Flavors of D&D

...and A Game About Nothing.

Almost a half century ago Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson created The Original Fantasy Role-Playing Game and with its publication, started a new hobby - adventure gaming. As authors of  The World's First RPG, they forged ahead into uncharted territory while drawing upon their past experiences with another game genre, notably their shared interest in tabletop wargaming with miniature figures. It is perhaps no coincidence that Mr. Arneson looked to his Napoleonic wargames for inspiration, and Mr. Gygax relied  heavily for the new game's combat mechanic upon his previously published medieval miniatures wargame rules, Chainmail. What we the consumer got in their product, White Box D&D, is a somewhat incomplete guide "for running fantastic medieval wargames campaigns playable with paper pencil and miniature figures".

Over the decades since its publication, the original game has been altered, added to, and advanced so that we hobby gamers currently have multiple versions of the World's Most Popular RPG to choose from today, including several official editions and many other less official flavors which are not published by the current IP holder. Each version of the game seems different enough, while all remain somewhat the same, so that I tend to think of them collectively as "the various flavors of the D&D hobby". A summary of the menu includes the following "official edition" entrées:

Do it yourself - The Original Edition heavily based on tabletop miniatures wargaming, seems aimed at a wargame audience. Typical of miniature wargames rules of the day, it requires a referee to run the game and one who is willing to add to the rules as written and customize play at their table. It relies on the referee having access to the previously published Chainmail rules (especially its Fantasy Supplement) and a popular boardgame (Outdoor Survival) in order to make full use of this product.

  

Tournament style - The Advanced Game delivered in a new hardcover format is the author's personalized vision of how the game should be. Written in full Gygaxian style and tone, the author's stated intent is to standardize the game so that tournament play is reasonably attainable. Advanced establishes the game as a distinct brand and will define "fantasy" for an entire generation.

Accessible for everyone - Basic, especially in its Red Box version, places emphasis on being user friendly and inviting. It teaches the uninitiated how to play and DM using a programmed introduction and solo play to ease one into the game. Far from being an inferior version of the rules that are just aimed at beginners, the Basic Game retains much of the original philosophy and appeal of the original version for veterans such as myself.

The Open License - 3/3.5 is a fresh vision of a new publisher for just how to play the game. This version seems to envision the IP as everything for everyone and it combines various subsystems borrowed from various other games under the familiar IP branding. This edition makes use of miniatures as the standard for play and its many tomes demonstrates that a desire to be all things to all gamers can result in too much of a good thing.

Going almost digital  - A continued desire on the part of the IP holder for the game to be the all-purpose solution for all your gaming needs, 4e is an acquired taste. While it has its loyal fans, it remains the least popular version of our game. Its lack of universal appeal leads to products such as those published by Paizo and the OSR - all using the famous game's OGL. Did I mention that the Open Game License is a really good thing for the hobby in general.

Finally, the Next version - It is an 800 pound gorilla in the game room and has outstripped all others in popularity. The IP holder has again borrowed ideas from a number of independent press RPG products (many using the OGL) in an initial attempt to win back the fanbase, but coincidentally also stumbles upon a large number of new consumers thanks to certain internet influencers. Capitalizing on the popularity of online streaming and televised shows that include dramatic interpretations of tabletop play or nostalgic scenes featuring classic versions of the game, the current edition outstrips all previous versions in popularity despite being frequently derided for having abandoned its roots. Criticism aside, record sales for nearly every official 5e release is virtually assured as the game has become a pop culture lifestyle brand. 5e is seemingly poised to be the one game to rule them all. 

We've come a long way from being just a bunch of nerdy hobbyists with a shared love for games and fantasy stories.