In the late 80s and 90s, you weren’t just an AD&D player, you had a setting, too: you
In the late 80s and 90s, you weren’t just an AD&D player, you had a setting, too: you were a Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, or Dark Sun guy. To that end, TSR, Inc (at this time owned by Lorraine Williams) released Gazetteers that described elements of the world, like specific nations and locations. Clyde Caldwell did impressive covers to get across each location. The Gazetteers were a very, very subtle shift into a kind of narrative-centered play that encouraged planning beforehand, especially on the part of DM. Gygax’s numerous random encounter tables and random results tables weren’t some OCD quirk of his; the sense behind them was that they were there so someone could pick up and DM with a minimum of preparation and roll with unpredictable player actions…an approach that has both strengths and weaknesses, but nonetheless, seemed old hat by the late 80s. The Gazetteers were more about world-centered cause and effect, and that requires preparation, which they were there to help you with. -- source link
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