Tracing the history of the modern computer role-playing game can take us to some interesting machines and even more interesting games. Tunnels of Doom, released in 1982 for Texas Instruments' TI-99/4A computer, is a very early attempt to adapt the conventions of table top D&D roleplaying games to the home computer. I was surprised to see how many of the game's features ended up in later games, especially SSI's popular Gold Box series. While the game is one of the less accessible titles for most modern gamers, it was one of the best-selling games for the TI-99/4A and is quite interesting from an historical perspective.

Tunnels of Doom is a "dual perspective" CRPG featuring 3D, first-person perspective while exploring dungeons, and a top-down, map-based perspective while engaged in combat. It's a setup that would be duplicated and refined in SSI's Gold Box games. It's an innovative setup, but the game suffers from a lackluster storyline, simplistic graphics, and awkward controls--facts that may account for this game's relative obscurity in the CRPG canon.

Story
There are two modules available with the game, and judging by the manual, my guess is that the developers planned to release more expansions. Unfortunately, the developer (Kevin Kenney) was laid off by Texas Instruments shortly after the game was released. The modules that made it in were "Pennies and Prizes" and "Quest for the King." The first of these is a very simple tutorial without any creatures--players have to find prizes sprinkled throughout the dungeon. The second is the stereotypical "rescue the king" quest with the added onus of having to find his magical orb of power. Like so many of the early CRPGs, spinning an engaging narrative was not the developer's strong suit.

Engine and Interface
I'll be honest, here. The complicated and awkward interface of this game makes it seem almost hopelessly dated in 2006. Part of the problem is the cumbersome nature of the TI-99/4A hardware itself, which had a proprietary keyboard-shortcut layout and no arrow keys. Although playing this game was easy enough on the original hardware, it's a bit tricky on an emulator. In any case, players will need to have the manual or at least a reference handy if they hope to get anywhere in the game. Of course, in 1982, developers were still struggling to find a "common language" for graphical interfaces, and gamers often discovered that they would have to learn a whole new set of conventions for every game--particularly one as ambitious as Tunnels of Doom. Suffice it to say, learning how to play this game takes considerable time and patience.

Combat Mode: Two party members are trapped behind the gate and must use ranged weapons.On the plus side, the complicated controls do allow for more precise direction of the characters than in many such games. This is support for up to four players and three classes (fighter, wizard, rogue), inventory management, ranged weapons, magic scrolls, and thieving abilities. Some of the more interesting abilities include listening at a door for sounds of monsters and negotiating with them during combat. The party will also find vaults secured by combination locks. These locks must be opened by the party's thief, who ends up playing a game of high-low to guess the right number. The party can also find useful items lying about and plenty of gold, which can be traded for items in the general store. Fountains and statues produce random effects. Another big help is the automapping feature, which eliminates the need for graph paper.

The combat scenes are quite interesting. They are turn-based and allow for a significant amount of strategy. How you move and attack with your characters is important, of course, but it's also critical to think a few moves ahead--much like chess. There is no way to attack diagonally, but the ability to use use ranged weapons ensures that the characters bringing up the rear will still get a chance to help quash baddies. In a few hours of play, I encountered wolves, oozes, and spiders, though apparently there are much more powerful creatures deeper in the dungeon. Some of them can even use magic! In short, it's a logical and fairly realistic combat system that is definitely one of the game's finest features.

Dungeon Exploration Mode: The bright colors don't make for a very frightening dungeon!Graphics and Sound
Graphically speaking, the most impressive feat is the 3D, first-person perspective displayed while the party is exploring dungeons. Though obviously simplistic by today's standards, it was a major step up from the wire-frame style of earlier games like Dungeons of Daggorath or the first Wizardry. However, the bright color scheme seems to contrast sharply with what we might expect from a dungeon--they are nothing like the dark, dank corridors of so many fantasy stories. The combat scenes are abstract and symbolic, but effective. Sound-wise, there are several entertaining ditties sprinkled throughout the game, especially during the colorful intro screen and while ascending and descending stairs.

Concluding Thoughts
Not all "retro" games are as playable today as Space Invaders or even 3D Monster Maze. Games like Tunnels of Doom have a much more significant learning curve, and it's not very clear why a modern gamer would wish to put up with such cumbersome control schemes just to hack some "ooze" to death. In most cases, the retrogames that have aged most gracefully are those that are easily-grasped, yet continue to offer new challenges. For every Sword of Fargoal there are dozens (if not hundreds!) of utterly forgettable titles. Nevertheless, it's important to recognize where modern gems like Baldur's Gate can trace their ancestry, and an innovative game deserves merit whether or not it's still fun to play. A game historian, particularly one interested in the roots of the CRPG, should see what Tunnels of Doom has to offer. In much the same way that watching old and "naive" films give us some insights into the history of the cinema, playing this game offers players a much richer understanding of the genre. After all, seeing what some developers "did wrong" is often just as enlightening as understanding what the best games did right--it's the flaws in these games that really illustrate our gaming heritage.

Links
Tunnels of Doom Tribute Page: Fan site with lots of info about the game and an interview with the developer.
Tunnels of Doom Reboot: A modern remake of the game in Java (still in development).