Friday, October 02, 2009

here, have some raw data

I had this in the Files section of the Encounter Critical yahoo group for years, but I'm not sure anybody looks at it over there.

Jeff's Incomplete 70's Gaming Timeline

1971

Chainmail

1972

4000 AD (sci-fi wargame)

1973

Alien Space (sci-fi ship-to-ship wargame)
Sniper! (wargame)

1974

Dungeons & Dragons
Warriors of Mars (Barsoomian minis game, proto-RPG)
Bio One (generic combat add-on)
StarForce (sci-fi wargame)

1975

Boot Hill
The Complete Warlock (appearing in issue #9 of Spartan magazine)
Empire of the Petal Throne
En Garde
Tunnels & Trolls
Greyhawk (D&D Supplement I)
Blackmoor (D&D Supplement II)
Strategic Review issues 1-5
Invasion America (sci-fi wargame)
Dungeon! (boardgame)
Sorcerer (fantasy wargame)

1976

Bunnies & Burrows
Knights of the Round Table
Metamorphosis Alpha
Monsters! Monsters!
Starfaring
Uuhraah!
Eldritch Wizardry (D&D Supplement III)
Gods, Demi-Gods, & Heroes (D&D Supplement IV)
Swords & Spells (minis rules for D&D)
Strategic Review, issues 6 & 7
Dragon, issues 1-4 (starting in June)
Dungeon Geomorphs Set 1 (D&D)
Palace of the Vampire Queen (D&D adventure)
City State of the Invincible Overlord (D&D setting)
Manual of Aurania (generic fantasy)
Dungeon Tac Cards (D&D playaid)
Star Command (sci-fi ship-to-ship wargame)
The Book of Demons (generic fantasy)
The Book of Monsters (generic fantasy)
Buffalo Castle (T&T adventure)
Dungeon of the Bear, Level 1 (T&T adventure)
Bio One (2nd edition, generic combat add-on)

1977

The Arduin Grimoire
Arduin Artifact Cards
Arduin Monster Cards
Arduin Weapon Cards
Magik Artifacts from Arduin
Magik Weapons from Arduin
Monsters from Arduin
Bifrost, Volume 1: Faerie
Chivalry & Sorcery
D&D Basic Set (editor: J. Eric Holmes)
En Garde (2nd edition)
Melee (The Fantasy Trip)
Flash Gordon & The Warriors of Mongo
Space Quest
Space Patrol (1st edition Star Patrol)
Superhero 2044
Traveller
Tunnels & Trolls (2nd edition)
Monster Manual (AD&D, December)
Dragon, issues 5-11
Dungeon Geomorphs Sets 2 & 3 (D&D)
Monster & Treasure Assortments Sets 1 & 2 (D&D)
Dwarven Glory (D&D adventure)
Tegel Manor (D&D adventure)
Modron (D&D adventure)
Wilderlands of High Fantasy (D&D setting)
Judges Shield (first GM screen)
Instant Bad Guys (D&D supplement)
Ogre (micro wargame)
Chitin I (micro wargame)
WarpWar (micro wargame)
Rivets (micro wargame)
Authentic Thaumathurgy (self-published edition)
All the Worlds Monsters, volumes I & II (D&D monster books)
Imperium (Trav boardgame)
Star Fleet Battle Manual (Trek wargame)
The Book of Sorcery (generic fantasy)
Book of Dragons (generic fantasy)
Critter Fantastical (generic fantasy)
The First Fantasy Campaign (Dave Arneson)
The Misty Isles (generic fantasy adventure)
Wizard's Aide (generic fantasy)
Dargon's Dungeon (T&T adventure)
Deathtrap Equalizer Dungeon (T&T adventure)
Dungeon of the Bear, Levels 2 & 3 (T&T adventures)
Labyrinth (T&T adventure)
Naked Doom (T&T adventure)
Overkill (T&T adventure)
Professional Wrestling (generic combat add-on)
Nomad Gods (pre-RQ wargame)
War of the Ring (Middle Earth wargame)

