Gaming Ads of Yor - Villains and Vigilantes

I'm a BIG super hero buff. I like reading comics (in that new-fangled PDF format you darn kids are always lookin' at) and I liked role playing them. Of course, the only one I ever really played was Marvel Super Heroes. Not exactly the best representation of a super hero game available.

I've heard a lot of good things about Villains and Vigilantes and I have quite of few of the PDFs, now I just have to find someone to play with and my super hero fantasies can continue.

Gaming Ads of Yor - Star Frontiers

Now this is a game I DID get to play.

Star Frontiers was like a poor mans Star Wars in that it didn't have the notoriety and publicity that Lucas' films did. This was always like a little brother to D&D and I don't think that many people had the pleasure of playing it, but it was a fun game. This was one of the few games when I wouldn't play a human. I usually played a Yazarian (basically a space monkey with flaps for wings). They just seemed cool. I liked the concept of the Dralasite, but they reminded me of Gloop and Gleep from the Herculoids.

Gaming Ads of Your - Daredevils

This looked like a fun game to me. Sort of like Call of Cthulu (minus the insanity) meets Indiana Jones. I always liked the old black and white adventure movies that would play way later than I was supposed to be awake. There is something more adventurous about the 1930's when firearms were a little more rudimentary, travel was an adventure in itself and there were no cell phones to call for help. And there was always plenty of Nazi's to beat up on.

Never had the pleasure of playing this game, but the genre definitely appeals to me.

Gaming Ads of Yor - Fantasy Paths

These lovely accessories were offered to the gaming world in the early 80's and I can't believe they didn't sell like hot cakes (However well hot cakes sell). Considering how many similar accessories there are on the market now, I would have imagined they would have been quite popular, but I never met anyone that used them or owned them.

Perhaps it was the nature of the game (1st edition AD&D) that didn't require these types of tool. Back then, all you needed was graph paper and imagination in equal parts. With then new systems, you are nearly required to use some sort of 1" scale mapping system, of which this is one. There are a ton of companies that seemingly took a note from these little beauties and are making some good quality products.

SkeletonKey Games 

Dunjinni Mapping Software

0One Games

A further curiosity is the manufacturer's location: Pleasant Hill, Ca is within a few miles of me and I never knew they existed until about 30 minutes ago when I really looked at this ad.

Gaming Ads of Yor - Gaming Organizers

Another fantastic looking product that I never got. These looked great; a fantasy binder, game grids, pouches, dividers and a map making template!

I would have been the envy of my high school library with this under my arm. All the nerds would want to be me. The football team would carry me around on their shoulders, the cheerleaders would swoon as I danced down the hallway like Spiderman 3, the principal would announce a special rainy day schedule in my honor and I would have been named Prom King all because of my Dungeons & Dragons binder loaded with accessories.

Alas, I never got the binder, or the dividers or grids or pouches, I didn't even get the damn template. I was never the envy of nerds, the football team took turns giving me wedgies, the cheerleaders would swoon but it was because I forgot to shower that day, the principal had me escorted off campus because he didn't know I was a student and I rented Prom Night instead of actually going to mine.

If I only had the binder...

Gaming Ads of Yor - The Minature Case

From Gryphon Games comes...The Miniature Case!

Sure, there are a ton of options now-a-days for carrying your miniatures in, but back in the days this seemed like the premiere way of getting your mini's from point A to point B. Look at the craftsmanship in this black & white, cartoon drawing! That's quality you don't see everyday. I always wanted one of these, but there was no way my parents were gonna spring for a $75 shoebox with hinges. In fact, that's exactly what I DID get...a shoebox with duct tape hinges.

If only they were still around, I might actually buy one of these bad boys.

Gaming Ads of Yor - Aftermath!

Delving into the depths of Dragon Magazine, I was able to pull some of the ancient scriptures from the rune encrusted pages.

First up is an ad for one of my favorite genres...Aftermath!

Like our previous entry, DUNGEON!, this has a title that is yelling at you to buy it, and so I did!

While the concept is great, and the level of realism are second to nine, Aftermath! suffered from OVER-Realism. You literally needed an engineering degree, which I failed to have at age 12, to understand all of the rules. Hell, there was a two page flow chart just to run combat! Although it had it's short comings, it was still a hoot to try to play just for the post-apocalyptic factor.

Here we see a typical wasteland warrior that is certainly NOT Mad Max, as that would be copyright infringement. Looking at it again, doesn't his head kinda look like Sting from Dune?

Gaming Ads of Yor - Dungeon!

Ah yes, DUNGEON!

The board game with a title that seems like its yelling at you.

I remember saving my allowance for weeks so I could afford to buy this magical treasure in an oblong box. I spent many a day playing this game with friends from the neighborhood. Strange, I could get them to play this, but not D&D itself.

As we can see from the photograph, its good, clean fun for the whole family. Even though it looks like their living room is actually just a decorated alleyway outside a pizza joint. Is that a lawn chair that little Jimmy is sitting on? Well, I guess at least he got his family to play with him. Mine wouldn't play with me...I feel so neglected.

is this what dysfunctional feels like?

Gaming Ads of Yor - Gen Con IX

A little blast from the past with this ad for Gen Con IX in 1976 with special guest Fritz Leiber!

That's right, a Full Three Days of Gaming!!

I've been gaming since 1979 and have never managed to make it to a Gen Con. Wonder how I could talk my wife into going on vacation to Lake Geneva... (is it even in Lake Geneva anymore?)

Gaming Ads of Yor - Advanced Dungeons and Dragons for Intellivision

This is the print ad for the fantastic Dungeons & Dragons game for the Intellivison gaming system. This is the first D&D related video game that I ever remember seeing and I was jealous of my friend that had an Intellivison while I was stuck with my stupid Atari 2600.

Gaming Ads of Yor - Dungeons and Dragons Computer Fantasy Game

Mattel Electronics was responsible for a good portion of my wasted youth and this was one of my vices. I can honestly say, and with no regrets, that I never once slew the dragon. In fact, I think the only thing I ever found was the damn pit! 

Damn you Mattel Electronics!!

Gaming Ads of Yor - Grenadier Miniatures

This is one of many ads Grenadier Models ran throughout the 80's in Dragon Magazine. Grenadier miniatures were some of the first minis I ever remember collecting. Looking back now, the detail and quality wasn't exactly as good as it is today, but I was ravenous for these boxed sets and had to catch 'em all.

Gaming Ads of Yor - Dungeons and Dragons Basic Set

This second Dungeons and Dragons ad is a more "advanced" ad with updated graphics reflecting those of the new Basic Edition Boxed Set. While I like Elmore's work, this is around the time that D&D art work started becoming too polished for my tastes and started to lose some of the magic for me.

I believe this ad started appearing around 1986

Comic Strip Tuesday is Changing

Due to a decided lack of comic strips to post, the Frothy Friar management team (me) has been forced to change the menu from Comic Strips to Gaming Ads of Yor...until I run out of those, then I'm screwed.

So for your entertainment, I'd like to welcome our first Gaming Ad of Yor. Put your hands together for...

This ad appeared in various gaming magazines and comic book around 1982 and, as you can see, shows our plucky adventurers from the Dungeons & Dragons commercial shown previously here at the Friar.