Jason Dyer
@jdyer.bsky.social
Game designer making mathematics and science interactive. I also do the All the Adventures project where I play and write about every adventure game ever made in chronological order.
http://bluerenga.blog
http://bluerenga.blog
Pinned
Jason Dyer
@jdyer.bsky.social
· May 14
All The Adventures Up to 1982 in Review
It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to do one of these; my 1981 in review was posted December 20, 2021. The chart with plot types like Rescue, Escape, etc. just isn’t that helpful…
bluerenga.blog
All the Adventures aims to give the history about and play every adventure game ever made in chronological order. The 1982 sequence has just concluded, and I've written a post looking back and collecting some notable games.
#history #adventuregame
bluerenga.blog/2025/05/14/a...
#history #adventuregame
bluerenga.blog/2025/05/14/a...
Diamond Trail continues the story of The Quill, with Tim Gilberts's first game (which has uncanny similarities with Time-Line, yet plays much better).
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/28/d...
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/28/d...
Diamond Trail (1983)
(This post about Gilsoft continues the story after Time-Line, so you should read about that game first.) Three months after Time-Line started being offered, Tim Gilberts attended one of the legenda…
bluerenga.blog
November 29, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Diamond Trail continues the story of The Quill, with Tim Gilberts's first game (which has uncanny similarities with Time-Line, yet plays much better).
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/28/d...
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/28/d...
the conclusion to my story of Time-Line
not exactly the first game written with The Quill, but rather the first game written by Yeandle that will then get modified into the legendary tool once he realizes how unwieldy writing new games in machine code is
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/26/t...
not exactly the first game written with The Quill, but rather the first game written by Yeandle that will then get modified into the legendary tool once he realizes how unwieldy writing new games in machine code is
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/26/t...
Time-Line: The Clock Which Is Really a Time Machine
I’ve finished the game (previous post here). This was definitely in the “gonzo” style of design, with red herrings dropped wherever the author felt like, and only a vague gesture …
bluerenga.blog
November 26, 2025 at 8:18 PM
the conclusion to my story of Time-Line
not exactly the first game written with The Quill, but rather the first game written by Yeandle that will then get modified into the legendary tool once he realizes how unwieldy writing new games in machine code is
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/26/t...
not exactly the first game written with The Quill, but rather the first game written by Yeandle that will then get modified into the legendary tool once he realizes how unwieldy writing new games in machine code is
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/26/t...
Next on All the Adventures, the first adventure game published by Gilsoft, eventually leading to the legendary creation tool: The Quill.
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/25/t...
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/25/t...
Time-Line (1983)
Graeme Yeandle first encountered computers while visiting a university in 1972, although he decided against university and went straight to work for British Telecom. Starting in 1979 he switched de…
bluerenga.blog
November 25, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Next on All the Adventures, the first adventure game published by Gilsoft, eventually leading to the legendary creation tool: The Quill.
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/25/t...
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/25/t...
Reposted by Jason Dyer
There’s a million books in my backlog but instead I’m reading the 1990 novelization of Metal Gear, part of the Worlds of Power series, where Solid Snake gets on all fours and pretends to be a panther to scare away attack dogs
November 24, 2025 at 2:02 AM
There’s a million books in my backlog but instead I’m reading the 1990 novelization of Metal Gear, part of the Worlds of Power series, where Solid Snake gets on all fours and pretends to be a panther to scare away attack dogs
the ending of Terror From the Deep, involving a curious (and rare-for-this-era) issue I call a "plot bug" where a subtle plot hole can cause it to be harder to solve the game
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/23/t...
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/23/t...
Terror From the Deep: Scuttle the Ship
I’ve finished (previous post here), and the game ended relatively strong, although there’s a “plot bug” of sorts (like The Deadly Game, one that can interfere with game-solv…
bluerenga.blog
November 23, 2025 at 9:38 PM
the ending of Terror From the Deep, involving a curious (and rare-for-this-era) issue I call a "plot bug" where a subtle plot hole can cause it to be harder to solve the game
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/23/t...