1978

Player's Handbook (AD&D, June)
Welcome to Skull Tower (Arduin Grimoire Vol. II)
The Runes of Doom (Arduin Grimoire Vol. III)
Adventures in Fantasy
Age of Chivalry
Bifrost, Volume 2: Combat
Bifrost, Volume 3: Magic
The Complete Warlock (published as seperate game)
Wizard (The Fantasy Trip)
Gamma World
High Fantasy
The Infinity System
John Carter, Warlod of Mars
Legacy
Once Upon A Time in the West
Realm of Yolmi (1st & 2nd editions!)
Runequest
Simian Combat
Starships & Spacemen
Star Trek: Adventure Gaming in the Final Frontier
What Price Glory?!
Dragon, issues 12-21
Monster & Treasure Assortments Set 3 (D&D)
B1 In Search of the Unknown (D&D adventure)
G1 Steading of the Hill Giant Chief (AD&D adventure)
G2 Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl (AD&D adventure)
G3 Hall fo the Fire Giant King (AD&D adventure)
D1 Descent into the Depths of the Earth (AD&D adventure)
D2 Shrine of the Kuo-Toa (AD&D adventure)
D3 Vault of the Drow (AD&D adventure)
S1 Tomb of Horros (AD&D adventure)
Quest for the Fazzlewood (?D&D adventure)
Thieves of Fotress Badabaskor (D&D adventure)
Gen Con IX Dungeon (D&D adventure)
Revised City State of the Invincible Overlord (D&D setting)
Citadel of Fire (D&D adventure)
Fantastic Wilderlands Beyond (D&D setting)
Frontier Forts of Kelnore (D&D adventure kit)
The Dragon Crown (D&D adventure)
The Solo Dungeon (D&D adventure)
House Rules for the World of Nimolee
Infernax of Spells and Black Magic (D&D supplment)
Death Test (Melee adventure)
Olympica (micro wargame)
G.E.V. (micro wargame)
Ice War (micro wargame)
Book 4: Mercenary (Trav supplement)
Supplement 1: 1001 Characters (Trav supplement)
Mayday (Trav game)
Armies of Tekumel, Vol I, Tsolyanu (Tekumel wargaming supplement)
Deeds of the Ever-Glorious (Tekumel wargaming supplement)
The Tsolyani Language (Tekumel supplement)
Authentic Thaumathurgy (Chaosium edition)
The Book of Monsters (2nd edition, generic fantasy)
The Book of Shamans (generic fantasy)
The Book of Treasure (generic fantasy)
Dungeoneer Issues 1-6 Compendium
Manual of Aurania (2nd edition, generic fantasy)
T.H.E. Non-Player Character (generic fantasy)
Apple Lane (RQ adventure)
Balastor's Barracks (RQ adventure)
Creatures of Chaos 1: Scorpion Men & Broos (RQ supplement)
Trolls & Trollkin (RQ adventure)
Beyond the Silver Pane (T&T adventure)
Castles & Kingdoms (T&T settings)
City of Terrors (T&T adventure)
Dimensions & Doors T&T supplement)
Uncle Ugly's Underground (T&T adventure)
Spacefarer's Guide to Planets, Sector 1 (generic sci-fi)

1979

Adventures in Fantasy (2nd edition)
Bifrost, Volume 4
Boot Hill (2nd edition)
Buccaneer
Bushido (Tyr edition)
Commando
Crimson Cutlass
Gangster!
Heroes
Melee (2nd & 3rd editions)
Monsters! Monsters! (2nd edition)
Mortal Combat
Runequest (2nd edition)
Tunnels & Trolls (3rd edition)
Villains & Vigilantes
Wizard
Ysgarth
Dungeon Master's Guide (AD&D, August)
The Necromican (spellbook, Erol Otus cover)
B2 Keep on the Borderlands (D&D adventure, December)
T1 The Village of Hommlet (AD&D adventure)
S2 White Plume Mountain (AD&D adventure)
Of Skulls & Scrapfaggot Green (D&D adventure, Gen Con X dungeon)
Under the Storm Giant's Castle (D&D adventure)
Rahasia (D&D adventure, May)
The Maltese Clue (AD&D adventure)
Book of Treasure Maps (D&D adventures)
Caverns of Thracia (D&D adventures)
The Mines of Custalcon (D&D adventure)
Operation Ogre (D&D adventure)
Survival of the Fittest (D&D adventure)
Verbosh (D&D setting)
Warlock's Tower (supplement to the Complete Warlock)
Valkenburg Castle (micro wargame)
Starfire (micro wargame)
Asteroid Zero-Four (micro wargame)
Cerebus (micro wargame)
Star Fleet Battles (released first as a micro wargame, later as a
boxed set)
Demons (micro wargame)
DeathMaze (micro wargame)
Teh Creature That Ate Sheboygan (micro wargame)
StarGate (micro wargame)
Titan Strike (micro wargame)
Vector 3 (micro wargame)
World War 1 (micro wargame)
Book 5: High Guard (Trav supplement)
Supplement 2: Animal Encounters (Trav supplement)
Supplement 3: The Spinward Marches (Trav supplement)
Supplement 4: Citizens of the Imperium (Trav supplement)
Adventure 1: The Kinunir (Trav adventure)
Snapshot (Trav game)
Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society, issues 1 & 2
Spacefarer's Guide to Alien Races (generic sci-fi supplement)
Spacefarer's Guide to Alien Monsters (generic sci-fi supplement)
Arduin Dungeon No. 1: Caliban
Arduin Dungeon No. 2: The Howling Tower
Arduin Dungeon No. 3: The Citadel of Thunder
Arden (C&S setting)
Destrier (C&S supplement)
Saurians (C&S supplement)
Swords & Sorcerers (C&S supplement)
Northwest Frontier Maps (Tekumel supplement)
Booty & The Beasts (generic fantasy, Erol Otus)
New Magical & Technological Item Cards (generic fantasy, Erol Otus)
Cities (generic fantasy, Midkemia Press)
Lost Abbey of Calthonwey (generic fantasy adventure)
The Monkey God's Curse (generic fantasy adventure)
Notnaidag Robber Headquarters (generic fantasy adventure)
Order of St. Talis (generic fantasy)
Overland Encounters, First through Fourth levels (generic fantasy)
Overland Encounters, Fifth through Eight levels (generic fantasy)
Underground Encounters, First through Fourth levels (generic fantasy)
The Spellcaster's Bible (D&D/Arduin supplement)
T.H.E. Fighter (generic fantasy combat system)
Tower of Elbrith (generic fantasy adventure)
Trap Manual (generic fantasy)
Fortress Ellendar (High Fantasy adventure)
Broken Tree In (RQ adventure)
Cults of Prax (RQ supplement)
Hellpits of Nightfang (RQ adventure)
Militia & Mercenaries (RQ supplement)
Snake Pipe Hollow (RQ adventure)
Demons & Notmen (T&T supplement)
Dungeon of the Bear compilation (T&T adventure)
Goblin Lake (T&T adventure)
Sword for Hire (T&T adventure)
Weirdworld (T&T adventure)
Spacefarer's Guide to Planets, Sector 2, Rourkes Diadem (generic sci-fi)

