Source of the Nile
Posted: 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
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
It's a good game for all the family. There's nothing better than a few armed Askaris!