Source of the Nile

malthaussen · Post by **malthaussen** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 7:27 pm

I'm reaching way, way back into the mists of history to bring up a subject so obscure, I'll be amazed if anyone else knows of it. Around 30 years ago, a small wargaming company published a very cool exploration game called Source of the Nile (hereinafter SOTN). It used a vinyl-covered map where the terrain could be filled in with crayons, and one assumed the role of a 19th-century explorer trying to (literally) fill in the map of Darkest Africa. There were a number of ingenious ideas incorporated in this little gem, and sadly no computer game remotely resembling it has ever been released. Okay, 7 Cities of Gold (hereinafter 7COG) remotely resembled it, but had none of the flavor or character.

The computer makes it possible to create a truly great game of exploration, with the potential for virtually limitless maps, no-brainer record-keeping, and rich and varied data bases. Yet most games of "exploration" are more about the other 3 x's. SOTN had none of this, like 7COG in this respect. But what added to the coolness of SOTN, and what was not present in 7COG were the role-playing and random aspects that made each game different. In SOTN, one created an explorer who could be a botanist, a zoologist, a doctor, etc, or some combination of these, one drew random chance cards until he got enough money to outfit his exploration, and then he went to Africa and filled in the blank hexagons, hoping to return alive (not easy) and before his competitors (also not easy) and be the first to "publish" his results. Until this happened, his discoveries were not "official," and could be erased from the map. Once the results were published, he earned money for his next expedition based on what he had discovered in his last. One rinsed and repeated until the map was totally filled in (which never happened), or exhaustion set it (much more likely). It was a game of great flavor, and even greater potential. The chance cards were also used each turn to generate a random event, which could be good, evil, or neutral, and was often hilarious.

Using a computer, how much more varied could it be: one could uncover lost cities and civilizations (from Prester John to insatiable Amazons in bronze underwear), climb (and name) high mountains, trace the courses of vast rivers, etc, etc... even search for Dr Livingstone. An infinitely random map would mean infinite replayability, and one could develop an RPG system even more varied and interesting than in the original, and far more interesting than the "You are Columbus, mapping the New World and visiting 100 native villages that are indistinguishable from each other" that summarizes 7COG. Which was a fine game for its time -- but times have changed.

Best of all, the game could use 3D graphics and "cutting-edge" technology without detracting from the gameplay, which could be as immersive as the developers want it to be. I'd love to see something along these lines.

-- Mal

Post by **IainMcNeil** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:42 am

Got it in teh cupboard

It's a good game for all the family. There's nothing better than a few armed Askaris!

malthaussen · Post by **malthaussen** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 1:16 pm

True, although if you get a random roll of 200+ warriors, they won't make much difference, lol.

Do you agree it would make a good computer game subject?

-- Mal

Post by **IainMcNeil** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 2:35 pm

Yea, we have a design for something like it, but it's never made it in to development. So many ideas and so little time

malthaussen · Post by **malthaussen** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 12:48 am

Just think, if you could only publish a game that sold as well as the Sims, you could kick back and design anything you wanted (taking as long as you wanted) and not even care if it made a profit.

-- Mal

Redpossum · Post by **Redpossum** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 5:03 pm

Huh! I missed this thread until now, don't ask me how.

This sounds like a FUN idea! As in, really fun...

I'm delighted to hear that Slitherine "has a design for something like it". Perhaps someday it will make it to development

You know, it's pure coincidence, I'm sure, but just a few days ago I saw a miniatures campaign something like this...

dhanegan · Post by **dhanegan** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:09 am

I'd like to see something like that, a historical game with exploration. One of the problems that has struck me with Spartan, Rome:TW and the like is that the map is fixed and known to the player, though the people living at the time actually had very poor knowlege of geography beyond their immediate nieghborhood. Making the map at least partially randomly generated could add a realistic fog of war element.

I have long thought someone should do a game about the Viking era, with players starting with an accurate map of the Scandanavian area but running into random terrain when they venture far from home. Economics based largely on looting raids, but maybe some income from farms and such too. Players could get fame points or something from exploring new areas, which might attract more warriors to their cause, or advance political goals like becoming king of Denmark.