Il gioco di ruolo fantasy Dungeons & Dragons ha generato molti prodotti correlati, incluse riviste, film e videogiochi.

Riviste

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thumb|right|175px|Dragon Magazine, #342 (Paizo, 2006) Nel 1975 la TSR iniziò a pubblicare The Strategic Review. A quell'epoca i giochi di ruolo venivano ancora considerati come un sottogenere dei wargame e le rivista supportava non solo Dungeons & Dragons e altri giochi della TSR, ma anche i wargame in generale. In breve comunque la popolarità con cui si diffuse Dungeons & Dragons rese chiaro che il gioco non solo si era separato dalle sue radici di wargmae, ma che aveva creato una nuova industria. L'anno seguete, dopo soli sette numeri, la TSR cancellò The Strategic Review e la rimpiazzò nel 1976 con The Dragon (successivamente rinomitata Dragon Magazine).

Sebbene Dragon Magazine fosse inizialmente indirizzata al supporto del gioco di ruolo in generale, è sempre stato principalmente un house organ??? per i giochi della TSR, con un enfasi particoalre su D&D. Molti degli articoli della rivista fornivano materiale supplementare per il gioco, incluse nuove classi, incantesimi, trappole, mostri, abilità e regole. ALtri articoli fornivano suggerimenti e indicazioni per i giocatori e dungeon masters. Nel corso degli anni la rivista ha pubblicato anche molte strice a fumetti, tra cui Wormy, SnarfQuest, Yamara, Knights of the Dinner Table, Nodwick, Dork Tower e The Order of the Stick.

Tra il 1983 e il 1985 la branca britannica della TSR pubbicò la rivista Imagine Magazine, con un contenuto simile a quello di Dragon, ma incentrato su D&D e AD&D. Presentò una serie mensile di articoli su un una nuova ambientazione, Pelinore, che successivamente proseguirono sulla rivista Game Master non di proprietà della TSR. Alcuni dei materiali originariamente pubblicati su Imagine furono successivamente incorporati nell'edizione del xxxx???? di Unearthed Arcana.

Nel 1986, la TSR pubblicò Dungeon Adventures, una nuova rivista bimensile complementare a Dragon, che conteneva esclusivamente moduli di avventura??? per i dungeons master.

http://www.blacklinx.it/BlackLinX/Main/dragon_dungeon.html Edita da Nexus Editrice. Pubblicazione chiusa nel Giugno 2007

Mentre altre riviste furono parzialmente o completamente dedicate a supportare Dungeons & Dragons, Dragon e Dungeon furono le uniche due ufficiali per il gioco. Nel 2002 la Wizards of the Coast cedette le due riviste in licenza alla Paizo Publishing. La pubblicazione di entrambe le riviste cessò nel novembre 2007 quando la compagnia proprietaria scelse di adottare un modello di pubblicazione online, citando una riduzione del mercato per riviste di giochi e specialistiche.[senza fonte] Complessivamente furono pubblicati 359 numeri di Dragon e 150 di Dungeon.[1] Il numero finale della terza edizione di Dragon fu il 362, quello finale della terza edizione fu il 153.

Cinema e televisione

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Negli anni ottanta venne prodotto un popolare cartone animato Dungeons & Dragons La serie animata, composta di 3 stagioni di rispettivamente 13, 8 e 6 episodi, narra le avventure di un gruppo di ragazzi terrestri che durante in giro su una giostra di un Luna Park si ritrova trasportata nel "Reame di Dungeons & Dragons", dove ogni protagonista impersonerà una diversa classe di personaggi. Alcuni dei personaggi presentati nel cartone animato appariranno successivamente in manuali di espansione del gioco e linee di giocattoli o videogiochi ispirati a Dungeons & Dragons, pur senza nessun collegamento esplicito con gli avvenimenti del cartone. La serie ebbe un notevole successo in Brasile, dove è replicata ininterrottamente dalla metà degli anni ottanta.[2][3].

Nel 2000 venne pubblicato il film Dungeons & Dragons che ricevette in gran parte una critica negativa.[4], un seguito prodotto per la televisione, Dungeons & Dragons 2: Wrath of the Dragon God, venne trasmesso per la prima volta su Sci-Fi Channel l'8 ottobre 2005, ricevendo una giudizi critici migliori. Fu pubblicato su DCD il 7 febbraio 2006.[5] (Questo seguito è conosciuto anche con il titolo alternativo Dungeons & Dragons 2: The Elemental Might.[senza fonte])

Nel 2003 venne prodotto un programma animato su DVD intitolato Scourge of Worlds: A Dungeons & Dragons Adventure, con protagonisti 3 personaggi iconici (Redgar, Mialee e Lidda) della terza edizione. Questo era un film interrattivo che in passaggi cruciali della storia chiedeva agli spetttarori quale azione avrebbero dovuto scegliere gli eroi. Successivamente venne rilasciata un'edizione speciale che conteneva due finali aggiuntivi, il making of e la versione originale (lineare) del film.

