Talk:Temple of Apshai

Mixed up data
This article seems to mix and match information about the trilogy re-release throughout. That is somewhat understandable, as information from the re-release completely drowns it out. The original was in textmode, and released for systems like the Apple I, TRS-80, and the Commodore PET. I would make a screenshot from inside the game, but I've yet to find a working copy for any of those systems. Other than the title screen or initial character setup, the game seems to crash afterwards. This might be because of the mixture of floppy and cassette, and the emulators might not like that. Or it might be because there isn't a proper copy available. The closest you'll ever get to seeing it is from the Strongbad email, but that is simply a re-creation from either the back of the box or the manual (I can't remember).

Anyways, if someone has more information about the ORIGINAL game, please add this information! And also please separate the two versions of the games, as they look and play different. 24.165.203.79 03:55, 22 April 2006 (UTC) edited 24.165.203.79 03:59, 22 April 2006 (UTC)

The release date is given as 1980, but I have an earlier version (1978 or 1979, can't remember which) released by 'Automated Systems' (the old name for Epyx). Sometime I'll find the disk and check it out so I can maybe make some edits.

Wrong caption on screenshot
The screenshot is from Gateway to Apshai, not from Temple of Apshai. J I P | Talk 07:11, 19 July 2006 (UTC)


 * Really? How do you know?  I think we were just going by the information on the image's page.  If it really is from Gateway, that information should be changed.  Thanks. &mdash; Frecklefoot | Talk 14:48, 19 July 2006 (UTC)


 * I know, because I've played Gateway for years, and the Commodore 64 version definitely looks like that. I've never played Temple, but from the screenshots shown on the external link pages, it looks different. J I P  | Talk 20:07, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

Is there anyway to access the old screenshot? The Gateway to Apshai article lacks one. Night1stalker 22:25, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Full title?
MobyGames lists this game as Dunjonquest: Temple of Apshai. Which is the correct title? SharkD (talk) 02:23, 9 September 2008 (UTC)
 * Further, the article on Epyx mentions that some of the sequels were "branded under the Dunjonquest label." SharkD (talk) 00:59, 19 September 2008 (UTC)
 * Original packaging for the various platforms to which Temple was ported displays "Temple of Apshai" on the front of both the box and manual. Some platforms' box reverse and keyboard command cards display "DUNJONQUEST [line break] Temple of Apshai", though not all. Expansions to the base game (e.g. Upper Reaches, Curse of Ra) each refer to themselves as an "Expansion Module for Temple of Apshai". I believe, though cannot reference at the moment, that DUNJONQUEST was a referent label for the underlying game system; perhaps also a nascent product line of Automated Systems' later supplanted by universal use of the Epyx brand. This is supported in part by the game manual's usage of the term (e.g. "the DUNJONQUEST game, The Temple of Apshai" - note yet another variant self-titling), though it doesn't explain erratic application by A.S./Epyx of the term to branding/packaging. Of the variations, "Temple of Apshai" sans "DUNJONQUEST" is predominant, and I would suspect (though have to check) that this carries through to print ads and software reviews from that time, as well. Note that there are other A.S. games unrelated to Apshai that bear the DUNJONQUEST label (e.g. The Datestones of Ryn, Morloc's Tower), casting doubt on the unreferenced claim in the Epyx article re: "brand" extent and nature - in particular, the unsourced founding of the "Dunjonquest family" of titles and placement of Gateway to Apshai within, as I haven't witnessed the latter branded with the DUNJONQUEST monicker (which isn't surprising, given that its gameplay is vastly different). D. Brodale (talk) 03:10, 19 September 2008 (UTC)

Roguelike
Isn't Temple of Asphai a roguelike? JAF1970 (talk) 04:33, 25 February 2009 (UTC)


 * I don't think so since it doesn't use ASCII graphics (but not all Roguelikes do). But levels aren't even random, a big qualifier for a roguelike.  You can poise this question in the roguelike talk page, though, if you want more input. &mdash; Frecklefσσt | Talk 14:53, 25 February 2009 (UTC)

Removed source about supposed 1982 award.
I've removed this sentence from the article (forgot to login, so it shows as an IP edit), because it seems very likely that the quoted magazine got things mixed up:

In 1982 it won the Origins Award for "Best Adventure Game for the Home Computer".

The official homepage of the Game Manufacturers Association lists:

1980 Temple of Apshai 1981 Eastern Front 1982 Wizardry: Knight of Diamonds 1983 Knights of the Desert

Softline claims Temple of Apshai won 1982 and Knight of Diamonds 1983. There are sources that predate the 1982 awards that talk about Temple of Apshai being the winner, and Automated Simulations promoted it as the first. It would be very odd for an award like this to go to the same game twice, too. Derboo (talk) 17:36, 29 July 2014 (UTC)


 * Thank you for finding the source. I too wondered about Apshai winning twice, but given the wording difference I thought Origins created a separate award for which the game was again eligible; guess not. As for the years, at each Origins convention the award would be given for the previous year; e.g., in 1983 Knights of Diamonds won the "Best Adventure Game for Home Computer" award for 1982.


 * I agree that Softline likely made a mistake, but if so the error must be on the editorial side; the author of the article is Steve Jackson, who would be as much an authority on Origins happenings as anyone. Ylee (talk) 17:55, 29 July 2014 (UTC)

Dungeonquest name
This article is written in such a way that it suggests Dungeonquest was a sort of stand-alone concept, a framework used to build the various games. I do not believe this is the case, I'm pretty certain this was simply a marketing name dreamed up circa 1980 as part of AS's Epyx re-branding.

I cannot find any reference to the term before this period and none of the original ToA advertising uses the term. It appears, suddenly, around 1980 in ads that match the Starquest branding of RaR and SW. For those who are unfamiliar with those games, they are completely different from each other, and the name "Starquest" appeared when SW was released (after RaR) and both were branded as a group.

So, I propose re-wording the various mentions of Dungeonquest to make this distinction clearer. But on the chance I'm wrong, I'd like to see if anyone can Goolge-fu up some counterexamples?

Maury Markowitz (talk) 20:43, 11 August 2015 (UTC)

The name is definitely as old as the game itself. The magazine Compute has an overview in its Fall 1979 issue (page 86), which already refers to the Dunjonquest series, even though Temple of Apshai was the only title at the time. Also, 1979 advertisement is headlined by "DUNJONQUEST(tm) Presents" (for example in BYTE 11/1979, page 209). Quote: "DUNJONQUEST(tm) is a complete game system (...)" Derboo (talk) 23:35, 11 August 2015 (UTC)
 * Fair enough, well done! Maury Markowitz (talk) 14:41, 12 August 2015 (UTC)

Source

 * https://web.archive.org/web/20030420000130/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/westwood_15/p3_01.html