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30 Years of Adventure: A Celebration of Dungeons & Dragons
Honoring the thirtieth anniversary of the popular role-playing game, this richly illustrated retrospective takes a close-up look at the past, present, and future of the Dungeons & Dragons franchise, featuring a selection of essays, facts, and photographs that capture the events, products, personalities, art, and influence of the game through the years. 100,000 first printing.
286 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 6, 2012
Decent book with a lot of interesting stories about the massive history behind this influential game, but easily one of the worst-designed books I've read. That's not hyperbole- every bit of text is at an almost 45 degree angle slanting to the left or right, making you either tilt your head or the (big, coffee-table) book to read it.
Later on there are chapters where two stories are told concurrently. You might think there's a sidebar at first but no, it's a separate article that usually runs the same length as the one that kicked off the chapter, and the two tales alternate pages. So you end up reading one and then going back to read the other, tilting your head like a confused dog the whole time and skipping over the beautiful art in anger.
Awful, awful design.
Later on there are chapters where two stories are told concurrently. You might think there's a sidebar at first but no, it's a separate article that usually runs the same length as the one that kicked off the chapter, and the two tales alternate pages. So you end up reading one and then going back to read the other, tilting your head like a confused dog the whole time and skipping over the beautiful art in anger.
Awful, awful design.
May 30, 2018
Quick overview of D&D from it's beginnings through the development of 3rd edition and the acquisition of TSR by Wizards of the Coast. The biggest marks against this book is the horrible layout and book design (all of the text is written on an angle) and absolutely no editing whatsoever. That an editor was included on a credits page in the back was laughable.
October 18, 2008
Excellent book that presents history of the Dungeons and Dragons role playing game. The book does a great job covering the history of how D&D started and how it changed over the years. Every chapter includes several profiles of authors, directors, screen writers, and normal people reflecting how D&D impacted their lives. Many stated that D&D helped them become more creative thinkers and writers.
I was impressed with the books coverage of the inside scoop for the book and game publishing business. There are interesting business lessons about what works and doesn't work. The chapters covering Wizards of the Coast's (WotC) acquisition of TSR were very interesting reads. I think some of the story might have been pained from a victors point of view. A lot was said about why TSR fell on hard times and how the WotC acquisition went down. It was not until very late in the book that the author revealed that Hasbro bought WotC in the early 2000s. There was no mention of circumstances leading to this aquisition.
If you want to learn the history of D&D then this book is a must read. The book is as a good read for folks interested in how business works for a book and game publisher.
I was impressed with the books coverage of the inside scoop for the book and game publishing business. There are interesting business lessons about what works and doesn't work. The chapters covering Wizards of the Coast's (WotC) acquisition of TSR were very interesting reads. I think some of the story might have been pained from a victors point of view. A lot was said about why TSR fell on hard times and how the WotC acquisition went down. It was not until very late in the book that the author revealed that Hasbro bought WotC in the early 2000s. There was no mention of circumstances leading to this aquisition.
If you want to learn the history of D&D then this book is a must read. The book is as a good read for folks interested in how business works for a book and game publisher.
December 20, 2008
Sigh. This is mainly a corporate history of TSR, combined with a bit of marketing. There are some "remembrances," but mainly it's intended to introduce lay people to D&D. Thin gruel for hardcore D&D geeks like me.
February 8, 2020
I wound up reading this like I did 40 years ago when I'd read my brothers AD & D manuals -- start off strong, then give up and just look at the pictures. I managed over 200 pages but just had to give up because the font size was so ridiculously small. It also was often in a color that clashed with the background color of a page, making it even HARDER to read.
And the print was at a slant on the page instead of easy to read columns. What was the point of that? Most of the people buying this book played AD & D as kids 30 or 40 years ago. Our eyes have aged significantly since then. Trying all these cute tricks with the text really dragoned me off.
I gave the book an extra star for the great artwork. However, the artists get short-changed here. Works are not identified except for a brief paragraph in the Acknowledgements section listing all of the artists whose work was somewhere inside. I was hoping this book would give a history of the artists used in the products -- but no dice.
