These are two famous role-playing
games available for the TRS-80 and compatible machines. They mirror
the "dungeons and dragons" board games popular in the
1970s and 80s where a player would take on a warrior-persona with
attributes (strength, dexterity etc) and arm themselves with various
weapons and defenses before plunging into some mysterious "dungeon",
where danger lurked around every corner.
In the board game, a person is nominated
as the dungeonmaster. They control the game. However, in this digital
manifestation, the computer takes that role, and displays the status
of both player and environment on the screen. The
graphics display is very crude, but the authors more than make up
for that by the very descriptive manuals which fill in the details
of every component in the dungeon. For example, a "Wraith",
which may be graphics block on the screen, is described in the manual
as "These ghostly creatures appear as skeletal figures
garbed in hooded frocks. Their eyes are fiery points of light within
their cowls. They move effortlessly about leaving no trace of their
passing and are capable of passing through solid matter at will.
Many have died under the chill touch of their bony hands."
Get the picture? The manual is not
just a manual, it's The Book of Lore. Not only does it explain the
rules but it's an interpreter to what you actually SHOULD see (in
your imagination) during the game. This is very necessary because
the graphics are certainly not up to it. Strangely enough, it works!
Like reading a book, you can visualize the action. The dots of the
screen are simply cues to where you are and what's going on. Most
of the game is in the mind. The manual also contains the prequel,
so (as the player) you know why you are there.
It's a long way away from the RPG
experiences afforded by on-line gaming nowadays. But it was the
start of the concept!
For that reason alone they are worth
checking out.
| Name
(and filename) |
Description |
What
to type at the dos prompt |
Temple
of Apshai
(apshai/jcl)
Auxiliary files include...
Dm, Inn, Levels 1-4, lchr
|
By Automated Simulations (1979).
So begins, the adventures of Brian Hammerhand...
|
chain apshai/jcl
Note: you must use the chain command to load this file.
|
Hellfire
Warrior (hellfire/jcl)
Dm2, Inn2, Levels 5-8
|
The sequel to Apshai.
Four more dungeons to explore!
This is the one I actually started
on, in its cassette manifestation.
|
chain hellfire/jcl
Note: you must use the chain command to load this file.
|
 Download
this disk
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|
