Alarums and Excursions

Last updated
Alarums and Excursions
Editor Lee Gold
Categories Role-playing games
FrequencyMonthly
First issue#1, June 1975
Country United States
Based in Los Angeles
LanguageEnglish
Website Alarums and Excursions page

Alarums and Excursions (A&E) is an amateur press association (APA) started in June 1975 by Lee Gold; publication continues to the present day. It was one of the first publications to focus solely on role-playing games.

Contents

History

In 1964, Bruce Pelz of the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society (LASFS) began a weekly amateur press association named APA-L. [1] In 1974, with the publication of Dungeons & Dragons by TSR, Inc., articles and comments about the new roleplaying game began to fill the pages of APA-L, a development to which Pelz objected. [2] Lee Gold took note of this and started a new APA, Alarums and Excursions (the title taken from an Elizabethan drama stage direction that moved soldiers across a stage [3] ), to focus entirely on roleplaying games, attracting such material away from APA-L. The first issue appeared in June 1975.

In addition to removing roleplaying games discussion out of APA-L, the initial aim of the publication was to prevent roleplaying games from becoming so divergent that people from different cities could not participate in games together. [4] [5]

The June 2017 issue of Alarums and Excursions was number 500, with a color cover drawn by Lee Moyer and printed by Rob Heinsoo.

Contents

Each issue is a collection of contributions from different authors, often featuring game design discussions, rules variants, write-ups of game sessions, reviews, and comments on others contributions.

Although game reports and social reactions are common parts of many A&E contributions, it has also, over the years, become a testing ground for new ideas on the development of the RPG as a genre and an art form. The idea that role-playing games are an art form took strong root in this zine, and left a lasting impression on many of the RPG professionals who contributed. The 1992 role-playing game Over the Edge was inspired by discussions in A&E. [6]

Over the years, contributors have included:

Reception

In the February 1976 issue of Strategic Review (Issue 6), Gary Gygax complimented the new APA, calling it "an excellent source of ideas, inspirations and fun." Although Gygax felt some of the contributors were "woefully lacking in background", and the quality of printing varied dramatically from issue to issue, he concluded, "For all of its faults, it is far and away the best D&D 'zine, and well worth reading. See for yourself why it rates a Major Triumph." [7]

In the June 1981 edition of Dragon (Issue #50), Dave Nalle reviewed Alarums and Excursions after its 63rd issue (November 1980), and although he found the writing style "a bit stuffy", with a "tendency for the writers to pat each other on the back", he still called it "the top APA publication... This is a very well run APA and features many of the leading thinkers in fantasy gaming." [8]

Awards

To date, Alarums and Excursions has been a winner of the Charles Roberts/Origins Award four times:

Related Research Articles

<i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> Fantasy role-playing game

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR). It has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997. The game was derived from miniature wargames, with a variation of the 1971 game Chainmail serving as the initial rule system. D&D's publication is commonly recognized as the beginning of modern role-playing games and the role-playing game industry, and also deeply influenced video games, especially the role-playing video game genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Gygax</span> American game designer and author (1938–2008)

Ernest Gary Gygax was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) with Dave Arneson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TSR, Inc.</span> Former company, publisher of "Dungeons & Dragons"

TSR, Inc. was an American game publishing company, best known as the original publisher of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). Its earliest incarnation, Tactical Studies Rules, was founded in October 1973 by Gary Gygax and Don Kaye. Gygax had been unable to find a publisher for D&D, a new type of game he and Dave Arneson were co-developing, so founded the new company with Kaye to self-publish their products. Needing financing to bring their new game to market, Gygax and Kaye brought in Brian Blume in December as an equal partner. Dungeons & Dragons is generally considered the first tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG), and established the genre. When Kaye died suddenly in 1975, the Tactical Studies Rules partnership restructured into TSR Hobbies, Inc. and accepted investment from Blume's father Melvin. With the popular D&D as its main product, TSR Hobbies became a major force in the games industry by the late 1970s. Melvin Blume eventually transferred his shares to his other son Kevin, making the two Blume brothers the largest shareholders in TSR Hobbies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Arneson</span> American game designer (1947-2009)

David Lance Arneson was an American game designer best known for co-developing the first published role-playing game (RPG), Dungeons & Dragons, with Gary Gygax, in the early 1970s. Arneson's early work was fundamental to the role-playing game (RPG) genre, pioneering devices now considered to be archetypical, such as cooperative play to develop a storyline instead of individual competitive play to "win" and adventuring in dungeon, town, and wilderness settings as presented by a neutral judge who doubles as the voice and consciousness of all characters aside from the player characters.