Most of the book is a glorified resume of the game's creators and various business owners. I got tired of that real fast. There are some brief looks at famous (and sorta famous) fans like Wil Wheaton and Stephen Colbert -- but most of this seemed like a big commercial for the AD & D product line-up. There is a brief l0ok at some of AD & D's failures, which makes for some relief from the constant success stories, but not much.
That sums up the book -- not much.
And the print was at a slant on the page instead of easy to read columns. What was the point of that? Most of the people buying this book played AD & D as kids 30 or 40 years ago. Our eyes have aged significantly since then. Trying all these cute tricks with the text really dragoned me off.
I gave the book an extra star for the great artwork. However, the artists get short-changed here. Works are not identified except for a brief paragraph in the Acknowledgements section listing all of the artists whose work was somewhere inside. I was hoping this book would give a history of the artists used in the products -- but no dice.
Most of the book is a glorified resume of the game's creators and various business owners. I got tired of that real fast. There are some brief looks at famous (and sorta famous) fans like Wil Wheaton and Stephen Colbert -- but most of this seemed like a big commercial for the AD & D product line-up. There is a brief l0ok at some of AD & D's failures, which makes for some relief from the constant success stories, but not much.
That sums up the book -- not much.
February 22, 2022
A very nice read that covers the birth and evolution of D&D all the way through its acquistion by Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro. Although it's a celebration of D&D, it sometimes also read like a corporate history book. But stories about what happened behind the scenes were an interesting read. Interspersed throughout were short "cover letter" of sorts by industry notables and other celebrities on how D&D came into their lives and how their lives were influenced by them. I too had my own story about D&D, but I guess the book included a tad too many, because by the time I was halfway through, I mostly just skimmed the rest.
Since this book has included lots of great artwork both old and new (and some very nostalgic!), there must be some critique of its design. Whoever decided to "slant" the text at an angle, or to "interleave" two different narrations (in the latter parts), should hopefully have learned that it was a bad idea. They did not make for comfortable reading.
I don't play RPGs anymore (except CRPGs), but it's a nice bout of nostalgia to read through this.
Since this book has included lots of great artwork both old and new (and some very nostalgic!), there must be some critique of its design. Whoever decided to "slant" the text at an angle, or to "interleave" two different narrations (in the latter parts), should hopefully have learned that it was a bad idea. They did not make for comfortable reading.
I don't play RPGs anymore (except CRPGs), but it's a nice bout of nostalgia to read through this.
January 19, 2019
A bit dated now, this anniversary book offers a history of Dungeons and Dragons from its founding through its acquisition by Wizards of the Coast. It balances the genesis of the game's rules and settings with appreciations from former paladins and dungeon masters ranging from Stephen Colbert to Sherman Alexie.
The art is beautiful throughout, and the brief histories build a nice nostalgic appreciation for acid traps, beholders and critical hits. It ends a little too deep in the weeds on the WOTC takeover, but even that section offers an interesting inside look at the business of gaming.
The art is beautiful throughout, and the brief histories build a nice nostalgic appreciation for acid traps, beholders and critical hits. It ends a little too deep in the weeds on the WOTC takeover, but even that section offers an interesting inside look at the business of gaming.
May 3, 2019
The history sections are almost all firsthand accounts, making them more fun than reading a wiki entry, but less focused and comprehensive.
I enjoyed the nostalgic sidebars from assorted players far more, and a book composed entirely of those would have made it a true 'celebration'.
I enjoyed the nostalgic sidebars from assorted players far more, and a book composed entirely of those would have made it a true 'celebration'.
April 19, 2020
A wonderful and fascinating look at the history of Dungeons & Dragons from a small idea to a global and cultural phenomenon. It gets bogged down a bit in the company staff changes and who did what but that only adds to the the charm of this thorough and well researched history.
January 15, 2019
An excellent history of the development and expansion of the many worlds that makeup the d&d universe. My favorites were the essays where people told there story of how they came to d&d.