Nel gennaio 2008 venne pubblicato direttamente su video il film Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, con doppiatori Michael Rosenbaum come Tanis, Kiefer Sutherland come Raistlin, Lucy Lawless come Goldmoon e Michelle Trachtenberg come Tika.[6]

Computer and video games

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  Lo stesso argomento in dettaglio: List of Dungeons & Dragons video games.

thumb|right|175px|Baldur's Gate (1998), a computer role-playing game based on Dungeons & Dragons Many unique digital games had been released and sold under the D&D license. A significant number of these games were published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). Most, but not all, are computer role-playing games that use rules derived from some version of the D&D rules. Many of the games were released on multiple platforms, including personal computers, consoles, and handheld devices (including mobile phones). Notable titles include:

Title Year Description
Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game 1980 The first D&D game marketed for public consumption that contained digital electronics. This is a board game/computer game hybrid, with a D&D table-top look-and-feel. Dungeon walls, monsters, and traps manifest themselves as series of beeps from the internal computer.
Dungeons & Dragons Computer Fantasy Game 1981 A small (2" x 3" x .5") electronic game using the mechanics of "Hunt the Wumpus." It used an LCD screen and various sound effects to inform the player of different in-game circumstances, such as proximity to pits, bats, the magic arrow or the dragon.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Cartridge 1982 Designed for the Intellivision, the first console game based licensed under the D&D license.
Pool of Radiance 1988 The first D&D computer game. Designed by SSI, the same game engine would be used to develop ten more D&D games, the Gold Box series. It was "remade" by UbiSoft in 2001 under the name Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor.
Eye of the Beholder 1990 The first in a trilogy of popular games designed by Westwood Studios and published by SSI in the early 1990s.
Neverwinter Nights 1991
to
1997
Developed by Stormfront Studios and was one of the first graphical MMORPG, paving the way for other games including Ultima Online and EverQuest. The game was a major hit, and the name and settings formed the basis for the Neverwinter Nights PC game (see below).
Tower of Doom 1993 Two beat 'em up/action RPG hybrid series by Capcom.
Shadow over Mystara 1996
Birthright: The Gorgon's Alliance 1996 Developed by Synergistic Software, a subsidiary of Sierra Entertainment and was an innovative mix of strategy and role-playing gaming, and featured realistic (for the time) 3D graphics. Unfortunately, the game was not a major success due to the decreased popularity of Dungeons & Dragons inspired games at that time.
Baldur's Gate 1998 From Interplay Entertainment, was developed by Bioware and was the first D&D computer game to use Bioware's Infinity Engine. It met with critical success and was followed by several more D&D games from Bioware, including an expansion pack, Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast, and one sequel, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, and its expansion, Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal.
Planescape: Torment. Icewind Dale and Icewind Dale II 1999
to
2002
Developed by Interplay's Black Isle Studios and also used the Bioware Infinity Engine.
Neverwinter Nights 2002 This game from Bioware included the Aurora toolset that allows users to create custom modules. Several expansion modules were sold by the distributor.
Neverwinter Nights 2 2006
Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale 2011 Developed by Bedlam Games and published by Atari, set to release as a downloadable game for PSN/XBLA
  Lo stesso argomento in dettaglio: Dungeons & Dragons (novels).

[[:File:NortonQuagKeepGaughanCover.jpg|thumb|Quag Keep (DAW Books, 1979), the first published novel to be set in a specific D&D campaign setting.]] Several hundred novels have been published based upon Dungeons & Dragons.

2nd Edition Novels

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Dragon Strike

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Iconic Character

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Knights of the Silver Dragon

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Penhaligon

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thumb|Tempest's Gate: Born of Fire by Sean Smith (Kenzer & Co., 2001) During the 1980s and 1990s, DC Comics published several licensed D&D comics, including Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, and Spelljammer.[7] Also during the 80s, one-page "mini-comics" appeared as advertisements in both Marvel and DC publications, always ending with "To Be Continued..."

After the release of the 3rd Edition, KenzerCo, better known for the popular gaming comic Knights of the Dinner Table, secured the licensing rights to produce official D&D comics. Using the license, they produced a number of different mini-series. One notable mini-series for this comic line entitled Tempest's Gate was authored by Sean Smith. It featured memorable iconic characters of D&D such as Zed Kraken, a powerful and influential magus.[1]

In 2002, Iron Hammer Graphics published the single-issue comic Vecna: Hand of the Revenent. In 2005, the license passed to Devil's Due Productions. Starting in June of that year, Devil's Due began releasing official adaptations of D&D tie-in novels, starting with Salvatore's Dark Elf Trilogy.

As webcomics grew, many were created around the idea of D&D, some of them even going as far as publishing actual books. Amongst the more popular ones are Rich Burlew's The Order of the Stick and Tarol Hunts's Goblins. The game has also been seen in several FoxTrot comic strips over the years played by Jason and his best friend Marcus.

