tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post3409840764760496546..comments2024-03-29T02:34:55.592-04:00Comments on The CRPG Addict: Game 449: Middle Kingdom (1984)CRPG Addicthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-77812791687416716972023-07-23T11:19:17.982-04:002023-07-23T11:19:17.982-04:00Excellent sleuthing as usual. I changed the countr...Excellent sleuthing as usual. I changed the country of origin and appended a note above.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-46908261898586197272023-07-23T01:56:06.698-04:002023-07-23T01:56:06.698-04:00I've the last piece of the puzzle: Dragon Data...I've the last piece of the puzzle: Dragon Data was sold to Eurohard (settled in Spain) in 1984 due to bankruptcy, the same year that Computerware published their game.Exploradorrpghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17491422055928443184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-8674547428510269442023-07-22T18:08:00.354-04:002023-07-22T18:08:00.354-04:00Jaysoft was a software company in the UK at the ti...Jaysoft was a software company in the UK at the time. I don't know how they got the rights to the game from Dragon Data, but it seems that Computerware sold their TRS-80 CoCo port of the game. I think that Carlos Simoes just modified the original title screen, so this is not a Brazilian game.<br /><br />The Dragon 32 and TRS-80 CoCo versions are nearly identical, but the original BBC Micro version differs on several things.Exploradorrpghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17491422055928443184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-9240333521215568352023-07-22T12:02:44.145-04:002023-07-22T12:02:44.145-04:00This game is a port of the game The Curse of the M...This game is a port of the game The Curse of the Middle Kingdom. It was originally published in 1982 for the BBC Micro computer in UK by Pro Software. It was published for the Dragon 32 by Dragon Data in 1983, and then I supose it was published in USA by Computerware for the TRS-80 CoCo.<br /><br />The original game takes some mechanics from The Valley, and the original graphics are like those of the TRS-80 version of The Temple of Apshai.Exploradorrpghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17491422055928443184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-28994659004191253252022-03-22T21:17:03.002-04:002022-03-22T21:17:03.002-04:00well, the locals must badly want a king, so they m...well, the locals must badly want a king, so they made it an easy challengeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-71953940993178778352022-03-17T23:55:55.864-04:002022-03-17T23:55:55.864-04:00"Carlos got the game from ComputerWare someho..."Carlos got the game from ComputerWare somehow and replaced it with his own info, possibly for no reason other than 'tagging' it; that was not uncommon at all here in the mid 80s." That's a possibility I hadn't thought of. Weird that it would turn out to be one of the only surviving versions, though.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-49086935217387957712022-03-14T16:55:44.959-04:002022-03-14T16:55:44.959-04:00the SNES port of New Horizons is kind of my last g...the SNES port of New Horizons is kind of my last great unexpected love from the SNES era. Something genuinely different from most JRPGs but still hitting a lot of the elements that I like about them.Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09703211229982182936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-62918156605265802562022-03-13T22:18:30.038-04:002022-03-13T22:18:30.038-04:00There is one (that I could find) screenshot of the...There is one (that I could find) screenshot of the JaySoft/ComputerWare intro screen here: http://www.lcurtisboyle.com/nitros9/middlekingdom.html<br /><br />And ComputerWare was an actual publisher, with several ads on printed magazines. Check these two:<br /><br />https://imgur.com/Is7UB0Y (poor scan but good enough)<br />https://imgur.com/a/K2JGT1x (check the attractive authorship box bottom left)<br /><br />So we have pretty much three scenarios: <br /><br />.Carlos himself wrote the game and got in contact with ComputerWare for publishing;<br /><br />. Carlos got the game from ComputerWare somehow and replaced it with his own info, possibly for no reason other than 'tagging' it; that was not uncommon at all here in the mid 80s, specific reasons in my previous post; adding his own phone number, however, would be quite unusual; <br /><br />. as El Despertando wrote, someone else got his game and sent it to ComputerWare through that authorship program on the image I linked above; seems perfectly possible.<br /><br />Nevertheless, the file that is available all over is likely the very same game, and in the commercial version author was simply replaced with (likely made up) softhouse + actual publisher data on title screen.<br /><br />Btw, the DnD-like setting, including monsters and stats, is somewhat unlikely for a game created here in that period. Actual DnD material - printed books/guides/campaigns - was not something you would come across easily, albeit possible to obtain.<br /><br />Really hard to reach any conclusion, but back in 1984 I find it quite unlikely that ComputerWare would actually close a deal with a non-company/single person outside US. Taxes + forms for transfering payments alone would already give them hell.DarkMagenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-69373629297049414732022-03-13T19:27:32.481-04:002022-03-13T19:27:32.481-04:00But the entire purpose of this site is to play thr...But the entire purpose of this site is to play through every RPG ever, isn't it? It's not a "best of" review site, but a comprehensive look at the genre within its historical context. JarlFrankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08139422412722665286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-15833724348904873492022-03-12T15:42:13.949-05:002022-03-12T15:42:13.949-05:00As a game, it doesn’t offer much, but the fact tha...As a game, it doesn’t offer much, but the fact that it lead to a discussion of 1980s Brazilian computing made it worthwhile imo. Tristan Gallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16769219573533545742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-73131845661267612952022-03-12T13:29:49.706-05:002022-03-12T13:29:49.706-05:00I appreciate the suggestions, but I'm not goin...I appreciate the suggestions, but I'm not going to get into hand-choosing upcoming games. That will lead to all kinds of problems. All the ones listed here will come up eventually.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-36680298001758875932022-03-12T09:54:35.038-05:002022-03-12T09:54:35.038-05:00I bet you are right El depertando! That happened ...I bet you are right El depertando! That happened a good bit in the early 80s. I remember the old 7 digit numbers in the US fondly... was a pain to suddenly have to use the area code for everything. But necessary.