Bibliography

This annotated bibliography lists all known sources of published information that relate directly to Eamon or other closely-related topics like SwordThrust, presented in MLA style.

Articles

Addams, Shay. "Adventure Games." A+ June 1985: 42-47.

Addams, author of the QuestBusters newsletter, compares three different programs for creating and editing text adventures: Adventure Master, AdventureWriter, and Eamon Dungeon Designer. Addams reviews the programs' features and describes his experiences using each one to set up a sample adventure. He concludes that Adventure Master is the easiest to use, but that AdventureWriter is the most powerful; Eamon, in addition to being the least expensive, is the most fun for those interested in learning BASIC.

Alford, Lynn. "Adventuring in the Public Domain... Eamon." Whole Earth Software Catalog Spring 1984: 44.

A brief summary and review of Eamon and information on where to obtain it.

Anderson, Margaret. "Mapping the Unknown: An Adventure in Eamon." Juiced.GS September 2013: 10.

Adventure author Margaret Anderson describes the Eamon adventure mapping program she wrote for the KansasFest 2013 HackFest (and which took first place in the competition). The program lets a user step through an adventure room-by-room without monsters or artifacts, and shows descriptions and a list of exits at each location.

Brown, Donald "The Wonderful World of Eamon." Recreational Computing July/August 1980: 32-41.

Brown begins with a short intro to fantasy role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, and describes how the complicated tables and math that govern combat in such games can be handled more easily by a computer. He then gives a detailed description of his Eamon game system, from the nature of the fictional world it inhabits, to the stats that define adventurers, to weapons, combat, monsters, and magic. He concludes with annotated transcripts of game play in the Main Hall and The Beginners Cave.

Brown, Donald. "The Hero, the Sword, and the Apple." Apple Orchard Fall 1981: 23-25.

Brown introduces readers to the concept of computerized fantasy role-playing games (CFRPs) and describes how they originated from Dungeons & Dragons, then gives an overview of currently available CFRPs, noting that many have shortcomings that his SwordThrust system addresses. He concludes with some brief speculation about future CFRPs.

Clarke, Wade. "Rows of words - on the screen - ooh, what they do to me!." GameFAQs 2 March 2003. Web.

In this review of Eamon written for Gamespot, adventure author Wade Clarke describes the game's origins and examines its lasting appeal, praising the diversity of its adventures; its support for character growth and development; its simulation-based combat system; and its easy hackability. He lists some of his most and least favorite Eamon stories and describes what he thinks makes an enjoyable adventure.

Cook, John B., Ph.D. "Adventures in Education: Educational uses for computerized adventure games." AEDS Proceedings May 1983: 80-82.

Cook describes the benefits of using computer adventure games to help teach reading, and describes how instructors can use games like Eamon or Oregon Trail for that purpose.[1]

Edwards, Paul. "Adventure Games: Problems, Solutions and Problems." Raised Dot Computing Newsletter June 1984.

After a short introduction to Eamon, this article discusses how blind or partially sighted players can run the game using VersaBraille or similar technologies, and reviews the accessibility of other popular adventure games like Zork and Wizardry.

Flynn, Mike. "Adventure Tips." Hardcore Computing 2 1981: 18.

A short summary and review of Eamon, plus tips for solving the games Oo-Topos and Ultima.

Haight, Charles. "Eamon: Creating the Adventure." Core 3 1983: 40-44.

Annotation pending

Hartley, Charlie. "GEnieLamp Profile: Tom Zuchowski." GEnieLamp A2 May 1995. Web.

Annotation pending

Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser. "The Role of Computers." Dragon 143, March 1989:82.

In their lengthy column of computer game reviews and news, the authors dedicate a short section to Eamon, calling it a "worthwhile bargain" and praising the recent updates and refinements made by the EAG. They write that the best feature of the game is the dungeon designer, which allows gamers to create their own custom adventures.

Hirsch, Paul. "Eamon is to RPGs what the Amoeba is to the human race." GameFAQs 20 February 2003. Web.

Annotation pending

Hurlburt, Jeff. "Eamon MCMXCII." Computist 89 1992: 4-15.

Annotation pending

Jarchow, Elaine, and Janey Montgomery. "Electronic Media: Dare to Use Adventure Games in the Language Arts Classroom." The English Journal February 1985:104-106.

Annotation pending

Jennings, Jay. "Imagination Rules the World." A2-Central December 1991: 1-3.