<i>Players Handbook</i> Series of Dungeons & Dragons player rulebooks

The Player's Handbook is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). It does not contain the complete set of rules for the game, and only includes rules for use by players of the game. Additional rules, for use by Dungeon Masters (DMs), who referee the game, can be found in the Dungeon Master's Guide. Many optional rules, such as those governing extremely high-level players, and some of the more obscure spells, are found in other sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Greyhawk</span>

Castle Greyhawk is one of the central dungeon settings in the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. The Castle was originally developed by Gary Gygax, for his own campaign and later detailed for publication. Castle Greyhawk is also the name of a 1988 Dungeons & Dragons adventure module that created a treatment of the Castle for the public to use. In 2005, Gygax announced the release of "Castle Zagyg," his new treatment of the dungeon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Heinsoo</span> American game designer (born 1964)

Rob Heinsoo is an American tabletop game designer. He has been designing and contributing to professional role-playing games, card games, and board games since 1994. Heinsoo was the lead designer on the 4th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons (2008), and is co-designer of the 13th Age roleplaying game along with Jonathan Tweet. He has also designed and contributed to role playing, miniatures and card games, and a computer game.

Lee Gold is a member of California science fiction fandom and a writer and editor in the role-playing game and filk music communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Mentzer</span> American writer and game designer

Jacob Franklin Mentzer III is an American fantasy author and game designer who worked on early materials for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game. He was an employee of TSR, Inc. from 1980 to 1986, spending part of that time as creative advisor to the chairman of the board, Gary Gygax. He also founded the Role-Playing Games Association (RPGA) during his time with TSR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert J. Kuntz</span> Game designer

Robert J. Kuntz is a game designer and author of role-playing game publications. He is best known for his contributions to various Dungeons & Dragons-related materials.

Lenard William "Len" Lakofka was an American writer of material for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Although never a formal employee of TSR, the company that published Dungeons & Dragons, Lakofka was an influential voice in the development of the game. He was one of the playtesters of the game as it was being developed, an editor of early manuscripts, wrote a widely-read monthly D&D magazine column and two official D&D adventures, and had his home campaign setting of the Lendore Isles incorporated into Gary Gygax's World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting.

Jon Pickens is an American game designer and editor who has worked on numerous products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR and later Wizards of the Coast.

<i>Daredevils</i> (role-playing game) Tabletop role-playing game in the pulp genre

Daredevils is a tabletop role-playing game published by Fantasy Games Unlimited (FGU) in 1982 that is meant to emulate pulp magazine fiction of the 1930s.

Don Turnbull was a journalist, editor, games designer, and an accomplished piano and pinball player. He was particularly instrumental in introducing Dungeons & Dragons into the UK, both as the managing director of TSR UK Ltd and as the editor of the Fiend Folio.

<i>GURPS Japan</i>

GURPS Japan, full title GURPS Japan: Roleplaying in the World of the Shogunate or GURPS Japan: Beauty, Terror, and Adventure, is a sourcebook for GURPS, a role-playing game by Steve Jackson Games. The first edition was published in 1988.

New Infinities Productions was an American game company that produced role-playing games and game supplements.

<i>The End</i> (role-playing game) Tabletop horror role-playing game

The End is a role-playing game published by Scapegoat Games in 1995.

<i>JagdPanther</i> (magazine)

JagdPanther is a game magazine that was published from 1973 to 1976.

<i>Gamelog</i>

Gamelog was a game magazine that was published and edited by James M. Lurvey.

<i>The Manual of Aurania</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

The Manual of Aurania is a 24-page supplement for fantasy role-playing games self-published in 1976 and sold at Aero Hobbies, a games store in Santa Monica, California owned by Gary Switzer. A 34-page 2nd edition revision of the book was later published by International Gamers Association with numerous added illustrations in 1977.

References

  1. ↑ "APA-L". LASFS. Los Angeles Science Fiction Society. 2019-01-14. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  2. ↑ Bretts RPG Magazine and Zine Index Archived October 24, 2006, at the Wayback Machine , entry on Alarums & Excursions, retrieved September 2007
  3. ↑ "alarums and excursions". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
  4. ↑ Mason, Paul (2012). "A history of RPGs: Made by fans; played by fans". Transformative Works and Cultures. Vol. 11. doi:10.3983/twc.2012.0444 . Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  5. ↑ Mason, Paul (2004). "Beyond Role and Play". In Montola, Markus; Stenros, Jaakko (eds.). In Search of the Self: A Survey of the First 25 Years of Anglo-American Role-Playing Game Theory (PDF). Helsinki: Ropecon ry. p. 2. ISBN   952-91-6842-X . Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  6. ↑ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '90s. Vol. 3 (2 ed.). Evil Hat Productions. p. 55. ISBN   978-1-61317-084-7.
  7. ↑ Gygax, Gary (February 1976). "Triumphs and Tragedies". Strategic Review . TSR, Inc. (6): 15.
  8. ↑ Nalle, Dave (June 1981). "The 'Zines!". Dragon . TSR, Inc. (50): 24.
  9. ↑ "The 1984 Origins Awards - Presented ad Origins 1985". GAMA. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "The 1999 Origins Awards - Presented ad Origins 2000". GAMA. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  11. 1 2 "The 2000 Origins Awards - Presented ad Origins 2001". GAMA. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  12. ↑ "Alarums & Excursions: Moreinfo".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.