January 10, 2020
Not what I expected. Somewhat boring reading at times for such an exciting time of development and actual game play.
Typical geekette hooked in 5th grade and still playing.
Typical geekette hooked in 5th grade and still playing.
January 1, 2013
It is hard to overestimate the profound and lasting impact that the invention of Dungeons & Dragons (by wargamers, Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax, way back in 1974) has had on the modern gaming industry. Aside from the brand’s own success over the last thirty-five years, their simple ideas — persistent characters learning skill-based abilities that increased over time in an immersive environment — have become the foundation and philosophy behind many of the biggest videogame success stories of the last decade.
This book, published in 2004 to celebrate thirty years of the D&D brand, is comprised of behind-the-scenes stories from some of the key figures in the creation, development and management of the iconic game and the company behind it, TSR (and, since 1996, Wizards of the Coast). It also features brief interviews with a selection of B-list celebrities and video game designers, reminiscing about their own childhood encounters with the game.
The recollections of those involved in the early years of Dungeons & Dragons are fascinating, as they found their feet in a brand new industry. The various campaign settings, some of which have gone on to have a life of their own (Planescape, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance) are described in detail, and there is a real sense of the passion and commitment that those creative teams felt for the work they were doing. The book ends with a brief chapter on the buy-out of TSR by their biggest rivals, Wizards of the Coast (and, in turn, by Hasbro); these final essays tend to stray a little too far into business territory, and the reader’s attention may wander once “brand strategy” comes to the fore. The tone also changes; almost in passing, the new owner mentions he laid off the entire administrative staff of TSR — it’s clear he is more eager to talk about his own hands-on management of the creative team and which of his personal ideas made it into the rulebook. You can forgive the emphasis on WotC’s management shake-up after the buyout, but it’s hard not to end up rooting for the old team when the suits move in.
Unfortunately for such a compelling book, the art direction contrives to make it an uncomfortable read. All of the text is printed at an angle, making the heavy hardback book difficult to hold comfortably, and in places the red-on-cream colour choice will have you squinting at the glossy pages. Art director Matt Adelsperger also makes some strange choices in running order, with stories running concurrently across multiple pages, making reading an annoying exercise in page-flipping. Add to that more than an acceptable number of typos for a ‘collectable’ coffee table book; ironically for a book with such a focus on play testing, a little quality assurance would not have gone astray.
Ultimately, for all its flaws, 30 Years of Adventure is an engrossing read and a rare insight into an industry most will know little about.
This book, published in 2004 to celebrate thirty years of the D&D brand, is comprised of behind-the-scenes stories from some of the key figures in the creation, development and management of the iconic game and the company behind it, TSR (and, since 1996, Wizards of the Coast). It also features brief interviews with a selection of B-list celebrities and video game designers, reminiscing about their own childhood encounters with the game.
The recollections of those involved in the early years of Dungeons & Dragons are fascinating, as they found their feet in a brand new industry. The various campaign settings, some of which have gone on to have a life of their own (Planescape, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance) are described in detail, and there is a real sense of the passion and commitment that those creative teams felt for the work they were doing. The book ends with a brief chapter on the buy-out of TSR by their biggest rivals, Wizards of the Coast (and, in turn, by Hasbro); these final essays tend to stray a little too far into business territory, and the reader’s attention may wander once “brand strategy” comes to the fore. The tone also changes; almost in passing, the new owner mentions he laid off the entire administrative staff of TSR — it’s clear he is more eager to talk about his own hands-on management of the creative team and which of his personal ideas made it into the rulebook. You can forgive the emphasis on WotC’s management shake-up after the buyout, but it’s hard not to end up rooting for the old team when the suits move in.
Unfortunately for such a compelling book, the art direction contrives to make it an uncomfortable read. All of the text is printed at an angle, making the heavy hardback book difficult to hold comfortably, and in places the red-on-cream colour choice will have you squinting at the glossy pages. Art director Matt Adelsperger also makes some strange choices in running order, with stories running concurrently across multiple pages, making reading an annoying exercise in page-flipping. Add to that more than an acceptable number of typos for a ‘collectable’ coffee table book; ironically for a book with such a focus on play testing, a little quality assurance would not have gone astray.