Jennings reminisces about early hit games for the Apple II and looks forward to upcoming releases, then identifies some current suppliers of computer game software including the Big Red Apple Club and Softdisk. He discusses the text-based adventure games Eamon and Explorer, 24-hour games, and arcade games, and concludes by answering some general questions.

Johnson, Forrest. "Featured Review: Sword Thrust." The Space Gamer September 1981: 10-11.

Annotation pending

Kohn, Joe. "Best-of-Eamon." Shareware Solutions II Winter 1996: 17-18.

Annotation pending

Kohn, Joe. "Catch of the Day." inCider/A+ June 1992: 40-45.

Kohn reviews various shareware and freeware Apple II software for home, school, and business, and includes a review of Eamon.

Krank, Charlie. "What Is All This Stuff?." Recreational Computing May/June 1979: 34-37. (Reprinted from Different Worlds February 1979.)

Krank defines fantasy role-playing and summarizes its key components: the referee, the players, and the rules system. He also includes a brief glossary of common FRP terms. The article, originally published in Krank's "Beginner's Brew" column in Different Worlds magazine, is referenced in Donald Brown's "The Wonderful World of Eamon" (1981).

Krebs, Rick. "D&D Meets the Electronic Age." Dragon #26, June 1979: 26.

Krebs describes how computers could be used to improve the experience of playing Dungeons & Dragons, from handling hit charts, to generating names, to building mazes. He describes as groundless the fear that computers will erode the game's creativity, and believes that computers can improve play by freeing the DM from mundane chores.

Martens, Bill. "Eamon 8.0: The Lost Treasure" Call-A.P.P.L.E. Winter 2017.

Annotation pending

McGivern, Jim. "A Review of Eamon: A Public Domain 'Adventure' Series." EAC Express February 1983.

Annotation pending

O'Donnell, Richard M. "Word Dance: Electronic Creative Writing and the Digitized Word." The Gamut Fall 1986 (#19): 66-79.

Annotation pending

Plamondon, Robert. "An adventure game for the Apple II with (almost) everything: Eamon." Creative Computing January 1983: 94.

Annotation pending

Plamondon, Robert. "Anatomy of an Eamon Adventure." Call-A.P.P.L.E. March 1983.

Annotation pending

Raines, Darrel. "Hidden Treasure: The Public Domain Eamon Adventure Game Series." GEnieLamp A2 October 1992. Web.

Annotation pending

Scorpia. "CRPGS: Computer Role-Playing Game Survey." Computer Gaming World October 1991 (#87): 109.

The survey includes a short summary of Eamon and its commercial successor SwordThrust.

Weaver, Susan. "Games microchips play." The Des Moines Register 6 November 1983: 4HC–5HC.

Annotation pending

Zuchowski, Tom. "The Wide World of Eamon." II Alive July/August 1993: 59-60.

Annotation pending

Blogs

Bolingbroke, Chester. "The CRPG Addict: Game 93: Eamon." The CRPG Addict, 22 March 2013.

Bolingbroke gives a detailed introduction to the series and its history, and describes his experiences playing some of the early adventures. He describes Eamon as "one of the best examples of a 'freeware' game that has inspired affection and devotion well beyond any commercial game of the era."

Bolingbroke, Chester. "The CRPG Addict: Game 117: SwordThrust." The CRPG Addict, 20 September 2013.

In reviewing Brown's commercial series SwordThrust, Bolingbroke finds it to be more polished and sober than Eamon, though with less enduring appeal.

Bolingbroke, Chester. "The CRPG Addict: SwordThrust Walk-Through." The CRPG Addict, 18 October 2013.

In a follow-up to his earlier review, Bolingbroke describes his experience playing all seven of the published SwordThrust adventures.

Bolingbroke, Chester. "The CRPG Addict: Game 212: The Adventure - Only the Fittest Shall Survive." The CRPG Addict, 22 February 2016.

A review of the commercial Eamon clone The Adventure (1985).

Bolingbroke, Chester. "The CRPG Addict: Game 429: Knight Quest." The CRPG Addict, 13 August 2021.

A review of John Nelson's adventure system Knight Quest (1983).

Clark, Matthew. Eamon Adventurer's Guild Online [Blog], 2004, eamon-guild.blogspot.com.

The blog features many years' of news, updates, and commentary from the Eamon Adventurer's Guild Online webmaster, with comments from community members.

Dechant, Keith. "Eamon Remastered: Rewriting a Text Adventure Game in Angular." Keith Dechant [Blog] 1 October 2017.

