In May 2020 we revived (for a second time) the January 2015 Designers, Dragons, and More Bundle, a fine collection of .PDF ebooks about the history and highlights of the roleplaying field. Previously revived in February 2017, this offer took its name from the Designers & Dragons series by RPG historian Shannon Appelcline published by Evil Hat Productions. This revival once again presented all four volumes in the series for a bargain price, along with both 100 Best volumes from Green Ronin Publishing and 40 Years of Gen Con by Robin D. Laws. 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.
There were three titles in this revived offer’s Starter Collection (retail value $35) as DRM-free .PDF ebooks:
- Designers & Dragons: The ’70s: The first volume in Shannon Appelcline’s history of RPG publishers (now supported by the Designers & Dragons Patreon campaign). This debut installment covers Dungeons & Dragons, the turbulent history of TSR, and the first generation of RPGs.
- Family Games: The 100 Best: 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: We couldn’t go to Gen Con in 2020 (sigh!), but anyone can still enjoy this photo-filled anecdotal reminiscence, compiled by Robin D. Laws, 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 this revival’s entire Bonus Collection with four more titles worth an additional $40:
- Hobby Games: The 100 Best: From Amber Diceless Roleplaying to Wiz-War, a hundred leading designers praise their favorites.
- Designers & Dragons: The ’80s: GURPS, West End, Palladium, Champions, and much more.
- Designers & Dragons: The ’90s: World of Darkness, Wizards of the Coast, Warhammer 40K, Atlas Games, and more.
- Designers & Dragons: The ’00s: D20, Pathfinder, the indies, and more.
Ten percent of each payment (after gateway fees) went to this offer’s pandemic-related charity, Heart to Heart International. Heart to Heart delivered medical equipment to health care workers on the front lines in the Covid-19 epidemic.
