tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post4721956839089884082..comments2024-03-29T02:34:55.592-04:00Comments on The CRPG Addict: Game 452: Catacombs of the Phantoms (1981)CRPG Addicthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-45288231193196585882023-08-30T18:02:19.960-04:002023-08-30T18:02:19.960-04:00The HLC is a big time stickler on having an advanc...The HLC is a big time stickler on having an advanced degree to teach the subject matter. Makes my pro wrestling curriculum difficult to implement. HahahahaZack Macomberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18077050078436768492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-38585441478172688302022-04-16T06:06:11.191-04:002022-04-16T06:06:11.191-04:00Yes, to each their own. I think this was a very in...Yes, to each their own. I think this was a very interesting article. The ones describing plot developments of gold box games (etc) I have to push through. For many it's probably the reverse but to me the obscure games hold a lot of interest.ILnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-25556082597551813682022-03-30T09:27:25.133-04:002022-03-30T09:27:25.133-04:00Reminds me to my early (and only)attempts at progr...Reminds me to my early (and only)attempts at programming.<br />Oh C64 Basic, where areth thou.minandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14447689252911339858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-30947039769899043662022-03-30T03:38:14.497-04:002022-03-30T03:38:14.497-04:00It seems to me that the CYOA books have extensive ...It seems to me that the CYOA books have extensive descriptions and path choices that these games largely lack. Why exactly would these games be based on CYOA instead of being made from scratch? The games are nothing complicated so making them from scratch ain't hard.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-42646442686204385612022-03-29T20:20:38.999-04:002022-03-29T20:20:38.999-04:00I was thinking the same thing (though I wad thinki...I was thinking the same thing (though I wad thinking of something more like the 'Lone Wolf' gamebooks, which are more RPG-like).100FloorsOfFrightshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07625564667909827929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-3498470001016899842022-03-28T19:19:46.282-04:002022-03-28T19:19:46.282-04:00Could all those games come from the "Chose yo...Could all those games come from the "Chose your own Adventure" books?<br />They were published before the 80' (dont know when in Australia) and follow the same principle:<br />you go from one Chapter number to another, you fight monster there. And Agility and Strength are the two characteristic you have, in most of them.<br /><br />If you wanted to adapt those book to computer at the time , i guess you couldn't do it in so many different way.<br />Nathan Pymhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13672524583329369999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-22401036505303716252022-03-28T18:37:45.300-04:002022-03-28T18:37:45.300-04:00I think it's partly an issue of academic stand...I think it's partly an issue of academic standards, and partly one of not undercutting their own product (to the degree that their product is credentialing, rather than education), or not giving anything away in the perennial battle against the administration to maintain lines/staffing. SLACs, or small liberal arts colleges, are usually far more flexible in that regard than big public universities.PK Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14416777230563913195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-66448601738863998932022-03-28T18:15:38.315-04:002022-03-28T18:15:38.315-04:00My university has a similar rule. I think it actua...My university has a similar rule. I think it actually comes from our accreditor.I can't even teach courses in my general field (English Lit) in which I didn't do any graduate-level coursework or publish any research.100FloorsOfFrightshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07625564667909827929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-15161257397884170312022-03-28T09:44:18.689-04:002022-03-28T09:44:18.689-04:00Back in the '80s, money in games didn't wo...Back in the '80s, money in games didn't work the way it did now, so you had to publish an absolute ton of them to break even. Early '80s, you're talking about cheap clones or variants on bigger-name arcades games. By the late '80s, you'd be getting into the high era of shovelware. I remember an indie bookstore near me that had a table packed full of $5 floppy disks (I still have a bunch; they seem oddly resistant to being ripped with modern hardware - some slightly non-standard formatting to squeeze a few more kb into them)Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09703211229982182936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-56620744194777017342022-03-27T11:42:24.898-04:002022-03-27T11:42:24.898-04:00(I suppose my point is really that, contra the FAQ...