I first became aware of science fiction in 1950, when I was 13. (Fantasy, actually. I wasn't very keen on "hard-core" science fiction.) Those of you who read "Mad" magazine may be unaware that it began as a second-cousin, if you will, to EC (Entertaining Comics')"Vault of Terror" and "Crypt of Horror." There was also a what we would now call "manga" version of famous science fiction stories. I can't remember what the sci-fi mag was called. I came to RPG's rather sideways: we had an Atari 2600 back in 1981. There was a game called "Adventure" (remember the "Jason Robinette" Easter egg?) When we got our first real computer, a Commodore D-128, I found "Phantasie," which I think was by SSI. I bought the game and tried it out, since it seemed to be sort of like "Adventure," what with exploring caves and finding treasures. Back then I didn't know the difference between RPG's and adventure games, but immediately fell in love with that game. I hand-drew and colored maps of the entire land, and played the game until I finally mastered it. Since Papa Elf and I were continually arm-wrestling over who got to play with the computer, we got a C-64 for me. (Papa Elf got the D-128, since it was also used for primitive bookkeeping.) Sometime later I found Might & Magic. Since there were as yet no sequels, it didn't have a number, just "Might & Magic."
M&M was really rather primitive. To cast spells, you had to type in the correct spell. (Most magic words were a kind of mash-up of Latin and imagination.) I never could get past the final barrier, a force field guarding the treasure that was the point of the game. When M&M2 came out, I was able to beat it. I really felt like queen of the hill then! The rest is history.
