January 8, 2026
Roll for internet drama
The Rise of Computer Games, Part II: Digitizing Nerddom – Creatures of Thought
From dice to screens, and now the comments are a battlefield
TLDR: The piece argues Dungeons & Dragons’ stat sheets jump‑started early computer role‑playing games. Comments erupt over who gets credit (PLATO, Rogue, Wizardry, Ultima) and whether numbers ruined or rescued role‑play—showing how gaming’s past still fuels today’s identity fights, nostalgia, and gatekeeping.
The new essay from Creatures of Thought traces how 70s nerd pastimes—Star Trek, Tolkien, war games, the SCA—converged into Dungeons & Dragons and then computer role‑playing games (CRPGs). The comments? A critical hit. Old‑school Dungeon Masters insist the imagination was the point; stats were “just scaffolding.” CRPG diehards clap back that the numbers are the magic: character sheets became code, and shy kids finally had worlds to explore.
Then the history nerds roll initiative. A self‑proclaimed PLATO alumnus swears the first digital dungeon crawls deserve top billing, while others chant “Wizardry! Ultima! Rogue!” like it’s a boss fight. Adventure‑game fans ride in to defend Roberta Williams—“those were murder mysteries, not dungeon math”—and suddenly it’s detectives vs. dragons.
Memes fly: “Charisma was a dump stat until Twitch,” “SCA kids invented cosplay and nerf wars,” and “XP grinding was capitalism’s beta.” Zoomers say “Skyrim taught me D&D,” boomers counter “D&D taught Skyrim.” One peacemaker jokes, “We all share one party: nerds who min‑max free time.” The verdict? Nostalgia is strong, gatekeeping stronger, and the origin story still contested—but everyone agrees the dice roll never really ended, it just moved to screens.
Key Points
- •Late-1960s and 1970s hobby culture (sci-fi, Tolkien, wargames, SCA, renaissance fairs) set the context for early computer gaming.
- •Dungeons & Dragons introduced collaborative role-playing without fixed win/lose outcomes and used numerical character systems.
- •A 1979 New York Times article illustrates contemporary attempts to describe D&D’s mechanics and outcomes.
- •CRPGs drew primarily from D&D’s statistical character systems, while adventure games emphasized narrative roles.
- •No single foundational CRPG defined the genre; multiple D&D players independently conceived similar computer role-playing ideas.