From the Product History for the Expert Set at dndclassics.com,
by RPG Historian Shannon Appelcline:
"The story of Basic D&D begins with J. Eric Holmes simplifying the original D&D rules (1974) as the first Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1977). After that, TSR didn't put any more work into the Basic D&D game, instead focusing on AD&D (1977-1979). Enter the "James Dallas Egbert III affair" (1979), where a college student disappeared and D&D somehow took the blame in the media. Ironically, this controversy caused sales of Holmes' Basic Set to soar and resulted in a new directive for the newly created Design Department at TSR: supplement Basic D&D (which only covered levels 1-3) with Expert Rules that would allow players to play "through at least 12th level of experience.""
http://www.dndclassics.com/product/110792/D%26D-Expert-Set-Rulebook-%28Basic%29
Wow. So we actually have something to thank old Egbert for.
ReplyDeleteSame way gun sales in the US boom after a shooting, I guess. No such thing as bad publicity.
ReplyDeleteOn a lighter note, I think these histories are the best thing about these re-releases, especially as they are from the 'inside' for a change.