Era II: Part 7; TECH, TECH, fantasy, TECH…

Things I Missed:

1977: Melee by  Metagaming.

1980: Dragonquest by SPI. Box set that included a map and die-cut countersheets.

1980, 1981, and 1987: Top Secret / S.I. by  TSR.

1984: Lords of Creation by Avalon Hill.

1985: Skyrealms of jorune by SkyRealms Publishing.

1985: The Arcanum by Bard Games.

1986: HarnMaster by Columbia Games.

The ripple of electronic games begin growing. For instance, Cosmic Soldier: Psychic War in 1987 featured a non-linear conversation system, where the player can recruit allies by talking to them, choose whether to kill or spare an enemy, and engage enemies in conversation, similar to Megami Tensei. One of the first action RPGs to feature multiple endings was Konami's 1987 release Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, which introduced a day-night cycle that affects when certain NPCs appear in certain locations and offered three possible endings depending on the time it took to complete the game. An important influence on the genre was the 1986 action-adventure, The Legend of Zelda. It had many features in common with RPGs and served as the template for future action RPGs. In 1987, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link implemented an RPG-esque system, including experience points and levels, with action game elements, making it closer to an action RPG than other Zelda games. Lucasfilm's graphical MUD Habitat ran from 1986 to 1988, after which it was closed down at the end of the pilot run. A graphical MUD is a MUD that uses computer graphics to represent parts of the virtual world and its visitors. In 1988, MUD concepts evolve into IRC, via Jarkko Oikarinen.

During this time, the next level of online chat systems are born. 1988 saw the debut of Telenet Japan's Exile, a series of action-platform RPGs, beginning with XZR: Idols of Apostate. The series was controversial for its plot, which revolves around a time-traveling Crusades-era Syrian Islamic Assassin who assassinates various religious/historical figures as well as modern-day political leaders, with similarities to the present-day Assassin's Creed action game series. A sized-down incarnation but with vastly improved graphics (avatars became equipped with facial expressions, for example) was launched for general release as Club Caribe on Quantum Link in January 1988.

Traveller 2300 AD is released by Game Designers Workshop; this offering of the Traveller: 2300 game had nothing to do with the Traveller RPG, rather, it was an extension of the Twilight 2000 game, bringing that post-apocalyptic world out to space with FTL tech. The 'Traveller' was removed in later editions.

Cyberpunk 2013, R. Talsorian Games. A boxed set and second edition to the game.

SpaceTime, is published by BTRC. This is a post WWIII cyberpunk world using a point-based skill system. Also by BTRC is Macho Women with Guns. Set in the ‘machoverse’ where Satan’s Batwinged Bimbows from Hell do battle with the Vatican’s Sisters of Our Lady of Harley-Davidson.

Space 1889, by Game Designers Workshop. A steampunk world where discredited Victorian scientific theories are true. Inner planetary travel is made possible by Edison’s”ether propeller”, etc.

The Dark Eye / Het Oog des Meesters published by Schmidt Spiele. This advanced ruleset of the first edition is written for advanced leveled characters and included the new world of Tharun, found within Ethra.

Stormbringer 3e by Games Workshop. It is similar to the previous editions.

Back in the real world, the Winter Olympics are held in Calgary. Summer Olympics are held in Seoul.  Who Framed Roger Rabbit is released. Greyhawk experiences a revival, after Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms have hit their stride. Jim Ward received over 500 fan suggestions for the revival. From this input, he presented the ideas to TSR, and Greyhawk Adventures was the response.