation notes and slides when ur done and tell us how it went ya?

Never, NEVER use images of people playing D&D as a marketing tool. D&D isn't meant to be a spectator sport. Yes, it's fun, but it's just... bad form.

Ranis
2007-10-04, 08:09 AM
Never, NEVER use images of people playing D&D as a marketing tool. D&D isn't meant to be a spectator sport. Yes, it's fun, but it's just... bad form.

That wasn't the plan. Dice, minis, and books will cover what I'm trying to explain.