I'd just like to point out that TSR published their OWN computer games in the very early 1980's for the Apple II series of computers. They translated "Dungeon!" and a few other, original titles. I believe many were basic randomized dungeon crawls. I've only seen the games mentioned once as a child in the pages of the legendary Electronic Games magazine (along with a single hi-res screenshot/artist rendering) and a few years back available on eBay (which I sadly failed to procure). I've never seen them before or since, but they absolutely do exist. They were roundly considered primitive and noncompetitive with even other games of the time for the most part (one or two may have been passable). It's no wonder TSR - beyond licensing their main property to Mattel for the successful Intellivision and Aquarius games - waited for SSI to go full bore back into computer gaming (the Mattel Aquarius computer game was just a variation of one of the ones available on the Intellivision). By then SSI and their stable of go-to talent had the RPG down to a science and it was an obvious success for both companies.
I'd just like to point out that TSR published their OWN computer games in the very early 1980's for the Apple II series of computers. They translated "Dungeon!" and a few other, original titles. I believe many were basic randomized dungeon crawls. I've only seen the games mentioned once as a child in the pages of the legendary Electronic Games magazine (along with a single hi-res screenshot/artist rendering) and a few years back available on eBay (which I sadly failed to procure). I've never seen them before or since, but they absolutely do exist. They were roundly considered primitive and noncompetitive with even other games of the time for the most part (one or two may have been passable). It's no wonder TSR - beyond licensing their main property to Mattel for the successful Intellivision and Aquarius games - waited for SSI to go full bore back into computer gaming (the Mattel Aquarius computer game was just a variation of one of the ones available on the Intellivision). By then SSI and their stable of go-to talent had the RPG down to a science and it was an obvious success for both companies.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
[ My collection ]
[ http://www.MythCore.com ]
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.