Interview with the creators of dnd (PLATO)
A 2012 interview about one of the first video RPGs, dnd and pedit5.
In the mid 1970s Gary Whisenhunt and Ray Wood created one of the earliest computer roleplaying videogames, dnd, which also happened to be one of the first “fan games”. Although little known today, their work pre-dates much better known series like Ultima, Wizardry and Dragon Quest — and is the basis for many game elements now commonly seen in videogames, such as 'bosses'.
dnd, also known as the ‘Game of Dungeons’, was distributed on the PLATO, a pioneering mainframe-based time-sharing system for computer assisted instruction which had many features modern internet users would recognize today; chat rooms, multiplayer games and email. The mainframe was remotely accessed through a system of plasma display terminals found in classrooms and libraries in many college campuses across the world.
Gary and Ray later turned development of dnd over to Dirk and Flint Pellett, who continued to refine its mechanics into the 80s. I was able to track down all four authors by email and interview them.
