(#53) of DRAGON™ Magazine, I Editorialized Against “Assassin”
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Vol. VI, No. 8 Vol. VI, No. 8 February 1982 Publisher . Jake Jaquet In the September 1981 issue (#53) of My point is, simulation of acts of vio- Editor-in-Chief . Kim Mohan Editorial staff . Bryce Knorr DRAGON™ magazine, I editorialized lence will inevitably be interpreted as the Marilyn Mays against “assassin” and “killer” games, real thing by those not aware that the Gali Sanchez expressing my fears for potential tragedy action is only simulation. That’s why Sales . Debbie Chiusano to players and potential damage to the someone holding up a bank with a plas- Circulation . Corey Koebernick image of the hobby of role-playing gam- tic replica of a pistol may be charged Office staff . Cherie Knull ing. Unfortunately, those fears are being with armed robbery, even though no real Roger Raupp realized. weapon was used in the crime. It is the Contributing editors . Roger Moore On the evening of December 5, 1981, a perception of the simulation that matters. Ed Greenwood student at California State University at Beyond the potential for tragedy (I will This issue’s contributing artists: Long Beach was shot by campus police not even go into the reports I’ve received Clyde Caldwell Donna Barr during a game of “Assassin.” According of idiotic antics like climbing out third- Harry Quinn Larry Elmore to the Los Angeles Times Service and floor windows on ropes made of bed- David Larson Phil Foglio United Press International, Mike Reagan sheets to avoid “assassination” — stu- Roger Raupp David Trampier and a companion, Julia Gissel, both 19 pidity is stupidity, no matter what the James Holloway years old, were seen by campus police context), there is the problem of how the getting out of a car, carrying what ap- non-gaming public perceives this type of DRAGON magazine is published monthly by Dragon Publishing, a division of TSR Hobbies, peared to be rifles. (In actuality, the “ri- game and those who play it. At St. Am- Inc. Subscription orders and change-of-address fles” were simulated M-16s that used brose College in Davenport, Iowa, an notices should be sent to Dragon Publishing, P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147. Tele- rubber-band ammunition.) assassin-type game (they call it “God- phone (414) 248-8044. Sgt. Stephan King of the university po- father”) has been organized. A St. Am- lice observed the couple moving along a brose professor, John Greenwood, has DRAGON magazine is available at hundreds of hobby stores and bookstores throughout the walkway rattling doors, and shouted, sponsored a resolution circulated among United States and Canada, and through a limit- “Freeze, police!” The woman stopped, faculty members that criticizes the game, ed number of overseas outlets. Subscription rates are as follows, with all payments to be but Reagan turned around, assumed a and a Davenport newspaper reported, made in advance: $24 for 12 issues sent to a U.S. squatting position and pointed the toy “...he (Greenwood) thinks it (Godfather) or Canadian address; $50 U.S. for 12 issues sent via surface mail or $95 for 12 issues sent via air gun at King. The sergeant fired his real can easily get out of hand — much like mail to any other country. gun three times, wounding Reagan in the ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ game.” It’s the chest and leg. Reagan was admitted bad enough that Mr. Greenwood appar- A limited quantity of certain back issues of DRAGON magazine can be purchased directly to the intensive care unit of a Long ently has a misconception about the from the publisher by sending the cover price Beach hospital and listed in guarded D&D ® game in the first place, but now it plus $1.50 postage and handling for each issue ordered. Payment in advance by check or mo- condition, but was released from inten- is being reinforced in a negative manner ney order must accompany all orders. Payments sive care and listed in in stable condition with the “Godfather” game, and further cannot be made through a credit card, and orders cannot be taken nor merchandise “re- as of December 9. University officials he is being quoted by the media as served” by telephone. Neither an individual cus- said King apparently believed the couple equating the two. tomer nor an institution can be billed for a sub- were burglars. There had recently been Now, the only result of a D&D game scription order or back-issue purchase unless more than a dozen break-ins in the area “getting out of hand” I can think of is prior arrangements are made. where the shooting occurred. oversleeping the next morning from play- The issue of expiration for each subscription is printed on the mailing label for each sub- In retrospect, yes, the policeman was ing late into the night. And certainly no scriber’s copy of the magazine. Changes of ad- wrong, the couple were not a pair of bur- one is going to mistake a group of people dress for the delivery of subscriptions must be received at least 30 days prior to the effective glars, and their guns were not real. But sitting at a card table rolling dice and date of the change in order to insure uninter- what would you have had the policeman talking for doing anything more than rupted delivery. do? Wait to see if he gets hit by a burst of playing a game. But since both “conven- All material published in DRAGON magazine slugs or just a rubber band? I’m sure tional” games (those played with paper, becomes the exclusive property of the publisher proponents of “Assassin” or “Killer” or pencil, dice and imagination) and these... upon publication, unless special arrangements to the contrary are made prior to publication. any of the other so-called “live” role- these...these things involving players run- DRAGON magazine welcomes unsolicited sub- playing games (and I still disagree with ning around with rubber-band guns are missions of written material and artwork; how- ever, no responsibility for such submissions can that term: “live” role-playing as opposed viewed the same by people with good be assumed by the publisher in any event. Any to what, dead role-playing?), would say intentions but not all the facts, I’m afraid submission which is accompanied by a self- that the area should have been declared some day you’ll hear, “Fantasy role- addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will be returned to the contributor if it cannot be off limits to the players because of the playing? Oh, yeah, some kid in Califor- published. high crime rate, or that Reagan should nia was playing that and got shot, didn’t DRAGON™ is a trademark for Dragon Publish- not have acted as if he were going to fire he? They don’t allow that dragons and ing’s monthly adventure playing aid. All rights when ordered to freeze. And they’d be dungeons stuff at my son’s school....” on the contents of this publication are reserved, and nothing may be reproduced from it in whole right. But might not Reagan have as- or in part without prior permission in writing sumed that the order to freeze was com- from the publisher. Copyright 1982 by TSR ing from his “assassin”? Can one foresee Hobbies, Inc. USPS 318-790. ISSN 0279-6848. every possible circumstance in advance Second class postage paid at Lake Geneva, and write every contingency into the Wis., and at additional mailing offices. rules of the game? 2.