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The Evolution of Role Playing Games. PEDIT5 – The first graphical RPG. Created in 1975 by Rusty Rutherford – “I wrote it all in about 4-6 weeks in the fall and winter of 1975” [1] Made on the PLATO network system
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PEDIT5 – The first graphical RPG • Created in 1975 by Rusty Rutherford – “I wrote it all in about 4-6 weeks in the fall and winter of 1975” [1] • Made on the PLATO network system • Based heavily on Dungeons & Dragons - “I used the basic features of D&D as much as possible: hit points, monster levels, experience and treasure awards, and so on...” [2] • Deleted soon after its discovery by administrators • Recreated as Orthanc (seen right)
Dungeons of Daggorath – The first 3D real-time RPG • Created in 1981 by DynaMicro Inc, a small team of 6 people - “I was the president of DynaMicro, Inc... ...Additional credits to Phillip C. Landmeier... ... April Landmeier... ... and to Keith Kiyohara...” [3] “Duncan Cummings - Electrical engineer… …Jim Thomas (me) - Developer”[4] • Released in 1982 on the Tandy TRS-80 CoCo (Colour Computer) • Took up only 8kb • Celebrated for its audio effects, which only took up 500 bytes – “Shack themselves were amazed when we went and demo'd the game for them at what their own machine could be made to do” [5] “…the sound code occupies all of about 500 bytes or so including the data” [6] • Was controlled using text commands • Featured a heartbeat health system
Neverwinter Nights – The first graphical online RPG • Created in 1989/1990 by Stormfront Studios, SSI and TSR Inc • Went live in 1991, hosted by AOL • Based on Dungeons & Dragons • Allowed a maximum of 50 players per world (later increased to 500) • Originally cost 4, 6 or 8 dollars per hour depending on time • Community based, featured regular events such as trivia contests, combat competitions etc., as well as large numbers of sanctioned (and unsanctioned) player guilds • Shut down in 1997 after a disagreement between AOL and the game’s creators – “I know we’re throwing away millions… …My problem is that I’ve got everyone focused on not losing billions” [7]
References • Armchair Arcade (2008): Breaking News – Author of PEDIT5 Speaks Out. Available at http://www.armchairarcade.com/neo/node/1948 [Accessed 14/12/09] • Armchair Arcade (2008): Breaking News – Author of PEDIT5 Speaks Out. Available at http://www.armchairarcade.com/neo/node/1948 [Accessed 14/12/09] • Douglas J. Morgan (2001): Grant of license to reproduce Dungeons of Daggorath. Available at http://iloveglory.freehostia.com/daggorath/license.html [Accessed 14/12/09] • Jim Thomas (2002): Forum Post – “I’m Astonished”. Available at http://mspencer.net/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=50&forum=8 [Accessed 14/12/09] • Douglas J. Morgan (2001): E-mail transcript. Available at: http://iloveglory.freehostia.com/daggorath/index.html#Contact%20With%20The%20President [Accessed 14/12/09] • Keith S. Kiyohara (2001): E-mail transcript. Available at: http://iloveglory.freehostia.com/daggorath/index.html#Contact%20With%20Programmer [Accessed 14/12/09] • GameBanshee: Stormfront Studios Interview (page 2). Available at http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/stormfrontstudios2.php [Accessed 14/12/09]
Picture Credits • Orthanc image from Armchair Arcade: Fun with PLATO. Available at http://www.armchairarcade.com/neo/node/1396 [Accessed 14/12/09] • Dungeons of Daggorath images from: • The Dungeons of Daggorath Video Game. Available athttp://iloveglory.freehostia.com/daggorath/index.html[Accessed 14/12/09] • Armchair Arcade(2006): A Review of DynaMicro's The Dungeons of Daggorath (1982). Available at http://www.armchairarcade.com/neo/node/900 [Accessed 14/12/09] • Tandy (TRS-80) Color Computer Games:Dungeons of Daggorath. Available at http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/daggorath.html [Accessed 14/12/09] • Neverwinter Nights images from The Original Neverwinter Nights 1991-1997. Available athttp://www.bladekeep.com/nwn/index2.htm?http%3A//www.bladekeep.com/nwn/demise.shtml[Accessed 14/12/09]