Index of Games Played by Lineage
This page, a work in progress, will eventually have all games played by their lineages, whether thematic or technical. Only lineages with more than three games are included.
Dungeons & Dragons Officially Licensed Games
Intellivision Series by Mattel (no campaign setting)
The "Gold Box" and "Silver Box" Series by Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Forgotten Realms Pool of Radiance Series
- Pool of Radiance (1988): P1 | P2 | P3 | P4 | P5 | P6 | P7 | P8 | P9 | P10 | Won | Rating
- Hillsfar (1989): P1 | Rating | ►UV
- Curse of the Azure Bonds (1989): P1 | P2 | P3 | P4 | P5 | P6 | Won | Rating | ►EV
- Secret of the Silver Blades (1990): P1 | P2 | P3 | P4 | P5 | Won | Rating
- Pools of Darkness (1991): P1 | P2 | P3 | P4 | P5 | P6 | P7 | P8 | Won | Rating
Forgotten Realms Savage Frontier Series
- Gateway to the Savage Frontier (1991): P1 | P2 | P3 | P4 | Won | Rating
- Treasures of the Savage Frontier (1992): P1 | P2 | P3 | Won
Dragonlance Series
- Heroes of the Lance (1988): P1
- Dragons of Flame (1989): B
- Shadow Sorcerer (1990): B
- DragonStrike (1990): B1
- Champions of Krynn (1990): P1 | P2 | P3 | P4 | Won | Rating
- Death Knights of Krynn (1991): P1 | P2 | P3 | Won | Final | ►EV
- Dark Queen of Krynn, The (1992): P1 | P2 | P3 | P4 | P5 | Won | Rating
Eye of the Beholder Series by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (Dungeon Master Clones; Forgotten Realms)
Console Games by Westwood Studios in the Mystara Setting
Dark Sun Series by Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Others
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Everything below here is in progress.
The Ultima Series and Clones
This lineage is difficult because Origin Systems, the creators of Ultima, took pains to recreate the game engine and interface between releases. There is more consistency in Ultima clones than in the primary Ultima games.
Akalabeth (1980) pioneered single-character first-person exploration of wireframe dungeons with action-oriented combat. These dungeons were also featured in Ultima (1981) and Ultima II (1982), but they were only part of a larger world. Outside the dungeon, these games introduced an icongraphic interface in which the character moved across a tiled landscape, fought battles with a single action key, talked to NPCs with one-way, one-line dialogue options, and bought and cast spells, which were treated like inventory. The character leveled up by buying hit points.
Exodus: Ultima III (1983) kept the iconography and one-line dialogues but radically changed other aspects of the game. The player controlled multiple characters, and combat switched to a turn-based tactical interface. The series switched to more traditional experience and leveling and introduced spell points and a greater selection of spells. Dungeon exploration remained first-person, but no longer wireframe, and no longer action-oriented. Ultima IV: Quest for the Avatar (1985) kept most of Ultima III's interface but replaced one-line NPC interaction with keyword-based dialogue. It also greatly expanded the character inventories, introduced a reagent system for spellcasting, and divided dungeon exploration into corridors (first-person) and rooms (iconographic). Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny (1988) built on the interface even further with extensive environmental interaction, and it added a syllable system (in addition to reagents) for spellcasting.
Ultima VI: The False Prophet (1990) threw out the entire engine and replaced it with an axonometric interface in which all characters were seen at the same time (instead of represented by a single icon). There was no separate combat screen. Inventory was expanded again (this time with a paperdoll interface), keyword dialogue retained. Dungeon exploration now used the same interface as outdoor exploration. Two spinoff games used this same interface.
The two parts of Ultima VII (1992/1993) again completely changed the interface, now fully integrating the mouse in environmental and inventory interactions. Interface elements were hidden until called for, using the full monitor for the exploration window. Keyword-based dialogue was retained, but with the player now clicking on a set of options.
The Ultima Underworld series, not designed by Origin, introduced an entirely new lineage with its first-person, continuous-scrolling, immersive-dungeon exploration.
The Ultima Series
The Eamon Lineage
Eamon (1980) introduced an RPG/text adventure hybrid, with multiple modules connected through a central "adventurer's guild" hub.
Adventure, The: Only the Fittest Shall Survive (1985): P1
The Stuart Smith Classical Series
This series focuses on themes from the classical world and iconographic exploration. Monsters and NPCs are the same, every person and creature belonging to a "faction" that might be friend or foe. The series uses "big ball of violence" combat (except for the last entry) and several other innovations that tend to make gameplay fast-paced, fun, deadly, and replayable.
The Valley and its Clones
The Valley (1982) was a type-in game published in Computing Today. A single character must roam a landscape, enter several structures, and encounter various treasures. Each square has a chance of an encounter, including simple battles and encounters with NPCs or environmental conditions that might improve or harm you. I guess because it was a type-in game, it was so easy to use as a basis for further development.
Amulet, The (1983): P1
The Alternate Reality/City Simulator Line
This lineage offers the same first-person exploration as many games of the day but in the context of a harsher, deadlier, less abstract game world. Elements include hunger, thirst, disease, fatigue, weather conditions, and detailed NPC interaction that may include efforts to charm, bribe, and trick NPCs. The environment offers factions and guilds that the player must join to advance. The plot sometimes feels secondary to handling basic needs and surviving.
The Dungeon Master Lineage
These
games are characterized by first-person exploration, tile-based
movement, real-time combat in the main exploration window, and a
"cool-down" timer after attacks.
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