I headed to the deepest darkest corners of my basement and after defeating my worst enemies Major Lethargy and The Messy Fiend, I was awarded with a treasure of Gencon Programs. Here's the most ancient artifact in my possession;
http://imgur.com/a/EZmyu http://imgur.com/a/ChqIK http://imgur.com/a/S4Tve http://imgur.com/a/1VtfR
I have several more from 82-97. If there is any interest I will add them. Enjoy.
Gen Con 1982 was my first Gen Con. I even remember a few of the events I played in. I wonder if they are in that program?
I was working for Heritage Miniatures. This was the year Gary pissed off all the exhibitors in Dragon Magazine. Keeper.
How did he upset the exhibitors?
Hi rhone1, I would be happy to look for those events. Just let me know which ones. Here was my favorite, The Best Damn Miniatures Battle Ever II;
http://imgur.com/a/yNrAg
One of the events I was in was called "3D D&D." The guys that ran the event built an entire dungeon out of foam, painted it and stocked it with nicely painted ral partha minis and made their own props (think a early version of Dwarven Forge). We had pre-gens and would try to make it through the dungeon and along the way we would find treasure that could be used as coupons in the dealer hall ($5 off your next purchase from TSR, etc).
I think that's the year when the "Poker, Chess, and the AD&D System" article came out in Dragon Magazine, where Gygax said:
Notice that TSR owns the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game system. Well, they own the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, too — just as Parker Brothers owns MONOPOLY and THE MAD MAGAZINE game. TSR holds the copyrights to the D&D and AD&D games. They own the Trade Marks. Use of either must be by TSR or with its permission. Neither game is public domain. No other firm can make any commercial use whatsoever of either game without permission from TSR.
The AD&D game system does not allow the injection of extraneous material. That is clearly stated in the rule books. It is thus a simple matter: Either one plays the AD&D game, or one plays something else, just as one either plays poker according to Hoyle, or one plays (Western) chess by tournament rules, or one does not. Since the game is the sole property of TSR and its designer, what is official and what is not has meaning if one plays the game.
Most gamers just scoffed at the article, though, and continued playing the game the way they wanted to.
Hi rhone1, I looked through the events in the program, but unfortunately couldn't find the one you describe. I imagine though that not all of the games were included. Here's the lists from the program, maybe one name will ring a bell;
http://imgur.com/a/zWTiY
http://imgur.com/a/zrMM0