Dungeons and Desktops : The History of Computer Role-Playing Games

Dungeons and Desktops looks at the history of computer role-playing games (such as Ultima, The Bard’s Tale, Pool of Radiance, Diablo, and The Elder Scrolls), and seeks to identify and wrestle with the genre’s key issues. Should the player control a single character or a group of characters? Should the player create his own character(s)? How should the game translate abstract concepts like "experience" into numbers and statistics? Should a game "rail" the player into a coherent plot structure, or allow him to roam freely about the world? What will be the consequences of the player’s actions; how does the game deal with good and evil? Which perspective is more immersive, first or third person? Throughout the years, developers have responded differently to these questions, and each game is a part of a more general conversation about how computers can serve as a medium for creative and engaging role-playing.

Computer role-playing games (CRPGs) are a special genre of computer games that bring the tabletop role-playing experience of games such as Dungeons & Dragons to the computer screen. This genre includes classics such as Ultima and The Bard’s Tale as well as more modern games such as World of Warcraft and Guild Wars. Written in an engaging style for both the computer game enthusiast and the more casual computer game player, this book explores the history of the genre by telling the stories of the developers, games, and gamers who created it.

"This book examines the history of computer role-playing games (CRPGs) (such as Ultima, The Bard's Tale, Pool of Radiance, Diablo, and The Elder Scrolls) and seeks to identify and wrestle with the genre's key issues." "Each game is a part of more general conversation about how computers can serve is medium for creative and engaging role-playing. While it contains many details about the games, the book is organized as a narrative - telling the story of the developers, games, and gamers who created the CRPG as we know it today."--Page 4 de la couverture "This book examines the history of computer role-playing games (CRPGs) (such as Ultima, The Bard's Tale, Pool of Radiance, Diablo, and The Elder Scrolls) and seeks to identify and wrestle with the genre's key issues." "Each game is a part of more general conversation about how computers can serve is medium for creative and engaging role-playing. While it contains many details about the games, the book is organized as a narrative - telling the story of the developers, games, and gamers who created the CRPG as we know it today."--Jacket An introduction to computer role-playing Origins The dark age The bronze age The silver age The early golden age The golden age part I The golden age part II The bigger they come The platinum age The modern age The future of a genre.