Gold Box
A series of AD&D computer RPGs with a shared engine.
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The games share a common game engine known as the "Gold Box Engine," named after the gold-colored boxes in which most were sold.[1] The series began with Pool of Radiance in 1988 and ended with Forgotten Realms: Unlimited Adventures in 1993.[2][3] Strategic Simulations produced a series of role-playing video games called Gold Box, with releases spanning from 1988 through 1992.[1]
Making and release
Ten companies, including Electronic Arts and Origin Systems, applied for the license, but SSI won it in 1987 due to its wargaming experience and broad vision.[4][5] The Gold Box engine was based on the combat system of SSI's earlier game Wizard's Crown, and development was managed by Chuck Kroegel and George MacDonald.[6] The first game, Pool of Radiance, was released in 1988 and was followed by Curse of the Azure Bonds (1989), Secret of the Silver Blades (1990), and Pools of Darkness (1991).[2] During the mid-1980s, TSR made its Advanced Dungeons & Dragons property available to video game companies after observing the success of CRPGs like the Ultima series.[4]
TSR had a substantial role in game development, which included creating a tabletop module that served as the foundation for SSI's initial game.[6]
What the cited sources add
The Digital Antiquarian account notes that SSI's five-man team pitched TSR a vision of a whole new computerized wing of Dungeons & Dragons.[7] The same source states that the Gold Box line would be grouped into three separate series, each allowing character import between games.[7] According to the Stormfront Studios interview, Chuck Kroegel picked Stormfront to continue the Gold Box games in 1989 while SSI started the Dark Sun engine.[8] The interview also reports that Gateway to the Savage Frontier went to #1 on the sales charts.[8]
The Rausch article states that Unlimited Adventures gave developers access to 127 monsters and 100 event triggers.[9] The same article notes that SSI pressed the Gold Box engine into service one last time for Unlimited Adventures.[9]
References
- Wikipedia, "Gold Box" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: DeMaria, "High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games", McGraw-Hill Osborne Media, 2003-12-18, p. 169; Barton, "Unforgettable Realms: SSI's "Gold Box" Games", The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part 2: The Golden Age (1985-1993), 2007-02-23, p. 4 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Gold Box" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Barton, "Unforgettable Realms: SSI's "Gold Box" Games", The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part 2: The Golden Age (1985-1993), 2007-02-23, p. 4; Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Two on GOG.com; "Curse of the Azure Bonds Adventurers Journal", 1989; "Pools of Darkness Adventurer's Journal", 1991 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Gold Box" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Rausch, "A History of D&D Video Games - Part III", 2004-08-17; Matt, "Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games", A K Peters, 2008; "UA File Archive" (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Gold Box" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Rausch, "SSI's "Gold Box" Series", 2004-08-16; Maher, Jimmy, "Opening the Gold Box, Part 3: From Tabletop to Desktop", The Digital Antiquarian, 2016-03-18 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Gold Box" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Rausch, "SSI's "Gold Box" Series", 2004-08-16 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Gold Box" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons", Croftward, September 1988, p. 20; "Pool of Radiance Rule Book", A&a Printers and Lithographers, 1988, p. 29; "Pools of Darkness Adventurer's Journal", American Lithographers, 1991, p. 1; "Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed Log Book", American Lithographers, 1992, p. 1 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Maher, Jimmy, "Opening the Gold Box, Part 3: From Tabletop to Desktop", The Digital Antiquarian, 2016-03-18. facts only, no text reused. filfre.net
- Birnbaum, "Stormfront Studios Interview", GameBanshee, 2005-04-16. facts only, no text reused. gamebanshee.com
- Rausch, "A History of D&D Video Games - Part III", 2004-08-17. facts only, no text reused. pc.gamespy.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Gold Box (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Gold Box (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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