Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role Playing Games [Paperback]

Lawrence Schick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1991

This history of role-playing games such as "Dungeons and Dragons" explains their evolution and gives complete definitions and descriptions for related game products.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This fascinating and detailed book delves into the world of role-playing games (games in which players assume the identity of the characters) such as Dungeons and Dragons. Schick, a game designer and founding member of the Academy of Game Critics, gives details on the history, concept, and playing techniques of this popular pastime. He profiles dozens of specific games, spanning nearly every genre imaginable, including those both in and out of print. Details include entries for the base game and its spinoffs and supplements, additional scenarios, and other materials available. Schick's book fills a void in games collections and should appeal to both adults and YAs.
- Terry Wirick, Erie Cty. Lib. System, Pa.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (July 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879756535
• ISBN-13: 978-0879756536
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,372 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best history of gaming ever, August 3, 2000

By 

Robert James (Culver City, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role Playing Games (Paperback)

I began role-playing in the late seventies, when all of the earliest role-playing games were still available for sale. Reading "Heroic Worlds" is like returning to those early days, both in its comprehensive listing of every role-playing game release available up through 1990, and in its evocation of the state of the art of role-playing games in its early days. This book is bound to be a classic for a number of reasons: one, it's the only place that will serve the collector hoping to buy every single supplement for their favorite game; two, it's the best history available on the subject, even today; and three, it will serve the game designers of the future, in seeing what has already been done, and what still remains to be done. It's a wonderful read, as well. Now all we need is a second edition, that updates the subject to the present day!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blast from the past, January 6, 2010

By 

Wulfstan "wulfstan" (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role Playing Games (Paperback)

Ok, this book isn't even close to being current. However, it lists all the great classics from the past- and even a few that aren't so classic (like the small supplement I wrote!).

Great reference guide.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Heroic Worlds: An updated review, September 11, 2006

By 

Craig J. Brain "morbius38" (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role Playing Games (Paperback)

I like the book, however, the definitions are arbitrary, and applied unevenly, and there are a number of errors and omissions that are not attributable to the age of the book. The book also has mistakes in some of the historical data.

The real value of this book lies with the descriptions that it has of different gaming products available at that time. Ignoring the errors and definitions, this book would be useful to a collector of old games.

I hope that we will see a new version of this book released which fixes these problems and updates it to the present.