Annotation pending

Dechant, Keith. "Building an Interactive Fiction Command Prompt with Angular." Keith Dechant [Blog] 1 October 2017.

Annotation pending

Dyer, Jason. "Eamon: Beginner's Cave (1979)." Renga in Blue, 1 September 2016.

Dyer introduces the Eamon series and walks through the first adventure, The Beginners Cave.

Dyer, Jason. "Eamon: The Lair of the Minotaur." Renga in Blue, 5 September 2016.

A walkthrough of the second adventure, The Lair of the Minotaur.

Maher, Jimmy. "Eamon, Part 1." The Digital Antiquarian, 18 September 2011.

Maher begins his Eamon exploration with a look at the origins and history of the series.

Maher, Jimmy. "A Journey into the Wonderful World of Eamon." The Digital Antiquarian, 24 September 2011.

Maher's second Eamon post gives a detail explanation of the game and how it works, illustrated with a number of screenshots.

Maher, Jimmy. "Eamon, Part 2." The Digital Antiquarian, 25 September 2011.

Picking up from Part 1, this post continues the history of the game, covering Brown's departure and Nelson and Zuchowski's leadership.

Maher, Jimmy. "My Eamon Problem." The Digital Antiquarian, 15 April 2012.

Maher explores the question of when exactly Eamon was created and released.

Mahney, Nathan P. "CRPG Adventures 41: Eamon: The Beginners Cave." CRPG Adventures, 19 March 2020.

Mahney introduces and reviews Eamon and gives a walkthrough of the first adventure, The Beginners Cave.

Mahney, Nathan P. "CRPG Adventures 52: Eamon: The Lair of the Minotaur." CRPG Adventures, 22 March 2021.

Walkthrough and review of the second adventure, The Lair of the Minotaur.

Olivetti, Justin. "The Wonderful World of Eamon." The Game Archaeologist, 20 November 2021.

Olivetti gives a short overview of the game and its history, describing it as an important precursor to later massively-multiplayer online games.

Professor6153. "Game #27: Eamon: Beginner's Cave." Retro Games Trove, 10 November 2020.

Introduction to Eamon and a review and walkthrough of the first adventure, The Beginners Cave.

Professor6153. "Game #28: Eamon: Lair of the Minotaur." Retro Games Trove, 12 November 2020.

Walkthrough of the second adventure, The Lair of the Minotaur.

Professor6153. "Game #106: Eamon #3: Cave of the Mind." Retro Games Trove, 28 August 2021.

Walkthrough of the third adventure, The Cave of the Mind.

Professor6153. "Game #107: Eamon #4: The Zyphur Riverventure." Retro Games Trove, 2 September 2021.

Walkthrough of the fourth adventure, The Zyphur Riverventure.

Professor6153. "Game #108: Eamon #5: Castle of Doom." Retro Games Trove, 5 September 2021.

Walkthrough of the fifth adventure, Castle of Doom.

Professor6153. "Game #164 & #165: Eamon 6: The Death Star & Eamon 7: The Devil's Tomb." Retro Games Trove, 25 July 2022.

Walkthrough of the sixth and seventh adventures, The Death Star and The Devil's Tomb.

Ryan, Stephen. "Playing Through the History of Video Games: Eamon (1980)." Absolute Knave, 3 May 2022.

Annotation pending

Sullivan, Kent. Dr. Evil Laboratories [Blog], 2018, commodoreserver.com/BlogView.asp?BID=22E95790589E42CF8BAA46C249B0FDE1.

Sullivan, creator of the Eamon-inspired text adventure game Imagery!, shares recollections and insights on the game, Commodore computers, and other related subjects.

Wanderer, Jalen. "Eamon - First Impressions." Comparative Creation, 26 October 2013.

Jalen shares their thoughts on the Eamon system: "A very early CRPG/text adventure hybrid system that's highly customizable if you're okay with doing some programming"

Wanderer, Jalen. "Eamon Resources." Comparative Creation, 2 November 2013.

Jalen briefly explores some resources for creating adventures, including the Player's Manual and Dungeon Designer.

Wanderer, Jalen. "Eamon: Recap and Redactions." Comparative Creation, 7 February 2014.

A recap of Jalen's earlier introduction to the series, plus corrections on a few minor points like Eamon influences and the addition of diagonal compass directions.

Books

Mott, Tony, ed. 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. New York: Universe Publishing, 2010: 36. Print

Contributor Chris Dahlen gives a brief overview of Eamon, describing it as a quaint game whose legacy lies in the community of authors and enthusiasts it inspired.