#zxspectrum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/23/t...
Next on All the Adventures:
Terror From the Deep is next in the series after Leopard Lord. Rather than quasi-RPG combat the game puts the player in the aftermath of a battle. Except some the creatures might still be alive, but it's hard to tell? Read on for details.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/21/t...
Terror From the Deep is next in the series after Leopard Lord. Rather than quasi-RPG combat the game puts the player in the aftermath of a battle. Except some the creatures might still be alive, but it's hard to tell? Read on for details.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/21/t...
Terror From the Deep (1983)
This is the follow-up game to Leopard Lord, which I played recently; you can find the historical introduction there (specifically how Kayde took a piece of software in a magazine not written by the…
bluerenga.blog
November 21, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Next on All the Adventures:
Terror From the Deep is next in the series after Leopard Lord. Rather than quasi-RPG combat the game puts the player in the aftermath of a battle. Except some the creatures might still be alive, but it's hard to tell? Read on for details.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/21/t...
Terror From the Deep is next in the series after Leopard Lord. Rather than quasi-RPG combat the game puts the player in the aftermath of a battle. Except some the creatures might still be alive, but it's hard to tell? Read on for details.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/21/t...
Reposted by Jason Dyer
Hey, I bet you didn't hear that Zork 1, 2, and 3 were open-sourced today!
…Oh, you have heard. Yeah. Way ahead of me. :)
Here's my comments, and some details that you might not have seen.
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/11/zork...
…Oh, you have heard. Yeah. Way ahead of me. :)
Here's my comments, and some details that you might not have seen.
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/11/zork...
Zork is now open source
Two years ago, I wrote: Microsoft-the-company does not care about Infocom. But a lot of people in Microsoft must care. Microsoft is heavily populated by greying GenX nerds just like me. Folks who grew...
blog.zarfhome.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Hey, I bet you didn't hear that Zork 1, 2, and 3 were open-sourced today!
…Oh, you have heard. Yeah. Way ahead of me. :)
Here's my comments, and some details that you might not have seen.
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/11/zork...
…Oh, you have heard. Yeah. Way ahead of me. :)
Here's my comments, and some details that you might not have seen.
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/11/zork...
Reposted by Jason Dyer
November 20, 2025 at 10:18 PM
the conclusion to Madhouse, the utterly obscure fan-game total-modification of Frank Corr's engine for Asylum
including the most satisfying puzzle in the game, and more ruminations on trolling
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/17/m...
including the most satisfying puzzle in the game, and more ruminations on trolling
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/17/m...
Madhouse: You Could Be Happy Here
I’ve finished the game, and you should make sure you’ve read my previous posts on Madhouse before this one. Last time I was stuck on a botanist and a germanium that was withered so they…
bluerenga.blog
November 17, 2025 at 3:02 PM
the conclusion to Madhouse, the utterly obscure fan-game total-modification of Frank Corr's engine for Asylum
including the most satisfying puzzle in the game, and more ruminations on trolling
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/17/m...
including the most satisfying puzzle in the game, and more ruminations on trolling
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/17/m...
in which I continue the Deathmaze 5000 fangame titled Madhouse, and the trolling hits harder than ever (and I examine circumstances where a player-fan would add a design element that the main author never would)
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/15/m...
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/15/m...
Madhouse: Trolls
(Continued from my previous posts on Madhouse.) I’m likely not far from the end, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to get there. Last time I left off on the very simple problem …
bluerenga.blog
November 15, 2025 at 7:10 PM
in which I continue the Deathmaze 5000 fangame titled Madhouse, and the trolling hits harder than ever (and I examine circumstances where a player-fan would add a design element that the main author never would)
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/15/m...
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/15/m...
this is one of the best accounts on Bluesky
If you are into the history of technology and/or games, take a look
If you are into the history of technology and/or games, take a look
Spotlight Golf contained very state-of-the-art technology for its time, which enabled it to create a unique gameplay experience.
