Well...This article from Gamespy reads a bit like ad-copy, but I still wanted to make a few notes about it. It concerns a new book by Brad King and John Borland called Dungeons and Dreamers. These names are probably familiar to most classic CRPGers--remember Ultima? The authors wanted to "tell the history of computer gaming through the eyes of gamers and the people who made the games. The pen-and-paper connection really came out of reporting -- we realized that virtually every single person we talked to on the computer games side had a history with Dungeons and Dragons. From that point it seemed clear that we had to begin the book there. I've brought out some of the high points of the rather long discussion here:

These computer games gave early hackers, mathematicians, and scientists -- people who were absurdly smart -- a way to connect with each other in a language they understood. That language came in the form of these online role-playing games, which took place in fantasy worlds that were as second nature to many of these kids as sports and music are to a more mainstream population.

I know this was certainly true for me. I had some great times on the early BBSes and MUDs. A lot of people I know actually got married to people they met on these old systems!

The authors are also maintaining a blog which "picks up where the book left off." Good stuff! Honestly, I could probably spend days going through this blog and all its links. I hope they keep it up--it's a valuable resource for videogame studies.

I've ordered the book. If it lives up to its hype, it's bound to be a good read--I'll keep you posted.