Rogue (1980)

by Ji-yeong
6 minutes read

Summary

Rogue: The Grandfather of Roguelikes

Rogue is a dungeon crawling video game first developed by Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman around 1980. It was a favorite on college Unix systems in the early to mid-1980s, in part due to the procedural generation of game content. Rogue is considered to be the grandfather of the roguelike genre, and has influenced countless other games since its release.

Gameplay

Rogue is a turn-based dungeon crawling game. The player controls a single character who explores a randomly generated dungeon, fighting monsters, collecting treasure, and completing quests. The dungeon is divided into a series of rooms, each of which may contain monsters, traps, or treasure. The player must carefully navigate the dungeon, using their wits and skills to survive.

One of the most innovative features of Rogue is its procedural generation. This means that the dungeon is different every time the player starts a new game. This keeps the game fresh and challenging, as the player never knows what to expect.

Another key feature of Rogue is its permadeath. This means that if the player’s character dies, they lose all of their progress and must start the game over from the beginning. This can be frustrating, but it also adds to the game’s challenge and tension.

Legacy

Rogue has had a profound impact on the video game industry. It is considered to be the grandfather of the roguelike genre, and has influenced countless other games since its release. Roguelikes are typically characterized by their procedurally generated levels, permadeath, and turn-based gameplay.

Some of the most popular roguelikes include:

  • ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery)
  • Angband
  • Brogue
  • Caves of Qud
  • Diablo
  • DoomRL
  • Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup
  • FTL: Faster Than Light
  • Hades
  • The Binding of Isaac
  • TOME (Tales Of Middle Earth)

Rogue has also been ported to a wide variety of platforms, including:

  • Apple II
  • Atari ST
  • Commodore 64
  • DOS
  • Linux
  • Macintosh
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Unix

Critical Reception

Rogue has received critical acclaim since its release. It has been praised for its innovative gameplay, challenging difficulty, and replayability. In 1984, Rogue was named one of the “十大 Most Important Computer Games of All Time” by Byte magazine. In 2004, Rogue was inducted into the Game Developers Conference Hall of Fame.

Conclusion

Rogue is a classic video game that has stood the test of time. It is a challenging and rewarding experience that has influenced countless other games. If you are a fan of dungeon crawling games, or if you are interested in the history of video games, then you owe it to yourself to check out Rogue.

10 Interesting Facts About Rogue

  1. Rogue was originally developed as a way to test the Unix operating system.
  2. The game was inspired by the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.
  3. Rogue was one of the first games to use procedural generation to create its levels.
  4. The game’s permadeath feature was added to make the game more challenging and realistic.
  5. Rogue was ported to a wide variety of platforms, including the Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Linux, Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, and Unix.
  6. Rogue has been praised by critics for its innovative gameplay, challenging difficulty, and replayability.
  7. Rogue was inducted into the Game Developers Conference Hall of Fame in 2004.
  8. Rogue has been cited as an influence on countless other video games, including Diablo, Doom, and The Binding of Isaac.
  9. Rogue is still played by a dedicated community of fans today.
  10. Rogue is considered to be one of the most important video games of all time.

Review Score

9/10

Art

Cover Art

Screenshots

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