In February 2017 we resurrected our January 2015 Designers, Dragons, and More offer, a fine collection of .PDF ebooks about the history and highlights of the roleplaying field. The offer took its name from the four-volume Designers & Dragons series by RPG historian Shannon Appelcline. All four volumes were included in this offer for a bargain price, along with both 100 Best volumes from Green Ronin Publishing and a comprehensive history of Gen Con. Whether you’re new to RPGs and looking for recommendations, or a grognard feeling nostalgic, you’ll enjoy these surveys of our greatest games and their origins.
Our Starter Collection (retail value $35) included these three DRM-free .PDF ebooks:
- Designers & Dragons: The ’70s (retail value $10): The first volume in Shannon Appelcline’s newly expanded four-volume history of RPG publishers, covering Dungeons & Dragons, the turbulent history of TSR, and the first generation of RPGs.
- Family Games: The 100 Best (retail $10): A hundred famed designers choose their favorite games: Blokus, Can’t Stop, Gloom, Kill Dr. Lucky, Prince Valiant, and dozens more.
- 40 Years of Gen Con (retail $15): Robin D. Laws presents a photo-filled anecdotal reminiscence of the hobby’s leading US convention. It’s the best four decades in gaming!
Those who paid more than the threshold (average) price also got our entire Bonus Collection with four more titles worth an additional $40:
- Hobby Games: The 100 Best (retail $10): From Amber Diceless Roleplaying to Wiz-War, a hundred leading designers praise their favorites.
- Designers & Dragons: The ’80s (retail $10): GURPS, West End, Palladium, Champions, and much more.
- Designers & Dragons: The ’90s (retail $10): World of Darkness, Wizards of the Coast, Warhammer 40K, Atlas Games, and more.
- Designers & Dragons: The ’00s (retail $10): D20, Pathfinder, the indies, and (yes) Evil Hat.
If you paid full price for all these ebooks, you’d spend nearly $75! Ten percent of each payment (after gateway fees) went to this offer’s designated charity, Reading is Fundamental.