(I suppose my point is really that, <i>contra</i> the FAQ, contributions to Wikipedia won't be evaluated according to the site's definition of an RPG, as it doesn't really have one: it relies on what "reliable sources" say. Its filter is notability and press coverage -- plus commercial release, except pre-1985 it would seem -- rather than RPG mechanics. So directing folks to document obscure games on Wikipedia is likely to waste everyone's time, I'm sorry to say.)PK Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14416777230563913195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-27377032222092804942022-03-27T11:26:48.448-04:002022-03-27T11:26:48.448-04:00On the whole Wikipedia thing, wouldn't that de...<i>On the whole Wikipedia thing, wouldn't that depend upon finding enough "valid" sources that call a game a RPG?</i><br /><br />You're certainly correct that, as a tertiary source by design, Wikipedia is all about what (allegedly) reputable sources say about something, rather than the truth of that claim. (If Hydlide, Zelda, Metroid, etc. are described by an outside source as RPGs, then RPGs they are.)<br /><br />That said, I'm really talking about the criteria on Wikipedia for lists of things, which are <i>really</i> unclear. The list itself has to be notable, but the criteria for inclusion on that list are not well-documented at all. The set of pages the Addict referenced are a mess in that regard, since non-commercial efforts are included (among other reasons).<br /><br />@Addict: That's pretty much my point, yeah. I don't see how anything will be added to Wikipedia that fulfills the criteria of (1) not played already, (2) not on your list already, (3) from the era you've already covered. And I think adding commercial but non-notable games would, despite meeting WP's alleged criteria, get a lot of pushback; those lists look curated to me, not comprehensive.<br /><br />As for the type-in games, no argument there (in the Alford plea sense), but they sure are fun to read about!PK Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14416777230563913195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-9639417181746120132022-03-27T11:05:37.204-04:002022-03-27T11:05:37.204-04:00@Addict, no, I'm just going by the recently ad...@Addict, no, I'm just going by the recently added on the homepage. Which wouldn't help in the rare event someone updates a genre to include RPG, considering how much noise is on the recently updated.<br /><br />On the whole Wikipedia thing, wouldn't that depend upon finding enough "valid" sources that call a game a RPG? Or if a game is reevaluated and called a RPG by modern journalists.MorpheusKitamihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16591271981112642781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-66424503503355645702022-03-27T11:02:15.512-04:002022-03-27T11:02:15.512-04:00I'm not sure that type-in games should ever ha...I'm not sure that type-in games should ever have been on my list in the first place. But if your'e point is that I'm unlikely to find something on Wikipedia that isn't on MobyGames, you're probably right.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-53875645671568648292022-03-27T10:28:01.284-04:002022-03-27T10:28:01.284-04:00PK, the Wikipedia articles titled "List of Ro...<i>PK, the Wikipedia articles titled "List of Role-Playing Video Games" doesn't require articles on games added to the list.</i><br /><br />Noted, but the criteria -- both on the main "List of role-playing video games" page and on almost all the subpages -- seem to demand <i>commercial</i> RPGs. At the very least that would exclude the type-in games you've been encountering, among other things like freeware.<br /><br />(Right now that may sound to you like a feature, rather than a bug, but that aside...)<br /><br />The one exception is 1975-1985, which is interesting -- that subpage <i>doesn't</i> have the "commercial" language. I expect what they really mean is "commercial and/or notable", which is fine, but I don't think the non-comprehensiveness of Wikipedia's list is due to lack of effort; I think it's by design, and any attempt to make it comprehensive in the way that Mobygames is would be stamped out by trigger-happy editors.<br /><br />Put differently, I may be wrong, but I don't think they'd tolerate a list full of redlinks to BASIC type-in games, or even the likes of Gates of Delirium. PK Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14416777230563913195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-72266906893241747572022-03-27T08:22:22.122-04:002022-03-27T08:22:22.122-04:00>"gargoyle stoning" potion
I think I...>"gargoyle stoning" potion<br /><br />I think I know the main ingredient...fireballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01094871771537115267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-13967665292738087612022-03-27T06:48:44.551-04:002022-03-27T06:48:44.551-04:00Yeah, that's me.Yeah, that's me.Dungyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12199751859534712567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-89049069007857171122022-03-27T04:32:57.724-04:002022-03-27T04:32:57.724-04:00Ah Dungy, you must be Hoeksmas ! Thank you again f...Ah Dungy, you must be Hoeksmas ! Thank you again for sending me the manual of Armor Assault. Also, you did put on mobygames some forgotten jewels (eg Starbase Hyperion... for Exidy Sorcerer for my niche) that I would have totally missed without you.