Gamasutra has just posted the third, and (one would assume) final chapter in their massive "History of Computer Role Playing Games" series. (You can read The Early Years and The Golden Age if you need to play catch-up.) There's a lot of fascinating stuff here as they explore the direct and spiritual predecessors of some modern favorites, call out and analyze some of the biggest problems for CRPGs during the 90s, and try to figure out when we'll see the "next big thing" in the genre.
It would be almost impossible to click away from the 20,000-word epic not having learned something, but even if you are a CRPG android, it'll at least be a nostalgic reminder of some of your past favorites. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're going to go dig out our copy of Arcanum.
Reader Comments (13)
Posted: Apr 12th 2007 10:56AM (Unverified) said
god damnit that was the best 20 minutes i've ever spent on the internet, ever.
Reply
Posted: Apr 12th 2007 11:12AM LiqwidZero said
Does anyone know where I can get Sapien? I've been dying to play the game again.
Reply
Posted: Apr 12th 2007 11:31AM (Unverified) said
wow the lack of comments here really shows my age :(
*goes to replay Bard's Tale for the 30th time*
Reply
*goes to replay Bard's Tale for the 30th time*
Posted: Apr 12th 2007 12:11PM (Unverified) said
they talk about the elder scrolls series but deftly avoid mention of Oblivion stating that "I'll discuss the fourth game in a later section of this article."
But he never does...
Very dissapointing.
Still Fallout, Planescape and KOTOR oh my!
Reply
But he never does...
Very dissapointing.
Still Fallout, Planescape and KOTOR oh my!
Posted: Apr 12th 2007 12:51PM (Unverified) said
I don't have time to read the article: does it mention the Monkey Island series? Kings Quest? Leisure Suit Larry? At a glance it looked more like they're only covering digital versions of the paper and pencil style games. With hp and experience and levels and all that.
Reply
Posted: Apr 12th 2007 1:00PM (Unverified) said
chocolate, they weren't mentioned I don't believe. That's more than likely because those would be lumped in the "point and click" or "adventure" categories, not RPG's.
Reply
Posted: Apr 12th 2007 1:46PM (Unverified) said
Confusingly, the articles refer to the genre extensively as "CRPG", when the same acronym applies to both computer and console-based RPGs. Anyone going in thinking that this article will mention Final Fantasy is going to be disappointed.
Reply
Posted: Apr 12th 2007 2:29PM (Unverified) said
I couldn't find a reference to Albion (although i didn't look that hard) one of my favorite older rpg games.
Anyway, a good read for the uninitiated rpg player.
Reply
Anyway, a good read for the uninitiated rpg player.
Posted: Apr 12th 2007 2:45PM (Unverified) said
I got Baldur's Gate II from the bin a year ago... played for 10 min. then gave up as I was still in the middle of Morrowinds... but reading this makes me realize perhaps I should play the whole Baldur series...
I think I agree with the writer.. loved Arcanum (too bad it wasn't a series), Fallouts, Torment and even some oldies. And I guess I know why I didn't like KOTOR II as much as I loved the first one.
Good read.
Reply
I think I agree with the writer.. loved Arcanum (too bad it wasn't a series), Fallouts, Torment and even some oldies. And I guess I know why I didn't like KOTOR II as much as I loved the first one.
Good read.
Posted: Apr 12th 2007 5:53PM (Unverified) said
That picture is really bugging me. I know that game, I've played that game and I remember really loving that game.
Help me out - what is that picture from? I was thinking Lands of Lore but that can't be it. This is going to drive me insane.
http://blog.myspace.com/nohithair
Reply
Help me out - what is that picture from? I was thinking Lands of Lore but that can't be it. This is going to drive me insane.
http://blog.myspace.com/nohithair
Posted: Apr 13th 2007 2:56AM (Unverified) said
The best part was getting Patrick Stewart to repeat "Lands of Lore" to the player's heart's content.
Lands of--
Lands of L--
Lan--
Lands--
Lands of--
Lands of Lore
I miss old computer gaming.
http://blog.myspace.com/nohithair
Reply
Lands of--
Lands of L--
Lan--
Lands--
Lands of--
Lands of Lore
I miss old computer gaming.
http://blog.myspace.com/nohithair
Sorry, you must be logged in to leave a comment.
Featured Stories
The most popular posts
in the last 7 days
- Vita 'UMD Passport' won't be offered in US 221 comments
- Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning review: A tempting fate 161 comments
- Blizzard taking Valve to court over 'DOTA' trademark 116 comments
- David Jaffe leaves Eat Sleep Play, layoffs hit developer [Update] 107 comments
- Don't call it a remake: Final Fantasy X is a 'remaster,' to be clear 95 comments







