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.""
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.