''Space'' (also called ''Space I'') is a

text-based In computing, text-based user interfaces (TUI) (alternately terminal user interfaces, to reflect a dependence upon the properties of computer terminals and not just text), is a retronym describing a type of user interface (UI) common as an ear ...

role-playing video game Role-playing video games, also known as CRPG (computer/console role-playing games), comprise a broad video game genre generally defined by a detailed story and character advancement (often through increasing characters' levels or other skills) ...

for the

Apple II Apple II ("apple Roman numerals, two", stylized as Apple ][) is a series of microcomputers manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1977 to 1993. The Apple II (original), original Apple II model, which gave the series its name, was designed ...

designed by Steven Pederson and Sherwin Steffin of Edu-Ware, Edu-Ware Services. It was one of the first science fiction RPGs to appear on personal computers. An expansion pack, ''Space II'' by David Mullich, was released in the same year. The game system was based upon the '' Traveller (role-playing game), Traveller'' role-playing-game, created by

Game Designers' Workshop Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) was a Board wargame, wargame and role-playing game publisher from 1973 to 1996. Many of their games are now carried by other publishers. History Game Designers' Workshop was originally established June 22, 1973. ...

, which sued Edu-Ware for copyright infringement in

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...

. In an out-of-court settlement, both ''Space'' and ''Space II'' were removed from the market.

Gameplay

Players begin by creating characters to play in a futuristic interstellar society and then enrolling them in one of the military services: Navy, Army, Scouts, Merchant Marines, and other Services. While in the service, players choose their character's training, provided they qualify for it. Depending upon characters' physical and mental abilities, they may learn such skills as brawling, bribery, swordsmanship, computers, interstellar navigation, spaceship piloting, and so on. Through training and study, characters can also increase their base physical and mental abilities. Characters have a choice to leave the service after every four years of enlistment, provided that they have not been killed or suffered serious injury. After retiring from the service, characters can engage in one of the scenarios that are included with each version of the game. Scenarios can increase a character's wealth or grant possessions, but with the exception of the Psychodelia scenario in ''Space II'', they cannot voluntarily alter a character's abilities. However, most character traits degrade over time as the character ages during gameplay. If a character dies during any of the scenarios, the text file defining the character is immediately erased from the game disk.

Development

''Space'' was conceived by Pederson and Steffin while the former was still attending college at

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...

. The two used the game concept to convince Rainbow Computing, a computer store that sold Edu-Ware games through its mail order catalog, to provide Pederson with an

in exchange for receiving product at cost. When Pederson and Steffin learned that Rainbow had announced ''Space'' in its catalog before the game was completed, the two spent twenty-four straight hours debugging the game without the benefit of Edu-Ware even owning a printer at the time.

Reception

Both games were well-received critically, earning an "A−" rating in a 1980 in video gaming, 1980 ''Peelings II'' review. Bruce Webster reviewed ''Space'' and ''Space II'' in ''The Space Gamer'' No. 31. Webster commented that "I'm afraid I can't recommend these games in their current condition, at least not at their price. If you've got money and time to burn, though, you might get them and rewrite them yourselves - but do so at your own risk."

Legacy

Expansion pack

David Mullich created ''Space II'', an

expansion pack An expansion pack, expansion set, supplement, or simply expansion, is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game, video game, collectible card game or Miniature wargaming, miniature wargame. An expansion may introduce new rules ...

, published in 1979. It was his first game for Edu-Ware. It consists of the character creation module and two additional game scenarios. Mullich wrote ''Space II'' as an exercise in risk-benefit analysis. The character is presented with dangerous options throughout the game, and the player must determine whether the potential rewards are worth the possible risks.

Lawsuit

successfully sued Edu-Ware for copyright infringement of their '' Traveller (role-playing game), Traveller'' pen-and-paper role-playing game. In an out of court settlement, Edu-Ware suspended publication of ''Space'' and ''Space II'', but the company had already replaced both games with the ''Empire'' space trilogy, based on an original role-playing game system.

References

External links

* and * and {{mobygames, id=/space-ii, name=''Space II'' Role-playing video games Science fiction video games Apple II games Apple II-only games Edu-Ware games Video games developed in the United States Video games with textual graphics 1979 video games Video games set in outer space Single-player video games