SOURCES

John Kim's An Encylopedia of Role-Playing Games,
http://www.darkshire.net/~jhkim/rpg/encyclopedia/

The Acaeum, http://www.acaeum.com/

The Museum of Role Playing Games,
http://rdushay.home.mindspring.com/Museum/Index.html

The Maverick's Classic Microgame Museum,
http://maverick.brainiac.com/cmm/index.html

After Glow's The non-TSR xD&D Item List, http://www.stud.uni-
hamburg.de/users/afterglo/rpg/nontsr.html

The Judge's Guild Codex, http://keltic71.tripod.com/Index.html

The Graphical Bibliography of Traveller,
http://www.travellerbibliography.org/

Lawrence Schick's _Heroic_Worlds_

Jon Freeman's The_Complete_Book_of_Wargames

17 comments:

  1. I have to admit, I'm always surprised to see how many RPGs came out that early. Even by 1976/77, they were really beginning to pile up.

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  2. Meh - too crunchy. I prefer my data steamed. ;)

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  3. This information can also be found at Darkshire's RPG Encyclopedia, which can be grouped chronologically.

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  4. Scott: John Kim's site is one of the listed sources, but unless I'm missing something I don't think his site covers supplements, only games.

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  5. Anonymous11:30 AM

    At first I thought these were the games you played back then. By 1974 I was getting pretty overwhelmed!

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  6. quite the info dump!

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  7. Jeff,

    A couple you might want to add are the pre-Runequest Glorantha based war games...

    White Bear & Red Moon (1975)
    Nomad Gods (1975)

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  8. Oops, I see you have Nomad Gods there in 1977. Maybe White Bear & Red Moon is in there, too, and I just don't see it.

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  9. Wonderful! I really nice resource.

    But I wonder at some of the T&T data. 5th ed was published 1979. I know that for a fact. So 4th should be in the list as well as 5th. I don't own any edition earlier than 5th so I can't tell you when it was published though. I guess Rick Loomis or Ken St Andre might remember.

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  10. Far out, man. Now we need retro-clones of every game on the list.

    And FWIW Zocchi's 1973 Alien Space Battle Manual, it was "a companion and updated version of [1972's] Star Trek Battle Manual" according to Tom's Spaceship Miniature/Game Lists.

    http://spaceship.brainiac.com/

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  11. Jerry: Thanks! I must've misread the copywrite info. I have SFBM listed as 1977.

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  12. Addendum

    1978
    Judges Guild
    Ready Ref Sheets, Volume I

    With this and the Blue Basic D&D book, I started GMing. Wasn't able to afford a white bookset until I had spent some time cutting lawns after the end of the snowy season in Colorado. (May-June)

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  13. A couple more additions:

    1973
    Triplanetary (SF wargame)

    1978
    Elric (fantasy wargame)

    The former is by GDW and was Marc Miller's first SF game (before Imperium and Traveller), the latter is by Chaosium and was how they got the rights to Moorcock that later allowed them to release Stormbringer.

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  14. 4000 AD was truly awesome. Wish I could get a game of that together today.

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  15. I got the 1975 dates for the two board games from board game geek

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  16. >Scott: John Kim's site is one of the listed sources, but unless I'm missing something I don't think his site covers supplements, only games.<

    Ah, I see where I erred. This is like a supplement to the RPG Encyclopedia, in that it covers supplements. Nice.

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  17. Neat list Jeff. Further evidence that the 70's (which by the way I was a alive during so I have first hand knowledge.) were awesome and sucked all at the same time. Which really boils down to disco sucks, RPG's awesome. :-p :-)

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