TSR's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing system has been around for a long, long time, and has greatly influenced many writers, artists, and even filmmakers. And it's exerted a tremendous influence on electronic games for over a decade. Its complex system of numbers and figures and its emphasis on narrative description to evoke players' imaginations -- rather than using fancy special effects -- paved the way for its first game, released in 1988, SSI's Pool of Radiance. Though Pool of Radiance garnered praise at the time for its colorful graphics, its true strength lay in its excellent gameplay: its adherence to the AD&D rules, specifically in terms of its character development system; enjoyable tactical combat; and a wide variety of monsters and treasure. It was the first of what would be a long series of AD&D role-playing games that would change little, but prosper much.

However, as time passed, computer gaming evolved rapidly. Technology and game design advanced, and the developers of AD&D computer games tried to reinvent the games - and they experienced varying degrees of success. In the early to mid-1990s, the AD&D franchise was further jeopardized by the popularity of collectible card games, specifically Wizards of the Coast's Magic: The Gathering. The AD&D computer game license changed hands from SSI to Interplay, which promptly turned out two poor computer games, Blood & Magic and Descent to Undermountain.

But things changed again in 1998, thanks to a single game: Interplay's Baldur's Gate. Its excellent graphics and traditional AD&D gameplay single-handedly revived both the AD&D computer game franchise and the then-ailing computer role-playing genre. Interplay went on to release an expansion to Baldur's Gate and a completely new title called Planescape: Torment, which took place in an alternate AD&D universe. Fans and critics alike received both games well. Indeed, the future of the AD&D computer role-playing game seems bright enough now; the team of Interplay, Black Isle, and Bioware that gave rise to Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment are hard at work on three new projects -- Neverwinter Nights, Icewind Dale, and Baldur's Gate II. In addition, SSI has also returned to AD&D computer role-playing games, and is currently developing Pool of Radiance II.

In honor of GameSpot's special D&D Week, we've updated the history of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons with respect to electronic gaming. This supplement to GameSpot's original History of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons includes some games that we may have glossed over or missed previously, as well as a more comprehensive coverage of the AD&D computer games that have been released since the original feature's publication. For more information on AD&D-licensed computer games, please be sure to consult GameSpot's History of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

Next: Take me to the updated history of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons