Role-Playing Mastery

Rating:
Summary: The best RPG guidebook from the guy who started it all!
Review: If you're reading this review, you know who Gary Gygax is. He is a man to equate with Albert Einstien, Da Vinci, and John Romero. Gygax is the inventor of role-playing. Dungeons & Dragons, his first RPG, still remains the best. In this book he discusses all aspects, not just D&D, but all RPGs in general. It will help you deal with problems not discussed in any guidebook, and expand your horizons as a GM. An impetus for imagination expansion and a vehicle for your campaign.

Rating:
Summary: The best RPG guidebook from the guy who started it all!
Review: If you're reading this review, you know who Gary Gygax is. He is a man to equate with Albert Einstien, Da Vinci, and John Romero. Gygax is the inventor of role-playing. Dungeons & Dragons, his first RPG, still remains the best. In this book he discusses all aspects, not just D&D, but all RPGs in general. It will help you deal with problems not discussed in any guidebook, and expand your horizons as a GM. An impetus for imagination expansion and a vehicle for your campaign.

Rating:
Summary: Strange, somewhat useful, but a Gygaxian ego trip, IMHO.
Review: Parts of the book are useful, but I really found nothing useful. At times, it struck me as though I was being talked down to, by someone who obviously considered himself far superior to me. I also take issue with the fact that Gygax takes most of the credit for creating D&D, giving Dave Arneson very little credit for his efforts, and his original D&D campaign, Blackmoor, which is still running today, using Arneson's original rules!

If you can locate a library copy, read it, and judge for yourself. I would not recommend purchasing a copy simply because it fails to deliver on what the title promises.

Rating:
Summary: Strange, somewhat useful, but a Gygaxian ego trip, IMHO.
Review: Parts of the book are useful, but I really found nothing useful. At times, it struck me as though I was being talked down to, by someone who obviously considered himself far superior to me. I also take issue with the fact that Gygax takes most of the credit for creating D&D, giving Dave Arneson very little credit for his efforts, and his original D&D campaign, Blackmoor, which is still running today, using Arneson's original rules!

If you can locate a library copy, read it, and judge for yourself. I would not recommend purchasing a copy simply because it fails to deliver on what the title promises.

Rating:
Summary: Role-Playing Mastery
Review: Role-playing mastery is a highly useful book, in that in Gygax's approach he deals not only in the more defining qualities of both the player and the G.M. but goes into depth on designing factors that need to be addressed in creating new r.p.g.'s and also takes a lateral view on the mechanics of already existing games. This is done in a very positive manner and he even gives reasons as to why he took the direction he did with AD&D..
If you want the viewpoint on the how to make or break an excellent nights gaming then take the advice Gygax has lined out in his book, he really knows what he's talking about.