I think it's also important for us to consider at some point SSI's Gold Box pre-cursors (and a few contemporaries), which were unshackled by the "confines" of the D&D universe and were their own worlds. These include "Phantasie" (I - III), Wizard's Crown, The Eternal Dagger, Shard of Spring, Rings of Zilfin and others. Each had a unique take on the genre and each was critically acclaimed, some with great commercial success. I almost wonder if we can see any common components from the Gold Box games established in these other titles? At some point, a survey and comparison will be in order...

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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
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[ http://www.MythCore.com ]