According to the Australasian Golf Museum, this tech qualifies it as the "first computer game" and maybe the first electronic computer.
Let's investigate this.
According to the Australasian Golf Museum, this tech qualifies it as the "first computer game" and maybe the first electronic computer.
Let's investigate this.
November 14, 2025 at 11:19 PM
this is one of the best accounts on Bluesky
If you are into the history of technology and/or games, take a look
If you are into the history of technology and/or games, take a look
Madhouse, the game that seemingly shouldn't exist, continues
I discuss major clues as to the actual source of the game
as well as find out what's more unfair than Deathmaze 5000
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/14/m...
I discuss major clues as to the actual source of the game
as well as find out what's more unfair than Deathmaze 5000
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/14/m...
Madhouse: Little Red Nothing Looking Very Sad
Never have I felt more apprehension than reading this sentence There are no hints or clues anywhere because there is no documentation that this game ever even existed. about a game related to Death…
bluerenga.blog
November 14, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Madhouse, the game that seemingly shouldn't exist, continues
I discuss major clues as to the actual source of the game
as well as find out what's more unfair than Deathmaze 5000
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/14/m...
I discuss major clues as to the actual source of the game
as well as find out what's more unfair than Deathmaze 5000
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/14/m...
picking two I have visible from where I'm sitting
November 14, 2025 at 6:55 PM
picking two I have visible from where I'm sitting
Med Systems published a catalog of four "adventure blobber" games from 1980 to 1982, made outside the regular arc of adventure game history.
Recently, I found a fifth game. It is not in any catalog or advertisement. It is a ghost from time that shouldn't exist.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/12/m...
Recently, I found a fifth game. It is not in any catalog or advertisement. It is a ghost from time that shouldn't exist.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/12/m...
Madhouse (1981?)
We have — or at least had — the early timeline of Med Systems well-understood. They were founded by William Denman out of North Carolina, and they were the ones responsible for Reality …
bluerenga.blog
November 12, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Med Systems published a catalog of four "adventure blobber" games from 1980 to 1982, made outside the regular arc of adventure game history.
Recently, I found a fifth game. It is not in any catalog or advertisement. It is a ghost from time that shouldn't exist.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/12/m...
Recently, I found a fifth game. It is not in any catalog or advertisement. It is a ghost from time that shouldn't exist.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/12/m...
in which I reach the end of the first adventure game in the Norwegian language, which has one of the more satisfying game endings I've experienced in a while
buried under bad RNG decisions, but you don't have to worry about those when you're just reading about it!
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/11/r...
buried under bad RNG decisions, but you don't have to worry about those when you're just reading about it!
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/11/r...
Ringen: Under the Low Morning Sun
I’ve finished the game; my previous posts are needed for context. You can read my complete Ringen series including the 2019 content here, and my series starting from the DOS port here. Nearly…
bluerenga.blog
November 11, 2025 at 5:22 PM
in which I reach the end of the first adventure game in the Norwegian language, which has one of the more satisfying game endings I've experienced in a while
buried under bad RNG decisions, but you don't have to worry about those when you're just reading about it!
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/11/r...
buried under bad RNG decisions, but you don't have to worry about those when you're just reading about it!
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/11/r...
in which the Norwegian game Ringen continues
including outwitting the witch via source code
a meeting with Legolas
Gollum's encounter with the precious
and a confrontation at the Bridge of Khazad-dum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/10/r...
including outwitting the witch via source code
a meeting with Legolas
Gollum's encounter with the precious
and a confrontation at the Bridge of Khazad-dum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/10/r...
Ringen: He Must Be a Wizard
(Continued from my previous posts.) Some progress, although I confess to looking at the source code for one puzzle; I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever based on what I found. Just to clear up a…
bluerenga.blog
November 10, 2025 at 6:42 PM
in which the Norwegian game Ringen continues
including outwitting the witch via source code
a meeting with Legolas
Gollum's encounter with the precious
and a confrontation at the Bridge of Khazad-dum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/10/r...
including outwitting the witch via source code
a meeting with Legolas
Gollum's encounter with the precious
and a confrontation at the Bridge of Khazad-dum
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/10/r...