Ultimately, for all its flaws, 30 Years of Adventure is an engrossing read and a rare insight into an industry most will know little about.
January 26, 2012
Recommended with reservations for D&D fans who are interested in the history of the game. It's really a shame the book wasn't better written. Actually it wasn't "written" so much as compiled, in the form of a bunch of personal anecdotes by different people. Hey, Stephen Colbert is in there! Some of these stories actually contradict each other, and they are so disorganized that it is often difficult to tell whose words you are reading at any given moment. The layout is fine print at an angle, which is not so good for my middle-aged eyes. The artwork is very pretty, but it would have been nice to have more classic D&D illustrations. Nevertheless, the fact that the book is rather unique means that I have to give it a grudging recommendation. Incidentally, check out Eric Holmes old book, Fantasy Role Playing Games for an account of the early years of role playing, if you can find it. Heroic Worlds by Lawrence Schick is also worth a look.
August 8, 2012
I'm a little late reading this. It was published in 2004 so now it's more like 38 years of adventure.
This was cool if a little confusing. I always thought that Richard Garfield owned Wizards since he was the creator of MTG. But obviously I was wrong since he was only mentioned once in the entire book. It was interesting to hear about the lawsuits that prevented Gygax from working on D&D stuff and that meant the company had to call things "Advanced" D&D or else they had to pay Arneson.
I didn't like how they had 2 different stories going across multiple pages. It was cool to kind of get to know some of the personalities who's names I've been seeing on products since I was a kid.
I really think it needed a "conclusion" type entry. The ending just kinda dropped off.
This was cool if a little confusing. I always thought that Richard Garfield owned Wizards since he was the creator of MTG. But obviously I was wrong since he was only mentioned once in the entire book. It was interesting to hear about the lawsuits that prevented Gygax from working on D&D stuff and that meant the company had to call things "Advanced" D&D or else they had to pay Arneson.
I didn't like how they had 2 different stories going across multiple pages. It was cool to kind of get to know some of the personalities who's names I've been seeing on products since I was a kid.
I really think it needed a "conclusion" type entry. The ending just kinda dropped off.
August 5, 2016
A glossy history of D&D from its early days to after its acquisition by WotC and then Hasbro. That is, before 4th ed.
Fairly shallow, but with some interesting anecdotes and stories from TSR and WotC insiders, as well as celebrity-penned sidebars of autobigraphical reminisces. It is curious to nte the difference in tone between the "I loved D&D, it meant so much to me" celebrity notes and the "we needed to come up with new material, since we were losing market penetration" talk of the insiders.
Not many words per page, but lots of illustrations from the various D&D products over the years.
A quick romp.
Rated G. 2.5/5
Fairly shallow, but with some interesting anecdotes and stories from TSR and WotC insiders, as well as celebrity-penned sidebars of autobigraphical reminisces. It is curious to nte the difference in tone between the "I loved D&D, it meant so much to me" celebrity notes and the "we needed to come up with new material, since we were losing market penetration" talk of the insiders.
Not many words per page, but lots of illustrations from the various D&D products over the years.
A quick romp.
Rated G. 2.5/5
March 18, 2008
This book is a nice condensed story of D&D through the past 30 years but it really is too brief on many of the nuances of the game and the many worlds that have been developed during the years. I enjoyed some of the celebrity stories in the book but thought it was still missing something.
April 10, 2007
Dude, D&D. Need I saw more?
This is a great book that takes you through the history of one of the greatest games ever.
This is a great book that takes you through the history of one of the greatest games ever.
June 6, 2010
An enjoyable history of D&D, and it's amazing how many Hollywood careers were helped out by playing this game.
July 23, 2010
a book that tells us the history of one of those beloved games i grew up with, Dungeons and Dragons
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews