First video game RPG ever in the UNIVARSE?!

[Killbat]

Anybody know? What was the first role playing video game? I assume it predates game consoles, at least those capable of such a thing (pre-Master System and NES), but have no idea what to search for.

 

[Maverick]

ultima and stuff came out on the PC long before consoles touched RPGs.

 

[Ameesh]

man ultima 1 is pretty old, im not sure if there were any text-only rpgs, maybe there was stuff like zork

 

[BooneRebel]

Something like Zork maybe? Text-based basic programming...

Moria came out in 1985.

 

[amnesiac]

I remember playing this ASCII based game where you were an @ wandering through a maze of . fighting off &'s and *'s, finding ! to increase your power, etc.. it was really fun but you died a lot.

I wouldn't consider Zork an RPG really.. not in the classical sense at least..

 

[AaronP]

As has been mentioned, Zork and Ultima 1 are the two games that come to mind.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

<< As has been mentioned, Zork and Ultima 1 are the two games that come to mind. >>

Nope. Wrong. The game is called "Ultizerkian Underground" and I have it on CD

nik

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

there was a 1st person game that I used to play on my Apple IIc back in 1984ish. Basically went though a maze finding crap and falling in trap doors.... I don't think it had the traditional RPG stats like strength/consistution/ect... though.

Ultima was fun too.

 

[Rallispec]

what about something like the old king's quests... do they count as rpg's?

 

[Maverick]

there was nethack...that might be one of the first.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Ken and Roberta Williams were making RPGs in the late 70's. Theirs would have to be one of the first. Aklabeth was made by Garriot (Aklabeth was the precursor to Ultima) back in the early 80's I think. Those would be your firsts.

Edit: Aklabeth was made in 79.

 

[SinNisTeR]

whats a univarse? ive heard of universe.. but no univarse.. hmmm must be a sega thing.

just teasing of course

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

oh yeah... it was probably a MUD.... they been around eversince there were mainframes.