In 2010, IDW Publishing started publishing an ongoing Dungeons & Dragons comic based on the 4th Edition core setting.[8] In 2011 they also plan to release a limited series based on the Dark Sun campaign setting, as well as another series, Forgotten Realms: The Legend of Drizzt: Neverwinter Tales, written by R.A. Salvatore and based on his famous D&D character, Drizzt Do'Urden.[8]

Board games

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Several board games have been sold either under the Dungeons & Dragons trademark or in association with it:

  • Dungeon! (1975), a board game published by TSR, featured similar gameplay and genre tropes to D&D and was frequently advertised in D&D products.
  • Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game (1980) This was the first computer/board game hybrid and the first D&D licensed game that contained digital electronics.
  • Quest for the Dungeonmaster (1984)
  • Dragons of Glory (1986)
  • Dragon Lance (1988)
  • Mertwig's Maze (1988) by Tom Wham [2]
  • The New Dungeon (1989)
  • The New Dungeon Miniatures and Game Supplement (1989)
  • Magestones (1990)
  • Greyhawk Wars (1991)
  • Dragon Quest (1992)
  • The New Easy to Master Dungeons & Dragons (1991) This game is in a way an introduction to RPG but is played as a board game. Three expansions were released for it: Dragon's Den, Haunted Tower, Goblin's Lair.
  • The Classic Dungeon (1992)
  • DragonStrike (1993) used a simplified form of D&D and included an instructional video tape in which costumed actors, combined with computer-generated imagery, played the characters and monsters from the board game.
  • First Quest (1994) was the name of the AD&D game that first featured an audio CD which included instructions and two quests that coincide with two of the four adventures in the included Adventure Book.
  • Introduction to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1995) An introductory board version of the AD&D system via basic scenarios played with miniatures (plastic, included), and a campy/nifty CD for both ambiance and automated DM instructions.
  • Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game (2000) Based upon the roleplaying system D&D here we have a typical dungeon crawl game.
  • Clue Dungeons & Dragons (2001) Standard Clue with a D&D fantasy theme and optional wandering monsters.
  • Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Adventure Boardgame (2002) Cooperative dungeon crawl game in which a party of four heroes strives to complete adventures that the Dungeon Master puts before them (In the Style of HeroQuest). Two expansions have been released for this game:
    • Eternal Winter (2004)
    • Forbidden Forest (2005)
  • Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game (2004 & 2006) A simplified version of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, designed as an introduction to roleplaying, but is in essence a boardgame in the style of presentation.
  • Castle Ravenloft Board Game (2010)
  • Wrath of Ashardalon (2011)
  • Conquest of Nerath (2011)
  • The Legend of Drizzt Board Game (2011)

From 1983–1984, LJN produced a line of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons action figures.[9]

Software

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  • Advanced Dungeons & Dragons CD-ROM Core Rules (1996)—Collection of tools for players (ISBN 0-7869-0602-2)
  • Core Rules CD-ROM 2.0 (1998)—Collection of tools for players (ISBN 0-7869-0793-2)
  • Dragon Magazine Archive (1999)—Collection of 257 magazines and newsletters (ISBN 0-7869-1448-3)
  • Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas (1999)—Collection of editable maps of the Forgotten Realms world Toril (ISBN 0-7869-1451-3)
  • Dungeons & Dragons Character Builder (2008)—4th Edition Character Generator released as part of the Dungeons & Dragons Insider initiative. The free version only lets characters of level 3 or less be created.
  • Masterplan (2009)—4th Edition adventure design studio
  • iPlay4e (2009)—A website which provides players with an interactive character sheet [10]

Soundtrack

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The first official soundtrack to Dungeons & Dragons was produced when Wizards of the Coast teamed up with Midnight Syndicate, producing the 24 track album Dungeons & Dragons.[11] The album was released on August 12, 2003, and received positive reviews from both the gaming and music community.

References

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  1. ^ Staff, Paizo Publishing to Cease Publication of DRAGON and DUNGEON, Wizards of the Coast, 19 aprile 2007. URL consultato il 17 settembre 2007.
  2. ^ (EN) Scheda sulla serie animata di Dungeons & Dragons dell'Internet Movie Database
  3. ^ John Clute, John Grant, The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, St. Martin's Press, 1999, p. 302, ISBN 0-312-19869-8.
  4. ^ Roger Ebert, Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2003, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-7407-2691-9.
  5. ^ Resa Nelson, Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God, su scifi.com, Sci Fi.com, 9 marzo 2006. URL consultato il 17 settembre 2009.
  6. ^ Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, su imdb.com, www.imdb.com. URL consultato il September 2007.
  7. ^ Dungeons & Dragons FAQ, su wizards.com, Wizards of the Coast. URL consultato il 3 ottobre 2008 (archiviato dall'url originale il 3 ottobre 2008).
  8. ^ a b Dungeons & Dragons, su idwpublishing.com, IDW Publishing. URL consultato il 22 gennaio 2011.
  9. ^ http://www.toyarchive.com/Dungeons&Dragons/Figures/ActionFigures.html
  10. ^ www.iplay4e.com
  11. ^ Midnight Syndicate Makes D&D Music, su Wizards of the Coast website, Wizards of the Coast, 21 aprile 2003. URL consultato il 4 luglio 2007.