Ringen (the first adventure written in Norwegian) continues with a long post where I explore Moria, meet some elves, evade a dragon, fail to correctly solve a riddle, and gather treasures to fund Frodo's upcoming vacation.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/07/r...
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/07/r...
Ringen: And in the Darkness Bind Them
(Continued from my last post, or if you want to read my entire series on this game including when I played it on a MUD, the link here will work.) I’ve done some major exploration of Moria, wh…
bluerenga.blog
November 8, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Ringen (the first adventure written in Norwegian) continues with a long post where I explore Moria, meet some elves, evade a dragon, fail to correctly solve a riddle, and gather treasures to fund Frodo's upcoming vacation.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/07/r...
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/07/r...
Recently, on the Norwegian videogame site spillhistorie.no, two new discoveries were posted, games that were previously lost. I've written about one already; the other discovery was of a very early Tolkien game, and the first original adventure we have in Norwegian.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/05/r...
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/05/r...
Ringen: Return of the
Æons ago, in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, I wrote about the Norwegian game Ringen, based on Lord of the Rings. I only knew about it from a vague reference in a list of Tolkien games which gave th…
bluerenga.blog
November 6, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Recently, on the Norwegian videogame site spillhistorie.no, two new discoveries were posted, games that were previously lost. I've written about one already; the other discovery was of a very early Tolkien game, and the first original adventure we have in Norwegian.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/05/r...
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/05/r...
All the Adventures continues with Comp 1983 and a contrast with the previous game: despite both games being set on islands, rather than staging "scenes" Search for the Ruby Chalice clearly is trying to simulate an "environment" instead
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/03/s...
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/03/s...
Search for the Ruby Chalice (1983)
Last time I wrote about Polynesian Adventure, an entry into the Falsoft contest for Tandy CoCo adventure games. It was written by an older couple, whereas today’s selection was written by a 1…
bluerenga.blog
November 4, 2025 at 1:04 AM
All the Adventures continues with Comp 1983 and a contrast with the previous game: despite both games being set on islands, rather than staging "scenes" Search for the Ruby Chalice clearly is trying to simulate an "environment" instead
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/03/s...
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/03/s...
Reposted by Jason Dyer
Reading @jdyer.bsky.social's recent blog posts playing interactive fiction text adventure game Fairytale (1982). And my mind is blown at the start, learning that this game is based on Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree series of books. Which I adored when I was very young. bluerenga.blog/tag/fairytal...
November 3, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Reading @jdyer.bsky.social's recent blog posts playing interactive fiction text adventure game Fairytale (1982). And my mind is blown at the start, learning that this game is based on Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree series of books. Which I adored when I was very young. bluerenga.blog/tag/fairytal...
based on some information on the comments I can say it is confirmed this does in fact use a real indigenous language
it is the earliest use I know of in computer games
it is the earliest use I know of in computer games
in which I complete Polynesian Adventure, which is meant to be almost a "virtual tourist" game perhaps 15 years too early
and also maybe the first text in a computer game from an indigenous language, although I have been unable to verify
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/02/p...
and also maybe the first text in a computer game from an indigenous language, although I have been unable to verify
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/02/p...
Polynesian Adventure: Virtual Vacation
(Continued from my last post.) I’ve finished the game. Given it was a 7k-byte type-in, it seemed inevitable, and it turns out there are almost no puzzles, but I had trouble anyway due to a pa…
bluerenga.blog
November 3, 2025 at 3:14 PM
based on some information on the comments I can say it is confirmed this does in fact use a real indigenous language
it is the earliest use I know of in computer games
it is the earliest use I know of in computer games
in which I complete Polynesian Adventure, which is meant to be almost a "virtual tourist" game perhaps 15 years too early
and also maybe the first text in a computer game from an indigenous language, although I have been unable to verify
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/02/p...
and also maybe the first text in a computer game from an indigenous language, although I have been unable to verify
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/02/p...
