A strange little side quest
Put Feudalism next to the history of role-playing games and a few unexpected connections appear. Early computer role-playing games helped turn rules, inventories, exploration and character progression into systems that could support long-form digital adventures. Another piece of context lands nicely beside it: Pac-Man went on sale in 1980, and its creator Toru Iwatani famously linked the character's shape to a pizza with a slice missing. The screen is modern; the urge to test skill, pattern and timing definitely is not.
