What was the first RPG?

[Rick_Micha...@cup.portal.com]

BTW: I was looking at the Copyrights for my Dungeons & Dragons game. I'm
not sure if they are talking about Elmore's pictures or the actual game,
but the earliest copyright I can find is 1974. At least this will establish
the absolute bottom year RPGs can be pushed back to. If anybody has a ref
earlier, please post it. I think it's reasonable to assume the computer
versions of RPGs could not be before the initial games came out.
As far as the IBM version of Rogue goes, the title screen gives
Michael Toy and Kenneth Arnold (I wonder if this is the same Ken Arnold
that did the music for early Ulitmas??), adapted for the IBM by Jon Lane
with significant design contributions by Glenn Wichman and scores of others.
Rick

[Rick_Micha...@cup.portal.com]

Darin, unfortunately you are right<g>. We have collectively redefined
what an RPG is, but the only REAL definition could/should/would be
that found int the original D&D, predates AD&D. Page 2 under the title
What is "role playing"
This is a role playing game. That means
that you will be like an actor, imagining
that you are someone else, and pretending
to be that character. You won't need a
stage, though, and you won't need cos-
tumes or scripts. You only need to imag-
ine.
But as people have commented, this would include such diverse games
as simulations, Wolf 3d, Kings Quest, ... all as being RPGs. So from a
practical standpoint we all narrow our definition to the maximum
bandwidth we're willing to read in the .cprg group.
Rick