From Oregon Trail to A.I. Dungeon: 50 Years of Text Games - A Historical Overview

Embark on a captivating journey through 50 years of text-based gaming history in this 10-minute conference talk by Aaron A. Reed. Explore the evolution of interactive storytelling from the original Oregon Trail in 1971 to modern AI-driven experiences like A.I. Dungeon. Discover fascinating anecdotes and insights from Reed's weekly blog series, which analyzes one text game from each year over the past five decades. Delve into the diverse world of text games, including text adventures, BBS door games, hacking simulators, MUDs, audio games, and browser-based idle games. Gain valuable perspectives on the passionate creators from various backgrounds who have shaped this unique gaming genre. Learn about the industry-leading bestsellers and underground avant-garde titles that have defined text-based gaming. Benefit from Reed's expertise as a writer, game designer, and game historian, drawing from his experiences as a multi-time IndieCade and IGF finalist and speaker at renowned venues such as Google, PAX, GaymerX, and WorldCon.