<br /><br />On the other hand, checking 10+ type-in games to check whether they would qualify as wargames (and for Chet, the same for RPG but more like 50+ I guess) was tedious :).Narwhal, the Wargaming Scribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05808952600298482923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-50792273759157216842022-03-27T00:17:13.853-04:002022-03-27T00:17:13.853-04:00PK, the Wikipedia articles titled "List of Ro...PK, the Wikipedia articles titled "List of Role-Playing Video Games" doesn't require articles on games added to the list. <br /><br />Morpheus, is there a way to search MobyGames for titles added after a particular date? CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-29041320195468544692022-03-27T00:12:44.420-04:002022-03-27T00:12:44.420-04:00So, my university is (somewhat obnoxiously) kind o...So, my university is (somewhat obnoxiously) kind of a stickler for one having a particular education in order to teach a subject. I proposed classes on Arthurian Literature and jazz history, citing my own expertise, but they won't let me teach either unless I get degrees in something to do with English or music, respectively. Thus, I assume the same would be true about games and game development. CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-24862448351776560442022-03-26T19:42:22.775-04:002022-03-26T19:42:22.775-04:00It's not just possible, but relatively easy in...It's not just possible, but relatively easy in programming to clone a product (e.g. Ultima) without having any access to the source code. You just empirically analyze the behavior of the program and reproduce it. Maybe you are a little or a lot off, but no one will probably notice.<br /><br />The text of the source code is certainly copyrighted, and the binary generated by the compiler is at least a Derivative Work. But if you don't use any of the assets, and didn't look at the code, it's a clean room reproduction. So I would say "clone" is appropriate, but "plagiarism" to me implies actual copyright infringement; for example, use or access to the original code.<br /><br />IANAL, but I do have a 4-digit ID on Slashdot.<br /><br />It's also possible that software copyright law has been tightened over the past couple decades since I last read up on it. But, most of the games we are talking about here are more than a couple decades old.Iffy Bonzooliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07519858732154180575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-1035918260518177392022-03-26T19:27:53.458-04:002022-03-26T19:27:53.458-04:00Interestingly, the new policy of only going by Mob...Interestingly, the new policy of only going by Mobygames wouldn't thwart the seemingly greatest contributor to Chet's load...Iffy Bonzooliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07519858732154180575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-89103693766375979972022-03-26T17:05:38.356-04:002022-03-26T17:05:38.356-04:00I don't which is correct... butt you made my d...I don't which is correct... butt you made my day laughing so hard.<br />arthurdawghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04269435724709435094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-11954395891671864712022-03-26T16:20:31.614-04:002022-03-26T16:20:31.614-04:00The University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada) has a...The University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada) has a formal program of study about video game design. The University of Calgary (Alberta, Canada) was actively collecting vintage video games a few years ago, presumably to support an academic program, but I do not know the specific details.<br /><br />I am only very casually following these developments -- I currently work in academia, but as an administrator -- but the few scholarly sources I have seen are focused on more action-oriented games. I am unaware of any academic review of CRPGs, historical or otherwise.Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08526120228467162158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-56556661083200176262022-03-26T16:05:16.578-04:002022-03-26T16:05:16.578-04:00I think these obscure little BRIEFS have been pret...I think these obscure little BRIEFS have been pretty interesting. Probably nice to get away from the longer ones every now and then!<br />arthurdawghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04269435724709435094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-89640303305044996722022-03-26T14:01:09.980-04:002022-03-26T14:01:09.980-04:00Semi-tangentially, I'm uncertain how Wikipedia...Semi-tangentially, I'm uncertain how Wikipedia's list would be of relevance to the project at this point (barring games that have already been played or are yet to come). Wouldn't anything unknown from 1993 and before be, more or less by definition, non-notable by Wikipedia's standards? In other words, <i>can</i> anyone add anything pre-1994 to the Wikipedia list at this point without it being immediately deleted by the self-described deletionists over there?PK Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14416777230563913195noreply@blogger.com