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ULTIMA (1980): THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE COMPUTER ROLE-PLAYING GAME
The unprecedented success of Ultima surprised no one more than its creator, Richard Garriott, known by his friends and fans as “Lord British.” Released in 1980 for the Apple II, Ultima wasn't the first computer role-playing game (CPRG), but it soon became the one that all others would be judged by—the one that really mattered. The game and its sequels would become so popular and influential that it's hard to imagine the industry without them. The Ultima series would last for nearly two decades, and its pioneering online incarnation, Ultima Online (see Chapter 24, “Ultima Online (1997): Putting the Role-Play Back in Computer Role-Playing Games”) is still active today. ...
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