''The Game Of Dungeons'', also known as ''dnd'' due to its

filename A filename or file name is a name used to uniquely identify a computer file in a file system. Different file systems impose different restrictions on filename lengths. A filename may (depending on the file system) include: * name – base ...

, is a

computer role-playing game A computer is a machine that can be programmed to automatically carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (''computation''). Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as ''programs'', w ...

released in 1975. The name ''dnd'' is derived from the abbreviation "D&D" from the original

tabletop role-playing game A tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG or TRPG), also known as a pen-and-paper role-playing game, is a kind of role-playing game (RPG) in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech and sometimes movements. Participants d ...

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...

''. ''dnd'' was written in the TUTOR programming language for the

PLATO system PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations), also known as Project Plato and Project PLATO, was the first generalized computer-assisted instruction system. Starting in 1960, it ran on the University of Illinois's ILLIAC I compu ...

by Gary Whisenhunt and Ray Wood at

Southern Illinois University Southern Illinois University is a system of public universities in the southern region of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its headquarters is in Carbondale, Illinois. Board of trustees The university is governed by the nine member SIU Board of T ...

in 1974 and 1975. Dirk Pellett of

Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...

and Flint Pellett of the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...

made substantial enhancements to the game from 1976 to 1985. ''dnd'' is notable for being the first interactive game to feature what would later be referred to as bosses.

Gameplay

In ''dnd'', players create a

character Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to Theoph ...

and venture into the multi-level Whisenwood Dungeon (a

portmanteau In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together.

of the authors' last names) in search of two ultimate treasures: the grail and the orb. The game presents players with an overhead view of the dungeon, but also implements many basic concepts of ''

''. The Whisenwood dungeon consists of multiple maze-like levels. As players complete each level, they are allowed to advance to the next, but the players may return to previous levels and leave the dungeon altogether making ''dnd'' one of the first video games to use non-linear progression. As players complete levels, they acquire new spells, weapons and items that aid them in their

quest A quest is a journey toward a specific mission or a goal. It serves as a plot device in mythology and fiction: a difficult journey towards a goal, often symbolic or allegorical. Tales of quests figure prominently in the folklore of every nat ...

to find the ultimate treasures. Teleporters move characters between dungeon levels. High-level monsters, including a Golden Dragon that guards the Orb, are found at the end of each dungeon. Leaving the dungeon allows one to recuperate and regain spells and return later. Dnd8won

References

Sources

* "Retro Playing Games", ''

Computer Games A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

'', April, 2006, p. 36–37.

External links

cyber1.org
– ''dnd'' as well as many other dungeon games can be played on this system. {{DISPLAYTITLE:''dnd'' (1975 video game) 1975 video games Dungeons & Dragons video games PLATO (computer system) games Role-playing video games Video games developed in the United States