Barton, Matt. Dungeons & Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games. Wellesley, Massachusetts: A.K. Peters, 2008: 50. Print.

Annotation pending

Linzmayer, Owen W. The Mac Bathroom Reader. Alameda, California: SYBEX, 1 July 1994: 195. Print.

In his chapter "What's in a Name?", Linzmayer describes "the true—and often bizarre—stories behind some of the most prominent and obscure company names in the Macintosh industry" and briefly recounts the origins of CE Software's name in the earlier Computer Emporium.

Montfort, Nick. Twisty Little Passages: An Approach to Interactive Fiction. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2004: 196. Print.

Montfort examines the origins and history of IF and explores its influence on other entertainment media. He dedicates a section to interactive fiction authoring tools and touches briefly on Brown's Eamon, calling it an important early system and noting the large number and wide variety of adventures it produced.

Pepe, Felipe, ed. The CRPG Book: A Guide to Computer Role-Playing Games. Bath, UK: Bitmap Books, 2019: 48–49. Print.

The CRPG Book gives overviews and histories of many computer-based role-playing games, including a two-page section for Eamon. Pepe describes player creation, the Main Hall, and the process of adventuring, and gives a brief history of the game and its associated clubs.

Rosenthal, Judy, ed. The Best of Apple Public Domain Software. San Jose, California: Public Domain Exchange, April 1985: 126–129. Print.
Rosenthal, Judy, et al, ed. The Best of Apple Public Domain Software, Edition II. Santa Clara, California: Public Domain Exchange, October 1987: 81–84. Print

This reference book is a list of public domain software held by the Public Domain Exchange, organized into categories with a brief description of each piece. A four-page section is dedicated to Eamon and lists 70 adventure disks, four utility disks, three tournament disks, and the Eamon Dungeon Designer.

Stanton, Jeffrey, et al., eds. The Addison-Wesley Book of Apple Computer Software 1983. Los Angeles, California: Book Company, 1983: 280.

The catalog features a brief summary of CE Software's SwordThrust. [2]

Essays

Clark, Matthew. "Eamon and Interactive Fiction." Eamon Adventurer's Guild Online 2004. Web.

Is Eamon interactive fiction? Clark explores the differences between Eamon and other kinds of IF, and describes how Eamon could benefit by incorporating things like stronger narrative story elements and richer descriptions that are more common in IF. Clark encourages Eamon authors to study and learn from other adventure systems.

Games

Eamon. Donald Brown, c. 1979.

SwordThrust. CE Software, 1981.

Manuals

Brown, Donald. Eamon Player's Manual. c. 1980.

Brown, Donald. Eamon Dungeon Designer's Manual. c. 1980.

Black, Frank. Eamon Deluxe Player's Manual.

Black, Frank. Eamon Deluxe Adventure Design Manual.

CE Software. SwordThrust Manual.

Page, Ryan. Eamon Pro Instructions.

Periodicals

Black, Frank, ed. Eamon Deluxe Newsletter February 2005-March 2013.

This newsletter about the Eamon Deluxe game system by Frank Black ran for four issues and focuses mostly on adventure reviews.

Nelson, John, ed. Eamon Adventurer's Log March 1984-April 1989.

The Log is the official newsletter of the National Eamon User's Club and focuses on new adventure announcements, adventure reviews, bug fixes, design tips, and club news and notices, and also features columns on a variety of other related Eamon topics. It ran for a total of 13 issues.

Zuchowski, Tom, ed. Eamon Adventurer's Guild June 1988-January 2004.

The newsletter is the official newsletter of the Eamon Adventurer's Guild. Like its predecessor it focuses on new adventure announcements, adventure reviews, bug fixes, design tips, and club news and notices, as well as other occasional columns, contests, polls, etc.

Videos

AppleAdventures. "Eamon: Curse of the Hellsblade walkthrough (Apple II - John Nelson and Tom Zuchowski)." YouTube, 25 January 2021, youtube.com/watch?v=pjA6f53YC-g

Annotation pending

Gaming Jay. "Eamon (Apple II) - Let's Play 1001 Games - Episode 106." YouTube, 20 June 2016, youtube.com/watch?v=uvZIxnIvRG8

Annotation pending

Highretrogamelord. "Eamon for the Apple II." YouTube, 22 November 2010, youtube.com/watch?v=bepXJNbRCPs

Annotation pending

Highretrogamelord. "SwordThrust for the Apple II." YouTube, 20 November 2011, youtube.com/watch?v=rPUpxUm23e8

Annotation pending