<br />arthurdawghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04269435724709435094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-222340337664552662022-03-12T09:16:01.941-05:002022-03-12T09:16:01.941-05:00I mean in this case it would've been easy to d...I mean in this case it would've been easy to do so, with the entire game coded in Basic and this very easily edited to fit one's one purposes - or title screen credentials.El despertandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12760941024574852525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-60587229412990837772022-03-12T09:13:49.428-05:002022-03-12T09:13:49.428-05:00Maybe somebody less-than-legitimately found this R...Maybe somebody less-than-legitimately found this RPG from Brazil on some BBS and (with or without their knowledge) sold this game through Computerware as their own "Jay-Soft" creation without the original creator's knowledge or involvement, banking on the fact that Brazil was too far away for any litigation of consequence to happen? I mean, shady practices like that happened a lot during the microcomputer era.El despertandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12760941024574852525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-13335248843376140042022-03-12T05:14:53.691-05:002022-03-12T05:14:53.691-05:00Agreed on either Ambermoon or Betrayal at Krondor....Agreed on either Ambermoon or Betrayal at Krondor. 1993 so far has only provided one addition to the must-play list. I think the Addict needs a couple of good games in a row. 1993 is a lot. Maybe treat yourself with some top 1993 games first and then alternate between the "bad" 1993 games and the first 1994 games?<br />1993 also has the classic "Syndicate" on the list, not really an RPG, but a real-time version of X-COM, basically. Maybe try that for a change?Alexander Sebastian Schulzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15135338616598357444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-50395951083362001402022-03-12T04:19:56.416-05:002022-03-12T04:19:56.416-05:00Dark Sun was only three 1993 games ago, and there ...Dark Sun was only three 1993 games ago, and there are still ~50 games to play for that year. Got to space the well-known, enjoyable games out a bit more if you don't want all the unknown games towards the end. Buckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07270991090065636515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-69642287950386144332022-03-12T04:18:30.114-05:002022-03-12T04:18:30.114-05:00PS: The "Gold" version of Pirates! is al...PS: The "Gold" version of Pirates! is also from 1993. Back then you had said: "Although I probably tested the patience of CRPG purists with these postings, I added Pirates! Gold and the 2004 re-release to my list, maybe just for one posting, to see what's changed. I look absurdly forward to finding out". <br /><br />Don't see them there (anymore), probably since they don't qualify as CRPGs and the list has become so much longer over time - quite understandable, though it also might provide a welcome respite and diversion.Buscanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-14532309399700870622022-03-12T03:54:33.905-05:002022-03-12T03:54:33.905-05:00Barely seems worth the bother of reviewing. We ne...Barely seems worth the bother of reviewing. We need another site to do these.12oclocknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-22805532369196049082022-03-12T02:05:25.273-05:002022-03-12T02:05:25.273-05:00Alternatively, what about Ambermoon, another 1993 ...Alternatively, what about Ambermoon, another 1993 game? Haven't played it myself yet, but read and heard good things about it.<br /><br />Or for a different experience, get Uncharted Waters from your 1990 "bag"? Sounds a bit like Pirates with which you had a lot of fun. Plus its sequel New Horizons is also on the master game list for the current year.<br /><br />And of course there's also FRUA in 1993 if you have the Goldbox craving, but don't (yet) want to do the Sorcerer's Isle / pyramid in POR / the module.Buscanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-1668836083722162332022-03-12T00:25:39.500-05:002022-03-12T00:25:39.500-05:00That's what I would suggest as well. IMO next ...That's what I would suggest as well. IMO next milestone RPG.finnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11981067574244446834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-31967792768918010352022-03-11T21:22:37.887-05:002022-03-11T21:22:37.887-05:00Interestingly, I found Sorcerer's Island very ...Interestingly, I found Sorcerer's Island very easy _because_ Ruins of Adventure told me how to handle the teleporters.<br /><br />Keep Search on at all times in the pyramid. When you're told you see rocks scattered about the smooth flagstones, if it's the very first teleporter, just walk into it. For each subsequent teleporter, throw one rock and then step into it. This will lead you directly to Yarash.Kishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11456086726407491007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-23769801089010889342022-03-11T19:26:04.272-05:002022-03-11T19:26:04.272-05:00How about Betrayal at Krondor next? You deserve pl...How about Betrayal at Krondor next? You deserve playing something good for a change. JarlFrankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08139422412722665286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-81663704613740439942022-03-11T18:26:44.789-05:002022-03-11T18:26:44.789-05:00At least the UI sounds easy to use. Lots of better...At least the UI sounds easy to use. Lots of better games fail at that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-51250398235723593052022-03-11T17:22:41.847-05:002022-03-11T17:22:41.847-05:00PS: And see Sasha again! Shouldn't that by its...PS: And see Sasha again! Shouldn't that by itself not be tempting enough?Buscanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-81105680385570477182022-03-11T16:59:16.001-05:002022-03-11T16:59:16.001-05:00Regarding the potential drawbacks of letting rando...Regarding the potential drawbacks of letting random rolls guide you as to what game to play next: I'm not sure about your current modus operandi now that the "upcoming" list is gone. But to give you a somewhat higher chance for variety in style and content (if not necessarily also always quality), maybe alternate between different "ages" when playing games that are not next in your current chronological order? E.g. pre 1985, 1986-1989 and 1990ff. (or any other subdivision you feel makes sense taking into account the number of games in your "bag" from each of them).Buscanoreply@blogger.com