Polynesian Adventure: Virtual Vacation
(Continued from my last post.) I’ve finished the game. Given it was a 7k-byte type-in, it seemed inevitable, and it turns out there are almost no puzzles, but I had trouble anyway due to a pa…
bluerenga.blog
November 3, 2025 at 4:07 AM
in which I complete Polynesian Adventure, which is meant to be almost a "virtual tourist" game perhaps 15 years too early
and also maybe the first text in a computer game from an indigenous language, although I have been unable to verify
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/02/p...
and also maybe the first text in a computer game from an indigenous language, although I have been unable to verify
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/02/p...
IFComp 2025, around since 1995, is (likely) the longest-running videogame creation contest.
Text adventures contests go back to near the beginning: what about Comp 1983?
I start into the games of the Falsoft contest, and the conditions which led to their creation.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/01/p...
Text adventures contests go back to near the beginning: what about Comp 1983?
I start into the games of the Falsoft contest, and the conditions which led to their creation.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/01/p...
Polynesian Adventure (1983)
This continues the story, more or less, from Rainbow Adventure (1982). I knew I had this particular set of games looming, and since the results of IFComp 2025 were announced a few weeks ago it seem…
bluerenga.blog
November 1, 2025 at 7:34 PM
IFComp 2025, around since 1995, is (likely) the longest-running videogame creation contest.
Text adventures contests go back to near the beginning: what about Comp 1983?
I start into the games of the Falsoft contest, and the conditions which led to their creation.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/01/p...
Text adventures contests go back to near the beginning: what about Comp 1983?
I start into the games of the Falsoft contest, and the conditions which led to their creation.
bluerenga.blog/2025/11/01/p...
Reposted by Jason Dyer
Ectocomp '25 games are all live no – including KINOPHOBIA, my parser game/database thriller hybrid. Research an alternate history of cinema to figure out the fates of lost souls.
Inspired equally by Return of the Obra Dinn, IMMORTALITY, and Letterboxd.
brunodias.itch.io/kinophobia
Inspired equally by Return of the Obra Dinn, IMMORTALITY, and Letterboxd.
brunodias.itch.io/kinophobia
Kinophobia by Bruno Dias
Explore a haunted movie studio. Learn the fates of its tormented souls. End a curse inscribed in blood and celluloid.
brunodias.itch.io
October 31, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Ectocomp '25 games are all live no – including KINOPHOBIA, my parser game/database thriller hybrid. Research an alternate history of cinema to figure out the fates of lost souls.
Inspired equally by Return of the Obra Dinn, IMMORTALITY, and Letterboxd.
brunodias.itch.io/kinophobia
Inspired equally by Return of the Obra Dinn, IMMORTALITY, and Letterboxd.
brunodias.itch.io/kinophobia
1982 was very early for Japanese adventure games, with only a small number of releases. Takara Building Adventure thus is one of the earliest adventure games in Japanese, but it was not generally available...
...until today.
Includes some unexpected history!
bluerenga.blog/2025/10/29/t...
...until today.
Includes some unexpected history!
bluerenga.blog/2025/10/29/t...
Takara Building Adventure Part 1 (1982)
The last time I wrote about a Japanese game was with The Palms, where I mentioned skipping over two games from 1982 because there were no copies available. This was one of them. Brief history recap…
bluerenga.blog
October 30, 2025 at 1:59 AM
1982 was very early for Japanese adventure games, with only a small number of releases. Takara Building Adventure thus is one of the earliest adventure games in Japanese, but it was not generally available...
...until today.
Includes some unexpected history!
bluerenga.blog/2025/10/29/t...
...until today.
Includes some unexpected history!
bluerenga.blog/2025/10/29/t...