Temple of Apshai

Name: Temple of Apshai
Programmer(s): Michael Farren
Publisher: ASIM
Year: 1979

Description:

Temple of Apshai, released in 1979 by Automated Simulations (later Epyx), stands as one of the earliest commercial role-playing games for personal computers, including the Apple II. The game put players in control of a brave adventurer exploring dangerous dungeons filled with monsters and treasure.

Players began by creating their character, assigning values to strength, constitution, dexterity, and intelligence. These stats affected combat abilities, health, and other gameplay elements. The game featured an innovative dual-screen system where one screen displayed the dungeon layout in simple line graphics, while text descriptions helped players imagine the environment.

The dungeons contained over 200 rooms spread across four levels of increasing difficulty. Players moved their character using keyboard commands, searching for treasure and battling creatures like giant rats, skeletons, and the feared antmen. Combat was turn-based, with success determined by character stats and random number generation.

A unique feature was the detailed room descriptions in the included "Book of Lore," which players needed to reference during gameplay. Room number 20 might describe "cobwebs hanging from crumbling stone walls" while displaying basic graphics on screen. This manual integration helped create a more immersive experience despite technical limitations.

The game saved progress through a simple password system. Players could leave dungeons to heal, buy new equipment, and sell treasure before returning to explore deeper levels. Equipment management was critical, as characters needed to balance carrying capacity with combat readiness.

Temple of Apshai influenced many later computer RPGs through its combination of statistical character development, exploration, and combat. It spawned several sequels and expansions, including Upper Reaches of Apshai and Curse of Ra. The game's success helped establish the computer RPG genre and demonstrated that home computers could deliver complex gaming experiences.

Despite basic graphics and sound, Temple of Apshai's detailed gameplay systems and storytelling through text made it a standout title in early computer gaming history. Its influence can be seen in countless RPGs that followed, establishing conventions still used in modern games.