Large may have referred to the 8.5x11 dimensions versus the little brown books, though since this version has a module included, it's already well into the AD&D rulebook era.
If this ad was in a regular catalogue along with other games, "Large" is relative... For any other major selling game of the day, like Monopoly, f'rinstance, Holmes rule book was enormous. ;)
But comparing that to where we've arrived, when new rule books can run 500 pages -- and still there are tons of additional, supplemental rule books to follow...!
It is interesting to wonder about some of the terms that would be clear and obvious to anyone today, but perhaps less so then (I was only 4 years old at the time, and while my vocabulary was growing faster than normal and I was beginning to read, there are limits).
For instance, the term 'randomizer' while fathomable, would likely not be in common use, and the term 'chit' has fallen off significantly in usage since the mid/late 20th century and the advent of more digitized information handling.
This in turn can lead to speculation about the numbers and specific mean by which some statistically likely portion of the purchasers/recipients of this new game either stumbled into or were led into, circumstances where while explaining the game to their peers they publicly and definitively stated that they enjoyed performing actions which would justly earn for them the title of "chit picker".
The torment to follow would no doubt have pushed these anonymous souls to greater dedication to the art of DMing, secure behind their DM screens but expansive and open with their imaginations.
To these bullied martyrs, we today owe much.
(just not to this kid from Illinois who I heard about, yeah, he was a player and a DM, and was subjected to 3 hours of constant swirlies in the boy's changeroom at his junior high school the day after he brought a copy of the Holmes set to school, but apparently he was a total jerk before and after that, and thought that the Tomb of Horrors was too soft on the players.
Sign me up!
ReplyDeleteI am amused that the rule book is described as "large"...
And a "full set" of randomizer chits! As if that would make any sort of sense to anybody that didn't already have that version of the game...!
Large may have referred to the 8.5x11 dimensions versus the little brown books, though since this version has a module included, it's already well into the AD&D rulebook era.
ReplyDeleteNote the randomizer chits are a feature not a bug!
ReplyDeleteI miss the games from this era of gaming!
ReplyDeleteIf this ad was in a regular catalogue along with other games, "Large" is relative... For any other major selling game of the day, like Monopoly, f'rinstance, Holmes rule book was enormous. ;)
ReplyDeleteExactly.
ReplyDeleteBut comparing that to where we've arrived, when new rule books can run 500 pages -- and still there are tons of additional, supplemental rule books to follow...!
My 10 year old, 1977 era mind.... blown! But in a good way. I loved complicated games with lots of fiddly bits & game pieces. Still do!
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to wonder about some of the terms that would be clear and obvious to anyone today, but perhaps less so then (I was only 4 years old at the time, and while my vocabulary was growing faster than normal and I was beginning to read, there are limits).
ReplyDeleteFor instance, the term 'randomizer' while fathomable, would likely not be in common use, and the term 'chit' has fallen off significantly in usage since the mid/late 20th century and the advent of more digitized information handling.
This in turn can lead to speculation about the numbers and specific mean by which some statistically likely portion of the purchasers/recipients of this new game either stumbled into or were led into, circumstances where while explaining the game to their peers they publicly and definitively stated that they enjoyed performing actions which would justly earn for them the title of "chit picker".
The torment to follow would no doubt have pushed these anonymous souls to greater dedication to the art of DMing, secure behind their DM screens but expansive and open with their imaginations.
To these bullied martyrs, we today owe much.
(just not to this kid from Illinois who I heard about, yeah, he was a player and a DM, and was subjected to 3 hours of constant swirlies in the boy's changeroom at his junior high school the day after he brought a copy of the Holmes set to school, but apparently he was a total jerk before and after that, and thought that the Tomb of Horrors was too soft on the players.
He sucked.)
Could have meant large type face.
ReplyDeleteI have a vague memory of someone using the chits, but having them all in one container/cup... "Keep drawing til you get a blue one!"
ReplyDeleteThey were different colors/shades, weren't they?
God the chits suuuucked
ReplyDeleteJon Wilson Yes. they were all different by "Dice Type".
ReplyDelete